The COMPLETE Guide To Ash’s Pokemon Journey (Part 1) 

Thanks so much for watching! I hope you enjoy this start to my multi part video series with new entries every month! Let me know some of your favorite moments with Ash in the anime!

My man, I wanted to re-experience Ash’s journey once his retirement was announced, but it’s just so many episodes. Thanks for creating this awesome way for old fans to revisit their childhoods :)

hype for this series. i will watch every part

Seeing Pikachu refuse to fight his clone and hearing his desperation into shocking Ash back to life when he turned to stone is one of those things that will remain in my mind forever.

Misty seems really mean holding a bike over Ash’s head. Until you remember bikes cost one million dollars in the Pokémon world.

2 hours? Part 1?! That's some real dedication. You've outdone yourself man, great work.

Holy shit, I’m 28 and these early episodes are actually making me tear up a bit. So many good memories, such good stories told(especially Charmander). Just wow. I miss these days.

It’s surreal to know that Ash will be no longer the protagonist of Pokémon. I think what really hit it for me was seeing an end credit scene and seeing him reunite with his released Butterfree. When that happened that hit the nostalgia feels hard in a way few things would.

It really is impressive just how much forward momentum there is in the Indigo League season, like yeah the show is still mostly episodic but it's the best kind of episodic, where each episode feels like a pitstop on a journey rather than a random occurrence

My man, thank you for documenting my childhood so beautifully time and time again. Keep it up king 👑

This early arc of Pokémon is always going to mean a lot to me. My brother and I were always excited to watch this on Saturday mornings while playing our Red and Blue games (or stuffing our faces with pancakes).

At first, I thought it was strange the first few episodes had such a heavy focus on abandoned pokemon but then it began making sense considering trainers start off pretty young and dont really grasp the concept of a pokemon's life being that valuable. All theyre worried about is how strong it is and, if its not strong, theyll just put it back into the wild.

It's very interesting to think about how Ash's first badges are rewarded to him for his skills asa trainer but more for his character as a person. And while other series might let the main protagonists still win out in the end they really make it clear that Ash wasn't ready to win the league. It maybe initially a bummer to have him go out like this but it definitely feels like it was needed to establish Ash's character itself before he was actually able to focus on being a better trainer.

Man this show was so powerful, it introduced me to crying out of an overflow of positive emotions. Just seeing the Pokemon doing selfless acts warms your heart every time

I remember owning the first half of the St. Anne episodes on vhs being traumatized not knowing what happens or how they got out, and to this day I think that's why I have a fear of boats sinking. Not boats in general. Just the sight and thought of a boat sinking drives my anxiety up so high, even boats underwater for a long time gives me goosebumps

One thing I especially liked about the anime was that the Pokemon you catch beyond your party limit went to Professor Oak, rather than to be stored in your PC. That he could call up the professor and see his herd of Tauros running around, or his Muk trying to hug Oak. As opposed to the games where they're just in digital form until you deposit something out of your party and withdraw something else. I get that it's not something that would easily translate to the games, but it's a fun detail.

I know it's hard to say goodbye to Ash he is the one who proably started it all for an entire generation of anime and manga fans but I'm still going to give the new protagonists Roy and Liko a fair chance when the new series premieres in April Ash may be leaving but the story of the incredible world of Pokémon is far from over.

HOW COULD YOU SKIP THE BEST LOVE STORY IN THE ORIGINAL SERIES PIKACHU AND KETCHUP!!! But seriously, this was an amazing retrospective and I can't wait for the rest man!

