New episodes of “Pokemon” are heading to Netflix this June, as the streaming service has teamed up with The Pokémon Company International to be the exclusive home of the beloved franchise’s new seasons in the U.S., the companies announced Thursday.
The first 12 episodes of “Pokémon Journeys: The Series” — the 23rd season of the beloved anime — will drop on Netflix on June 12. Additional new episodes will be added quarterly on the streaming for the duration of the season, per Netflix.
Watch the first trailer for the “Pokemon Journeys: The Series” via the video above. The season is described as an “all-new narrative following Ash and his partner Pikachu as they embark on adventures across multiple regions in the Pokémon world, meeting new characters and discovering more Pokémon along the way.”
Here’s the official synopsis for the show:
Pokémon Trainer Ash Ketchum has a new plan: see the world! But first, he and his partner Pikachu are headed to the opening of the Cerise Laboratory, a research facility dedicated to uncovering the mysteries of Pokémon in every region. Ash meets Goh, another boy with boundless curiosity about Pokémon, and both are overjoyed when Professor Cerise asks them to become official research fellows. With Ash as determined as ever to become a Pokémon Master, and Goh aiming to catch one of every Pokémon (including the Mythical Mew), our heroes are in for adventure and excitement as they explore the wide world of Pokémon!
“Pokémon Journeys: The Series” will also feature a new theme song written and performed by the band Walk off the Earth.
“With their tremendous reach and ability for fans to enjoy content anytime and anywhere, Netflix is the ideal partner to premiere new episodes of the beloved animated Pokémon series in the U.S.,” Emily Arons, senior vice president of international business at The Pokémon Company International, said in a statement. “We can’t wait for Pokémon fans of all ages to continue discovering the spirit of adventure and friendship in Pokémon Journeys: The Series, our newest season coming to Netflix this June.”
Before the new show becomes available, Netflix subscribers can watch a “wide selection” of previous “Pokémon” seasons already streaming on the platform, in addition to the most recent animated “Pokémon” movie, “Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back–Evolution,” which debuted globally on Netflix in February.