Impressive Pokemon theory confirms Ash Ketchum’s real age

We just can't get away from him, can we? Despite Ash Ketchum having left the ever-popular Pokemon anime, his presence is still haunting the series like a rogue Haunter in Lavender Town's Pokemon Tower. Even as we move forward with Liko and Roy, fans are still (rightly) obsessed with Ash.

After being the de facto leader of the anime from 1997 to 2023 - holding up 25 seasons - it's no surprise that Ash has left a lasting impression on us all. Even now, Ash and his Pikachu have journeyed to pastures new, we're still finding out new information. Now, there's a theory on Ash's real age.

How old is Ash Ketchum in the Pokemon series?

Posting on Twitter, @KuroBlitz96 claims that Ash ages one day every episode. This would mean he's aged 120 days during Indigo League and Adventures in the Orange Islands, with around a year passing between The Johto Journeys and Battle Frontier until he heads into Sinnoh for Diamond and Pearl.

It's a pretty solid theory that's picked up some traction online, but not everyone is sold. One critic wrote, "Honestly using this logic it makes sense but at the same time there are some episodes that take place on the same day."

Added to this, the descriptions of the series repeatedly refer to him as a "10-year-old trainer." As someone else pointed out, "What really breaks this theory is the fact that they (narrator or characters) say in several episodes (at least once in each region) that Ash is still 10."

The changing animation style definitely makes Ash look older than when we first met him, and as another fan else concluded, "I always had a head cannon that he was 15 in X and Y he just looked so much like a teen in that series."

We've had some passage of time in the Pokemon timeline, with a short before Entei and the Spell of the Unown confirming it had been a year since we first met Ash in Pallet Town. Sun & Moon also took place over a school year, however, it's clear things aren't that easy here.

Pokemon: Horizons debunks major Ash theory

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Despite all the fanfare surrounding Ash's departure, we know he'll be back someday. It's not like we went full Game of Thrones to kill him off, and while the story has pivoted to Liko and Roy, it makes sense for Ash to pop up further down the line. After all, his swansong included the likes of Misty and Brock.

Speaking of an aged Ash, Horizons has already debunked a major Ash theory. Given Liko's resemblance to Ash, there was a popular theory that she's his daughter -possibly the love child of Ash and Serena. Instead, Horizons teased her parents and pretty much debunked the Ash idea.

We don't know when or how Ash will return to the Pokemon anime, but it's unlikely that we will have some massive time jump where Liko and Roy meet up with an adult Ash. Still, we'd love to have seen him like some silver fox Professor Oak-esque mentor.