Pokémon ended Ash and Pikachu’s 25-season run as the anime’s central stars after Ash became World Champion, then launched a new series led by Liko and Roy. The change was a handoff of the starring role—not a story in which Ash permanently gives up traveling: his final episode sends him off on another journey with Pikachu.
Why did Pokémon retire Ash and Pikachu?
Ash’s World Coronation Series victory over Leon gave Pokémon a major milestone around which to build a transition. The Pokémon Company said Ash’s win crowned the adventures of the preceding 25 seasons, and announced that a new animated series with new characters would follow the conclusion of the current Ash-led series. The company’s December 16, 2022 announcement paired the new show with special episodes celebrating Ash’s journey.
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The announcement established a change in the series’ focus, not a definitive explanation that Ash had exhausted his ambitions or would never appear again. Pokémon has not provided audience or ratings figures in the cited announcements to explain the decision as a response to viewership.
Ash’s championship provided a natural transition point
In the World Coronation Series final, Ash faced Leon. Pokémon’s official account of the episode says Pikachu won the decisive matchup and Ash became World Champion. That victory offered a clear culmination for a long-running story before the anime introduced a different set of leads.
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Who replaced Ash in the Pokémon anime?
Liko and Roy were named as the new protagonists in the Japanese version of the 2022 announcement. They lead Pokémon Horizons, a new story rather than a continuation in which they take Ash’s place within the fictional world. The shift is best understood as a change in who the anime follows.
The handoff has continued beyond the launch: current official US materials identify Pokémon Horizons Season 3—Rising Hope—and feature Liko, Roy, Dot, and Ult. The Pokémon Company announced Season 3 Part 1 for digital purchase through Amazon, Apple TV, and YouTube Movies & TV in July 2026, and announced Part 4 for Netflix on September 18, 2026.
Does Ash stop traveling with Pikachu?
No. In the official synopsis for Season 25, Episode 53, “The Rainbow and the Pokémon Master!”, Ash returns to Pallet Town and meets Gary. Gary’s question about whether Ash is closer to becoming a Pokémon Master prompts Ash to think about what that goal means to him. The synopsis ends with Ash setting out on a new journey with Pikachu. The episode’s official synopsis supports the end of their run as leads, not a canonical retirement from adventure.
How did the anime say goodbye to Ash’s starring era?
Pokémon announced a collection of special episodes to conclude Ash’s series. A later UK notice described the sendoff as the final 12 episodes and listed a POP UK broadcast schedule for September 2023. That schedule is a UK-specific example, not a universal release date or a guide to current availability elsewhere. The UK notice lists that broadcast schedule.
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Where can you watch Pokémon Horizons?
Availability depends on territory, season or part, and whether episodes are offered by subscription or sold digitally. The Pokémon Company’s US announcements identify digital purchase for Season 3 Part 1 and Netflix for Part 4, but they do not establish a complete or current catalog for every region. Check the services available in your country for the specific season or part you want; a platform announcement alone does not guarantee that every episode is included in a subscription.
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