For a generation or two of fans
who grew up on Nintendo’s runaway hit game franchise “Pokémon,”
and who have also followed the similarly long-running anime adaptation, they
might still recall the opening lines of the first theme song, about being the
very best like no one ever was. That was the goal of the “Pokémon”
anime protagonist Ash Ketchum (Satoshi in the original Japanese). But while he
is a formidable trainer with a strong roster of “pocket monsters” led by his
partner Pikachu, throughout the anime’s seasons (each adapting a specific “Pokémon”
game title series) he has always found himself being eliminated in the league
tournament finales; until now.
“Pokémon” anime fans who have
become disillusioned with the increasingly hollow pledge of its hero Ash to
become a Pokémon
Master (specifically becoming champion of a main regional Pokémon
League) might finally have their faith restored as of Sunday, September 15.
That day, as CNet tells us, the
plucky (and eternally) 10-year-old trainer emerged triumphant in the Kalos Pokémon
League, the regional tournament of the Hawaii/Polynesian inspired by the 2016 Nintendo
3DS games “Pokémon Sun” and “Pokémon Moon,” particularly the “Ultra”
enhanced versions released 2017.
Said momentous occasion took place
in “The Rise of Alola’s Champion,” 45th episode of the current “Pokémon”
anime season “Sun and Moon Ultra Legends,” and the 1,080th episode
of the overall series run since 1997 in Japan. Here, Ash makes it to the finals
of the League for Kalos region, facing off against his seasonal rival Gladion. Against
all odds he and his Pokémon prevail, earning Ash his first ever league trophy (not
counting his championships in the non-regional Battle Frontier and the Orange
Islands League, which is not based on any existing “Pokémon” game).
Ash Ketchum has been a part of millions of lives & while many stop watching the Pokémon anime Ash continued to be a role model trainer for new generations. He's lost every Pokémon League to teach children it's ok to lose & today he finally won. What a day to be a Pokémon fan :) pic.twitter.com/Gzbf9j08N9— Aero (@ActualAero) September 15, 2019
This is a singularly important
moment for fans of the 23-year and 22-season long “Pokémon” anime series, which
originally airs in Japan on TV Tokyo before being localized overseas. Social
media has erupted in congratulations both earnest and tongue-in-cheek. Even Game
Freak’s Junichi Masuda, director-composer for many “Pokémon” games for Nintendo, went
on Twitter to cheer for Ash. Finally, original Ash Ketchum voice actress
Veronica Taylor (common practice for animated young boys to be voiced by female
VAs) spoke her own piece on this triumph by her old character, using the
familiar Ash voice too.
おめでとう！— 増田順一@GAME FREAK inc. (@Junichi_Masuda) September 15, 2019
Congratulations!
Congratulations to Ash Ketchum on winning the Pokémon League from Ash’s ‘younger’ self, circa 1998...yup, hard work, determination, good friends, and a bit of luck pay off! #pokemon #ashketchum #winning pic.twitter.com/JhgRcGJBEy— Veronica Taylor (@TheVeronicaT) September 15, 2019
“Pokémon Sun and Moon Ultra Legends”
episode 45, which aired in Japan September 15, will air its English version for
Western audiences next year on January 18 for Disney XD in the US, and probably
earlier for Teletoon in Canada.
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