It’s Finally Time To Dive Into ‘Pokémon Horizons: The Series’

For the first time, Pokémon’s flagship anime series isn’t about Ash Ketchum’s journey to becoming a Pokémon Master. This time around, it’s all about Liko and Roy, Pokémon’s newest protagonists. It’s finally time to dive into Pokémon Horizons: The Series, but you’ll need to know where to watch it.

Essentially, the Pokémon anime has reinvented itself. Gone are the days of Ash Ketchum’s Pokémon Gym challenges and League tournaments—Liko and Roy are brand-new trainers, intent on finding out who they are and what they want to do with the help of Sprigatito and Fuecoco, their partner Pokémon. Joining a merry band of adventurers known as the Rising Volt Tacklers, Liko and Roy travel the world, unraveling the mysteries of their respective family heirlooms and meeting some intriguing Legendary Pokémon along the way.

Is Pokémon Horizons available on Netflix?

Now, if you’ve been watching the Pokémon anime since the late ’90s, as I have—I can’t even tell you how old that makes me feel—you’ll undoubtedly be curious as to how the show has chosen to reinvent itself. Thankfully, you don’t have to wait any longer to find out. After a few delays, Pokémon Horizons: The Series is now officially available to watch on Netflix in the U.S.

In the U.K., Horizons can be found on BBC iPlayer, instead, though it’ll likely make its way over to Netflix there at some point, as well. If you want to watch a preview before diving into the new series, you can watch the trailer below.

Don’t worry, fellow Pokémon fans—Ash may no longer be the show’s protagonist, but it certainly hasn’t lost its charm. Instead, the series is utilizing a new, region-hopping formula (inspired by Pokémon Journeys and its sequel series, no doubt), offering more of an ongoing narrative than we’re used to from the Pokémon anime. Liko is being chased by someone who wants her grandmother’s pendant, and Roy’s family has been protecting an incredibly powerful Pokémon without even knowing it.

Though it takes some getting used to, Pokémon Horizons offers a compelling new perspective on the Pokémon world. It’s nice to get to know all the new characters outside of their love for Pokémon battling—Liko, especially, who is much more introverted than past Pokémon protagonists, has an incredible amount of potential—and the intriguing mysteries the show sets up in its first few episodes are a big draw, too. This isn’t a show about becoming the very best Pokémon Trainer—though Roy certainly wants to become a great one—but about exploring everything else the Pokémon world has to offer, too.

So, what are you waiting for? Netflix awaits!

(featured image: The Pokémon Company/OLM)