Ash Ketchum/Satoshi in Japan (Ha ha, get it? Catch'em?)
10 Male

Ash is an ambitious 10 year old with an aspiration to become a Pokémon master and has not only the want to be the best, but also a love for his Pokémon. In the first episode, he winds up being late to meet Professor Oak and receive his first Pokémon, and finds that Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle are all taken! Oak then gives him an usual Pokémon called Pikachu. Ash soon finds out all about Pikachu's "electric" personality, and finds himself more being owned by the stubborn little pokemon than owning him. After failed attempts to catch more pokemon, Ash soon finds himself chased by a flock of Spearows, which badly injure Pikachu. Ash finds Misty, and takes her bike to get Pikachu to a pokemon hospital. The flock chases, and the bike is destroyed. Luckily, Ash gets Pikachu to the hospital fine, and the two bond and become eternal friends in the land of Pokémon.

Misty/Kasumi
10 or 11 Female

Misty is seemingly a brat, but on the inside she is really a good girl. She is nice to everyone, except Ash. She always is bothering him about her bike, and what he's going to do to replace it. She loves Pokémon, and travelling with Ash and Brock is really what she enjoys doing. Her favorite type of Pokémon are water, and naturally, she most often uses a Starmie to fight. In the game she is the holder of the Water Badge.

Brock/Takeshi
12 Male

Brock is the older, testosterone-inflated male of the travelling trio. Every chance to see a woman is taken up, and every chance to flirt is already done. Of course, the females are mostly bimbos, excluding Misty, and don't take it to heart, if they even understand it. Brock's eyes never seem to open, and it just makes you wonder how he sees these women, of course by the way the ones look that he falls in love with, this is evident. :)~ Brock prefers rock and fire pokemon (Get it, Brock, rock? Kinda like Misty and water). In the game he has the, get this, Boulder Badge.

Pikachu
Male

Pikachu is definately the most popular and lovable Pokémon. His cuteness has captures the love of millions of watchers and players. He is sort of a weak Pokémon in the game to start out, but becomes a strong fighter. In the cartoon, he kicks butt, and tags along outside of his PokéBall. with Ash.

Villains

Gary/Shigeru
10 Male

Gary is the self-centered opponent to Ash. He seems to think he's the best Pokémon trainer in the world, and so does his little herd of cheerleaders that seem to cheer him on everywhere. Although he is very self-centered, he is a good trainer. But, he doesn't seem to really enjoy Pokémon, more just the winning and competition.

Jessie/Musash & James/Kojiro
12 Female & 12 Male

Jesse and James are just two little kids stuck in a pre-teens body. They always wind up loosing in the end, as is expected of every bad guy in the TV Wonderland(tm). Their goal, being in Team Rocket, is to steal precious and rare Pokémon, especially the powerful Pikachu of Ash. Everytime they appear in the show they say their famous poem... "Prepare for trouble, Make it double. To protect the world from devestation, To unite all peoples within our nation. To denounce the evils of truth and love, To extend our reach to the stars above. Jesse, James. Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light! Surrender now, or prepare to fight."

Meowth/Nyase
Male

"Meowth thats right" is the first line after Jesse and James little poem. Meowth is sort of like Pikachu in that he does not stay in a PokéBall. However, meowth is a very rare Pokémon who can actually speak english (or japanese or whatever). At least Team Rocket caught one good pokemon. Meowth is really the brains of the Team Rocket Triple, as he comes up with most of the plans, and scratches Jesse and James into submission.

Other Characters

Nurse Joy
Female

Nurse Joy and all of her sisters with the same name and same look are found in nearly every town in the land of Pokémon. She works at the PokéCenter healing hurt Pokémon. In the movie she is the mindless zombie slave for Mewtwo.

Proffessor Oak/Proffessor Okido
60 Male

Professor Oak is the person to call when you need Pokémon info. In younger age he was a trainer just like most others. But now in his old age, he studies Pokémon, and created the Pokédex for trainers to learn info on Pokémon and write info about when you come across new Pokémon. He gave Ash Pikachu.

Officer Jenny/Officer Junsa
Varies Female

Officer Jenny is your average ditzy female often found in watered-down Japanese Anime like Pokemon. She is in most towns and just does her thing, like try to stop Team Rocket and train her Growlithes.

Ash's Mom/Satoshi's Mom
Female

Ash's mom is just your mother figure, who wont stop asking Ash if he has clean underwear and to be safe, etc, etc.