Pokémon Journeys: The Series is the twenty-third season of the Pokémon anime series and the first and titular season of Pokémon Journeys: The Series, known in Japan as Pocket Monsters (ポケットモンスター, Poketto Monsutā). The season premiered in Japan on TV Tokyo from November 17, 2019, to December 4, 2020. On April 23, 2020, The Pokémon Company International announced that Netflix has secured the U.S. rights to release future seasons, starting with "Pokémon Journeys", episodes were released in quarterly groups of twelve. This season follows the adventures of Ash Ketchum and his new friend Goh as they travel across all eight regions of the Pokémon franchise, including the new Galar region from Pokémon Sword and Shield.
Release
The season premiered from November 17, 2019, to December 4, 2020, on TV Tokyo channel 7, and in the United States, it releases as a streaming television season that premiered from June 12, 2020, to March 5, 2021, on Netflix, making it the first Pokémon series not to air on conventional broadcast television in the USA, unlike previous series. It premiered in Canada on Teletoon on a weekly basis from May 9, 2020, to June 5, 2021.
The Pokémon Company International said on April 23, 2020, that Netflix has acquired the U.S. rights to future seasons, beginning with "Pokémon Journeys," for release in the country. Episodes were released in quarterly groups of twelve. On September 13, 2020, it was announced the anime will switch from airing on Sundays to Fridays on October 9, 2020. The show began airing on September 1, 2020, on Pop in the United Kingdom. The show aired on Pop Max on August 30, 2021.
Music
The Japanese opening song is "One, Two, Three" (1（ワン）・2（ツー）・3（スリー）, Wan, Tsū, Surī) by After the Rain's Soraru and Mafumafu for 31 episodes, and by Nishikawa-kun and Kirishō (Takanori Nishikawa and Shō Kiryūin) for 17 episodes (The first episode is used as the ending theme, credited as the main theme song). The ending songs are "Pokémon Shiritori" (ポケモンしりとり, Pokemon Shiritori) by the Pokémon Music Club's Junichi Masuda, Pasocom Music Club, and Pokémon Kids 2019, divided into two parts: the Pikachu → Mew Ver. (ピカチュウ→ミュウVer., Pikachū → Myū Ver.) for 18 episodes and for 5 episodes ended in even numbers, 40, 42, 44, 46, and 48; and the Mew → Zamazenta Ver. (ミュウ→ザマゼンタVer., Myū → Zamazenta Ver.) for 20 episodes and for 4 episodes ended in odd numbers, 41, 43, 45, and 47, the Japanese main theme song of Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle, "Strange and Wonderful Creatures" (ふしぎなふしぎな生きもの, Fushigi na Fushigi na Ikimono) by Tortoise Matsumoto (Ulfuls) for 1 episode to promote the movie, and the English opening song is "The Journey Starts Today" by Walk off the Earth. Its instrumental version serves as the ending theme.
Reception
Critical response
The series received a B+ score at Anime News Network.