Pokémon anime teases a suspicious never-before-seen Poké Ball design

The next evolution of the Pokémon anime is expected to begin in just a few months, and fans are already receiving some hints at what could make this adventure through the Paldea region more interesting.

A new teaser for the upcoming Pokémon anime has provided a closer look at one of the new protagonists, Roy, as well as a mysterious Poké Ball that he carries around with him. This apparent plot point greatly echoes the inclusion of the GS Ball when Ash and friends traveled through the Johto region, which ultimately did not influence the anime in the ways viewers thought it would.

As the protagonists of the new anime are adventuring around the Paldea region, it is possible that this strange Poké Ball is the one that players receive at the beginning of Scarlet and Violet, belonging to the Legendary Pokémon Koraidon or Miraidon. But the game model for this Poké Ball looks no different than a regular Poké Ball, so unless the anime is changing this for story purposes, it may not be the exact same item players are familiar with.

This Poké Ball, despite not possessing many other defining features outside of its strange bronze-and-gold design, notably has two dots near its center—one blue and one red. They appear to be on the ends of a type of latch that keeps the Poké Ball closed, much like how Poké Balls appeared in the Hisui region in Pokémon Legends: Arceus.

The new Pokémon anime, marking the first time Ash is not present in full-time fashion, is set to begin airing in Japan in April.