Ash Ketchum has e'er appeared to be a happy, passionate and driven go-getter with great depths of humanity and empathy. Merely what if I told you that Ash was really a troubled child who never got the guidance he needed to become a well-adjusted member of lodge? According to animated series creator, Takeshi Shudo, released two books in 1999 that explore the past of the chipper little trainer in the snazzy snapback. And his past is horrifying.

Ash'south father is never around, considering he abandoned the family to become a Pokémon trainer, leaving Delia Ketchum, that'southward Ash's mom, to heighten a child alone, total of resentment at the male parent, merely unable to explain to Ash why his dream of becoming a Pokémon main fills her with such dread. Indeed, his dream to get a master, might be an avenue by which Ash could finally meet his father and impress him, only this, of course, cannot come to pass.

Delia wasn't able to provide besides for Ash as she would have liked, which led to his beingness a rebellious kid who ignored his studies in favor of causing mischief. She even used to cry to get him to cease misbehaving and be quiet when he was a infant. He was also bullied, and so mostly played solitary. This trauma combo is probably why Ash feels he absolutely must condolement everyone who is upset. So now that I've got yous all depressed, permit's show you how this tragic past makes Ash exercise some nasty stuff.

15 Ash Catches Wild Animals And Makes Them Fight

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Get-go, the entire concept of Pokémon grooming is evil. In real life, when people train animals to boxing against one another for fame and profit, information technology'south chosen dog fighting, erect fighting,  monkey knife fighting, and it'south immoral as well equally illegal. Ash is a 10-year-former who comes from a legacy of these "trainers" (yes, both Ash's begetter and gramps engaged in this agonizing sport), and dreams of nothing less than being the greatest in the globe at capturing myriad monsters and raising them to commit heinous acts of violence confronting 1 another.

It's probably a good affair that Ash is a horrible trainer, because his affection for the creatures overwhelms his appetite, but don't let that affection fool y'all. All trainers are scum. Fifty-fifty D-bag At Large Gary Oak eventually gets out of the game and becomes a instructor. Ash is in information technology for life.

14 Ash Steals Other Trainers' Pokemon

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Exercise y'all remember how Ash got his Charmander? This idiot Damian left it out in the centre of the woods, because all trainers are scum, and Ash saves information technology from dying. Then he goes and helps Charmander spit fire in Damian's face. Then Brock casually tells Ash that Charmander is essentially his for the taking. Charmander seems pretty happy nigh this to be honest, simply remember, its only history was in an abusive partnership. Ash doesn't consider the ramifications of taking in an emotionally damaged Pokémon, but it would be "a cracking addition to the squad." He doesn't fifty-fifty inquire what Charmander wants, at present that it'south free.

And what do you know? Charmander chop-chop evolves into Charizard and is a tough, aloof, and defiant dragon. Ash has no idea how to handle its personality, and it often attacks him when he asks it to fight. It has no respect for him considering now that it is grown upwards, it realizes what Ash has done: stolen its liberty.

13 Ash Abandons His Own Pokemon All The Fourth dimension

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Metapod, Butterfree, Pidgeot, Lapras, Squirtle, Charmander, Bulbasaur, Primeape, Raticate, Aipom, Beedrill, Kingler, Muk, Snorlax, Heracross, Bayleef, Quilava, Totodile, Noctowl, Donphan, Swellow, Sceptile, Corphish, Torkoal, Glalie, Staraptor, Torterra, Infernape, Buizel, Gliscor, Gible, Unfezant, Oshawott, Pignite, Snivy, Scraggy, Leavanny, Palpitoad, Boldore, Krookodile, and 30 Tauros. That's the total listing of Pokémon that Ash has taken into his care, either by ripping them out of the wild or by other nefarious means, and eventually left behind. That's 69 (hah) Pokémon that Ash has decided he couldn't treat. You may think that he has only caught about 80 dissimilar species of Pokémon.

Ash seems to have a circuitous almost this. When he and Pikachu stumble upon a herd (shock? rat-king?) of other Pikachu, Ash sees that Pikachu is excited to see others of its kind. He then immediately twists this every bit a personal rejection and assumes that, just because Pikachu is having fun, information technology means he should leave information technology. That'south sick.

