Pokémon Journeys: The Series (S23): Episode Guide


Season	Season 23 of the English dub · the first of the three Pokémon Journeys seasons, covering the first 48 episodes of Japan’s Pocket Monsters (2019) series (JN001–JN048)
Series	Pocket Monsters (ポケットモンスター, TV Tokyo, 17 November 2019 – 24 March 2023, JN001–JN147), dubbed as Pokémon Journeys: The Series, Master Journeys and Ultimate Journeys
Region	All eight — Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, Alola and Galar — from the Cerise Laboratory in Vermilion City, Kanto; Galar’s Wyndon, Wild Area, Slumbering Weald and Hammerlocke for the World Coronation Series and the Darkest Day (JN042–JN045)
Episodes	48 on TV, on Netflix and on video — JN001–JN048, with nothing banned, skipped or reordered
First episode	Enter Pikachu! (JN001) · Japan 17 November 2019 · US (Netflix) 12 June 2020 (Canada 9 May 2020)
Last episode	A Close Call… Practically! (JN048) · Japan 4 December 2020 · US (Netflix) 5 March 2021
Japanese opening theme	Wan, Tsū, Surī (１・２・３ One, Two, Three) – After the Rain (JN002–JN031, and the ending of JN001) · Nishikawa-kun and Kirishō (JN032–JN048)
Japanese ending themes	Pokémon Shiritori (ポケモンしりとり, Pikachu → Mew Ver.) – Pokémon Music Club (JN002–JN019, then even-numbered episodes from JN040) · Pokémon Shiritori (Mew → Zamazenta Ver.) (JN020–JN039, then odd-numbered episodes from JN041) · Fushigina Fushigina Ikimono (ふしぎなふしぎな生きもの Strange and Wonderful Creatures) – Tortoise Matsumoto (first airing of JN048 only)
English opening theme	The Journey Starts Today – Walk off the Earth (JN001–JN048; its instrumental is the English ending theme)
Travelling companions	Ash Ketchum & Pikachu and Goh, research fellows at the Cerise Laboratory, with Professor Cerise, his daughter Chloe and Yamper, the assistants Chrysa and Ren, and Delia’s Mr. Mime, Mimey
World Coronation Series	Ash registers in JN018 at 3,763rd, reaches the Great Class by beating Korrina (921st, JN025) and peaks at 890th (JN033); Bea hands him his first defeat (JN034), two more losses drop him to the Normal Class (1,021st, JN036), and he draws with Bea back in the Great Class (JN039)
Other events	Leon beats Lance to become Monarch (JN012) · Pikachu Gigantamaxes (JN013) · the Darkest Day (JN042–JN045): Riolu becomes Lucario, Raboot becomes Cinderace, and Ash and Goh catch Eternatus · Mewtwo returns (JN046)
Related movies	Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution (Netflix 27 February 2020 · US Blu-ray and DVD 17 November 2020 · Japanese TV 18 December 2020) · Secrets of the Jungle (Japan 25 December 2020, after the season’s Japanese run · Netflix 8 October 2021)
Previous season	Season 22: Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon – Ultra Legends
Following season	Season 24: Pokémon Master Journeys: The Series

Pokémon Journeys: The Series is the twenty-third season of the English-language Pokémon anime and the first of the three Journeys seasons, which adapt the series Japan simply calls Pocket Monsters (2019). It covers JN001 to JN048, which TV Tokyo broadcast from 17 November 2019 — two days after Pokémon Sword and Shield came out — to 4 December 2020: on Sunday evenings until JN039, then in a Friday 6:55 p.m. slot from JN040, with six weeks of reruns in the spring of 2020 when COVID-19 halted production. It was the first season to premiere in the US on a streaming service rather than on television: Netflix released it in four batches of twelve episodes, on 12 June, 11 September and 4 December 2020 and 5 March 2021, after Canada’s Teletoon had begun it on 9 May 2020. It was also the first season dubbed by Iyuno, with Goldcrest Post in New York, after DuArt’s departure, and the first to open with Walk off the Earth’s “The Journey Starts Today”.

A prequel shows how Ash’s Pikachu began life as a wild Pichu raised by a family of Kangaskhan, while six-year-old Goh and Chloe meet Mew on a camp that Ash oversleeps (JN001). In Vermilion City Ash meets Goh at the opening of Professor Cerise’s new laboratory, the two ride a Lugia, and Cerise makes them his research fellows, sending them on field trips to every region from Kanto to Alola and Galar. Goh, who wants Mew to be his first Pokémon, settles for a streetwise Scorbunny (JN005) and sets out to catch every Pokémon, owning 68 by the end of the season; Ash catches Dragonite, Gengar, a Riolu he hatches from an Egg and a Galarian Farfetch’d. After Galar’s Champion Leon beats Lance to become Monarch, the world’s strongest Trainer, and gives Ash a Dynamax Band, Ash enters the World Coronation Series (JN018) and climbs the rankings — beating Korrina’s Mega Lucario to reach the Great Class, then falling to Bea and fighting his way back.

The season’s climax is the four-part Sword and Shield arc (JN042–JN045): Chairman Rose awakens Eternatus and brings on the Darkest Day, Riolu evolves into Lucario and Raboot into Cinderace, and Ash and Goh raise the Rusted Sword and Shield to summon Zacian and Zamazenta and catch Eternatus together. A defeat at the hands of a returning Mewtwo (JN046), an eating contest and a food tour of Castelia City close the season. Our complete episode guide below has a synopsis, both titles and the air dates for all 48 episodes.

48episodes — JN001 to JN048, released on Netflix in four batches of twelve
8regions visited, from Kanto to Galar — every one of the anime’s regions
68Pokémon owned by Goh at the end of the season, starting with Scorbunny (JN005)
3,763Ash’s first World Coronation Series rank (JN018); his best this season is 890th (JN033)
1,066episodes between Mewtwo’s appearances, EP065 and JN046 — the longest gap for any species
6Sundays of reruns while COVID-19 halted production, 26 April – 31 May 2020

Pokémon Trainer Ash Ketchum has a new plan: see the world! But first, he and his partner Pikachu are headed to the opening of the Cerise Laboratory, a research facility dedicated to uncovering the mysteries of Pokémon in every region. Ash meets Goh, another boy with boundless curiosity about Pokémon, and both are overjoyed when Professor Cerise asks them to become official research fellows. With Ash as determined as ever to become a Pokémon Master, and Goh aiming to catch one of every Pokémon (including the Mythical Mew), our heroes are in for adventure and excitement as they explore the wide world of Pokémon!

— Official description

Quick Answers

How many episodes are in Pokémon Journeys: The Series?

48 — JN001 to JN048, the first 48 episodes of Japan’s Pocket Monsters (2019). TV Tokyo broadcast them from 17 November 2019 to 4 December 2020; Netflix released all 48 in the US in the same order, in four batches of twelve from 12 June 2020 to 5 March 2021; and VIZ Media’s three DVD sets of 16 and Shock’s two Australian Collections of 24 hold the same 48. Two episodes, JN026 and JN041, contain two short stories with two title cards each but count as one episode everywhere. English Wikipedia numbers them 1081 to 1128 in its English count and 1088 to 1135 in its Japanese count, and Bulbapedia’s alternate codes run from EP1086 to EP1133. Japan has no season break: JN049 simply continued the series as the first episode of Master Journeys.

Who is Goh?

The season’s new co-lead: a ten-year-old from Vermilion City who met Mew at Professor Oak’s camp at the age of six and has dreamed of catching it ever since (JN001). He turns down a Kanto starter because he wants Mew to be his first Pokémon (JN002), then catches a streetwise Scorbunny in Galar’s Wild Area (JN005), which evolves into Raboot (JN017) and Cinderace (JN045). Aiming to catch one of every Pokémon on the way to Mew, he catches all twelve Kanto Bug types in one day (JN006), trades a Pinsir for a Heracross (JN033), revives an Aerodactyl from Old Amber (JN038), gains a new Pokémon in nine episodes in a row (JN031–JN039) and owns 68 by the end of the season; with Ash he even catches Eternatus, which is then sealed away (JN045). His family run the software firm Go-Go Systems (JN015). He is voiced by Daiki Yamashita in Japanese and Zeno Robinson in English; the Project Mew storyline comes only in Master Journeys.

What is the World Coronation Series?

An anime-only worldwide ranking competition with more than 10,000 participants, introduced in Flash of the Titans! (JN012). Trainers agree official battles through their Rotom Phones, usually with one or two Pokémon each; a Drone Rotom referees and updates the rankings, and a draw changes nothing. Newcomers start in the Normal Class; ranks 999 to 100 form the Great Class, 99 to 9 the Ultra Class, and the top eight, the Masters Eight, make up the Master Class, whose tournament decides the Monarch, the world’s strongest Trainer. The reigning Monarch is Galar’s Champion Leon, who beat Lance in the last final (JN012); Ash decides to enter after battling him (JN013) and registers in Destination: Coronation! (JN018).

How far does Ash get in the World Coronation Series this season?

Ash enters the rankings at 3,763rd by beating Visquez, the Vermilion Gym’s substitute Leader (JN018). Wins over Oliver (1,512th, JN020), Hayden (JN021) and Lob (1,022nd) bring him to the edge of the Great Class, which he reaches at 921st by beating Korrina, Dragonite outlasting her Mega Lucario (JN025); wins over Tony (901st, JN030) and Kricketina Kylie (890th, JN033) follow. Then Bea’s Grapploct hands him his first Series defeat (930th, JN034), and losses to Trainers with an Octillery and a Tentacruel drop him back to the Normal Class at 1,021st (JN036). By JN039 he has fought his way back into the Great Class off screen, and his rematch with Bea at the Cianwood Gym ends in a draw — his only known tie — when Riolu breaks Grapploct’s Octolock. The climb continues in Pokémon Master Journeys: The Series.

Which Pokémon does Ash catch in Pokémon Journeys?

Four. His first catch of the series is a Dragonite, which evolves from a Dragonair to save him on a secret island (JN010) — the longest wait for a first catch in any series; then the lab’s abandoned Gengar, his first official Ghost type (JN016); a Riolu that hatches from an Egg found in Sinnoh and responds to his Aura (JN021) and evolves into Lucario during the Darkest Day (JN045); and a battle-hungry Galarian Farfetch’d, his first regional form and first Galar catch (JN027). Pikachu Gigantamaxes for the first time (JN013), Delia’s Mimey battles once for him (JN007), and he and Goh catch Eternatus together in Goh’s Poké Ball before Professor Magnolia seals it away (JN045). His Alolan team stays with Professor Kukui, where he visits them in JN037.

When and where did Pokémon Journeys air in the US?

Only on Netflix. On 23 April 2020 Netflix and The Pokémon Company International announced that new seasons would premiere exclusively on the service in the US, and Pokémon Journeys: The Series arrived on 12 June 2020 with its first twelve episodes; the rest followed in batches of twelve on 11 September 2020, 4 December 2020 and 5 March 2021. It was the first season not shown on US television — Ultra Legends, which ended on Disney XD on 7 March 2020, was the last. In Canada, Teletoon began the season a month earlier, on 9 May 2020, and in the UK POP showed a sneak peek of JN001 to JN004 on 25 May 2020 and premiered several later episodes ahead of Netflix.

Story Arcs

Pokémon Journeys: The Series runs for 48 episodes and follows Ash and Goh from the opening of the Cerise Laboratory through research trips to all eight regions, the World Coronation Series and the Darkest Day in Galar. Here is how the season breaks down, with stills from our episode guide below.

Beginnings & the Cerise LaboratoryJN001–JN003

A prequel opens the series: a lonely wild Pichu is adopted by a family of Kangaskhan and evolves into Pikachu on screen — the first Pichu evolution shown in the anime — before Professor Oak hands it to Ash four years later, while six-year-old Goh and Chloe meet Mew on Oak’s Pokémon Camp, which Ash oversleeps and misses (JN001). In Vermilion City Ash meets Goh, Chloe and Professor Cerise at the opening of the Cerise Laboratory; the boys ride a Lugia after Ash’s first Raid Battle, both become research fellows, Delia leaves Mimey to keep an eye on Ash, and Goh turns down Charmander, Bulbasaur and Squirtle because his first Pokémon will be Mew (JN002). Two Rotom turn the boys’ phones into Rotom Phones, an Ivysaur mass outbreak ends with a flowering of Venusaur, and Giovanni gives Team Rocket the Rocket Prize Master, a vending machine of rental Pokémon (JN003).

Goh’s first PokémonJN004–JN005

Sent to Galar to investigate giant Pokémon, Ash and Goh are robbed in Wyndon by a soot-covered street Scorbunny and its gang of Nickit, whose friends bundle it onto the boys’ train (JN004). In the Wild Area they see Dynamax for the first time when a sleeping Snorlax Gigantamaxes across a railway line; Scorbunny’s Double Kick sends a giant Berry into Snorlax’s mouth to save an oncoming train, and when Goh’s Poké Ball misses, Scorbunny kicks it back into itself to become his first Pokémon (JN005).

A tour of the regionsJN006–JN011

Goh sets out to catch every Pokémon on the road to Mew, starting with all twelve Bug types native to Kanto in a single day, and Professor Cerise opens Cerise Park to house them (JN006). At Hoenn’s Battle Frontier Goh loses his first Trainer battle to Hodge, and Ash, battling with Mimey for the first and only time, wins the Flute Cup (JN007); a runaway Piplup leads the boys to Snowpoint City’s Iceberg Race (JN008); and in Ecruteak City they help a disillusioned old man call Ho-Oh from the Bell Tower, though only he sees it (JN009). On a secret island of Dragonite, Ash teaches a Dragonair that cannot fly to use Dragon Dance; it evolves into Dragonite to save him from Team Rocket’s Wailord and becomes his first catch of the series (JN010). Chloe, who has never battled, gives Yamper her first command to drive a Gengar out of the lab (JN011).

Monarch Leon & the World Coronation SeriesJN012–JN018

At Wyndon Stadium Galar’s Champion Leon beats Lance’s Shiny Gyarados with his Gigantamax Charizard to become Monarch, the world’s strongest Trainer, and Eternatus is glimpsed from the plane (JN012). Pikachu Gigantamaxes to stop a rampaging Drednaw; Leon gives Ash a Dynamax Band and beats him in an unofficial battle, Ash’s first loss since SM105, and Ash decides to enter the World Coronation Series (JN013). Goh catches a giant Golurk in a Raid Battle at Unova’s Colossus Ruins (JN014) and a bullied Cubone near his parents’ home (JN015); Ash wins the trust of the lab’s abandoned Gengar and catches it (JN016); Scorbunny learns Ember and evolves into Raboot (JN017); and Ash registers for the Series and beats Visquez, the Vermilion Gym’s substitute Leader, to enter the rankings at 3,763rd (JN018).

