How Many Pokemon Has Ash Ketchum Caught? (2024)

If you haven't already heard, Ash Ketchum's the Pokemon World Champion, and his incredible quarter-century stint as the protagonist of the franchise's long-running anime has come to an end. It's anyone's guess how, when, and whether Ash will return as a guest or recurring character in the replacement show, Pokemon Horizons, but his career as an anime central protagonist is behind him regardless.

Early on, the anime - like the games - prioritized an iconic marketing message: "Gotta catch 'em all." Did Ash Ketchum achieve this increasingly lofty goal? If not, just how close did he get? We've got the answers.

How Many Pokemon Has Ash Caught?

We won't beat around the bush here, especially since many readers likely already know - Ash does not catch every Pokemon. His grand total is, instead, 83 catches.

To his credit, though, he largely stops going on about that goal fairly early into the anime. Why the change? For one thing, we reckon the writers might have realized that, with an increasingly vast Pokedex, the show would need to pivot into full-time catching storytelling for it to work. Indeed, the franchise hasn't emphasized the catch-'em-all angle in a long time.

Some marketing materials still sport it, but they're relatively rare. From Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire onward, the official box art for the video games lacks the phrase. Modern titles like don't mention the goal much at all. That aside, it's still a fun exercise to count the number of Pokemon that Ash has caught.

Every Pokemon Ash Has Owned

Let's get into the nitty-gritty. Below, we've listed every Pokemon that Ash has owned from the beginning of the series through to its finale. We're including Pokemon that were given to him, as well as evolutions, for the most comprehensive approach to an overview of his ownership achievements.

If you're left underwhelmed, just remember, Ash ended his massive run as the World Champion. Plus, he saved the world a few times. So, there's that.

As you can see, it's an impressive bunch. And while Ash never did catch that Latios in the penultime episode of the show, it was a sweet reminder that for all the missed catching opportunities, Ash Ketchum surely boasts a colossal number of befriended Pokemon.

Will Ash Ever Return In Pokemon Horizons?

Truth is, we have no idea. The producers have confirmed that Ash remains an active part of the Pokemon anime world following his departure at the end of Journeys, though frankly, that was pretty obvious given how the original anime concludes.

If we had to guess, they'll hold off on bringing Ash back for a good few years. At that point, they can do a recurring gig with him to help drum up renewed interest in Pokemon Horizons. Again, just a guess!