One of the world’s most beloved hero duos is finally getting ready to hang up the hat. The current season of Pokemon cartoon series, Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series, came to an end, and with it Ash. Ash (or Satoshi in the Japanese version) is a mainstay in the Pokemon animation for the last 25 seasons. His initial appearance was way back in 1997, just after his 10th birthday. In this opening episode, Ash receives his faithful partner Pikachu and embarks on an incredible journey.
Over the years, it has been captured, trained, and made stronger alongside Pokemon from all the main regions of the series, and has challenged countless gyms and elite trainers. However, Ash often lost in the midst of a region’s challenges, either being knocked out by a member of the Elite Four or the region’s champion. This season of Pokemon features Ash’s incredible victory as Pokémon World Champion. Understandably, this victory was a huge accomplishment for him and the perfect cap to years of adventuring and working alongside Pikachu. Even more so, for people like me who grew up with Ash, this win felt like it belonged to the fans who had been watching for years for Ash to finally get the shine he deserved.
The story of Ash and Pikachu will end with several special episodes of Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series. These episodes will likely feature many cameos and conversations with the people Ash has met over the years. It’s also set to give audiences some hints as to what exactly lies ahead for the new Pokémon World Champion.
The next generation is coming in April 2023
A new Pokémon saga was revealed at the same time as Ash and Pikachu’s departure. This new animated series will feature an entirely original story and characters and is set to premiere in April 2023. So far, all we know about the new characters is that they are called Rico and Roy. Along with them are the bosses from the newest Pokémon region, Paldea. These starters and other features introduced in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will be highlighted throughout this new series.
You can check out a video teaser for the series here and follow along with the official Pokémon website for future updates. The final 11 episodes, concluding Ash and Pikachu’s story, are set to air from Friday, January 13, 2023 in Japan.
Images from Official Pokémon website
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