On March 7 of this year, the English dub of “Pokémon Horizons” streamed its first twelve episodes on Netflix. Officially arriving in the US just shy of a year since its Japanese debut; this latest iteration of the anime is an admirable, if uneven experiment.
Though not explicitly set within the continuity of the video games or the previous anime, this outing makes an attempt to distinguish itself in terms of plot and characterization. This time, youngsters Liko (voice of Alejandra Reynoso, Netflix’s “Castlevania”), Roy (voice of Anjali Kunapeni, “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba”) and Dot (voice of Faye Mata, “Street Fighter 6”) find themselves caught between rival teams of treasure seekers- the heroic Rising Volt Tacklers and the enigmatic Explorers. As two of the treasures being sought are Legendary and Mythical Pokémon; all does not go smoothly.
Even if the reveal of this new direction sent shockwaves throughout the fandom at first, the show still carries familiar elements from what has come before. Standout characters include the roguish Friede (voice of Crispin Freeman, “Xenosaga”) and Captain Pikachu (voice of Ikue Ohtani, giving off a vibe of more comically serious variants of Batman). Though serialized storytelling and distinctive character types have always been a part of the franchise, this anime debatably leans into these aspects the hardest since the fan-favorite 2013 event series “Pokémon Origins.”
While the new direction for the series is commendable on paper, this first volume is held back by a number of flaws that keep it from reaching its full potential. The plot takes a while to really get going, and the slow pacing in the early episodes isn’t helped by locking key story and character details inside a “mystery box.” It’s also somewhat difficult to get attached to the young leads when the anime doesn’t provide much justification for the characters’ personalities (outside of Dot’s streamer persona “Nidothing” and a recurring inner monologue from Liko).
That said, it is far from the worst adaptation of its kind. Though not on the same order of magnitude as the 2019 live-action “Pokémon Detective Pikachu” or the stop-motion miniseries “Pokémon Concierge,” there is ample room for this story to grow from here.
Overall, “Pokémon Horizons” indicates and represents the uncharted waters the anime is currently sailing. Though it remains to be seen whether or not this direction of the anime will have the same impact or longevity as what came before it; the series is still worth keeping on your radar.
Starring the voices of Alejandra Reynoso, Zeno Robinson, Larry Kenny, Faye Mata, Erica Mendez, Kira Buckland, Lisa Ortiz, Crispin Freeman, Daman Mills, Anjali Kunapaneni, Mara Junot and Major Attaway with Steve Blum and Ikue Ohtani
Available on Netflix (Volume 1 Now Streaming, Volume 2 Coming May 10)
Rated TV-Y7-FV
My Rating: ***/5
