We found out early this morning that Ash Ketchum, the best Pokémon trainer in the world and a boy who will always be 10, is finally hanging up his hat (so to speak) and will no longer be the main character in the anime series that has been running for 25 years.
No goodbye is complete without a goodbye tour, and Ash’s goodbyes are already getting sad. Last night in Japan, the last episode of Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series aired.
Ash and Goh’s sad goodbye was followed by two pretty amazing throwback encounters. Ash and Goh are flying on Lugia’s back when all of a sudden they run into Ho-Oh, a legendary Pokémon Ash first saw in the first episode of his journey.
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They see it fly across the sky and leave a rainbow behind, just like Ash and Pikachu did when they first became friends. Those who have been with Ash since the beginning are already feeling sad, but then things get even sadder.
During the credits, we see a picture of Ash meets up with Butterfree, the first Pokémon he ever caught (as a Caterpie) and the first Pokémon he ever let go of. Ash and Butterfree broke up in the first part of the episode. Bye Bye Butterfree, when his Butterfree fell in love with a pink version of himself and decided to stay with her.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would get this emotional over the Pokemon anime again as a 30-year-old. Reuniting with the original cast one last time including Ash’s Butterfree and even Ho-Oh, its like me saying farewell to my final piece of childhood for good. #anipoke pic.twitter.com/0aq8u0S5nt
— 🎀❄️🎄 Steven S. Bean 🎁🔔🕯️ (@ThePolishArtist) December 16, 2022
Ash has fondly thought back on his Butterfree many times since then. In a still posted by Joe Merrick of Serebii.net on Twitter, we can see the happy Butterfree couple greeting their old friend Ash after many, many years.
If you’re getting a little teary-eyed while reading this, there’s more to come. The anime series Aim to Be a Pokémon Master, which starts on January 13 in Japan, will be Ash’s last chance to shine.
🤯⚡️ The final chapter in #Ash and #Pikachu‘s on-screen adventures airs in January as the long-running anime says farewell to the iconic duo after 25 years
The next series will feature two new faces and the trio of starters from #PokemonScarletViolet
📺 https://t.co/eAsrMouczD pic.twitter.com/BTWvhSLhzt
— Nintendo South Wales (@Nintendo_SW) December 17, 2022
Ash will visit his old friends and Pokémon in the miniseries as he tries to figure out what he wants to do now that he’s the best Pokémon trainer in the world and what it means to be a Pokémon master.
Misty and Brock have already been seen in the trailer for this show, and I’m sure we’ll see even more old friends as it goes on… Follow us only on Lee Daily for more news like this.
