The official Animedia magazine Twitter account posted a Tweet to promote the April 2023 issue on March 9th, 2023. The issue went on sale the next day, March 10th, 2023.

The cover and comprehensive feature article is on the TV anime Pocket Mosnters Mezase Pokémon Master! Satoshi and Pikachu with their big smiles are drawn by Shuhei Yasuda, the character designer. Also, check out the clear file with the same design! The April issue of Animedia will be on sale on March 10th, 2023.

In this issue, Kunihiko Yuyama, General Director, and Rica Matsumoto, who plays Satoshi, talk passionately about Mezapoke, the past Anipoke series, the characters and their passion for Pokémon. Also, look out for the secret story about the creation of Mezapoke and the production of each episode! The April issue of Animedia will be on sale on March 10th, 2023.

W表紙＆総力特集は、テレビアニメ「ポケットモンスター めざせポケモンマスター」！　弾ける笑顔のサトシ＆ピカチュウはキャラクターデザインの安田周平さん描きおろし。同柄の付録クリアファイルも要チェックです　アニメディア４月号は3月10日発売。

記事では 湯山邦彦 総監督とサトシ役 #松本梨香 さんに、「 めざポケ 」とアニポケの歴代シリーズ、そして登場キャラクターとポケモンへの思いを熱く語っていただきました。「めざポケ」誕生秘話＆各話制作秘話にもご注目です　アニメディア４月号は3月10日発売。

Kunihiko Yuyama interview from Animedia April 2023:

Q: Even though you were basing the anime on the Pocket Monsters video games, you were still creating an anime-original story, so what kind of character did you think of the protagonist Satoshi as?
Yuyama: The Pocket Monsters anime started airing about a year after the first video games had been released, and Pokémon was already massively popular with children at the time. So in that respect, Satoshi was "the boy who showed up late". The viewers knew way more about Pokémon than he did. Satoshi positioned himself as a very equal-opportunities kind of guy as far as Pokémon and the world they live in goes... I think people normally project themselves onto things or filter their thoughts about them in some way, but Satoshi doesn't. He accepts the Pokémon he encounters for what they are, showing no prejudice or fear, and is able to befriend them quickly. I think this is the main thing that makes him so appealing.

Q: Satoshi's partner Pikachu showed a really strong personality from its very first meeting with Satoshi too, didn't it?
Yuyama: I think of Pikachu as a combination of cuteness, strength and the ability to bring a few laughs (laughs). By the way, I decided from the very get-go that the Pokémon that would become Satoshi's partner would not be one of the three you choose between at the start of the video game, since I figured that might make some of the viewers sad. That's why he ended up with a Pikachu, a desicion I'm really glad I made.

Q: In the video games the protagonist starts off by choosing a Pokémon, then sets off on an adventure, working alongside it. The Pikachu in the anime, however, didn't listen to Satoshi at all. That felt really unique and different.
Yuyama: Indeed, Pokémon aren't always what humans expect them to be like. They're unique individuals that each have their own individual reasons for how they interact with humans. That's the kind of themes, or relationships, the Pokémon anime shows; How someone can eventually get along despite being unable to communicate at all when they first meet. Communication is one of the main themes of the show, and Satoshi's first Pokémon, Pikachu, puts it into practise.
There are so many different kinds of Pokémon in this world, so when we depict them, we try to start by imagining what would happen if these Pokémon actually DID exist in a given place, and what those Pokémon would be doing in that case, then let the story develop from there.

Q: Does this go for more uncommon Pokémon as well, in other words Legendaries and Mythicals?
Yuyama: Yes. No matter which Pokémon we're talking about, we always start by asking ourselves what kind of life it has and how it fits into the world. Some Pokémon are weak, some Pokémon scare people, but they're all individual creatures. When we work out how the Pokémon should act, we try to avoid thinking of them from the point of view of a human, but consider the Pokémon's point of view instead.

Q: As far as Legendary and Mythical Pokémon go, I think it's safe to say that Mew and Mewtwo hold a very special place in the hearts of those viewers who watched the 1997 era of the anime and the movie "Mewtwo Strikes Back". What were you especially conscious of when you depicted them in the anime?
Yuyama: We depicted Mew as a trancendent kind of creature that exists beyond the very human values of right and wrong. Think of how the sea and the mountains can be fun playgrounds for people, but can quickly turn on them as well. That's the kind of entity we wanted to depict Mew as, so whenever it appears in the anime, we make sure it never acts in a way that's particularly convenient for humans, nor do we have it gravitate towards humans too much. Mewtwo, on the other hand, is a product of detachment from nature. The way it constantly ponders its own existence is very very human, but I think the reason it still chooses to live among Pokémon is because of a need of kinship.

