5 possible futures for Ash after becoming Pokemon World Champion 

The original run of the Pokemon anime is one of the most iconic of all time, and this is thanks heavily to its protagonist, Ash Ketchum. The character held the dream from the very first episode to be a Pokemon Master. While we are still not entirely sure what this exactly means, Ash did end up becoming the world champion.

However, after Ash was crowned the champion and traveled around Kanto for a short while, the series ended. This left fans with the mystery of what became of the character since he retired in favor of the cast in the new Pokemon Horizons series. Thankfully, the future looked bright for the original protagonist. Here are five futures Ash could have had in the anime.

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5 potential lives Ash could have had after becoming the Pokemon World Champion

1) Continued traveling

The adventures of Ash and Pikachu likely never ended (Image via The Pokemon Company)

The most likely outcome, Ash and Pikachu will likely never stop traveling. While the group has adventured through eight regions, hardcore fans of the franchise will know that there are many more regions in the franchise than just what we see in the main series games.

With many other regions like Orre, Fiore, and Almia, the champion still has the world to explore. Many of these regions have never been seen animated before, so there could be a chance we get to see a one-off movie featuring an older Ash in one of these other regions.

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2) Became Professor Oak's assistant

Ash and Professor Oak have been close friends since before the anime even started (Image via The Pokemon Company)

With Ash last being seen in the Kanto region, it may be safe to assume that Ash had a future assisting Professor Oak in this lab. Since all of his Pokemon are kept at the lab anyways, it would make sense for Ash to stick around the area. While Ash may have never been much of a scholar, there are still many ways he could assist Kanto's resident professor.

Ash could have had a future helping new trainers get started on their own journey. Having lots of experience himself, the future generation of trainers from Pallet Town would surely look up to him, seeking his advice on how they should proceed in their adventures together with their new starter which Ash could have given them.

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3) Became a celebrity

As we have seen with Leon, champions are often treated as well-respected celebrities in their region (Image via The Pokemon Company)

If Leon is any example to go off of, Ash may have been tempted to take it easy for a bit, reveling in his new-found status as the best trainer in the world. Becoming a well-known figure across the globe, Ash would love the joy of signing autographs for young trainers who look up to him after all of his hard work paid off.

Unlike Leon, Ash would most likely keep up his traveling and training even after becoming the world champion. He would likely follow a training regimen, keeping his companions in tip-top fighting condition. His Pikachu would likely be even more famous than him due to its cute yet fierce nature, making him the spokesperson of choice for many trainer-oriented brands.

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4) Ash retires in Kanto

While many fans would like to envision Ash on a quest of constant improvement, he's only 10 years old (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Ash would most likely take a long break from going on any large-scale adventures. Since he is still just 10 years old, he would most likely take some time to enjoy the rest of his childhood before leaving the Kanto region again.

If Ash did decide to go anywhere, it would mostly be to take a short vacation to visit any of his friends in other regions. Ash attended school in the Alola region, so maybe he will decide to continue his education in Kanto or the nearby Johto region. He may also decide to just live a normal life until he gets the itch for adventure once again.

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5) Joining the international police

Ash very well could have decided to put his battling prowess to good use for the international police (Image via The Pokemon Company)

The international police is one of the lesser-known factions in the Pokemon universe. Represented almost solely by the iconic Detective Looker, the international police are a group of officers who work to stop major crime-related threats and investigate various strange occurrences.

Harboring the best battling skills in the world, as well as a strong sense of justice, Ash may feel compelled to join the international police to protect innocent lives. Additionally, he would still be able to continue traveling. While Looker was first seen in the Sinnoh region, he has been seen in the Unova, Kalos, Alola, and Hoenn regions as well, so Ash would most likely be able to continue his endless adventures.