Pokemon: Ash's Original Voice Actor Breaks Silence on His Exit

By Megan Peters

It is hard to believe, but the truth hurts more often than not. Earlier this week, the world learned Ash Ketchum is planning to leave the Pokemon anime. The IP is ready to shift its focus to new anime heroes, and of course, that means all eyes are on Ash ahead of his farewell tour. That includes his own actor, and Ash's original voice is now breaking their silence on his upcoming leave.

The update was shared on Twitter courtesy of Rika Matsumoto if you didn't catch it yourself. For those unfamiliar, the voice actor is known for playing Ash Ketchum as they originated the role decades ago. Matsumoto has never waved from Ash while other dubs have brought stars in and out. So of course, everyone has been eager to hear Matsumoto's take on Ash leaving the anime.

And what do they think? Well, it seems the voice actor is convinced Ash's journey is not over for good, and he will be with fans even if he's not the star of Pokemon moving forward.

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"Ash's been an ever-reliable presence in our hearts ever since he set off from Pallet Town. It's a promise. We'll always be together! Ash still has more adventures ahead of him. To be continued," the star wrote.

Of course, Matsumoto has personal grief about the exit, and their feelings mirror those of millions of fans. After all, Ash will only be around in Pokemon for a handful more episodes. With Pokemon Journeys closed, the anime will launch a miniseries in January featuring 11 episodes, and they will finish Ash's journey. Later in the year, the franchise will return to television with a new anime and protagonists to boot. But someday, hopefully, fans will be able to meet up with Ash (and Matsumoto)) on screen!

What do you think about Pokemon's decision to move on from Ash? Should the series find ways to include Ash in future anime projects? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.

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