Ash Ketchum

**Ash Ketchum** is the main character of the Pokémon anime.

He is a Pokémon Trainer from Pallet Town whose goal is to become a Pokémon Master. His starter Pokémon was a Pikachu that he received from Professor Oak after arriving late at his laboratory. On his journeys around the Pokémon world, he's been accompanied by a multitude of close friends. In *Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon*, he becomes the first Champion of the Alola region's Pokémon League. In *Pokémon Journeys: The Series*, he becomes the new Monarch of the Pokémon World Coronation Series.

He is a good friend of Nature Cat and Sheriff Callie, who both also met Ash's other friends Pikachu, Misty, Brock, Tracey Sketchit, May, Max, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, Serena, Clemont, Bonnie, Kiawe, Lillie, Sophocles, Lana, Mallow, Goh, Chloe, and others. They first met Ash in *Nature Cat and Sheriff Callie's Adventures of Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!*, and since then he has appeared in Nature Cat and Sheriff Callie's future adventures as a guest character. His powers in Pokémon Training and his courage have saved the day countless times, especially with his best friend, Pikachu. He and Pikachu are the founders and leaders of the Ash's Adventures Team.

## Trivia

* Ash's original Japanese name is "Satoshi" and he was named after and based on Satoshi Tajiri, the creator of Pokémon.
* Ash's last name, Ketchum, may be derived from "catch 'em".
	+ His fake name, Tom Ato, might be derived from his last name, Ketchum, and be related to Ketchup.
* Ash's name is based on one of the three options for one's name in Red/Blue/Yellow.
* In the 20th Pokémon movie as well as Betrayed, Bothered, and Beleaguered!, Ash's birthdate is confirmed to be the same day he began his journey.
* On a related note, Ash is still considered 10 years old in promotional materials as well as the first episode of *Black & White* (dub only) despite the episode "Best Wishes Until We Meet Again!" strongly implying that at least a full year had passed since his time in Johto. Also, in the "Pikachu & Pichu" short, which aired at least two full series before Best Wishes, it is stated a full year has passed since Ash and Pikachu first met then, as well. Though he is still officially "10", this would make Ash chronologically around 12, or, around 12–13. Takeshi Shudo also wrote the screenplay for the movie "The Spell of the Unown", which the Pikachu & Pichu short was originally shown with.
* Ash is the only human character to appear in every season.
* Besides the Orange League and Kanto Battle Frontier, the Alola League is currently the only actual league tournament that Ash ever won.
* In the Kanto region, Ash often turned his cap backward when preparing for a battle or to capture a Pokémon. This habit wore off as time went on. However, he was shown turning his cap backward when he was battling Tobias, presumably because Tobias was arguably the strongest Trainer he'd ever faced, being the only one who was capable of beating all six of his Pokémon using only two of his own. Although in the Best Wishes series, Ash is seen turning his cap backward more often. He recently turned his hat around in A Battle of Aerial Mobility! when he used Froakie to help defeat and capture Fletchling.
* Ash has seen every legendary Pokémon from Kanto to Galar.
* In *Tekken 6*, there is a female character named Eleonore "Leo" Kliesen, who can be customized to look like Ash Ketchum. Coincidentally, both characters were voiced by Veronica Taylor and sounded very similar. However, in Tekken Tag Tournament 2 and onwards, Leo's voice grunts are used in later games where it was performed by Veronica Taylor, and Leo is now voiced by a German voice actor to speak in her native German language.
* Almost every character in the Pokémon anime are featured in the games, such as Misty (who even appeared as a trophy in *Super Smash Bros. Melee),* Brock (who appeared in *Pokémon Red/Blue* version), and Lyra (from *Diamond & Pearl*), as a Trainer♀ in *Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver* version and Gary, who appeared as the main rival in *Pokémon Red/Blue* version default named as Blue. However, the only game Ash has ever appeared in is *Pokémon Puzzle League* for the Nintendo 64.
* According to "Climbing the Walls!", Ash's favorite move is Thunderbolt, mostly since this is his Pikachu's most notable move throughout the entire series.
* Ash was Veronica Taylor's favorite role to voice in her career.
* Aside from the Orange Islands, Johto, the second tour through Kanto and Sinnoh, in the beginning, Ash sends all his Pokémon to Professor Oak when he goes to a new region, although he left his Alola Pokémon with Professor Kukui.
	+ This is because according to "Gotta Catch Ya Later!", Ash wanted to start off a new journey with only his Pikachu because he wanted to have the feeling of leaving Pallet Town for the first time, as he did in "Pokémon - I Choose You!"
* Ash has a total of 82 Pokémon under his ownership, including all 30 of his Tauros.
* Ash is the first male character to:
	+ Have a different Pokémon as his Starter Pokémon that isn't an actual Starter Pokémon from the normal Grass/Fire/Water-mix.
	+ Have caught or received an Electric, Bug, Flying, Normal, Grass, Fire, Water, Fighting, Psychic, Fairy, Ice, Dragon and Dark-type Pokémon.
		- Also to have or had a pure Electric, Bug, Fire, Water, Fighting, Poison, Normal, Grass, Ground, Ice, Dragon and Steel-type Pokémon.
	+ Have caught or received a Pokémon that has evolved into its second stage or was fully evolved prior to meeting their Trainer.
	+ Have caught at least one Pokémon of every type.
	+ Have caught at least one Pokémon species from all eight core series regions.
		- Also to have caught or received a member or more from the Generation I, III and V groups.
	+ Have caught a regional Starter, Artificial, a Male-only and Shiny Pokémon.