12 Ash Trades Away His Friends

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That's correct, if he isn't straight upward leaving Pokémon backside, he's bartering them for others he likes more than. The whole idea of trading Pokémon should cloy Ash, who claims that his personal bond with his beast-slaves are what make him an incredible trainer. Only basically the minute he hears most trading, he's down. Not simply is he downwardly, he is downward to trade his Butterfree, which evolved from the first Pokémon he ever defenseless, for a Raticate. This is like trading an heirloom ruddy-encrusted bracelet for one of those Livestrong bracelets.

Ash realizes he made a bad deal and somewhen manages to trade back. You'd think he'd learned his lesson, but not only does he go on to trade several Pokémon in futurity episodes, he ends up releasing Butterfree not long afterward, because it has a shell on a pink Butterfree and Ash, even if he is evil, isn't a heartless monster. Butterfree love, man.

xi Ash Is Mean To Pokémon

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As if the cruelty of fighting wasn't plenty on its own, Ash besides happens to be a bratty kid who often makes frankly rude comments nearly Pokémon. Sure he doesn't know it, but not meaning harm is never an alibi for causing it. When Ash offset comes across a Gloom, he loudly comments on its smell and covers his nose. This isn't even some wild Gloom that might not know to exist offended though; this is a Gloom that is role of a p a rfumerie, a very high form perfume business in a metropolitan city.

Ash's large oral cavity gets him in all sorts of problem, but only other humans get to explain to him how he's being offensive. Pokémon just have to hear this mindless corruption and allow it sink in, or spray Ash in the face with some foul smelling spores.

ten Ash Is Hateful To Women

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In the same episode that Ash demoralizes that Gloom, he tells a group of women, at their place of work, that perfume is for suckers and women simply employ information technology to plough men into zombies. Even after Brock and Misty try to explicate how much of a jerk he's being, Ash goes on to say the aforementioned matter at the gym where he intends to go his next bluecoat. He discounts the idea that a woman can exist a skilful trainer if she is also good at maintaining her appearance, and really hurts Misty'south feelings in the procedure.

You'd think Ash would take learned his lesson, but merely TWO EPISODES Afterward, he's at it again. Misty is excited almost the newest fashion makeovers for Pokémon, just Ash tin't with that nonsense. He passive-aggressively comments on Misty's gustation in manner through the episode. "You think that's beautiful?"

nine Ash Is Obsessed With Power

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Retrieve when Ash enrolled his mouse Pokémon in a police grooming program for dog Pokémon? As if mice and dogs were capable of the same things. Officer Jenny advises him against it, but Ash can't hear her. He sees the strength and obedience that Growlithe has, and he wants it under his control. He enrolls Pikachu in the university. Pikachu is super not into information technology, and neither are Ash's friends, non even the erstwhile enabler Brock.

Officer Jenny presumably just goes along with the idea to teach Ash a lesson most understanding limits, a lesson she'due south been trying to teach Brock every time they encounter. Indeed, she puts Ash through the grooming, saying only a poor trainer will ask a Pokémon to practise something he isn't willing to do. Nevertheless hundreds of episodes afterward, Ash is still asking Pokémon to engage in recreational concrete combat. Lesson missed.

8 Ash Is An Emotional Manipulator

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Ash talks his way into and out of annihilation. He knows he'southward a horrible trainer, and so he goes about getting what he wants by making his superiors either owe him something, or simply pity him. In Kanto, Ash only earned three of his badges by actually battling the gym leader and winning. Brock only gave him a badge for pretty much doing nothing but being immature and clueless. Misty's sisters requite him the badge to piss off Misty, who totally beat him. He tricks a ghost into making a petty daughter express joy and her daddy gives him the badge. Erika gives him a badge for presenting equally a girl and saving the gloom he insulted. Squad Rocket drops the Viridian City gym bluecoat as they run away. Two of the others he but won in rematches he talked the gym leaders into offering him. Ash is the Frank Underwood of Pokémon.

7 Ash Lashes Out At His Friends

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Part of Ash's paradox is that he is oft quite nice. He'due south often yelling at his companions, sure, merely that's what friends practise. However, Ash has a detail habit of not sharing when something is bothering him or making him nervous. This is perhaps born out of Ash'southward martyrdom circuitous, and complicated past the fact that he has, in fact, been a martyr on more than than one occasion. Information technology causes him to bottle all his emotions and withdraw from his friends. Several times he has lashed out and been unfairly barbarous with people who depend on him.

While none of this is quite "evil," it is really annoying, given that nigh of the time Ash is running around request people he barely knows to emotionally confide in him, only can't enquire for help when he needs it.

