With the end of Ash Ketchum’s journey in thePokemonanime being announced, the original voice actor for the character, Veronica Taylor, has posted her own reactions to the news. The latest episodes of the show have seen the once amateur Pokemon trainer overcome the odds where after 25-years in real time,Ash Ketchum has won the Pokemon World Championship. This isn’t the only shocker, as The Pokemon Company also announced the anime is going to transition away from using Ash as the central character for the anime starting withPokemon ScarletandViolet’s Paldea Region, with a set of new protagonists in his place.As a result, fans are going to eventuallysay goodbye to Ash and Pikachuafter so many memories and battles on their journey to be the very best. The next 11 episodes are going to wrap this up, with Ash meeting with several of his past companions and Pokemon he’s caught over the years. This will likely be bittersweet for those who grew up watching the show. The original voice actor for Ash Ketchum, Veronica Taylor, posted her own reactions to the announcement.RELATED:Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Tera Raid Event Gives Players Second Chance at Catching CharizardTaylor had played Ash Ketchum through Seasons 1-8, until the dubbing rights from 4Kids Entertainment were lost. When the news broke online, Taylor was really surprised, under the impression thatthe journey of Ash Ketchumwould never end. Despite Ash’s story coming to a close, Taylor notes that the series' new beginning does look promising.
She also posted a video where she voices Ash again, using a program that sees her motions animated over an Ash Ketchum figure. Ash proceeds to recount the very first episode of thePokemonanime, including key points such as when he woke up late, how he met Pikachu, and how he would go on to meet all of his friends. The video ends with him noting that while his time in the spotlight is ending, there are still plenty of adventures in the Pokemon world to explore, ending with his iconic “I Choose You” catchphrase.
Ash’s current voice actor, Sarah Natochenny, also commented on the character’s impending departure from the anime, noting she had the privilege of being able to voice an iconic character for nearly 17 years. While Ash Ketchum is no longer going to be the central focus from here on out, the memories that the character has brought to many will stick around for a lot of people, with many also looking forward to what newPokemonadventures await in Paldea.
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