The first episodes about the emotional trauma that the Pokémon go through when abandoned is 100% the reason why I rarely, if ever, released Pokémon back into the wild. I would always be very careful not to catch Pokémon I didn't think I'd end up using, so as not to put any of them through the stress of being caught just to be released again. I also didn't know about IVs or IV training until maybe the X/Y/Z generation, so I had no idea I could have been catching better Pokémon from the wild to begin with. I love that you're covering this topic, as I grew up with Pokémon, and though I haven't played every game or watched every episode, this franchise is very much near and dear to my heart, and nostalgia is probably the one reason I picked up Pokémon GO when it first came out, and it's currently the only game I play with any regularity, often being literally the only game I play at all. I might usually pick up other games, but they all fizzle out compared to my raw intent to catch as many Pokémon as I can in GO, knowingly destroying ecosystems in the name of experience gain, candy, and filling out my Pokédex. EDIT: You are absolutely not alone in your ire at Mewtwo coming before Mew in the Pokédex. I, too, share that ire.

This is the ultimate nostalgia trip for me. Thanks for making such a comprehensive retrospective of such a great series.

Pikachu's Goodbye was the one episode that did have me in tears cause I didn't see the departure of Butterfree as a kid for some reason

The appreciation for Pokemon 2000 (Power of One) is unreal, glad to see someone who also loves that movie. Spell of the Unknown is tied with it, but thats for gen 2

thank you so much for making these videos, I'm having a blast watching through them... I started rewatching the show a while back, and I really love these early episodes where it's just Ash, Misty, and Brock traveling around from town to town. I love how the show has this overall relatively subtle environmentalist theme that builds up over time... every time the characters stop at another town, they learn how the town coexists with the local pokemon population, whether in harmony or contention, and if there's a problem, they work toward solving it. but part of what makes the pokemon world feel so idyllic, and yet so interesting, is that humanity and technology aren't necessarily demonized or considered to be the antithesis of pokemon and the natural environment. I think this sense comes a lot from the focus on pokemon professors, and pokemon research in general. much like our own natural world, there's a lot that people don't know. and a lot of the technology in pokemon is developed for the purpose of studying pokemon, or as the result of pokemon research and it's findings. it's a great way of showing how humans can fit into an ecosystem without hurting it, even as we continue to be curious and inventive. it's also really cool to see how pokemon have this amazing range in personality, with some being more like wild animals, or domesticated animals, or closer in intelligence to human beings, depending on the type of pokemon they are, and their particular relationship to people. it doesn't feel weird to watch Ash get attacked by a pokemon in the woods, the way you would be attacked by a bear if you messed with it. but it also doesn't feel weird for someone living in the city to keep a kadabra and have it live alongside them almost like a person. pokemon aren't just representative of nature... they bridge the gap between the natural world and human developed society, in a way that can become very messy and difficult to parse. within that, I think the discussion of pokemon and their unique social issues around evolution are fascinating... especially because Ash's pokemon have such distinct differences in maturity, which don't always match their outward appearances. plus, that's actually the point! charizard is so obviously immature, and even though his body grew up very fast, because he's so preoccupied with showing and proving his own strength, he always came off as one of Ash's younger pokemon, just going off of his attitude. by contrast, bulbasaur was a pokemon who Ash initially met when he was already established as a community leader among the pokemon in his area. he was in the midst of shouldering a lot of responsibility, and when he went with Ash, he became a very stable part of the team in terms of his personality. even later on, when bulbasaur resists evolving, that comes off as a decision made out of a sense of maturity, because bulbasaur is already self assured, and confident in who he is. so within Ash's team, we actually have a first stage pokemon that feels more like an adult, and a third stage pokemon that comes off as very childish. it's a really cool way to use the mechanic of evolution to communicate these things about them, because charizard feels like he's grandstanding, while bulbasaur has nothing to prove. I also am just a huge massive fan of team rocket... I know this whole thing is about Ash, so those three will mostly be evaluated by how much they help or hinder him, but I love how all three are kind of subversive in their own ways. all three of them aren't what the people around them wanted them to be, in some way or another... but the qualities that are actually their strong suit prevent them from giving up. the thing meowth was never supposed to be was intelligent... he had a crush on a pretty rich girl meowth, but she rejected him because he learned to walk and talk. this is also a really interesting example of a pokemon getting stuck between the world of pokemon and the world of humans... too much of a pokemon for humans to accept, but too human-like for other pokemon to accept either. the thing that Jessie was never supposed to be was ambitious... she grew up in poverty, and had dreams of living in luxury, so she tried out all sorts of different prospective career paths and was rejected from each one over and over again. and the thing James was never supposed to be was carefree... he grew up in a rich family, and his parents loved to restrict his options, and overload him with unpleasant obligations. so it's interesting that, within their group, these are their roles. meowth is the idea guy, and constantly stops Jessie and James's bickering in order to tell them what the plan is. Jessie is their ambition, like, if meowth and James ever start whining, she's the one who keeps them from giving up. and James is the group's optimist... if Jessie and meowth are getting frustrated over their circumstances, he's usually the one who tells them to chill out, and if anyone is going to point out a way in which their circumstances aren't so bad, it's probably James, who really appreciates the little things in life. the three of them like each other, because they're the only ones that let each other do what they do best. even if that does kind of mean that it's them against the world. I just love early pokemon, and this was such a fun retrospective to watch. ^_^

