Pokémon: Advanced Battle

Lore & Background

The episodes were directed by Masamitsu Hidaka and produced by the animation studio OLM. This was the last season of the series to be dubbed by 4Kids Entertainment after their contract expired, and the last to air on Kids' WB before moving to Cartoon Network. The Japanese opening songs include 'Challenger!!' by Rica Matsumoto for 13 episodes, 'Pokemon Symphonic Medley' by the Pokémon Symphonic Orchestra for 29 episodes, and 'Battle Frontier' by Akina Takaya for 11 episodes. The ending songs are 'Smile' by Toshiko Ezaki for 6 episodes, 'GLORY DAY 〜That Shining Day〜' by GARDEN for 35 episodes, and 'Pokémon Counting Song' by Akiko Kanazawa for 11 episodes. The English opening song is 'Unbeatable' by David Rolfe, with a shortened version used in the end credits.

Reader's Guide

Pokémon: Advanced Battle marks a transitional point in the anime's history, being the final season handled by 4Kids Entertainment and the last to air on Kids' WB. This shift in distribution and dubbing signaled a new era for the franchise in the United States. The season continues the journey of Ash Ketchum through Hoenn and into Kanto's Battle Frontier, maintaining the core group of Brock, May, and Max. Its music features multiple Japanese opening and ending themes, reflecting the series' ongoing popularity in Japan. The English opening 'Unbeatable' by David Rolfe became a notable theme for the season. In the United States, Viz Media released the series on 10 DVD volumes, each containing 5 or 6 episodes, and later released a complete collection on June 12, 2018. The season's legacy lies in its role as a bridge between the early dubbing era and the later Cartoon Network broadcasts, as well as its continuation of the Advanced Generation storyline.

Did You Know?

• This is the last season of the Pokémon anime dubbed by 4Kids Entertainment.
• The Japanese opening 'Pokemon Symphonic Medley' was performed by the Pokémon Symphonic Orchestra.

Production & Airing

Pokémon: Advanced serves as the sixth season of the long-running anime franchise and marks the inaugural season of the Ruby and Sapphire sub-series. In Japan, it carried the title Pocket Monsters: Advanced Generation and premiered on TV Tokyo on November 21, 2002, running through August 28, 2003. The American broadcast followed roughly a year later, debuting on November 1, 2003, on Kids' WB/The WB and concluding on September 4, 2004. The season was directed by Masamitsu Hidaka and animated by OLM, the studio behind much of the franchise's visual identity. Narratively, the season follows Ash Ketchum as he journeys through the Hoenn region with the goal of challenging its Pokémon League. His traveling companions include Brock, the aspiring Pokémon Coordinator May, and her younger brother Max. This marked a significant shift in the series' ensemble, introducing a new regional setting and a fresh dynamic trio to support the protagonist.

Music & Soundtrack

The season's musical identity was shaped by a distinctive set of theme songs across its Japanese and English broadcasts. In Japan, the opening theme "Advance Adventure" was performed by the band GARDEN and accompanied the first 40 episodes. The ending sequence featured two different tracks: "Because the Sky is There" by Toshiko Ezaki for 18 episodes, and "Polka O Dolka" performed by Inuko Inuyama, who voices Meowth, alongside the Nolsol Chorus Group for the remaining 22 episodes. On the American side, David Rolfe composed the English opening theme "I Wanna Be a Hero," which also served a dual purpose—a shortened version of the same track was repurposed as the end credits music. This approach streamlined the English soundtrack while giving viewers a consistent musical bookend to each episode.

Critical Reception

Critics offered a mixed but largely favorable assessment of the season. Themanime.org praised the season for translating video game elements into the anime format and specifically noted that May was not merely a copycat of the earlier character Misty, suggesting a more distinct personality. Alfah, writing for Pokeblog, awarded the season an 8 out of 10, calling it an awesome start to the Advanced Generation series and highlighting the character growth of both Ash and May as standout qualities. The only notable criticism in that review was Max's bratty demeanor. On the other hand, Movie Reviews Simbasible delivered a more negative take, describing the new characters as more annoying instead of likeable and characterizing the overall season as a bore punctuated by some very good episodes. The consensus among reviewers leaned toward appreciation for the dual-protagonist structure and the fresh regional setting, even as individual episodes drew more divided opinions.

Home Media & Release

The season's availability on home video in the United States unfolded over more than a decade. Initially, Viz Video partnered with Ventura Distribution to release the series across eight VHS and DVD volumes between 2004 and 2005. The two formats differed in scope: the DVD volumes contained the full episode set, while the VHS releases were limited to just the first three episodes from each volume. Viz Media subsequently issued two boxed DVD sets in 2005 and 2006, each containing three discs with six to seven episodes per disc, offering a more compact way to own the season. The most comprehensive home release came much later, on May 16, 2017, when Viz Media and Warner Home Video jointly released Pokémon: Advanced – The Complete Collection on DVD, finally bundling the entire season into a single package for American audiences.