Pokémon Executives On Anime Return Of Ash And Pikachu: "Anything Is Possible"

Finally seeing an older Ash would be cool to see.

Ash Ketchum returns and he should be better already an adult in 35 - 40 years old man, with some muscle.

While this is cool I got one question. If we ever get a new Pokémon anime movie will it still have ash or will it focus on a new protagonist?

There's no way they're not going to pander to nostalgia one day and bring Ash back for at least one episode. This is Pokémon we're talking about.

I say that as a good thing btw, personally I love my nostalgia.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm missing out by never truly having watched the anime. But it's such a huge investment and I'm not sure I'm willing to make that, haha.

My hope is Pokémon returns to being Pokémon again, with Ash Ketchum and Pikachu, as the main characters, or they go to far in the, for modern audiences stuff, that Pokémon will be another killed franchise, like it has been so modern for the last years.

Then hopefully Nintendo gets the rights for Pokémon and we will see the series being really great again. They would also take their time with the games.

Just wishful thinking of course.

@Pillowpants depends recently had to watch an episode and they had an episode about a pancake running race where with the koala pokemon.

I don't care if he comes back. Horizons is so much better and I agree that they should focus on that.

Honestly they should keep Ash out of the new series. The new series is so good it really doesn't need him.

@Bolt_Strike Really? I actually didn’t want to give it a shot since I didn’t think it would be the same without ash. But if some people actually think so I might actually have to try it!

@Jhena If anything, relying entirely on nostalgia and only doing the same thing over and over again is what has utterly stagnated this franchise.

If the new series bombs in comparison to those with Ash, he will surely return.

I feel like having the chance to get onto the industry standard update schedule of at most like a three or four week delay and instead still somehow being over 30 episodes behind kind of is just kneecapping this new show from the get-go in terms of building any real substantial momentum outside of Japan.

Actually I would love a Gary spin off. He deserves better

If Ash comes back, I would rather he come back as an adult, giving advice to the new generation of trainers. I don't know the lifespan of a Pikachu, but if it's only a few years, maybe Ash could have one of his original Pikachu's offspring with him as a companion, making it a tradition of sorts.

@ketrac
You might be right and I just might be someone, who can not get enough of classic Pokémon. Watched 13 seasons of Pokémon, almost every day one episode and did not feel like it was too much. But I did not like the girly stuff too much or the story episodes. For me the series is at its best, if it is just a random episode about Pokémon stuff.

Really liked the first season of Sun and Moon though, so I guess I can live with change too, if it is to my taste.

Hope you like the new stuff.

As others have said, a cameo of an older Ash would be cool, now that the curse is finally broken.

Almost finished with Horizons. Wasn't sure how I was gonna respond to it. But I like Liko, Roy, and the combination of characters they have. So while I'll be happy with an Ash cameo at some point, I hope it's just that. A cameo. No need to go backwards.

I really don't mind this. I've been watching Pokemon Journeys for the first time and I was pleasantly surprised with how much the show has picked up. With the spin off games now exploring the Pokemon universe and timeline more thoroughly, I think there is a lot of potential to develop more meaningful characters and stories.

That kid has been in a coma for YEARS. Let him wake up and come back as an adult. Without Pikachu.

I wouldn't mind Ash and Pikachu making the occasional cameo appearance, but IMO he's worn the main protagonist mantle long enough.

I couldn’t get sad over Ash leaving because with all the nostalgia hype and bringing things back from years ago trend… I expected Ash to come back and I’m sure he will.

@WhiteUmbrella it's not like the anime was doing any better leading up to the change. If this new take fails, they're more likely to just stop making any anime episodes.

Most of the people who want Ash to come back probably don't even actually give a crap about the series or never watched it in years.

I think ash is kind of the complete opposite of Leiko. Ash has his whole "Hello im ash and this is my partner pikachu" personality and leiko just has a shy personality, so I don't think Pokémon will ever be the same again. I personally just wish we just got better closure on team Rocket.

@Pillowpants The show has been running for so long now that watching the whole thing just doesn't seem reasonably possible! I recommend watching just the first 1 1/2 seasons (the Kanto region and Indigo League), and then deciding if you want to keep going.

I personally thought the Kanto stuff was the best- not because of nostalgia, but because it had a greater sense of progression and purpose. You could see Ash gradually growing stronger and more mature, while even winning over and befriending his former enemies!

Then the writers apparently realized they had a cash cow on their hands, so they slowed the pacing down and settled into a safe formula. I got bored and mostly stopped watching around the 4th season (halfway through Johto), and from what I saw of the Advance era and later, things didn't change.