Ash still holds a place close to the hearts of many fans, and there's no shortage of posts online wondering when or if Ash will return. Before Ash himself could appear in the series, there would have to be a reason to justify his inclusion; simply encountering Ash on the road wouldn't be very interesting or satisfying. It also seems likely that the creators will want to give Ash some time to rest, which gives time for hype to build around his possible return. It may be well over a year, or perhaps even two, before there's a real possibility of Ash's return to the Pokémon anime. Ash's Return to Pokémon Has Tremendous Potential (But Could Be Difficult) Even if Ash remains the same age as he always has been, Ash does occupy a spot that really hasn't been used much in Pokémon Horizons: that of a battle specialist. As World Champion, Ash's skills in battle are absolutely unmatched by any character in Horizons, and Liko and Roy would certainly benefit from his guidance, as their progress in battling has been slow, to say the least. While they're not exactly on a badge-collecting quest like Ash was, neither Liko nor Roy has yet to successfully defeat a gym leader, despite having the opportunities. RELATED A Surprising Pokémon is Responsible for Ash's First Rival's Growth Ash has already been a mentor to Goh in Journeys, so seeing him fill that role more fully in Horizons would be very fitting. However, bringing Ash back comes with a lot of risk; how does one make sure that Ash and Pikachu don't steal the show? At the same time, it should be more than a glorified cameo, too. Ash's return would need to be handled very carefully, and giving Liko and Roy a lot of time to establish themselves before Ash comes back is absolutely crucial. Even with Horizons already having run for some time now, it still feels too early to discuss Ash's future appearances. Ash's return will surely be a major event for long-time fans, so using an anniversary special to reintroduce him feels fitting At the moment, it's simply too risky to have Ash appear again, but that won't be the case forever. Perhaps an anniversary, such as the franchise's upcoming 30th anniversary in 2026, would be the ideal time to have Liko and Roy meet Ash. If it goes well, then Ash could be considered for a recurring role, where he would appear from time to time, keeping him from overshadowing the new cast too much. Ash's return will surely be a major event for long-time fans, so using an anniversary special to reintroduce him feels fitting Will Ash Ever Get His Own Anime Series Again? Ash Could Return to the Starring Role Some Day There always exists the possibility that Ash could return to the starring role some day, although the odds of that are pretty slim right now. If Ash and Pikachu were to return as leads, it would probably be in the form of a limited-run series or miniseries, rather than returning to the way that things were, with Ash on the trail for badges. The very nature of Ash and Pikachu's adventure has in many ways changed as a result of his World Championship victory, so it wouldn't make much sense to go back to the old status quo. Such a miniseries or limited-run of episodes could be a crossover with Horizons, but it wouldn't have to be. As noted above, an anniversary special would be an ideal time to check in with Ash, and enough time would have passed that the prospect of seeing Ash again would be an exciting one. The anime has also had side-series running in the past, so it's possible that Ash could return as a protagonist for a side-series that in some way supports the main series. It all depends on exactly what Ash has gotten up to since leaving the show as to what would be the right return appearance for him. There always exists the possibility of a reboot as well. Fans could see Ash again this way, even if it was just a more modernized retelling of the original series and not strictly new content. Such a reboot would also seem well-geared to an anniversary event--perhaps something akin to Pokémon Origins, but with Ash instead of Red. Pokémon's Best Solution For Bringing Ash Into Horizons Is Staring Fans Right In The Face A Movie Could Be The Best Opportunity For Ash To Pass The Torch Though bringing Ash back to the Pokémon anime for Horizons has more than a few difficulties, it's possible that the right move is to save the iconic hero's return for something larger scale. The Yu-Gi-Oh! anime, for instance, had the protagonists of its first three series all meet in 2010's Yu-Gi-Oh! Bonds Beyond Time. Not only did this give fans more Yugi after the original Yu-Gi-Oh! anime's ending, but it also gave characters from each series a chance to interact. A movie would also mean that the timeline could basically be ignored, making it possible for Liko and Roy to meet an Ash who is more on their level. While fans may want to see Ash return on a more permanent basis, a crossover movie has some benefits. Given the fact that movies are mostly treated as non-canon, Ash meeting Liko and Roy in a movie would mean that Horizons wouldn't have to interrupt its storyline for the sake of fan service. A movie would also mean that the timeline could basically be ignored, making it possible for Liko and Roy to meet an Ash who is more on their level. Even outside of story concerns, one of the biggest benefits of giving Ash his own crossover movie with the Horizons cast would be the potential for spectacle. Regardless of how fans feel about the numerous Pokémon movies that have been released, the animation on display is generally a step above a normal episode of the TV show. Movies also have an opportunity to tell larger-scale stories with bigger consequences. The box office potential to appeal to nostalgic fans is also difficult to ignore. But a movie return can only work if Ash stays gone for some time, meaning patience is key. RELATED I've Been A Fan Of Pokémon's Anime From The Start, & I'm Still Obsessed With One Episode Decades Later As fans say goodbye to the classic Pokémon anime and Ash and Pikachu along with it, knowing that the door is open for Ash's return may make that farewell a little easier. Ash may no longer be on Pokémon each week, but he's still out there adventuring, and the show will catch back up with him someday. Source: Home Pokémon Already Confirmed Ash's Return... But There's One Big Caveat Pokemon Created by Satoshi Taijiri , Ken Sugimori , Junichi Masuda First Film Pokemon: The First Movie Latest Film Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle First TV Show Pokémon First Episode Air Date April 1, 1997 TV Show(s) Pokémon Video Game(s) Pokemon Scarlet and Violet , Pokémon Legends: Arceus , Pokemon Snap , Pokémon GO Summary Spanning over twenty-five years, Pokemon, known as Pocket Monsters in Japan, is the multimedia franchise created jointly by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures. Conceptualized by Satoshi Tajiri in association with Ken Sugimori and Junichi Masuda, Pokemon is set in fictional worlds where people live together with tamable creatures known as Pokemon. Humans who catch, raise, and battle the creatures are known as Pokemon Trainers. They head out on extensive journeys across their continents to raise their Pokemon with the ultimate goal of competing in tournaments to become the champion. Pokemon spans several massive properties, from a long-running animated series to a successful trading card game, to the medium that started it all, video games. In addition, Pokemon began the "two-game" trend where two versions of a game would release and include different Pokemon/features between the versions, encouraging players to meet up with others and trade so they could "catch 'em all." Anime Pokemon