Pokémon Fans' Most Popular Theory About Riko Raises a Major Question for Ash (2024)

The first Pokémon series to not focus on Ash Ketchum, Pokémon Horizons: The Series features a new pair of protagonists, Riko (Liko in the dub) and Roy. Before meeting Riko's parents, fans speculated that Riko might have been the daughter of Ash Ketchum, the original anime protagonist. While this turned out to be incorrect, it did, of course, raise the obvious question of who Riko's mom could be. While there is the possibility that Ash met someone after the events of the original Pokémon anime, it is much more likely that his future wife is one of the women that he met along the way.

Ash has met and traveled with several women throughout the last 1200 episodes of the anime — some of whom have even shown a romantic interest in him, such as Lyra and Angie, which leads to a lot of potential options for who Ash ultimately ended up with. In that sense, there are also a lot of people who would have wanted to become Ash's girlfriend or wife and may be disappointed if the lucky woman turned out to be someone else. In other words, the theory that Riko could have been Ash's daughter meant that he had to have ended up with just the right girl.

Updated on July 22, 2024, by Natasha Elder: While it has been revealed who Riko's parents are, it is still worth taking another look at who Ash could have ended up with romantically. As such, we wanted to take a closer look at some of the relationships that he has with other characters throughout the Pokémon anime, as well as add more images to better illustrate his connections with them.

Who Is Ash Most Likely to Have Ended Up With?

The Options Range from His Travel Companions to Other Trainers He Encounters

Ash's most likely suitors probably come from his female travel companions, such as Misty, May, Dawn, Iris, Serena, Mallow, Lana, Lillie, and Chloe. He's also been shown romantic interest by characters like Angie, Lyra, and Miette, though their limited time in the anime makes it unlikely they'd start anything meaningful with Ash; the same goes for minor characters and characters-of-the-day like Melody. If Ash were to choose anybody, the most likely candidates would be those with whom he's spent the most time.

• Lyra has earned both the Zephyr Badge and the Hive Badge from the Johto region.
• Miette's original Japanese name was Millefeui, which was based on a type of dessert called mille-feuille, in turn referencing her baking skills.

Of Ash's nine primary female companions, Misty and Serena were probably the most likely to end up with Ash. Misty was reportedly intended to have a child with Ash back when the anime was only going to be one season and one movie, but those plans have likely shifted; her interest in Ash throughout the series has become somewhat debatable. Serena, on the other hand, showed consistent interest in Ash throughout their travels together, and they presumably parted ways with an off-screen kiss. If Ash's lover is either Misty or Serena, the latter is the safest bet given the course of the anime.

With the idea that Serena is Riko's mom in mind, some fans have pointed out some similarities between the two characters; there are arguments that they have similar eyes, hairstyles, and even mannerisms that could potentially connect them. Technically, the same argument could be made for any girl Ash has met. Her blue hair streaks could be likened to Dawn (who replaced May) or Lana, and her blue eyes could be from May. However, with Serena as the most likely candidate for Ash's affection, her similarities to Riko were especially noteworthy at the time that the theory was created.

Several Characters Have Been Interested in Ash Throughout the Series

Ash Could Have Eventually Returned the Affection of Characters Such as Lyra and Miette

There have been many characters that have expressed interest in Ash throughout the series, both traveling companions and memorable side characters alike. One of the more memorable times that a character has clearly been interested in Ash Ketchum was when he and Angie were both students at Professor Rowan's Summer Academy. During this time, Angie and Ash developed quite the rivalry as they trained and battled their temporary Pokémon. As the summer went on, however, it became clear that they also had a lot in common. They both loved the same types of food, were mischievous, and didn't care much for classroom learning. The overall brevity of her appearance makes her chances of being Ash's love interest relatively slim, however.

Similarly, Melody was a character that appeared for only a brief amount of time in the movie The Power of One. As a resident of Shamouti Island in the Orange Archipelago, Melody was tasked with being the Festival Maiden for the Legend Festival. She was initially reluctant to fill this role until she saw Ash. She then gave him a traditional welcoming kiss and instructed him on what to do for the festival. While she journeys with Ash through this process, teasing Misty in the process, she doesn't appear again outside a brief cameo in The Rise of Darkrai, greatly lowering her potential as Ash's partner.

• Ash thought that Angie was a boy when they first met.
• While she was in the movie The Power of One, Melody was not in the manga adaptation titled Mirage Pokémon Lugia's Explosive Birth.

Miette is a character that is at odds with Serena, given that they both have crushes on Ash. They are both Pokémon performers, further feeding into the rivalry that the two of them feel. As the two continue to compete, they end up facing Team Rocket along with Ash and the rest of his friends. This, along with the fact that neither of them ended up winning the competition, led to the two parting on friendly terms. As Serena was leaving, though, Miette warned her that if she didn't tell Ash her feelings, then Miette would take Ash for herself. Despite this threat, the odds that Miette actually followed through are relatively low given her lack of presence in the rest of the show.

