DARN YOU I WAS ABOUT TO POST THIS I'm immensely curious now as to what this means the very next main series game will be. We still have Zygarde's new formes to work into a main series game, but now we're getting new species, too. Are we getting Gen 6.5 (Z Version) with more Kalos Pokemon? Gen 6.5 with the same PokeDex, with Gen 7 coming later? Going straight ahead to Gen 7? In any case, my money's on Fairy/Steel for its type.
I'll be amazed if we actually get a Z version for generation 6. What I want is a fricken' emerald remake. But since that's not happening, the next version better have a lot more use for surf again, or not be as incredibly linear as the last two generations have been.
If this one is Gen VI, I hope it's not another mythic Pokemon. If it is, then we'll have MORE mythic Pokemon than legendary Pokemon for Gen VI.
Serebii has it listed under their Mythical Pokémon page, however Magiana is not in the code of XY or ORAS, which was how Diancie, Hoopa, and Volcanion were found early after XY's release. The implication seems to be that this is the first revealed Gen VII Pokémon; otherwise this would be the first ever example of a Pokémon being added to a Generation after the Generation's initial release.
Well, it might not have been part of the game, but when pokemon first aired we had that episode where they showed the three beasts along with ho-oh, long before generation two even came out. They might be doing something along those lines with this
You are backwards. It was the three legendary birds with Arcanine because he was a legendary beforehand but they said "nah" because he was a puppy.
Whatever, they still showed Ho-oh at the end of the episode, so meh. My point still stands. Plus they've done it a few more times, like with Blaziken in the Silver Cup, Electivire after Hoenn, and I can't remember if they did any more. Point is, they've shown a few pokemon here and there related to later generations in the show before they came out in the game
Ho-Oh was seen at the end of the very first episode of the anime, though iirc at the time the design was intended for Gen I, so it's not a true example. But Zorua and Zoroark were revealed in CoroCoro before Gen V released, Lucario before Gen IV, and more recently Sylveon was revealed before Gen VI came out, even predating the Fairy-type it represented. Then as you say, we've had things like Donphan in the first movie, and Blaziken in the Silver Cup. It's nothing new, and it is clearly to build hype, but usually those reveals have been after the announcement of the generation. We technically have no confirmation as of yet that Gen 7 will exist; it's theoretically possible that Magiana could be part of some kind of "Gen 6.5", and would appear in Pokémon Z alongside the new Zygarde forms.
oH BOY HERE WE GO IT'S TIME FOR A POKE HISTORY LESSON Gen I-II Ho-Oh did indeed appear at the end of the first episode of the anime and, intended design for Gen I or no, is thus the first appearance of a Pokemon before its in-game debut. The short preceding Mewtwo Strikes Back also saw the debuts of Snubbull and Marill, while the film itself saw the debut of Donphan. The short film preceding The Power of One saw the debuts of Ledyba, Elekid, Bellossom, and Hoothoot; the film itself featured Lugia and Slowking. And of course, Togepi was a side character in the anime. Gen II-III Kecleon was actually the first Gen III Pokemon to appear anywhere, with an appearance of two Kecleon in an episode of the anime (incidentally, a regular green one and a purple one, like the one which would go on to appear in the Mystery Dungeon series). Pikachu's PikaBoo, preceding The Voice of the Forest, showed Wailmer and Azurill. Wynaut also appeared as a recurring character in the Johto anime arc, and a trainer used a Blaziken in the show's Johto Championship. Duskull and Volbeat appeared in the short film preceding Pokemon Heroes, with Latios and Latias starring in the film itself. The final episodes of the Johto anime arc saw Sharpedo, Seedot, Shroomish, Lotad, Zigzagoon, Wingull, and Pelipper. Gen III-IV Munchlax was the first Gen IV Pokemon revealed, appearing in Destiny Deoxys. The following movie, Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, starred Lucario and also featured Bonsly, Weavile, and Mime Jr. in supporting roles. And the movie following that, Pokemon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea, starred Manaphy and also featured Chatot, Buizel, and Mantyke. The tail end of the Hoenn anime arc featured an Electivire in the possession of Gary Oak. Gen IV-V Zorua and Zoroark starred in the film Zoroark: Master of Illusions. A character in the movie also had a Woobat-inspired design on his hat. Gen V-VI Sylveon debuted in a short film preceding Genesect and the Legend Awakened, and the main film featured Mega Mewtwo Y. Towards the end of the show's Unova arc, minor XY character Alexa joined the cast for a few episodes, owning a Helioptile, Gogoat, and Noivern. Part 4 of Pokemon Origins also saw the debut of Mega Charizard X. And now, we have Magiana, three years after the release of XY, in Volcanion and the Ingenious Magiana. Time will tell us where it belongs, whether in Gen VII or Gen VI.5.
