Pokemon anime unveils Ashs' dad after 25 years of mystery

Pokemon fans have been counting down the days until their favorite protagonist steps down as the main character. For the past 25 years, it has been about Ash's quest to become the best Pokemon trainer, and now that he has won the World Championship, there is not much left for him to do.

A special episode series beginning in January will showcase Ash's final journey towards becoming a Pokemon Master, but the new protagonists for a new series titled Pokemon Pocket Masters have already been announced.

While the antagonistic trio known as Team Rocket has been hailed as Ash's true supporters for attending almost every tournament he has competed in, including the final one, one figure who should have been there has been conspicuously absent for over two and a half decades.

Fans know almost nothing about Ash's father as he has hardly a few mentions in the series and films. For example, fans know that he, like Ash's grandfather, is on a quest to become a Pokemon Master. But with the release of a special episode titled Pokemon: The Distant Blue Sky, fans can finally say with certainty that they know something about him.

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Does Ash get to meet with his father in the Pokemon special episode?

Ash and Delia as seen in the anime (Image via OLM Studios)

In Pokemon: The Distant Blue Sky, Ash returns to Pallet Town, where his journey began, to embark on a new adventure. Delia, his mother, calls and asks him to come to the Pokemon Center. The occasion is meant to be special since Ash's father is also coming to town and is looking forward to meeting him.

Fans were also eager to meet Ash's mysterious father. Unfortunately, Team Rocket abducts Pikachu on the way, causing Ash's return to his hometown to be delayed. While searching for his Pikachu, he meets a mysterious boy named Haruto and learns of his dark secret.

When he finally returns home, his father has already left. The episode does not explain why Ash's father had to leave, other than that there was an urgent situation and he needed to go somewhere far away. However, it is shown that he left Ash's original cap.

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Final thoughts

Ash and Pikachu as seen in the anime (Image via OLM Studios)

For the duration of the Pokemon series with Ash as the protagonist, the image that has been generated is that the ten-year-old's father is a negligent parent who does not bother about his son's well-being and achievements. While the special episode did not reveal Ash's father, it did undermine its own running gag by revealing that he is a proud and living parent.

Fans may have been disappointed that they were unable to see Ash's father's true identity, but there is still a strong possibility of a revelation in the near future. Otherwise, teasing the character would be pointless.