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As much as it pains us, here in the real world, trainers do get their Licenses and begin training at 10 years old. It says this in the show, the game manual, and the comic. The reason this isn't nearly as big a deal is because in the pokemon universe the safety issue is cut. A 10 year old with a dragon is not going to get kidnapped and molested as easily as a 10 year old with a whistle. And besides, if you watch the commentary on the 3rd movie (the one with Entei... I think it's the third one) the writers go on and on about how this world was set up in this manner to allow children to fofil that fantasy of being out on their own in a world of seemingly limitless resources. It's the magic for the children.

I don't know if this was adressed to me or not... But I was just saying that the reason Ash left home at 10 is because in the Pokemon world, that type of thing is commonplace. Parents aren't as concerned about their children's safety as parents in the real world are because their children are going out into the world with creatures capable of protecting them.

Ash was 10 at the beginning of the show; it's confirmed in three different sources, the show, the game, and the comic series.

But, I to am interested in the time progression. Are the characters ageing? I mean, Ash looks older. He looks like he's gotten taller as the show went on, and shows a bit more age in his face. But I'm unsure whether this is intentional or if it's a result of having a higher animation budget.