Months after it was announced that the protagonist of the famous anime Pokemon – Ash Ketchum and his trusted Pokemon friend Pikachu – will be ending their run in the show, the day has finally come. The two iconic characters had their last adventure on the show this week with an emotional last scene that left many fans teary-eyed.
Pokemon began with the video game Pocket Monsters Red in 1996, which led to the spinoff anime Pokemon, which began in Japan in 1997 and soon aired worldwide. It was one of the most popular animated shows worldwide for several years in the early 20th century. Ash Ketchum, an 11-year-old boy, has been the show’s protagonist. His Pokemon – Pikachu – has become a pop culture icon globally in the 25 years since.
On Friday, fans of the anime shared the last scene of these two characters on the show with emotional messages. The scene simply shows Ash and Pikachu walking across a clearing in a forest as inspirational message plays in the background. Their long-time foes – Team Rocket – watch them from their balloon as the two walk away and the shot blurs away from them.
Fans said they were getting emotional seeing their favourite characters for the last time. “Thank you for everything, Ash and Pikachu. I will miss you both so much,” wrote one fan on Twitter. Another fan added, “It’s been one heck of journey I’m pretty sure they be back in the future but not as main characters anymore.” Many said the show would not be the same without them.
Pokemon recently unveiled a new promo song, introducing the show’s new central characters, who will replace Ash and Pikachu in the upcoming episodes. The new show is titled Pokémon Horizons: The Series, and will premiere on April 14.
