Pokémon Horizons has been a great friend to fans, but now it seems the anime is ready to move on. After all, The Pokémon Company just released a new poster teasing the next Pokémon anime. The image, which shows older versions of its heroes, as well as a new character, shows us our first look at Pokémon: Mega Voltage. The new anime promises to follow the Laqua storyline that's currently being wrapped up in Pokémon Horizons. And given this new anime's shocking timeskip, its poster promises there are lots of goodies in store including the return of Mega Evolution.

Rumors of this particular anime were leaked earlier this week, and those rumors have now been confirmed with the poster's official reveal. This reveal of the next anime comes just as Pokémon Horizons' first major story is hitting its climax, with an epic showdown between the heroes and Gibeon's Zygarde set for Friday's episode. The poster has many fascinating elements to it, all of which indicate that Pokémon's next entry is going to be a major departure from the first, and that Roy may have a much larger role in the story than he did throughout the first storyline.

Pokémon Is Kicking Off a New Era With Mega Voltage

Horizons Prepares for a Timeskip to Age Up Its Heroes

The new Pokémon anime reveals a number of important details. Firstly, Liko, Roy, and Dot are all sporting new, aged-up designs; the previous leak indicated the characters are now roughly 15 years old. Liko is pictured with Hattrem, as well as Meowscarada, suggesting Floragato is in for an evolution soon (perhaps the next episode). Roy is pictured with Crocalor, Kilowattrel, a Shiny Mega Lucario, and Captain Pikachu in front of him--although what that means for Captain Pikachu isn't totally clear. Dot is in the background with Quaxwell, as well as Tinkatuff visible on her Rotom Phone.

Also pictured is Terapagos, slumbering in its Poké Ball, suggesting they won't have access to it. Additionally, a new character can be seen in this poster, with green hair and a Mega Sableye. This character was reportedly named "Ult" in the earlier leaks, and is supposedly a rival of Roy's. Of note is the fact that the Rising Volt Tacklers' airship also appears in the image, suggesting Liko, Roy, and Dot will still be traveling with the group. The logo at the top indicates that the new arc is indeed called "Mega Voltage," furthering the connection with Mega Evolution.

Pokémon Ages Up Its Protagonists For the First Time

Liko, Roy, and Dot Have Done What Ash Never Did: Age

It's certainly noteworthy that Pokémon: Mega Voltage is aging up its heroes, something that the original Pokémon anime starring Ash was far too reluctant to do. This may suggest that the show is willing to get a little bit more mature, although Pokémon has already shown it's not afraid of bringing some darker elements into its plot as of late. Friede's absence from the poster is perhaps the biggest mystery; Captain Pikachu has been seen without Friede before, but Friede has appeared on every previous poster except one--the arc in which he was largely out of focus.

It will definitely be interesting to see what this new Pokémon anime with older heroes will be like. The story's connection to Mega Evolution heavily suggests ties to Pokémon Legends Z-A, the video game, which also features Mega Evolution. Whatever lies ahead for Pokémon: Mega Voltage, fans have a lot to be excited about.