Prior to the latest episode of Pokémon Sun & Moon airing on Sunday, a next episode preview hinted at some major homages mixed in with cast performing a school play. Characters Lillie and Mallow appeared in the episode "Yūsha Liliel to Alola no Tsue!" (The Hero Liliel and the Alola Staff!) dressed as Utena and Anthy from Revolutionary Girl Utena and at one point, Lillie also wears a costume very similar to Osamu Tezuka 's Princess Knight .

What the episode preview didn't show was the scene giving major props to voice actress Megumi Hayashibara 's long career. Hayshibara voices Musashi (Jessie), as she has since the Pokémon anime first debuted in 1997. That's over 20 years in the role, but it isn't Hayashibara's only claim to fame. She was everywhere in 90s anime and voiced some of medium's biggest characters. Pokémon Sun & Moon decided to honor Hayashibara in the episode by showing Musashi in a variety of costumes, all very similar to actual characters Hayashibara voiced over the years.

The characters, starting with the back row from left to right, are:

Back row: Himiko Shinobibe ( Mashin Eiyūden Wataru ), Nukunuku ( All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku ), Rei Ayanami ( Neon Genesis Evangelion ), Hello Kitty ( Hello Kitty ), Faye Valentine ( Cowboy Bebop ), Minky Momo ( Magical Princess Minky Momo )

Front row: Ranma Saotome ( Ranma 1/2 ), Lime ( Saber Marionette J ), Ai Habara ( Detective Conan ), Atsuko "Paprika" Chiba ( Paprika ).

Of course, who could forget Lina Inverse from Slayers ?

The next episode of Pokémon Sun & Moon will focus on a haunted house episode. Maybe we'll see some horror anime references going forward?

[Via Nijimen]