The Pokémon Horizons anime is bridging the gap between its narrative and the mobile gaming world with a new collaboration episode. Scheduled to air on September 18, the 150th episode of the series will feature the arrival of Professor Willow, a central figure from the Pokémon GO mobile game. The episode, titled "Expanding World, GO with You!," will also delve into the backstory of how Friede first met his partner Pokémon, Charmander.
This crossover extends beyond the screen, as Niantic and The Pokémon Company are launching the "Pokémon Horizons: The Series Celebration Event" in Pokémon GO. Running from September 16 through September 22, the event will introduce special Charmander variants wearing Friede's signature goggles. This integration follows the recent "Wonder Voyage" arc, which has been incorporating themes and imagery from various spin-off titles, including Pokémon Unite and Pokémon Sleep.
While the series continues its broadcast on Fridays in Japan, international viewers have been following the journey of protagonists Liko and Roy through Netflix, which has been rolling out the series in seasonal batches. The current collaboration highlights the franchise's ongoing strategy of tying its long-running anime production to its broader ecosystem of mobile and console titles. With the inclusion of Professor Willow, it remains to be seen if other iconic characters from the mobile game's lore will make appearances in future episodes.
