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Template:Pokémon character Ash Ketchum (Japanese: Satoshi (サトシ, Satoshi)) is a fictional character and one of the main protagonists from the Pokémon anime. His dream is to become the greatest Pokémon Master in the world. Ash’s voice actress in the English dubs are Veronica Taylor (Template:Spinout/link) and Sarah Natochenny (Template:Spinout/link) and in Japanese he is voiced by Rica Matsumoto. There are also incarnations of him in a plethora of manga adaptations, of which include The Electric Tale of Pikachu, Pocket Monsters Zensho, and Ash & Pikachu. He is loosely based on Red, the protagonist of the games Pokémon Red and Blue. The family name "Ketchum" is a pun on the 4Kids series' franchise's former tagline and slogan, "Gotta catch 'em all"!

Concept and creation

Ash's design is based on the main character known as Red in Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Silver, Crystal, and FireRed and LeafGreen. "Ash" is one of the optional names for him in the first three games, and is a westernization of "Satoshi", taken from famous creator of Pokémon and founder of Game Freak Satoshi Tajiri. For the Game Series, Red's character design was overseen by Ken Sugimori and Atsuko Nishida. For the anime, Ash's character design was overseen by Sayuri Ichishi (OS~AG), Yamada Toshiya (DP).

Appearances

In the anime

At the start of the series, ten year old Ash is starting out as a beginner Pokémon trainer in Pallet Town, his hometown. After receiving Pikachu as a starter Pokémon from Professor Oak, Ash left Pallet Town to start his journey. Since his departure, Ash has traveled the World of Pokémon, competed in many challenges, and caught newer Pokémon. He currently travels with Dawn and Brock in Sinnoh. He is working towards earning his last badge in Sinnoh—the Beacon Badge.

Ash has considerably improved his abilities as a trainer over the course of the series. However, his earnestness and determination remain the same. During the first season of the series, Ash trained to catch more Pokémon than his childhood rival, Gary Oak, although Gary was always shown to be the stronger trainer. He soon began to focus more on each of his Pokémon's abilities. Ash's primary nemesis is a group of antagonists named Team Rocket. Ever since the second episode, "Pokémon Emergency!", two Team Rocket operatives named Jessie and James, along with a talking Meowth, have tried to steal his first Pokémon, Pikachu as well as many others, but have always failed. Despite their constant antagonism, they occasionally put their differences aside and work together against a common adversary, such as in Pokémon: The Movie 2000, where they aid Ash in retrieving the three treasures in order to save the world.

IS IT ME OR DOES THE SHOW SUCK MAAAAAJJOOORRR DONKEY DICK AND BALLS???!!!

Development

This section needs expansion. You can help by making an edit requestadding to it . (August 2009)

Voice acting

Veronica Taylor provided the voice of Ash in seasons one to eight of the English adaption of the Pokémon anime. After the script is translated from Japanese, the lines are adapted to fit the movements of the character's mouth (called flip flap). All the voices were recorded separately so Taylor was the only one in the booth when she recorded her lines, which took approximately six to eight hours. Taylor was often the first person to record so she had to "imagine how the previous line will be said. Luckily, I work with a great director who helps with the interpretation of the line, matching of the lip flap, and consistency of the voice." Taylor enjoyed playing Ash because of his "low, husky voice" and "energy and excitement".

Taylor commented that Ash and the other characters "loosened up" after the first ten episodes of the anime; she believed the writers were more relaxed and did no longer feel the pressure of making sure everything was done correctly. Taylor commented: "I enjoy playing now much more than I did in the very beginning because I can have fun with him more, and we kind of know him and can work out how he really would react. We have the classic Ash responses and things like that." Sarah Natochenny replaced Taylor in season nine when Pokémon International took over the dubbing rights. In Japan, Rica Matsumoto provides the voice of Ash.

References

1. "Pokeani Data". Retrieved 2008-03-20.
2. ^ "Veronica Taylor interview". Animerica. 8 (6). Viz Media. August 2000.

• Pokémon anime characters
• Pokémon trainers
• Nintendo protagonists
• Fictional explorers
• Child characters in television
• Film characters