The lighthouse episode has to be my all time favourite. It’s just such a deep dive into the lore of their world. I love it

Even as a younger fan, I found myself entranced in the morning watching Black and White and it was always that show that I understood had so much legacy. Though, I don’t have the time to go through the whole series again, I feel like this would be a great replacement for the next few.

The Vermillion Gym battle was easily one of my most loved and impactful episode of the show to me.

The first episode has to be the most iconic pilot episode ever. I can almost remember it line by line.

Jordan, I mean this when I say this, you are the absolute GOAT of documenting and explaining the nuances of shows from my childhood. Everytime I get a notif about a new video I literally grab a drink and a snack and settle in to my computer chair knowing I'm about to have a good time.

What a Long Incredible Journey it was for Ash. Meeting lots of new friends, rivals and catches lots of Pokemon. It's won't be the same without Ash, but now he can take a long break.

Thank you SO MUCH for creating this content, I really love it!! Already subscribed to your channel and I'm waiting for the next parts!

I very much love Ash’s Journey. Many ups, many lows, many friends, many rivals, and a lot of lovable and iconic Pokémon that he has caught. He really came a long way since he’s not only the champion of the Alola region and also the World Champion, but he’s now officially a Pokémon Master!

Still crazy how Ash became a Pokemon Champion & his journey is ending before Luffy even becomes the Pirate King. Surreal.

WAIT... Remember when Jordan Fringe and Jordan Fringe Gaming dropped 3 hours of Pokemon Content for Pokemon Day? I remember!

Charizard is like the cute kid that grows into a rebellious young adult and slowly develops a healthier relationship with their parents.

Growing up with Pokémon and being named Ash, i cried a lil when I heard about it

Plot twist: Ash and Pikachu really died when the chandelier dropped and the rest of the show is their heaven, battling side by side forever young

Dang, bro, two hours! Listening to this while taking deliveries tonight will certainly help pass the time. Keep up the awesome work, Jordan!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Ash Ketchum and Pikachu are easily the best developed protagonists in anime. These characters have experienced death, grief, depression, existential crises, have battled legends and gods, traveled thru time and alternate dimensions. Not to mention, their sheer and pure kindness and good nature literally influences EVERYONE and everything around them.

Pokémon and all of its extensions hold a special place in my heart as it was a main part in my childhood. For you to narrate and do your enjoyable commentary reflecting back on the series means a whole lot to say the least. Hope to hear more about this and what follows afterwards.

this feels like a legit documentary. I could watch it over and over. And if you plan on covering the whole series from gen 1 to journeys I'll be watching it.

I know it wasn't integral to Ash's storyline specifically, but I think The Ghost of Maiden's Peak deserves a shoutout! It features a superb mix of comedy and seriousness, and the overall dark tone really stands out to me. I wish they would have explored similar ideas more throughout the series. Anyway, thank you for putting so much effort into this crazy long video, and I can't wait to see the next one!

