Earlier in 2023 in Japan, Ash and Pikachu sang their swan song as the Pokemon Ultimate Journeys anime came to a bittersweet end with Ash’s final episode. Ash and Pikachu bid farewell to Japanese viewers back in March 2023, but Americans and Europeans have been forced to wait an extra six months to see the send-off in English. Pokémon Ultimate Journeys‘ final episode, “The Rainbow and the Pokémon Master,” will conclude Ash and Pikachu’s almost 30-year run as our main protagonists. They’ll then be replaced by Pokémon Horizons: The Series‘ Liko and Roy. Don’t worry, The Pokémon Company will keep rolling out merchandise, but the question is when do Ash and Pikachu leave the Pokemon anime? (Good news, as it’s this week!)
Image via The Pokémon Company
The final 11 episodes of Pokémon Ultimate Journeys will release on Netflix in the United States on September 8, 2023.
Pokémon Ultimate Journey‘s final 11 episodes aired in Japan starting January 13, 2023 and finished on March 24, 2023. Ash’s story began back in 1997 with “Pokémon – I Choose You!,” in which a 10-year-old Ash arrives late to Professor Oak’s laboratory on the day he’s allowed to choose his Starter Pokémon. Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle are all taken, leaving Ash with the Electric-Type Pokémon Pikachu. Although they don’t get along initially, when Ash defends Pikachu from a flock of attacking Spearow, Pikachu leaps into action to protect his trainer and the two become fast friends.
Ever since, Ash and Pikachu have fought together, grown together, and learned together. During the final 11-episode arc of Pokémon Ultimate Journeys, Ash takes on the Pokémon Champion, Leon, the former strongest Pokémon trainer in the world, before he lost to Ash in “Partners in Time!” Ash himself has come a long way since the Pallet Town days; there are over two dozen series comprising the Pokémon franchise. It all started with Indigo League from 1997 to 1999, then 27 years later, ended with Pokémon Ultimate Journeys.
There’s still a long way to go for Ash, who might be a Pokémon Champion, but has yet to claim the title of Pokémon Master. Pikachu will be by his side, as always, but we might never get to see that part of Ash’s journey. Who knows? Maybe, a few years from now, we’ll meet again.
Pokémon Ultimate Journeys‘ next batch of episodes, which includes Ash’s final episode, will release on Netflix in the United States on September 8, 2023. Past episodes are also available on the service.
