Ash Ketchum VA Shares Message Ahead Of Character's Exit From Pokémon Anime

I wanna see more of Ash & Pikachu in Paldea, but ending his story here make sense, since becoming a World Champion essentially means becoming a Pokémon Master.

Personally speaking, I always thought Ash would depart after Kanto, but when he stuck around, I thought they'd never get rid of him.

I'm curious to see how the anime is handled without him.

To be honest, I checked out of the Pokemon anime after they completely overhauled their VA cast, especially after they replaced Ash's original VA, Veronica Taylor around the time the Battle Frontier/Diamond and Pearl seasons debuted. With that said, I'm honestly impressed Ash had stuck around this long in the series after that VA switch-up. No idea if this is a hot take, but I feel Ash should have taken a step back in the series a long time ago. He would have made a nice cameo character that appeared every once in a while as a mentor character guiding a new trainer protagonist each season (like a Pokemon professor?). Either way... very interesting change of events.

If I am honest they should have ended the anime sooner the newer episodes ain't good and didn't like new pokemons . Even pokemon games moved on with new main characters. It's good he ended on high note I wouldn't be able to handed new series.

As utterly iconic Veronica Taylor was as the voice of Ash Ketchum, and her work set the template for the character, Sarah Natochenny took that ball and ran a marathon with it!
Natochenny's voice work is pure art, and a talent like this is rare and special. I wish her all the success in her future roles!

Imagine Ash shows up in the new show as an old man with gray hair.

I've always been big into the Pokémon franchise, since day one. I remember playing Pokémon Blue for the first time, when the anime first aired here in Canada, going to a local TCG league at a store called Pen Dragon back in the early 2000's.

Even now at 37 and having two boys, I really enjoyed getting them into the anime series. Just being able to share something that was a big part of my childhood with them has been amazing.

@ketrac Yelling at children to get off his lawn with tall grass.

Makes sense. New generation, new heroes. Seems Pokemon is trying to go in newer directions these days vs the same routine they have been for decades.

16yr run, not shabby at all! Stellar, actually! Good for her! Many cartoons only last a few years, tops, so it is impressive!

@Xenobound94 the VA change only happened in English, the original dumb was unchanged. They wouldn't have cancelled a show based on a highly popular game, just because the US team changed who voices a character (and even in US standards, the characters would have no issue being replaced, because it barely matters there).

@theModestMouse You and me better be writing this show, or it’s not going to live up to its potential.

@DarkTron Easy to see which side of the dubsVsubs you're on.

Just kidding about your typo calling the Japanese dub a dumb instead.

@Browny I stopped watching midway through his Johto adventures? The one with Lugia. Pokemon was riding high on popularity around that point.

I honestly have kept with Ash since 2001. I was a bit surprised 10 years ago, when I learned he was still on air haha.

Since black and white, it was planned that Ash will no longer continue in the series, but in the end, it continued due to its popularity and the plans to lengthen the series (in fact, the first Pokémon movie should have been Ash's final chapter, that's how popular he's been for years).

His character and personality have been very pleasant to me, despite his details, however, it was fair that one day, his adventure should end at one point and the good thing was what he dreamed of from the beginning, to be the Master Pokemon.

As was mentioned, a new generation, new protagonists, we'll see what they prepare for us in the future.

Pokemon came out when I was like 10... It used to upset me Ash would never get anywhere on his journey to be the best... forever sidetracked and team rocket seemed to be in every episode...glad I didn't stick by for what would take 25 years haha

@ParadoxFawkes True. I don't how Ash has been for over 2 decades. I'd imagine if the formula hasn't changed much in that long it's due to popularity.

But, it' an achievement to stay relevant for nearly 30 years for a cartoon series. Many shows that aired from Japan during those days didn't make it even half as long. Some falling into obscurity.

Atleast he's going out on a high note. It could be worse. Ash could be Spongebob who's with two bad spinoff shows.

I can't believe he's leaving us. This show may be older than me, but this still deeply saddens me.

@EllaTheKawaiiNeko Well look at this way; A single character has manage to impact every generation since his first debut. Every kid who's enjoyed Pokemon will have some fond memory of Ash and his adventures.

I'm much older than you, but I recall just how every kid on the corner rooted for Ash to become a Pokemon master when the show first aired.

I'm sure Ash will return one day with a grand adventure to share with both old and new fans.

@Vexx234 I miss when anime was actually good. Ah, the 1990's and early 2000'swere nice. Didn't get to expirience it right cause I was born 2009, but now I can stream Lucky Star and Pokemon and Sailor Moon any time I want.

The show is older than me, but I have watched this show for years and still will for years to come. I have watched these shows for most of my life with Ash being the main character. I am extremely sad to see him go, but it makes sense for the series, so we have to let him go, after 25 years.

Not gonna lie, I am really going to miss Ash a lot. I knee this day would come someday but it is still quite shocking to witness. The Pokémon TV series is definitely gonna hit different in the future upcoming series now that Ash & Pikachu are no longer a part of it. Ofcourse it would be no surprise if they just bring in a new Pikachu in the next series since i highly doubt they could find it in their heart to replace that Pokémon as the franchise's main mascot. It would be interesting if this new series takes place like 10 or 20 years later and Ash would make a cameo at some point as a fully grown adult.

@Xenobound94 The voice never changed in Japan and that’s the audience TPC cares about most.

@SakuraHaruka “ Since black and white, it was planned that Ash will no longer continue in the series” proof?