This video is essentially, "Memory Unlocked: Pokémon Edition" I absolutely am grateful you're doing this. I didn't recall how wonderful some of these first eps were, especially when dealing with Pokémon abandonment and retaliation after the fact, followed by regaining trust of those respective Pokémon. Additionally, I'm very excited to go over some of the one-off characters that were introduced like the Ditto girl and the guy with the Sandslash. EDIT: NVM. Just as they were one-off they weren't mentioned ahaha. BRUHHHH. WHATTT. THE RELATION WITH ASH AND RICHIE IS SO WHOLESOME OMFG. I DONT REMEMBER THIS BUT I DO REMEMBER RICHI Also, though I haven't watched Pokémon in sometime, I do so much adore the moments were Team Rocket cheers for Pikachu and Ash. It's really sweet and definitely makes them more likable imo. I wanted to note that throughout the video I was noticing some green screen blips. It's not so bad, but it was something that tripped me out, ahaha. Wonderful job and thank you again. I look forward to more of this!

Great video and very thorough. I can remember a lot of the main gist of these episodes like it was yesterday even though it was nearly 20 years ago at this point. 2 side points: 1) I think Charizards disobedience was a reference to the games. You could not control Pokemon over a certain level until you got enough badges. In the game, messages would come up after beating a gym that said, "You can now control Pokemon up to X level" or something like that. If you were using a Pokemon over that level, while in battle it would only listen to you about a 1/3 of the time. I believe this was to prevent people trading in very strong pokemon and tanking the entire game, and also to make sure a player wouldn't choose to level up by staying in an easy region destroying weak wild pokemon for hours on end to level up. Charmander was made strong by his struggles, but evolved while Ash was still an inexperienced trainer, so Ash did not have enough experience to control him. 2) I think Richie was supposed to be a stand in for Red. He has a very similar appearance and has a trademark Pikachu. Also a lot of the starters just like red. Ash does as well, but is clearly no Red. The reason Richie loses in the Pokemon league is a reference to how young players normally lose the first few times around when playing against the Elite 4.

I started playing Pokémon go end of 2021 - it helped me get out of the house after pandemic/lockdowns. I’d never watch Pokémon or played any Pokémon games, so this is a perfect way to learn about the lore. Thanks!

This was very well done and just even the name 'Ash Ketchum' gives me a lot of nostalgia ^_^

I hated losing lapras so much I love that Majestic ass pokemon And it was so cool throughout Orange league which is in my opinion and under rated arc.

That whole scene in Mewtwo strikes back was just heart wrenching.

Anyone else feel like the choreographed scene to the remixed theme in the first movie is probably the best thing that has come out of Pokémon? From what I can tell they basically only did that again in the third movie, and even then I don’t think the theme was altered as much as the first. I still find myself constantly rewatching both though, wishing they (or anyone) would make updated versions using Pokémon from the latest gen.

Thanks for going through this giant series, I remember so many of these moments from when these were rerunning in the 2000's. Pokemon like Kingler definitely benefit from their depiction in these episodes, so much personality

Not me crying thinking it’s over cause this was my whole comfort and support as a child

This is perfection! I love how you break everything down and show all the characters and how they devlop!

👏WHAT👏A👏GOAT The scripting. The editing. The research. So much went into this and will continue in future parts to come. That is insane. Props for having an astounding dedication to making this series

Misty's Sister: "You would have lost to Ash anyway, Pikachu has a type advantage over you." Me, with visions of having his Pikachu lose to Misty's Starmie 50 times in a row in Pokemon Red: 🤔

just think, Misty was basically heartless to team rocket. she's usually the one to chew Ash out on putting pikachu and other pokemon in danger, yet she never even offered Staryu to team rocket when the SS anne was about to sink. it wasn't even a case of Misty possibly leaving some at the Gym (honestly, Staryu/mie are essentially non-characters that doesn't need water to move on) since she still had them. Brock got Starmie and Misty got Goldeen. i don't think any of the cast was even aware TR had a magikarp.

