Ash Ketchum became recognized as the world’s strongest Pokémon Trainer in 2022.
He achieved this status in Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series after winning the Pokémon World Coronation Series Masters Tournament. His final match was against Leon, the undefeated Champion of the Galar region.
Ash’s victory followed more than two decades of anime stories. Before becoming the World Champion, he had won regional and special competitions, including the Alola League, but he had not yet reached the top rank in the worldwide tournament.
The result was reported in November 2022 and marked a major turning point for the character. Ash and Pikachu later received a concluding run of episodes, after which Pokémon Horizons introduced Liko and Roy as the anime’s new central protagonists.