Ash and Pikachu Retiring From Pokemon for New Heroes

[cj3]

www.google.com/amp/s/metro.co.uk/2022/12/16/pokemon-anime-is-retiring-ash-and-pikachu-after-25-years-17950990/amp/

[Lizuka #BLM]

Felt like it was probably going to happen with the way the pieces were coming together, though can see them bringing them back if it doesn't work out. ... Which I imagine will end up happening given how swiftly they scrambled to backpedal on giving Team Rocket actual character development in Gen 5.

Either way think it's very overdue at this point, might reinvigorate some interest in the anime. Hopefully that last episode with him, Misty, and Brock finally brings some closure to the Ho-Oh story.

[hassanchop]

Thank goodness. Been too long, will he finally be an adult?

[Mandarin Dessert Version 0]

Dec 16, 2022 14:39:05 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

Felt like it was probably going to happen with the way the pieces were coming together, though can see them bringing them back if it doesn't work out. ... Which I imagine will end up happening given how swiftly they scrambled to backpedal on giving Team Rocket actual character development in Gen 5.

Either way think it's very overdue at this point, might reinvigorate some interest in the anime. Hopefully that last episode with him, Misty, and Brock finally brings some closure to the Ho-Oh story.

Forget about Ho-Oh, how about Ash getting a surprise phone call from famous Pokéball researcher Kurt: "ASH, MY BOY!!! AFTER YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS OF RESEARCH, I FINALLY FOUND OUT WHAT'S INSIDE THE GS BALL!!!"

[Hanky McCranky Jr.]

I kinda hope they do for him what the games did for Red where he's now an adult.

[The Heartbreak TWERK]

Dec 16, 2022 14:59:37 GMT -5 Mandarin Dessert Version 0 said:

Dec 16, 2022 14:39:05 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

Felt like it was probably going to happen with the way the pieces were coming together, though can see them bringing them back if it doesn't work out. ... Which I imagine will end up happening given how swiftly they scrambled to backpedal on giving Team Rocket actual character development in Gen 5.

Either way think it's very overdue at this point, might reinvigorate some interest in the anime. Hopefully that last episode with him, Misty, and Brock finally brings some closure to the Ho-Oh story.

Forget about Ho-Oh, how about Ash getting a surprise phone call from famous Pokéball researcher Kurt: "ASH, MY BOY!!! AFTER YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS OF RESEARCH, I FINALLY FOUND OUT WHAT'S INSIDE THE GS BALL!!!"

Ash: "Oh boy, what is it!"

Kurt: "Well, it was a Togepi."

Ash: "Was?"

Kurt: "It's been 20 years, you f***."

[fw91]

Well he would have to go back to school eventually. What’s he have? A 4th grade education?

[Gawk Rivers]

Pikachu's pension is probably garbage this isn't lasting

[Mike Strike]

Should've happened ages ago.

[Toates Madhackrviper]

I wish his championship run had him using Pokemon from across his other journies if it was going to be his last one, but yeah this was long past due.

[Desi]

Not gonna lie, I'm in my feelings about this since I grew up with Pokemon (both the games and anime.)

Even though I stopped watching the show after XYZ (which are the best seasons in terms of Ash's character,) I'm gonna miss him.

[cjb01: Limited Edition Item!]

He also reunited with Butterfree in the last episode btw, which is a moment near 25 years in the making for viewers of the anime

The 11 episode ending is gonna be emotional and I'm very curious how it all truly ends, if stuff like seeing the Ho Oh or even his Dad will ever be brought up. I just hope we see Pidgeot and Primeape again too.

The new protagonists are gonna have huge shoes to fill, even if the quality cratered for the Yugioh anime, they switched up protagonists a lot after Yami that it became pretty normal, Ash outside of some short specials has always been the face of this brand, so they really gotta knock it out of the park with Riko and Roy and the Paldea arc

Also I assume this means the end of seeing Team Rocket too and honestly, that farewell might hurt more than Ash's...

[Tiger Millionaire]

Bring back Samurai so they can finish the Metapod vs Metapod battle.

[Deleted]

Dec 16, 2022 14:39:05 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

Felt like it was probably going to happen with the way the pieces were coming together, though can see them bringing them back if it doesn't work out. ... Which I imagine will end up happening given how swiftly they scrambled to backpedal on giving Team Rocket actual character development in Gen 5.

Either way think it's very overdue at this point, might reinvigorate some interest in the anime. Hopefully that last episode with him, Misty, and Brock finally brings some closure to the Ho-Oh story.

We've seen what happens to lesser anime that tried to break the mold, like with Yo-Kai Watch (who had some valid reasoning as to why they wanted to keep things different), and it failed spectacularly for them to the point where it not only killed the brand, but it pretty much killed the company as Level-5 is a shambling corpse right now.  Every Digimon series will always have its fans and supporters, but they will always have to contend with the original Adventure as a bearer for how their Tamogatchi adaption got introduced to audiences worldwide.  And Yu-Gi-Oh! uses its anime for a different format entirely, but that format isn't even sold outside of Japan and South Korea.

I think in Pokemon's case, the problem was... you could only do things for so long.  The story was how Ash tried to become a champion, and he failed over and over again.  Then he won a league that was being formed.  Then he became the champion of the world.  I mean, you could talk about him facing new contenders for the crown and his quest to understand the world if you want, but sometimes, it doesn't hurt to try new things.  Plus, it's been 25 years.

[Gecko]

What is the lifespan of a Pikachu anyway? 25 years seems suspiciously long. Are we absolutely sure that Ash hasn't just been getting a replacement while off screen every couple of years?

[Gus Richlen: Ruffian]

Dec 17, 2022 7:57:36 GMT -5 Gecko said:

What is the lifespan of a Pikachu anyway? 25 years seems suspiciously long. Are we absolutely sure that Ash hasn't just been getting a replacement while off screen every couple of years?

Running into Mewtwo probably did something.

[Celexa Bliss]

Dec 17, 2022 7:57:36 GMT -5 Gecko said:

What is the lifespan of a Pikachu anyway? 25 years seems suspiciously long. Are we absolutely sure that Ash hasn't just been getting a replacement while off screen every couple of years?

Considering all the Pokemon with the power to distort time and space and f*** with reality, it wouldn't shock me if the Pokemon World is stuck in it's own little pocket dimension, like something out of Doctor Who.

Now give me a crossover where Ash and Pikachu meet the Eleventh Doctor and The Ponds.

[Feargus McReddit]

[Dr. T is an alien]

Dec 16, 2022 14:59:41 GMT -5 Hanky McCranky Jr. said:

I kinda hope they do for him what the games did for Red where he's now an adult.

Having not played the games, I’m guessing he runs a gym?

[ace]

Just keep checking in so I don’t miss Henry Cavill being announced as the new lead