Climbing the ranksJN019–JN024

Team Rocket coach a stage-frightened Ditto actor as “Super Team Rocket” (JN019). During Professor Cerise’s orienteering event Ash beats Oliver’s Meganium to rise to 1,512th and Goh catches eight Pokémon, ending with a Farfetch’d (JN020); Ash beats Hayden’s Tauros, and an Egg from Sinnoh responds to his Aura and hatches into Riolu, which he catches (JN021). Goh tries to leave his moody Raboot with its new friends in Littleroot Town until Raboot shows that it wants to stay (JN022) — the last new episode before COVID-19 halted production in Japan. After six weeks of reruns, Skwovet turns out to be the thief behind a brawl in Cerise Park as Goh’s Cascoon evolve into Dustox (JN023), and Team Rocket, ordered on holiday, team up with Ash and Goh against Matori’s elite unit at Sinnoh’s Resort Area (JN024).

The Great Class & a return to GalarJN025–JN030

At Shalour City’s Battle Festival Ash beats Lob and then Korrina, his Dragonite outlasting her Mega Lucario, to reach 921st and the Great Class (JN025). After a double bill of Magikarp jumping and Slowking’s crown (JN026), the boys return to Wyndon to watch Leon beat Raihan, hear from Sonia the legend of the Darkest Day, and see Ash catch a battle-hungry Galarian Farfetch’d (JN027); Goh catches a timid Sobble, and a hungry Morpeko attaches itself to Team Rocket (JN028). At home Yamper’s jealousy of an injured Pidove recalls the “Runaway Yamper Incident” (JN029), and Riolu’s win over Tony’s Electabuzz (901st) leaves Pikachu feeling so neglected that it runs away towards Pallet Town with Mimey (JN030).

Rivals & setbacksJN031–JN041

Chloe teaches a girl to swim so that her Feebas can shine at Slateport’s Friendship Festival, where it evolves into Milotic (JN031); without Ash or Pikachu, Goh revisits Ilex Forest and his lost friend Horace (JN032); and Ash beats Kricketina Kylie (890th) while Goh trades a Pinsir for her Heracross (JN033). At the Saffron City Fighting Dojo Galar’s Gym Leader Bea hands Ash his first Series defeat (JN034); Goh’s new Pikachu evolves into Raichu to rescue an outbreak of Pikachu (JN035); and two more losses drop Ash back to the Normal Class before Goh’s capture of the Trapinch line shows him how to fight back (JN036). Ash takes Goh to Alola to see his classmates, his Pokémon and Professors Kukui and Burnet’s newborn son, Lei (JN037); Goh revives an Aerodactyl from Old Amber (JN038); back in the Great Class, Ash draws with Bea at the Cianwood Gym (JN039); Goh nearly catches Zapdos as Raboot learns Blaze Kick (JN040); and Team Rocket dub Pikachu’s lines while Meowth has a cold (JN041).

Sword and Shield: the Darkest DayJN042–JN045

Galar particles leaking from Chairman Rose’s Energy Plant set off Dynamax outbreaks across Galar. Ash and Goh meet Zacian and Zamazenta in the Slumbering Weald and are separated: Ash calms rampaging Gigantamax Pokémon beside Leon and turns down Rose’s sponsorship, while Goh, Sonia and Professor Magnolia piece together the legend of the Darkest Day and a Wishing Star becomes Goh’s Dynamax Band (JN042–JN043). Rose awakens Eternatus at Hammerlocke, Team Rocket’s Meowth Gigantamaxes, and Goh finds the Rusted Sword and Shield (JN044). Riolu evolves into Lucario to beat Rose and Raboot into Cinderace to beat his secretary Oleana; when Eternatus reaches its Eternamax form, the boys raise the relics, Zacian and Zamazenta take their Crowned forms, and Ash and Goh catch Eternatus together before Professor Magnolia seals it away (JN045).

JN042 Sword and Shield, Slumbering Weald!

JN043 Sword and Shield: The Darkest Day!

Mewtwo & a taste of UnovaJN046–JN048

Hoping to find Mew on remote Cero Island, the boys meet Mewtwo, guardian of Pokémon hurt by humans, and lose a battle in which they stake their dreams (JN046) — its first appearance since EP065, 1,066 episodes earlier. Goh’s Skwovet evolves into Greedent to win Vermilion City’s Grand Eating Contest and a gourmet trip to Unova (JN047), where Lucario and Cinderace, glued together by Team Rocket, rescue Pikachu from the robot “Practically Pikachu” while their Trainers eat their way round Castelia City (JN048).

JN046 Getting More Than You Battled For!

Episode Guide

All 48 episodes of Pokémon Journeys: The Series are listed below in the official order used by Netflix, Bulbapedia and the DVDs, which is also the production and Japanese broadcast order. The # column is that season number, and the orange code is the Bulbapedia number used by most fan sites. Every episode has its own page with our full synopsis, both titles, air dates, major events, Pokémon debuts, trivia and dub changes — click the title or the screenshot. US dates are the Netflix US releases: the season arrived in four batches of twelve, on 12 June, 11 September and 4 December 2020 and 5 March 2021, so every episode in a batch shares its date. Japanese dates are TV Tokyo’s broadcasts, on Sundays from 17 November 2019 to 27 September 2020 and on Fridays from 9 October to 4 December 2020, with no new episode on 5 January 2020 or during the reruns of 26 April to 31 May 2020.

Who’s That Pokémon? changes this season: for the first time the English quiz shows the same Pokémon as Japan’s Dare da?, with the type names removed, ending the random dub answers of the Sun & Moon years, so each episode page gives one answer for both versions. The segment is missing only from the four-part Sword and Shield arc (JN042–JN045), the first episodes without it since XY078. Guest touches continue — a Drone Rotom narrates JN018’s Dare da?, Michele Knotz voices Mr. Mime in JN030’s English quiz and JN037’s uses the Sun & Moon theme. From JN003 Japan also ends each episode with Get Inspired! Let’s Solve a Poké Riddle!! (ひらめきゲット！Let’s ポケなぞ！！), hosted by “Riddle Trainer” Ryōgo Matsumaru with Psyduck, which replaced the Poké Problem and was never dubbed.

#	Episode	First aired	In short
1JN001	Enter Pikachu!ピカチュウ誕生！	Japan 17 Nov 2019 US 12 Jun 2020	Long before Ash’s journey begins, a lonely wild Pichu is adopted by a family of Kangaskhan near Pallet Town, while six-year-old Goh and Chloe… · Pikachu’s origin Episode guide →
2JN002	Legend? Go! Friends? Go!サトシとゴウ、ルギアでゴー！	Japan 24 Nov 2019 US 12 Jun 2020	Ash travels to Vermilion City for the opening of Professor Cerise’s new research laboratory, rides a Lugia across the sky with a boy named Goh,… · Cerise Laboratory opens Episode guide →
3JN003	Ivysaur’s Mysterious Tower!フシギソウってフシギだね？	Japan 1 Dec 2019 US 12 Jun 2020	A mass outbreak of Ivysaur brings Vermilion City to a standstill, and Ash and Goh, newly equipped with Rotom Phones, follow the Pokémon to a… · Rotom Phones Episode guide →
4JN004	Settling the Scorbunny!行くぜガラル地方！ヒバニーとの出会い！！	Japan 8 Dec 2019 US 12 Jun 2020	Ash and Goh fly to the Galar region to investigate giant Pokémon and, stranded in Wyndon, are robbed by a soot-covered Scorbunny and its gang… · First Galar trip Episode guide →
5JN005	Mind-Boggling Dynamax!カビゴン巨大化！？ダイマックスの謎！！	Japan 15 Dec 2019 US 12 Jun 2020	In Galar’s Wild Area, Ash and Goh see Dynamax for the first time when a sleeping Snorlax swells into its Gigantamax form across a railway line,… · Goh catches Scorbunny Episode guide →
6JN006	Working My Way Back to Mew!ポケモン大量ゲットだぜ！ミュウへの道！！	Japan 22 Dec 2019 US 12 Jun 2020	Determined to fill his Pokédex on the road to Mew, Goh goes on a catching spree in Vermilion Forest and ends the day with all twelve Bug-type… · Goh’s twelve Bug types Episode guide →
7JN007	Serving Up the Flute Cup!激闘のホウエン地方！挑戦バトルフロンティア！！	Japan 29 Dec 2019 US 12 Jun 2020	Ash takes Goh to the Hoenn region’s Battle Frontier, where Goh loses his first Trainer battle to a cocky boy named Hodge and Ash, battling with… · Flute Cup Episode guide →
8JN008	The Sinnoh Iceberg Race!負けるなポッチャマ！シンオウ地方の流氷レース！！	Japan 12 Jan 2020 US 12 Jun 2020	A runaway Piplup brings Ash and Goh to Snowpoint City in Sinnoh, where its rivalry with its Trainer’s new Croagunk comes to a head in the… · Iceberg Race Episode guide →
9JN009	Finding a Legend!あの日の誓い！ジョウト地方のホウオウ伝説！！	Japan 19 Jan 2020 US 12 Jun 2020	Chasing reports of Ho-Oh, Ash and Goh travel to Ecruteak City in Johto, where they help a boy and his disillusioned grandfather call the Legendary… · Ho-Oh Episode guide →
10JN010	A Test in Paradise!カイリューの楽園、ハクリューの試練！	Japan 26 Jan 2020 US 12 Jun 2020	Searching for a legendary island inhabited only by Dragonite, Ash helps a Dragonair that cannot fly to master Dragon Dance, and after it evolves to… · Ash catches Dragonite Episode guide →
11JN011	Best Friend…Worst Nightmare!コハルとワンパチと、時々、ゲンガー	Japan 2 Feb 2020 US 12 Jun 2020	A mischievous Gengar haunting the Cerise Laboratory forces Chloe, who has never battled, to give her first command to Yamper, while she wrestles at… · Chloe’s first command Episode guide →
12JN012	Flash of the Titans!ダイマックスバトル！最強王者ダンデ！！	Japan 9 Feb 2020 US 12 Jun 2020	Ash and Goh fly to Wyndon to watch the World Coronation Series finals, where Galar Champion Leon defeats Lance in a Dynamax battle to become the… · Leon becomes Monarch Episode guide →
13JN013	The Climb to Be the Very Best!サトシ対ダンデ！最強への道！！	Japan 16 Feb 2020 US 11 Sep 2020	Pikachu unexpectedly Gigantamaxes to stop the rampaging Drednaw at Wyndon Stadium, and Leon rewards Ash with a Dynamax Band and an unofficial battle… · Gigantamax Pikachu Episode guide →
14JN014	Raid Battle in The Ruins!初イッシュ地方！遺跡でレイドバトル！！	Japan 23 Feb 2020 US 11 Sep 2020	In Unova’s Desert Resort, Ash and Goh explore the newly discovered Colossus Ruins with an adventurer named Kira, solve their traps and puzzles,… · Raid Battle Episode guide →
15JN015	A Snow Day for Searching!雪の日、カラカラのホネはどこ？	Japan 1 Mar 2020 US 11 Sep 2020	With the Cerise Laboratory closed for repairs on a snowy day, Goh goes home to his family and, with Ash’s help, recovers a bullied… · Goh’s family Episode guide →
16JN016	A Chilling Curse!呪われたサトシ…！	Japan 8 Mar 2020 US 11 Sep 2020	The Gengar haunting the Cerise Laboratory latches onto Ash’s shadow, and when Ash learns that it was abandoned there by a Trainer who never… · Ash catches Gengar Episode guide →
17JN017	Kicking It from Here Into Tomorrow!ヒバニー、炎のキック！明日に向かって！！	Japan 15 Mar 2020 US 11 Sep 2020	Teased by Darmanitan, Goh’s Scorbunny stubbornly trains to master a Fire-type move, and when Goh finally backs its efforts in a rematch with… · Scorbunny evolves into Raboot Episode guide →
18JN018	Destination: Coronation!サトシ参戦！ポケモンワールドチャンピオンシップス！！	Japan 22 Mar 2020 US 11 Sep 2020	Ash registers for the World Coronation Series and, in his first official match, defeats Visquez, the substitute Leader of the Vermilion Gym, jumping… · Ash enters the Series Episode guide →
19JN019	A Talent for Imitation!ワタシはメタモン！	Japan 29 Mar 2020 US 11 Sep 2020	A nervous Ditto film star runs away from a demanding director and falls in with Team Rocket, who coach it into a confident shapeshifter for a… · Ditto actor Episode guide →
20JN020	Dreams Are Made of These!夢へ向かってゴー！サトシとゴウ！！	Japan 5 Apr 2020 US 11 Sep 2020	As guides in Professor Cerise’s Pokémon Orienteering event for children, Ash wins a World Coronation Series match against Oliver while… · Ash vs Oliver Episode guide →
21JN021	Caring for a Mystery!とどけ波導！サトシと不思議なタマゴ！！	Japan 12 Apr 2020 US 11 Sep 2020	Ash takes charge of a Pokémon Egg that has never hatched, and after it responds to his Aura and hatches into a headstrong Riolu, he follows it… · Riolu hatches Episode guide →
22JN022	Goodbye, Friend!さよなら、ラビフット！	Japan 19 Apr 2020 US 11 Sep 2020	On a trip to Littleroot Town to watch the annual Beautifly migration, Goh decides that his moody Raboot would be happier with the wild Pokémon… · Goh and Raboot Episode guide →
23JN023	Panic in the Park!大パニック！サクラギパーク！	Japan 7 Jun 2020 US 11 Sep 2020	Food keeps vanishing from Cerise Park, and as the hungry Pokémon split into rival groups and a brawl breaks out, the seal on Goh’s giant… · Cascoon evolve into Dustox Episode guide →
24JN024	A Little Rocket R & R!休め！ロケット団！	Japan 14 Jun 2020 US 11 Sep 2020	Ordered by Giovanni to take a vacation, Team Rocket end up at Sinnoh’s Resort Area alongside Ash and Goh, and when Matori’s elite unit… · Team Rocket’s holiday Episode guide →
25JN025	A Festival Reunion!命爆発バトルフェス！VSメガルカリオ！！	Japan 21 Jun 2020 US 4 Dec 2020	At the Battle Festival in Kalos’s Shalour City, Ash reunites with Gym Leader Korrina and defeats her Mega Lucario in a World Coronation Series… · Ash vs Korrina Episode guide →
26JN026	Splash, Dash, and Smash for the Crown! / Slowking’s Crowning!はねろ！コイキング／かぶれ！ヤドキング	Japan 28 Jun 2020 US 4 Dec 2020	In a two-part comedy episode introduced by Team Rocket’s Rocket Prize Master, Goh’s giant Magikarp jumps so high in a Magikarp jumping… · Two stories Episode guide →
27JN027	Toughing It Out!英雄伝説！ダンデ最強バトル！！	Japan 5 Jul 2020 US 4 Dec 2020	Back in Galar, Ash watches Leon beat Gym Leader Raihan in a World Coronation Series Master Class match, hears from Sonia about the legend of the… · Leon vs Raihan Episode guide →
28JN028	Sobbing Sobble!めそめそメッソン	Japan 12 Jul 2020 US 4 Dec 2020	In Wyndon, Goh accidentally catches a timid Sobble whose tears make everyone around it cry, then wins its trust by rescuing it from Team Rocket and… · Goh catches Sobble Episode guide →
29JN029	There’s a New Kid in Town!パチパチやきもち！ワンパチのきもち	Japan 19 Jul 2020 US 4 Dec 2020	When the Cerise family nurse an injured Pidove back to health, Yamper grows jealous of the newcomer, and the story of the “Runaway Yamper… · Yamper’s jealousy Episode guide →
30JN030	Betrayed, Bothered, and Beleaguered!いやいやピカチュウ、やれやれバリヤード	Japan 26 Jul 2020 US 4 Dec 2020	Feeling neglected while Ash trains his rising star Riolu, Pikachu runs away after Delia’s car towards Pallet Town, with Mimey chasing after him… · Ash vs Tony Episode guide →
31JN031	The Cuteness Quotient!ヒンバスのきれいなウロコ	Japan 2 Aug 2020 US 4 Dec 2020	Ash, Goh and Chloe help Parker’s kindergarten friend Jinny prove that her teased Feebas, Feeby, is special, training the pair for Slateport… · Feebas evolves into Milotic Episode guide →
32JN032	Time After Time!セレビィ時を超えた約束	Japan 9 Aug 2020 US 4 Dec 2020	On a family holiday to Azalea Town in Johto, Goh remembers the boy he befriended three years earlier while searching Ilex Forest for Celebi, and the… · No Ash or Pikachu Episode guide →
33JN033	Trade, Borrow, and Steal!ポケモン交換しませんか？	Japan 16 Aug 2020 US 4 Dec 2020	At a Pokémon trading event, Ash defeats the Bug-type fan Kricketina Kylie in a World Coronation Series match, and Goh helps her find a Pinsir… · Goh’s first trade Episode guide →
34JN034	Solitary and Menacing!孤高の闘士サイトウ！オトスパスの脅威！！	Japan 23 Aug 2020 US 4 Dec 2020	At the Fighting Dojo in Saffron City, Ash meets the stoic Galar Gym Leader Bea and suffers his first World Coronation Series defeat when her… · Bea debuts Episode guide →
35JN035	Gotta Catch a What?!ピカチュウ、ゲットだぜ！！	Japan 30 Aug 2020 US 4 Dec 2020	Goh joins a mass outbreak of Pikachu in the mountains, catches a kind and generous female Pikachu, and when Team Rocket vacuum up the… · Goh’s Pikachu becomes Raichu Episode guide →
36JN036	Making Battles in the Sand!サトシとゴウ、砂地獄から這い上がれ！	Japan 6 Sep 2020 US 4 Dec 2020	After three World Coronation Series losses in a row drop Ash back into the Normal Class, a gloomy Ash goes with Goh to investigate a mysterious… · Back to the Normal Class Episode guide →
37JN037	That New Old Gang of Mine!ただいま、はじめましてアローラ！	Japan 13 Sep 2020 US 5 Mar 2021	Ash takes Goh to Alola for a reunion with his “Alola family,” where Goh meets Ash’s former classmates and Pokémon, holds his… · Alola reunion Episode guide →
38JN038	Restore and Renew!奇跡の復元、化石のポケモン！	Japan 20 Sep 2020 US 5 Mar 2021	On a trip to the Pewter Museum of Science, Goh digs up a piece of Old Amber, and when Team Rocket’s meddling makes the revived Aerodactyl flee… · Goh’s Aerodactyl Episode guide →
39JN039	Octo-Gridlock at the Gym!サトシ対サイトウ！攻略たこがため！！	Japan 27 Sep 2020 US 5 Mar 2021	Ash travels to the Cianwood Gym in Johto for a World Coronation Series rematch with Bea, and this time Riolu breaks free of Grapploct’s… · Ash vs Bea, a draw Episode guide →
40JN040	A Crackling Raid Battle!VSサンダー！伝説レイドバトル！！	Japan 9 Oct 2020 US 5 Mar 2021	When blackouts strike the Cerise Laboratory, Goh tracks the cause to the Legendary Zapdos recharging at the Kanto Power Plant and, after a Raid… · Zapdos Raid Battle Episode guide →
41JN041	Pikachu Translation Check… / Up to Your Neck!ピカチュウアテレコ大作戦！／半分、ヌマクロー。	Japan 16 Oct 2020 US 5 Mar 2021	In two short stories, Team Rocket try to translate Pikachu’s speech themselves while Meowth is sick in bed, and Ash and Goh try every trick… · Two stories Episode guide →
42JN042	Sword and Shield, Slumbering Weald!ソード&シールドⅠ「まどろみの森」	Japan 23 Oct 2020 US 5 Mar 2021	In the first chapter of the Sword and Shield arc, mysterious Dynamax energy spreads across Galar, Ash and Goh are separated after meeting Zacian and… · Sword and Shield, part 1 Episode guide →
43JN043	Sword and Shield: The Darkest Day!ソード&シールドⅡ「ブラックナイト」	Japan 30 Oct 2020 US 5 Mar 2021	As the Dynamax outbreaks spread, Goh and Sonia uncover clues to the legend of the Darkest Day and meet Professor Magnolia, while Ash fights alongside… · Sword and Shield, part 2 Episode guide →
44JN044	Sword and Shield: "From Here to Eternatus!"ソード&シールドⅢ「ムゲンダイナ」	Japan 6 Nov 2020 US 5 Mar 2021	Goh and Sonia learn that Zacian and Zamazenta are the true heroes of the Darkest Day, and as Rose’s scheme awakens Eternatus at Hammerlocke… · Sword and Shield, part 3 Episode guide →
45JN045	Sword and Shield… The Legends Awaken!ソード&シールドⅣ「最強の剣と盾」	Japan 13 Nov 2020 US 5 Mar 2021	Riolu evolves into Lucario and Raboot into Cinderace as Ash and Goh defeat Rose and Oleana, and when Eternatus reaches its Eternamax form, the boys… · Riolu evolves into Lucario Episode guide →
46JN046	Getting More Than You Battled For!バトル＆ゲット！ミュウツーの復活	Japan 20 Nov 2020 US 5 Mar 2021	Chasing reports of psychic energy on remote Cero Island in the hope of finding Mew, Ash and Goh instead meet Mewtwo, guardian of Pokémon hurt… · Mewtwo returns Episode guide →
47JN047	Crowning the Chow Crusher!ポケモンチャンピオン！大食い王決定戦！！	Japan 27 Nov 2020 US 5 Mar 2021	Ash and Goh enter Vermilion City’s Pokémon Grand Eating Contest, where Team Rocket’s Morpeko and a field of champion eaters stand… · Skwovet evolves into Greedent Episode guide →
48JN048	A Close Call… Practically!ほぼほぼピカチュウ危機一髪！	Japan 4 Dec 2020 US 5 Mar 2021	On Goh’s prize food tour of Castelia City, Team Rocket swap Pikachu for a robot double called Practically Pikachu, and Lucario and Cinderace,… · Practically Pikachu Episode guide →

