The new Pokémon anime seems to take place in its own continuity, though fans are still asking: is Pokémon Horizons connected to Ash Ketchum?
It may seem like there’s not much of a connection between them, though one particular episode of Horizons seems to imply that there is one.
Spoiler Warning: This article includes spoilers for Pokémon Horizons, so proceed with caution.
Is Ash Ketchum in Pokémon Horizons?
Ash Ketchum was the main character of the Pokémon anime for decades. After finally achieving his goal of becoming the champion, the series went in a different direction.
For the latest anime entry Pokémon Horizons, a new protagonist was introduced named Liko. She is an original character and the first main female protagonist.
Given that Liko’s journey is the story of Horizons, Ash Ketchum has not appeared in the anime so far.
Even if the anime is already 40+ episodes into its run, Liko’s journey is still far from over.
This means fans are still hoping to see Ash Ketchum return. Some think that this will happen at some point based on a particular episode.
Pokémon Horizons Episode 27 Features Journeys: The Series Easter Egg
In episode 27 of Horizons, Liko, Roy, and Dot come across an Ingredients Seller whom they buy ingredients from to make a curry.
If this is a familiar instance, that’s because it has happened before in the anime. In episode 101 of Pokémon Journeys: The Series, Ash and Goh also come across an Ingredients Seller who helps them make curry.
Given that the Ingredients Seller in both shows has the same look, fans think that this is a confirmation that Horizons and the previous anime series take place in the same universe.
Aside from this easter egg, there hasn’t been much connection between Horizons and the other shows. Given this, there are doubts about this fan theory.
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So, Is Pokémon Horizons Connected to Ash?
If the Ingredients Seller in Horizons and Journeys are the same person, then there’s a chance Ash Ketchum will return to the series.
On the flip side, this Ingredients Seller is based on a non-player character (NPC) in the games, which features the same design.
There’s a possibility that both shows just used that NPC design without intending to imply they’re the same character.
It has been a couple of months since the 27th episode aired. As there are still no other major connections, fans will need to keep watching to see if Pokémon Horizons will feature more references to the previous seasons.
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