Pokemon Theory Suggests Ash’s Daughter Is Taking Over the Anime

The anime world’s foundation has been shaken to its core with the announcement that the Pokemon anime will move forward without its two stars, Ash Ketchum and Pikachu. While this seemed like a possibility following Ash’s new status as the world champion, many believed that the long-running trainer wouldn’t be going anywhere. With two new trainers set to take the reins of the series in Liko and Roy, a fan theory has been making the rounds hinting at the idea that the female trainer and Ash might have a major connection.

Pokemon Journeys will come to an end shortly, but Ash Ketchum and Pikachu will be given a worthy send-off as the anime announced that an eleven-episode run will bring the pair’s journey to an end. At present, details regarding the upcoming new episodes that focus on Liko and Roy have been few and far between, though it’s clear that Ash and Pikachu will be taking a step back from the spotlight following their twenty-plus-year run. While little is known about the new trainers, one fan theory is gaining some traction thanks to a connection that has emerged between Liko and the current world champion.

Ash Ketchum: Trainer, Friend, Father?

At present, the upcoming new series has yet to state when it will take place in relation to Pokemon Journeys, though some fans are believing that the new female protagonist might in fact be the daughter of Ash and Serena’s daughter thanks to her looks and a familiar hair clip:

I see you, Pokémon. Having a protagonist named Rika too – named after Ash's VA (Rika Matsumoto) is also a tribute befitting an iconic voice for generations.

Thanks for everything, Ash & Pikachu. #anipoke #pokemon pic.twitter.com/BBIbZflsLY

— 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗗𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗔𝗗𝗘 (@Shadownade) December 16, 2022

The new Pokemon series taking place years, or potentially decades, following Ash’s win at the Masters 8 Tournament would make sense in handing the torch to the next generation, while also potentially keeping Ketchum around in a fatherly role. Should the idea that a time skip is in the card for the anime, this would also give fans the opportunity to potentially see countless characters that joined Ash’s story with some major character design changes, though the idea is anyone’s guess at this point.

Do you think the new trainer will actually be revealed to be Ash’s daughter? How do you feel about Ketchum and Pikachu saying farewell to the series they led for over two decades? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of Pokemon.