After 25 Years, Ash Ketchum is Now A Pokemon World Champion

The latest episode for Pokemon Journeys’ Masters Eight Tournament aired on November 12 in Japan and featured the closing moments of the grand finals between Ash and Galar Region Champion Leon. After a nail-biting battle, Ash emerged victorious against the undefeatable Leon and was crowned the world champion (in the Pokemon anime series). Honestly, I can’t help but get a bit teary-eyed on this occasion, especially since it’s a hard-won victory for Ash after many years of failing to become a Champion in the other tournaments when he traversed in other regions (except for Alola). It’s almost hard to believe that it’s been over 25 years since the Pokemon anime series debuted. Most of us who tuned in on the show are grown adults now. It took Ash two and a half decades of our life, but he’s finally recognized as a Pokemon Master.

From Humble Beginnings to Grandiose Adventures

The beginning of Ash’s journey was as humble as a slice of pie. The trainer set off from his home at Pallet Town to become a Pokemon Master—to be the very best like no one ever was. From there, the anime has been through dozens of iterations. Stories from the Pokemon games were set in every region and even covered a few original areas (Orange Islands, anyone?).

It’s challenging to stay relevant in a realm where anime trends come and go, and as such, the series had to reinvent the wheel constantly. Arguably the most significant change that the Pokemon anime experienced was when the show decided to ditch Misty when Ash went to the Hoenn region. The show would then replace Ash’s new companions from the Hoenn region once more before the introduction of Sinnoh. Little did we know that this would set a precedent that the status quo would radically change after releasing a new Pokemon game.

We experienced a soft reboot in Black and White—losing Brock in favor of an entirely new cast. Then, in Pokemon XY, they retooled the series, giving it a more shonen look. Once we got to Sun and Moon (Alola), the series became more comedic and had a wildly different art style that gained criticism from many viewers. Finally, when Journey landed, it broke the pattern yet again. Instead of being based exclusively in Pokemon Sword and Shield’s Galar region, Journeys became a globe-trotting adventure that takes inspiration from Pokemon Go. And instead of having two side characters with Ash, we only have one: Goh.

Could This Be the End?

Over its 25-year run, the Pokemon anime series has had dozens of main characters, had stand-alone shows, and rotated around several lead writers. It took Ash more than 1,000 episodes to finally achieve his dream. With that in mind, it’s easy to think that this milestone may spell the end of his journey.

According to The Gamer, there are only three episodes left of Pokemon Ultimate Journeys; ‘Seize the Future’ and ‘Project Mew’ is bound to wrap up Goh’s storyline, but the final episode’s title is what fans are worrying about. The title from Japanese to English roughly translates as ‘Pokemon – I’m Glad I Chose You’ or ‘Pokemon – I’m Glad I Got to Meet You.’ Now, if you look at the title of the first episode of Pokemon, you’ll see it’s called ‘Pokemon – I Choose You.’ I don’t know about you guys, but this all sounds like a full circle moment. Until the last three episodes are out, I can’t tell if this will spell the end of Ash’s journey. Still, it’s worth noting that during Ash’s victory, the show referenced every Pokemon he’s caught (we finally have justice for Butterfree and Pidgeot), which could signal that the entirety of Pokemon Journeys was always meant to be Ash Ketchum’s last hurrah.

Life Goes On

Ash’s time as the main protagonist may end, but that doesn’t mean the Pokemon anime is over. We still have the likes of Goh, Ash’s most recent companion. And despite being a somewhat controversial figure with some show watchers, there’s still that possibility of him becoming the next torchbearer of the franchise.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are nearing their release date; besides new Pokemon, it also brings us the Paldea region. Most likely, the series will start with a blank slate, with a new protagonist, a new cast of characters (Team Rocket may still be there, though), and a fresh look at the Pokemon world. Ash may not be a part of the gig anymore, but he still can appear in films or even do cameos. It’s not yet known what Ash’s future will be like, but whatever new era (or region) lies ahead, you can bet your Poke Balls that the anime will continue with or without him.

Not seeing the character weekly anymore makes me melancholic, if not a bit teary-eyed, considering that most people my age grew up together with the guy. Funnily enough, Ash Ketchum became what every manager is looking for in a perfect employee: a 10-year-old with 25 years of experience.