The Pokémon Company is gearing up to make a huge shift away from Ash and Pikachu in its mainline anime series. For 27 years, we’ve followed Ash from his humble beginnings in Pallet Town to becoming the greatest Pokémon master in the world. It’s time to shift to a new story, which the Pokémon Company is hoping captures the magic of the original series but expands it in new and inventive ways. Here’s a quick overview of the new characters central to the upcoming reinvention of Pokémon: The Series.

The upcoming reboot of Pokémon: The Series, the 20+ year anime tie-in to the games, is going to star not one but two trainers. Liko from the Paldea region and Roy from the Kanto region will be the dual leads in the series. They will be accompanied by Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly, the three starters in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Of course, more characters will likely join them on their journey.

One character we know will play a familiar role to fans of the franchise is Friede, a Pokémon Professor whose partner is a familiar friend. It’s not Ash’s Pikachu, but another Pokémon named Captain Pikachu who accompanies Friede in his efforts as a professor. “For 27 years, Pikachu has been synonymous with the Pokémon franchise, and we look forward to seeing this beloved Pokémon continue to have a significant presence in the animated series and remain an icon for the brand,” says Taito Okiura, vice president of marketing for The Pokémon Company International.