Q: Satoshi and Pikachu have developed a friendship that transcends species. What do you find most important when depicting their relationship?
Yuyama: The fact that they don't rely on words. Ever since the beginning of the anime, I've wanted to get across the sense that they communicate using nothing but gestures and noises as much as I could. At first we actually toyed with the idea of having Pikachu talk just like the Rocket Gang Nyarth does (laughs). However, we talked about how it would be both more realistic and more interesting if they had to communicate non-verbally, so that's the way it ended up. I think it'd be really difficult to find a pair of humans that can understand each other as near perfectly as Satoshi and Pikachu can, but I hope we managed to depict a duo everyone can look up to.

Q: The Rocket Gang, the group that acts as the villains on Satoshi and Pikachu's journey, are quite colorful characters as well, aren't they?
Yuyama: Back when we were initially planning the series, scriptwriter Takeshi Shudo-san suggested that the format should have villains in it, and we got Musashi and Kojiro. Shudo-san was the one that gave them their names too, but not even I know why he picked the ones he did (laughs). I believe we decided to include Nyarth "because it looks cat-like and approachable". This meant the show ended up having a cat-and-mouse type relation between the cat and the mouse, something we didn't actually realize at the time. It was a complete coincidence (laughs).
I like the fact that the Rocket Gang have a childish side to them despite being adult characters. They're adults that take things seriously despite approaching them the way children would, and I think that's what makes them so appealing.

Q: How did the current series, "Mezase Pokémon Master", become a thing?
Yuyama: It started with the idea of tracing Satoshi and Pikachu's journey one more time. When it came to his travelmates, we basically just went "Gotta be Takeshi and Kasumi I guess". It was such a natural desicion I don't really remember exactly how we arrived at it. I like that trio, those two just kind of fit into the group, and it makes Satoshi's 10-year-old-boy-ness very pronounced. We wanted to depict world battling champion Satoshi as temporarily forgetting about everything he's been through on his journey and just living the life of a 10 year old boy again.

Q: The scene in the trailer where Shigeru asks Satoshi about the Pokémon Master title really left an impression too.
Yuyama: We struggled a lot with deciding who should say that line. But when you think about it, Shigeru really is the only one that can confront Satoshi with something. He's the reason the line is what it is.

Q: What do you personally think a "Pokémon Master" is?
Yuyama: I think it might involve accepting Pokémon for what they are, without projecting yourself onto them. When we were in the process of creating Mezase Pokémon Master, I thought of a Pokémon Master as being like a rainbow. It's THERE, but you can't touch it, nor reach it. But despite that, people still move towards rainbows they see in the distant sky. I used a rainbow as the motif of the very last scene of Pocket Monsters the Movie: I Choose You, and even though I hadn't thought of this at the time, that scene always comes to mind whenever I think of the concept of a Pokémon Master now.

Q: There's only 3 episodes left of Mezase Pokémon Master now. What do you want to tell us about the climax?
Yuyama: The climax will involve Satoshi coming to a personal conclusion. I hope we did a good job showing how he did so. Please make sure to catch the remaining episodes.

The official Japanese Anime PR Twitter account posted an After Story comic on March 12th, 2023 by #もじゃクッキー @mojacookie.

Anipoke After Story
Kojiro and Manene are happy to see each other again after a long time.
Morpeko was jealous of their good relationship?
...It wasn't jealous, it was just hungry!
With them all-together, it seems that the Rocket Gang is chatting.

アニポケ サイドストーリー
久々の再会を喜ぶコジロウとマネネ
あまりの仲の良さに、モルペコ が嫉妬?
…ではなく、はらぺこもようになっているだけでした
みんな一緒に、わちゃわちゃするのがロケット団らしいですね

Musashi: Hey, are you jealous?
ムサシ: あんた、嫉妬してんの？

Nyarth: It's just hungry.
ニャース: はらぺこなだけニヤ

On March 11th, 2023, the official Japanese Pokémon Twitter account reminded that this episode was available to watch on the official Japanese YouTube channel. The video was region locked to Japan only. It was available from March 10th, 2023 to March 17th, 2023. This episode was specifically labeled as a missed-program webcast (見逃し配信).

