Leaker claims Pokemon anime is “in trouble” following ominous comments from staff

Rumors regarding the future of the Pokemon anime have circulated for some time, with many speculating Pokemon Journeys could be the end of an era, and alleged dialogue from the OLM Director indicates the show could be in trouble.

The Pokemon anime has followed alongside the release of new main series games for the past three decades. Primarily covering the quirky, Pokemon-loving antagonist Ash Ketchum, it has offered players more insight into iconic characters of the franchise, as well as each different region.

However, there has been a good deal of speculation in recent years regarding the future of the anime. Following Ash’s hard-earned Championship win in the Sun & Moon arc of the TV series, many wondered if the story was finally at its end.

This turned out not to be the case when Pokemon Journeys, a series very different from past seasons, was announced and began airing. The new series follows Ash’s nostalgic journey to becoming a potential world Champion, while also traveling to past regions and meeting up with previous companions. However, according to information surfacing online, this could truly be Ash’s last competition.

The Pokemon anime team doesn’t “have enough people”

According to a recent Twitter post shared by CentroLeaks, alleged comments from the OLM animation director have come to light. The post reads, “OLM animation director confirms the Pokémon anime is in trouble After all the recent issues with the Pokémon anime (filler, gap weeks, recap episodes) a staff member has confirmed that they don’t have enough people. This may be why we haven’t heard anything about a Gen 9 anime.”

In the images, the director has stated “we don’t have enough people” in response to a question presented about the production of the Pokemon anime. Another post in the comments by dollanities adds to the speculation, sharing comments from Messo, a former animator for the show.

If the information provided in the comments is correct, the Pokemon animation team has already been cut down, and the current state of the economy is having major effects on their ability to create content for the show.

While some may be upset or surprised by the news, others may be less so. There has already been a good deal of speculation that trouble may be brewing on the development side of the well-loved anime. This has been backed by fans pointing out a rise in filler and recap episodes, as well as gaps between new releases.

With many episodes of Pokemon Ultimate Journeys remaining, it will likely be a few more months before fans of the series hear any new information.