Ash Ketchum

Ash Ketchum (Satoshi in Japanese) is the main protagonist of the Pokémon anime series.

He's a 10-year-old boy from Pallet Town in the Kanto region who dreams of becoming a Pokémon Master. On the day he begins his journey, he oversleeps and ends up receiving Pikachu as his starter Pokémon instead of one of the standard three (Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle). Pikachu initially refuses to obey him, but they eventually form an extremely strong bond that becomes the emotional core of the entire series.

Key characteristics of anime Ash:

• Extremely passionate, determined, and optimistic
• Often acts before thinking, leading to both heroic moments and comedic mishaps
• Values friendship with both humans and Pokémon above everything
• Has a very strong sense of justice and always tries to help others
• Loves battling and has a very aggressive, instinctive battling style
• Rarely evolves his Pokémon unless the Pokémon itself wants to (Pikachu famously refuses to evolve)
• Has traveled through almost every major region (Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, Alola, Galar, Paldea, and more)
• His long-term goal remains "to become a Pokémon Master" — a phrase he repeats throughout the series

Personality-wise he's hot-blooded, kind-hearted, sometimes dense or naïve about social cues, fiercely loyal to his friends and Pokémon, and has an almost childlike enthusiasm that barely fades even after traveling for over 25 years in the anime timeline.

He's widely considered one of the most iconic and enduring protagonists in anime history due to his unchanging optimism and the sheer length of his journey.