All good things must come to an end. Ash Ketchum and his trusty sidekick, Pikachu, are saying goodbye to our television screens, in search of new walks of life after becoming the world’s greatest Pokémon champions. We’re not crying… you’re crying.

The very first episode of “Pokémon,” an abbreviation of the Japanese title Pocket Monsters, aired in Japan on Tokyo TV in 1997. In it, 10-year-old Ash from Pallet Town is filled with excitement to receive his first beginner Pokémon from Professor Oak. However, after showing up late to the event, and with all his first-choice Pokémon being taken by others, he was left with one option—a powerful but hard-headed electric mouse named Pikachu. The two didn’t start off on the best footing, but amidst their first unexpected battle with a flight of angry Spearows during a raging storm, Pikachu channels lightning to defend Ash from the attackers. From there, the dynamic duo has been unstoppable.

In the anime’s past two decades, Ash and Pikachu have encountered a world of adventures involving heart-pounding tournaments, encounters with relentless enemies and the making of many true friendships that touched our hearts. Both the trainer and his Pokémon brought out the best in one another, pushing each to their fullest potential.

Back in 2019, Ash won the championship competition of the Alola League in the last episode of “Pokémon the Series: Sun and Moon,” cementing his title as a Pokémon Master. Things aren’t over quite yet. It was recently announced that the “final chapter in Ash and Pikachu’s story” will begin on January 13, 2023, with 11 new episodes concluding the pair’s journey before handing over the spotlight to a new set of protagonists, Liko and Roy, as well as the three starter Pokémon from the Scarlet and Violet game.

In the end, there’s no reason to be sad—the young trainer and his Pokémon achieved what they set out to do, and brought us endless laughs and tears all the while. The only thing left to do is celebrate the legacy the partners-in-crime created, which will inspire us as well as future trainers. The duo will live on in our hearts and on our skin. With one of these Ash and Pikachu tattoos, we hope you’ll be determined to fulfill your destiny, while making some friends along the way. Just like Ash says, “Sometimes friends have to go away, but a part of them always stays behind with you.”