Eager to be the best Pokémon trainer of all time, Ash Ketchum is also determined and confident, as well as the subject of some hilarious memes.
Ash Ketchum is synonymous with the Pokémon franchise, given how he serves as the protagonist in most of the iterations of the anime. Often shown as impulsive and overly emotional, by no means is Ash perfect. Eager to be the best Pokémon trainer of all time, he's also a determined and confident individual.
A large number of Ash Pokémon memes are centered around these personality traits, as well as his friendship with Pikachu. His general goofiness and young age also find their way into the funniest memes.
10 Surviving Voldemort
Source: Quick Meme
As is established in the Potterverse, the terrifying wizard Voldemort killed Harry Potter's parents and left a lightning bolt-shaped mark on his forehead that he carried for the rest of his life.
As the comment on this meme reads "survived Voldemort twice," Ash's cheeks also bear similar markings that are shaped like lightning bolts. This only seems coincidental, given how Pikachu is also a Pokémon with powerful electrical capabilities. The true nature of these markings has never been revealed, but they most likely seem to be freckles or scars.
9 Ash Can 'Lift'
Source: CheezBurger
Despite Ash's lean and lanky frame, his arms and upper torso seem to bear incredible strength, given how easily he can lift heavy creatures. These Pokémon can range from Pignite (weighing over 122 lbs) to Larvitar (weighing over 158 lbs).
The final panel of the meme features a scene from Hercules In New York that finds a young Arnold Schwarzenneger running in an open field with his muscular body in full display.
8 Winning The Pokémon League
Source: Reddit
Despite Pokémon airing for more than two decades, Ash went on to become a Pokémon champion much later. It was finally in a Sun and Moon episode from 2019 when he secured the first position as a Pokémon League champion at the Aloha League, making it his first Pokémon league as a victor.
The very fact that the often-dedicated Ash could never win a League almost turned into a running gag in the series. Hence, seeing him finally win would make anyone say 'Impossible'.
7 10-Year-Old Immortality
Source: Know Your Meme
For unspecified reasons, Ash's inability to age is never mentioned in the show. Years pass and he still seems to retain his youth. As he's introduced as a 10-year-old, it can be assumed that he stays the same age all this time.
Several fan theories have been suggested to explain this fact. While some claim that he is frozen in time after the Generation 1 Pokémon Mewtwo turned him into stone, others feel that Ash went into a coma and most of the show takes place in his head. In this meme, a die-hard Ash fan (represented through Dexter) is visibly crying, for he can't be ageless like the Pokémon trainer.
6 Ash Is A Time Lord
Source: Pinterest
As mentioned earlier, Ash never seems to age. Because of this supposed immortality, Ash Ketchum can almost be equated to a 'Time Lord' like The Doctor in Doctor Who.
Other similarities between Ash and Doctor Who include the aspect of traveling with two companions, as the former usually journeys with Rock and Mitsy in the initial seasons, while Doctor Who's Amy Pond and Rory Williams accompany the eleventh Doctor. Furthermore, both characters use a technology that's "big on the inside" (like Ash's Pokeball and Doctor Who's time-traveling police box, the TARDIS).
5 Catching Fire
Source: MEME
Ponyta is one of the most popular fire-based Pokémon in the franchise. Essentially a "fire horse" of sorts, Ponyta has a tail and mane that sports a reddish-orange flame.
However, as anime can defy logic at times, it's very amusing to find Ash riding a Ponyta without getting burnt at all. The reason for this comes from a funny play on his name. as the trainer is literally named "Ash."
4 Team Rocket's Disguises
Source: Imgflip
The antagonistic trio, Team Rocket, has had some of the best moments in the anime. The members often appear in a variety of disguises but their flamboyant personality might often blow their cover. However, as is the recurring gag in every episode, Ash and his peers can hardly detect Jessie, James, and Meowth when they're in disguise.
Yet another Avengers meme template is used here, putting Ash in an iconic scene involving Thanos and Scarlet Witch in Avengers: Endgame. While the latter seeks revenge for Vision's death, Thanos doesn't even recognize her (as this variant of the villain is from a different timeline).
3 Single Ash
Source: Imgflip
All through the anime's numerous seasons and episodes, Ash is hardly shown to have any romantic interests. While Ash's best friends, like Dawn and Misty, can be shipped with the character, he has never had a girlfriend. Given his young age, romance is understandably rarely on his mind.
And maybe a love angle would just seem unnecessary at this point, given how Ash is constantly committed to strengthening his training skills with his collection of Pokémon more than building actual human relationships.
2 Dramatic Episodes
Source: MEME
As mentioned earlier, Ash can be highly dramatic in his adventures to a point that his crankiness has become one of the funniest running gags in Pokémon. During the initial seasons, even his loyal companion Pikachu was rude to him and used to get on his nerves, driving Ash to teary fits of rage.
However, never do Ash's carnal displays of emotion seem intimidating. Instead, his over-the-top behavior can include a certain sense of pettiness and immaturity. After all, Ash is a 10-year-old boy right from the very start of the Pokémon saga.
1 'Try Harder, Pikachu'
Source: Imgflip
As compared to other trainers, Ash lacks a proper strategy in many of his battles. Instead of actually devising a contingency plan, he resorts to his emotional side, with cliched words of encouragement like, "Try harder." This is true especially in the case of Pikachu and Charizard.
This particular meme also mocks how unaware Ash usually remains about his competitors. A formulaic trope in the anime is Ash being taken by surprise when witnessing a rival trainer. Even though he eventually figures out his adversary's tactics, he can be seen as a slow learner.
NEXT: The 10 Funniest Scenes From The Pokémon Anime
Next Ms. Marvel: 10 Villains That Would Fit Into The Show Perfectly
