The Pokemon Anime has been going strong for almost thirty years. For many, the series was the gateway to the world of anime, as the games provided many young players with their first experience with the medium. A lot of things went right Pokemon It went on to become the global force it is today, and as much as the games played a huge role in making the franchise, you can't ignore the anime's impact on reaching new fans and shaping the franchise as we know it.
A big part of why the anime was so successful was its protagonists. Over the years, Ash and Pikachu became one of the most iconic couples in anime. The series did a great job of pairing these two as unforgettable friends, but Ash and Pikachu's bond Pokemon The anime's biggest draw, making its adventures in Kanto and other regions Pokemon The world is such a blast to watch. But nothing lasts forever, and almost a quarter of a century later, Ash and Pikachu's journey has come to an end. The Pokemon The anime is still going with a new set of characters and stories for a new generation of fans. But the Pallet Town duo have left some big shoes to fill.
Every 2000s Pokemon movie, ranked from worst to best
Since 1998, fans have been treated to 23 animated Pokemon movies, and those released in the 2000s remain the community's most beloved.
What made Ash and Pikachu's journey so special
Ash was conceived as a parallel to Red, the protagonist of the Gen I games. Although both coaches were from Pallet Town and had similar designs, that's where the similarities ended. Ash is a very expressive character, winning over anime fans with his positive outlook and sometimes snarky attitude. Another thing that set Ash apart from his game counterparts was his unusual choice of starter Pokemon. In the games, players get to choose between Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle as they set out to explore the Kanto region. But things worked out differently for Ash.
Ash was forced to take Pikachu as his starter due to being overslept and losing to the usual three options. Although this is an in-universe explanation, the real-world reasoning behind the decision was that Pikachu could serve as a neutral starter that would not show any favoritism towards a single starter in games. Pikachu's popularity in anime made him the mascot of the franchise for decades, so it worked out great. Although the two got off to a rocky start, their bond eventually grew to serve as a backbone. Pokemon Over two decades of franchise.
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Fans have seen Ash and Pikachu have a true friendship over the years, and although Ash is shown to be a kind and caring trainer for all of his Pokémon, the connection he and Pikachu share has inspired fans to go out and become great trainers in games across generations.
Ash went through a lot of growing pains as a trainer
Ash was always presented as a caring and ambitious young trainer, but that didn't always translate to success in the anime. While it took a while for Ash to start stacking up some serious wins, he often falls short of big accomplishments, whether it's winning a championship or catching a rare, legendary Pokemon that fans covet in games. The series focused more on the joy of traveling and sharing with friends rather than giving too much importance to individual achievements and accolades.
That's not to say that Ash hasn't achieved anything during the more than two decades he's been the anime's protagonist. From constantly failing Team Rocket to winning various Pokémon tournaments and becoming Orange League champions, Ash and Pikachu have done many great things along their journey.
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Indigo Plateau Conference – Top 16
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Silver Conference – Top 8
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Ever Grande Conference – Top 8
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Lily of the Valley Conference – Top 4
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Vertress Conference – Top 8
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Lumiose Conference – Runner-up
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Manalo Conference – Winner
Ash's biggest win came in the form of his World Coronation Series Championship win over Leon. It was a huge moment for fans, as it felt like years of work had finally paid off for Ash and Pikachu. After some tough losses over the years to trainers like Cameron, Paul, Sawyer and others, this was a well-earned win that showed Ashley making some big strides in what she started doing when she left Pallet Town in hopes of becoming a Pokemon Master.
After his historic victory, Ash embarks on a new journey that sees him reunited with familiar faces. To be a Pokemon Master was the final arc Pokemon Journeysand the final series featuring Ash and Pikachu. It was a sad but well-executed farewell tour that gave fans one last look at Ash and Pikachu's adventures before handing the reins to a new cast of characters.
So what's going on with Pokemon now?
Just because Ash and Pikachu said goodbye didn't mean the Pokemon anime was going to end. Instead, the series started fresh with a new cast of characters and new stories for a new generation of fans and old fans alike.
Pokemon Horizons The protagonist focuses on Lico and Roy, who, along with a group of trainers called the Rising Vault Tacklers, set out to find a group of Pokemon called the Six Heroes and try to learn more about the mysterious Terrapagos. The group travels with Professor Friday and his Pikachu, Captain Pikachu, on an airship called the Brave Olivine.
The new cast of characters are great in their own right, giving the series a chance to explore new things and provide fresh new stories that feel different from the Ash and Pikachu-led series. it said, horizon Still relatively new compared to its predecessors. There are some real highs so far, and both Liko and Roy are so different from Ash that you can appreciate their journeys and personal character growth. The future looks bright for Pokemon anime despite taking such a huge swing and retiring two of the franchise's most recognizable and beloved characters. Fans can still expect the same fun from the new series as they did with past entries, but these days, it's fun to look back at what made Ash's journey so special to follow.
Pokemon
- Release date
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1997 – 2023
- network
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TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, TVh, TVQ, TSC
- directors
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Shigeru Omachi, Koji Ogawa, Fumihiro Ueno, Hideki Hiroshima, Maki Kodaira, Makoto Oga, Ayumi Moriyama, Keitaro Motonaga, Shigeru Ueda, Fumihiro Yoshimura, Minoru Ohara, Yoshitaka Makino, Kiyoshi Egami, Makotoi, Murki, Makotoi, Murkoi, Nako, Hey Nishida, Tomoe Makino, Masahiko Watanabe, Hiroaki Takagi, Tazumi Mukaiyama, Ryohei Horiuchi, Yoshihiro Oda, Hiromichi Matano
- The authors
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Junki Takegami, Atsuhiro Tomioka, Hideki Sonoda, Yukiyoshi Ohashi, Yuka Miyata, Takeshi Shudo, Shouji Yonemura, Shinzo Fujita, Michihiro Tsuchiya, Deko Akao, Reiko Yoshida, Aya Matsui, Junichi Fujisaku
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Rika Matsumoto
Satoshi (voice)
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Ikue Otani
Pikachu (voice)