Wow. Just wow. This is one of the most quality and consistent channels I’ve come across in my many years on RU-vid. You are just amazing. Keep it up!

I am honestly looking forward to reliving all the highs and lows this series takes us through. Much like Power Rangers THIS was my childhood and the Nostalgia is gonna hit me like a freight train

as a kid who watched the original series at 6:30 am every day - man did it grab me hard... this was a fantastic breakdown and I love how I never realized how little Ash won in the Gyms... thank you this brought back some great feelings

These multi-hour videos are really cutting into my productivity, but I MUST watch.

The first season of Pokemon was so memorable. It gave me so many different mixed emotions.

I felt that the Kanto elite four should have been showcased in Mewtwo's strike back, with the plot twist of Ash accidently getting an invite and mistakenly being allowed to participate in Mewtwo's tournament.

Took me a while but I finally finished! Totally agreed, the movie with Lugia was easily one of the best. Can't wait for part 2!

Fun fact the pilot episode was gonna be episode 15 where all the characters and Pokémon where all in one episodes and then it would go to the first episode not something many Pokémon fans know about I only just found out but it didn’t happen that way but that was the original American plot

This show is one of the earliest things I remember ever watching on TV back when the first season dropped, so it has been part of my entire life after somewhat keeping up with it on and off over the years and it's ofc quite surreal that it's actually ending soon. What an insane run.

Fun Fact: Lugia was made specifically for the movie, but they then added it to the games!

Wow. This video popped up on my Recommended, and I tend to watch recap videos like this while I'm working or exercising, but it would often just be background noise. But this video was really really well done. It wasn't just a recap, it definitely is a GUIDE to Ash's journey, and I truly appreciate the amount of work and time that went into making this video. I selfishly want the next part now but I know that something like this takes time and a real dedicated effort and I absolutely want that. You've got my sub, and I'll turn on notifications. Looking forward to seeing more.

Oh god. What a madlad to decide to do something like this. Ps. How could Goodbye Butterfree not be the most obvious answer to favourite moment in the anime

This was amazing!! Honestly, felt like an audiobook of Pokémon! Loved listening to it and being walked through the episodes and character developments. So excited for the next episodes

I was a huge Pokémon fan when I was practically a toddler, so I don’t remember pretty much anything of the original anime. I should watch it again. It’s been YEARS.

Ive been looking for an anime based timeline retrospective on this series for so long

15:00 - Oh god, this unlocked a wild childhood memory apparently i was not able to comprehend the idea that OTHER Pikachu could exist in the world of Pokémon, so i always thought they were just "Fake Pikachu"

The only parents ash couldn't reunite was his own 😢

Coming back to this series as an adult, it hits harder. Since I’ve lived a little, I now understand these sad scenes. My heart man 😢

I'm so happy you made this. I grew up with pokemon, but I didn't watch much of the anime past the first few parts and the first movie, I mostly played the games. When they announced that Ash was leaving the anime and everyone got sad I was curious why everyone was so upset about it. To me he was just that kid that kept failing and didn't earn any of his badges, I wanted to watch all of the anime so I could understand everyone else's feelings and see if my feelings would change. Not to mention I've also wanted to go back and watch all of the movies before that so watching the anime as well just added to my already long watch list. So this series of videos will really help me bypass watching the anime to get that understanding in muucchhh less time lol. So far I'm still not respecting this kid as a trainer, but as a person, yeah he has my heart. I could empathize with people saying it was stupid that he kept releasing all his best mon, but I get it. Pokemon aren't tools, and if a pokemon that I wasn't attached too wanted to go off and find their true purpose in life, sure it would be sad, but I'd have to let them go cuz I know I won't be giving them purpose. As a person, Ash has a heart of gold, and that in itself is worth admiring.

No one asked you to go this hard. You did that for us. Respect

To think where Pokemon started and to where it is now, in the beginning nobody knew just how big this show would last. Growing up with Ash watching him go from a naive newbie to one most skilled and powerful trainers on the planet, was a large part of life. While the first Gen is far from perfect, when compared to some future seasons, but it does hold a special place in my heart.

