Ash's adventures in the Pokemon anime are gradually approaching the end, but not without a visit from the Squirtle Squad first. The iconic group originally made its appearance in the first season of the Pokemon anime, making this a very nostalgic moment for fans.Despite the fact that he's still a child in the series, Ash has been on his adventure with Pikachu since the late 1990s. As the iconic faces of the anime adaptation of the tremendously popular game series, many likely thought the character would be here to stay no matter what. However, following Ash's recent win and finally becoming the very best, it was revealed that Ash and Pikachu would wind down their journey, and new protagonists and Pokemon would take up the reins instead.During the final episodes with Ash and Pikachu, a number of familiar faces have made a return, like Misty and Psyduck. Now, the Pokemon anime has revealed the return of Ash's Squirtle and his legendary Squirtle Squad. Images from the next four episodes of the Pokemon anime have been unveiled, with one screenshot showing the Squirtle Squad posing, with Ash's Squirtle leading the group as usual. The exact broadcast date of the episode hasn't been announced, but fans won't have long to wait, as the show is currently airing the final 11 episodes of Ash's adventure.
The Squirtle Squad, for anyone who didn't see them in the original anime, started out as a delinquent group, causing trouble for a town. After meeting Ash, they eventually become well-intentioned and even fight fires together, with Ash's Squirtle sometimes rejoining them when the team needed their leader. While many of Ash's released and past Pokemon have rarely been referenced since, the Squirtle Squad was quite popular and made multiple appearances in the show.
Many fans will likely find the return of the Squirtle Squad to be extremely nostalgic and even a bit bittersweet, as with other moments where Ash has reunited with past Pokemon and companions. While many are intrigued and excited to learn how the Pokemon anime will evolve with new characters at the helm, saying goodbye to Pokemon and their trainers a quarter of a century after they became household names hasn't been easy for everyone. Even so, many fans were thrilled when Ash finally won his bout to become a Pokemon Master, fulfilling his childhood dream that began over twenty years ago. While the focus on Ash is coming to an end, the show will continue bringing the Pokemon world to life, likely for many more years to come.