Characters & Travelling Companions

Ash, in a new outfit, becomes a research fellow at the new Cerise Laboratory in Vermilion City and lives in its dorm with Goh (JN002); a smartphone becomes his Rotom Phone (JN003), and Professor Cerise’s research trips take him to every region. Inspired by Leon, who gives him a Dynamax Band after beating him unofficially (JN013), he enters the World Coronation Series (JN018) and climbs from 3,763rd to 890th before Bea hands him his first defeat (JN034) and two more losses drop him to the Normal Class (JN036); he is back in the Great Class when he draws with Bea (JN039). He wins the Battle Frontier’s Flute Cup (JN007), catches Dragonite (JN010), Gengar (JN016), a Riolu he hatches from an Egg (JN021) and a Galarian Farfetch’d (JN027), fights Chairman Rose as Riolu evolves into Lucario and catches Eternatus with Goh (JN045), and loses to Mewtwo (JN046). JN021 revives his affinity for Aura, JN030 confirms that his journey began on his tenth birthday, and the trophy shelf of JN002 holds prizes from every region but Johto. Pikachu’s origin is finally told — a wild Pichu raised by Kangaskhan that evolved four years before Ash’s journey (JN001) — and it Gigantamaxes (JN013), turns down a Thunder Stone (JN035) and suffers its first Series loss to Bea’s Grapploct (JN039). Ash is voiced by Sarah Natochenny in English and Rica Matsumoto in Japanese; Ikue Ōtani remains Pikachu.

Goh, the new co-lead, is a ten-year-old from Vermilion City who met Mew at Professor Oak’s camp at the age of six (JN001) and turns down a Kanto starter because he wants Mew to be his first Pokémon (JN002). A streetwise Scorbunny becomes his first catch instead (JN005) and evolves into Raboot (JN017) and Cinderace (JN045), after a phase so moody that Goh tries to leave it behind (JN022). Resolving to catch every Pokémon on the way to Mew (JN006), he catches all twelve Kanto Bug types in a day, loses his first Trainer battle (JN007), visits all eight regions by JN037, trades for the first time (JN033), wins his first battle off screen against the Saffron City Karate Master (JN034), receives a Dynamax Band made from a Wishing Star (JN043) and owns 68 Pokémon by the end of the season, besides catching Eternatus with Ash (JN045). His grandmother Halta and his parents Camille and Walker, who run the software firm Go-Go Systems, debut in JN015, and a family holiday in Azalea Town reunites him with his childhood friend Horace (JN032). Goh is voiced by Zeno Robinson in English and Daiki Yamashita in Japanese, with Kei Shindō as the six-year-old Goh; his Rotom Phone is voiced by Erica Schroeder and Marina Aicholtz.

Chloe, Professor Cerise’s ten-year-old daughter and Goh’s childhood friend, is distant from Pokémon at first and feels pressured at school to follow her father; she gives her first battle command to Yamper to drive Gengar out of the lab (JN011) and a second against a Fearow (JN029), teaches Jinny to swim on her first trip to another region with the boys (JN031), reluctantly joins the Pewter fossil dig and admits she had fun (JN038), and cheers Goh at the eating contest (JN047). Her mother Talia, an illustrator, and younger brother Parker appear from JN011. Yamper, a male Electric-type puppy, is Professor Cerise’s — a gift from a friend in Galar — but devoted to Chloe ever since the “Runaway Yamper Incident” (JN029). Professor Cerise opens the laboratory (JN002) and Cerise Park (JN006) and sends his fellows on their trips, helped by his assistants Chrysa, a Psyduck fan, and Ren, whose Magnemite is called Francois (JN011); Delia’s Mr. Mime, Mimey, keeps house, leads morning kung fu, battles once for Ash in the Flute Cup (JN007) and escorts the runaway Pikachu home (JN030). Chloe is voiced by Cherami Leigh and Kana Hanazawa, Cerise by Ray Chase and Yūichi Nakamura.

Ash in his new Journeys outfit (official artwork); he becomes a research fellow at the Cerise Laboratory in Legend? Go!

Goh, the season’s co-lead, who wants Mew as his first Pokémon and settles for Scorbunny in Mind-Boggling Dynamax! (JN005

Team Rocket

Jessie, James, Meowth and Wobbuffet now operate from Vermilion City, ordered by Giovanni to steal strong and rare Pokémon and armed with the Rocket Prize Master (JN003), a vending machine delivered by Pelipper that takes Meowth’s charm as its coin and dispenses two rental Pokémon — rarely one — for each scheme: a Gyarados and a Tyranitar the first time, a Wailord that knows only Splash (JN010), a pair of Dusclops, the only matching pair (JN016), and in JN041 two Poké Balls holding nothing but a leaflet with the episode’s titles. Giovanni gives them a Rotom Phone and sends them to Galar (JN012), where they find a Chewtle (JN013); their secret base lies under a Vermilion City phone booth, opened with the code 634526 — Mu-sa-shi-Ko-ji-rō (JN017); and as “Super Team Rocket” they coach a stage-frightened Ditto (JN019).

Ordered on holiday by Matori, they end up fighting her elite Matori Matrix alongside Ash and Goh and, for once, do not blast off (JN024); a hungry wild Morpeko attaches itself to them (JN028) and competes for them in the eating contest (JN047); they join the boys in their first Raid Battle, against Zapdos (JN040); and while Meowth has a cold, Jessie and James try dubbing Pikachu’s lines themselves (JN041). Disguised as miners at Rose’s Energy Plant, they are there when Meowth Gigantamaxes (JN044) and uses G-Max Gold Rush, his first new move since EP008 (JN045), and they close the season with the robot “Practically Pikachu” (JN048). Jessie is voiced by Michele Knotz and James and Meowth by James Carter Cathcart; in Japanese by Megumi Hayashibara, Shin-ichiro Miki and Inuko Inuyama, with Yūji Ueda as Wobbuffet.

Galar, the World Coronation Series & friends

Leon, Galar’s undefeated Champion, beats Lance’s Shiny Gyarados with his Gigantamax Charizard in the World Coronation Series final to become Monarch, the world’s strongest Trainer (JN012); he beats Ash unofficially, gives him a Dynamax Band and promises an official rematch (JN013), beats Raihan in a Masters Eight match (JN027), and during the Darkest Day investigates the Dynamax outbreaks with Ash, exposes Rose and fails to catch Eternatus (JN042–JN045). Lance, back for the first time since AG098, 721 episodes earlier, is now a member of Kanto’s Elite Four, a Pokémon World Tournament winner and a G-Men agent, in an outfit modelled on the uniform of Galar’s Dragon Gym, where he once trained (JN012). Raihan, Galar’s Dragon-type Gym Leader and seventh in the rankings, loses to Leon (JN027) and helps Sonia against Macro Cosmos (JN044–JN045). The Gym guide Dan referees the Wyndon matches from the back of his Aegislash.

