Pokémon’s Ash has finally won a Pokémon League
Ahhh Ash Ketchum. The perpetual 10-year-old Pokémon trainer who seems unable to ever become a Pokémon Champion. After more than 20 years, 7 regions, and dozens of Pokémon, that’s finally changed.
A new episode of the Pokémon Sun and Moon anime aired today in Japan, and Ash (named Satoshi in Japan) has finally taken home the title of Alola Pokémon League Champion. In a final showdown against everybody’s favourite edgy bad boy Gladion, Ash and his Pikachu — along with Rowlett, Lycanroc, Torracat, and Melmetal — were triumphant in the final battle, awarding Ash his first proper League victory and a place in the history books.
?#サトシ優勝おめでとう?#グラジオ との激闘を制し、念願の #アローラポケモンリーグ 初代チャンピオンに✨
— 【公式】ポケモン情報局 (@poke_times) September 15, 2019
仲間の #ポケモン たちとの強い絆が生んだ、劇的な勝利でした?
日曜18時は #アニポケ ！https://t.co/z2NBL1Y4ju pic.twitter.com/GqbndMh1yp
Previous Pokémon League tournaments haven’t gone so well for Ash, with most of his attempts at becoming champion being thwarted in earlier stages of the playoffs. He did, however, win the Orange League — a League set in the anime-exclusive Orange Islands — after defeating Supreme Gym Leader Drake. What a name.
What happens next is anyone’s guess. The next anime series, simply titled “Pocket Monsters” in Japan like the original series, is said to take place in all regions featured so far, in addition to Sword and Shield’s UK-inspired Galar. We’ll learn more about that on the 29th of September.
In the meantime, congrats Ash! It only took you 20 years of being a 10-year-old kid to do it.
