this Pokémon Horizons: Season 3 — Rising Hope A batch of episodes does not immediately pick up where the previous batch left off. The first three episodes of season three are stand-alone storylines, focusing on Roy and Ulter’s first meeting during the one-year time jump in Lumiose City. While this inclusion is awkward because it comes out of the blue, it still works as a standalone story that highlights the beginning of Roy’s arc in the season.
Technically, this is the first time we’ve seen Roy alone with the Rising Volt Tacklers, and it’s refreshing to go back and see him a little more childish, especially when he was first introduced to Ult. While there’s nothing new about their relationship that can’t be inferred from the show so far, it’s nice to see the sibling rivalry begin. Ult’s backstory is given more context, such as the fact that he seemed to grow up without a family, which was later tied to the more complex feelings left for him by the draconians. It also ties the Mega Evolution phenomenon directly to the character arcs Roy and Ulter go through throughout the extended season.
This mysterious shiny Lucario is also given a lot of appropriate weight. While the cynical part of my brain can see the marketing potential in giving Roy the POkémon, the show at least feels like a well-earned achievement. I do wish the show highlighted Lucario’s personality more, as this feels a bit like a prize he won rather than a character in its own right. However, what Lucario lacked in character, Roy himself made up for with determination. Not sure if that was the intention all along, but this batch of episodes begins and ends with Roy firmly positioned as the leader of the next generation of rising Volt attackers, while also providing a lot of layers to Ulter and his development as a character. Like I said last time, even though Roy and Ulter somewhat represent different shades of the standard shonen protagonist, there’s solid writing here that makes them feel like more than typical carbon cutouts.
Back in the present day, the focus for the remainder of the season is on the training and development of the Blueberry Academy Rising Volt Tacklers. If you are a fan of this DLC Pokémon scarlet and purplethen half of this season is for you. Not only does this season showcase a lot of fun gimmicks that the DLC really focuses on, such as two-player battles, but the introduction of the game’s characters here feels the most integrated into the main plot compared to previous entries. I love that Lacey and Drayton’s dynamic is directly tied to Roy and Ulter’s development. Special thanks to Rida Mei for giving Lacey a bit of a Texas accent that ties in with her background as Clay’s daughter, a trait that characterizes many diehards Pokémon Fans know.
I know I’m mainly talking about Roy and Ult in this review since they are the de facto focus of the season, but it’s nice that these episodes gave Rico and Dot something to do as well. Liko trains with her new Charcadet while getting to know her P betterokémon is full of energy, while Dot continues to find ways he can support the team. No one feels like a background character this season, and it feels like the show has finally found a way to balance its main cast with its supporting cast, which is one of the most engaging parts of the entire arc so far.
This is also the best part of the arc so far. While all of the combat still feels a little stilted at times, there’s nothing worse than the many awkward or off-model moves at the beginning of this saga. There’s some nice choreography, especially the introduction of two-player combat as standard, and it feels like the show is back to utilizing the fun particle effects from previous saga. The show hasn’t hit any huge highs yet, but it’s a definite improvement from what I’ve been slowly getting used to, so I’m hoping it’s a sign that things will get better.
Considering the focus of this part of the show is on the main character leveling up, I thought it was fitting that the character development also leveled up here. It feels like this is going back to basics, both in terms of storytelling and production, so that the show can focus on what it does best. I like how this installment better establishes Roy as the protagonist of the saga, each growing in his own way, while also showing off a lot of classic POkémon fan service. The pacing is still a little uneven, but I’m looking forward to seeing what all these stepping stones serve, whether it’s for the larger plot, or for a single character when the bad guy is defeated.