Unlike Melody and Miette, Lyra is a fellow Pokémon trainer who is traveling to obtain Gym badges. She is traveling with Khoury, her friend, along with Khoury's father. Lyra doesn't have extended contact with Ash and his friends, although she does battle Dawn and watches the Lilypad Town Pokémon Contest which Dawn is a participant in. Through these interactions, it becomes clear that Lyra has taken a liking to Ash, though it doesn't seem as though he is aware of her feelings, nor likely to become so.

Ash's Traveling Companions are More Likely to be His Wife Than Other Characters He Meets

Misty and Serena are the Two Most Compelling Choices

Given the longevity of their time on-screen, Misty and Serena are the most likely to have ended up with Ash. Misty, who is one of Ash's most popular traveling companions, has a complicated relationship with Ash, to say the least. They most definitely didn't start on the right foot, considering that Ash's Pikachu destroyed Misty's bike by electrocuting it. She then tracks down Ash and journeys with him to ensure that he pays her back for the damage. As they travel together eventually adding Brock to make their team a trio, Misty and Ash continue to have a relationship based on bickering. Despite this, there is very clearly an underlying feeling of care that the two hold for each other. Whenever there is actual danger, they are quick to jump in and protect the other. By the end of their time together, they refer to each other as best friends, which is clearly still the case when Misty shows back up in one of the final episodes of the show.

The bond between Misty and Ash was picked up on by both fans of the show and characters in the show. Nurse Joy and members of Team Rocket at various points commented on the fact that they were a cute couple, or made similar remarks about their compatibility. Additionally, both Misty and Ash get jealous whenever someone else catches the other's romantic interest, such as when Melody kisses Ash or when Fiorella catches Misty's attention. While they never officially get together, Misty does keep up with Ash's endeavors, as she always seems to know what he's been up to whenever she makes an appearance after she is no longer his traveling companion.

• Misty has appeared in the most episodes out of all of Ash's female traveling companions.
• Serena is the first traveling companion to have been invited by Ash to continue traveling with him.

Serena and Ash have a much longer history than most other characters in the Pokémon series. Despite being introduced after over eight hundred episodes of the anime, Serena is established to have met Ash while they were both children when she was injured and he helped her, leading to an arguably deeper connection between the two than Ash has with almost any other character. While they only met each other once before their encounter in the anime, it was clearly an experience that stuck with Serena given her eagerness to thank Ash for his kindness once she recognized him. In fact, the reason she set out on a journey in the first place was to find him and express her gratitude.

Ash and Serena have a much less tempestuous relationship than Misty and Ash, especially when considering the beginning of their respective relationships. Moreover, Serena and Ash inspire each other to work harder in order to complete their individual goals. This has led to them building a relationship of support and trust, which would serve them well if they did get together as adults. During one episode titled The Cave of Mirrors!, Serena even asks Ash if they will be together forever after a harrowing experience, to which Ash responds in the positive. Evidently, the two of them have deep feelings for each other, with Serena's growing confidence in her feelings one of Pokémon's best character arcs. It is also worth mentioning that, before finding out who Riko's parents were, fans pointed out that Serena and Riko are both optimistic, slightly insecure, and peppy. This led fans to connect their personalities, which was used as evidence that it was most likely that Serena was Riko's mother.

Serena is the Most Likely Option to be Ash's Significant Other

Riko's heritage is no longer unknown in Pokémon Horizons: The Series, but that doesn't change the speculation that occurred when the series was first announced. To fans at the time of the series' announcement, Riko could have been related to Ash, or she could have different parentage entirely. As far as anyone knew, Riko could even meet Ash and be the same age as him. The mystery surrounding her background and the excitement of exploring a new show led to fans running wild with speculation.

• Pokémon Horizons: The Series is the first Pokémon series to not have a narrator.
• This is the first Pokémon series to not feature a Team Rocket trio as the antagonists.

Of course, that doesn't change who Ash would be the most likely to end up with. As things stand, Serena is the one who's most interested in winning Ash's affection; this should remain true now that Ash's story is virtually over. As such, if the anime ever does show Ash starting a family with someone, it would most likely be her. While we now know that Riko would not be the product of Ash and any significant other's relationship, it is still interesting to think about who he could have ended up with.

The theory that Ash and a mysterious significant other were Riko's parents has been proven wrong, as her parents were eventually revealed to be a couple by the names of Alex and Lucca. They are protective and very supportive of her choices, as seen through the fact that her mother hired a company called the Rising Volt Tacklers to protect her. So, while Ash may not have a parental connection to Rico, she has a very happy home life. And who knows, perhaps Ash will make a cameo in Pokémon Horizons: The Series in some other capacity.

Pokémon Horizons

TV-Y7

Anime

Action

Adventure

Release Date

April 14, 2023

Cast

Minori Suzuki , Megumi Hayashibara , Taku Yashiro , Ayane Sakura

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

1