Ash's friends

This article is about Ash's main and temporary traveling companions. If you were looking for a general list of people Ash has met on his journey, see Character of the day.

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Ash and his traveling companions from the Best Wishes series, Iris and Cilan

Ash's friends are the traveling companions that Ash Ketchum has had with him on his journey on his quest to become a Pokémon Master. While he started his journey alone, many people have joined his party while touring the Pokémon world; usually at least one new companion joins—and another leaves—every time a new region is visited.

Johto is the only region where Ash did not acquire a new friend that would travel with him, excluding Brock, who came back after his absence, and Todd Snap and Ritchie, who both traveled with him temporarily.

Original series

Misty

File:MistyEP.png

Misty

Main article: Misty (anime)

Misty joined Ash in Pokémon Emergency!, traveling with him because she wanted him to replace her bike, which was destroyed by his Pikachu. She would continuously travel with him until Gotta Catch Ya Later!, when she returned to Cerulean City nearly full-time to lead her family's Gym, though she briefly traveled to Hoenn and met up with Ash's Advanced Generation group, and again to "escort" her back home.

Pokémon

Misty
Hometown: Cerulean City				First joined in Kanto
Episodes traveled with Ash
EP002-EP273, AG044-AG045, AG132-AG134, The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon
Method	Pre-series	Kanto	Orange	Johto	Hoenn / Frontier
Caught
Hatched
Evolved
Given
Released
Unknown/Other

Brock

Brock

Main article: Brock (anime)

Brock first joined Ash in Showdown in Pewter City after Ash battled him in the Pewter City Gym. After his father Flint offered to take over the duties of Gym Leader, Brock followed Ash through Kanto, leaving briefly from Poké Ball Peril to A Tent Situation to work for Professor Ivy. After this episode, Brock returned to be with Ash and Misty until Gotta Catch Ya Later!, though he, unlike Misty, would return shortly, in You Can Never Taillow, sticking with Ash until the end of the series. He would again return in Two Degrees of Separation!, and so traveled through Sinnoh with Ash until Memories are Made of Bliss!.

Pokémon

Brock
Hometown: Pewter City				First joined in Kanto
Episodes traveled with Ash
EP005-EP083, EP115-EP273, AG004-AG192, DP002-DP191, The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon
Method	Pre-series	Kanto	Johto	Hoenn / Frontier	Sinnoh
Caught
Hatched
Evolved
Given
Released
Unknown

Tracey Sketchit

Tracey

Main article: Tracey Sketchit

After Brock left to work for Professor Ivy, Ash's traveling group was down to two, as it had been for the first five episodes of Kanto. However, this would not last very long, as in The Lost Lapras, Tracey essentially invited himself along for the rest of the Orange Islands saga. Traveling with Ash, he wished to attain his ultimate goal of meeting Professor Oak, which he did when Ash returned to Kanto in A Tents Situation. After this, he remained in Pallet Town to be Professor Oak's assistant.

Pokémon

Tracey
Hometown: Unknown		First joined in the Orange Archipelago
Episodes traveled with Ash
EP084-EP116
Method	Pre-series	Orange	Hoenn / Frontier
Caught
Released
Unknown

Advanced Generation series

May

File:MayAG.png

May

Main article: May (anime)

Ash may have traveled to Hoenn alone; however, shortly after his arrival, he met May, a young girl who desired to travel around the world and a fellow Trainer who was just starting her journey, and then ended up destroying her bike just like that of Misty. Though she initially did not care for Pokémon battles, she eventually found Pokémon Contests, in which she competed while in Hoenn and then later in Kanto. May traveled with Ash through the entire Advanced Generation saga, from Get the Show on the Road to Home is Where the Start Is!, after which she went off to Johto to compete in Contests there. She, like Misty, reappeared briefly during the Diamond & Pearl series to compete in the Wallace Cup.

Pokémon

May
Hometown: Petalburg City		First joined in Hoenn
Episodes traveled with Ash
AG001-AG192, DP076-DP079, The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon
Method	Hoenn / Frontier	Post-Frontier	Sinnoh
Caught
Hatched
Evolved
Given

Max

Max

Main article: Max

Max is May's younger brother. He does not have any Pokémon of his own because he is too young, but he often befriends certain Pokémon. He traveled with the group from There's no Place Like Hoenn until Home is Where the Start Is, when he went home to Petalburg City. However, he made a promise to Ash that as soon as he got his own Pokémon, he would battle Ash.