The official Pokémon YouTube channel is now streaming the anime Pocket Monsters Mezase Pokémon Master!
This episode is called: "The Rocket Gang's Counterattack!"
It will be available until noon on Friday, March 17th, 2023.

ポケモン公式YouTubeチャンネルでは、アニメ「ポケットモンスター めざせポケモンマスター」を見逃し配信中！ 今回のお話は「逆襲のロケット団！」。 3月17日（金）正午ごろまで公開しているので、まだ見ていない人はぜひチェックしてね！

CoroCoro Comic's Official website posted an article about this episode just before the original airing on March 10th, 2023. They also tweeted about the page on the official CoroCoro Comic Twitter account to promote it.


Anipoke is just around the corner! A strategy to get Pikachu that puts everything on the line!? It's all hands on deck for the Rocket Gang!!

The anime "Pocket Monsters" will start airing soon! It airs every Friday at 6:55 p.m. and it is very popular! In this article, we'll introduce you to the Pokémon and characters that will appear in today's episode, as well as comments from the voice actors and director, and other Anipoke information you won't find anywhere else! The Rocket Gang's Counterattack!


Musashi, Kojiro, Nyarth, and Sonansu are walking around hungry as usual when a Delibird arrives from the Rocket Gang headquarters. Delibird has came to deliver the Pokémon (and lunch boxes) that the Rocket Gang got in each region!!


▲ Musashi and her friends are happy to see their old Pokémon again. Do you remember them too?

The Rocket Gang remembers the tough missions they have been on and the friends they parted from. For the sake of those friends and Sakaki, the Rocket Gang pull together and decide to call themselves the "Rocket Gang Revengers", vowing once again to get their nemesis, Pikachu!


▲ Joining forces with their former friends and put everything on the line......!!

This is Kojiro's genius strategy for the day!!


① Manene approaches brat-boy and the others.


② Act like your being chased by the Rocket Gang to make them lower their guard.


③ Pikachu will be very suspicious, but manage to make it trust you.


④ When we make them trust you, we will divide the brat-boy with our other Pokémon.


⑤ Isolate Pikachu.


⑥ Smart and Cool Get Pikachu Big Mission!!

The Rocket Gnagt have failed in their various strategies so far, but will they be able to get the Pikachu today with this perfect strategy!!? Find out how it ends up at 6:55 p.m. today!

【アニポケまであとちょっと！】すべてをかけたピカチュウゲット作戦!? 総力戦だぞロケット団!!
すべてをかけたピカチュウゲット作戦!?総力戦だぞロケット団!!
毎週金曜よる6時55分から大好評放送中！
アニメ「ポケットモンスター」まもなく放送スタート！
この記事はアニメ放送直前に、今日の放送回に登場するポケモンやキャラクターの紹介、声優さんや監督からのコメントなどなど、ほかでは聞けないアニポケ情報をお届けするコーナー!!　ロケット団の逆襲が今、始まる!!
いつものようにお腹を空かせてヨロヨロと歩くムサシ、コジロウ、ニャース、ソーナンスのもとにロケット団本部からデリバードがやってくる。デリバードが届けに来たのは、これまでロケット団が各地方でゲットしたポケモンたち(と、お弁当)だった!!
▲懐かしい仲間たちとの再会を喜ぶムサシたち。みんなも覚えているかな？
これまでの過酷な任務、そして卒業していった仲間たちを思い出すロケット団。そしてそんな仲間たちやサカキのためにも、気持ちを引き締め「ロケット団リベンジャーズ」と名乗り、改めて宿敵・ピカチュウのゲットを心に誓う!!
▲かつての仲間たちと力を合わせて、全てをかけた大勝負のとき……!!
天才・コジロウ様の考える今日の作戦はこれだ!!
①まずはマネネがジャリボーイたちに近づく。
②俺たちロケット団に追われている芝居をして油断させる。
③ピカチュウがめっちゃ怪しむけど、なんとか信用させる。
④信用させたら俺たちのポケモンでジャリボーイたちを分断する。
⑤ピカチュウを孤立させる。
⑥スマートにクールにピカチュウゲット大作戦!!
これまでに様々な作戦がヤな感じで失敗に終わってきたロケット団、今日こそこの完璧すぎる作戦で念願のピカチュウゲットなるか!!?　その結末は今日よる6時55分からの放送でチェックしよう!!

