Pokémon Horizons Introduces Time Skip, Aging Up Liko and Roy

After 26 years of keeping Ash Ketchum perpetually 10 in the Pokémon anime, The Pokémon Company is taking a bold step in Pokémon Horizons by aging its new protagonists, Liko and Roy, by about three years in the upcoming Mega Voltage arc.

A recent CoroCoro reveal detailed the Mega Voltage arc, confirming a time skip that introduces updated designs for Liko, Roy, and Dot, showcasing them as taller and more mature:

All the new arch 5 pages from coro coro today!
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Since Liko and Roy share the same universe as Ash Ketchum, this time skip implies that Ash, Misty, Brock, May, Dawn, Serena, and others have also aged three years off-screen. Fans are buzzing about the possibility of seeing an older Ash in this arc or future seasons.

The Mega Voltage arc will reintroduce Mega Evolutions, aligning with their return in the Pokémon Legends: Z-A game. Liko’s Floragato has evolved into Meowscarada, and Roy now has a shiny Mega Lucario.

Notably absent from the reveal is Friede, captain of the Rising Volt Tacklers. His Pikachu appears wearing Friede’s goggles, which show visible cracks, sparking fan speculation about Friede’s fate.

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The Mega Voltage arc premieres in Japan on April 11, with the English dub lagging behind in the U.S. Pokémon Horizons Season 2 earned a 5/10 for struggling to leverage its potential. This time skip could bring fresh vitality to the Rising Volt Tacklers.