Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

Turning to Ash

Psycho_Lugia_X

Psycho_Lugia_X

New Member
So obviously, the name "Brock" was inspired by "rock," since he is supposed to be all about rock pokés (why must they change this?!) and "Misty" comes from "misty," which is a description water can take on, since she is all about water types.

But how did they come up with "Ash"? If anything, since he doesn't stick to any one type of pokés in particular, he should have a name that deals with electricity, right? His name is clearly leaning toward fire-types.

Sure they needed that name for the Pokémon 2000 movie's prophecy "world turn to ash," but there's no way they planned that far in advance (dub-wise, at least) to name him so skillfully.

So why did they choose "Ash" as a name? Obviously we know why Satoshi was chosen for the Japanese name, (and Shigeru for the rival), too, but Ash seems completely random.

By the way, how'd the prophecy work out in Japanese? Does the world turn to Satoshi?

Any theories on why "Ash"?
 
I see...

But what about Ash as the English name? "Ash" seems pretty random. I mean, I would expect some kind of pun in his name, like everyone else's, but he doesn't stick to one type of poké, so I guess a themed name was out of the question.
 
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There was also a poll back in the mid 90s to determine what Pokemon Ash should start off with on his journey in Japan. The choices were Clefairy and Pikachu. You'll never guess who won.
 
Water Pokemon Master said:
There was also a poll back in the mid 90s to determine what Pokemon Ash should start off with on his journey in Japan. The choices were Clefairy and Pikachu. You'll never guess who won.
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Can you imagine how different the show would be if he started off with Clefairy? o_o That would explain the excessive explosive Metronomes whenever Clefairy appears though. I mean, there has to be some way to blow up those Team Rocket machines if it was to be the star. :x
 
Wow. This has been the most educational and astounding day Pokémon-wise for me in a long time.

I think I have to sit down for a second...


A poll decided it all?!! There was no deep meaning behind the creative team's choices?!
 
You learn a lot about Pokemon by talking to WPM. :D

Of course there was a deep meaning. They just needed to start with something, and what better way to start then by asking the gaming fans which Pokemon was their favorite?

New random fact to make your eyes spin: Satoshi Tajiri originally came up with 1150-something species of Pokemon.
 
Water Pokemon Master said:
New random fact to make your eyes spin: Satoshi Tajiri originally came up with 1150-something species of Pokemon.
Click to expand...


which is something I must tell people 50 million times because they all claim that "the original 150 were so much better" -_-

...as for the name "Ash"

I always thought it could be a reference to the type of tree (Like Oak.. possibly to parallel Gary?)
 
well...take a look at his character. what other name would have fit for him? he...just looks like an ash.
 
And if his name was Billy Bob you'd say the same thing today about that name. :p You just think it fits him since it has been his name for so many years.
 
Yeah.

But if Ash was one of the options, what were the others? And still, the question remains: why Ash? As in, why was that name even on the ballot?

This is fascinating stuff!!

Gosh, can you imagine Clefairy on everything Pokémon-related...ugh!
 
yoshi1001 said:
There was a poll at Nintendo.com back in 1998 to determine the names of Ash and Gary, if memory serves me.
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(should have included this in my other post but didn't think of it)

I'm pretty sure I remember that poll, too.. (and that I picked the name "Ash") but one thing made me stop and think...

The Pokemon anime had to have been dubbed at least a few monthes before it was released here? Why?
Because of the promotional videos that were sent to people in the mail (of which, I own one)... I'm not sure how many monthes before the anime/games were released that the promotional videos were sent out, but they had lots of clips from the show and obviously called Ash by his name.

And we all know how some companies (or networks.. Nickelodeon's Kid's Choice Awards, anyone?) like to make up fake polls just to let people think that they're choosing something (or like all those polls they have for like.. cereals or some crap where they're like 'LOLZ HELP US PICK THE NEXT FRUITY SHAPE FOR THIS CEREAL!")

I wouldn't have thought twice about it... but...
The fact that I remember there being a poll and that I remember it being a poll about POKEMON... would have had to mean that it was after the promotional videos were sent out (and that the name was already determined)

I'm not trying to pass it off as fact, just saying it MIGHT be the case
 
Ash (Satoshi) is a reference to Satoshi Tajiri. Gary (Shigeru) is a reference to Shigeru Miyomoto. The English names chosen there were simply the closest names in English to the originals that they could find. There was never a ballot.

Interestingly enough, in the Pokémon manga series published in CoroCoro magazine, RED's two main Pokémon are Pikachu and a Clefairy. This series was published before the anime started, and the poll to determine what he started with likely came from this.
You can actually see this RED and his Pokémon in the anime, in a flashback seen at one point of Satoshi and Shigeru going to the movies with Satoshi's Mother and Ōkido-hakase. The movie they are watching is, of course, of the character from this manga series.
 
I don't know where they got the name Ash, but I think it's a pretty good name. Kind of unique, even; I've never met a boy named Ash:tongue: Still a cool name, though.
 
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