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If you haven’t already heard, Ash Ketchum’s thePokemonWorld Champion, and his incredible quarter-century stint as the protagonist of the franchise’s long-running anime has come to an end. It’s anyone’s guess how, when, and whether Ash will return as a guest or recurring character in the replacement show, Pokemon Horizons, but his career as an anime central protagonist is behind him regardless.
Early on, the anime - like the games - prioritized an iconic marketing message: “Gotta catch ‘em all.” Did Ash Ketchum achieve this increasingly lofty goal? If not, just how close did he get? We’ve got the answers.
How Many Pokemon Has Ash Caught?
We won’t beat around the bush here, especially since many readers likely already know -Ash does not catch every Pokemon. His grand total is, instead,83 catches.
While hecaught83 Pokemon, the total number of Pokemon that Ashownedat varying points in the show is 105. A fair few of his friends evolved, and some were gifted to him instead - like Pikachu, for example!
To his credit, though, helargely stops going on about that goal fairly earlyinto the anime. Why the change? For one thing, we reckon the writers might have realized that, with an increasingly vast Pokedex, the show would need to pivot into full-time catching storytelling for it to work. Indeed,the franchise hasn’t emphasized the catch-‘em-all anglein a long time.
Some marketing materials still sport it, but they’re relatively rare. FromPokemon Ruby & Sapphireonward,the official box art for the video games lacks the phrase. Modern titles likePokemon Scarlet & Violetdon’t mention the goal much at all. That aside, it’s still a fun exercise tocount the number of Pokemon that Ashhascaught.
Every Pokemon Ash Has Owned
Let’s get into the nitty-gritty. Below, we’ve listedevery Pokemon that Ash has ownedfrom the beginning of the series through to its finale. We’re includingPokemon that were given to him, as well as evolutions, for the most comprehensive approach to an overview of his ownership achievements.
If you’re left underwhelmed, just remember,Ash ended his massive run as the World Champion. Plus, he saved the world a few times. So, there’s that.
We’ve used the term ‘saga’ here in reference tothe multi-season arcs for the various main locationswithin which Ash traveled. The majority of these arcs reflect the main games’ regions at the time, with a few exceptions:The Original Seriesencompasses Kanto and Johto; whileJourneys encompassesthe eight generations of regions established up to that point.
Ruby and Sapphire
Diamond and Pearl
Black and White
X and Y
Sun and Moon
Beedrill
Noctowl
As you can see, it’s an impressive bunch. And while Ash never did catch that Latios in the penultime episode of the show, it was a sweet reminder that for all the missed catching opportunities, Ash Ketchum surely boasts a colossal number ofbefriendedPokemon.
Will Ash Ever Return In Pokemon Horizons?
Truth is, we have no idea. The producers have confirmed thatAsh remains an active part of the Pokemon anime world following his departure at the end of Journeys, though frankly, that was pretty obvious given how the original anime concludes.
If we had to guess, they’ll hold off on bringing Ash back for a good few years. At that point, they can do a recurring gig with him to help drum up renewed interest in Pokemon Horizons. Again,just a guess!
