I've watched a few episodes from each season and kept up on the news, but I havent religiously watched it by any means so I might be wrong on a few details.

Every season has followed Ash, but they will be moving on to a new protagonist soon.

It is very loosely connected to the games like it always has been. The two can be enjoyed independently of each other.

Not entirely sure on the story, but Ash did finally become a Pokemon world champion in the most recent season, which is why they are changing the protagonist.

He hasn't caught any legendaries, but he has a mythical Pokemon melmetal.

Based on what I've seen, you can start almost anywhere. Each season softly resets Ash's progress. You may see occasional cameos of past characters, but each season Ash usually makes a new set of friends, has a new set of Pokemon, and starts a new story.

1. Ended his journey literally this year February

2. not as far as I remember

3. up to gen 8, Ash's story was becoming champion then master. Not gonna watch Paldea, lo siento 🤷🏿‍♀️ (gen 9, Paldea, is Spain, & Ash ain't mc)

4. nope, & never does as I can tell, though his Greninja was definitely doing something lol, Ash-Greninja form

If you want to see the end of ash's journey, I recommend watching sun and moon seasons and then "pokemon journeys" (the sword and shield seasons). Journeys are the final seasons with ash but has a few episodes that are a callback to sun and moon.

Pokemon horizons has new protagonists, is currently airing and has about 23 episodes currently.

I think the series is over now.