Ash Ketchum voice actor Rica Matsumoto addressed rumors circulating on-line that the unique Pokemon anime ended on account of stress between herself and Pikachu voice actor Ikue Otani.
Ash Ketchum’s journey within the Pokemon anime resulted in 2023, with followers of the beloved franchise compelled to say goodbye to Ash and Pikachu after 25 years of gracing their screens.
Throughout the weekend of October 12, 2024, Sport Freak, one of many co-owners of the Pokemon franchise, was breached and, consequently, the topic of an enormous leak.
In addition to hundreds of staff having their private info shared on-line, a transcript from the leaked information alluded to one of many main causes that Ash’s journey lastly got here to an finish was on account of reported “strained relations” between Rica Matsumoto (who voiced Ash Ketchum) and Ikue Otani (the voice of Pikachu).
The leaks additional claimed that Sport Freak was contemplating recasting Matsumoto in the event that they determined to proceed with Ash’s story, provided that the alleged stress between her and Otani was impacting morale of the entire solid.
On October 14, 2024, Matsumoto took to X (previously Twitter) to close down these rumors. In her publish, the Japanese voice actress wrote that “somebody is making this up” and guaranteed Pokemon followers that “nothing like this has occurred.”
Matsumoto added that she had been “buddies with Ikue since [they] have been rookies” and that “[Ikue] even got here as a visitor on [her] tour.”
Moreover, the Ash voice actor slammed these rumors for being “in poor style and infantile” and eventually added that “nobody is completely satisfied” that individuals are alleging that there was dangerous blood between herself and Otani.
Whereas the publish that exposed these leaks has now been deleted, this has not stopped the broader Pokemon anime neighborhood from sharing and discussing the rumors that Ash’s exit from the anime collection was on account of solid drama.
Furthermore, these rumors have solely been fueled additional, provided that Otani has reprised her function as Pikachu in Pokemon Horizons whereas Matsumoto has but to be referred to as again in any capability.
Along with the notion that Ash’s exit from the Pokemon anime resulted from solid tensions, this large Pokemon leak additionally revealed Swap 2 particulars, supply code info, Technology 10 particulars, and extra.
