Pokémon the Series: XY
- This article is about the fifth series of the anime. For the series of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, see Pokémon Trading Card Game → XY Series. For other uses, see XY.
Pokémon the Series: XY (Japanese: ポケットモンスターＸＹ Pocket Monsters XY), referred to by fans as the XY series, is the fifth series of the Pokémon anime and is based on the events of the Generation VI core series Pokémon games. It follows the Best Wishes series and was succeeded by the Sun & Moon series. It ran from October 17, 2013 to October 27, 2016 in Japan, and premiered on January 18, 2014 in the United States, although the first two episodes aired as a sneak peek in the United States on October 19, 2013.
As with the previous three series, the XY series began with only Ash Ketchum, headed off to a new region with his Pikachu while wearing a new set of clothes. His previous companions, Iris and Cilan, left the series. Joining him this time are Serena, a new Trainer who previously met Ash in her childhood; Clemont, an aspiring inventor and scientist who is also the Gym Leader of the Lumiose Gym; and Bonnie, Clemont's younger sister. Jessie, James and Meowth continue to follow Ash and his friends through the Kalos region, and have gone back to their more traditional methods of capturing Ash's Pikachu and other Pokémon, although their appearances are less frequent, just like in the Best Wishes series. Jessie's Wobbuffet returns to her roster. This series also features a series of side story episodes following the adventures of a Trainer named Alain, who is working to find Mega Stones and defeat all Mega Evolutions using his Mega Charizard X. In the XY&Z season, Ash and his friends journey continues as their story merges with the plot of the Mega Evolution specials, with the group becoming involved with the Legendary Pokémon Zygarde and the villainous organization Team Flare.
A new art style was instituted at the beginning of the series. A notable difference is that the stock 'effect' backgrounds have been almost entirely removed (only appearing so far in cases where a main character captures a Pokémon or whenever Ash wins a Gym Badge). The characters are consistently drawn with fingernails. Also, the character models (as seen in the artworks) are slightly taller in comparison to the previous four series. In addition, much like the core series Pokémon games from Generation III onwards, a VS. player overview screen appears before starting some battles and Showcase rounds. Similarly to In The Shadow of Zekrom!, Ash also receives a physical redesign, now having softer and slightly smaller birthmarks on his cheeks, his hair covers the top of his ears and is spikier, and he has more locks on his forehead.
It is divided into three seasons for audiences outside of Japan.
Episodes in the XY series are numbered with the prefix XY on Bulbapedia. For a complete episode listing, see the list of XY series episodes.
Japanese seasons
The XY series has been divided into multiple arcs in the Japanese release, similar to the "chapters" of the original series and Best Wishes series.
- Pocket Monsters XY (ポケットモンスターＸＹ) (XY001 - XY093)
- Pocket Monsters XY&Z (ポケットモンスターＸＹ＆Ｚ) (XY094 - XY140)
Dub seasons
Unlike what was previously done, when the XY series came to be dubbed into English and other languages, it was localized as a whole. While it is still divided into seasons, they share a common title:
- Pokémon the Series: XY (XY001 - XY023, XY025 - XY049)
- Pokémon the Series: XY Kalos Quest (XY050 - XY051, XY024, XY052 - XY093)
- Pokémon the Series: XYZ (XY094 - ongoing)
Movies
- Pokémon the Movie: Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction
- Pokémon the Movie: Hoopa and the Clash of Ages
- Pokémon the Movie: Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel
Gallery
- For more images, please see artwork from the XY anime series on the Bulbagarden Archives.
Posters
Early Japanese poster
Japanese poster
Japanese poster for XY&Z
Japanese logo for XY&Z
Characters
Main characters
Secondary characters
Antagonists
Trivia
- Aito Ohashi, one of the animators for XY, drew art for the conclusion of the series.
- This is the only series in which:
- Ash has two female long-term traveling companions.
- Ash does not use any Grass-type Pokémon.
- James does not use any Grass-type Pokémon.
- The starter Pokémon that Ash and his friends obtain all come directly from the region's major Pokémon Professor.
- Ash begins with a companion from the previous series: he traveled to Kalos with Alexa.
