After 26 years of adventures in the Pokémon anime, protagonist Ash Ketchum has finally retired - though he remains eternally frozen at age 10. In a surprising twist for the franchise that stubbornly resisted aging its hero, Pokémon Horizons appears ready to let its new protagonists, Liko and Roy, actually grow up.

The revelation comes from CoroCoro's preview of the upcoming Mega Voltage story arc, which confirms a three-year time jump for the main characters. Updated character designs show Liko, Roy, and Dot sporting noticeably taller, more mature appearances:

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Interestingly, these characters inhabit the same universe as Ash Ketchum, meaning that somewhere off-screen, Ash and his companions (Misty, Brock, May, Dawn, Serena etc.) have also aged three years during this period. While it's unclear whether we'll see an older Ash in this arc, fans are already speculating about potential future appearances.

The Mega Voltage arc marks the return of Mega Evolutions, likely timed with their reintroduction in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. The preview also reveals Liko's Floragato has evolved into Meowscarada, while Roy now sports a shiny Mega Lucario.

One conspicuous absence is Friede, captain of the Rising Volt Tacklers. His Pikachu appears wearing Friede's goggles - now with visible cracks - fueling speculation about the character's fate.

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The Mega Voltage arc premieres in Japan on April 11, though English audiences will need to wait as the dubbed version trails behind. While we've been somewhat lukewarm on the series (giving Pokémon Horizons Season 2 a 5/10 for lacking commitment to its strengths), this time skip might inject fresh energy into the Rising Volt Tacklers' adventures.