The Pokémon Company group has revealed two additional characters that will be joining the franchise’s newest anime series. They are Friede and his partner Pokémon, Captain Pikachu, who will debut in the upcoming 2023 anime, shortly after the conclusion of Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series. 

Friede is an expert Pokémon Professor who, along with Captain Pikachu, travels alongside protagonists Liko (from the Paldea region) and Roy (from the Kanto region) with their exciting adventures. Together, they will help unravel the mysteries of Liko’s pendant and Roy’s Poké Ball.

More details regarding the new Pokémon anime series will be announced later in the future. A teaser visual featuring Liko, Roy, and the three new starter Pokémon was also released. 

The currently airing 11-episode series Pokémon: Mezame Pokémon Master first premiered in Japan on January 13, 2023. It will conclude Ash and Pikachu’s story and will feature the former’s final appearance in the series. 

Netflix is currently streaming Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series in North America and describes it as: 

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!

Source: press release