Pokemon Legends: Arceus fans will have even more to get excited about after the games release. The official Japanese website of Pokemon announced an ONA to coincide with the game set in the Hisui region that will later become the Sinnoh region. So far, there’s been no official announcement that the animation will be translated into other languages, including English, but given the huge popularity of the Pokémon franchise, it’s a safe bet to assume there’ll be a subversion soon after, so not a dub, will be released.
Attack On Titan’s Wit Studio is producing the series that will be released in early summer this year. Previously, Wit Studio produced the 2018 film Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us, so they are no stranger to Nintendo’s globally popular franchise. At the moment there is no information about the plot of the story, but hopefully a trailer will come before the official release.
What is Pokémon Legends: Arceus?
Located in the Hisui region – in the country that later becomes the Sinnoh region where Diamond, Pearl and Platinum begin – the world is rich in Japanese history. Many early Pokémon games feature real-world locations in modern Japan, such as Kanto, the real-life region of Tokyo. But Legends: Arceus changes things by digging into the past.
Like previous Pokémon games, the main character is tasked with filling out their Pokédex as they explore the world, participate in battles, and uncover mysteries. The real twist is the time travel elements. The protagonist with their Arc Phone comes from the future and by helping the professor of this region, he sets out in search of the responsibility of the legendary Pokémon Arceus.
Legends: Arceus also inherits elements of new items in the Pokémon series – most notably Let’s Go, Pikachu! and let’s go, Eevee! With effort levels instead of EVs and IVs (which are stat points in many Pokémon items). Some other quality-of-life features include the ability to choose when a Pokémon will level up, provided it meets a certain requirement, rather than the evolution happening automatically. This is great for those who want to keep their companions in their starter form á la Ash’s Pikachu.
Which characters can appear in Pokémon Legends: Arceus?
Since the plot of the game involves the protagonist meeting guards from the Hisui region to find out why the five noble Pokémon have gone into a frenzy, it’s likely they’ll play a part in the ONA. The Diamond clan leader, Adaman, and Irina from his rival Pearl clan would be obvious choices to make a cameo, if not as dual protagonists.
The ONA may also shed some light on factions that only appear briefly in the game’s story, such as the Ginkgo Merchant Guild. Volo, a guild member, plays a part in the plot. But maybe traders like Ginter will get more time in the spotlight.
There’s also this game’s villainous team, the Miss Fortunes, who, like Team Rocket in the past, were able to get their own spin-off story. Since it is not known whether the ONA will be in serial or episodic format, it is possible that each episode could show the perspective of different factions in the Hisui region.
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