As one of the longest running anime shows still on television, there's a lot of history behind the animated Pokemon series. In the years since Ash Ketchum left Pallet Town with his Pikachu in tow, a number of characters have rotated in and out to accompany him on his adventures, but fans still have a soft spot for Ash's original pair of companions, Brock and Misty. Evidently, The Pokemon Company recognizes this and plans to reunite Ash with the beloved Kanto gym leaders in a pair of episodes that'll arrive in Japan next month.

This news arrived via the latest issue of Japanese children's magazine Telubi-kun, showing off Brock and Misty and confirming that they will be returning for a two-episode Pokemon special airing in the Land of the Rising Sun on September 14th and 21st, respectively. It all kicks off when Ash returns to the Kanto region on a field trip of sorts, where he's said to then do battle Brock's Mega Steelix and Misty's Mega Gyarados in what is sure to be an event that longstanding fans of the original anime will want to check out.

Despite Brock and Misty being removed from the most recent Pokemon film, it's clear that The Pokemon Company hasn't forgotten the significance these characters carry for fans. Admittedly, those that haven't been paying attention since Misty's departure from the anime in 2005 will notice that the characters look quite different in order to match the revamped style of the ongoing Sun and Moon arc, although their signature outfits help keep them recognizable.

Ash will also be taking the time to visit with the Pokemon he has left at Professor Oak's lab, meaning that even more familiar faces are likely to pop up during this homecoming. Despite no word on whether the duo will be reuniting with Ash afterwards or even further down the line, the fact that Brock and Misty are once again appearing in the show is sure to be seen as great news for those that watched the anime in its premiere seasons – or even those that simply appreciated the animated throwback to the original games known as Pokemon Origins.

It's also important to note that it will likely still be a while before these episodes are released in English, as the dubbed anime is currently running about 12 episodes behind its Japanese counterpart. Still, fans that have been waiting to see Brock return to the show after being written off in 2011 are should be willing to wait a little longer for this reunion.

Source: Serebii