Detective Pikachu Makes Several Subtle Ash Ketchum References

When you think of Pokemon, there are a few things which come to mind. For one, Pikachu should pop up as the classic critter has come to define Pokemon, but Ash Ketchum won’t be far behind. Detective Pikachu knew this coming in, and it seems the live-action romp found a way to reference the iconic trainer in its own way.

So, you’ve been warned! There are spoilers for Detective Pikachu below:

If you have gotten the chance to check out Pokemon‘s first live-action romp, it is a doozy. The film is insular in its main plot, but fans cannot miss its universal ties. From regions to trainer classes, fans can catch all sorts of references, but Detective Pikachu starts strong with one about Ash Ketchum.

When the movie begins, fans are given two scenes which allude to Ash. For example, when Detective Pikachu gives fans insight into how Pokemon exist in the world, it references other regions aside from Ryme City. The narrator says these places do embrace Pokemon trainers, and a small clip is shown of such an arena battle.

The packed stadium is shown, but fans are more interested in the trainer going into battle. The Asian trainer is young, and he’s shown summoning one of his party members into the ring. Donning a red hat, this character will give fans Ash Ketchum-vibes, but he’s not defined enough by any means to make fans second-guess his identity.

The film’s beginning also features a scene where Tim Goodman and his friend are searching for Pokemon. They are shown crawling through the grass to spy on a Cubone, and this army crawl will remind fans of how Ash captured several of his pocket monsters in the wild.

These blips aren’t to mention the fact that Detective Pikachu is in line with the anime canon. If Ryme City is but one part of the preexisting Pokemon Universe, then Ash is out there somewhere. Now, the question is whether the boy will see Tim as an ally or another Gary Oak.

So, did you expect for Ash to pop into this film? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!

Pokemon: Detective Pikachu is out in theaters now. You can read our spoiler-free review of the film here. The official synopsis for Pokemon: Detective Pikachu reads as such, “The story begins when ace detective Harry Goodman goes mysteriously missing, prompting his 21-year-old son Tim to find out what happened. Aiding in the investigation is Harry’s former Pokémon partner, Detective Pikachu: a hilariously wise-cracking, adorable super-sleuth who is a puzzlement even to himself.

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