DISCLAIMER:
This piece of work is a written presentation of my own theories and ideas. If you have negative comments in mind, I'd prefer that you keep them to yourself. I apologise if my work offends or causes upset, and if so, I'd like to know how I can improve my work. Please remember that I am only one person, with a rather wild imagination, so some of the things you read may make absolutely no sense, much alike most of my stories.

That being said, please do not claim these ideas as your own. They are mine and I must be credited. Enjoy :).

Two of the most popular characters in the entirety of the Pokemon Universe are Ash Ketchum, the leading protagonist for over 20 years in the main anime series, and Red, a protagonist of Pokemon Origins and a key character of Nintendo's games. 

There are some theories surrounding the two, and linking their existences. Official information has never addressed this, but it is implied that Ash is merely the anime/mangaverse version of Red created to represent and market him and the Pokemon franchise through animation.

Here I will be discussing the reasoning behind some of my own theories. My structuring in this work is a little messy, so I do apologize if it is incoherent.

Physical Similarities

*Although I am aware there are different designs, I feel that these two deserve the most comparison*

As you can see in the picture, Ash and Red have very similar character design. They both have spiky, dark hair and wear the same cap in this design. They both wear t-shirt jackets with collars and a white line going down the zip. They also both wear finger-less gloves where the wristband is red, and baggy, grey jeans. In some designs, Red has different colored eyes, hair, and jeans, but I am basing this comparison off of fragments of multiple designs and versions of the character. Ash and Red also both have Pikachu as a starter (in some versions, Red starts with a Charizard).

Despite the obvious implication that this could just be a common design for Pokemon Trainers, this leads me to believe that there is some link between the two.

Family Links

If you've watched or even have an idea of the Pokemon Anime, you probably know that Ash's dad has yet to make his long-awaited appearance in the anime. There are a lot of conspiracies about who Ash's dad could be, and there is little official information about him.

If you want to know more about this, here is a link: https://satoshipediaeng.altervista.org/pokemon-the-animation-chapter-with-official-informations-about-ashs-father/

With Red, there are theories of both Ash being Red's dad and Red being Ash's dad, but I have reason to believe the latter.

First of all, I want to debunk the theory that they are brothers. In the Origins series, we get a look at Red's mother, and we get the same for Ash's mother in the main series. They have similar appearances, such as brown hair in a ponytail and brown eyes, but they have different names and are likely not the same person. It is clearly stated that Ash is an only child in the anime and multiple reliable sources. It is possible that they could be long-lost brothers, and at least one of them is adopted, but there is not enough information provided about their mothers to make this statement.

Next, let's look both Ash and Red's rivals, Gary and Blue. I believe that Blue is Gary's father, and therefore it would make sense that Red is Ash's father. My reasoning for this is that Gary and Blue have very similar appearances in physical characteristics, the way they dress and how they act.

I will accept a debunking of this part of the theory that states that Blue is official Professor Oak's grandson and not his son, and that Gary, just like Ash is to Red, is Blue's anime counterpart. But there is nothing that implies that Ash and Red are in the exact same position family-wise.

We also know that Ash's father is off on a long Pokemon Journey, which Red is also doing. Ash has never been able to locate his father, which could be explained by the fact that Red sits atop Mt. Silver waiting for challengers.

The fact that they both have Pikachu could imply that, since they both got their starters from Professor Oak, he gave Red's Pikachu to Ash.

Are They Just The Same Person?

Now, within reason, you may not believe the theory that they are related. But if not, it is only logical to say that they are the same person in alternate universes. Linking back to my point on their physical similarities, they may just be the same character featured in different parts of the Pokemon Universe. Ash is the part of the character featured in the main series, and Red is the part mainly featured in small side series' and the games. I understand that, having the two compared side-to-side may lead one to believe they are brothers, but I find it more sensible to believe that they are alternate versions loosely based on each other, as this is what most people believe.

What Did You Just Read?

I know that this is a kind of short theory, but I just wanted to express my interest and ideas on this topic. My ideas are portrayed in some of my stories such as oneshots or 『CARBON_COPY』.

I'd love to know what you think about this discussion. Thank you very much for reading!

hope you guys enjoyed that. it feels a bit under-produced, but this was the best i could do to show you what i think.

anyway, have a great day/night, sleep well, eat your three meals, take care of your skin and body, and stay safe. you got this, okay? love you!