Pokémon is saying farewell to its anime protagonist, Ash Ketchum, after 17 years, but the franchise's games prove that this doesn't have to be the end of the show. While using a player character like in the games might not directly translate to an anime format, it's enough to show that Pokémon isn't as reliant on Ash as it can seem at times. As Ash's journey comes to an end, the writers for the Pokémon anime should take a look at the games for inspiration regarding new protagonists.
While the games have their own flaws, such as making poison-type Pokémon villains a disproportionate amount of time, their popularity and sales have held up over generations. The Pokémon give an array of examples for stories without Ash, and they also show that storylines can work whether they're simple or complex in this universe. Some Pokémon side series games even show that the protagonist doesn't need to be human at all, and a Pokémon can be the one to take the lead.
Pokémon Doesn't Need A New Ash
The stories in Pokémon games don't carry over from one generation to the next, and this allows them to let players make their own characters and keep the story contained to a smaller scale instead of always trying to raise the stakes until they become unrealistic. Pokémon Black and White dives into the morality of battling Pokémon while Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire have teams battling over their own ideas of what a utopia looks like. And although Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's stories can feel lackluster for some players, they're another addition in a series of games that show how the franchise can move on without Ash.
Pokémon's Future Could Look To The Past
Pokémon Legends: Arceus sees the player character sent into the past when Pokémon aren't as understood and the Pokéball is still a new creation. Instead of trying to become a champion, the player's mission is to create a Pokédex for the Hisui Region. This places Arceus as the first game on the Pokémon timeline, and it shows that the past has a lot to offer that the anime may want to consider. Whether the protagonist time travels like in Pokémon Legends: Arceus to the past or was born there, the games prove that the future of the franchise doesn't need to be set in the future.
The departure of an iconic character can leave the future of a show uncertain, especially in cases like Pokémon where Ash has been the protagonist for nearly two decades. However, the Pokémon franchise extends beyond the show, and the games have been successful even without Ash as a protagonist. The next protagonist doesn't need to be - and perhaps shouldn't be - a second Ash, and the games might be the perfect examples as to how Pokémon can move forward.
Source: IGN/YouTube
