Ash Ketchum's voice actor sends message to fans with character set to leave Pokemon after two decades
Last week it was announced that the legendary Pokemon duo Ash Ketchum and Pikachu would be leaving the Japanese TV series after two decades.
The news came with disappointment for many fans who watched Pokemon in the 1990s, though their exit has been predicted for some time now.
The show will go on though, as the two characters will be replaced with two new trainers next year.
It means though that voice actor Sarah Natochenny - who voices Ash Ketchum - will be leaving the popular anime after first joining 17 years ago when she was just 18.
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And it has now emerged that Natochenny, now 35, learnt that her character would be ditched just days before the news went public.
In an interview with IGN, Natochenny said that she learnt the news during a virtual meeting with other English voice actors, which led to her 'bawling'.
She said: "And they said the thing, and my hand physically just gave out.
"And I started bawling at this meeting. The producers were trying to hold it together for me as well, they kept speaking in a very even tone.
"You could see a few other actors on the call and the director starting to get emotional as well, just seeing me, because we're very close and this is so sad.
"But I took the day to walk aimlessly in the freezing New York cold, and I was crying, and I felt like I was in that indie film that I thought I'd be starring in when I was 18 years old.
"And then I turned my thoughts to be positive, because I always knew that this was going to happen one day.
"17 years is an incredibly long, fortunate amount of time to have steady acting work, especially as one character, so I let my mind flood with the positive thoughts and the idea that this is a signal of change in my life, in Ash's life."
Despite nearly being done with the franchise, Natochenny is determined to do her best for the final episodes.
She told IGN that these new episodes set to launch in the new year will be the "best episodes of television the world has ever seen," adding that she will be giving them some "extra love".
To conclude the interview, Natochenny sent a message to fans on behalf of Ash.
She said: "Be the best like no one ever was. And do it with love. Don't be cutthroat. Don't step on people to get what you want, but know what your goals are and do them to the best of your ability.
"Do them with passion and do them while also loving the people around you and being kind."
Topics: Pokemon, Film and TV
Callum Jones