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Everyone, including famous people, has their favorite Pokémon. Usually, it's that uber-powerful electric Pokémon... three guesses which one. But fans seem to have their favorite Ash Ketchum too.
The iconic Pokémon trainer has been the focus of the series since its earliest incarnation in Japan. To date, the character has been voiced by an assortment of actors, depending on the format. They include Choi Deok-Hui, An Hyeon-Seo, Lee Seon-ho, Hana Takeda, and Nachikey Dighe. But, by far, the most famous are Rika Matsumoto, Veronica Taylor, Kayzie Rogers, and Sarah Natochenny. The latter has been voicing Ash since she was just 18 years old.
While the actor, now in her mid-30s, told IGN via CBR that voicing Ash Ketchum in Pokémon has been "lonely", it also provided her with the job of a lifetime. Despite the character about to be retired at the end of the Masters Journey, Ash Ketchum has proven to be vital to Natochenny's life moving forward.
Why Did They Change Ash's Voice Actor?
For the first eight seasons of the original Americanized Pokémon show, Ahs Ketchum was voiced by Veronica Taylor. For many, she was and remains the only acceptable voice for the character. But due to alleged contractual issues, they had to replace her with Sarah Natochenny. This was during the Pokémon Company's takeover of the 4Kids TV English-language version.
Natochenny has claimed that booking the leading role of Ash Ketchum at the mere age of 18 was one of the most exciting moments in her life. She had been a fan of the show growing up, according to her interview with Vulture.
"The show came out when I was 11 and I was a huge fan right off the bat. And by the time I booked it at 18, I’d been watching the show," Sarah Natochenny explained to Vulture. "When I finally got the audition for it, I was shocked to audition at such an early stage of my career, and it was just a classic audition process. I didn’t know anybody related to it."
In her interview with Vulture, Sarah's favorite character before joining the show was, somewhat unsurprisingly, Pikachu.
"I remember loving Pikachu. I’ve always loved Pikachu. Probably the greatest animated creature ever drawn."
Her love for the character has persisted into her thirties. She even named her cat Pickachu.
"My cat is now named Pikachu. It’s not an intentional impression of Ikue Ōtani who plays Pikachu, but it’s very much like Pikachu. I talked to my cat all day in a Pikachu voice, if you ever end up in an apartment with the two of us," Sarah Natochenny said to Vulture.
Which Characters Does Sarah Natochenny Voice On Pokémon?
Aside from Ash Ketchum, Sarah Natochenny has voiced numerous other characters on the acclaimed and long-running animated television series.
"I voiced 21 of the Pokémon on the show," Sarah Natochenny explained during her interview with Vulture. "My favorite one I voice is Buneary. I love voicing Chansey, and apart from that, I love Meltan — that’s voiced by Samantha Cooper. She’s amazing. And I love Snorlax and Psyduck and Mew and Mewtwo. I love them all. They’re all my children."
According to AllFamousBirthday and numerous other sources, voicing all of these characters are the main reason why Sarah Natochenny's net worth is currently around $5 million. However, this number should be taken lightly as no mainstream source, nor the celebrity herself, has confirmed it.
How Playing Ash Ketchum On Pokémon Has Changed Sarah Natochenny's Life Forever
Aside from the consistent gig, paycheck, and notoriety, playing Ash Ketchum on Pokémon has altered Sarah Natochenny's life in some pretty profound ways. During her interviee with Vulture, Natochenny explained how some of her interactions with the diehard fans have been incredibly important to her.
"[The interaction] that really stands out to me is this one girl who really opened up to me about her struggles with depression, and we connected over that," Natochenny said to Vulture.
"She visits me every once in a while whenever I’m in her town and lets me know how she’s doing. Pokémon has really helped her overcome a lot of the struggles she’s faced in her life, and that’s such a common story. That’s the most common thing I see in my fan mail is, 'Thank you for getting me through these dark times,' 'It got me through the pandemic,' and 'It got me through this difficult time, and I was [at a particualirly low point], and it got me through that.' To know that I’m even the tiniest part of something that helps people in that way, especially as someone who struggles herself. That’s incredibly meaningful to me."
But it's not just the fans who have been moved by Ash Ketchum, it's Sarah Natochenny herself.
"In my 20s, I really struggled with depression and knowing that I could play a character so truthfully, who’s so happy-go-lucky and so positive and so tenacious. Knowing that I can do that, realistically, I knew that there must be something in me that’s like Ash. So I’ve drawn from him over the years and it’s really helped me."
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