Ash's friends

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Ash and his friends Iris and Dent

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.

Original series

Misty

Main article: Misty

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 Present
EP001-EP273, AG044-AG045, AG132-AG134, M01-M05, The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon
Method	Pre-series	Kanto	Orange	Johto	Hoenn / Frontier
Caught
Hatched
Evolved
Given
Released
Unknown

Brock

Brock

Main article: Brock

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!. Of all of Ash's friends, Brock is his closest friend and treats him like a brother.

Pokémon

Brock
Hometown: Pewter City				First joined in: Kanto
Episodes Present
EP005-EP083, EP115-273, AG004-AG192, DP002-DP191, M01-M13, The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon
Method	Pre-series	Kanto	Orange	Johto	Hoenn / Frontier	Sinnoh
Caught
Hatched
Evolved
Given
Released
Unknown

Tracey Sketchit

Tracey

Main article: Tracey Sketchit

After Brock left for working with 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: Orange Archipelago
Episodes Present
EP084-EP116, EP225, EP273, AG133, AG192, DP001, M02-M04, The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon
Method	Pre-series	Orange	Johto	Hoenn / Frontier
Caught
Released
Unknown

Advanced Generation series

May

Main article: May

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 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 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 Present
AG001-AG192, DP075-DP079, M06-M09, The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon
Method	Pre-series	Hoenn / Frontier	Post-Frontier	Sinnoh
Caught
Hatched
Evolved
Given

Max

Max

Main article: Max

Max is May's younger brother. He did not have any Pokémon of his own because he was too young, but he often befriended 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.

Diamond and Pearl series

Dawn

Main article: Dawn

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!.

Pokémon

Dawn
Hometown: Twinleaf Town
First joined in: Sinnoh
Episodes Present
DP001-DP191, M10-M13
Method	Pre-series	Sinnoh
Caught
Hatched
Evolved
Given
In training
Trade
Traded

Best Wishes series

Iris

Iris

Main article: Iris

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: Unknown
First joined in: Unova
Episodes Present
BW001-Present
Method	Pre-series
Given
Unknown

Dent

Main article: Dent

Dent, a Pokémon Sommelier and a Gym Leader, travels with Ash and Iris in their journey through Unova.

Pokémon

Dent
Hometown: Sanyou City
First joined in: Unova
Episodes Present
BW005-Present
Method	Pre-series	Unova
Caught
Unknown

Trivia

• All of Ash's female traveling companions prior to Iris were revealed to have a fear of certain Pokémon. Misty previously revealed to have a fear of Gyarados, one she eventually got over. On the other hand, May has a fear of Tentacool, and Dawn has a fear of Plusle and Minun. All of these fears were obtained when they were younger.

See also

• Twerp
  

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