WildBrain Gains Ash Ketchum’s Final 'Journeys' For 'Pokémon' FAST Channels
The company formally announced the Prime Video channel and revealed the three-season and movie expansion
On Wednesday, I discovered that WildBrain had expanded its FAST channel footprint for the Pokémon anime with a 24/7 Prime Video channel. I can now confirm it was brand new as a press release was released after publishing my piece. But that wasn’t all. The company announced it had acquired the appropriate rights to Ash Ketchum’s final series as protagonist, Journeys, which encompasses the 23rd, 24th, and 25th seasons Journeys, Master Journeys, and Ultimate Journeys, which itself contains To Be A Pokémon Master, as well as an unspecified selection of movies. Not only is this for the United States, but also Latin America, and adds 144 episodes to bring the count to over 1200.
Pokémon Journeys: The Series follows newly-crowned Alola League champion Ash and new friend Goh as they travel across all eight regions of the Pokémon world, including Galar. Being a league champion, Ash doesn’t need to collect badges and enter leagues anymore, so he continues his quest to become a Pokémon Master by competing in the World Coronation Series instead. Goh dreams of catching Mew and completing his Pokédex, eventually joining Project Mew alongside Gary Oak. With the help and support of Professor Cerise, who they were initially research fellows for, and his daughter Chloe, they set off on thrilling adventures, even meeting up with more than a few friends along the way. It even kicks off with Pikachu’s origin story.
A 'Pokémon' FAST Channel Has Launched For Prime Video
It’s been ten months since WildBrain began gearing up to launch free ad-supported streaming television channels for the Pokémon anime. It started with a Pluto channel in October. I recently covered its overdue expansion into the Hoenn saga, covering seasons six through eight,
The Journeys series has not been exclusive to Netflix for quite some time. I lost track of exactly when, but the series has been streamable to Prime Video members since I wanna say sometime last year. The press release revealing that a selection of movies have been added raises the possibility that The Arceus Chronicles is available among them. While it premiered in Japan exclusively on Prime Video as a four-episode miniseries, it has only been available in the States as a 64-minute film. Presented as such it might be the last production of the anime that could even be called a film.
How soon we will get to see Journeys on the channel is unknown, seeing as of early Friday morning/late Thursday evening depending on the United States time zone, the Prime Video channel was in Advanced Battle (season 8). It was about 1/3 complete, still 30-something episodes away from season’s end, which was the Pluto TV channel’s only recently-achieved current looping point. As of 6:40 PM Eastern Friday, the Prime Video channel did break through into Battle Frontier, the ninth season, so it very well could happen soon. Even if it doesn’t loop back at any point prior to reaching it, Journeys is 660 or so episodes away and there has yet to be precedent for season or series shuffling to make it any likelier to find out the answer sooner. The press release did say the plans to roll out the Journeys seasons and movies on the platforms would be on a rolling basis in the future.
Lara Ilie, vice president of AVOD and FAST at WildBrain, said: “Our expanded FAST partnership with The Pokémon Company International reflects the enduring popularity of this beloved brand. As the leader in the kids’ FAST space, we’re thrilled to bring 25 incredible seasons of Pokémon to Prime Video.”
In fact, the rights to the movies start Saturday night, as the Pluto TV channel will premiere Mewtwo Strikes Back at 8 PM Eastern. Be the best you can be and find your destiny. It’s the Pokémon master plan.
Rayquaza Rises On Axis As 'Pokémon Horizons: The Search For Laqua' Part 3 Premieres, 'XY' Returns To Netflix In June
It’s going to be a legendary June for the Pokémon anime on Netflix. Not only has it been confirmed that the third part Horizons’s second season, The Search For Laqua, will arrive on the service on June 27, but the fifth series in the saga of Ash Ketchum
Source: WildBrain press release