As Pokéfans are well aware, we’ve had to bid a heart-wrenching farewell to Ash Ketchum and Pikachu, the long-time protagonists of the Pokémon franchise since 1997. It was a bittersweet moment as we send off the veterans and welcome the newcomers, Liko and Roy, who’ll be the stars of the upcoming series that’s yet to receive an official title. Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series has been airing in the U.S. since December 2021 and will end in March 2023. Although the series will sing Ash and Pikachu’s swan song, it’s also laid the foundations for an epilogue series, Pocket Monster Mezase Pokémon Master (Aiming to be a Pokémon Master), a collection of 11 special episodes, began airing in January 2023 in Japan.

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Liko and Roy will grace our screens on April 14, and there’s been fan theories aplenty as to who these mysterious protagonists are. It seems to be popular speculation that Liko is Ash’s daughter, which might seem a bit far-fetched, but Pokémon has always been full of surprises. Aside from Liko and Roy, however, a recent announcement introduces two fresh faces to the new animated series: Friede and Captain Pikachu. These characters are a Pokémon professor and partner Pokémon duo who will battle alongside Liko and Roy.

First look at Friede and his partner Pokémon, Captain Pikachu in the new animated ‘POKÉMON’ series.

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) February 24, 2023

From what we’ve seen of promotional material, the anime will feature the Pokémon known as Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly from the Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet video games that inspired the series. As an added bonus, it will also feature the Legendary Pokémon Rayquaza in its Shiny form. Following the announcement of Friede and Captain Pikachu, life-long Pokéfans and newbies alike are wondering who Captain Pikachu is and how he differs from Ash’s Pikachu, whom we’ve come to know and love across the last two decades.

How is Captain Pikachu different to Ash’s Pikachu?

Well, the main distinction is that they’re two entirely separate Pikachu. One belongs to Ash, the other to Friede. Although the Pikachu species all look alike (distinguishable by gender based on the shape of their tails), Friede’s partner can be spotted by his pilot’s hat, which he wears proudly.

He’ll also have a different personality and skillset to Ash’s Pikachu, who went on to become Pokémon Champion with his best friend Ash. It seems that Captain Pikachu is a working Pokémon just as much as a battling one, likely assisting Friede in his day-to-day tasks.

Stay tuned for the all-new Pokémon series when it begins airing on April 14, 2023.