Japanese logo
Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon (ポケットモンスター サン＆ムーン Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon), commonly referred to as the Sun & Moon series is the sixth anime series. It was revealed by the television network TV Tokyo on September 12, 2016, which released information about this series, like the logo and the new look of the main protagonist Ash Ketchum.
In this new series, Ash arrives in the Alola region with his Pikachu to continue his quest to become a Pokémon Master. However, rather than traveling, Ash enrolls in the Pokémon School on Melemele Island and stays with new teacher Professor Kukui, along with new classmates Sophocles, Mallow, Lana, Kiawe, and Lillie. The series focuses on Ash's experiences with his new friends at the school, as well as his progress in the island challenge to qualify as a Z-Move user.
The Japanese starting date was on November 17, 2016 and the ending date was on November 3, 2019. The English starting date was on March 17, 2017. It was however previewed in the United Kingdom on November 20, 2016 and in the United States on December 5, 2016 as a sneak preview.
Seasons
- Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon (Season 20)
- Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon - Ultra Adventures (Season 21)
- Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon - Ultra Legends (Season 22)
Japan
In the original Japanese version, the anime is split into arcs rather than the seasons of the English dub mentioned above. It is currently unconfirmed whether this series will last one arc or be split into more than one.
Characters
Major
Rivals
Antagonists
Recurring
- Professor Kukui
- Professor Burnet
- Samson Oak
- Lusamine
- Faba
- Kahunas
- Misty
- Brock
- Delia Ketchum
- Professor Oak
- Ilima
- Acerola
- Nanu
- Mina
- Hapu
Key Pokémon
- Ash's Pikachu
- Ash's Rowlet
- Ash's Lycanroc (Dusk Form)
- Ash's Incineroar
- Ash's Naganadel (released)
- Ash's Melmetal
- Rotom Pokédex
- Lana's Primarina
- Lana's Eevee
- Sophocles' Togedemaru
- Sophocles' Vikavolt
- Kiawe's Charizard
- Kiawe's Turtonator
- Kiawe's Marowak (Alolan)
- Mallow's Tsareena
- Lillie's Vulpix (Alolan)
- Team Rocket's Meowth
- Jessie's Wobbuffet
- Jessie's Mimikyu (released)
- James' Mareanie (released)
- Gladion's Umbreon
- Gladion's Lycanroc (Midnight Form)
- Gladion's Silvally
- Nebby
- Shaymin
- Magearna
Gags
Returning Gags
- James gets hurt by an affectionate Pokémon that he owns, this time being the case with Mareanie.
- The returning Jigglypuff draws on the faces of people who fall asleep to its song.
New gags
- Instead of blasting off, Team Rocket nearly always gets carried away by Bewear.
- Ever since its re-introducing as a one of the major cast and its reunion with its mother Bewear, Stufful will appear in front of Team Rocket out of nowhere first, signaling Bewear's incoming presence in a few seconds later.
- The series implements a new art style once again, this time more drastic and resulting in a complete redesign of every pre-existing character.
- The exaggerated expressions (especially the frightened, angry, enthusiastic, or sad faces) of the characters are strong references to JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
- Every time Jessie is going to eat her malasada, it gets stolen by another Pokémon instead.
- Mallow's Bounsweet and her evolutions slap away Rowlet whenever it gets attracted by Sweet Scent.
Episodes
Official site
- Official Japanese site (Sun & Moon)
Gallery
Trivia
- This is the only series in which:
- Ash's outfit doesn't consist of a jacket or hoodie.
- Ash doesn't challenge Gyms.
- Ash doesn't have a Gym Leader as a traveling companion.
- Ash does not catch the regional -type bird Pokemon or a water-type Pokémon.
- All of Ash's friends own a Pokémon that stays outside its Poké Ball, and have all known each other before meeting Ash.
- None of the movies take place in the same region or timeline as the series, or introduce any Pokémon from an upcoming generation.
- Other main characters besides Ash participate in a League Conference.
- Ash wins the League Conference.
- Ash has a Pokémon evolve off-screen (Naganadel)
- Ash leaves his regional team (barring Pikachu) with someone other than Professor Oak.
- This is the first series in which:
- Ash returns to Kanto in the middle of a regional journey.
- Ash's main outfit does not consist of long pants, instead opting for shorts.
- Misty and the recurring Jigglypuff's first in-person appearances since Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire and Brock's first in-person appearance since Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl.
- The first series since Pokémon (Original Series) in which an episode is banned in the English dub.
- All of Ash's regional team were befriended instead of battled when caught.
- In which a Starter Pokémon owned by one of Ash's companions (Lana) fully evolves before a starter owned by Ash in the same region. In this case, Lana's Primarina reaches its final stage before Ash's Incineroar.
- Ash catches a steel-type Pokémon, Mythical Pokémon and genderless Pokémon.
- This is the last series:
- To feature Unshou Ishizuka as part of the Japanese voice cast before his passing in August 2018.
- To feature Shinji Miyazaki as composer for the background music.
- This is the first series where some characters (both Pokémon and Human) have somewhat passed on, which isn't during a movie.
- This is the last series to air in the Heisei era, and the first series to air in the Reiwa era.
- This series marks the longest amount of episodes Ash took to catch his sixth regional team member, when his previously-released Naganadel (formerly a Poipole) rejoined his team in SM141.