Max
Hometown: Petalburg City	First joined in Hoenn
Episodes traveled with Ash
AG003-AG192, The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon

Diamond & Pearl series

Dawn

File:DawnDP.png

Dawn

Main article: Dawn (anime)

Like his journey into Hoenn, Ash ventured to Sinnoh alone, where, in When Pokémon Worlds Collide!, he would meet Dawn. From that point, after saving Ash's Pikachu and having her bike fried in a similar way to May's and Misty's, Dawn would travel with Ash and Brock through Sinnoh, which she did until Memories are Made of Bliss! when all three friends split up.

Dawn rejoins Ash's group in the Best Wishes series in Piplup, Pansage, and a Meeting of the Times! to compete in the Pokémon World Tournament Junior Cup. Dawn would leave the group in Goodbye, Junior Cup - Hello Adventure! and travel to Johto to compete in the Wallace Cup.

Pokémon

Dawn
Hometown: Twinleaf Town	First joined in Sinnoh
Episodes traveled with Ash
DP003-DP191, BW086-BW093
Method	Sinnoh
Caught	*
Released	*
Hatched
Evolved
Given
In training
Traded
Trade

Best Wishes series

Iris

Iris

Main article: Iris (anime)

Iris is said to be a wild girl, as proven by the fact that she swings on vines. She decided to travel throughout Unova with Ash.

Pokémon

Iris
Hometown: Village of Dragons		First joined in Unova
Episodes traveled with Ash
BW002-BW141
Method	Pre-series	Unova
Caught
Evolved
Given

Cilan

Cilan

Main article: Cilan (anime)

Cilan, a Pokémon Connoisseur and one of the Gym Leaders of the Striaton City Gym, travels with Ash and Iris in their journey through Unova.

Pokémon

Cilan
Hometown: Striaton City		First joined in Unova
Episodes traveled with Ash
BW006-BW141
Method	Pre-series	Unova
Caught
Evolved
Unknown

XY series

Clemont

Clemont

Main article: Clemont (anime)

Clemont is an inventor Ash met after being ejected out of the Lumiose City Gym. His backpack, called the "Clemontic Gear", carries a variety of inventions and gadgets.

Pokémon

Clemont
Hometown: Lumiose City		First joined in Kalos
Episodes traveled with Ash
XY003-Present
Method	Pre-series	Kalos
Caught
Unknown

Bonnie

Bonnie

Main article: Bonnie (anime)

Bonnie is Clemont's little sister. She is a young and cheerful girl, who despite being too young to officially train Pokémon, holds a great interest in them. She is proud of her big brother's accomplishments, but is not above criticizing him.

Pokémon

Bonnie
Hometown: Lumiose City	First joined in Kalos
Episodes traveled with Ash
XY003-Present
Method	Kalos
Caring for

Serena

Serena

Main article: Serena (anime)

Serena is a beginning Pokémon Trainer from Kalos. She is a fashionable girl who met Ash once before when they were younger.

Pokémon

Serena
Hometown: Vaniville Town	First joined in Kalos
Episodes traveled with Ash
XY007-Present
Method	Kalos
Given

Temporary traveling companions

Todd

Todd

Main article: Todd Snap

Todd Snap accompanied Ash, Misty, and Brock from Pokémon Paparazzi to The Breeding Center Secret. He later meets up with Ash again in Moving Pictures during his journey through Johto, trying to take a photograph of the legendary Articuno. They meet an elderly couple celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, and Todd has the honor of taking their anniversary photo for them. Later on, in Freeze Frame Todd finally finds Articuno and manages to get a photograph of it. He then departs from the group once more.

Todd
Hometown: Unknown	First joined in Kanto
Episodes traveled with Ash
EP055-EP057, EP187-EP189

Ritchie

Ritchie

Main article: Ritchie

Ritchie accompanied Ash, Misty, and Brock from The Mystery is History to A Promise is a Promise while he was searching for a mysterious Pokémon that can be found in the Whirl Islands, which turned out to be a Lugia.

Pokémon

Ritchie
Hometown: Frodomar City (dub only)		First joined in Johto
Episodes traveled with Ash
EP220-EP222
Method	Pre-series	Post-Kanto
Evolved
Unknown

Professor Birch

Professor Birch

Main article: Professor Birch

Professor Birch accompanied Ash, Brock, May, and Max as they traveled through the forests of Dewford.

Pokémon

Professor Birch
Hometown: Littleroot Town		First joined in Hoenn
Episodes traveled with Ash
AG027-AG028
Method	Pre-series	Hoenn
Befriended
Gives away

Cheryl

Cheryl

Main article: Cheryl

Cheryl accompanied Ash, Brock, and Dawn through the Eterna Forest.

Pokémon

Cheryl
Hometown: Unknown	First joined in: Sinnoh
Episodes accompanied
DP030-DP032
Method	Pre-series	Sinnoh
Caught
Evolved
Unknown

Barry

File:Barry Sinnoh.png

Barry

Main article: Barry (anime)

Barry accompanied Ash, Brock, and Dawn while Ash was trying to earn the Relic Badge.

