Warning: Late Arrival Spoilers for Pokémon Journeys: The Series will be left unmarked. You Have Been Warned.
"So, now that you're the Champion, just how close are you to becoming a Pokémon Master?"
Pokémon: To Be a Pokémon Master (ポケットモンスター めざせポケモンマスター Pocket Monsters: Aim to Be a Pokémon Master) is a miniseries of the Pokémon anime and contains the final episodes of Pokémon Journeys: The Series, serving as the conclusion to Ash's and Pikachu's story. The series started running in Japan on January 11, 2023 and concluded on March 24, with the English dub first airing in Canada on July 22 and premiered on Netflix in the United States on September 8. The next anime series, Pokémon Horizons: The Series, stars new protagonists Liko and Roy, and began broadcast in April 2023 in Japan.After becoming the World Champion, Ash reunites with old friends, make new ones in form of other people and Pokémon, and well as Team Rocket being up to their old tricks. Ash would then change out his Pokémon Once per Episode, and each of them would help Ash along the way. However, after saving the legendary Pokémon, Latias, she grows interested in him, and follows him around in his new aimless journey.
The mini-series is a love letter sendoff to the franchise's longest running protagonist. Many events get called back to, and many episodes are designed to emulate the feeling of the original series, if with less of a sadistic sense of humor the original series can delve into. Ash and Misty still bicker, but it's more like friendly ribbing than outright biting sarcasm like it used to be. Pretty much, provided they aren't too hard to write back in, all of Ash's Pokémon get their time to shine.
In the end, Ash is given a question he'd never thought he'd have to fully answer; what does being a Pokémon Master even mean?
Contains examples of:
- And the Adventure Continues: The show ultimately ends with Ash leaving Pallet Town for another journey and Team Rocket chasing after him for his Pikachu as per usual. In the dub, Delia even quotes the trope nearly word for word for her final line.
- Anti-Climax: Controversially, the final episode the long-running series just... ends. There's no appearance of a Legendary Pokemon like Ho-oh or Lugia as many predicted. Team Rocket waste a lot of time working in the cafeteria. Ash falls into a brief depression thinking there's nothing to do, after finally accomplishing his dream of being the world's strongest. It doesn't feel like a finale. No flash-forwards, no montage of great moments. Ash just rests at home before he setting off on another aimless journey. Most fans agree the penultimate episode with a nod to the Pokémon Heroes movie, was a far better send off to the anime.
- Back for the Finale:
- After being left all the way back at the end of Kanto, Pidgeot returns for the very last episode of Ash's run.
- Tracey returns in the final episode and has his first speaking lines since the end of Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire. He even reveals his Venonat evolved into Venomoth.
- Bait-and-Switch:
- Almost each episode have Ash bonding in some way with the Pokémon of the day, either to help them or to ask for their help, while generally having a free slot in his party, possibly hinting he could add someone new to his roster. He didn't actually catch any new Pokémon in these twelve episodes, but Pidgeot returns to Ash's team for good as his last team change.
- The miniseries' poster hinted that we'd see every one of Ash's Pokémon that he caught throughout the years. In fact, all Ash's Pokémon are showcased... in segments in the opening, every episode. In the proper episodes, not counting Pikachu, Ash brings generally one to five of his reserves and there's episodes where he uses no one besides Pikachu.
- Bookends:
- The first and last episodes of the mini-series feature Ash and Pikachu using a split-ended stick to decide the path they should take.
- The first episode of the entire series and the last episode both featured Ash and Pikachu looking on towards a rainbow at the end of a nasty storm.
- Broken Win/Loss Streak: Ash's long string of seen victories since he won against Rinto and his Gallade during mid-Journeys is finally put to an end when he loses against Misty fighting over Clauncher (not that he mentions it).
- The Bus Came Back:
- Some of Ash's old Pokémon in his previous adventures return as he switches out his team every episode. Squirtle, Lapras and Pidgeot also appear, with only Pidgeot rejoining the gang permanently.
- The Team Rocket trio's Pokémon from their own previous adventures are returned by Giovanni after he saw it fit to return them to their masters.
- Alto Mare and its inhabitants make a comeback in the ending to Episode 10, in one of the very rare instances of a movie being acknowledged as canon by the anime.
- In the very final episode, Ash's Pidgeot rejoins his team, now that the flock it was protecting has grown enough to protect themselves without it.
- Call-Back:
- Misty reintroduces herself by catching Ash via fishing rod, much like how they first met. She also follows him in the forest before traveling together again, nearly in the exact same manner she did when they first journeyed in the original series.
- Episode 6 has the main trio being terrorized by a flock of Spearow, but unlike Ash's previous encounter at the very first episode, they manage to befriend it, and it helps them fight off a bunch of Venipedes.
- The entire plot with Latios and Latias obviously references Pokémon Heroes. Their final appearance even has the two heading to Alto Mare, complete with cameos from Bianca and that film's Latias.
- The scene of Ash parting ways with Misty and Brock is nearly recreated from their original send-off scene near the end of the first series.
- The final episode features Pikachu talking with a Caterpie under the night sky, similar to how he bonded with his very first teammate of the same species way back in the original series.
