Pokémon anime protagonist Ash Ketchum to be replaced

Disappointed Pikachu in a still frame from Pokémon

They say all good things must come to an end, and the long-running Pokémon anime – while not without its ups and downs – can generally be described as good. It's not ending outright, mind you- rather, the focus is shifting to new protagonists after 25 years of Ash Ketchum and his stalwart Pikachu at the helm. While it's not quite certain who will replace him yet, both English voices of Ash have chimed in to bid the character farewell. It really does feel like the end of an era- Ash has been around since before I was born, and it's always felt like he was going to continue, unaging, into eternity. Still, I look forward to seeing what's next for Pokémon!