Ash Ketchum

Ash oversleeps on starter day and shows up at the lab in his pajamas. Professor Oak only has a Pikachu, a prickly one that shocks him and won't go in its Poké Ball. On the road, Ash throws a rock at a Spearow and brings the whole flock down on them. He shields Pikachu with his own body, and Pikachu answers with a bolt that scatters the birds. They come out of the storm as friends, and Ash sees a golden bird fly across a rainbow.

Along the way, Misty starts following him because Pikachu fried her bike, and Brock, the Pewter City Gym Leader, joins the group. Ash builds his first team with Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Butterfree and Pidgeotto, collects all eight Badges and keeps up his rivalry with Gary, the professor's grandson. At the Indigo League he finishes in the top 16: his Charizard refuses to battle Ritchie's Pikachu.

Brock stays with Professor Ivy, and Tracey takes his place. In the Orange Islands, Ash gets the Lapras that carries him across the sea, wins back Charizard's trust and beats Drake, head of the Orange League: the first trophy of his career.

In Johto, Brock returns. Ash hands the GS Ball to Kurt, gathers Chikorita, Cyndaquil and Totodile and catches a shiny Noctowl. He leaves Charizard training at the Charicific Valley. At the Silver Conference he finally beats Gary in a full battle, but loses to the Blaziken of Harrison, a Trainer from Hoenn. Harrison tells him about Pokémon he's never seen, and the group splits up in Kanto.

Ash heads to Hoenn with only Pikachu. There he meets May, who becomes a Coordinator, and her brother Max, and Brock rejoins. He builds a new team with Treecko, Taillow, Corphish, Torkoal and Snorunt, earns all eight Badges and reaches the Ever Grande Conference quarterfinals, where he loses to Tyson.

Back in Kanto, he takes on the Battle Frontier, which sits in Hoenn in the games. The last Brain, Brandon, beats Ash before losing the rematch that completes the Symbols. Scott, the Frontier's owner, offers him a spot as a Frontier Brain, and Ash turns it down: he wants to keep traveling.

In Sinnoh he travels with Dawn and Brock and meets his toughest rival yet, Paul, who treats Pokémon like tools. Ash takes in the Chimchar Paul releases, and it grows into Infernape. At the Lily of the Valley Conference, Ash beats Paul in a full battle and reaches the semifinals, where he loses to Tobias, owner of a Darkrai and a Latios.

In Unova he starts from scratch: he brings only Pikachu and builds a team of local Pokémon, alongside Iris and Cilan. On arrival, Pikachu loses to the Snivy of Trip, a rookie. Ash collects the Badges and reaches the Vertress Conference quarterfinals, knocked out by Cameron.

In Kalos he travels with Serena, who knew him from a summer camp, plus Clemont and Bonnie. His Froakie grows into Greninja and, through their bond, takes on the Ash-Greninja form. Ash reaches the Lumiose Conference final and loses to Alain and his Charizard. Soon after, he helps stop Team Flare and the chaos around Zygarde.

In Alola, a vacation with his mom turns into a move: Ash lives with Professor Kukui and attends the Pokémon School. He gets a Z-Ring from Tapu Koko, catches Rowlet, Litten and Rockruff and joins the Ultra Guardians. At Alola's first League Conference, at Manalo, he beats Gladion in the final. It's the first regional League title of his life, followed by a win in an exhibition match against Kukui.

Ash becomes a research fellow at Cerise Laboratory in Vermilion City alongside Goh and enters the World Coronation Series. He climbs the rankings against champions from every region with a team of Pikachu, Dragonite, Gengar, Lucario, Sirfetch'd and Dracovish. In the Masters Eight Tournament he reaches the final against Leon, Galar's unbeaten Champion, and wins on the last clash between Pikachu and Charizard. He becomes Monarch, the world champion.

Afterward he travels with Misty and Brock again and reunites with old Pokémon, including the Pidgeot he left in Kanto. Gary asks him what being a Pokémon Master even means. Ash decides his dream is to befriend every Pokémon in the world. In the final episode he leaves Pallet Town with Pikachu, tosses a twig into the air at a crossroads and picks his path.

In the games, Kanto's hero is Red, and the Pokémon Adventures manga follows that Red, not Ash. In Japan, Ash is named Satoshi, after creator Satoshi Tajiri, and is voiced by Rica Matsumoto. In English he was voiced by Veronica Taylor and, from Battle Frontier on, by Sarah Natochenny. He stays 10 years old the whole series.