Ash Ketchum Actress Sarah Natochenny Found Out About Pokemon's End Via Twitter

After two decades of training, gym battles, and tournament wins, Ash Ketchum became the best like no one ever was. In 2022, Ash became a Pokemon master. After the historic event aired in Japan, the shocking news hit social media, shocking many people, including Sarah Natochenny, the actress who has voiced the character for over 15 years.

Natochenny's award-winning efforts in the realm of voice acting have resulted in several notable parts. While she has a list of impressive credits like "Ghostbuster: Afterlife," one can't help but notice the abundance of Pokemon-related titles on her resume. The actress has voiced Ash Ketchum since season 9 of the long-running anime. After playing him for so long, it probably wasn't easy to let go of the character — especially since Natochenny found out about Ash finally achieving his goal on Twitter. 

"I was in Michigan at a convention at Grand Rapids Comic Con, and it was early morning and I woke up really early for some reason," Natochenny told Kotaku. "It was like six in the morning and I looked at Twitter, and I'm like, 'What is happening?'" Despite her initial shock and surprise, Natochenny has an intriguing take on the legacy her work on the character has left behind.

Natochenny may have never caught a Snorlax with Pokeball or thwarted one of Team Rocket's schemes, but there is no denying she was a master when it came to playing Ash Ketchum. But after playing the part for so many years, some fans might be curious about how she feels about her character. 

"He's an incredibly tenacious and inspiring kid," she told Washington Post. "He's the kind of kid that everyone should grow up with. I love the fact that they never aged him. He stays ten years old. I think that's so important because every generation now has Ash Ketchum, and parents can relate to their kids through Ash Ketchum."

Of course, Natochenny discussed what it meant for Ash to achieve his lifelong goal. "I love that he won, I love that we have a character that has taken 25 years of hard work and tenacity and he's done it with love," the actress said. "It shows kids that if you work hard enough, and you're a great person, you can achieve your goals." Even though the show takes place in a fictional fantasy world, Ash's dedication to accomplishing his goal without sacrificing his morals holds valuable life lessons for children. Natochenney can proudly move on knowing she has left behind an inspiring legacy that fans of all ages and several generations will cherish.