Pokemon Journeys has been setting the stage for Ash Ketchum‘s big reunion with one of his most intense rivals ever, and is teasing a new battle with Paul with the promo for the next episode of the series! The newest iteration of the anime is fast approaching its final climax with the anime’s run in Japan, and Ash Ketchum has been getting ready for the final battles of the World Coronation Series. Training for the Masters Tournament in order to take on some of the regional champions from around the rest of the world, it seems Ash will be getting some help from a surprising new source.
After first teasing that he would be making his grand return to the anime with the newest iteration of the opening theme sequence, Pokemon Journeys has finally confirmed that Paul will be coming back to the anime with the next episode airing in Japan. As Ash makes his final preparations for the battles with the champions in the tournament to come, it seems Paul will be offering some much needed training that only one of Ash’s true rivals could really provide in such a time of need.
Episode 114 of Pokemon Journeys is titled “The Fire Training Battle! Ash vs. Paul!” and the synopsis for the episode teases it as such, “While training for the Masters Tournament, [Ash and Goh] are asked to come to [Oak Laboratory]. There, Pikachu, Lucario, [Gengar, Dragonite, Sirfetch’d and Dracovish] suddenly get really fired up after [Ash’s] Pokemon at the laboratories cheer them on. And believe it or not, [Paul, Ash’s] rival from back when he was traveling through Sinnoh, is at the laboratories as well! What does [Ash] gain from this reunion?”
It would have been neat to see Paul actually become one of the top trainers in the world since we had last seen him during the Diamond and Pearl iteration of the series, but with the anime celebrating the Sinnoh region quite a bit this helps to further close the chapter on everything Ash had went through in that particular season. At least fans will be getting a full battle between the three of them like before, so hopefully Ash can get a major victory once more.
But what do you think? How do you feel about Paul returning to the Pokemon anime after so many years? What are you hoping to see from the battle between the two reunited rivals? Let us know all of your thoughts about it in the comments! You can even reach out to me directly about all things animated and other cool stuff @Valdezology on Twitter!