- Ash keeps three Pokémon of the same type in his party at one time, with three Flying-type Pokémon.
- Ash fully evolves all of the Pokémon he caught in the series.
- One of Ash's released Pokémon returns in the same region it got released, and actually rejoins his party.
- Ash reaches the finals of the Pokémon League Conference.
- Ash releases a starter Pokémon.
- Ash does not cross-dress.
- Ash does not leave any of the Pokemon in his party at Professor Oak's Laboratory at any point, even temporarily.
- The following former traveling companions and rivals of Ash do not appear including flashbacks: Brock, Misty, Gary Oak, and Tracey
- Ash's female companion from the previous series does not appear (among series that have a previous one).
- The Magikarp salesman does not appear.
- Professor Oak does not meet Ash's traveling companions in person.
- He also does not meet the region's Pokémon Professor.
- None of Ash's Pokémon at Professor Oak's Laboratory appear.
- The XY series shares a few similarities with the Advanced Generation series:
- Ash is traveling with three companions instead of two.
- Two of the traveling companions are siblings, with one of them being too young to have Pokémon of their own.
- Both sets of siblings are related to the fifth Gym Leader of their respective region, and both older siblings tried to hide this fact at first.
- This Gym is also the first one that Ash attempts to challenge in the region.
- Both sets of siblings are related to the fifth Gym Leader of their respective region, and both older siblings tried to hide this fact at first.
- Ash receives only one starter Pokémon in the region and fully evolves it.
- Ash's female companion does not have a specific goal in mind at the beginning of their journey, but later becomes inspired to pursue a career that focuses more on displaying a Pokemon's style rather than its power: May aims to become a Top Coordinator, and Serena aims to become Kalos Queen.
- Both were expected to pursue the same career as one of their parents: May was expected to become a Gym Leader like her father, and Serena was expected to become a Rhyhorn racer like her mother.
- Both begin their journeys for unorthodox reasons: May to travel, and Serena to reunite with Ash.
- Both start with the region's Fire-type starter Pokémon: May starts with Torchic and Serena starts with Fennekin. Both of their starter Pokémon evolved during the series.
- Both obtain an Eevee, which later evolves into an Eeveelution native to the region they are currently in at the time of the Evolution.
- Both had one last battle against Ash before departing.
- The three older main characters have one starter Pokémon each.
- At least one Gym features Double Battles.
- Both these Gyms specialized in Psychic-type Pokémon, as well as being the seventh Gym Ash challenged in the respective regions.
- Both League Conferences started on the 125th episode and ended on the 131st episode of their respective series.
- Ash uses only his current party Pokémon in the tournament instead of using any of his Pokémon from Professor Oak's Laboratory.
- Jessie's Pokémon evolves but James's Pokémon capable of evolution does not.
- This is the shortest completed series of the anime, with 140 episodes.
- The English dub of episodes from A PokéVision of Things to Come! to Heroes - Friends and Faux Alike! were first aired in the United Kingdom before the United States (except the postponed episode An Undersea Place to Call Home!).
- The English dub of episodes from A Relay in the Sky! to All Eyes on the Future! were first aired in Canada before the United States.
- In the Japanese version, the focus character in the title card segment changes depending on the episode, and usually that character also reads the title card. In the English dub, all episodes feature Ash as the focus character, except Mega-Mega Meowth Madness! and One for the Goomy (US airing only) which instead feature Bonnie as the focus character.
- In the Japanese version, starting in An Oasis of Hope! the title card was updated to use Serena's new design. In the dub, the title card continued to use Serena's old design.
- This is the first series since the original series in which Ash has lost two different Gym battles in the same region.
- Ash took longer to catch a full team of six Pokémon (including Pikachu) in this series than any other series. He caught his sixth Pokémon when his previously released Goodra returns for the Lumiose Conference in the 126th episode of this series.
- This is the series in which Ash has caught the fewest number of Pokémon, having only caught five.
In other languages
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Pokémon the Series: XY
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Pocket Monsters XY&Z
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External links
- Official site (XY) (Japanese)
- Official site (XY&Z) (Japanese)
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This article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation. |
