Click on the image to see the full-size version.
Click here for an image of Satoshi during Pocket Monsters.

Name:  Satoshi (Japanese), Ash Ketchum (American), Sacha (French)

Voice Actors:  Matsumoto Rica (Japanese), Veronica Taylor (American), Caroline Combrick (German--#1),  Veronika Neugebauer (German--#2)

Name Meaning:  Satoshi is named after the creator and mastermind of the Pocket Monsters franchise, Tajiri Satoshi.  Ash Ketchum's first name comes from the English word ash and Ketchum comes from "catch 'em," but I've also heard that Ketchum is based off someone from the wild west (much like Jessie and James).  I've also seen his last name spelled as Ketchium.

Age:  10

Known Relatives:  Hanako (Deleila Ketchium)-mother.  His father went out to become a Pokemon Master when Satoshi was younger, but not much more is known about him.

Hometown:  Masara Town (Pallet Town)

Aspirations:  To be the world's greatest Pokemon Master

Video Game Appearances:  Pokemon Red (Game Boy), Pokemon Green (Game Boy), Pokemon Blue (Game Boy), Pokemon Yellow (Game Boy),  Pokemon Gold (Game Boy Color), Pokemon Silver (Game Boy Color), Pokemon Puzzle League (Nintendo 64)
 

Pokemon Owned (Pokemon Stadium 3):
Round 1:
Kentaros, Thunders, Meganium, Bakufuun, 
Oodairu, Hassamu

Round 2:
Kabigon, Kairyuu, Eefui, Raikou, 
Entei, Suikun 

Manga appearances:  Pokemon Dengeki Pikachu, Pokemon Zensho, Pokemon Comic Strip

Pokemon Owned ("Dengeki Pikachu" Manga):
Fushigidane, Hitokage---Lizard---Lizardon, 
Zenigame, Kyatapii---Trancell---Butterfrii, 
Pijon, Onidrill, Pikachu, Nazonokusa, 
Betobeton, Lapras, Kabigon

Pokemon Owned ("Pokemon Zensho" Manga):
Hitokage---Lizard---Lizardon, Pikachu
---Raichu, Nidoran  (special Masaki asexual-type), Purin,
Fuudin, Pauwau, Lapras, Metamon, 
As well as a bunch of water pokemon (one of which was a Koiking) that was given to him by a fisher in the Safari Zone.

First anime episode:  Episode 1, "Pokemon Kimi ni Kimeta!" ("Pokemon I Choose You!")

Defining anime episodes:  "Pokemon I Choose You!" ("Pokemon I Choose You!"), "The Battle of Nibi Gym!" ("Showdown in Pewter City"), "Bye Bye Butterfrii" ("Bye Bye Butterfree"), "The Rival Enters!" ("A Friend in Deed"), "Sekiei Stadium!  Satoshi VS Hiroshi!" ("Friend or Foe Alike"), "Pokemon League!  The Final Battle!" ("Friends to the End"), "Rival Showdown!  Satoshi VS. Shigeru!!" ("The Rivalry Revival")

Pokemon Owned (Anime)
Fushigidane, Hitokage---Lizard---Lizardon, 
Zenigame, Kyatapii---Trancell---Butterfrii, 
Spear, Pijon---Pijotto, Ratta, 
Pikachu, Okorizaru, Betobeton, Ghosu, 
Krab---Kingler, Kentauros, Lapras, 
Kabigon, Chikorita---Bayleef, Hinoarashi, 
Waninoko, Yorunozuku (shiny), Heracross, Gomazou, 
Yogirasu, Kimori, Subame

Information:  Satoshi is an average boy on the night before his tenth birthday.  When a person turns ten, he or she is able to start on a journey to begin collecting pokemon and obtaining gym leader badges.  Unfortunately, Satoshi oversleeps on the morning of his tenth birthday and arrives late to Ookido-Hakase's lab.  He finds that his rival, Shigeru, already has his pokemon and is about to commence his journey.  Because of his tardiness, Satoshi is forced to take the last pokemon left, the difficult-to-handle Pikachu.  At first the relationship between Satoshi and Pikachu gets off on a bumpy start, but soon the boy and his pokemon become very close friends.  Satoshi is the fourth person to leave Masara Town on that day, preceded by Shigeru and two unknown trainers.

Satoshi doesn't really know what he's doing at the beginning of his journey, but he soon gets the hang of things.  Accompanied by the gym leaders Takeshi and Kasumi, and later by fellow trainers Tohru and Kenji, Satoshi has plenty of help along the way.  Many join out of friendship, some out of debts (Satoshi accidently destroys Kasumi's bicycle), but no matter what the motivation is for following Satoshi, they all impact him in some way.  Satoshi eventually receives all eight gym badges in the Kanto Region, all four in the Orange Islands, and all eight in the Jouto Region.  After receiving the Kanto badges, Satoshi enters the Sekiei League and places in sixteenth place after his defeat by his friend Hiroshi. 

Satoshi is very hard-headed.  He doesn't accept defeat, even when beaten many times.  He's not all that bright, but he has a good heart.  Many times he has saved his friends through selfless sacrifice, never giving in to his enemies.

Satoshi eventually made it to the Jouto League finals, where he faced off against his rival Shigeru.  Satoshi was able to beat the arrogant trainer, and in doing so helped him mature.  Satoshi and Shigeru ended their rivalry and became friends, realizing that one was just as good a trainer as the other.  Satoshi goes on to face Hazuki, a boy whom Satoshi met during his travels in the Jouto Region.  After a long and difficult battle, Satoshi's Lizardon loses to Hazuki's Bashamo.  Excited to have been beaten by a trainer and his pokemon from the Houen region, Satoshi decides that he must go to this new land and compete in the league there.  There, he meets Haruka and Masato, and along with Takeshi the boy starts off on his new adventure. 

Satoshi is currently on his way to the Houen Region.

Links to Fan Pages: 

The Ketchum Residence offers a unique look at Ash through his mother's eyes.  Very interesting. Broken Link

My Dear Ash Ketchum has lots of neat pictures, and lots of interactive ways to show your love of Ash.

Satoshi Sekai is a great site dedicated to the Japanese Satoshi.  It has three songs for download (two of which I don't have) and a bunch of manga pictures from all the various manga (including Zensho and the original "Pocket Monsters"). 

Thanks to:  MewHeart for the icons and Bryon Youngblood for the pokemon information.