The first episode of Pokémon Horizons has finished and everyone is already loving Captain Pikachu. While we’ll always love Ash’s Pikachu, The Captain might just be the cooler version of this beloved monster. He’s not your daddy’s Pikachu, he’s Captain Pikachu.
Debuting in Horizons’ two-episode introduction The Pendant, Friede and Captain Pikachu take on the Ghost-type Ceruledge in an impressive battle. It’s clear that some love and effort was put into this fight, as The Captain is able to take the battle to Ceruledge and almost wins.
Pokémon Horizons' battles are already making waves with fans, as we can see in the post below. Captain Pikachu impressively uses Thunderpunch, Volt Tackle, and Double Team, the latter of which is used like a Naruto move. That’s not a joke either, as Friede actually says “kage bunshin” which is what Naruto uses to make his Shadow Clones.
Beyond fights, Captain Pikachu has a really fun personality. This little critter is cocky and aggressive, which is a bit different from Ash’s Pikachu. Seeing this Pokémon cross its arms like some kind of final boss is really fun to see.
Overall, it looks like Pokémon Horizons is already off to a good start. There’s a good amount of intrigue surrounding the main plot with Liko, Sprigatito, and new villain Amethio. It’s a slightly more serious take than the original series, with an immediate mystery and plot to venture through.
Fans probably still miss Ash as his final episode aired not too long ago but it's time to move on. With new characters to bond with and new locations to get lost in, it looks like Horizons could be the boost this anime needed. Granted, the Pokémon anime was never in danger of being pulled Ash’s constant presence did make it feel a bit stale.
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Expect news on the English dub of Pokémon Horizons soon, with many of us expecting it to air on Netflix. Fans enjoying the world and creatures should pick up Pokémon Scarlet and Violet on Switch.