Bea, Galar’s Fighting-type Gym Leader and a master of Galar Karate, beats the Karate Master and then Ash at the Saffron City Fighting Dojo, ranked 751st (JN034), and draws with him at the Cianwood Gym, where she trains with Chuck and has climbed to 193rd — her uniform number (JN039). Ash’s other Series opponents are Visquez, standing in for Lt. Surge at the Vermilion Gym with her assistants Steve and Tony (JN018); Oliver of Goldenrod City (JN020); Hayden of Fuchsia City (JN021); Lob and Korrina, who enters the Series as a competitor rather than a Gym Leader, with her grandfather Gurkinn watching, in her first appearance since XY136 (JN025); a Trainer named Tony (JN030); the Bug-type fan Kricketina Kylie (JN033); and two unnamed Trainers (JN036).

Sonia, Professor Magnolia’s granddaughter and Leon’s childhood friend, tells Ash and Goh the legend of the Darkest Day (JN027), travels with Goh through the Sword and Shield arc and becomes a Pokémon Professor herself (JN045); Professor Magnolia debuts in JN043. Chairman Rose of Macro Cosmos watches Leon from a skybox (JN027), offers to sponsor Ash, revives Eternatus to secure Galar’s energy future — his father died in a mining accident — and battles Ash before going into hiding with his secretary, Oleana (JN042–JN045).

The guests include the Battle Frontier’s Hodge and the idol Hibana (JN007); Lauren, whose Piplup and Croagunk compete for her attention (JN008); Chad and his grandfather Jaye (JN009); the adventurer Kira and Shane Seeker, who wants a Pokédex of Shiny Pokémon (JN014); the film director Kublock (JN019); Jinny, Tito and Marin (JN031); Goh’s childhood friend Horace (JN032); and Chuck of the Cianwood Gym, seen for the first time since EP209 (JN039). In That New Old Gang of Mine! (JN037) Ash takes Goh to Alola to see Professors Kukui and Burnet and their newborn son Lei — the first human born in the anime — Lana, Mallow, Sophocles, Kiawe, Rotom Pokédex and his Alolan Pokémon, while Lillie writes that she is searching for her father with Magearna; and Mewtwo returns after 1,066 episodes as the guardian of Cero Island (JN046). Megan Hollingshead is Nurse Joy’s English voice again from JN006, for the first time since AG042.

Professor Cerise, who opens his laboratory in Vermilion City and makes Ash and Goh its research fellows (JN002) (officia

Leon, Galar’s Champion, who becomes Monarch in Flash of the Titans! (JN012) and gives Ash a Dynamax Band (JN013)

Voice cast

Character	English voice actor	Japanese voice actor
Ash Ketchum	Sarah Natochenny	Rica Matsumoto
Pikachu	Ikue Ōtani	Ikue Ōtani
Goh	Zeno Robinson	Daiki Yamashita (Kei Shindō as six-year-old Goh, JN001)
Chloe	Cherami Leigh	Kana Hanazawa
Professor Cerise	Ray Chase	Yūichi Nakamura
Chrysa	Casey Mongillo (also Scorbunny, Raboot and Cinderace, and Goh’s Raichu)	Sayaka Senbongi (also Goh’s Sobble)
Ren	Billy Kametz	Noriaki Kanze
Yamper	Tara Jayne Sands	Inuko Inuyama
Ash’s Rotom Phone	Billy Kametz	Kenyu Horiuchi
Goh’s Rotom Phone	Erica Schroeder	Marina Aicholtz
Leon	Alejandro Saab	Daisuke Ono
Bea	Tiana Camacho	Yōko Hikasa
Sonia	Brittany Cox	Marina Inoue
Chairman Rose	Barron Bass	Kenichirō Matsuda
Raihan	—	Tatsuhisa Suzuki (JN027–JN045)
Jessie	Michele Knotz	Megumi Hayashibara
James	James Carter Cathcart	Shin-ichiro Miki
Meowth	James Carter Cathcart	Inuko Inuyama
Narrator	Rodger Parsons	Kenyu Horiuchi

Pokémon: Captures, Changes, Encounters & Evolutions

In brief:

Ash builds a new team. His first catch of the series is a Dragonite, which he helps learn Dragon Dance as a Dragonair that cannot fly and which evolves to catch him in its new arms (JN010) — ten episodes in, the longest wait for a first catch in any series, and his first permanent fully evolved catch since Noctowl in EP154; it later shows Dragon Claw, Hurricane (JN014) and Hyper Beam (JN025). The lab’s abandoned Gengar becomes his first official Ghost type, giving him Pokémon of all 18 types (JN016); an Egg found in Sinnoh responds to his Aura and hatches into Riolu, his first Generation IV catch since DP157 (JN021), which learns Force Palm, Double Team and Reversal (JN027) and evolves into Lucario while shielding Ash from Rose’s Power Whip, learning Aura Sphere (JN045); and a battle-hungry Galarian Farfetch’d that faints standing up against Riolu becomes his first regional form and first Galar catch (JN027).
Pikachu’s past is finally shown: a wild Pichu raised by a family of Kangaskhan, it evolves on screen — the anime’s first Pichu evolution — four years before Ash’s journey (JN001). It Gigantamaxes to stop a Drednaw and battle Leon, using G-Max Volt Crash, Max Steelspike and Max Strike, bringing its total to 19 moves, more than any other individual Pokémon in the anime (JN013); turns down a Thunder Stone because it wants to grow strong as a Pikachu (JN035); and suffers its first Series loss to Bea’s Grapploct (JN039). Delia’s Mimey battles for Ash just once, in the Flute Cup (JN007), its Poké Ball shown for the first time 1,028 episodes after its debut; Ash’s Alolan team waits at Professor Kukui’s (JN037) and his older Pokémon at Professor Oak’s lab.
Goh catches on a scale no main character has matched. After Scorbunny, which kicks his missed Poké Ball back into itself (JN005), he catches all twelve Kanto Bug types in a day (JN006), Taillow and three Wurmple (JN007), a Mantyke (JN008), Misdreavus (JN009), Dewgong (JN010), Skwovet (JN013), a giant Golurk and a Darmanitan (JN014), Cubone (JN015), eight Pokémon during orienteering (JN020), a giant Magikarp (JN024), a whole set of Kalos Pokémon (JN025), Sobble (JN028), Heracross by trade (JN033), Hitmonchan from the Karate Master (JN034), a female Pikachu (JN035), the Trapinch line (JN036), an Alolan Exeggutor and a Pyukumuku (JN037), an Aerodactyl revived from Old Amber (JN038) and many more — 68 by the end of the season. Scorbunny becomes Raboot (JN017) and Cinderace (JN045), his Wurmple become Cascoon (JN011) and Dustox (JN023), his Pikachu evolves into Raichu with a Thunder Stone (JN035), Exeggcute into Exeggutor (JN037) and Skwovet into Greedent (JN047). His attempts on Legendaries fail — Zapdos breaks out of his ball (JN040) and Zamazenta is out of reach (JN042) — until he and Ash catch Eternatus together, only for it to be sealed away (JN045).
Team Rocket keep nothing permanently: the Rocket Prize Master’s rentals go back after each scheme, the Chewtle they find in Galar (JN013) comes back as one of its rentals (JN017), and the hungry wild Morpeko that follows them from JN028 is never caught; Meowth Gigantamaxes during the Darkest Day (JN044–JN045). Among the guests, Jinny’s Feebas evolves into Milotic to protect her (JN031), Korrina’s Mienfoo has become Mienshao off screen (JN025), and a mass outbreak of Ivysaur evolves into Venusaur over Vermilion City (JN003).

New Pokémon captured or hatched

Scorbunny#0813 · Goh · his first Pokémon, which kicks his missed Poké Ball back into itself · JN005
Scyther#0123 · Goh · the last of the twelve Kanto Bug types he catches in one day · JN006
Taillow#0276 · Goh · caught with a single throw, with three Wurmple off screen · JN007
Mantyke#0458 · Goh · his only Generation IV catch, after a Tentacool · JN008
Misdreavus#0200 · Goh · with a Sentret and a Stantler at the Bell Tower · JN009
Dragonite#0149 · Ash · his first catch of the series, newly evolved from Dragonair · JN010
Dewgong#0087 · Goh · after it breaks out of ball after ball · JN010
Skwovet#0819 · Goh · caught helping itself to Ash’s scones in Wyndon · JN013
Golurk#0623 · Goh · a giant Golurk, after his first Raid Battle · JN014
Darmanitan#0555 · Goh · disguised as a statue at the Colossus Ruins, with a Sandile · JN014
Cubone#0104 · Goh · after he recovers its stolen bone · JN015
Gengar#0094 · Ash · the lab’s abandoned poltergeist; his first official Ghost type · JN016
Riolu#0447 · Ash · hatched from an Egg found in Sinnoh · JN021
Exeggcute#0102 · Goh · mistaken for an Egg in a park · JN021
Magikarp#0129 · Goh · a giant Magikarp, with a Goldeen and a normal Magikarp · JN024
Sobble#0816 · Goh · caught by a Poké Ball thrown into a fountain · JN028
Heracross#0214 · Goh · traded for a Pinsir with Kricketina Kylie · JN033
Hitmonchan#0107 · Goh · received from the Karate Master, chosen over Hitmonlee · JN034
Pikachu#0025 · Goh · a kind female Pikachu · JN035
Flygon#0330 · Goh · with a Trapinch and a Vibrava in the Mauville sandstorm · JN036
Pyukumuku#0771 · Goh · with an Alolan Exeggutor, on Melemele Island · JN037
Aerodactyl#0142 · Goh · revived from Old Amber · JN038
Chinchou#0170 · Goh · fished up off screen: a new Pokémon for the ninth episode running · JN039
Bunnelby#0659 · Goh · the scone thief of the Slumbering Weald · JN042
Eternatus#0890 · Goh and Ash · caught together in Goh’s Poké Ball, then sealed away · JN045
Mankey#0056 · Goh · with a Krabby on Cero Island · JN046

Evolutions

Pichu → Pikachu#0025 · Ash’s Pikachu · in the wild, four years before Ash’s journey · JN001
Ivysaur → Venusaur#0003 · A mass outbreak of wild Ivysaur · at a Gym construction site in Vermilion City · JN003
Dragonair → Dragonite#0149 · Ash’s, before he catches it · catching him as he falls · JN010
Wurmple → Cascoon#0268 · Goh · all three of his Wurmple · JN011
Scorbunny → Raboot#0814 · Goh · after learning Ember against Team Rocket’s Chewtle · JN017
Cascoon → Dustox#0269 · Goh · all three, in a storm in Cerise Park · JN023
Mienfoo → Mienshao#0620 · Korrina · off screen, revealed at the Battle Festival · JN025
Feebas → Milotic#0350 · Jinny’s Feeby · protecting her from Team Rocket · JN031
Pikachu → Raichu#0026 · Goh · with a Thunder Stone, to free the captured Pikachu · JN035
Exeggcute → Exeggutor#0103 · Goh · with a Leaf Stone that Yamper brings him · JN037
Riolu → Lucario#0448 · Ash · shielding him from Rose’s Power Whip; learns Aura Sphere · JN045
Raboot → Cinderace#0815 · Goh · against Oleana’s Milotic; learns Pyro Ball · JN045
Skwovet → Greedent#0820 · Goh · in the final of the Grand Eating Contest · JN047

Releases, departures and returns

Nobody releases a Pokémon this season, but Goh comes close: convinced that his moody Raboot would be happier with the wild Pokémon it has befriended in Littleroot Town, he slips away without it, only to find it waiting for him on the train with an apple (JN022). He also parts with a Pokémon for the first time when he trades a second Pinsir to Kricketina Kylie for her Heracross (JN033), and Eternatus, which he and Ash catch together, is sealed away deep underground by Professor Magnolia (JN045).

Many encounters end with a farewell rather than a capture. Lugia leaves the boys in a field of flowers (JN002), Ho-Oh shows itself only to the old man Jaye (JN009), the Dragonite of the secret island fly off into their storm (JN010), Zapdos breaks free of Goh’s ball and flies away after sharing its electricity (JN040), Zacian and Zamazenta return to the Slumbering Weald with the Rusted Sword and Shield (JN045), and Mewtwo vanishes with the Pokémon it protects (JN046). In Alola Ash finds Rowlet, Lycanroc, Incineroar and Melmetal thriving with Professor Kukui (JN037), and Team Rocket send back every rental the Rocket Prize Master gives them.

Ash’s Pokémon this season

Pokémon	What happens	Episodes
Pikachu	Origin as a wild Pichu raised by Kangaskhan, evolving on screen; Gigantamaxes (G-Max Volt Crash, Max Steelspike, Max Strike); turns down a Thunder Stone; first Series loss, to Bea’s Grapploct	JN001, JN013, JN035, JN039
Mr. Mime (Mimey)	Delia’s, left at the lab to look after Ash; battles once for him in the Flute Cup (Focus Punch, Reflect, Psychic)	JN002, JN007
Dragonite	Caught as soon as it evolves from Dragonair; Dragon Claw and Hurricane, then Hyper Beam	JN010, JN014, JN025
Gengar	The lab’s abandoned poltergeist; caught	JN016
Riolu → Lucario	Hatched from an Egg and caught; learns Force Palm, Double Team and Reversal; evolves and learns Aura Sphere	JN021, JN027, JN045
Farfetch’d (Galarian Form)	A battle-hungry bridge guardian; caught after it faints standing up; Brutal Swing	JN027
Rowlet, Lycanroc (Dusk Form), Incineroar, Melmetal	His Alolan team, living with Professor Kukui; reunion	JN037
Eternatus	Caught with Goh in Goh’s enlarged Poké Ball, then sealed away by Professor Magnolia	JN045

