BBC gains rights to Pokémon Horizons: Season 3

The BBC will release the third season of Pokémon Horizons, entitled Rising Hope, on iPlayer on 27th October.

Thanks to the BBC continuing their broadcast rights of the new series, UK viewers will be able to watch the series once again before US audiences, who do not get to watch it until January 2026 on Netflix. Although not confirmed yet, it is assumed the episodes will also be broadcast on CBBC, as have the other series.

The new series takes place a year after the previous one, marking the first time the Pokémon anime has included a time skip. The last series ended with the Rising Volt Tacklers splitting, with Friede and his Charizard both going missing. Captain Pikachu is now travelling with Roy, who during the time-skip has befriended a shiny mega-evolving Lucario. Liko meanwhile is back at her old school along with her Pokémon, including Meowscarada, who evolved from Floragato at the end of the last series.

The blurb for the new series says: “The group is prepared to set off on an exciting journey this season – with an unexpected new friend, Ult – to rebuild the Rising Volt Tacklers! Along the way, they’re tasked with investigating a curious pink mist affecting Pokémon across many regions. And they’re not the only group looking into this mystery…” New character Ult appears with his own Pokémon, a mega-evolving Sableye.

All previous episodes of Pokémon Horizons are currently on BBC iPlayer, along with a catalogue of older Pokémon series.