Wikipedia: Ash Ketchum

Ash Ketchum
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The trainer Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town (called Satoshi in Japanese and Red in the games) is the main character of the Pokémon anime. His lifelong rival is Gary Oak. When he became 10 years old, he was to receive his first pokémon. Unfortunately, he overslept and by the time he arrived at Professor Oak's Laboratory, all the starter pokémon (Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle) had been taken and he had to start with a Pikachu instead. His Pikachu has the particular characteristic of hating pokéballs so it always tags along with Ash.

Kanto and the Indigo League

Ash, like most Pokémon Trainers, aspires to be the greatest Pokémon Master ever. To do this, he goes through the regions battling Gym Leaders to reach the Pokémon League competitions and capturing Pokémon to fill up his pokédex. He started his travel with Misty (Kasumi in Japanese), the Cerulean Gym Leader and Brock (Takeshi in Japanese), the Pewter Gym Leader.
However, his journey hasn't been that easy. Team Rocket (Rocketto Dan) constantly gets in his way trying to steal his pokémon for their own interests.

The Orange Islands

After ending up among the 16 best in the Pokémon League, Ash ventured towards the Orange Islands to get a GS ball for Professor Oak. There, he discovered that there were pokémon gyms there as well and took the challenge enthusiastically. A Pokémon Observer named Tracey traveled with them while they were in the Orange Islands.

Johto

When he finally returned to Professor Oak, the professor told Ash to venture off into Johto to give the GS ball to Kurt, a famed pokéball expert, and he did so (Tracey stayed with Oak). Upon arriving there, he found out about the Johto League, signed up and started facing the gym leaders from Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal.

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Hoenn

Once he finally made it to the Pokémon League, he beats Gary Oak, but is defeated by a boy who has pokémon from Hoenn. Excited, Ash makes his way to Hoenn, but Misty has to leave to take care of the gym and Brock needs to take care of something so he travels alone, leaving all his pokémon behind except Pikachu.

In Hoenn, he meets up with a trainer called May (Haruka in the Japanese version) who travels with him and when they pass through Petalburg City, May's little know-it-all brother Max (Masato in the Japanese Version) joins them too. They find Brock in Petalburg Forest and continue exploring Hoenn following closely the path players took when playing Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. This is where the anime episodes currently are.

---Fern Feb 5 2004