The latest season of the Pokemon anime is currently airing and the dramatic shift in art style has led to some interesting changes. The seventh and newest series for the anime, which goes by the simple title of Pokemon in Japan, has Ash and new friend Go traversing every region from the franchise's past, including the Galar region of Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield. While much continues to change for Ash, some things stay the same, such as the constant presence of the Team Rocket's Jesse and James (and Meowth, too).
Jesse and James, whose names are Musashi and Kojiro in Japan, are back once again and are already stirring up trouble in the same ways they always have. But while much about the villainous duo has stayed the same, the Pokemon animation team is also experimenting as it's able. For example, while the two's motto is once again the classic refrain that goes all the way back to the show's first season, the animated sequence has been updated. In fact, it may be the best motto sequence for Team Rocket yet.
The new motto sequence for Team Rocket is appropriately epic for the villainous duo. It's filled with dynamic backgrounds showing space, time, and what may be a Pokemon post-apocalypse. It frames Team Rocket as the anime heroes they have always envisioned themselves to be, like something one might see in the opening of Naruto or JoJo. It's, of course, intended to be a satire of sorts. Team Rocket is rarely heroic, though they do have their moments. In Japanese, this is made clear with Meowth's smarmy "Just kidding!" comment at the end of the motto.
The Pokemon anime hasn't always been a place to find much creativity when it comes to actual animation. But it's clear that the studio behind the anime is spreading its wings with the new series. For fans of the old Pokemon anime series, this might be the perfect opportunity to see what Ash Ketchum is up to these days.
The Pokemon anime has yet to start airing in the west, as the Pokemon Sun and Moon anime is still being localized and released via the Disney XD channel on television. Given the show's weekly airing schedule, the new season seems likely to arrive in the west 4-5 months after airing in Japan. That means the first episode is likely as far away as April or May 2020. Only 3 episodes have aired in Japan as of yet.
Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield are available now exclusively on Nintendo Switch.