- The Cameo: Episode 10 ends with Latias and Latios heading to Alto Mare, where we see Bianca and the disguised-as-Bianca Latias.
- Character Development: One of the things the series puts emphasis on is just how much Ash has grown since the start. Both Misty and Brock note how far Ash has come, and the episode focusing on a Beartic experiencing Power Incontinence is basically one long episode dedicated to showing just how better of a trainer Ash has become by helping the Beartic get control of their power without asking for anything in return.
- Chekhov's Gunman: Episode 8 has the trio warn Nurse Joy about the Banette that has been stealing heart accessories. Brock figures out that Banette's owner was Nurse Joy (who's now an adult).
- Continuity Nod:
- Team Rocket express shock that Ash's Pidgeotto had evolved into Pidgeot, which makes sense because in the episode "Pallet Party Panic", they were chased off by the Spearow and Fearow flock before they could witness Pidgeotto evolve.
- The first episode had Team Rocket bringing out their Pokédex on Latias, despite the gang being in Pokémon Heroes. The thing is, they never actually encountered Latias during the events of that film.
- Drama-Preserving Handicap:
- Despite be the world monarch and have access to all the pokemon he currently have available, Ash still can be outplayed for some of Team Rocket's plans, whether for their own craftiness or for some blunder from Ash himself.
- When Ash and Misty fight over who gets to keep Clauncher, Ash deliberately uses Corphish instead of Pikachu, Leavanny or Rowlet, despite all three of them having a Type Advantage against Misty's Water Types. Misty wins out and gets Clauncher.
- Driving Question: "What does being a Pokémon Master mean?" In the final episode, Ash finally comes to what he feels it is; seeing the entire Pokémon world and meeting every Pokémon in it.
- End of an Age:
- The miniseries is a send-off to Ash and Pikachu as protagonists after being the anime's main characters for over two decades. To emphasize this, the intro shows scenes from all of the prior series, culminating with his victory over Leon. The next series is more or less a Soft Reboot.
- In addition, this is the last time Misty, Brock, Tracey, and all of the Pokémon Ash owns that appear here, show up in the anime, with the rest of Ash's old team, his traveling companions, rivals, one-shot friends, and competitors showed up in the final batch of Journeys episodes (though some, like Primeape, get left out altogether).
- Ghostly Goals: The Banette in episode 8 wants to reunite with its owner after it was accidentally abandoned, and was left in the old house its owner used to live in. Gengar was more than happy to oblige and tries to help it. After many unsuccessful attempts to find its original owner, it decided to leave its town on a train, right until Brock realizes who its owner was, and Banette was able to reunite with its owner, who is now an adult Nurse Joy.
- Grand Finale: Averted; The miniseries resolves very few lingering plot threads, mainly revolves around rather low-stakes stories, and simply ends with Ash heading off on another journey, having decided he still hasn't achieved his dream. The only two things that receive closure are Pidgeot rejoining Ash's team, and Ash finally giving a (sort of) answer to what being a Pokémon Master actually means.
- Humans Are Bastards: Latios and Latias initially have no good opinions on humans, and Latias tries to get Ash away from her when they first met. Latios definitely doesn't want to be near the trio when they try to help him. This is because of a Pokémon Hunter who uses a Hydreigon that's trying to capture them.
- Humanity Is Infectious: After being saved by Ash, Latias had been following Ash as he goes meeting new people and Pokémon. She herself would save Ash and Pikachu twice.
- It's the Journey That Counts: Ash ultimately comes to feel this way in the final episode, stating that he still feels like a challenger even after becoming the world champion, and ultimately deciding to set a new goal for himself to befriend every Pokémon in the world.
- Last Episode Theme Reprise: The last episode ends with "Type: Wild" playing over the credits; the theme song most heavily associated with Ash's character in Japan. The English dub instead uses a piano version of the "Pokémon Theme" in its last scene.
- Long Bus Trip: While the mini-series does its best to bring back a lot of the more iconic partners from the series, there are a few that were written off in a way that the cast reencountering would be too contrived in order to be believable.
- Primeape is the only one of Ash's Pokémon to not show up despite still being owned by him.
- Cilan is notably the only post-original series companion of Ash to return in the miniseries.
- Arbok, Weezing, Lickitung, Dustox, Victreebel, Cacnea, Chimecho, Mimikyu and Mareanie ended up not returning despite the tease that all of Team Rocket's Pokémon would return. They do at least get a reference in the episode in question with Team Rocket reminiscing about them.
- Lost Toy Grievance: Ash and co. find a Banette that has been going around houses to steal heart-shaped items and accessories because it's been trying to find its owner when it used to be a doll. Brock figures out that the doll Banette was born from was owned by a now adult Nurse Joy.
- Myth Arc: After spanning the entire series, we finally get an answer to what being a Pokemon Master finally means; or at the very least, what it means to Ash himself. To him, it means meeting every Pokemon in the world and seeing everything there is to it. And with that answer, Ash's tenure as the main protagonist ends with him and Pikachu seeking new adventures.
