A new Mega Pokémon slated to appear in Pokémon Legends: Z-A has made an early debut in the Pokémon Horizons anime series. The surprise appearance occurred in the episode “The Two Of Us, As Friends,” which aired last Friday in Japan.
The episode featured Mega Dragonite, one of the new Mega Pokémon set to debut in the upcoming Pokémon Legends: Z-A game for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. Mega Dragonite’s heroic debut is reportedly winning over fans who were initially hesitant about the Pokémon’s design.
In the episode, anime heroes Roy and Uruto are struggling in a battle until Uruto’s Dragonite exhibits signs of Mega Evolution. The unexpected appearance of Mega Dragonite then inspires the other Pokémon, including Roy’s Mega Lucario, to rally and ultimately win the battle.
The anime appearance of Mega Dragonite has been met with a positive response, with some fans expressing regret for their initial skepticism. One fan wrote, “Mega Dragonite haters better apologize,” while another commented, “It’s flapping the little tiny wings! Omg I love it hahaha.” A third fan admitted, “Awwww. Okay okay, I’m won over.”
While it is unusual, it is not unprecedented for a Pokémon to debut in the anime before its appearance in a game. This practice was more common in the early years of the franchise, with species from the Johto and Hoenn regions appearing in the anime before their corresponding games were released. More recently, this practice has become less frequent, with only a few species like Magearna and Terapagos receiving the same treatment over the last three generations.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A is scheduled for release on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 on October 16. While fans anticipate the unveiling of many new Mega Pokémon, only one other species, Mega Victreebell, has been officially revealed so far.
IGN’s first hands-on impressions of Pokémon Legends: Z-A’s battle systems noted, “Overall, Legends: Z-A didn’t feel like a full action game to me, but kind of more like an MMO, with its casting times, cooldowns, and behind-the-scenes math happening. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I do hope Legends: Z-A gets challenging enough to make me more intentionally dish out commands and think about switching Pokémon at just the right moment.”
