Pikachu sad

Who is Sarah Natochenny? Ash’s VA says goodbye to anime

By Olivia Richman

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Sep 11, 2023

Reading time: 2 min

The current voice actor for Ash Ketchum has said an emotional goodbye after 18 years of voicing the main Pokemon protagonist.

Sarah Natochenny recently shared an emotional goodbye with the Pokemon community after watching the final scene of the Pokemon: To Be a Pokemon Master anime. She can be seen clapping and in tears, but admitted she probably can’t watch it on Netflix because it would be too overwhelming.

“It’s been an extraordinary privilege to have been the English voice of Ash Ketchum for what will be 17 years,” she said in 2022. “No matter what lies beyond his final chapter, he’ll live forever in the hearts of many generations to come. I’ll keep him present for all of us in every way I can.”

Pokemon community reacts to Sarah Natochenny goodbye

Natochenny has been the voice actor for Ash Ketchum for 18 years. While it’s been known for a while now that the final episodes are coming up, they have finally aired on Netflix, making it a lot more real for Natochenny and the rest of the Pokemon fandom.

In response to Natochenny’s emotional tweet, many fans came out to offer her support and love.

The sad goodbye from Natochenny also confirmed many fans’ fears that Ash would not be a part of the new Pokemon anime at all. The next Pokemon anime, Pokemon Horizons, will focus on Liko and Roy as well as a different Pikachu, Captain Pikachu.

It’s currently unclear when the new anime will be released.

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