Who provides the Japanese voice of Ash Ketchum in the Pokémon TV series?

Rica Matsumoto provides the Japanese voice of Ash Ketchum in the Pokémon TV series.

Matsumoto has voiced Ash since the anime began in Japan in 1997. She also performs music connected with the franchise, including the Japanese opening theme “Aim to Be a Pokémon Master.” Her performance helped define Ash’s energetic, determined personality across many series and films.

Ash is voiced by different actors in different languages. In the original Japanese version, Matsumoto is the key performer; in the English dub, Veronica Taylor voiced Ash during the first eight seasons, followed by Sarah Natochenny from Pokémon: Battle Frontier onward.

Ikue Ōtani is another major Pokémon voice actor, but she voices Pikachu rather than Ash in Japanese. That distinction is a common source of confusion because both performers are strongly associated with the anime’s original cast.