Goh’s Pokémon, episode by episode

Episode	Caught or obtained	Evolutions & other changes
JN005	Scorbunny — his first Pokémon	—
JN006	Caterpie, Metapod, Venomoth, Paras, Parasect, Butterfree, Pinsir (by accident), Weedle, Kakuna, Beedrill, Venonat, Scyther — all twelve Kanto Bug types	Fails with Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Diglett and Dugtrio
JN007	Taillow; three Wurmple (off screen)	Scyther knows Swords Dance
JN008	Tentacool, Mantyke	—
JN009	Sentret, Misdreavus, Stantler	—
JN010	Dewgong	—
JN011	—	Three Wurmple → three Cascoon; Taillow knows Wing Attack
JN013	Skwovet	—
JN014	Darmanitan, Sandile, a giant Golurk	Beedrill knows Twineedle
JN015	Cubone	Butterfree knows Stun Spore
JN017	—	Scorbunny → Raboot, learning Ember
JN018	Spearow	—
JN019	Rattata	—
JN020	Pidgey, Nidoran♀, Nidoran♂, Oddish, Poliwag, Grimer, Ekans, Farfetch’d	37 species on his Rotom Phone
JN021	Exeggcute	—
JN022	— (a Wurmple escapes)	Tries to leave Raboot behind, then reconciles
JN023	—	Three Cascoon → three Dustox; Venomoth, Grimer and Dewgong show Stun Spore, Poison Gas and Ice Beam
JN024	Goldeen, Magikarp, a giant Magikarp	—
JN025	Binacle, four Flabébé, Scatterbug, Phantump, Fletchling	A fifth Flabébé, a White Flower one, is confirmed caught in JN031
JN026	— (fails with Slowking)	—
JN027	— (fails with the Galarian Farfetch’d)	Farfetch’d knows Night Slash
JN028	Sobble (fails with Silicobra)	Sobble knows Water Gun and Pound
JN030	—	Farfetch’d shows Double Team, Beedrill Aerial Ace
JN031	Wingull	—
JN032	Ariados, Pineco	Farfetch’d knows Cut
JN033	A second Pinsir, traded to Kricketina Kylie for Heracross	—
JN034	Hitmonchan, received from the Karate Master	—
JN035	Pikachu (female)	Pikachu → Raichu with a Thunder Stone
JN036	Trapinch, Vibrava, Flygon	—
JN037	Pyukumuku, Alolan Exeggutor	Exeggcute → Exeggutor with Yamper’s Leaf Stone
JN038	Aerodactyl, from Old Amber	Golurk knows Flash Cannon
JN039	Chinchou — a new Pokémon for the ninth episode running	—
JN040	— (fails with Zapdos)	Raboot learns Blaze Kick; Flygon shows Dragon Claw and Dragon Breath
JN041	— (fails with Marshtomp)	—
JN042	Bunnelby (fails with Zamazenta)	—
JN043	—	Receives a Dynamax Band; Raboot Dynamaxes and uses Max Flare
JN044	—	Raboot uses Max Knuckle
JN045	Eternatus, caught with Ash and sealed away	Raboot → Cinderace, learning Pyro Ball
JN046	Mankey, Krabby (fails with Gyarados)	Caterpie knows String Shot
JN047	—	Skwovet → Greedent, using Bullet Seed

Rivals’ and other Trainers’ Pokémon this season

Trainer	Pokémon	Episodes
Leon	Charizard (Gigantamax), Dragapult	JN012–JN013, JN027, JN042–JN045
Lance	Shiny Gyarados (Dynamax)	JN012
Raihan	Duraludon (Gigantamax)	JN027, JN044–JN045
Bea	Hawlucha, Grapploct, Hitmontop	JN034, JN039
Korrina / Gurkinn	Mienshao, Lucario (Mega Lucario) / Lucario	JN025
Visquez	Raichu, Electrode	JN018
Oliver / Hayden / Lob / Tony	Meganium / Tauros / Clawitzer / Electabuzz	JN020, JN021, JN025, JN030
Kricketina Kylie	Heracross; a Pinsir from Goh	JN033
Rose / Oleana	Copperajah, Ferrothorn / Milotic	JN044–JN045
Professor Cerise / Ren	Yamper, three Rotom / Magnemite (Francois)	JN002–JN003, JN011
Hodge	Hariyama, Mightyena	JN007
Lauren	Piplup, Croagunk	JN008
Kira / Shane Seeker	Braviary, Meditite / Shiny Psyduck	JN014
Jinny / Horace / Chuck	Feebas (Feeby), later Milotic / Chikorita / Poliwrath	JN031, JN032, JN039
Doug and Eva	Centiskorch (Centy), Gigantamaxed by the Dynamax outbreaks	JN042
Dan	Aegislash	JN012–JN013, JN027

The Rocket Prize Master’s rentals

Episode	Pokémon
JN003	Gyarados, Tyranitar
JN008	Machamp, Beartic
JN010	Wailord (one ball; it knows only Splash)
JN012	Bellsprout (one ball)
JN016	Two Dusclops, the only matching pair
JN017	Poliwrath, Chewtle
JN020	Skarmory, Crobat
JN026	Magikarp, Slowking
JN028	Magnezone, Armaldo
JN031	Kingler, Carvanha
JN033	Scolipede, Drapion
JN035	Buneary, Minccino
JN038	Nidorino, Graveler
JN040	Rhydon, Stunfisk
JN041	Two balls holding only the leaflet with the episode titles
JN048	Sawk, Throh

Pokémon making their anime debut this season

The season brings Galar to the anime. Generation VIII species arrive one by one — Yamper and Corviknight (JN002), Scorbunny and Nickit (JN004), Wooloo (JN005), Eternatus, glimpsed from the plane (JN012), Chewtle and Skwovet (JN013), Rookidee, Indeedee and Sobble (JN027), Morpeko and Silicobra (JN028), Grapploct (JN034), Zacian and Zamazenta (JN042), Dreepy and Dragapult (JN043), Cufant and Copperajah (JN044) and Orbeetle (JN046) — and Grookey only cameos in JN046, the latest debut of any concurrent starter. The first Dynamax seen is a Gigantamax Snorlax (JN005), followed by Gigantamax Drednaw (JN012), Ash’s Gigantamax Pikachu (JN013), Gigantamax Duraludon (JN027), Centiskorch (JN042), Coalossal and Garbodor (JN043) and Team Rocket’s Meowth (JN044); regional forms include Ash’s Galarian Farfetch’d (JN027), Galarian Yamask (JN045) and Galarian Weezing (JN046), and JN045 shows Crowned Zacian and Zamazenta and Eternamax Eternatus. White Flower Flabébé completes the five colours (JN025), the Drone Rotom referees the Series (JN018), the Mew that Goh pursues makes its debut as an individual in JN001, and Manaphy and Hoopa make their TV-episode debuts (JN046). Long-absent Pokémon return too: Mewtwo after 1,066 episodes (JN046), Ho-Oh after 624 (JN009), Lugia after 478 (JN002) and Zapdos after 250 (JN040).

Yamper#0835 · JN002 · debut; Professor Cerise’s
Corviknight#0823 · JN002 · debut
Scorbunny#0813 · JN004 · debut; later Goh’s first Pokémon
Nickit#0827 · JN004 · debut; Scorbunny’s gang in Wyndon
Wooloo#0831 · JN005 · debut, in the Wild Area
Eternatus#0890 · JN012 · debut, glimpsed from the plane over Galar
Chewtle#0833 · JN013 · debut; found by Team Rocket
Skwovet#0819 · JN013 · debut of Goh’s Skwovet
Raboot#0814 · JN017 · debut; Goh’s Scorbunny evolves
Rookidee#0821 · JN027 · debut
Indeedee#0876 · JN027 · debut, male and female; the Wyndon Nurse Joy’s assistants
Sobble#0816 · JN027 · debut, following the boys in Wyndon before Goh catches it
Morpeko#0877 · JN028 · debut, in both modes; it follows Team Rocket
Silicobra#0843 · JN028 · debut
Grapploct#0853 · JN034 · debut; Bea’s
Zacian#0888 · JN042 · debut, in the Slumbering Weald
Zamazenta#0889 · JN042 · debut, in the Slumbering Weald
Dreepy#0885 · JN043 · debut
Dragapult#0887 · JN043 · debut; Leon’s
Cufant#0878 · JN044 · debut
Copperajah#0879 · JN044 · debut; Rose’s
Cinderace#0815 · JN045 · debut; Goh’s Raboot evolves
Grookey#0810 · JN046 · debut, a cameo; the latest debut of any concurrent starter
Orbeetle#0826 · JN046 · debut, on Cero Island
Manaphy#0490 · JN046 · TV-episode debut, on Cero Island
Hoopa#0720 · JN046 · TV-episode debut, on Cero Island
Greedent#0820 · JN047 · debut; Goh’s Skwovet evolves

Key Events, the World Coronation Series & Tournaments

Events of note

Pikachu’s origin as a wild Pichu; Goh and Chloe meet Mew (JN001 – Enter Pikachu!)
The Cerise Laboratory opens; Ash and Goh ride Lugia and become research fellows (JN002 – Legend? Go! Friends? Go!)
Rotom Phones; Team Rocket receive the Rocket Prize Master (JN003 – Ivysaur’s Mysterious Tower!)
The first Dynamax; Goh catches Scorbunny, his first Pokémon (JN005 – Mind-Boggling Dynamax!)
Goh catches all twelve Kanto Bug types; Cerise Park opens (JN006 – Working My Way Back to Mew!)
Ash wins the Flute Cup with Mimey and Pikachu; Goh loses his first Trainer battle (JN007 – Serving Up the Flute Cup!)
Ash catches Dragonite, his first catch of the series (JN010 – A Test in Paradise!)
Chloe gives her first battle command (JN011 – Best Friend…Worst Nightmare!)
Leon beats Lance and becomes Monarch; Eternatus is glimpsed (JN012 – Flash of the Titans!)
Pikachu Gigantamaxes; Leon gives Ash a Dynamax Band and beats him; Ash decides to enter the Series (JN013 – The Climb to Be the Very Best!)
Goh’s first Raid Battle and his giant Golurk (JN014 – Raid Battle in The Ruins!)
Ash catches Gengar (JN016 – A Chilling Curse!)
Scorbunny learns Ember and evolves into Raboot (JN017 – Kicking It from Here Into Tomorrow!)
Ash registers for the World Coronation Series and beats Visquez: rank 3,763 (JN018 – Destination: Coronation!)
Ash beats Oliver: rank 1,512; the “Lugia” turns out to be Mew (JN020 – Dreams Are Made of These!)
Ash’s Egg hatches into Riolu, which he catches (JN021 – Caring for a Mystery!)
Goh tries to leave Raboot behind; the last episode before the COVID-19 break (JN022 – Goodbye, Friend!)
Goh’s Cascoon evolve into Dustox; the first new episode after the break (JN023 – Panic in the Park!)
Team Rocket team up with Ash and Goh against the Matori Matrix (JN024 – A Little Rocket R & R!)
Ash beats Lob and Korrina’s Mega Lucario: rank 921 and the Great Class (JN025 – A Festival Reunion!)
Leon beats Raihan; Sonia tells the legend of the Darkest Day; Ash catches a Galarian Farfetch’d (JN027 – Toughing It Out!)
Goh catches Sobble; Morpeko starts following Team Rocket (JN028 – Sobbing Sobble!)
Riolu beats Tony: rank 901; Pikachu runs away with Mimey (JN030 – Betrayed, Bothered, and Beleaguered!)
The first episode without Ash or Pikachu; Goh meets Horace again (JN032 – Time After Time!)
Ash beats Kricketina Kylie: rank 890; Goh trades for Heracross (JN033 – Trade, Borrow, and Steal!)
Bea hands Ash his first Series defeat: rank 930; Goh receives Hitmonchan (JN034 – Solitary and Menacing!)
Goh’s Pikachu evolves into Raichu (JN035 – Gotta Catch a What?!)
Two more losses drop Ash to 1,021st and the Normal Class; Goh catches the Trapinch line (JN036 – Making Battles in the Sand!)
The Alola reunion; Lei is born; Goh owns a Pokémon from every generation (JN037 – That New Old Gang of Mine!)
Goh revives and catches Aerodactyl (JN038 – Restore and Renew!)
Ash draws with Bea at the Cianwood Gym; Goh catches Chinchou (JN039 – Octo-Gridlock at the Gym!)
Raboot learns Blaze Kick; Goh fails to catch Zapdos; the first Friday episode (JN040 – A Crackling Raid Battle!)
Dynamax outbreaks across Galar; Zacian and Zamazenta appear (JN042 – Sword and Shield, Slumbering Weald!)
Goh’s Dynamax Band; Ash turns down Rose’s sponsorship (JN043 – Sword and Shield: The Darkest Day!)
Eternatus awakens and the Darkest Day begins; Meowth Gigantamaxes (JN044 – Sword and Shield: “From Here to Eternatus!”)
Riolu evolves into Lucario and Raboot into Cinderace; Ash and Goh catch Eternatus (JN045 – Sword and Shield… The Legends Awaken!)
Mewtwo returns and beats Ash and Goh (JN046 – Getting More Than You Battled For!)
Skwovet evolves into Greedent and wins the Grand Eating Contest (JN047 – Crowning the Chow Crusher!)

World Coronation Series & other battles

Ash’s first Raid Battle, against Lugia (Lugia flies off with Ash and Goh on its back) — JN002
Battle Frontier Flute Cup: Hodge beats Goh in the first round; Ash (Mimey, Pikachu) beats Hodge (Hariyama, Mightyena) in the final — JN007
World Coronation Series final: Leon (Charizard, Gigantamax) beats Lance (Shiny Gyarados, Dynamax) and becomes Monarch — JN012
Unofficial battle: Leon’s Charizard beats Ash’s Pikachu, both Gigantamax — JN013
Raid Battle: Ash, Goh, Kira and friends v a giant Golurk (Goh catches it) — JN014
Series battle 1: Ash (Pikachu, Gengar) beats Visquez (Raichu, Electrode), ranked 2,109th → Ash enters at 3,763rd — JN018
Series battle 2: Ash (Pikachu) beats Oliver (Meganium) → 1,512th — JN020
Series battle 3: Ash (Pikachu) beats Hayden (Tauros), ranked 1,024th → new rank not shown — JN021
Series battle 4: Ash (Pikachu) beats Lob (Clawitzer) → 1,022nd — JN025
Series battle 5: Ash (Gengar, Dragonite) beats Korrina (Mienshao, Mega Lucario), ranked 1,001st → 921st, the Great Class — JN025
Masters Eight: Leon (Charizard) beats Raihan, ranked seventh (Duraludon), both Gigantamax — JN027
Series battle 6: Ash (Riolu) beats Tony (Electabuzz) → 901st — JN030
Series battle 7: Ash (Pikachu) beats Kricketina Kylie (Heracross) → 890th — JN033
Series battle 8: Bea (Hawlucha, Grapploct), ranked 751st, beats Ash (Farfetch’d, Riolu) → 930th, his first Series loss — JN034
Series battles 9 and 10: an Octillery beats Ash’s Riolu → 975th; a Tentacruel beats Riolu → 1,021st, back in the Normal Class — JN036
Goh’s Raboot v Kiawe’s Turtonator, a test called off when Marowak blocks Inferno Overdrive — JN037
Series battle 11: Ash (Pikachu, Riolu) draws with Bea (Hitmontop, Grapploct), ranked 193rd → no change — JN039
Raid Battle: Ash, Goh and Team Rocket v Zapdos (Goh’s catch fails) — JN040
Darkest Day: Ash (Pikachu, Riolu → Lucario) beats Rose (Copperajah, Ferrothorn); Goh (Raboot → Cinderace) beats Oleana (Milotic) — JN044–JN045
Ash and Goh, with Zacian and Zamazenta, v Eternamax Eternatus (caught) — JN045
Ash (Pikachu, Lucario) and Goh (Cinderace) v Mewtwo (Mewtwo wins) — JN046
Pokémon Grand Eating Contest: Goh’s Skwovet, evolving into Greedent, wins — JN047

The World Coronation Series

The World Coronation Series (ポケモンワールドチャンピオンシップス, “Pokémon World Championships” in Japanese) is an anime-only worldwide ranking competition with more than 10,000 participants. Trainers arrange official battles through their Rotom Phones, usually with one or two Pokémon each in the Normal and Great Classes; a Drone Rotom referees and updates the rankings after every official match, and a draw changes nothing. Newcomers start in the Normal Class; ranks 999 to 100 form the Great Class, 99 to 9 the Ultra Class, and the top eight, the Masters Eight, make up the Master Class, whose tournament decides the Monarch, the world’s strongest Trainer. Leon won the title by beating Lance in the final at Wyndon Stadium (JN012), and his unofficial victory over Ash and his gift of a Dynamax Band persuade Ash to enter (JN013).