6 Ash Tin Concur A Grudge

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Pallet Town is itty bitty. It'south barely a village, and there are very few people who live there. It's so remote that we know that they oasis't ever produced a Pokémon trainer to crack the top 1000 on the continent. Information technology is therefore no surprise that Ash finds a worthy rival in Gary, a boy his age who, every bit earlier, is a major wiggle. Gary manages to be a much more efficient trainer than Ash and frequently offers him tips and tricks, like "Hey maybe you should read a book." Could Gary exist kinder to his struggling neighbour? Sure, but Ash sets his blind conviction confronting Gary's educated swagger and keeps expecting to win on middle lone. Mayhap Ash is the real reason Gary became a teacher, to brand certain no more Ash Ketchums happen.

5 Ash Has A Hot Atmosphere

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Though non easily stirred to dangerous acrimony, Ash is very quick to have offense and even has a few triggers. Things that prepare Ash off are varied, only some of the fundamental ones are: being faced with "know-it-alls," who probably remind him of Gary and how few books he'south read; having his nutrient stolen or not having food available causes extreme hanger; when Pikachu has gone missing for any reason whatsoever, which is part of a codependent relationship so toxic and messy it would take a whole other article to properly explore.

When May is a few minutes late to join the gang every bit they head off to the adjacent metropolis, Ash combines his temper with his disrespect for women by yelling at her for being deadening, telling her she's property them upwards, and reiterating that he believes caring at all about your appearance is shallow.

4 Ash Is Dangerously Ignorant

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Let's go style dorsum. Ash has wanted for his whole life to be a Pokémon master. When he finally comes of historic period and gets his commencement Pokémon, he gets into a scrape that immediately puts its life in severe danger, and doesn't even know that there are Pokémon centers to assistance. He doesn't even understand the basic mechanism of how fighting works: ane Pokémon loses when it gets hurt. Meanwhile Pikachu is basically in a coma for the majority of their early time together.

Even later being taught well-nigh blazon advantages and how to battle (something he surely should accept studied), Ash continues to make the absolute incorrect option in most of his matches. He leaves his strongest Pokémon out of his lineup in his first tournament. He constantly overestimates his abilities and discounts whatsoever strategy whatever, which is probably why he'due south never won a tournament. Information technology'southward a marvel none of his Pokémon have died, honestly.

3 Ash Is A Thief

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Oh he just borrowed the bike, you'll say, but Ash is an opportunistic thief who loves zero more than a quick, destructive joyride. The very beginning encounter betwixt him and Misty he "borrowed" her bike without her permission and got information technology completely ruined in an explosion. Misty started following him only considering he owes her a new bike. He never paid it back.

Need something bigger? Okay, how well-nigh in the banned episode from Indigo League in which Ash steals a speedboat and crashes information technology into a submarine, sending information technology out of command and cracking into a dock. Misty asks whose gunkhole information technology is and Ash blithely says he has no inkling. Every bit e'er, his face looks innocent and naive, simply this criminal knows exactly where he gets his kicks.

2 Ash Is Undead

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I'yard not saying all undead are evil. All I'1000 maxim is, y'all know, scout yourself. Ash has passed across this veil of tears many times, and each time has been more violent than the final, and yet he always manages to come back. Haunter and Ghastly pull his soul out of his body for a night after he'due south been crushed by a chandelier. He jumps in the crossfire of Mew and Mewtwo and gets super zapped. He gets eaten by a hulk in the Tree of Beginning. He also gets hurled into open up space while unconscious, which would cause him to freeze and choke to decease.

After all these near death experiences, Ash has started to show abilities non heard of in human memory, such every bit the bond phenomenon with Greninja. Who knows what happened to him on the other side. It'due south entirely possible that Ash is no longer completely human.

i Ash'due south Real Name Is Ashton

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Pokémon Black and White: Rival Destinies Episode 4 - Ash Versus the Champion. Alder, the league champion, calls Ash, Ashton and Ashley. While Ash quickly corrects the champion, he looks nervous, sweaty. When Ash dressed as a girl, he said his proper name was Ashley. Maybe Alder has really struck on something: Ash isn't a name. Ash is a substance left backside after called-for something. What has Ash burned that he is so eager to have on a name that makes more sense in the Dark Souls franchise? Could information technology be… his past?

This simply opens the tin of worms. Ketchum's facade of a naive ten-year-one-time has been lying to usa for years. Why, I saw my beginning episode of Pokémon almost 20 years ago, and that child's nevertheless 10? After taking a hard look at the dark side of Ash Ketchum, I only have more questions, and more concerns.