'Pokemon: Sun and Moon' To Receive Anime Treatment in New Season

Following the tradition of previous seasons of the Pokemon anime run, a recent press release had revealed that the newest game in the franchise, "Pokemon: Sun and Moon," will be receiving an anime treatment after the conclusion of "XY & Z."

The announcement was made via a feature article in the October issue of Shogakukan's Coro Coro Comics magazine, where it was mentioned that Ash and his friends' latest adventure will be inspired by the newest game's location and aesthetic.

It was also added that new characters will be added to the anime, alongside the inclusion of the Alola region-exclusive Pokemon. Ash, also known as Satoshi in the original Japanese dub, will be meeting face to face with one of "Sun and Moon's" legendaries, Kapu Kokeko, a deity who protects Alola. The latter will embrace school life in the upcoming season, and will detail his student activities, while aiming to graduate and balance his life as a Pokemon Trainer.

The debut of the upcoming season coincides with "Sun and Moon's" release this November. In an attempt to reach a wider demographic, the game will be distributed in different languages: English, Japanese, French, Italian, Spanish, German, Korean, and surprisingly, Chinese (both traditional and simplified). Unlike previous games in the franchise, "Sun and Moon" will be heavily inspired by Hawaiian culture, and the trainer will be using dance moves to enhance the Pokemon's move sets. Furthermore, gym battles will be omitted in favor of "challenges."

As of writing, the latest season of the long-running Pokemon franchise, "XY & Z" is heading to its conclusion, as Ash and his friends goes toe to toe against Team Flare in a bid to stop its leader Lysandre's attempts to use Zygarde as a means to control the Kalos Region and eventually, reshape the entire world in his will. "XY & Z" was also met with criticism, following the writers' decision to make Ash lose his finals match against Alain in the Kalos League.