Pokémon: Ash and Pikachu are officially being replaced as the series protagonists

That’s right, it’s official. The Pokémon anime is going to be headed down a very different path, as it’s now been announced that the series will be introducing two new protagonists replacing Ash.

It was previously rumoured that Ash would be stepping down at the end of the latest anime series, Pokémon Ultimate Journeys, and now it’s confirmed that this will be the case in a new teaser trailer posted on the official Pokémon Twitter account.

Take a look at the trailer for Ash's so-called "final chapter" below.

“An all-new Pokémon series has been announced!” the tweet reads. “Join two new characters and three Paldea starter Pokémon on an adventure through the world of Pokémon! Plus, commemorate Ash’s journey with special episodes concluding Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series.”

The trailer confirms that “the final chapter in Ash and Pikachu’s story” will consist of 11 episodes, which will air in Japan starting January 2023. After a 25-year-long adventure, in which he finally became a Pokémon champion, I think it’s fair to say that the guy definitely deserves a break, but it’s hard to imagine what the series will be like without him. We’d better start gearing up for an emotional farewell.

As for the new protagonists, it remains to be seen what they’ll be like - it looks like one has a Sprigatito, while the other has a Fuecoco and Quaxly. Will they be received with open arms after booting Ash and Pikachu from the spotlight? Perhaps not, but I think it’ll be interesting to see what direction the anime takes as a result of the change. But please, please keep Team Rocket.

The Pokémon Company.

The first of Ash’s special episodes is set to premiere on 13 January, so there’s not too long to wait for it. However, a launch date for the brand new series hasn’t been given at the time of writing, so we’ll just have to stay tuned for that.