The company coming out and owning the Porigon episode and even doing a short to fully explain what happened on their channel is something I wouldn’t ever expect to see in this day and age. I remember all the craze around the episode being banned and seeing images of that broadcast but never understood what was being explained. How cool

What's funny is the biggest motivation to watch the show for me was to see James crossdressing. That man is a menace.

fun fact : the pokémon anime started airing in the us a week before the games were released in the us.

Really appreciate this video, Jordan, you sent me down a wild ride of nostalgia as you usually do in your vids, but you reminded me what made the first season of Pokemon so special as a kid 💯

It would be cool if they released the whole Pokemon anime featuring ash on DVD as a box set sorta like the MCU did

Fringe just doesn’t miss. Insane effort and quality

i grew up with Pokemon, and have journeyd alongside Ash since day 1. i have yet to finish the series myself due to life getting in the way, but hearing the series of Ash' adventure end is, as you said, Bittersweet. he started his adventure to become the best there ever was, and now, he is ending it, as the best there ever was. and i am proud to have been there alongside him from the start. nothing will ever top Ash' adventure in Pokemon.

Ash Ketchum? More like Ash Leave-em. 😢 I'm not crying you're crying

1:33:51 - 😭 before I started crying when Misty says "please no" but now I started crying when the song came on and with everyone fighting. I watched it again just today. I had to giggle through it to keep myself from wailing. It's very emotional.

I think we’d love a channel or even a separate series or whatever for deep dives on mangas like Pokémon, stuff like berserk and even the kingdom of hearts books. Not only would fans migrate naturally but I think you’d garnish a whole new set of people to follow you across all platforms with something like that. Amazing video my boy, can’t wait for more

Jordan: you probably don’t remember Pokémon Live right Me: ONE WORLD

Jordan you continue to impress us, keep up the good work king.

i love you talking about your nostalgic attachment to pokemon. i'm right there with you. i was born in 1999 and my cousins gave me giant pokemon pillows when i was born, and it's been with me ever since - i still have those pillows to this day. ash ketchum has been with me more than my parents have, and i'm so sad to see his journey coming to an end.

So excited for this series! Pokémon has been in my life forever, so much that I apparently wanted to change my name to Ash!

As someone who doesn't have the time to watch this series over again and gain closure from my childhood investment, thank you for making these videos!! Commentary is on point, informative and hilarious!

I'm so hyped for the rest of this series!

I'm glad I got this recommended! Pokemon was my introduction to anime, and was probably one of my earliest special interests when I was younger (Long before I knew I had Autism) I always thought Ash was the best! I tended to name every Pikachu Sparky after the Pikachu that shows up in the anime, because I thought Sparky was the coolest Pikachu.

Aside from being Combusken Blocked by Netflix last weekend, (seriously just FINISH the damn series already!) the most recent block of episodes made me feel like being a fan of the show for the last two decades of my life has finally been appreciated, all the familiar faces watching and competing in the World Coronation Series has been such a nostalgia trip.

I never watched as a kid but I have three boys that have recently gotten into this. I actually enjoy watching it with them

I love the first season, it really feels like they’re making stuff up as they go along in the best possible way. They referenced stuff from the video games but they used them more as guidelines then anything

Yes! Finally someone else is bothered by Mewtwo being before Mew in the Pokédex!

It’s crazy to think ash and team rocket were under water for a week lmao

The pokemon films really didnt need to go as hard as they do... I still remember the first four very fondly, and even some of the later ones (Lucario and Mew, the Rise of Darkrai).

Thank you for this undertaking, few things hold as many memories as pokemon does to me and this hits square in the chest in so many different ways.

Amazing amazing video series about the first season A question, is the green flashing from the video or my video player itself? Was noticing it alot, but wanted to make sure, either way that doesnt reduce anything about how great this video is