Pokémon: 10 Saddest Things About Ash

Ash Ketchum is a staple to a franchise already permeating between almost every platform imaginable. Though the original game featured a legend in Red (or whatever the player chose to name him) the face of the manga or, better yet, the decades-spanning anime series has been Ash who’s done a great job in both bringing character to the world and fans to the franchise.

It’s fun to watch him as an early fan learn the ropes of becoming a Pokémon Trainer, and it’s even more interesting as a long-time fan to see him rise as a champion through his journeys. However, there are some parts of Ash’s journey and even his entire existence that just seems sad when the fans actually take a step back. As endearing as it is to see Ash overcome the odds in a Pokémon battle, it’s a little depressing to actually look at his life.

10 He’s A Child Out In The Wild

For the uninitiated, there’s something about Ash that people should know: He’s 10 years old. Not only that, but he’s a 10-year-old without any formal education or consistent guidance throughout life. Becoming a Pokémon Trainer is a bit of an odd trade as this has meant pushing several, young kids out of their homes into the very dangerous wild.

While this is symbolic of the greater journey of life, one shouldn’t forget that Ash and these other trainers are just kids meant to ward off wild Pokémon and survive in the real world. Whether he’s struggling to find food or nearly dying during a snowstorm, Ash has to put up with certain hardships that people wouldn’t like seeing on real-life kids.

9 He Has Died Several Times

It’s scary thinking of all of the times that Ash has struggled just to live. It’s even scarier thinking of all the times that he lost that struggle. Across the anime series (but mostly the films), Ash Ketchum has actually died a fair number of times.

He was crushed and electrocuted by a chandelier in the episode “The Tower of Terror,” drowned in Manaphy and the Prince of the Sea, and was infamously caught in the crosshair between Mew and Mewtwo and got turned into stone. Ash has lived a hard life that’s made him have to beat both trainers and death itself.

8 It Took Him 7 Tries To Become A Pokémon Champion

While seven doesn’t actually look like a huge number to the casual viewer, one must keep in mind that, for the long-time fan, Fans have spent years upon years of seeing the spunky trainer overcome fight after fight to become an actually competent trainer.

As much as the series loves to characterize him as a brash and reckless kid, it’s hard to deny his growth given that he’s beaten a wide variety of trainers between different skill sets and has even defeated some legendary Pokémon. Despite him clearly showing that he’s not like every other trainer, he’d go on to lose league after league, rarely even reaching the finals.

7 He Unfairly Lost The Lily Of The Valley Conference

One of the most frustrating reasons why it’s been so trying to wait for Ash to win a Pokémon League is because he really should have won one earlier, particularly the Lily of the Valley Conference from Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. At this point in the series, Ash had been doing some of his best work since beginning his journey and looked primed to look like an experienced veteran.

However, in a cosmic twist of fate, Tobias, a trainer without any proper introduction, randomly comes in with two legendary Pokémon (which should’ve been illegal in tournament play) to sweep the championship.

6 Each Season Doesn’t Want Him To Grow

Despite practically being a veteran within the trainer industry, the series loves pulling out all manner of nonsense just to humble him, especially when it comes to resetting his character and progress for a new season. In Pokémon Black and White for example, the new season pulls out all the stops to have Ash and Pikachu lose to a Level 1 trainer and their Snivy.

Not only was Pikachu stripped of his electrical attacks for some deus ex machina reasons, but this Snivy was also able to use a very powerful Grass-type move that it shouldn’t have even known at this point in time. Ash never truly strays too far from square one.

5 He’s Constantly Being Attacked By International Criminals

As funny as it is to see Ash and his friends thwart Team Rocket every week, one can’t help but feel bad for a kid who rarely gets to have a week of peace. Being a budding Pokémon trainer is hard enough, but he also certainly doesn’t need a group of people constantly trying to kidnap his Pokémon roster/best friends.

It also doesn’t help that Ash’s feuds with evil teams like Team Rocket often put him in the middle of national crises that often call upon his help to solve. As exciting as this may seem to a younger viewer, saving the world and fighting international criminals every now and then kind of puts a lot of pressure on a kid.

4 His Life Is Meaningless Without Pokémon

This isn’t to suggest that Pokémon are inherently bad or that they aren’t quintessential for basic, human needs in this series. But, in the way that they’ve consistently been portrayed across the story, Pokémon, Pokémon training, and Pokémon battles have all acted as a form of escape from regular, everyday responsibilities.

While Ash’s journey is synonymous with growth and overcoming challenges, Ash hardly has any real-world applications for what he’s learned. The movie Pokémon: I Choose You! even discourages a world without Pokémon and even just going to a regular school by portraying it as being some kind of a depressing and empty afterlife. Without this hobby, what does Ash have left to fall back on?

3 Ash’s Friends Leave And Grow Without Him

Across the series, Ash has had a long series of companions, ranging from old rivals like Misty and Brock to lost loves like Serena. Each one has entered his life to become a close friend and ally, and each has left it to pursue new and greater journeys.

When any of them do come back for a short cameo, it always seems like they’ve grown into practically new people while Ash himself has stayed relatively the same. Misty has become an experienced Gym Leader, Brock is going full force into becoming a Pokémon doctor, and even May has become a decorated Coordinator. If cameos like these make the fans feel old, just imagine how Ash feels.

2 He’s Had To Say Goodbye To Some Pokémon

Just like his circle of friends, Ash has also had to say goodbye to plenty of Pokémon. This isn’t the same thing as him simply changing up his roster. This is referring to those heartbreaking scenes where Ash has to part ways with some of his best friends, lil’ critters that he’s survived countless battles with when he finds that they may belong somewhere else.

This includes letting Charizard and Primeape train with other people, having Greninja and Goodra protect their individual homes and that one infamously sad moment where he released Butterfree to be with its true love.

1 His Dad Isn’t Around

Pokémon and anime as a whole haven’t always been too keen on having consistent, parental influences. In Ash’s case, he has a very kind and supportive mother who’s always checking up on him during his journey. His father however leaves a lot, i.e. everything, to the imagination.

Though it is a greater mystery in the Pokémon story as to who Ash’s father is and what he may be doing (if he wasn’t killed off entirely), at the end of the day, Ash just doesn’t have a father in the story. Ash never mentions him, and he also never appears in flashbacks. Though Ash and his mom may look pretty happy with their simple life, it’s still sad thinking that there’s an empty space at the table.