The Pokemon Anime Said Goodbye to Misty 23 Years Ago

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Twenty-three years ago, fans of the original Pokémon anime were surprised when Misty left the show. Although Ash had traveled with several different companions over the years, Misty had been a consistent presence since the very beginning, appearing in the first episode and remaining a core character for a long time.

It’s hard to believe, but the original Pokémon anime is almost 30 years old, having first aired in 1997. Ash Ketchum remained a ten-year-old throughout the series, and his adventures lasted 26 years before the character stepped down as the main protagonist. However, unexpected changes to the show’s characters have happened many times over the years.

Pokemon Anime Underwent a Major Shift 23 Years Ago

Watching the Pokémon series over the years, I remember being really surprised when Misty left. While Ash picked up new friends along the way, Misty’s departure felt different. Back in 2002 in Japan and 2003 here in the US, the episode ‘Gotta Catch Ya Later’ just suddenly had her return to Cerulean City to take over her family’s Gym. It came completely out of the blue – there hadn’t been any hints she was leaving, and she’d been traveling with Ash for five years at that point!

Longtime viewers of the Pokemon series may recall that Misty wasn’t the first of Ash’s friends to leave. Brock was actually the first to depart, leaving during the Orange Islands adventures. Although his exit was a surprise, he didn’t stay gone for long – he was back just a few episodes later, and rejoined Ash’s travels. Misty’s fans probably anticipated a similar temporary departure, as the story hinted she would only cover the Cerulean Gym until her sisters returned. Unfortunately, things didn’t turn out that way.

Over the years, Misty made several brief appearances and appeared in flashbacks throughout the Pokémon series, as her path would sometimes cross with Ash’s during his adventures. She was featured in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire and Pokémon Sun and Moon, but had limited roles—mostly just mentions or flashbacks—in Diamond and Pearl and Black and White. Finally, she rejoined Ash as a main character in the very last season, starting with episode 1,223 in 2023. That meant it had been 950 episodes since she last traveled with him.

Throughout the Pokémon series, Ash met and traveled with many different friends. While Dawn (in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl) and Goh (in Pokémon Journeys) were his most prominent companions, he also journeyed with others like Tracey, May, Max, and Serena. As the show went on, it became common for Ash’s friends to join him for a while and then move on to new adventures.

I have to say, the biggest shock for me was when they decided to move Ash, the original protagonist, off the show. After so many seasons, the story shifted to follow Liko and Roy in Pokemon Horizons, and we haven’t seen Ash since. A director at The Pokemon Company did mention that a quick appearance from Ash isn’t entirely off the table – he’s back to traveling and exploring on his own now, after all. However, it seems like the main goal with this new series is to refresh things with new characters and locations, so I wouldn’t expect to see Ash make a comeback anytime soon.

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2025-12-13 15:04