Ash's Original Actor Is Returning To Pokemon, But Not How You'd Expect

If you grew up in the 1990s and early 2000s, it's likely that "Pokémon" was a big part of your childhood. The Japanese media franchise based around battling monsters and the Pokémon trainers that befriended them was nothing short of a cultural phenomenon, spawning television shows, video games, and card collections — among other properties — that touched virtually every part of the globe. At the center of this was Ash Ketchum, the main character of the original "Pokémon" anime series.

Known for his endearing, albeit weird, relationship with his Pikachu, Ash is more or less the central figure in "Pokemon" and arguably one of the most popular TV characters of all time. Even if he isn't as good of a Pokemon trainer as he should be, his youthful personality, cheerful attitude, and twinge of naivety are more than enough to make him lovable. A big part of why the character is such a beloved figure can be owed to Veronica Taylor, Ash's original voice actress who portrayed the character for the first 8 seasons of the show — as well as the spin-off films — before being replaced by Sarah Natochenny beginning in Season 9.

After an a 16-year absence from the role with only sporadic appearances here and there, Taylor will be returning to the world of "Pokémon," but not in the way you might think.

October 4, 2022 will mark the release of "Monster Kids," a 224-page book about the "Pokémon" franchise's influence over an entire generation of children, its origins, and the part it played in either spawning or elevating similar franchises based around ally monsters such as "Yu-Gi-Oh" and "Digimon." The book was authored by Crunchyroll senior writer Daniel Dockery — whose previous credits include Polygon and Wired, among others — who recently announced that the audiobook version of "Monster Kids" will be narrated by none other than Ash's original voice actress, Veronica Taylor herself.

Having the voice behind one of the most iconic characters in "Pokémon" providing the narration for a book about the franchise's massive influence and cultural significance is nothing short of perfect. Accordingly, news of this announcement elicited tons of excitement from fans of "Pokémon," and even those who are completely unfamiliar with the media behemoth.