Pokémon

Barry
Hometown: Twinleaf Town	First joined in: Sinnoh
Episodes accompanied
DP101-DP103
Method	Pre-series
Caught
Unknown

Lyra

Lyra

Main article: Lyra (anime)

Lyra met Ash, Dawn, and Brock during the Johto Festival in An Egg Scramble!. She and Khoury accompanied them to Lilypad Town and left the group in Bagged then Tagged! when she returned to Johto.

Pokémon

Lyra
Hometown: New Bark Town	First joined in Sinnoh
Episodes traveled with Ash
DP143-DP147
Method	Johto
Given
Unknown

Khoury

Khoury

Main article: Khoury

Khoury met Ash, Dawn, and Brock during the Johto Festival when Lyra introduced them in An Egg Scramble!. He and Lyra accompanied them to Lilypad Town and left the group in Bagged then Tagged! when he returned to Johto.

Pokémon

Khoury
Hometown: New Bark Town		First joined in Sinnoh
Episodes traveled with Ash
DP143-DP147
Method	Johto	Sinnoh
Caught
Evolved
Given

Bianca

Bianca

Main article: Bianca (anime)

Bianca first met Ash in Minccino Neat And Tidy where she gave him his Badge case from Professor Juniper. She later accompanies him, Iris, and Cilan for a short time on their way to Nimbasa City. However, upon hearing that Ash had three Badges, she was inspired to catch up to him and left to collect Badges on her own. Since then, Bianca has temporarily joined the group numerous times during their journey.

Pokémon

Bianca
Hometown: Unknown	First joined in: Unova
Episodes traveled with Ash
BW024-BW025, BW062-BW063
Method	Unova
Caught
Evolved
Given
Traded
Trade

Luke

Luke

Main article: Luke

Luke first met Ash, Iris, and Cilan in his hometown where they helped him produce a movie. He later accompanies them to Nimbasa Town where he stays with them during the Club Battle tournament before heading back home at the end of The Club Battle Finale: A Heroes Outcome!.

Pokémon

Luke
Hometown: Unknown	First joined in Unova
Episodes traveled with Ash
BW038-BW042
Method	Unova
Caught
Unknown

Meowth

Meowth

Main article: Meowth (Team Rocket)

After reportedly being disbanded from Team Rocket in Meowth's Scrafty Tactics!, Meowth was found unconscious by Ash's Tepig and Iris's Axew. The group nursed him back to health and invited him to accompany them so as to protect him from Trainers wanting to capture the only talking Meowth in Unova. He used his ability to speak to humans and Pokémon many times during their travels together.

He later revealed their travels to be a facade to gain their trust for a mission, and reunited with Jessie and James in Crisis from the Underground Up!.

Meowth
Hometown: Hollywood	First joined in Unova
Episodes traveled with Ash
BW043-BW047

Stephan

Stephan

Main article: Stephan

Stephan decided to travel with Ash and co. in Climbing the Tower of Success! after taking part in a competition with them. He left the group after winning the Clubsplosion tournament.

Pokémon

Stephan
Hometown: Unknown	First joined in Unova
Episodes traveled with Ash
BW069-BW073
Method	Unova
Evolved
Unknown

Meloetta

Meloetta

Main article: Meloetta (anime)

Meloetta
Hometown: Unknown	First joined in Unova
Episodes traveled with Ash
BW086-BW097

Cameron

Cameron

Main article: Cameron

After Dawn left the group after the Junior Tournament, Cameron decided to join Ash, Iris, and Cilan. He left the group after he won his eighth and final Badge against Marlon.

Pokémon

Cameron
Hometown: Unknown	First joined in Unova
Episodes traveled with Ash
BW093-BW094
Method	Unova
Evolved
Unknown

N

N

Main article: N (anime)

After meeting with Ash and the others again in Saving Braviary!, he agreed to travel with them to Driftveil City. After an encounter with Team Plasma, N was forced to leave the group.

N
Hometown: Unknown	First joined in Unova
Episodes traveled with Ash
BW114-BW118

Alexa

Alexa

Main article: Alexa

Alexa, a journalist from Kalos, met Ash and friends in The Journalist from Another Region! on Harvest Island. She traveled with the group through the Decolore Islands, and joined Ash on his journey to Kalos, but officially split with Ash in Kalos: Where Dreams and Adventures Begin! because her sister Viola was away from Santalune Gym.

