Pokémon: Black & White: Rival Destinies
Ash continues his Unova journey with Iris and Cilan.
Pokémon: Black & White: Rival Destinies marks the fifteenth season of the Pokémon anime and serves as the second season of Pokémon the Series: Black & White. In Japan, it is known as Pocket Monsters: Best Wishes!. The season aired on TV Tokyo in Japan from September 22, 2011, to October 4, 2012, and later on Cartoon Network in the United States from February 18, 2012, to January 26, 2013. The story continues with Ash Ketchum, Iris, and Cilan as they journey through the Unova region.
In Japan, the episodes were part of the Best Wishes! series under two subtitles. The first 36 episodes aired as the second half of Pocket Monsters: Best Wishes! from September 22, 2011, to June 14, 2012. The following 13 episodes were broadcast as Pocket Monsters: Best Wishes! Season 2, running from June 21 to October 4, 2012.
For music, the Japanese opening themes are "Best Wishes!" and "Be an Arrow!" by Rica Matsumoto. The Japanese ending themes include "Can You Name All the Pokemon? BW" by Takeshi Tsuruno, "Seven-colored Arch" by the Pokémon BW Choral Gang, "Look Look☆Here" by Momoiro Clover Z, and "Team Rocket Forever" by the Team Rocket Gang. The English opening theme is "Rival Destinies" by Alex Nackman and Kathryn Raio, with its instrumental version used as the ending theme.
Home media releases in the United States were handled by Viz Media and Warner Home Video on DVD. The first volume, a two-disc boxset with 12 episodes, came out on September 10, 2013. The second volume, also a two-disc boxset with 12 episodes, followed on December 3, 2013. The third volume, a four-disc boxset containing 25 episodes, was released on March 18, 2014. A complete season set, Pokémon: Black & White: Rival Destinies – The Complete Season, was released on DVD on March 22, 2022.
- Season number
- 15
- Series
- Pokémon the Series: Black & White
- Japanese title
- Pocket Monsters: Best Wishes!
- Original run (japan)
- September 22, 2011 – October 4, 2012
- Original run (united states)
- February 18, 2012 – January 26, 2013
- Network (japan)
- TV Tokyo
- Network (united states)
- Cartoon Network
Lore & Background
In Japan, the episodes comprising this season aired as part of Best Wishes! under two subtitles. The first thirty-six episodes were aired as the second half of Pocket Monsters: Best Wishes!, having their initial run in Japan from September 22, 2011 until June 14, 2012. The next thirteen episodes were broadcast under the subtitle Pocket Monsters: Best Wishes! Season 2, first airing in Japan on June 21 through October 4, 2012.
Reader's Guide
Pokémon: Black & White: Rival Destinies represents a transitional period in the Pokémon anime, bridging the first half of the Best Wishes! series with its sequel subtitle. The season's significance lies in its continuation of Ash Ketchum's journey through the Unova region, maintaining the core trio dynamic with Iris and Cilan. Its legacy is reflected in home media releases by Viz Media and Warner Home Video, which issued the season in DVD volumes from 2013 to 2014, and later a complete season set in 2022. The season's music, including Japanese opening and ending songs by artists such as Rica Matsumoto and Momoiro Clover Z, and the English opening theme "Rival Destinies" by Alex Nackman and Kathryn Raio, contributed to its identity. The season's dual-subtitle structure in Japan also highlights the evolving production format of the anime during this era.
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