It appears that Ash Ketchum’s story may be coming to an end after all, as the new Pokemon series will no longer center around the storied protagonist.
The Pokemon community has been worried about the future of the animated series after Ash became a Pokemon Champion. It seemed like insiders had officially confirmed that Ash was remaining in the anime, although it was unclear what his new journey would be. But now, it seems that he won’t be the main protagonist anymore.
On Twitter, the official Pokemon account announced that two new characters would star in an all-new Pokemon series coming in 2023. While this was exciting news, most fans were focused on the second part of the statement, which said that Ash’s journey was being “commemorated” with special episodes that would “conclude” Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series.
The new information above has many Pokemon fans assuming that Ash Ketchum’s time in the anime series is ending, especially since it seemed like a heartfelt sendoff was coming.
But this doesn’t necessarily mean that Ash Ketchum is leaving the new Pokemon anime altogether. It’s possible that he will still be in the series as a side character, maybe offering his advice to the two new characters. The official video even states that the goal of being a Pokemon Master never ends.
Despite the open-ended possibilities, the community is sad to see Ash Ketchum’s role as the lead protagonist coming to an end.
The overall consensus is that Ash Ketchum and other original characters will be sorely missed.
Meanwhile, not much is known about the two new characters, who appear to be a young boy and girl. The girl has black and blue hair and a stylish jacket. Her starter appears to be the grass-type Sprigatito. The red-haired boy has on a baseball cap, a black vest, and is pictured alongside fire starter Fuecoco.
There is no official date for the new Pokemon anime but it will be starting in 2023. Until then, fans of the series can watch the final chapter in Ash and Pikachu’s journey, which is sure to be an emotional episode.
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