Pokemon anime fan points out Charizard erasure in Journeys screenshot

Ash’s Charizard seems to be forgotten in the Pokemon Journeys anime, despite other fan-favorite companions making a return.

Charizard is one of the most popular and iconic species found in the Pokemon franchise. Alongside Pikachu and Eevee, fans all over the world celebrate their love of the games and TV series by collecting cards, plushes, and other Charizard-themed merchandise to wear and decorate homes with.

Charizard’s enormous popularity can be traced back to the start of the series, as the mascot Pokemon for Generation 1’s Red version, as well as one of the primary companions for Pokemon TV series hero Ash Ketchum.

Despite traveling alongside Ash for the first 16 seasons of the anime, Charizard is left at Professor Oaks lab to make room for new companions. Charizard makes a handful of appearances in later seasons, but never returns as one of the primary Pokemon Ash uses when traveling new regions.

Why has Charizard been overshadowed?

Charizard has been replaced in Ash’s team by Lucario and Greninja.

Ash’s Greninja was introduced as a particularly frumpy Froaki during XY and XYZ seasons of the Pokemon anime. The Dark/Water-type is versatile, and become extremely popular with fans for it’s broody nature and powerful attacks. It was also capable of attaining a pseudo-mega evolution status by merging with Ash, and remains the only Pokemon in the TV series to attain such a power.

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Ash’s Lucario Mega Evolves In Pokemon Journeys

Lucario has also become a widely loved Pokemon since its debut in Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. The Fighting-Steel-type has been seen as a partner of many favorite characters including Riley and Korrina, and recently become Ash’s secondary partner in Pokemon Journeys after he hatched a Riolu from an egg during the first season.

Charizard is missing from the coronation matches

While many of Ash’s previous companions make cameos in Pokemon Journeys, it isn’t Charizard who gets a big return or a notable role as Ash trains for the Pokemon World Coronation Series Tournament. Instead, the Kantonian partner is swept aside for Ash’s Geninja, who is brought in to help train Lucario.

In a comment on a screen shot from the episode “Lucario and Greninja! The Aura of Fate!!”, Twitter user BhavyaS58529290 comments “Man I would have loved seeing Charizard grow further with Ash, Imagine him flying above Ash with wings wide open in this shot.”, commenting on the erasure of Charizard as an important member of Ash’s team.

While Ash’s Charizard could again appear in future episodes of the Pokemon anime, it doesn’t seem like he will be playing any large roles alongside Ash during his current challenges.