@EllaTheKawaiiNeko Agreed, the mid 80's to early 2000's had the most funniest animes ever, the facial expressions and the humor was top notch. The art styles and hand drawn animations were great too. Those really were some really good times, it really is kinda sad that present day anime has lost a lot of those qualities that made them so fun to watch back in those days.

It's been a amazing journey Ash! Now get older and marry someone!

Who's gonna get Team Rocket's custody? I hope that the new characters get them so that they keep appearing in the next series.

@DripDropCop146 to me SpongeBob ended after 3 seasons, great first three seasons tho haha

@Chibi_Manny One of the good newer anime called Tonikawamight be one of the best newer anime series because the manga author has been making manga for ages, including Hayate the Combat Butler, which was starting to be writted on 2007, and ended 2017. Tonikawa started soon afteron february 14th, 2018 (I really like that it came out on February 14th, as Tonikawa is a romance anime and manga series)

@EllaTheKawaiiNeko Oh that sounds really interesting, I will definitely check it out! Thank you for sharing that with me! 😄

If would be cool if this means we'll get to aee a grown up ash later on the series.

@Tasuki No, in English Ash was voiced by Veronica Taylor prior to 2006.

Sarah did a great job with Ash and she totally didn't deserve the hate she received after the original voice actors were fired. While I checked out sometime during the Hoenn saga, it still amazes me that the show went on for as long as it did. It's hardly the same show relative to what was being aired in the 1990/early 2000s, those first few seasons really got away with some crazy stuff, but Ash & Pikachu (& Team Rocket) have always been a constant for better or for worse.

I wonder if the change in the anime along with the massive gameplay shifts seen starting in Legends Arceus signals a move towards a new chapter in Pokemon. I can't say if this is the right move for the series but it's probably a good time as Pokemon is still riding the 2nd major popularity Pokemania wave that was reignited back in 2016 with Pokemon Go, the explosion of the Pokemon card market, and the move to the Switch console.

@Browny see the spinoffs Pokemon Chronicles, Origins, Evolutions, Twilight Wings, etc where Ash is not the protag. They are very well made and are even more interesting than most of the main series’ seasons.

Not surprised considering he finally became the best in the world.

@Tasuki They changed the voice actors of the whole Pokemon anime cast when the reins for dubbing went from 4Kids to the Pokemon Company.

@DarkTron @NTDO89 I understand the Japanese VA did not change after the English dub change. Just personally to me (and just my opinion, of course), it would have been more interesting to see Ash take a step back to allow new trainers to take the lead in Gen 4 of the anime and onward.
The Pokemon IP is such a rich, diverse palette to work from, with a lot of potential for new casts in each generation. Using the same characters repeatedly, even if it pleased a certain nostalgic nerve in some fans, got very old to me. Especially since Ash never aged—honestly, I will never be able to get around that fact. There was a lot of missed potential watching Ash age over the years, watching how Pokemon as an idea evolved (no pun intended) compared to when he started his first Pokemon journey decades ago.
Perhaps there was still some character growth within his arc after I stopped watching the series, even if he did not age. But still, ugh, I see so much missed potential. Then again, that is how I would have personally arranged the series' story if I were the lead writer, for better or worse. Some people prefer how the story has unfolded, which is fine. Everyone is more than welcome to have an opinion on that matter. This is just mine.

Geez now I do feel old. I stopped watching after the first 3 seasons so I never knew there was a VA change.

I give it 6 episodes before they announce his return.

Oh man I stopped watching the series (not because of issues with it but because I’m always on my iPad internet surfing) but to me ash was always the guy I think of when it comes to the Pokémon anime so seeing him leave is definitely gonna be a bittersweet feeling. Sweet because he finally achieved his goal but bitter because so he’s been around for so long that it will be weird not having him around. So shine on ash. You earned it. (Man that was so cheesy…)

I stopped watching a while now.
Man but i really liked the pokemon red anime shorts, they where amazing.

I think it’s amazing this is actually happening, I never thought it would

Exciting times. A lot of uncertainty comes with a decision like this. But I think the show will be fine. As iconic as Ash is in the Pokémon universe, it’s not like there isn’t precedence of there being Pokémon content that doesn’t feature Ash to begin with. So the opportunity is there for something new and fresh.

I say this as someone who has watched the anime from the beginning (or at least since it’s English debut). I’ll always think fondly of the duo of Ash and Pikachu. But it’s long been time to move on.

Also, I found the whole brouhaha over the VA change to be silly. Especially how Sarah Natochenny was treated. Sure, it was a bit jarring and weird to hear Ash and others with different voices. But then again, I was in my mid 20s when it happened. So maybe I had a bit more patience and common sense. But nonetheless, she figured out her own interpretation and became just as iconic in the role as Veronica Taylor. At least in my opinion

Never watched the show much or played a Pokemon game since Pokemon Blue, but for some reason this still makes me a little sad 🤷😂

It's been a great ride and I hope all VAs of Ash. Veronica, Rica and Sarah best wishes on their future journeys. Ash will be missed. I feel like Pokemon stood out from other series by not replacing their protagonist with another like Yu-Gi-Oh does.

All I can say is, "Finally!"

Don't get me wrong. The anime was an enjoyable romp. I especially hold a soft spot for the Sinnoh arc of the series, but it later reached a point where they were just making excuses for Ash to not achieve his goals so they can keep having him as protagonist, so this should be good for the show if they still continue to go with it.

I'd prefer them to start over with an entirely new show. An adaptation of the Pokemon Adventures manga, perhaps?

They should have a lineup of Ash and Pikachu descendants after 25 years. We should see whom they are now.

I agree that it's about time for the poor guy, he's been trying to become a master for all this time. More movies/specials set during the humble beginnings could still happen though.