Pokémon Officially Unveils Its New Hero, Replacing Ash Ketchum

Published Nov 14, 2026, 6:30 PM EST

Robert Wood is a writer and editor based out of Cheshire, England. He is the author of 'The False Elephant: and 99 Other Unreasonably Short Stories' - 100 stories, each told in exactly 100 words.

Rob got into comics via Bendis' Ultimate Spider-Man and the UK anthology 'The Mighty World of Marvel,' which was running Frank Miller's Daredevil, Classic Hulk and Contest of Champions II.

Prior to journalism, he worked in copywriting and copyedited for Oxford University Press. He is on X as @PinchTwigs and Instagram as roobwoodjourno.

Fans of the classic Pokémon anime are in for a shock, as the franchise reveals a new protagonist who appears to be the anti-Ash Ketchum - a concept underscored by their companion Pokémon being the 'fake Pikachu' Mimikyu.

Ash Ketchum debuted in 1997 as the protagonist of the Pokémon anime, a ten-year-old adventurer who travels the world catching and training Pokémon, accompanied by a rebellious Pikachu who refuses to stay in its Poké Ball.

Coming from the idyllic Pallet Town, Ash became a globally recognizable character, defined by friendship and resilience in the face of failure. He was retired in 2023 after finally becoming the world champion Pokémon Master, continuing his adventures with Pikachu off-screen. Now, a new Pokémon movie will introduce a protagonist who is seemingly Ash Ketchum's direct opposite.

Pokémon: Wild Card Introduces New Protagonist Mikiya

Coming 2027, Toho recently announced the upcoming Pokémon: Wild Card. The movie will focus on Mikiya - an up-and-coming Pokémon Trading Card Game player who is accompanied by a Mimikyu - a Generation 7 Pokémon that wears an unconvincing Pikachu disguise.

Very little is known about Pokémon: Wild Card so far, and yet it clearly has a different tone to the classic Pokémon anime. While Ash was a naive, cheerful character from a small countryside town, Mikiya is shown in a towering urban environment with a grim expression. The hero's yellow hoodie hides their face, while playing cards on the street evokes a 'card sharp' personality for a character drenched in neon and shadow.

While the trailer begins with the anime's classic triumphant music, Mikiya's quest seems far more born of necessity when contrasted to Ash setting out on an open-ended, lifelong adventure bookended by rainbows.

Pokémon's Mimikyu Imagery Explained

Perhaps the most notable thing fans know about new protagonist Mikiya is that they wear a yellow hoodie that is seemingly designed to match Mimikyu's design. While this obviously connects trainer and Pokémon, there are far darker implications to the choice.

Known as the 'Disguise Pokémon,' Mimikyu has some of Pokémon's darkest lore. Mimikyu's true form is deadly to humans, and anyone that sees the Pokémon is either killed outright or struck down with a serious illness. Because of this, Mimikyu are desperately lonely, wearing a Pikachu disguise in the hope of attracting friends.

Making the Pokémon even darker, game Pokédex entries specify that even disguised, Mimikyu spend all their time anxious over the upkeep of their costumes and fearing any damage that might come to it. The character acts as metacommentary on Pikachu's popularity, and Nintendo's past attempts to recreate that success with new Pokémon who bear striking similarities to the Gen 1 favorite.

Associating Mikiya​​​​​​​ with Mimikyu has some dark implications, implying the hoodie acts as a 'disguise' worn by someone who thinks that what's underneath won't be accepted by anyone who sees the truth. It's pretty clear how the movie can use this for a satisfying narrative, with Mikiya likely trying to achieve Pokémon Trading Card Game success either as a way of belonging or as an alternative to it.

The First Pokémon Move In Seven Years Looks Great

While little is known about Pokémon: Wild Card's plot, what fans have already seen looks fantastic. The movie has a definite sense of tone and aesthetic that doesn't rely on what came before, and the use of Mimikyu as a deliberate contrast to Pikachu promises something a little darker than fans are used to (while still clearly being family friendly.)

Coming soon, Pokémon: Wild Card trades the naive Ash Ketchum and fan-favorite Pikachu for the darker, more conflicted Mimikyu and Mikiya, swapping Pokémon battles for high-stakes card games.

Pokémon: Wild Card is coming 2027 from Toho.

Pokémon is a Japanese multimedia franchise created by Satoshi Tajiri and Ken Sugimori, launched by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures in 1996. Centered on fictional creatures called Pokémon, the series spans video games, trading cards, animation, films, merchandise, and competitive events. Players assume the role of Trainers who capture, battle, and trade Pokémon. It is one of the highest-grossing entertainment franchises in history.