Animated show Pokémon Horizons: The Series is set to premiere on Disney network’s TV channel Hungama on 25 May.
For the first time in Pokémon’s history, the series features a female lead, Liko who alongside her partner Pokémon Myaoha will explore the new world of Pokémon with another young trainer named Roy. At a press conference in India, The Pokémon Company (TPC) unveiled the original opening and ending tracks composed by the music duo Vishal-Sheykhar and sung by Armaan Malik and Shirley Setia, created especially for the Indian fans.
Pokémon Horizons: The Series takes you on an exciting new adventure with Liko, a young girl on a journey of self-discovery with her partner Pokémon Myaoha, and Roy, a young boy who dreams of becoming a Pokémon Trainer. Liko possesses a mysterious pendant, while Roy has an ancient, unique-looking Poké Ball. Mysteries unfold and challenges emerge as they meet new Pokémon, make new friends, and fight opponents in their exciting voyage aboard a fascinating airship navigated by Captain Pikachu.
Kids broadcaster Hungama has been home to the Pokémon series since 2014, generating 87 million views across Disney Kids Channel in India in the last year alone.
In addition to Liko and Roy, Pokémon Horizons: The Series also features other new characters, including groups like Rising Volt Tacklers and the Explorers. Fans will see Captain Pikachu navigating the characters on daring voyages across the sea and sky.
The Pokémon Company has collaborated with composer duo Vishal-Sheykhar to produce original opening and ending songs specifically for the series in India, bringing a local flavour to the series.
The Pokémon Company’s Susumu Fukunaga said, “The new series comes with a brand-new storyline, new Pokémon and human characters, so there is a lot to look forward to. You will enjoy a fascinating adventure on an airship and see how secrets unfold due to the mysterious objects the main characters possess. All this is packed into a heartwarming story of friendship and self-discovery. We have also created original opening and ending tracks just for India for the very first time. This has been a challenging and interesting journey as we wanted to ensure that the music and lyrics align with Indian sensibilities. I think the songs capture the essence of Pokémon very nicely.”
Disney Star kids and infotainment business head Devika Prabhu said, “Hungama has established itself as a popular platform for Japanese anime and Pokémon, especially has been garnering immense love and appreciation over the years. Through our dedicated localisation efforts, we have customised the Pokémon viewing experience to align with the preferences of our audience, ensuring its continued relevance and appeal. The series and movies have consistently ranked among our top-performing content, and we are happy to introduce a new series as one of our key summer tentpoles on Hungama.”