After more than 25 years of traveling across the land with his loyal pal Pikachu, Ash Ketchum is finally the top Pokémon trainer in the world.
The news was revealed during the latest episode of Pokémon Ultimate Journeys, Netflix’s iteration of the anime television show. Ash, who has been the main protagonist since the iconic series began in 1997, was crowned “World Champion” by beating the former world champion, Leon, in the “Masters Eight Tournament of the Pokémon World Coronation Series.”
“Ash Ketchum’s determination and perseverance to achieve his goal of becoming the world’s top Pokémon Trainer over the course of 25 seasons represents the very best of what it means to be a Trainer,” Taito Okiura, Vice President of Marketing for The Pokémon Company International, said in a statement Friday. “We cannot wait to celebrate this moment with Pokémon fans when the newest season of Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series and this adventure-defining episode air around the world in the coming year. This is a season fans won’t want to miss!”
Ash’s crowning achievement arrives three years after he was crowned the first-ever Pokémon League Champion in 2019’s Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon. Pokémon fans will have to wait to watch Pokémon Ultimate Journeys, as the series has only been broadcast on Netflix in Japan. According to a news release, the series will air worldwide sometime “in the future.”
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