Original Pokémon The Ash Ketchum anime ended in 2023, with Ash walking off into the metaphorical sunset, ready for his next adventure. Many fans weren't particularly fond of this open-ended, “adventure continues”-style ending for the beloved character, but the truth is that there was no other way for the series to end if it wanted to stay true to its theme.
This open-ended conclusion to Ash's story has caused quite a bit of outrage among fans, especially those who wanted to see an older Ash who has moved on with his life for the first time in 25 years. While it's understandable why older fans would want to see such an ending, to match how they've moved on with their own lives, it was destined to never happen, and the creators of the series have tried to make that clear in interviews. In order to fulfill the promise that the Pokémon series has represented over the years, there was only one possible ending.
Ash's ending in Pokémon is a secret symbol for the message of the entire series
Franchising is always about adventure
Ash's ending shows that he continues to explore and meet new Pokémon, just like he always has. Becoming World Champion doesn't change that, because becoming champion was never really Ash's goal. This is made clear in the final episode, when Gary asks Ash how close he is to becoming a Pokémon Master. Ash pondered this question for a while, and eventually came to the conclusion that becoming a Master meant learning about and befriending every Pokémon, a task that could never truly be accomplished..
Despite all the progress and growth he’s made over the years the series has been running, Ash is no closer to becoming a Pokémon Master in the final episode than he was in the first. The world of Pokémon is a mysterious, endlessly expanding and evolving world, so of course Ash’s adventures will be no different. Fans of the games are familiar with that feeling – even if you’ve caught every Pokémon there is to catch right now, there are always more Pokémon just around the corner, just waiting to be revealed. “Gotta Catch'em All” is also an endless quest just like Ash's.
Ash can't grow up because Pokémon can never grow up (no matter how much fans wish it would)
Pokémon has always been the embodiment of children's imagination.
Ash's journey has been every kid's dream since the first Pokémon game came out on the Game Boy all those years ago. It's a story filled with adventure and action, and always told in a slightly childish way. Ash never has to worry about resources or money on his journey; he always has exactly what he needs to get through. The real concerns and dangers of the adventure are rarely acknowledged, no matter how many times Ash needslessly risks his life.
Ash's Pokémon Adventures is a children's fantasy of what it's like to explore the world, and it always has been.. Ever since Red and Green debuted in Japan, Pokémon has promised players that the fantasy world, and the anime is no different, is simply a reflection of the original games that has slowly evolved over time. While older fans may want to see the franchise grow with them, this “childlike” element of the series, this playful view of what adventure is all about… it’s an essential element of Pokémon. To deny it is to deny a core part of Pokémon’s appeal.
Of course, that doesn't mean Pokémon is just for kids. It's something that everyone can enjoy equally and that's part of what makes it special.. As the franchise grows and adds more mature elements, that's at risk, so it's no surprise that the powers that be are hesitant to embrace what fans so desperately want. Ash's conclusion that a never-ending Pokémon adventure simply takes place off-screen now fits perfectly with the values the franchise has always held.
Ash's evolution reflects how the Pokémon series has changed over time.
Ash has evolved over time, but his core remains the same.
There's no doubt that Ash's personality has changed throughout the series; just compare the hot-headed, cursing Ash of the first season to the calmer, more mature Ash of the final season of Pokémon Journeys to see how much his personality has changed. To some extent, Ash has been reinvented for every era Pokémon has gone through, reflecting the changing times and attitudes of children – its primary audience. Like the show itself, with a constantly changing cast, Ash has evolved into the character that kids today need.
The different eras of Ash and the series have reflected changes in the way the series as a whole has approached its own development. As Pokémon attempted a darker story with X and Y, Ash became a little taller and looked a little older, to reflect the type of protagonist such a story would require. As things became lighter and softer with Sun and Moon, Ash's design similarly changed to become more cartoonish and expressive, to better fit the more comedic tone. Journeys represents a midpoint, and his design falls between the extremes of XY and Sun and Moon.
But even with all these changes, Ash is still the boy who set out with Pikachu many years ago.. Ash, like Pokémon in general, is and always will be a child's fantasy of endless adventures with his best friends. To continue that adventure, even after Ash's time as the star of the anime series is over… is really the only option for the series to end. Over the past year, fans have speculated about what Ash might be doing now, and that's exactly the point. His story will never end as long as Pokémon The dream continues.
