Pokémon Horizons Unveils an Exciting Challenger in the Paldean Gym Leader

Summary

The latest episode of the Pokémon Horizons anime introduces Iono, a streamer-themed character who helps search for Liko in a clever and logical way.

Iono reenacts her gym test from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, transforming the mission to locate Liko into a thrilling pursuit, which assists in refreshing Liko's memory.

Dot successfully executes her strategy to locate Liko by teaming up with Iono, portraying Dot's development as a character, while also leaving the possibility for Iono's comeback in forthcoming episodes.

The latest addition to the Pokémon Horizons anime is Iono, a Paldean Gym Leader with a streamer-themed character. The creators ingeniously incorporated Iono into the storyline, making it both clever and logical.

In the previous episode, Liko had her pendant stolen, resulting in her losing her memory. She found herself in the bustling city of Levincia, completely unaware of how or why she ended up there. This made it challenging for Friede and the others to locate her. In a desperate attempt to find Liko, Dot, also known as the famous online streamer Nidothing (Gurumin in Japanese), called in a favor. Dot happened to have a connection with fellow streamer Iono. After convincing Iono to collaborate and assist in locating Liko, Iono wholeheartedly embraced the idea. To add an exciting twist, Iono turned the search for Liko into a thrilling chase.

Iono Recreates Her Gym Test from Scarlet and Violet

In the anime, Iono's game closely resembles her gym test in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. In the game, players must locate Director Clavell, similar to a Where's Waldo? puzzle. Similarly, people search for Liko in a similar manner, leading to a chase scene that aids Liko's memory. This event follows an episode featuring Brassius, another Gym Leader, with a similar challenge based on the game's gym test.

It makes sense for Dot to know Iono, as both are popular streamers, and collaborations like this are common in real life. The plan to find Liko works well, as Liko is drawn to the commotion caused by the event. Dot using her connections is significant character development, showing progress in her friendship with Liko and Roy. Dot is generally hesitant to leave her room, especially when others are present, making this a notable moment. Additionally, Dot maintains her secret identity by addressing the audience from a hidden location.

The airship is expected to depart for the Galar region soon, indicating that it may be a while before Iono, the Paldean Gym Leader, makes her anime debut. Iono and Brassius have been unique choices for the first two Gym Leaders, as they are not the first in terms of level in the game, but instead have stronger ties to the plot's events. However, given the established relationship between Iono and Dot, she could potentially make a comeback in Pokémon Horizons with just a phone call.