	+ Have caught more than one regional Starter Pokémon as he caught one or more from the 7 mainline Regions, except Galar.
	+ Have caught a Pseudo and Semi-Pseudo-Legendary Pokémon.
	+ Have caught a Pokémon with a unique power or form.
	+ Have caught an Ultra Beast and a Mythical Pokémon.
	+ Have compete in 7 Regional Pokémon League Conferences.
	+ Have special unique abilities, Aura and Bond Phenomenon.
	+ Have used four battle techniques, Z-Moves, Gigantamax, Mega Evolution and Dynamax.
	+ Have defeated more than one Legendary or Mythical Pokémon.
	+ Have looked after both a Mythical and Legendary Pokémon.
		- Though in the most recent clips and posters, it shows that the Legendary Pokémon, Solgaleo, aka Nebby, is standing alongside most of Ash's Pokémon. This indicates that Nebby is Ash's first official Legendary Pokémon, despite not having it caught.
	+ Have defeated three leaders of their own villainous organization in battle, Lysandre, Guzma and Chairman Rose.
	+ Become an official regional Pokémon Champion after winning a Regional Pokémon League Conference in Alola.
	+ Be a Pokémon Champion of two regions, Orange Islands and Alola.
	+ Have defeated another regional Pokémon Champion in battle, being one of traveling companions Iris.
	+ Have travelled to all eight current mainline Regions.
	+ Have several Pokémon temporarily devolve back into eggs.
		- However, this unfortunate circumstance was only against their will because the Alternate World Team Rocket was misusing the time-space powers of Dialga and Palkia and the Red Chain. So, it was not intentional on Ash's part and the devolution effects on his Pokémon, and everyone else's were soon reversed afterwards.
	+ Have use a move from all eighteen types of Pokémon.
* So far, Ash has:
	+ Fourteen out of eighteen different types of Pokémon that fully evolved, although he has four of the missing types but all of them have already evolved into their second stage or was fully evolved prior to meeting their Trainer.
	+ Thirteen out of eighteen that are or were pure types, although he has the missing types but are all dual types.
	+ Not caught a Female-only Pokémon.
* Ash has been held captive and used as a hostage for almost every villainous organization in each Region he's been to:
	+ Team Rocket has taken Ash captive in almost every Region he's been to so he wouldn't get in their way. Sometimes, Ash was captured with his own Pokémon or others that weren't his so he wouldn't get in their way. So far, Ash was only used once by Team Rocket as a hostage for a Pokémon.
	+ Team Magma had Ash held captive because Pikachu had something they wanted and so he wouldn't get in their way.
	+ Team Galactic has held Ash captive so he wouldn't get in their way and as a hostage for a Pokémon.
	+ Team Flare did take Ash captive as they wanted to use one of the abilities he poses for their plans, Bond Phenomenon. Also, they are the first villainous organization to do so.
	+ Team Aqua, Team Plasma, and Team Skull are the only villainous organizations by far not to have held Ash captive or as a hostage for any reason.
* Ash has some features similarities with "Max Taylor" from "Dinosaur King"; wearing headwear of some kind, wearing gloves, an athletic aesthetic, and pairing with a lightning elemental partner. They were also voiced by Veronica Taylor in the English Dub.
* Ash has obtained at least one Flying-type and Fire-type from each region he has traveled.
* In the first episode of *Pokémon Journeys*, Ash overslept and was late to go to Professor Oak's summer camping trip just like the first day he was going to get his first starter Pokémon in the first episode of the original series "Pokémon - I Choose You!".
* Ash has his own special day event known as "National Ash Ketchum Day", which commemorates his first Pokémon League victory in Alola. It has been celebrated every September 15 since 2020.
* As stated by Takeshi Shudo on his blog a few months prior to his passing, he had wanted Ash to leave the series and let a new protagonist replace him instead, because he believed that Ash would not be relevant enough to keep up with the topics of the times when he continued to stay year after year.
* Just as Iris and May captured all of her Pokémon without battling them, Ash also caught his Pokémon from the Alola Region without having a Pokémon battle, with the exception of Litten.
* He was voiced by Veronica Taylor (1998-2006) and is currently voiced by Sarah Natochenny (2006-present).
* In Toonwriter's series of Ash's Adventures, Ash's Adventures team will mainly consist of the following: Ash, Pikachu, Lucario, Keldeo, May, Manaphy, Dawn, Piplup, Shaymin, Serena, Max, Ralts, Jirachi, Molly Hale, Teddiursa, Entei, Brock, Clemont, Bonnie, Dedenne, the Pichu Brothers, Iris, Axew, Cilan, Paul, Bulla Briefs, Trip, Raichu (formerly from the Pokemon Sinnoh Summer Camp) and Lovrina.
* Whenever Ash battles with his Lucario and goes to use Mega Evolution, he would change from his regular gloves into his Mega Gloves. He would sometimes store his regular gloves in his vest so he would put them back on later after the battle.
* Ash bonds really well with Eliza Thornberry and her sister Debbie Thornberry since they all have an interest in protecting innocent creatures and will form a brother-sister relationship with them.
* Ash bonds really well with Max Goof and they will form a brotherly bond.
* Ash bonds really well with Henry Rowengartner since they both have mothers, their fathers are unknown, they are only children and will form a brotherly bond.
* In *Pooh's Adventures of Wreck-It Ralph*, Ash will turn 11 and all of his good friends will throw him a birthday party he will never forget at Litwak's Arcade.
* In *Connor Lacey's Super Adventures of Codename Kids Next Door - Operation Z.E.R.O.*, Ash will reveal that he, along with Yugi Moto, Chiro, Yumi Ishiyama, and Taichi ''Tai'' Kamiya, were once active KND operatives before he retired. During that time, he was called "Numbuh 1000".