Ash & Pikachu Are Retiring As Pokemon Announces New Series
Ash & Pikachu are Retiring after 26 years!
Pokemon is one of the longest-running animes of all time and has been a part of many fans s’ childhood. Pokemon, roughly translated as Pocket Monsters, has been on the air for the last 26 years and the one name which is synonymous with this franchise is the protagonist, Ash Ketchum.
The kid from Pallet Town started his journey 26 years back to “become the very best like no one ever was.”
From his days of receiving his starter in Pikachu, winning the first gym battle against Brock, and owning 83 Pokémon, Ash has come a long way in his journey.
A journey that saw him travel through eight regions across 25 seasons since 1997 is etched in the memory of every Pokémon fan.
Not only was he a part of our childhood, but his adventures alongside his friends became a nostalgic tip-off as we all grew up watching him battle every day to claim his rightful place as a Pokemon World Champion.
Ash Ketchum s’ dream finally came true as he beat Leon in the Master’s Eight Tournament of the Pokémon World Coronation Series and became the new Pokemon World Champion.
While the victory was sweet and worth the 26 years wait, many fans wondered if that was the end for Ash and his loyal partner Pikachu.
Sadly, the answer to that question is affirmative, as Ash & Pikachu are retiring after 26 years. The journey of Ash and Pikachu, the two most iconic duos in anime, has given us many memories to cherish, but it is finally coming to an end.
It’s hard to imagine Pokemon without Ash and Pikachu; however, like they say, ‘all good things must come to an end,’ it’s undoubtedly adieu, but what happens next is the question on everyone s’ mind.
Although we won’t be seeing Ash and Pikachu anymore, the series will continue with new characters, regions, and Pokemons. To find out more, keep scrolling as we bring you all the latest news and updates from the Pokemon world.
NEW POKÉMON ANIME SERIES ANNOUNCED WITH DUAL PROTAGONISTS
On 16th December 2022, Pokemon s’ official Twitter account announced a brand new series set in the Paldea region which will premiere in April 2023.
The title of the new series is yet to be confirmed, but Pokemon (2023) will be the eighth installment of the series. They will feature two new protagonists, Liko and Roy, along with starter Pokemon: Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly.We also see a shiny Rayquaza in the trailer, which could most likely be a part of a major plotline involving an evil faction.
A special episode called “Pocket Monsters: Distant Blue Sky” will air next week on 23rd December 2022 depicting the encounter between Satoshi and a mysterious boy Haruto.
Additionally, a 11-episode series is scheduled to release on 13th January 2023, celebrating the life and journey of Ash Ketchup spanning 25 years as he goes one step beyond World Champion and becomes the Pokemon Master.
The final chapter of Ash and Pikachu is titled “Aim to Be a Pokemon Master!” wherein all the friends Ash has met during his travels, such as Misty and Brock, will reappear.
Check out the announcement below:
PALDEA REGIONS AND NEW STARTER POKEMON
The trailer for the new series is set in the Paldea region of the Pokemon World and is also the ninth region of the core series. Like previous installments of Pokemon seasons, Paldea also forms the premise of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet NDS-based games.
With a new region comes new Pokemon, including the starters, which a player must choose to start their journey in the Paldea region.
Three starter Pokemon are available: grass cat Sprigatito, fire crocodilian Fuecoco(Fire), and water duckling Quaxly(Water).
You can find the Pokedex Entry of the starters for both Scarlet and Violet below:
| STARTER | POKEDEX ENTRY |
| Sprigatito (Grass) | (S)Its fluffy fur is similar in composition to plants. This Pokémon frequently washes its face to keep it from drying out. (V) The sweet scent its body gives off mesmerizes those around it. The scent grows stronger when this Pokémon is in the sun. |
| Fuecoco (Fire) | (S) It lies on warm rocks and uses the heat absorbed by its square-shaped scales to create fire energy. (V) Its flame sac is small, so energy is always leaking out. This energy is released from the dent atop Fuecoco’s head and flickers to and fro. |
| Quaxly (Water) | (S) This Pokémon migrated to Paldea from distant lands long ago. The gel secreted by its feathers repels water and grime. (V) Its strong legs let it easily swim around in even fast-flowing rivers. It likes to keep things tidy and is prone to overthinking things. |
Along with the starter Pokemon, Liko and Roy Pokemon characters are also introduced as dual protagonists who will be replacing Ash in the main series.
Liko is the female lead with blue eyes wearing a hairpin that resembles Ash s’ hat logo from the original series. Roy is the male protagonist with red eyes sporting a black jacket and brown shorts.
RECOMMENDED:-ASH KETCHUM BECOMES WORLD CHAMPION AFTER 25 YEARS:FULL BREAKDOWN
TRIBUTES POUR IN FOR ASH AND PIKACHU
This latest update basically stating ‘Ash & Pikachu are retiring’ comes weeks after Ash became the Champion which, albeit a good send-off but is challenging to process and accept for many fans.
The contrasting emotions in a matter of weeks is a bittersweet experience as Ash s’ journey takes its final ride in the 11-episode special “Aim to Be a Pokemon Master!”
Pokémon has long been synonymous with Ash Ketchum and Pikachu, and the news that the world would soon have to say goodbye to the iconic duo led to an outpouring of tributes online.
Rica Matsumoto, the Japanese voice actor for Ash, tweeted, “Satoshi is still close to everyone’s hearts, just like when they left Masala Town. promise… Always together! Satoshi’s adventure continues… If it continues, it will continue”
The English cast, Sarah Natochenny, expressed her gratitude and how privileged she felt playing Ash for the past 17 years.
It wasn’t only the voice cast with tributes, as in the latest Pokemon Journeys episode, Ash finally reunited with his Butterfree after 22 years in what was a nostalgic tailspin for many fans.
CONCLUSION
Ash will go down as one of the greatest protagonists in anime history, and fans who grew up watching his journey will have nothing but fond memories.
