"The world of Pokémon! I haven't watched it for a long time."
The cozy hut was filled with dolls of all kinds of strange creatures. They all shared a common name: Pokémon. These creatures had been an integral part of the childhood memories of countless children and even young adults worldwide.
But all of this was nothing more than fantasy. The phenomenon began with the imagination of a bug-catching boy named Satoshi Tajiri, the father of Pokémon.
Yet now, here I am, truly in this world—a world I could once only experience through games and anime.
Standing here, I still can't believe it. What's even more unbelievable is that I have become Ash Ketchum, the character cherished by so many Pokémon fans in their childhood.
Ash Ketchum, the protagonist of the Pokémon series, was named after the franchise's creator. For me, before entering this world, Pokémon had always been a cherished part of my childhood. Even in the early days, when the screen was black and white and the graphics were rough, I dreamed of becoming a Trainer in the game.
As I grew older, my love for Pokémon endured. With advancements in technology, gameplay became more immersive, and the animation style evolved. Unfortunately, Ash felt increasingly distant from fans like me.
Growing up brought more responsibilities and less free time. I also began to see games and comics as tools of capitalism rather than pure expressions of joy. Many young people who grew up loving Pokémon games became disillusioned as corporate interests diluted their passion.
Ash, too, became a victim of this shift. Various titles—Master of Freedom, Level Resetter, Stupid, Eternal Second Place, Low EQ—were pinned on him, eroding his character's charm.
Ash didn't leave the spotlight because of corporate exploitation but because of the constant criticism. He understood it was futile to argue against it. After all, people under pressure from real life often sought ways to vent, and childhood memories like his became easy targets.
But what's the use of criticizing over and over? Nothing ever changed. Ash grew distant from the things he once loved because he didn't want to see his cherished memories tarnished.
When I think about it now, the characters themselves weren't to blame. They were simply creations brought to life by writers and controlled by corporations.
Take the label of "Eternal Second Place," for instance. Often, Ash wasn't even the second-best, but if he suddenly became the world's number one, how would the franchise continue to thrive? Capitalism thrives on prolonged struggle and drama.
When I watched poorly written plots that insulted the audience's intelligence, I couldn't help but feel frustrated. But stepping into adulthood made me realize the blame lay with the corporations and screenwriters who underestimated their audience.
And now, I find myself in Ash Ketchum's shoes. I've literally become what I once disliked.
But no—this is a fresh start. Now that I am Ash, I'm free from anyone's control. In this new world, I can live the way I've always envisioned Ash living. After all, I have no attachments to my past life.
The current Ash, however, isn't 10 years old like in the anime. According to my memories, he's only 7 years old.
As for Ash's childhood, I was always curious but never knew much about it. My knowledge of Pokémon ended with the fifth generation. I'm unfamiliar with later storylines, though I do know about the sixth generation's MEGA Evolution—a new evolution system akin to Digimon's mechanics. After evolving, the Pokémon would revert to its original form after the battle.
This was the highlight of the sixth generation and brought many fans back to the series. It was the same for me, but I didn't have time to fully explore it before arriving in this world.
"Forget it, no point dwelling on it. I'll just treat the future as a pleasant surprise!"
Stretching on the bed, I reminded myself that things might not unfold exactly as they did in the anime. After all, even in the same timeline, different decisions can lead to different outcomes.
"Ash! How long are you going to sleep? If you don't wake up soon, you'll miss Professor Oak's summer camp!"
"Okay~~ Got it!"
I just woke up. According to this body's memories, I had signed up for Professor Oak's Pokémon summer camp.
Professor Samuel Oak is a world-renowned Pokémon researcher and an authority in the field. He compiled data to create the Pokémon Pokédex, now a standard tool for Trainers worldwide.
As a younger man, Professor Oak was an excellent Trainer but eventually retired to focus on research. He now guides rookie Trainers, running the Pokémon Laboratory in Pallet Town, Kanto. There, he gives starter Pokémon to children aged 10 to help them embark on their journey.
This time, he organized a summer camp allowing kids under 10 to experience close contact with Pokémon in the wild. Naturally, as a Pokémon enthusiast, Ash signed up. Today was the day the camp began.
I got up, changed into my clothes, and grabbed my packed schoolbag before heading downstairs.
There, I met my anime mother, Delia Ketchum. Although she's the mother of a 7-year-old, her youthful appearance betrays no signs of aging.
Like most mothers, Delia often worries about her child. Ash, being careless and reckless, is often the subject of her nagging. However, she's also incredibly gentle and meticulous. Whenever Ash leaves on a journey, she prepares everything carefully, even staying up late to sew his clothes.
But when Ash does something dangerous, she scolds him severely. Delia embodies both gentleness and strictness, fulfilling dual roles in Ash's life—perhaps because his father is absent from their household.