Pokemon to air Ash Ketchum's last episode ever in March 2023

Ash and Pikachu as seen in the Pokemon: Mezase Pokemon Master
Ash and Pikachu as seen in the anime (Image via OLM)

With Pokemon: Mezase Pokemon Master set to release its episode 11 on Friday, March 24, 2023, fans are not ready to see Ash Ketchum as the protagonist of the anime for the final time. Following that, a new anime is set to premiere soon, which will feature its own protagonists - Liko and Roy.

For now, the anime is tying up all the loose ends in the story. This means that the franchise is currently commemorating all the adventures Ash and Pikachu have gone through during their journey, following which he became a Pokemon Master.


Ash's Pokemon journey is set to end soon

With Pokemon: Mezase Pokemon Master episode 11, titled Rainbow and Pokémon Master!, scheduled to be released on Friday, March 24, 2023, the anime has been promoting the final episode with a montage of 25 years' worth of journeys, all across Japan.

The same can be seen in a metro station in Japan, as the entire wall is covered with a promotional video that runs for a minute and 30 seconds. The video itself features clips from the entire anime, starting with Ash and Pikachu's very first journey.

Given that the episode itself is set to feature Ash's final appearance, the anime might end on a dramatic note as Ash and Pikachu could possibly continue their journey behind the scenes.


Fans react to the promotion of Ash's final episode

Fans were truly devastated upon realizing that they were going to see the last of Ash very soon. In response, they reacted in their own way, as some looked back to the time when the anime was airing and how they took it for granted as it had been running for so long.

Several fans found it hard to believe that OLM studios were finally set to retire Ash Ketchum after following his journey for 25 years. While they did have the realization that the anime needed to end soon enough due to its length, when the moment was finally closing in on them, fans found the truth hard to swallow.

Several fans were heartbroken by the upcoming change in the anime's main character, as fans have had Ash Ketchum as their protagonist for over 25 years. This has led them to feel connected to the character, which in turn made it difficult for them to say goodbye when the time for parting ways finally arrived.

Even anime fans who weren't as into the franchise felt emotional upon watching the promotional video, as Ash and Pikachu's journey had been developing for a long time, making it difficult to accept that the adventure was finally coming to an end.

The promotional video seems to have truly done wonders as it left fans tearing up upon seeing Ash with all the friends he made during his 25-year-long journey. These friends range all the way from Brock and Misty to Goh. Along with them, all of Ash's pokemons featured in the video as well.

Meanwhile, fans are also worried about the anime franchise, as a new anime is set to release soon. While fans are excited about it, they are left doubtful if it will fare well in comparison to Ash's story, which garnered a huge fanbase over the course of more than two decades.

New Pokemon 2023 anime is set to premiere on Friday, April 14, 2023, at 6:55 PM JST.

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