Ash Ketchum Finally Becomes the Very Best Pokémon Trainer After 25 Years

Ash Ketchum is finally "the very best" like no one ever was as, after 25 long years, he has finally become the Pokémon world champion. Adding to his Pokémon League Championship from the Aloha region, the classic character can now add the Masters Eight Tournament of the Pokémon World Coronation Series to his resume.

It has been a quarter century since the original 10-year-old Pokémon trainer character set out from Pallet Town with his reluctant Pikachu, where he has won the hearts of many across numerous generations. The character has faced some tough adversities through the years where he placed 16th in the Kanto region, Top 8 three times in 2002, 2005, and 2013 (Johto/Hoenn/Unova), and was even runner-up in the Kalos region in 2016.

Finally giving Ash the win, his team of Lucario, Gengar, Dragonite, Dracovish, Sirfetch’d, and Pikachu faced off against Leon where all were defeated except Pikachu who pulled off a clutch headbutt on Charizard to win the battle. The Pokémon Company International's vice president of marketing, Taito Okiura commented, "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."

Fans that grew up with the franchise can check out some of the reactions below.

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