Pokémon Horizons- Two Years Later

(Note: This has been written before the debut of the most recent episodes in Japan, and any potential leaks will not be addressed unless necessary for educational purposes only.)

Hey everyone- since today marks two years since the debut of Pokémon Horizons; I thought I would check in with it again to see where it stands as the latest story arc is winding down and to see what might be next.

From left- Perrin and Hisuian Growlithe, Briar, Carmine and Sinistcha.

As usual, let’s start with what works first. The animation and battles are highlights, and Rayquaza Rising is no exception. I especially like how the encounter with Kleavor remixed the boss warden battle from Legends Arceus. Even with the deviations from the games (which I will mention in a bit); the inclusion of Perrin from the Hidden Treasure of Area Zero is welcome. This last one is just a personal deal, but they’ve thankfully mostly relegated Liko’s inner monologues to the “previously on” recaps.

That’s not to say that I don’t still have concerns about what lies ahead. I’ve argued before if HZ hasn’t sold you by now; it’s unlikely it ever will. Neglecting the recent information that’s been buzzing around; I still can’t compliment anything about this anime without bringing up significant caveats. For every character that’s well-represented like Briar, there’s others like Carmine who lack the qualities in the games that made them so memorable. It’s not even clear whether or not the events of the DLC chapters took place; as her brother Kieran isn’t shown or even mentioned by her. I wouldn't be against a storyline at Blueberry Academy that features him, but I’m not holding my breath for it. At this point, I just would prefer if they wrapped it up soon; since continuing this past Generation IX isn’t really feasible.

As for what will happen after this arc is over, I cannot say for certain. Supposed leaks aside, I honestly hope what I’m hearing about the Generation X anime going back to basics is true. It is feasible we’ll get a web OVA for Legends Z-A; but beyond that, I just haven’t been able to step away from seeing HZ as a flawed (if necessary) experiment. 

Though a time skip personally wouldn’t solve my issues with the show (if anything, I can see just as many issues of its own arising); “Pokémon Horizons” has cleared many hurdles even if there are more lying ahead. Depending on the outcome of the finale, I have no plans to cover the current arc or the next before they release in the EN dub. That is all for now, take care.