Fans Get Emotional As Ash Ketchum's Story In 'Pokemon' Comes To A Close After 26 Years

Fans become emotional as Ash Ketchum's journey in the 'Pokemon' series finally comes to a close, with the last episode being aired on March 24.

Fans Get Emotional As Ash Ketchum's Story In 'Pokemon' Comes To A Close

Source : Twitter

New Delhi: Ash Ketchum is officially retiring from the Pokemon franchise after 26 years. The final episode of the Pokemon anime, titled 'The Rainbow And The Pokemon Master,' will be broadcast in Japan on March 24, 2023. Fans have been waiting for the finale to see how Ash's story will conclude.

Speaking of Pokemon, the show has had a huge impact on children and also as adults in the form of a popular Pokemon hunting game. As kids, we used to eagerly wait for the show and now that it is coming to an end, fans are all emotional and are going down memory lane to their good old childhood days. 

Fans have taken to Reddit to express their thoughts and feelings about the series' conclusion. One of them wrote, "Between the Pokemon anime, the games and the trading cards it was probably the most influential thing in my childhood as it inspired me to use my imagination and opened the door for me to try other anime (which I didn't know were anime at the time). Although I stopped watching Pokemon after elementary school, it established the necessary links I needed to come back to anime after I grew out of my "too cool for cartoons" phase. My roommates in college ended up being Pokemon fans too so we would connect over the series, and I even watched Pokemon X and Y at that time with them as I was getting back into anime. Ash's journey ending feels kind of surreal at this point since he's been a mainstay for basically my entire life."

Another one shared how the Pokemon series and Pokemon games were an important part of his childhood and said, "I didn’t have cable TV growing up, so the only sources of Pokemon content was excessive rewatches of whatever few episodes were on DVD that did not connect in any way (all I remember is that one Tower of Terror episode) as well as the movies (Celebi, Darkari, Latis, Arceus)."

"In terms of games, I’ve played all gens up to 5 since I didn’t have a 3DS at the time of the new generation. Which is fine, because I find the 3D style to not look good. I’ve also played my fair share of fan games like Reborn, Rejuvenation, and others. Whenever I’m in the itch to read manga again, I plan to read the Pokémon Adventures series. Which reminds me, does anyone remember the Pokewalker? That was the OG Pokemon Go!", he further went on to say.

A third user narrated how they used the basketball court outside as a battle arena for their pokemon and said, "When I was in First grade we used the basketball court outside as a battle arena for our pokemon. We would stand at either end, have six pokemon cards tucked into our pocket, and call out which pokemon we summoned, nearly always yelling "I CHOOSE YOU!" after saying the pokemon's name. We didn't really use the moves on the cards but just any move we thought that pokemon would know and made up what it did based on the name. I don't really remember who won which battles, we just wanted to play. To this day my Pikachu edition GBC game is my favourite of the series. I still remember my first victory team. Raichu, Nidoking, Pigeot, Gengar, Golem, Blastoise."

While, a fourth one wrote, "I still am in disbelief that ash's journey is at an end. Played the games since I was a kid, and I play them now with my little nephew. Pokemon will always have a place in my heart."

Ash's journey has been a constant in every Pokemon fan's life, and seeing it come to a conclusion feels surreal. Pokemon has indeed brought many of us together and provided us with long-lasting experiences.

With Ash's story drawing to an end, fans are left wondering about the future of the 'Pokemon' franchise. A new series titled 'Pokemon' is set to debut on TV Tokyo in Japan on April 14, and it will be set in the Paldea region. Fans are excited to see where the Pokemon franchise goes next without Ash, as new heroes Liko and Roy will head the upcoming anime.