- Near-Villain Victory: Team Rocket's ultimate plan to capture Pikachu may have succeeded if not for Latias.
- Opening Shout-Out:
- The miniseries is named after the very first Japanese opening's title.
- Ending theme variant: one of the final shots of the miniseries is Ash in a brand new pair of shoes, with his old ones beaten and worn but kept lovingly in his house. "Type: Wild" includes lyrics talking about the singer's "favorite pair of worn-out shoes" after having traveled everywhere in them.
- Once per Episode: Each episode, Ash's team would rotate, with Pikachu being the sole constant. The OP sequence would also focus on Ash's Pokémon throughout the years.
- Power Incontinence: Ash and co. finds a Beartic that's been trying to control its ice powers, since it had been freezing a nearby forest, lake, and waterfall. Oshawott decides to help it by making a shell made of ice.
- The Power of Friendship: When Ash and Pikachu are separated, they end up finding each other only because both of them sensed the other being nearby.
- Plot-Mandated Friendship Failure: Ash and company (along with Bulbasaur and Charizard) pay a visit to the Squirtle Squad, unaware that Team Rocket had hijacked their firefighting safety show to make a quick profit. Upon seeing the twerps, they assume that Ash came to get his Squirtle back, and Invoked this trope to make them feud by tricking Squirtle into thinking Ash didn't care about him anymore, resulting in a fight between the three starters. It gets mended when Team Rocket bungles their latest scheme again and causes a warehouse fire, resulting in everyone pitching up their sleeves to put it out.
- Put on a Bus: Despite Ash constantly rotating his team randomly in each episode, not all of them get to have one last little hurrah, namely Lucario.
- Putting the Band Back Together:
- For the first time since Johto, the original trio of Ash, Misty, and Brock has reunited to travel together again.
- Even for only one episode, Ash's Kanto starters, Charizard, Squirtle and Bulbasaur are reunited after overcome a misunderstandement.
- Recycled Premise: This isn't really the first time a Wailmer (back in Sinnoh at Sunyshore City's sewers) was stuck and needed help getting out.
- Revisiting the Roots: For the send off series, Ash, Misty, and Brock once again regroup after splitting up at the end of Johto, with episodes that don't directly relate to the overarching question having plots very much in line with the tone of the original series; albeit with the trios Character Development from since then kept. (For example, although Ash and Misty do bicker, it's often more playful and much less mean spirited than it was in the first season.)
- Ship Tease: When Misty reunites with Ash, she plays up her old banter with Ash in a flirtatious manner, and even manages to sneak along to get to travel with him again.
- Slice of Life: The arc is centered around Ash, Misty, and Brock traveling around the Pokémon world without any real trajectory. It's really about Ash enjoying the small things of the Pokemon world now that he's the world champion.
- Snap Back: As part of the return to the original formula, Team Rocket has abandoned the Rocket Prize Master they used for the main run of Journeys and returned to being stuck in Perpetual Poverty, constantly starving despite having spent the last four series able to afford food. They also seem to have inexplicably abandoned their base in Vermilion City, allowing them to pursue Pikachu full-time once again.
- Status Quo Is God:
- Downplayed in that Ash's World Champion status is referenced a few times and does play an indirect role in the finale, but Ash's life remains remarkably unchanged despite everything he's achieved; he's never shown defending his title, only gets recognized a handful of times (mostly by his friends), and resumes adventuring across the world the same way he always has, ultimately deciding he still hasn't become a Pokémon Master yet in his mind.
- This also applies equally to Team Rocket, who remain fully stuck in their endless pursuit of Pikachu. They nearly give up and disband the team after their new perfect scheme falls apart because of Latias, but ultimately they realize that pursuing Pikachu together is far more exciting and lively than working menial jobs at the Team Rocket HQ, even if they'll never succeed in capturing Pikachu.
- Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Ash and co. finds a Wailmer that's gotten stuck on an island, and gets stuck again after evolving, and Pikachu finds Team Rocket to force them in compliance to help.
- To Be a Master: Discussed. Ash has become recognized as the greatest trainer in the entire world, but he's still left with the Driving Question of what being the World Champion and a Pokémon Master will actually mean. In the end, Ash concludes that he wants to meet every kind of Pokémon in the world, and sets off on a journey to do that.
- Took a Level in Badass: Compared to the last time Ash, Misty and Brock acted as group, they are much stronger and more experienced. Ash rotates all the pokemon he got along the previous leagues, while Misty and Brock have access to all their pokemon from their gyms
- Ungrateful Bastard: Despite Ash saving Latios's sister Latias and being on good terms with her, Latios isn't as appreciative to Ash. Not even saving them both from the poacher is enough to change Latios's mind much.
- Victory Is Boring: Discussed in the final episode, where Ash comes to the realization that becoming the world champion wasn't what he had originally dreamed of when it comes to being a Pokémon Master.
- Walking the Earth: Since becoming World Champion, Ash decides to explore with Pikachu and the Pokémon has with him. Misty and Brock then decide to rejoin him. In the final episode, Ash decides to make this his new goal, deciding for himself that being a Pokémon Master means seeing the entire world and all the Pokémon in it.