Ash registers in Destination: Coronation! (JN018) and enters the rankings at 3,763rd by beating Visquez, the Vermilion Gym’s substitute Leader, two-on-two: Gengar’s Psychic knocks out her Raichu, Electrode’s Discharge knocks out Gengar, and Pikachu reverses Electrode’s Rollout and survives its Aftermath behind an Electroweb. Pikachu runs through Oliver’s Meganium’s Solar Beam with Quick Attack (1,512th, JN020) and beats Hayden’s Tauros with Thunderbolt, the only on-screen match without a rank update (JN021). At Shalour City’s Battle Festival Pikachu beats Lob’s Clawitzer with Iron Tail (1,022nd), and then, after Korrina’s Lucario has knocked out Gengar with Bone Rush, Dragonite beats her Mienshao and outlasts her Mega Lucario after a final clash of Dragon Claw and Power-Up Punch: Ash is 921st and in the Great Class (JN025). Riolu’s Vacuum Wave beats Tony’s Electabuzz (901st, JN030) and Pikachu’s Electroweb and Iron Tail beat Kricketina Kylie’s Heracross (890th, JN033).

Then the slide. At the Saffron City Fighting Dojo Bea’s Hawlucha beats Farfetch’d with Flying Press and her Grapploct binds Riolu in Octolock and finishes it with Liquidation — Ash’s first Series defeat, dropping him to 930th (JN034). Riolu then loses to an Octillery’s Octazooka (975th) and to a Tentacruel’s Bind and Poison Sting, and Ash falls to 1,021st, back in the Normal Class (JN036). By JN039 he has fought his way back into the Great Class off screen, and his rematch with Bea, now 193rd, at the Cianwood Gym is a draw: Pikachu beats Hitmontop but falls to Grapploct, its first Series defeat, and Riolu lets itself be caught in Octolock, breaks free with a charged Force Palm and collapses at the same moment as Grapploct. It is Ash’s only known tie in the Series, and neither ranking changes.

The Masters Eight on screen

Two Masters Eight battles bookend Ash’s early climb. In the final at Wyndon Stadium (JN012), refereed by Dan as a one-on-one battle with Dynamax, Lance’s Shiny Gyarados uses Dragon Dance and boosted Ice Fangs against Leon’s Charizard, which answers with Fire Spin and a surprise Thunder Punch; Lance Dynamaxes Gyarados, Leon Gigantamaxes Charizard, and G-Max Wildfire breaks through Max Guard to make Leon Monarch — the first time a regional Champion, current or former, loses an official battle on screen. In Toughing It Out! (JN027) Leon beats Raihan, seventh in the rankings, in a match that mirrors the opening of Pokémon Sword and Shield: Duraludon’s Stone Edge and Steel Beam floor Charizard, but after both Gigantamax, Max Knuckle beats Max Rockfall and G-Max Wildfire cuts through Max Steelspike. Between them comes Ash’s own unofficial battle with Leon (JN013), in which Pikachu Gigantamaxes and trades G-Max Volt Crash with G-Max Wildfire before the fire’s aftereffect knocks it out.

The Darkest Day

In the four-part Sword and Shield arc (JN042–JN045), Galar particles leaking from Macro Cosmos’s Energy Plant set off Dynamax outbreaks across Galar. Ash joins Leon against a Gigantamax Centiskorch and Coalossal, while Goh’s Raboot, Dynamaxed with his new Wishing Star band, beats a Gigantamax Garbodor at Stow-on-Side with Max Flare and Max Knuckle. When Eternatus bursts from the plant into Hammerlocke Stadium and Rose reveals that he means it to power Galar’s future, Ash’s Pikachu and Riolu face Rose’s Copperajah and Ferrothorn in a Double Battle; when a Power Whip comes for Ash, Riolu blocks the vines, evolves into Lucario and beats both with Aura Sphere. In the foyer Goh’s Raboot, bouncing Embers off the walls, evolves into Cinderace and knocks out Oleana’s Milotic with Pyro Ball. Leon’s Ultra Ball briefly holds Eternatus before it breaks free and becomes Eternamax Eternatus; the Rusted Sword and Shield call Zacian and Zamazenta to Hammerlocke in their Crowned forms, Behemoth Blade, Behemoth Bash, Thunderbolt, Aura Sphere and Pyro Ball wear it down, and Ash and Goh throw an enlarged Poké Ball together to catch it. Professor Magnolia seals Eternatus away, Rose and Oleana disappear, and Sonia becomes a Professor.

Goh’s road to Mew

Goh’s goal is to catch one of every Pokémon on the way to Mew, and the season charts his progress: twelve Kanto Bug types in a single day, the first time a main character catches more than two species in an episode (JN006); 37 species on his Rotom Phone by JN020; his first Raid Battle catch, a giant Golurk (JN014); his first trade, a Pinsir for Heracross, the first by a main character since XY082 (JN033); a new Pokémon in nine episodes running, a record (JN031–JN039); at least one species from all eight generations by JN037, the first main character to manage it; the first Fossil Pokémon owned by a main character (JN038); and 68 Pokémon by the season’s end. His bids for Legendaries end in failure — Zapdos shatters his Poké Ball (JN040) and Zamazenta proves untouchable in the Slumbering Weald (JN042) — until Eternatus, caught with Ash only to be sealed away (JN045). Mew itself appears only fleetingly, in the prequel (JN001) and disguised as a Lugia (JN020); his recruitment to Project Mew comes in the next season.

Tournaments, festivals & Raid Battles

Away from the Series, Ash wins the Battle Frontier Flute Cup in Hoenn, where Mimey traps Hodge’s Hariyama in a box of Reflects and finishes it with Psychic and Pikachu springs off an Electroweb to beat his Mightyena, earning a set of five flutes from the idol Hibana (JN007). Goh enters Mantyke in Snowpoint City’s Iceberg Race, cancelled after Team Rocket’s attack (JN008); Professor Cerise’s team wins his Pokémon Orienteering event (JN020); Goh’s giant Magikarp jumps 21.02 metres in the semifinal of the tenth Magikarp High Jump Competition and then flies into space, so its jump cannot be measured and Kasukarp wins his tenth title (JN026); Jinny and Milotic receive a special award at Slateport City’s Friendship Festival (JN031); and Goh’s Skwovet evolves into Greedent to win Vermilion City’s Pokémon Grand Eating Contest and a gourmet trip to Unova (JN047). The boys fight three Raid Battles: Lugia, which carries them off (JN002), the giant Golurk of the Colossus Ruins (JN014) and Zapdos at the Kanto Power Plant, alongside Team Rocket (JN040).

Movies & Specials Released During the Season

The twenty-second movie, Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution, a CGI remake of the first film, had come out on Blu-ray and DVD in Japan on 18 December 2019, a month into the season’s Japanese run. Netflix, which announced it on 21 January 2020, released it worldwide outside Japan and Korea on Pokémon Day, 27 February 2020 — three and a half months before Journeys arrived on the service — and Anime News Network named it the most-watched anime title on Netflix in the US in 2020. It opened in Korean cinemas on 30 September and Chinese cinemas on 4 December 2020, VIZ Media released it on Blu-ray and DVD in the US on 17 November 2020, and TV Tokyo gave it its Japanese TV premiere on 18 December 2020, in the anime’s Friday slot, a week before the twenty-third film. Getting More Than You Battled For! (JN046), which brings Mewtwo back to the series for the first time since EP065, is the first episode to use the film’s music and restages its descent and its throwing of Pikachu from the New Island battle.

Mewtwo Strikes Back—EvolutionMovie 22 · Netflix 27 February 2020 · Japanese TV 18 December 2020

Secrets of the JungleMovie 23 · Japan 25 December 2020 · Netflix 8 October 2021

The twenty-third movie, Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle (劇場版ポケットモンスターココ), was announced on 10 January 2020 for 10 July. COVID-19 postponed its advance-ticket sale on 17 April and the film itself indefinitely on 13 May; on 5 August a new date was set, and Toho released it in 375 Japanese cinemas on 25 December 2020 — the first winter Pokémon film, opening at number two behind Demon Slayer: Mugen Train, three weeks after the season’s last Japanese episode (it fell between JN049 and JN050). The season carries its tie-ins: a normal and a Shiny Celebi close Time After Time! (JN032) and the second opening animation shows a Shiny Celebi from JN033; some first airings of JN031 replaced the Poké Riddle with movie news and details of the Shiny Celebi and Zarude distributions; and its theme song, Tortoise Matsumoto’s Strange and Wonderful Creatures, closed the first airing of JN048. The first English teaser appeared on 13 November 2020, the day Zarude V arrived in the Vivid Voltage card set, and Netflix released the film worldwide on 8 October 2021, after the season had ended.

Japan’s season also brought a special screening of JN001 on 15 November 2019, a launch special and live broadcast with the premiere on 17 November, and, the week before, an anime special with Marie Iitoyo and a Morpeko special. A preview of the story to come, with Ash, Goh, Raihan and Korrina, followed JN020 on 5 April 2020 and another followed JN039; six Sundays of reruns filled the COVID-19 break from 26 April to 31 May 2020; and on 25 December 2020, the day the twenty-third film opened, TV Tokyo reran Getting More Than You Battled For! as a Christmas special. There were no one-hour specials during the season.

Side Stories, Specials & Crossovers

Side-story tie-ins

Pokémon: Twilight Wings. Studio Colorido’s seven Sword and Shield shorts (薄明の翼), directed by Shingo Yamashita and released on YouTube and Pokémon TV, ran alongside the season: “Letter” (15 January 2020), “Training” (18 February), “Buddy” (17 March), “Early-Evening Waves” (21 April), “Assistant” (early June, moved from May by COVID-19), “Moonlight” (early July) and “Sky” (6 August 2020), followed in November 2020 by the special “The Gathering of Stars” to promote the Expansion Pass. Sonia and Rose appeared in Twilight Wings before reaching the anime in Toughing It Out! (JN027), and a collection came out on DVD in Japan on 25 December 2020.
Specials and companion programming. TV Tokyo surrounded the premiere with a special screening of JN001 (15 November 2019), a Marie Iitoyo anime special and a Morpeko special (10 November) and a launch special with live broadcast (17 November); a preview of the stories to come, with Ash, Goh, Raihan and Korrina, followed JN020 (5 April 2020), and a second preview followed JN039. All year the Sunday-morning show Pokénchi (ポケモンの家あつまる？) ran alongside, with Pokémon Kids TV shorts, and two Pokémon Presents broadcasts went out on 17 and 24 June 2020.
The pandemic year. While Japan was under its state of emergency, every episode aired so far was free to watch on the official Japanese YouTube channel from 18 to 31 March 2020 and again until 30 April; production stopped after JN022 and resumed for JN023 on 7 June. Pokémon Detective Pikachu was made free on HBO in the US on 2 April 2020 and had its Japanese TV premiere on NTV’s Friday Road SHOW on 22 May 2020.

Characters from the games, manga and specials

Pokémon Sword and Shield came out on 15 November 2019, two days before JN001, the first episode to air in Japan after them. Galar, Dynamax and Gigantamax, Leon, Raihan, Bea, Sonia, Professor Magnolia, Chairman Rose, Oleana, Eternatus and the Darkest Day all come from the games; JN012 and JN027 use lines and music from them, and Leon’s battle with Raihan mirrors the games’ opening. The Isle of Armor (17 June 2020) arrived between JN024 and JN025, and JN042 premiered on 23 October 2020, the day The Crown Tundra was released.
Back to Red and Blue. The Saffron City Fighting Dojo offers Goh the games’ choice between Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee (JN034), and an in-game trade of a Spearow nicknamed “Speary” for a Farfetch’d nicknamed “Dux” is recreated (JN033). Older episodes are recalled too: JN003’s English title nods to EP051 Bulbasaur’s Mysterious Garden, JN019 parallels EP037 Ditto’s Mysterious Mansion, the Spearow flock of JN030 echoes Ash’s first day in EP001, and JN001’s title card is styled like the first Japanese ending, One Hundred Fifty-One.
Returning faces. Lance appears for the first time since AG098, 721 episodes earlier, now in Kanto’s Elite Four (JN012); Korrina and Gurkinn for the first time since XY136 (JN025); Chuck for the first time in person since EP209 (JN039); and the Alola cast in JN037, the first time since DP189 that the Pokémon of Ash’s last completed series appear. Mewtwo’s return in JN046 ends the longest absence of any species, and JN046 is the first time its face is fully uncovered in the anime.
Nods and homages. The Colossus Ruins of JN014 borrow from Raiders of the Lost Ark and Castle in the Sky; Team Rocket’s vacuum in JN016 recalls Luigi’s Mansion; James nods to Guys and Dolls in JN010; the first Japanese title of JN026 is the Japanese name of Pokémon: Magikarp Jump; JN047’s Japanese title parodies TV Tokyo’s TV Champion eating contests; and the code to Team Rocket’s base, 634526, spells out Jessie and James’s Japanese names, Mu-sa-shi-Ko-ji-rō (JN017). Other dubs added jokes of their own, such as the Polish dub’s “social distancing” line (JN017) and Brazilian references to El Chavo del Ocho (JN035) and El Chapulín Colorado (JN040).

Opening & Ending Themes

In Japan, Pocket Monsters opens with 1·2·3 (One, Two, Three), written, composed and arranged by Mafumafu and first sung by After the Rain, his duo with Soraru, from JN002 to JN031 after serving as JN001’s ending; from JN032 a version by Nishikawa-kun and Kirishō — Takanori Nishikawa of T.M.Revolution and Shō Kiryūin of Golden Bomber — takes over with new animation. Sung by different artists over the years, 1·2·3 ran for 136 episodes, the longest of any opening. The ending is Pokémon Shiritori, a word-chain song by Pokémon Music Club, produced by Junichi Masuda with Pasocom Music Club, in two versions — Pikachu → Mew to JN019 and Mew → Zamazenta from JN020, alternating from JN040 — for 70 consecutive episodes, more than any other ending; the first airing of the season finale closed instead with Tortoise Matsumoto’s Strange and Wonderful Creatures, the theme of the twenty-third movie. In English, the Canadian band Walk off the Earth’s “The Journey Starts Today” opens every episode and its instrumental closes them; as usual, the Japanese songs were not dubbed. Yūki Hayashi composed the series’ background music.

