When it comes to Ash Ketchum from Pokémon, everyone knows his lifelong dream: to become the greatest Pokémon Master. However, what being a “Pokémon Master” truly means has long been a mystery, and it turns out that wasn’t Ash’s original motivation when he began his journey as a trainer.
The Pokémon anime began in 1997 under the guidance of head writer Takeshi Shudo, who led the series for its first five years and wrote the scripts for the first three movies. Shudo developed much of the Pokémon world as seen in the anime, including many quirky and iconic elements. Yet, some of his original ideas were never included in the main series and instead appeared in his Pokémon novel adaptations.
Ash’s Original Goal Was More Selfish Than Fans Expected
In Takeshi Shudo’s Pokémon anime novel, he revealed many elements originally planned for the series but never aired. These ranged from small details, like Ash’s mother running a restaurant in Pallet Town, to bigger changes, such as considering age 10 as adulthood.
One surprising change involved Ash and Gary’s true motivation for leaving Pallet Town to start their Pokémon trainer careers. Pallet Town was named after Pallet Oak, Professor Oak’s great-grandfather and the most successful trainer from the region. After Pallet Oak ranked 931st on the trainer leaderboard, the town was named in his honor.
Here’s the interesting part: Ash and Gary originally set out not just to become generic Pokémon Masters. Their personal goal was to surpass Pallet Oak’s rank and rename the town after themselves, either “Ash Town” or “Gary Town.” This explains their fierce rivalry, making it more personal and goal-driven, even if it wasn’t a major motivation for the series overall.
Ash’s Ultimate Success Means He Could Achieve His Dream
Although the “rename the town” goal was never mentioned in the anime, renaming Pallet Town seems plausible after Ash’s dramatic victory at the World Coronation Series, where he became world champion. If Pallet Oak’s 931st rank was enough to have the town named after him, Ash’s top spot surely qualifies.
It’s easy to imagine young Ash secretly dreaming not only of becoming champion but also of renaming his hometown. However, as the series progressed, Ash grew from a hot-headed boy into a selfless trainer. By the end of his journey, he likely no longer pursues such selfish glory.
While none of this was officially part of the anime, it offers an intriguing look at Ash’s character development. It highlights some of the selfish and negative traits he showed early on. His adventures with Pikachu and friends helped him mature, suggesting that even if Ash once had this goal, he has since grown beyond it toward a nobler purpose.
Source: Screenrant