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Pokémon stands as the most successful media franchise in history, surpassing even iconic giants like Mickey Mouse and Star Wars. This achievement is no accident; it’s the result of an impeccably orchestrated brand synergy. Pikachu’s face graces virtually every type of merchandise imaginable, and the Pokémon brand has infiltrated nearly every form of media, with one particular element of the franchise playing a crucial role in its enduring success.
The enduring popularity of the classic Pokémon anime, featuring Ash Ketchum, has been instrumental in maintaining the franchise’s global appeal. While the video games and their associated merchandise have their own massive followings, it is the anime that has consistently attracted new generations of fans over the years. Unlike other franchises that have struggled to replicate their initial success, the Pokémon anime has excelled in promoting and seamlessly integrating elements from the video games, creating a world that invites viewers to delve deeper.
In the 1990s, Pokémon was an unparalleled cultural phenomenon. Although the video games were the franchise’s initial spark, opening the door to a vast array of merchandising opportunities, it was the anime that cemented its longevity. The adventures of Ash and Pikachu, driven by their quest to become the very best, ensured that Pokémon was not merely a fleeting trend but a lasting legacy. Without their iconic journey, Pokémon might have faded after its early success rather than evolving into the powerhouse it is today.
Pokémon is still everywhere today but, in the ’90s, it was a cultural phenomenon like no other. And while it was the video games that kickstarted the franchise, enabling its ability to explore other avenues and move into all forms of merchandising, it was the anime that gave it its staying power. Without Ash Ketchum, Pikachu, and their quest to be the best like no one ever was, it’s entirely possible Pokémon could have just been a fad that burned out after its first few generations.
Starring a hero who, initially, wasn’t exceptional in any way, and was even something of a loser, the Pokémon anime not only gave viewers a glimpse into an imaginative world that seemed like endless fun to live in, but the chance to explore it through the eyes of someone with just as much to learn. It dedicated entire episodes to highlighting specific Pokémon and mechanics from the video games, and integrating them into stories so that it wasn’t blatant how much of a commercial the entire series was.
At least within the Indigo League Arc, many of the stories told in the anime even contained real depth and emotion, while still being perfectly enjoyable for kids. And, by making Ash a perpetual loser who could never win a League competition until the Sun and Moon anime, viewers young and old were incentivized to keep watching year after year, waiting to see him finally get a win, being exposed to each new generation of Pokémon in the process, and thus being rendered more likely to keep buying new games, trading cards, and merchandise.
Despite numerous criticisms and controversies around them, recent Pokémon video games have broken records with their sales. There’s a number of reasons for this, but one of the biggest is the continued airing of the anime. Despite the iconic Ash Ketchum having been written out of the series and replaced by the duo of Liko and Roy for Pokémon Horizons, the anime is still managing to accomplish the same thing it always has.
Pokémon Horizons is a drastic departure from previous installments of the anime, no longer following a proxy for the player character of the video games as they travel the world collecting Gym Badges, instead having morphed into a serialized action-adventure series with a plot unlike any ever featured in the games. And yet, it’s still able to do all the important work that it always has.
Different as its format may be, Pokémon Horizons still spends each episode promoting Pokémon from the newest games, Scarlet and Violet, as well as new mechanics, like Terrastalization. It’s even found a way to keep Pikachu a key part of the anime, through the introduction of Captain Pikachu. And with the writing being some of the most polished since the Indigo League as well, Pokémon Horizons is able to keep the franchise in the public eye every single week, and spawn continuous interest in new games, like the recently released Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
Pokémon has undoubtedly found a winning formula like no other, and it has no incentive to mix things up. Even if Ash Ketchum has been removed from the picture, the anime he was formerly synonymous with remains a key part of the brand synergy that allows the franchise to stand above all others. From now till the end of television, the Pokémon anime will continue to air, introducing new kids to the franchise, hooking them in, and making them want to buy the video games, trading cards, and merchandise more and more each week.
