A multi-decade journey comes to end, and a staple of anime and culture finally steps down.
Ash Ketchum: a name that not only every Pokemon fan knows, and even more outside of the fandom have at least heard. Having started in 1997, the Pokemon anime has been a major staple of the entertainment juggernaut that is Pokemon, and finally having reached its 25th year, the anime is making a major change moving forward.
Earlier this year, Ash Ketchum won the Pokemon World Championship, finally showing the world that he became the "very best, like no one ever was". With the teasers that we've gotten for the next season of the anime, which takes place in the region of Paldea, we haven't seen or gotten any word of our collective protagonist Ash, or his partner Pikachu; instead we've been introduced to a new "Captain Pikachu".
In terms of new characters, we know of several. Captain Pikachu will be the partner Pokemon to the Pokemon Professor Friede, a professor who is very adapt at Pokemon battles apparently. Our new main protagonist will be Liko, a girl from the Paldea region who will be accompanied by Roy, a boy from the Kanto region.
The Pokemon anime has been a staple to the fandom's collective childhood, and many if not all Pokemon fans can at least recall a few of their favorite episodes from their youth. While many fans may be sad to see Ash step down finally from his journey, but it is something that's been a long time coming. As a fandom we can't make fun of him for being a 10-year-old forever, and it appears just like us Ash is finally growing up.
