Recently, the Pokémon anime mocked the fact that Ash’s father is continually absent for no established reason.
As reported by ComicBook.com, this occurred in a recent special titled Pokémon: The Distant Blue Sky, wherein Ash returns to his hometown to meet up with both of his parents. Although Ash’s father supposedly planned to see his son on his return trip to Pallet, by the time Ash arrives, Ash’s father is already gone. The episode gives no clear reason why Ash’s father had to leave so suddenly, and the absence of relevant context makes the scenario somewhat comical, as it gives the impression that Ash’s father is ambivalent about his son’s existence. His gift to Ash — the hat from the original series — is also a subtle reminder of just how long he has remained absent from the anime.
Ash’s Departure Leaves Several Questions Unanswered
The identity of Ash’s father is an ongoing topic of speculation and debate within the Pokémon fandom. However, fans may never get a definitive answer since Ash’s story is rapidly approaching its end. After almost 25 years on air with Ash as the central protagonist, Pokémon announced “the final chapter in Ash and Pikachu’s story,” which starts airing on January 13, 2023, and will consist of 11 episodes total. Many of Ash’s past Pokémon partners appeared in the preview, along with fan-favorite characters like the water-Pokemon trainer, Misty, and Ash’s former rival, Gary Oak. The announcement also revealed two new trainers that will presumably be the protagonists of Pokemon’s next generation. These trainers have become another major topic of debate, as many fans are convinced that the female trainer is Ash’s daughter.
The announcement of Ash’s departure prompted an enormous outpouring of sentiment online, with fans taking to Twitter and other social media outlets in droves to say goodbye to Ash. Sarah Natochenny, the current English-language voice actor for Ash Ketchum, also bid a public farewell to the character on Twitter, writing, “It’s been an extraordinary privilege to have been the English voice actor of Ash Ketchum for what will be 17 years. No matter what lies beyond his final chapter, he’ll live forever in the hearts of many generations to come. Cheers to new beginnings!”
Pokémon: Indigo League, Journeys, Master Journeys and Ultimate Journeys are available on Netflix. Fans can find other seasons of Pokémon via Prime Video.
Source: Twitter, via ComicBook.com
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