Ash finally stops chasing gym badges and actually explores the world instead of repeating the same eight-city loop. Gou's goal to catch every Pokémon shifts the focus from battle tournaments to pure discovery, which means the show can breathe and let you just hang out with these two without the ticking clock of "who will win regionals." It's a comfort watch that remembers Pokémon works best when it's about curiosity and friendship, not whether this is the season Ash finally wins something.

Ash, known in Japan as Satoshi, sets out with a fresh ambition: to see the whole world. First, he and his partner Pikachu attend the opening ceremony of Professor Sakuragi's new research institute in Vermillion City. There he meets Gou, a boy just as fascinated by Pokémon as he is. After the two share a surprise ride on the back of the Legendary Pokémon Lugia, Professor Sakuragi asks them to become his official research fellows. Ash still wants to become a Pokémon Master, while Gou hopes to catch every kind of Pokémon, the Mythical Mew included. Their work takes them across many regions, where they meet new Pokémon, some of which can Gigantamax, in a lighthearted action adventure with plenty of comedy.