Pokémon

Alexa
Hometown: Unknown	First joined in Decolore Islands
Episodes traveled with Ash
BW134-XY001
Method	Pre-series
Unknown

Trivia

• Each of Ash's main female friends make temporary returns outside of flashbacks, but only during the series following their departure.
• Every starter Pokémon, with the exception of Chespin, has been owned by either Ash or one of his friends.
• Alexa is the only human companion, main or temporary to accompany Ash through the end of one series to the next.
• In Unova, Ash had the most temporary companions.

See also

• Twerp
  

Pokémon the Series characters
Protagonists Ash Ketchum (Pikachu) • Misty (Togetic) • Brock • Tracey Sketchit • May • Max • Dawn (Piplup) • Iris (Haxorus) • Cilan • Serena • Clemont • Bonnie (Dedenne) • Lana • Kiawe • Lillie • Sophocles • Mallow • Rotom Pokédex • Goh (Grookey) Rivals Gary • Ritchie • Harrison • Drew • Harley • Morrison • Tyson • Solidad • Paul • Nando • Zoey • Kenny • Conway • Barry • Ursula • Trip • Bianca • Burgundy • Stephan • Georgia • Cameron • Aria • Alain • Miette • Tierno • Shauna • Trevor • Nini • Sawyer • Gladion • Horacio • Hau • Leon • Raihan • Horace • Bea • League Conference participants • Coordinators • Performers • World Coronation Series participants Antagonists Jessie (Wobbuffet) • James • Meowth • Giovanni • Butch • Cassidy • Dr. Namba • Matori • Pierce • Dr. Zager • Gozu • Tabitha • Maxie • Shelly • Archie • Hunter J • Saturn • Cyrus • Mars • Jupiter • Charon • Colress • Aldith • Ghetsis • Barret • Malamar • Lysandre • Mable • Celosia • Aliana • Xerosic • Bryony • Tupp • Zipp • Rapp • Plumeria • Guzma • Viren • Rose • Oleana Professors Professor Oak • Professor Ivy • Professor Elm • Professor Birch • Professor Rowan • Professor Carolina • Professor Juniper • Dr. Fennel • Cedric Juniper • Professor Sycamore • Professor Kukui • Professor Burnet • Professor Cerise • Professor Magnolia • Sonia • Professor Amaranth Relatives Delia Ketchum • Daisy • Violet • Lily • James's parents • Flint • Lola • Forrest • Brock's siblings • Norman • Caroline • Johanna • Chili • Cress • Grace • Meyer • Lana's father • Lana's mother • Harper and Sarah • Rango • Sima • Mimo • Kiawe's grandfather • Mohn • Lusamine • Gladion • Sophocles's parents • Molayne • Abe • Mallow's mother • Ulu • Walker • Camille • Halta Supporting Officer Jenny • Nurse Joy • Magikarp salesman • Todd Snap • Charles Goodshow • Casey • Liza • Sakura • Lance • Clair • Raoul Contesta • Mr. Sukizo • Steven Stone • Vivian Meridian • Robert • Scott • Lilian Meridian • Solana • Brandon • Marian • Yuzo • Rhonda • Cynthia • Reggie • Angie • Looker • Izzy and Cara • Lyra • Khoury • Tobias • Don George • Elder • Alder • Luke • Freddy O'Martian • Ingo • Emmet • Jervis • Virgil • N • Anthea and Concordia • Porter • Alexa • Sophie • Cosette • Clembot • Sanpei • Mairin • Astrid • Diantha • Korrina • Gurkinn • Monsieur Pierre • Palermo • Keanan • Malva • Samson Oak • Anela • Hobbes • Nina • Anna • Laki • Dana • Yansu • Wicke • Faba • Ilima • Acerola • Dia • Chloe • Chrysa • Ren • Parker • Talia • Lei • Danika • Quillon • Hop • Gym Leaders • Elite Four • Frontier Brains • Island kahunas • Many temporary characters Supporting Pokémon Fearow • Ho-Oh • Squirtle Squad • Pink Butterfree • Haunter • Jigglypuff • Mewtwo • Mimey • Lapras herd • Granbull • Pichu Brothers • Lugia • Silver • Delibird • Wynaut • Larvitar • Kyogre and Groudon • Articuno • Deoxys • Lake guardians • Forces of nature • Meloetta • Reshiram • Super-ancient Pokémon • Wooper • Florges • Squishy • Z2 • Guardian deities • Bewear • Toucannon's flock • Stoutland • Oranguru • Nebby • Stufful • Ultra Beasts • Grandpa Forest • Necrozma • Lunala • Shaymin • Mew • Rotom Phones • Pelipper • Thievul trio • Eternatus • Drone Rotom • Legendary heroes • Latias • Recurring wild Pokémon
See also: Pokémon Horizons characters

This article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation.