This spring, Japanese viewers got to see Ash Ketchum finally achieve his dream of becoming a Pokémon master — and English-language audiences are creeping ever closer to their chance, too. The Pokémon Company has announced that a third batch of episodes from Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series, the show that eventually wraps up Ash’s story, will premiere on Netflix on June 23.
It’s a bittersweet time for Pokémon fans, as Ash battles his way through the World Coronation Series and the Masters Eight Tournament, set in the Galar region of Pokémon Sword and Shield. So far, Netflix has released the final 51-episode season in two 12-episode chunks, with the previous one hitting the service this February. Part 3 is slightly larger and will consist of 15 episodes.
From the season’s Japanese release in March, we already know that the final episodes of this season will call back to Ash’s quarter-of-a-century history as the main character of the franchise’s anime adaptations, with appearances from classic characters. Ultimately, it will send the eternally 10-year-old trainer off with a bang. The rest of the franchise is preparing for what comes next, as Ash’s voice actors say goodbye to an international fandom, and a new set of main trainers steps up.
Polygon covered the Japanese release of Ash’s story finale here, but if you’ve been steering clear of any spoilers at all, godspeed. You’ll get a little bit closer in June.
