Who was the main protagonist of the Pokémon anime for its first 25 seasons?

Ash Ketchum was the main protagonist of the Pokémon anime for its first 25 seasons.

He debuted in the first episode, “Pokémon, I Choose You!”, and began his journey from Pallet Town with Pikachu. His goal was to become a Pokémon Master, a phrase used throughout the series without one single permanent definition.

Ash traveled through multiple Pokémon regions, including Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, Alola, and Galar. His companions and Pokémon teams changed regularly, while Pikachu remained his constant partner.

Ash eventually became the World Champion after defeating Leon in the World Coronation Series Masters Eight Tournament. The anime then moved to new central protagonists, Liko and Roy, in Pokémon Horizons. Ash is sometimes confused with Red, the player character associated with the original games.