The official Japanese Anime PR Twitter account posted a behind-the-scenes look at the making of this Anipoke episode with a production artwork piece on March 9th, 2023. The picture featured Pikachu and Manene.

A glimpse behind the scenes of the Anipoke production
This time its an original picture of Pikachu and Manene.
Manene is hiding behind Pikachu and is frightened...⁉
Manene's eyes are so cute that you want to protect it.

アニポケ制作の舞台裏をチラ見せ
今回はピカチュウとマネネ の原画をご紹介
マネネがピカチュウの後ろに隠れておびえている…⁉
うるうるな瞳が守りたくなるかわいさですね

In all international dub versions of this episode, the maracas are removed from Brock's hands.

The official Japanese Anime PR Twitter account posted artwork of the new characters and also posted the trailer that aired in the originally aired version of this episode on TV Tokyo.

New Anipoke Character Introductions
Members of the Rising Volt Tacklers are...
Orio, a machinery enthusiast and his partner Metagross!
Murdock, a good cook and his partner Iwanko!
Molly, a medical specialist and her partner Lucky!
And the mysterious fisherman...? Landau!

アニポケ 新キャラクター紹介
ライジングボルテッカーズのメンバーは…
メカ好きのオリオ
パートナーは メタグロス！
料理上手なマードック
パートナーは イワンコ！
治療のスペシャリスト・モリー
パートナーは ラッキー！
そして、謎めいた釣り人…？のランドウ

Some of the characters from the new series...
This time, Liko and Roy meet Professor Friede's friends.
Their name is... the Rising Volt Tacklers.
They travel on an airship with Friede.
How will Liko and Roy be involved...

新シリーズに登場するキャラクターの中から…
今回は、リコとロイが出会うポケモン博士・フリードの
仲間たちをご紹介
その名も…ライジングボルテッカーズ
フリードと共に飛行船で旅をする彼らは
どのようにリコ、ロイに関わっていくのでしょうか…


Information on new characters and cast members of the new series of the popular anime Pocket Monsters (airs on the TV Tokyo Network every Friday at 6:55pm, officially abbreviated "Anipoke"), which will be broadcast starting with a 1 hour special on April 14th, 2023 has been revealed.

The new characters are all members of the "Rising Volt Tacklers" led by Professor Friede: The machinery enthusiast Orio (voiced by Ayane Sakura) with her partner Metagross, the great cook Murdock (voiced by Kenta Miyake) with his partner Iwanko, the medical specialist Molly (voiced by Kei Shindo) with her partner Lucky, as well as Landau (voiced by Ikkyu Juku), who looks like a fisherman. The Rising Volt Tacklers use a blimp as their base when they go out on adventures.

YouTube Clip - Trailer for New Characters

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVqObKMFeUY

Press Release (Japanese):

テレビ東京系で毎週金曜よる6時55分から放送中のテレビアニメ「ポケットモンスター」は、主人公の少女・リコと少年・ロイをW主人公として迎えた新シリーズ「ポケットモンスター」を4月14日（金）に1時間スペシャルで放送スタート。ポケモン博士・フリード率いる「ライジングボルテッカーズ」のメンバーを公開しました！

今回新たに発表になったのは、メタグロスがパートナーの「メカ好き」のオリオ（CV：佐倉綾音）、イワンコがパートナーの「料理上手」のマードック（CV：三宅健太）、ラッキーがパートナーの「治療のスペシャリスト」モリー（CV：真堂圭）、そして釣り人のような風貌のランドウ（CV：塾一久）の4人。フリード率いるライジングボルテッカーズは、飛行船を拠点に冒険をしています。

続報は今後のテレビアニメ「ポケットモンスター」をご覧ください！夢と謎に満ち溢れた「ポケットモンスター」の世界を舞台に、リコとロイの新たな冒険が始まる！ ふたりを待ち受ける出会い、そして運命とは！？是非この機会にご紹介のご検討を頂けますよう、お願い申し上げます。

Source: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000851.000002610.html