Unveiling the Enigmatic Third Protagonist and Exciting New Gameplay in Pokémon Horizons!

Summary

The Pokémon Horizons anime sets up a new protagonist, Dot, to take the spotlight, showing a departure from previous iterations.

Dot's journey of breaking out of her shell is being actively portrayed, a reflection of the show's emphasis on character development rather than standalone episodes.

The friendships depicted in Horizons come across as genuinely sincere, benefiting from the show's revamped format and the characters' experiences while traveling on the airship.

The third protagonist of the Pokémon Horizons anime is being introduced in a unique way, highlighting the differences between this iteration and previous ones.

Introduced later in the series, Dot's presence aboard the airship alongside Quaxly sparks intrigue among fans. Beyond her connection to the third Paldean starter Pokémon, Dot is revealed to be around the same age as the main protagonists, Liko and Roy. However, she chooses to isolate herself due to her nervousness around others. It is evident that the storyline is building up towards helping Dot overcome her fears and step out of her comfort zone. The turning point arrives in episode 15, when Liko goes missing, pushing Dot to take action and face her challenges.

Dot Represents A Radical Departure from Ash's Anime Days

In the anime featuring Ash, he consistently held the role of the main character while his companions received less attention, development, and progression throughout the series. There were some instances where certain companions, like Serena, were given a substantial amount of focus as the show progressed. However, no one could truly match Ash's level since he and Pikachu were the only constant characters in the series. Typically, Ash's companions were introduced in the initial episodes and would journey together, pursuing their individual goals which occasionally received slight recognition when Ash didn't have any major events happening.

With Pokémon Horizons providing a fresh start, it has become much easier to establish the three young protagonists as equals. The show also takes its time in establishing the plot; Roy only appeared in episode 4, while Dot's presence wasn't revealed until episode 8, despite having made unexpected appearances earlier. Rather than quickly meeting and traveling together within a single episode, Liko's friendships with Roy and especially Dot have gradually formed through Liko's consistent efforts to include them. This exemplifies the show's new focus on story arcs, rather than standalone episodes.

The changes implemented in Horizons have resulted in more genuine friendships, as they have been given sufficient time to develop. The airship has played a crucial role in establishing this new dynamic, allowing characters to bond before fully getting acquainted. Dot's experience of Liko's absence prompted her to confront her emotions and ultimately decide to embrace the call to adventure, just like Liko. Pokémon Horizons has successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of this fresh formula, deviating from the traditional portrayal of Ash in the anime.