New viewers who want the current ongoing story should start with Pokemon Horizons: The Series. Viewers who want the original hero story should sample Ash's Indigo League first. Horizons is built as a fresh entry point, while Ash's saga is a finished 25-year arc.
The Pokemon anime is a long-running television adventure based on the games. Ash Ketchum carried it from 1997 to 2023. Horizons replaced him with new child heroes, a new crew, and a new mystery.
Table of Contents
- What Ash's saga finished
- What Horizons changes for newcomers
- Which start fits your goal?
- Where to begin watching now
What Ash's saga finished
Ash began as a 10-year-old from Pallet Town with Pikachu, traveling Kanto with Misty and Brock. According to NintendoLife, that run started in Japan on April 1, 1997 as Indigo League NintendoLife announcement. The early seasons set the formula of gyms, leagues, and traveling friends. He closed the arc by winning the Masters Eight Tournament of the World Coronation Series. According to The Pokemon Company press release, the win made him the world's strongest Trainer world-champion announcement.
His farewell followed as an 11-episode arc, Aim To Be a Pokemon Master, ending March 24, 2023. The full run totaled 1,234 episodes. The size matters for new viewers. The saga spans 25 seasons and more than 1,200 episodes. That is rewarding background, but it is daunting as a first binge.
What Horizons changes for newcomers
Horizons premiered April 14, 2023 on TV Tokyo as a Scarlet and Violet-based fresh start. According to Sportskeeda and TV Tokyo listings, it stars Liko with Sprigatito and Roy with Fuecoco series premiere listing. Neither hero carries Ash's history. The story follows Liko, Roy, Dot, and the Rising Volt Tacklers. The group includes Friede and Captain Pikachu.
They pursue the mystery of Laqua and face the Explorers. According to The Pokemon Company International, no prior Ash knowledge is required. The tone also favors discovery over legacy payoff. New viewers learn the world alongside Liko and Roy. Returning viewers get lore nods without needing 25 years of episodes.
Which start fits your goal?
Choose Horizons if you want an active serial, a manageable episode count, and heroes who are still growing. Choose Indigo League if you want the origin, classic Kanto monsters, and the Ash-Pikachu bond. Both are valid, but they serve different viewer needs.
If time is short, watch three Horizons episodes before deciding. If nostalgia matters more, watch three Indigo League episodes first. Your preferred cast will become clear fast.
- Start with Horizons for the ongoing mystery and current releases
- Sample Indigo League for the 1990s origin and cultural touchstones
- Watch both if you want old context plus a modern entry point
Where to begin watching now
In the United States, Horizons streams exclusively on Netflix in batches. According to Animation Magazine, Season 1 arrived in March 2024 and Season 3 Rising Hope Part 4 released Sept. 18, 2026 Netflix premiere report. Batch release makes it easy to watch in blocks.
Ash remains accessible through Indigo League. Classic season episodes became widely available through Pokemon TV on YouTube starting Dec. 6, 2024, alongside Disney Plus and purchase platforms. That setup suits sampling rather than full-arc binging. Start one episode from each entry point, then commit to the cast you want to follow.