Ash Ketchum began his journey with the Pokémon series at the age of 10. In every franchise, Ash Ketchum has been 10 years old.

It’s been about two decades since the Pokémon series has been entertaining children however Ash Ketchum will remain 10 years old for as long as the series runs.

This is because the producers of this anime series believe that the character appeals to the audience most and they would like to keep it that way.

This article will explain why Ash Ketchum is 10 years old even today, even though Pokémon has been on television for more than 20 years. There are various explanations, assumptions, theories, and this article will clarify most of them.

Why Does Ash Ketchum Not Age?

Ash Ketchum has played the role of a 10-year-old boy ever since the beginning of the Pokémon series. Even two decades down the line, Ash Ketchum has not aged.

Although many years have passed in the Pokémon universe, the characters have not aged. That is simply how anime functions. Although many people disagree with it, that is just the way things are and this is why Ash Ketchum will be 10 years old probably even ten years down the line.

While there are certain speculations where people believe that Ash Ketchum should be about 17 years old, there is no truth to the matter and Ash Ketchum has been officially confirmed as a 10-year-old boy.

The Eternal Youth Theory

Based on the eternal youth theory, it is believed that animated series do not let their characters age because they are trapped in the age when they first made an appearance.

This is why in Ash’s case he is 10 years old. Pokémon.com has made an official statement stating that Ash Ketchum is an ageless character who will remain 10 years old.

He was at that age when the series first started out and will always remain the same.

Ash Ketchum, like Mickey Mouse, has become an iconic character that people relate to. While Mickey Mouse is said to be 75 years old, the mouse certainly doesn’t look that age, and needless to say the same goes for Ash.

While this theory may seem a bit odd, it is considered a passage of time since the character has no birthday mentioned. Another fact about the series is that Ash and May are believed to be the same age. Although Ash traveled a lot and completed three leagues before meeting May, the characters are still placed at the same age.

The same goes with Don who is also 10 years old. While the character is 4 leagues behind Ash and crossed Kanto twice, their age hasn’t changed. While many characters’ voices have changed especially in the English dub, a lot of people believe that Ash’s growing old because of the depth in his voice. However, the truth is he hasn’t really aged.

Brock is expected to be five years older than Ash and they are often used as proof that Ash cannot age since his younger siblings seem a few years older.

Slowed Time Theory

Another theory put together tries to prove that anime is a slower version of real life. In reality, there are 24 hours a day and seven days a week however the series is aired only for about half an hour each week.

This is why there is minimal progress in terms of age for the characters. This theory however also faces a few problems one of which is that the characters should also age slowly as per the slow anime timeline.

Anime characters in series such as One Piece, Detective Conan, or Bleach pass through a lot of time but none of them age or age only a little.

Arbitrary Age Theory

Based on this theory, it is believed that the age designation adds a whole new meaning in the Pokémon world. This simply means that the numerical age of a person is not a representation of the number of years they’ve lived.

It does however represent the person’s marital status. In such a scenario, when a character enters the world of Pokémon, they are believed to be 10 years old. when a character has a child, they are believed to be 20 years old.

If a character has a grandchild they are believed to be 50.

While there may be other ages in the world of anime, it is difficult to link the age and milestone together. The theory of children and grandchildren may be surprising especially when one takes into consideration the fact that Ash was alive even 18 years ago but still remains 10 years old.

It is also funny that Brock’s family role places him at the age of 15. This is mainly because, while he has no children of his own, he is mature enough to look after his younger siblings while their parents are not around.

Where to Watch Pokémon Series and Movies?

Pokémon has been one of the most popular animated series and also the longest-running in the world. This series has 24 seasons and it started out in 1997.

A lot of children who enjoyed watching Pokémon back in the day now watch this series with their own children. what’s funny is they enjoyed seeing Ash Ketchum as a 10-year-old boy even back in 1997.

Although the enthusiasm for the Pokémon series may never die down, it is difficult to say whether people will continue believing that Ash Ketchum does not age. This does not take away from the fact that he is one of the most loved characters in the world of anime and that does not only include children.

Final Thoughts

There are many theories that revolve around how old Ash Ketchum really is but there is not enough cracked to support that he is any older than 10 years old. Ash Ketchum is an iconic character and the face of merchandise across the world along with popular Pokémon characters such as Pikachu.