Pokémon Horizons: Wonder Voyage (JP) First Impressions+ More

Hey everyone- I did say I would be back in early August; so here’s something to ease back into writing. It’s also one of a few things I’m prepping before I see my father later this month. So, now that I have seen the first eight episodes of this arc; here are my first impressions on Pokémon Horizons’ “Wonder Voyage.” I will also include a few tidbits of other future plans, so let’s begin.

Though my main concern was obviously trying to prolong this anime’s run another year to deal with Generation X releasing in 2027 (as it’s quite clear the finale to Rise Again played a lot like the intended ending of HZ), it’s actually a decent if unremarkable diversion in all fairness. Have heard a number of fans comparing it to Orange Islands and DA, though at least in those cases we had a clearer idea of how the show connected to the video games they helped promote.

On that subject, while I do like the idea of a 1-hour Pokopia special (Have logged over 300 hours into the game and opted into the expansion- tell you more about it after Bubbly Basin is live); the inclusion of aspects from other spinoffs has been a mixed bag personally. Same with the main games- Honestly would have preferred giving Z-A and UNITE their own OVA events as opposed to sticking them into HZ. The animation is fine for the most part, but there were moments where I think there were fewer slideshows in the Indigo Plateau.

With that in mind, as the Indigo League is debuting on Disney Plus and returning to Disney XD this week; debate continues about what will be done for the inevitable anime based on Winds and Waves. Out of the recurring proposals (return of legacy characters, more straightforward storytelling, an outright hard reboot), the idea of the HZ cast returning is less likely with each passing day. Especially in regards to Navi- Hot take, but I actually don’t think she’ll be back for Generation X. The character and her VA seem nice enough, but she’s also in high demand for both voiceovers and her singing career. That, and there’s been a few gaps in episode scheduling (why I finally decided to start this arc and address it now).

As for myself- I remain interested in continuing to write; even though I concede I will likely be taking another shift in direction come September. Remnants of what came before shall remain (as they often do), but I will try to shake things up the best I can even as my main hyper fixations haven’t changed too much over time. That will be all for now, and I will see you all again soon. Take care.