Ash Ketchum becomes the top trainer in the world after 25 years

After 25 years of training, adventuring, and meeting new friends along the way, Ash Ketchum has finally achieved his life long dream of becoming the world’s best Pokémon trainer. This is the latest episode. Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series Ash beat Leon in the Pokémon World Coronation Series, thus becoming the No. 1-ranked trainer in the show’s world.

In the anime, the Pokémon World Coronation Series is a global championship that brings together the best trainers from across all regions — including previous champions like the fearsome Cynthia and others like Iris, Steven, and Lance. Of course, Ash didn’t pull off the win all by himself. Pikachu, Ash’s pal, was always there to support him. His final team that allowed him to clinch the world title had Pikachu, Dracovish, Gengar, Sirfetch’d, Lucario, and Dragonite.

The match ended with an intense showdown between Pikachu and Leon’s Charizard. It feels appropriate, given that Pikachu is the only one of Ash’s Pokémon who has stuck with him throughout his 25-year journey. Ash typically starts new areas with a new team while keeping Pikachu around.

So his victory is a bit of a tear-jerker — especially as the show features cameos from Ash’s previous Pokémon partners and old travel buddies, like Brock, Misty, May, Max, Cilan, Dawn, and others.

To view the entire episode in English, fans from America will need to wait. The episode just broadcast in Japan and will air worldwide sometime “in the future,” according to a news release. You can still watch the entire first season of this retro series on Netflix if you feel nostalgic.

Fans flocked to social media platforms to share together in the joy of finally seeing Ash achieve his dream with one person describing it as a “special, legendary, historic day.” Before this, Ash’s inability to reach his championship goal had been a recurring joke, because it just seemed like it would never happen — Ash neither aged or beat the top trainer of a region, let alone the world.

As a fan, it can’t but help feel bittersweet. What is the future for Ash and anime now that he has fulfilled his dreams? The Pokémon Company has not announced plans for a new Pokémon series with a new protagonist, but that hasn’t stopped fans from speculating that Ash’s journey might be coming to an end. Whatever happens though, it’s nice knowing that with persistence and the right friends, even a dorky boy with a naughty Pikachu can achieve his dreams.