Biography
Pokémon Journeys: The Series is the twenty-third season of the Pokémon anime series and the first and titular season of Pokémon Journeys: The Series, known in Japan as Pocket Monsters (ポケットモンスター, Poketto Monsutā). The season premiered from November 17, 2019, to December 4, 2020, on TV Tokyo, and in the United States, it releases as a streaming television season that premiered from June 12, 2020, to March 5, 2021, on Netflix, making it the first Pokémon series not to air on conventional broadcast television in the United States, unlike previous series. It premiered in Canada on Teletoon on a weekly basis from May 9, 2020, to June 5, 2021.[1] This season follows the adventures of Ash Ketchum and new protagonist Goh (and sometimes Chloe Cerise) as they travel across all eight regions of the Pokémon franchise, including the new Galar region from Pokémon Sword and Shield.[2] As a result, the finale part from the games makes an earlier appearance, rather than taking a few seasons; thus truly breaking free of the typecast the show was in until the Sun and Moon arc. Supporting characters include Professor Cerise, a Pokémon researcher who oversees Ash and Goh's missions, and his daughter Chloe, Goh's childhood friend.[3] On April 23, 2020, The Pokémon Company International announced that Netflix has secured the U.S. rights to release future seasons, starting with "Pokémon Journeys".[4] On September 13, 2020, it was announced the anime will switch from airing on Sundays to Fridays on October 9, 2020.[5] The first forty-eight episodes are currently available for streaming as of March 5, 2021, with additional episodes to be released quarterly.[6] The show began airing on September 1, 2020 on Pop in the United Kingdom.[7] The show aired on Pop Max on August 30, 2021.
The Japanese opening song is "One, Two, Three" (1・2・3 ワン・ツー・スリー, Wan, Tsū, Surī) by After the Rain's Soraru and Mafumafu for 31 episodes, and by Golden Bomber's Nishikawa-kun and Kirishō for 17 episodes. The ending songs are "Pokémon Shiritori" (ポケモンしりとり, Pokémon Shiritori) by the Pokémon Music Club's Junichi Masuda, Pasocom Music Club and Pokémon Kids 2019 divided into two parts, The Pikachu → Mew Ver. (ピカチュウ→ミュウVer., Pikachū → Myū Ver.) for 18 episodes and for 5 episodes ended in even numbers, 40, 42, 44, 46, and 48, and The Mew → Zamazenta Ver. (ミュウ→ザマゼンタVer., Myū → Zamazenta Ver.) for 20 episodes and for 4 episodes ended in odd numbers, 41, 43, 45, and 47, "Strange and Wonderful Creatures" (ふしぎなふしぎな生きもの, Fushigina Fushigina Ikimono) by Tortoise Matsumoto (Ulfuls) for 1 episode,[8][9] and the English opening song is "The Journey Starts Today" by Canadian indie pop band Walk off the Earth, making it the first Pokémon English opening song not to have the lyric "Pokémon" at any point in the song in the United States, unlike previous English opening songs of the Pokémon anime.[10] Its instrumental version serves as the ending theme.