Opening · Wan, Tsū, Surī (１・２・３ One, Two, Three) — **Opening · *Wan, Tsū, Surī* (１・２・３ One, Two, Three)**After the Rain · JN002–JN031 (and the ending of JN001)Lyrics, music and arrangement by Mafumafu, sung by After the Rain — Soraru and Mafumafu; it replaced *Your Adventure*. The first animation (JN001–JN031), storyboarded and directed by Satoshi Nakano with Shūhei Yasuda as animation supervisor, is the only *Journeys* opening with no pre-*Journeys* character but Ash, and in the Galar episodes (JN004–JN005, JN012–JN013, JN027–JN028) it shows Zacian and Zamazenta posing together. The song begins with a sound like a Game Boy starting up and quotes “Aim to Be a Pokémon Master” in its lyrics. Digital single 15 December 2019.

Opening · 1·2·3, version 2 — **Opening · *1·2·3*, version 2**Nishikawa-kun and Kirishō · JN032–JN048Takanori Nishikawa (T.M.Revolution, abingdon boys school) and Shō Kiryūin (Golden Bomber) sing Mafumafu’s song over new animation storyboarded and directed by Saori Den, which adds Team Rocket, Gigantamax Pikachu, Eternatus, Leon, Raihan, Bea and the Galar Legendaries — and gives away Goh’s Heracross, Flygon and Aerodactyl and Raboot’s evolution into Cinderace. JN032 shows a normal Celebi, JN033 onwards a Shiny one, a tie-in with the twenty-third movie. It continued to JN049; digital single 30 September 2020. *1·2·3* is also an insert song in JN040 and JN047.

Ending · Pokémon Shiritori (ポケモンしりとり, Pikachu → Mew Ver.) — **Ending · *Pokémon Shiritori* (ポケモンしりとり, Pikachu → Mew Ver.)**Pokémon Music Club · JN002–JN019; even-numbered episodes JN040–JN048Produced by Junichi Masuda, with lyrics, music and arrangement by Pasocom Music Club and Pokémon Kids 2019 singing. A game of shiritori, the Japanese word-chain game: Pokémon file across the screen as their names are called, each name’s last kana highlighted, until a name ending in “n” breaks the chain and Poké Balls flip over to reveal silhouettes for a second, successful line. It replaced *Type: Wild*, and its run of 70 consecutive episodes (JN002–JN071) is the longest of any ending. Released on 25 November 2019; the Full Size Version followed digitally on 26 April 2020. An insert song in JN017, where Team Rocket play “Nasty Plot Shiritori”.

Ending · Pokémon Shiritori (Mew → Zamazenta Ver.) — **Ending · *Pokémon Shiritori* (Mew → Zamazenta Ver.)**Pokémon Music Club · JN020–JN039; odd-numbered episodes JN041–JN047A new verse, with blue lyric text and a level-up jingle; in the second chorus Pikachu, Raboot and Yamper are joined by an Egg (JN020), replaced by Ash’s Riolu from JN021, with Mimey dancing — and Riolu and Raboot stay unevolved in the animation for as long as the song was used. From JN040 to JN070 the two versions alternate between even- and odd-numbered episodes.

Ending · Fushigina Fushigina Ikimono (ふしぎなふしぎな生きもの Strange and Wonderful Creatures) — **Ending · *Fushigina Fushigina Ikimono* (ふしぎなふしぎな生きもの Strange and Wonderful Creatures)**Tortoise Matsumoto · JN048 (first TV Tokyo airing)The main theme of the twenty-third movie, *Secrets of the Jungle*, with lyrics, music and production by Taiiku Okazaki and arrangement by Yōichirō Nomura, sung by Tortoise Matsumoto of Ulfuls over clips from the film. It closed the first airings of JN048 to JN054 to promote the movie; otherwise JN048 ends with *Pokémon Shiritori*. English Wikipedia lists it as an opening used for one episode; Bulbapedia, followed here, as an ending.

English opening · The Journey Starts Today — English opening · *The Journey Starts Today*Walk off the Earth · JN001–JN048Written by Gianni Luminati (Nicassio), Sarah Blackwood and Tokyo (David) Speirs — the dub credits name Speirs only from JN025 to JN030 — and performed by the Canadian band; it replaced “The Challenge of Life”, and its instrumental is the English ending theme. The opening footage is cut from *1·2·3* and the episodes, showing Grookey and Sobble long before their debuts, and the ending footage comes from *Pokémon Shiritori*; it is the first English opening without the word “Pokémon” in its lyrics. Single “The Journey Starts Today (Theme from Pokémon Journeys)”, digital 12 June 2020; the official Pokémon YouTube channel posted a sing-along version on 22 June 2020. In JN034 the dub plays the vocal version over the end credits by mistake.

The games supply much of the battle music: the Sword and Shield battle theme accompanies Ash’s Flute Cup final (JN007), the Gym battle theme scores Leon’s win over Lance (JN012) and both of Pikachu’s Gigantamax moments (JN013), and a remix of the Galar Gym Leader theme backs Leon against Raihan (JN027). Pokémon Shiritori is the soundtrack to Team Rocket’s word game in JN017; music from Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel plays as Korrina Mega Evolves Lucario — the first piece by Shinji Miyazaki heard in the new series (JN025); the Magikarp Song and the Slowpoke Song accompany the double bill of JN026; Sun & Moon music returns for the Alola reunion (JN037); 1·2·3 plays at the end of Goh’s battle with Zapdos (JN040) and of the eating contest (JN047); and JN046 is the first episode to use music from Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution.

The Journey Starts Today — Walk off the Earth’s English opening, used for all 48 episodes, in the sing-along version posted in June 2020. Video: The Official Pokémon YouTube channel.

TV Broadcasts & Original Airing Dates

Japan. TV Tokyo premiered Pocket Monsters with Enter Pikachu! (JN001) on Sunday 17 November 2019 at 6 p.m., the slot Sun & Moon had used, two days after Pokémon Sword and Shield came out and two days after a special screening of the episode; JN001 had no opening, 1·2·3 serving as its ending. The anime aired every Sunday — with no episode on 5 January 2020, because of the New Year schedule — until Octo-Gridlock at the Gym! (JN039) on 27 September 2020, the last episode in the Sunday slot. The move, announced on 13 September, took it to Fridays at 6:55 p.m. from A Crackling Raid Battle! (JN040) on 9 October, its first prime-time slot in two years, according to Japanese Wikipedia. JN042 aired on 23 October, the day The Crown Tundra was released, and the season ended with JN048 on 4 December 2020; there were no one-hour specials during the run, and no Japanese ratings have been found. After JN049 on 11 December, TV Tokyo gave Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution its TV premiere in the anime’s slot on 18 December, and on 25 December, the day the twenty-third movie opened, it reran JN046 as a Christmas special.

The pandemic break. On 19 April 2020, the day Goodbye, Friend! (JN022) aired, the anime’s official account announced that part of production had been paused under Japan’s state of emergency and that reruns would follow. TV Tokyo filled six Sundays, from 26 April to 31 May, with reruns — which episodes were repeated has not been confirmed. On 31 May the producers announced that production had resumed, and Panic in the Park! (JN023) aired on 7 June 2020, in the slot first planned for JN029, so JN023 to JN029 each aired six weeks later than scheduled. In the same weeks the twenty-third movie was postponed from July to Christmas and the fifth Twilight Wings short slipped to June.

The US: Netflix. On 23 April 2020 Netflix and The Pokémon Company International announced that future seasons of the anime would premiere exclusively on Netflix in the US, beginning with Pokémon Journeys: The Series on 12 June 2020, with new episodes added quarterly and a new theme song by Walk off the Earth; Ultra Legends, which ended on Disney XD on 7 March 2020, had been the last season on US broadcast television. Netflix released the season in four parts of twelve episodes: JN001–JN012 on Friday 12 June 2020, ending on the Gigantamax Drednaw cliffhanger; JN013–JN024 on 11 September, announced in August; JN025–JN036 on 4 December 2020; and JN037–JN048 on 5 March 2021. Each episode opens with the TV rating card and an epilepsy warning, and the official Pokémon YouTube channel posted JN001 in full on 13 July 2020, its first full episode. No Netflix viewing figures for the series have been found.

Canada, the UK and Australia. Teletoon began the season in Canada on Saturday 9 May 2020 at noon, a month before Netflix, and showed JN001 to JN004 on four Saturdays to 30 May; according to English Wikipedia it ran weekly until 5 June 2021, and YTV added catch-up marathons. In the UK, POP became the series’ exclusive first-run home, showed a sneak peek of JN001 to JN004 on 25 May 2020 and began the season officially on 1 September 2020; it premiered JN025 to JN032 on weekdays from 6 November 2020 and JN037 to JN040 from 1 March 2021, ahead of Netflix. Australia’s 9Go! began the season on 30 October 2020 and aired JN025 on 3 December 2020, a day before Netflix. BBC iPlayer added the season in the UK on 25 February 2025.

Elsewhere, and the numbering. South Korea began the series on 8 April 2020 as 포켓몬스터W, with two episodes a week, and Germany, France and the Netherlands followed from September 2020; in Latin America JN048 was the last episode shown on Cartoon Network and the last with Diana Pérez as Jessie. The season’s 48 episodes are numbered 1 to 48 on Netflix, on the DVDs and on Bulbapedia; English Wikipedia gives them English overall numbers 1081 to 1128 and Japanese overall numbers 1088 to 1135, and Bulbapedia’s alternate codes run from EP1086 to EP1133. Japan has no season break at all: the series ran on to JN147 in March 2023, and JN049, broadcast on 11 December 2020, simply continued it as the first episode of the English Master Journeys.

Dub Edits

Changes in the English version

Nothing banned — a new studio and a new home. All 48 episodes reached Netflix in production order, dubbed for The Pokémon Company International by Iyuno (then Iyuno Media Group), recording through its Burbank office with Goldcrest Post in New York as its partner studio so that New York-based actors could continue — Iyuno’s first Pokémon work after DuArt’s departure. Walk off the Earth’s “The Journey Starts Today” replaced “The Challenge of Life”, the “To Be Continued” captions were dropped (the Pokémon TV and US YouTube versions of the first five episodes keep them), the title-card music was replaced with dub music (the originals survive on Pokémon TV and US YouTube), the dub title card matches the next-episode preview card, and Netflix adds an epilepsy warning. Dogasu’s Backpack has no Journeys comparisons, so the changes below come from the “Dub edits” sections of Bulbapedia’s episode pages.

Moved and removed. In Enter Pikachu! (JN001) the opening and title card are moved to after Pichu meets Kangaskhan, so the credits no longer run over the start of the episode, and the post-credits scenes of Chloe and Goh come before the credits; in JN041 the opening and first title card, which in Japanese sit between the two stories, are moved near the start. Japanese captions naming places and Pokédex categories are removed throughout, JN025’s 命爆発 (“Life Explosion”) kanji are cut, and JN016’s horror-style title card is redone in the standard font. The Sword and Shield arc keeps its stylised title cards.

Content edits. In Settling the Scorbunny! (JN004) a man’s moustache at Wyndon Station is removed, likely because it resembles Adolf Hitler’s; in JN014 a shot from Kira’s fantasy of a body entering Cofagrigus is replaced with a still frame, though the Japanese sound effects remain; and in JN037 Goh’s eyes are open when he falls into the sea, where they are closed in Japanese. When Dragonite hugs Ash and Cerise in JN010, Netflix in the US, Pokémon TV outside the US and the VIZ discs say “Not so tight!”, while other Netflix regions, POP, Pokémon TV in the US and the Pokémon Asia ENG YouTube channel say “I can’t breathe!”.

Wordplay and food. The Rocket Prize Master becomes a “gumball machine” rather than a capsule-toy machine, and the pun on fushigi (“mysterious”) in Ivysaur’s Japanese name is lost (JN003); Ash’s mishearing of “with a shady history” as “with an Onix” becomes “Haunter’s house”, dropping his Onix daydream (JN016); “Nasty Plot Shiritori” becomes the “Evil Things Name Game” (JN017); the giant Magikarp is no longer a “Lord Pokémon” (JN024); the Koiking/Yadoking “King Pokémon” pun is lost, and the Shellder crown that makes Ash speak English in Japanese gives him a fancy British accent instead (JN026); and in the eating contest Berry pot-au-feu becomes “Berry stew” and Torchic manjū “Torchic-shaped sponge cakes” (JN047). Japan’s “Nice”, “Great” and “Excellent” ratings for Goh’s catches are cut (JN006).

Fixes and slips. The dub corrects animation errors — Turtwig’s eyes and Ash’s bag (JN004), Riolu’s aura sensors (JN028), the colours of Ash’s outfit in a flashback (JN030), Heracross listed as a pure Bug type (JN033) and Riolu’s colour (JN039) — but adds some of its own: the series logo is missing from the quiz in JN006, Croagunk’s Japanese voice can be heard in JN008, captions add a plural “s” to Pokémon names in JN010, the English title card of Slowking’s Crowning! has no text (JN026), Ash calls Night Slash “Night Shade” (JN027), the vocal opening plays over the end credits (JN034) and Raboot’s cry is missing from the intro clip (JN037). The credits also list Shūhei Yasuda as “Series Construction”.

Who’s That Pokémon? and the Poké Riddle. This is the first season in which the English Who’s That Pokémon? shows the same Pokémon as Japan’s Dare da?, with the type names removed, so the two versions agree all season; neither has a quiz in the Sword and Shield arc (JN042–JN045). Japan’s new end segment from JN003, Get Inspired! Let’s Solve a Poké Riddle!!, hosted by Ryōgo Matsumaru, a University of Tokyo student, with Psyduck and narrated by Sayaka Senbongi, was not dubbed; it is also dropped from Japanese episodes that carry promotions.

Voices and names. Megan Hollingshead returns to the dub in JN001 and voices Nurse Joy again from JN006, her first Joy since AG042; Tara Jayne returns and Emily Jenness voices Officer Jenny on TV for the first time (JN003); Emily Cramer replaces Jessica Paquet as Mallow (JN037); Michele Knotz voices Mr. Mime in JN030’s quiz; and Sunflora keeps its Japanese voice in JN032. The Japanese names Satoshi, Gō, Koharu, Sakuragi, Kikuna, Renji, Dande, Saitō, Kibana and Wanpachi become Ash, Goh, Chloe, Cerise, Chrysa, Ren, Leon, Bea, Raihan and Yamper, as in the games. JN028’s English title, Sobbing Sobble!, is a rare direct translation of the Japanese, and the English listings of JN026 and JN041 give both of their titles.

