A. Yoshi Theory: How will the Pokemon anime end?

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The Pokemon anime is one of the most successful cartoons aired anywhere. It even has more episodes than any animated show in America, but let's face it, it's jogging in place, you're allowed to do that when you're a landmark series in any region's pop culture as this series. However, like it or not, it's (probably) going to end, they're going to lose a irreplaceable cast or crew member and it'll end. Even then, some anime has a ridiculously long shelf life, with some lasting since the 60s (take that Simpsons). Action/shonen shows aren't supposed to last this long, and they're done when they're done, but here's a list of possible endings for this long running anime...




#1: ASH WINS THE POKEMON LEAGUE (AKA THE OBVIOUS ONE):

Yeah this is kind of a given, but it's the most possible finale if/when the Pokemon anime ends. The set up is self-explanatory, ash finally makes it to the finals of the Pokemon league, and he encounters the most powerful, most skilled, more legendary than any other Pokemon Trainer. He must learn everything he's learned over the past 20 (or however long it decides to stay) to beat this ultimate trainer. Both Trainers are at the last Pokemon, and Ash beats the mystery trainer when Pikachu (or whoever) is at it's last leg.



#2: ASH MEETS HIS DAD:

This is just as much of a likely possibility as the first one. Ash's dad wants to challenge his son to one last Pokemon battle to see who the winner is. Either trainer is just as much of a possibility as each other, so there's no clear cut winner, but the ending will be Ash realizing that no victory can mean more than the ones you love. Heck, there's enough mystery to Ash's dad that there's enough material for an entire story arc for a real tearjerker...



#3/#4: ASH AND THE OTHERS FINALLY AGE/ASH FINALLY FINDS A PERMANENT LOVER:

These 2 are put together since it'll be a great character development moment for a lot of main characters... Ash's age, the mystery that still shakes us to this very day, heck I wrote a blog on it a long time ago, but it'll be great to finally know how old he is at the end of the series. This could even be combined with him confessing his love with Dawn, May, or Arceus forbid, Misty. I honestly don't know what I could add to this since it's just a simple idea for the finale.



#5: IT WAS VIDEO GAME (OR CARTOON) ALL ALONG (THE META ENDING):

We all know Pokemon started out as a video game, but what if the series we've been following for almost 20 years was actually a kid playing a video game. it would be ridiculously meta, shocking, and will get the Pokemon anime talked about in the mainstream media for the first time in over a decade. This can be combined with #1, and we can see how the kid who played Pokemon's enjoying his life after playing the game. Think of it this way, remember that MLB The Show commercial where the Cubs win the world series, It's that but with the Pokemon franchise...



#6: ASH KETCHUM DIES:

This is a rather unlikely one, but think Ashita no Joe, Ring ni Kakero, etc. The main character dies after making it this far, but he dies after learning a lot from his adventures. I know ash hasn't really developed, but he's learned something somewhere deep in the depths of the Pokemon anime, although possible to show Ash's ascension to maturity, Death's a taboo topic here and in many other countries, it's natural in life, but good luck not getting parents complaining about death in a children's show.



These scenarios can be mixed and matched for the ultimate finale to the Pokemon anime (if there is one). What do you think of these scenarios? Would you add one? Let me know...