The new Pokémon anime, Pokémon Horizons: The Series, has had its North American premiere pushed back by a few weeks and will now debut on Netflix on 7th March.
The first series since Ash Ketchum's departure, Horizons was originally supposed to come to the streaming service on 23rd February.
Taking the place of the iconic cap-wearing protagonist (and Pikachu, of course) are Liko and Roy, two new heroes who will be keeping the adventure going in Scarlet and Violet's Paldea region.
In the UK, Pokémon Horizons landed on BBC iPlayer back in December 2023 where it is now available to stream. You can also check out the first 11 minutes of the series on The Pokémon Company's YouTube channel — if you really want to see what's in store, that is.
Have you watched the new anime yet? What do you make of this delay if you are still waiting? Let us know in the comments.
[source twitter.com]
Comments 10
So no Pokemon Horizon's on the horizon?
Okay so this is allowed to be delayed but not the games, gotcha.
I actually quite like the dubbed version of the anime myself (horrifying I know) so this is a bit of a shame to see, even if it doesn't affect me as an EU resident who's had access to it for a fair while now.
@Yosher Considering how pretty much every single aspect of wider Pokemon media revolves around the games (anime, TCG, merch), it's to be expected honestly, as much as it pains me to say.
@Yosher What @Fizza said, not to mention that this is affecting only North America while the games are released at the same time worldwide...
Can't we all push for a more realistic solution to the issues affecting the games - the one I could think of is Game Freak getting assisted by someone better at developing games in general and especially open world ones - instead of insisting on something that will never happen?
@Fizza I'm aware. Painfully aware. I just wish it were different.
@JohnnyMind That is a good solution on paper but unfortunately just as unlikely as far as I can tell. I'd love for them to get the help they need to make the games as good as they can be though. They have the resources to make it happen. They just lack a reason to, probably.
If they can somehow increase the quality of the games back up to where it should be though I'll be happy to jump back into the games!
@Yosher I'd say it's at least slightly more likely because it wouldn't compromise the schedule that makes the "Pokémon machine" work but yeah, of course there has to be a will to do such a thing in the first place.
I hope they will increase the quality of the games one way or the other, especially considering that I'm enjoying Scarlet despite its issues and I'd love for others including you to be able to enjoy the games (again), too!
What a rollercoaster,
"Pokemon Horizon" YAAAY
"Delayed" WHAT??
"In NA" PHEW
and it was all under 1 second.
I feel you NA, but I can't help but feel relieved at the same time
Sure would be nice if it was on normal TV. (That’s a Pandora’s Box of topics and discussion there.)
Well, take their time. I’ll import the Thai DVDs to watch the series.
Eh, I kind stopped caring about the anime during the XY-era. The attempts at serious storytelling and certain aspects (cough*Amourshipping*cough) brought into the series at the time made me gag. I tried to get back into it during the SM-era but it it just wasn't my thing.
@JohnnyMind The problem with the current "Pokémon machine" is that it's too heavily reliant on the main games and everything, including the main games themselves, are negatively affected by this. Remember when there used to be spin-off games between main games, original TCG sets inbetween ones themed around the main games, and anime arcs that were either completely original or themed around a post-game experience in the main game? Because I sure do.
Also, giving the main games additional development support is something that needs to be done going forward. That said I do agree with @Yosher comment about the games needing a delay in some extreme cases, especially when it's painfully obvious that Scarlet and Violet were likely in-development during COVID lockdowns and suffered as a result of it.
@rotekps_aniger Yeah, TPCi more than likely went with Netflix due to getting burned by TV channels in the past. Remember when Cartoon Network cut Zoroark: Master of Illusion's prologue from the film's initial airing? That was done without TPCi's permission and probably led to them taking the anime elsewhere (in this case Disney XD and eventually Netflix).
@ZebZed I'm not so sure spin-offs have anything to do with the issue because mainline games have always been released after three or at most four years after the previous one came out and that hasn't changed, not to mention that the reduced number of spin-offs (which I'd love to see more of like in the past as I usually prefer them to the mainline games) most likely has to due more to being partially replaced - luckily not completely as the Mystery Dungeon remake and New Pokémon Snap show - by the exclusively or also on mobile games than anything else.
The thing is, I seriously doubt they will ever change their schedule because the "Pokémon machine" works way too well and even less so when the latest games have been an incredible success despite their issues and no matter the circumstances so the only possible solutions in my opinion are those that don't affect the schedule which is why the one I could think of is development support for Game Freak.
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