Episode titles explained

Many of this season’s English titles play on familiar phrases, songs and films:

Settling the Scorbunny! — the phrase “settling the score”, as Ash and Goh square up to the thieving Scorbunny
Working My Way Back to Mew! — the Four Seasons song “Working My Way Back to You”, for Goh’s road to Mew
Flash of the Titans! — the film Clash of the Titans, for Leon and Lance’s giant Dynamax battle
The Climb to Be the Very Best! — the first line of the English Pokémon Theme, “I wanna be the very best”
Dreams Are Made of These! — Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)”
A Little Rocket R & R! — the phrase “a little R&R”, rest and relaxation, for Team Rocket’s holiday
Sobbing Sobble! — a rare direct translation of the Japanese title, keeping its alliteration (mesomeso Messon)
Betrayed, Bothered, and Beleaguered! — the song “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered”
Time After Time! — Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time”, for Goh’s promise to Horace
Trade, Borrow, and Steal! — the phrase “beg, borrow or steal”, for Goh’s first trade
Gotta Catch a What?! — the slogan “Gotta catch ’em all!”, as Goh catches a Pikachu
That New Old Gang of Mine! — the song “That Old Gang of Mine”, for Ash’s Alola reunion
Sword and Shield: “From Here to Eternatus!” — the 1953 film From Here to Eternity
Getting More Than You Battled For! — the phrase “getting more than you bargained for”, as Mewtwo takes on the boys

DVD & Blu-ray / Streaming

Pokémon Journeys: The Series came out in North America from VIZ Media, distributed by Warner Home Video, as three two-disc sets of 16 episodes in 2022 and a six-disc Complete Collection in 2025, and in Australia and New Zealand from Shock Entertainment, which replaced Beyond, as two three-disc Collections of 24 episodes and a six-disc Complete Series in 2021. Every release keeps the 48 episodes in code order. No UK DVD release of the season has been found.

North America (Region 1)

Release	Date	Contents
Pokémon Journeys: The Series – The Journey Starts Today! (VIZ Media, 2 discs)	11 January 2022	16 episodes: JN001–JN008; JN009–JN016; creditless opening and ending
Destination: Coronation! (2 discs)	5 April 2022	16 episodes: JN017–JN024; JN025–JN032; creditless opening and ending
Legends of Galar (2 discs)	12 July 2022	16 episodes: JN033–JN040; JN041–JN048
The Complete Collection (6 discs)	17 July 2025	All 48 episodes (the cover reads “The Complete Season”)
Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution (Blu-ray and DVD)	17 November 2020	The twenty-second movie, between Netflix’s second and third parts

Australia & New Zealand (Region 4)

Release	Date	Notes
Pokémon Journeys: The Series – Collection 1 (3 discs, KAL5564B)	3 March 2021 (New Zealand 19 May 2021)	24 episodes on discs 23.1 “Pichu” (JN001–JN008), 23.2 “Yamper” (JN009–JN016) and 23.3 “Scorbunny” (JN017–JN024) — two days before Netflix’s last part
Collection 2 (3 discs, KAL5624B)	2 June 2021 (New Zealand 21 July 2021)	24 episodes on discs 23.4 “Sobble” (JN025–JN032), 23.5 “Grapploct” (JN033–JN040) and 23.6 “Skwovet” (JN041–JN048)
Pokémon Journeys – Complete Series DigiPack (6 discs, KAL5632B)	2 June 2021 (New Zealand 21 July 2021)	All 48 episodes on discs 23.1–23.6

Japan

In Japan, Shogakukan began releasing the series on DVD three episodes to a volume: pocketmonsters.net lists Vol. 1 (JN001–JN003, a rental release) and Vol. 2 on 23 December 2020 and Vol. 6 on 24 March 2021, but the contents and dates of the later volumes have not been confirmed. Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution came out on Blu-ray and DVD on 18 December 2019.

Streaming

Netflix premiered the season in the US in four parts between 12 June 2020 and 5 March 2021 and has carried it in some other territories; whether it has stayed on Netflix US since the other Pokémon series left the service in 2022 has not been confirmed. The official Pokémon YouTube channel posted Enter Pikachu! in full on 13 July 2020, and Pokémon TV in the US carried episodes with their original title-card music. In the UK, POP and its POP Player app carried the first run, and BBC iPlayer has carried the season since 25 February 2025. In Japan, TVer and YouTube streams keep the Poké Riddle, while Hulu and Prime Video do not. Check your local service, as availability changes often.

Covers

The Journey Starts Today! (Region 1, 2022)

Destination: Coronation! (Region 1, 2022)

Where to Watch & Buy

Availability changes constantly, so treat this as a snapshot (October 2026) and check your local service. Links will be added here once we have settled on referral partners.

NetflixPremiered the season in the US in four parts from 12 June 2020 to 5 March 2021; availability varies by region.
DVD – North AmericaThe Complete Collection (VIZ Media, 6 discs, 2025) has all 48 episodes; the three two-disc sets of 2022 hold 16 each.
DVD – Australia & New ZealandShock’s Complete Series DigiPack (6 discs, 2021) has all 48 episodes; Collections 1 and 2 hold 24 each.
BBC iPlayer (UK)Has carried the season since 25 February 2025.
YouTubeThe official Pokémon YouTube channel posted Enter Pikachu! in full on 13 July 2020.

Trading Cards Released During the Season

Six English expansions bracket the Netflix run, from Sword & Shield, released four months before the premiere, to Shining Fates, two weeks before the last part:

Sword & Shield — 7 February 2020 — two days before Flash of the Titans! (JN012) aired in Japan and four months before the Netflix premiere; 216 cards from Japan’s Sword and Shield, among them Snorlax VMAX and Zacian V
Rebel Clash — 1 May 2020 — six weeks before the Netflix premiere; 209 cards from Rebellion Crash, including Cinderace V and VMAX, Duraludon and Coalossal
Darkness Ablaze — 14 August 2020 — between Netflix’s first and second parts; 201 cards from Infinity Zone, including Charizard VMAX, Centiskorch VMAX, Galarian Sirfetch’d and Eternatus V and VMAX
Champion’s Path — 25 September 2020 — two weeks after the second part; an 80-card special set with Drednaw V and VMAX, Grapploct, Hop, Sonia and Charizard VMAX
Vivid Voltage — 13 November 2020 — three weeks before the third part; 203 cards from Amazing Volt Tackle, including Celebi, Zarude V, Pikachu VMAX, Lucario, Bea and Leon
Shining Fates — 19 February 2021 — two weeks before the fourth part; 195 cards from Shiny Star V, Shiny Vault included, with Cinderace V and VMAX, Morpeko and a Shiny Eternatus VMAX

The English sets drew on Japanese expansions released months earlier: Sword and Shield (6 December 2019), Rebellion Crash (6 March 2020), Infinity Zone (5 June 2020), Amazing Volt Tackle (18 September 2020) and Shiny Star V (20 November 2020). Battle Styles, released on 19 March 2021, came two weeks after the last Netflix part.

Our TCG section has a full card list, print variations and the most valuable cards for every one of them.

Cards with a link to the season

Three cards from those sets follow the season’s big moments:

Eternatus VMAX · Darkness Ablaze 117/189

Firsts & Lasts

First season to premiere in the US on a streaming service rather than on television: Netflix, from 12 June 2020.
First season dubbed by Iyuno, the first to drop the “To Be Continued” captions and the first in which Who’s That Pokémon? matches Japan’s Dare da?.
First on-screen evolution of a Pichu, and the first series premiere with no new species or region: Enter Pikachu! (JN001).
First Dynamax and Gigantamax in the anime, a Snorlax (JN005), and the first Gigantamax Pikachu, Ash’s (JN013).
First time a regional Champion, current or former, loses an official battle on screen: Lance to Leon (JN012).
First main character to catch more than two species in one episode, Goh with twelve Kanto Bug types (JN006), and the first to catch a species from all eight generations (JN037).
First current-generation starter to evolve before the other two were introduced: Goh’s Raboot (JN017).
First episode split into two stories with two title cards: JN026.
First main-series episode without Ash or Pikachu: Time After Time! (JN032).
First human born in the anime: Professors Kukui and Burnet’s son, Lei (JN037).
First Fossil Pokémon owned by a main character, Goh’s Aerodactyl (JN038), and the first time a main character actively tries to catch a Legendary Pokémon, Goh with Zapdos (JN040).
First full episode posted on the official Pokémon YouTube channel: JN001, on 13 July 2020.
Last episode with After the Rain’s opening (JN031), last in the Sunday 6 p.m. slot (JN039) and, in Latin America, the last on Cartoon Network (JN048).

Trivia & Facts

Off broadcast TV. Journeys is the first season to premiere in the US on a streaming service — Netflix, in four quarterly drops of twelve episodes — and the first not shown on conventional US television; Canada’s Teletoon and the UK’s POP each showed some episodes before Netflix.
A new dub house. It is the first season dubbed by Iyuno, with Goldcrest Post, after DuArt; the first to drop “To Be Continued”; the first to match Who’s That Pokémon? to the Japanese; and the first with an epilepsy warning on every episode outside Japan.
Every region at once. The season visits all eight regions, and by JN037 Goh has caught at least one species from all eight generations — the first main character, Ash included, to do so.
Pikachu’s origin. JN001 is a prequel in which Pichu is raised by Kangaskhan and evolves on screen — the anime’s first on-screen Pichu evolution — and the first series premiere with no new species or region.

Pikachu with the Kangaskhan that raised it as a Pichu, in Enter Pikachu! (JN001). Screenshot: Pokémon anime, JN001 “Enter Pikachu!” · via Bulbapedia
The pandemic break. COVID-19 halted production after JN022 (19 April 2020); six weeks of reruns followed and JN023 to JN029 each aired six weeks late, while the twenty-third movie slid from July to Christmas 2020.
Prime time again. From JN040 (9 October 2020) the anime moved from Sunday at 6 p.m. to Friday at 6:55 p.m.
Gotta catch ’em all — literally. Goh owns 68 Pokémon by JN048; he catches all twelve Kanto Bug types in one episode (JN006) and gains a new Pokémon in nine straight episodes (JN031–JN039), a record.
A Legendary given away. Goh catches Eternatus with Ash (JN045), but Professor Magnolia seals it away, so he never keeps it.
Ash’s slow start. Ash’s first catch, Dragonite, comes in JN010 — the longest wait for a first catch in any series — and is his first permanent fully evolved catch since Noctowl, 941 episodes earlier; with Gengar (JN016) he has owned a Pokémon of every type.

Ash and Goh among the Dragonite in A Test in Paradise! (JN010), the episode in which Ash finally makes his first catch of the series. Screenshot: Pokémon anime, JN010 “A Test in Paradise!” · via Bulbapedia
Mewtwo’s return. JN046 brings Mewtwo back after 1,066 episodes, the longest absence of any species, and is the first time its face is fully uncovered in the anime.
Firsts in format. JN026 is the first episode split into two segments with two title cards; JN032 is the first main-series episode without Ash or Pikachu (or the species Pikachu at all); JN037 shows the anime’s first human birth, Lei.
Champions fall. JN012 is the first time a regional Champion, current or former, loses an official battle on screen, as Lance falls to Leon.
Ups and downs in the rankings. Ash climbs from 3,763rd to 890th, loses three in a row to Bea and two unnamed Trainers to drop back to the Normal Class at 1,021st, then draws with Bea — his only known Series tie (JN039).
Starters of a new kind. Goh’s first Pokémon is a Fire-type starter caught outside his home region; with Sobble (JN028) he is the first main character other than Ash to own two current-generation starters; and Grookey’s cameo in JN046 is the latest debut of any concurrent starter.
Evolutions in battle. Riolu becomes Lucario and Raboot becomes Cinderace in the same episode (JN045), making Goh’s partner the first current-generation starter to reach its final form before all its concurrent starters had been introduced.
Long-running songs. Pokémon Shiritori ran for 70 consecutive episodes, more than any other ending, and 1·2·3 — sung by After the Rain and then Nishikawa-kun and Kirishō in this season — for 136, the longest run of any opening.
Pikachu’s move list. Gigantamaxing in JN013, Pikachu uses Max Steelspike and Max Strike for the only times, bringing its total to 19 moves, more than any other individual in the anime.
Voice news. Megan Hollingshead returned as Nurse Joy (JN006) after 775 episodes, Emily Cramer took over Mallow (JN037), and Kei Shindō, Lillie’s Japanese voice, voiced six-year-old Goh (JN001).
Games and cards. JN001 was the first episode after Pokémon Sword and Shield, JN025 the first after The Isle of Armor, and JN042 premiered the day The Crown Tundra launched; the English card sets of the Netflix run — Darkness Ablaze, Champion’s Path, Vivid Voltage and Shining Fates among them — carried Charizard VMAX, Eternatus VMAX, Pikachu VMAX, Cinderace and Trainer cards of Leon, Bea and Sonia; see our TCG section.

Reception

Ratings and viewing. No Japanese ratings have been found for the season, and Netflix has published no viewing figures for Journeys; Anime News Network’s round-up of Netflix’s US anime viewing in 2020 named Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution, not the series, as the most-watched anime title of the year. In Japanese cinemas the twenty-third movie, released three weeks after the season’s Japanese finale, opened at number two behind Demon Slayer: Mugen Train.

Reviews. Reviewing Netflix’s first part for The Outerhaven (“Pokémon Journeys Part 1 Review: The Journey Starts Today”, 6 July 2020), Todd Black scored it 4 and found it “very satisfying” overall: Goh starts out annoying, but his analytical side and his dynamic with Ash work, and the theme song is one of the reviewer’s all-time favourites — although the binge-drop format “kind of sucks” compared with weekly Saturday airings, and JN012’s cliffhanger meant a months-long wait for the next part. English Wikipedia reports that Anime News Network gave the series a B+, though the review itself could not be located for this page.

Fan scores. MyAnimeList has no separate entry for the season; its Pokemon (2019) entry, covering the whole 136-episode Japanese main run, scores 7.54 with some 106,000 members. IMDb’s episode ratings could not be checked for this page, no reviews of the VIZ or Shock DVDs have been found, and the season won no known awards.

Continue the journey with Season 24: Pokémon Master Journeys: The Series, go back to Season 22: Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon – Ultra Legends, or browse every season of the Pokémon anime.