What is the Japanese name of the Pokémon anime protagonist Ash Ketchum?

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The Pokémon anime protagonist Ash Ketchum is named Satoshi in the Japanese version.

Satoshi is the trainer who travels through many regions with Pikachu, competing in Pokémon battles and working toward becoming a Pokémon Master. The English localization changed his name to Ash Ketchum.

The Japanese name is also associated with Satoshi Tajiri, the creator of the Pokémon franchise. Ash's main rival is named Shigeru in Japan and Gary Oak in English, reflecting another localization change.

Takeshi is the Japanese name of Brock, one of Ash's early traveling companions. Because the anime uses different names across languages, character-name questions should specify the version or language being discussed.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Oct. 2026

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