Ash becomes champion after 22 years

After 22 years, 1,080 episodes, seven regional leagues and beating Team Rocket thousand times, Ash Ketchum has finally won his first league.  

Yes, it has been 22 years since Pokémon first aired on silver screen in 1996!

Although the original fans of the show might be well into their late 20s or even early 30s, the Pokémon master has maintained 'not a day more than 10 years' look for all this time.

Ash Ketchum is on his journey to becoming the youngest Pokémon master from Pallet town in the Kanto region along with our beloved Pikachu.

In his first effort at the competition, crashing out in the final 16, Ketchum reached the top eight thrice and even reached the final one time.

He has finally become the first champion of the Alola Region in the 139th episode titled 'Birth! The Alola Champion!' of the Pokémon Sun and Moon series.

The final fight was between the two different forms of Lycanroc, one owned by Ash – which was originally living with Professor Kukui – and the other with Gladion.

'Birth! The Alola Champion!' has handled by Team Kato at OLM. Assistant Director Kazuaki Mori was in storyboarding while Reina Yamazaki was the animation director.

The Pokémon Sun and Moon series is currently airing in Japan, and a new Pokémon series will take over the slot based on the new Pokémon Sword and Shield games.

The series is currently dubbed in English as Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon – Ultra Legends and aired on Disney XD.

For everyone who has been an avid fan of Pokémon, a historic moment has arrived. The adored Pokémon trainer Ash Ketchum has finally become a Pokémon Master!

For years, Ketchum's trials and tribulations have been chronicled in television and emulated in games.

Never mind that according to a lot of the fans, the anime quality of the show is getting more disappointing with every new season and that some of the Pokémon now have names like iPhonemon (looks like an iPhone) and Parachutemon (looks like a parachute!).

What really matters is that Ash has finally made it and all he had to do was keep trying. Now that is a true and inspiring champion!