Returning Characters

Throughout the years we have seen many traveling companions, rivals, reoccurring characters. Some have returned and some have not.

So at some point do you think we will see returns of certain characters? If so which character(s) do you think or would like to see return? And do you think it is important to the franchise and the fans that we see returning characters such as Brock, Misty, Gary, Ash old pokemon, etc?

I'd like to see Misty appear again for a few episodes, I get the feeling the relationship she'd have with Iris would be funny since they can share similar personalities at times.

I agree with Kirbychu about Ash's former team members. I miss Bulbasaur. I know he showed up in Hoenn for a few episodes, but that was a pretty long time ago at this point.

I would love to see May again
she is just my favourite
but i think when the characters may return
they could have something different like hair,or
another outfit,when May came to the D/P season
then she had just a poor recolor,i think that she should get another hairstyle ^^

I'd most like to see Max join the current group so we can see how he can progress and it would be interesting to see how he would build his team. With past companions there has always been a pattern; Misty with the water types, Brock with Pokemon he can care and nurture; Dawn/May getting Pokemon that can look good in contests. The current companions don't seem to have a pattern so it'd be cool to see Max and his more thought out captures and I think he'd learn alot from Cilan like he did with Brock but he never had much chance to learn about Brock in his use of Pokemon in battleswhereas Cilan has a lot more battling oppurtunities.

In terms of rivals I think a few from Johto would be cool like Harrison and Ritchie. More Ritchie because he was the more important rival and it would be interesting to see how his team has developed and which Pokemon they choose to give him out of Ash's current team.

Then with Pokemon I do think he needs to go back to Pidgeot and tell him/her how proud he is of her and how sorry he is he hasn't had a chance to see him/her. Butterfree isn't really a concern as it was an official release but Primeape needs to be told as well that he isn't needed.

I think the best way to get some use out of alot of old friends/rivals/Pokemon would be to have another sort of filler series but instead of a tournament like the Orange Islands have a tournament where it's like the Conferences and is only 6 on 6 battles. That way alot more Pokemon can be used as he can't go tiring out his team too much and gives more chance to use his Pokemon. They can invite Professors and Champions from each region to come spectate as it could be a special tournament that is only held once every 10 years or something and some of the major rivals he has had can come back like Gary, Paul and Tyson. Also due to the fierceness of the tournament it makes it more likely that Pokemon will evolve like Bayleef, Corphish and Buizel.

It is a bit of a crazy idea that would probably never happen but it's probably the easiest way to get him to interect with his old friends/pokemon for a longer period of time than the one episode a few of them get at the end of each series. It's what I'd like to see because the Pokemon Conferences always get me excited but only happen once a series so it's a shame although all these Don Battle Tournament things in Unova are pretty cool and give me a similar excitement.

Kirbychu said:

It's always nice to see what they're up to now and again, but I don't find it incredibly necessary. However, I really didn't like how they skipped out on Tracey's appearance at the end of DP.

I really want to see what Misty's up to right now. We haven't seen here in a while. I've always wondered if Max ever became a trainer, despite it being evident that time doesn't flow in the Pokemon world. There's Gary, but that's a given.

Ash's Pokemon are a different story. I'm not very fond of how the writers completely shun all of Ash's old teammates once their time is up. The thing is, I don't know how they could possibly incorporate them, especially since he's has built up quite the team other the years. I guess Pokemon Chronicles was a cool idea. I wouldn't mind seeing an old team member pop into the group from time to time either, like in Johto or the Battle Frontier.

Butterfree, Pidgeot, and Primeape need to appear.

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At least Tracey got a mention when they were in Nimbasa I believe.

Out of his former companions I'd most like to see Misty as well, and see how there chemistry if at all would change. Especially since neither has really "grown up" or "aged". Which is also sad cause it gives Max less of a change on having a journey with Ash or for that matter battling him.

I don't think they are completely shunned, but we probably won't get to see them until stuff like leagues, return visits, filler post main story arcs.

In this BW2 scenario if he some how loses the league or it gets interrupted by Plasma he can always bring some of his old pokemon along such as I feel Gible should be incorporated within the team.

sherreamethyst said:

I'm extremely interested in seeing Misty again. I miss her so friggin much, I want them to kick out Iris and put Misty back in. Misty personality was unique, not even Iris can be compared with her. I miss the way Misty would always pick on Ash!

I'm curious to what she's up to right about now. Tending to the gym must get boring after awhile, and I want to see her catch some Unova water pokes.
I also wanna see Brock again...his Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny look so different now... 0_0

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And Iris doesn't have any unique traits about her? Actually they can be compared, but why do we need too since this is about returning characters that we like too see.

Kind of doubt she will appear in Unova, seems like the Shizui guy has more of a chance at this point then she does.

NiallC said:

I'd most like to see Max join the current group so we can see how he can progress and it would be interesting to see how he would build his team. With past companions there has always been a pattern; Misty with the water types, Brock with Pokemon he can care and nurture; Dawn/May getting Pokemon that can look good in contests. The current companions don't seem to have a pattern so it'd be cool to see Max and his more thought out captures and I think he'd learn alot from Cilan like he did with Brock but he never had much chance to learn about Brock in his use of Pokemon in battleswhereas Cilan has a lot more battling oppurtunities.

In terms of rivals I think a few from Johto would be cool like Harrison and Ritchie. More Ritchie because he was the more important rival and it would be interesting to see how his team has developed and which Pokemon they choose to give him out of Ash's current team.

Then with Pokemon I do think he needs to go back to Pidgeot and tell him/her how proud he is of her and how sorry he is he hasn't had a chance to see him/her. Butterfree isn't really a concern as it was an official release but Primeape needs to be told as well that he isn't needed.

I think the best way to get some use out of alot of old friends/rivals/Pokemon would be to have another sort of filler series but instead of a tournament like the Orange Islands have a tournament where it's like the Conferences and is only 6 on 6 battles. That way alot more Pokemon can be used as he can't go tiring out his team too much and gives more chance to use his Pokemon. They can invite Professors and Champions from each region to come spectate as it could be a special tournament that is only held once every 10 years or something and some of the major rivals he has had can come back like Gary, Paul and Tyson. Also due to the fierceness of the tournament it makes it more likely that Pokemon will evolve like Bayleef, Corphish and Buizel.

It is a bit of a crazy idea that would probably never happen but it's probably the easiest way to get him to interect with his old friends/pokemon for a longer period of time than the one episode a few of them get at the end of each series. It's what I'd like to see because the Pokemon Conferences always get me excited but only happen once a series so it's a shame although all these Don Battle Tournament things in Unova are pretty cool and give me a similar excitement.

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Well he wouldn't need to learn from Cilan, if they decided to have Ash actually maintain progression for once and may him a mentor.

Ritchie I'd like too see return cause he parallels Ash so much. I thought he was a good league rival, and I was hoping for more of him in Chronicles, but we all know how that ended up... Harrison I'd love to see again, and actually win that time around. Love too see Paul return as well. I want to see his change if any after the loss in the league to Ash.

He did promise Pidgeot he would return... So I think he at least owes him a return visit. He was his second capture after all, that has too have some meaning to him since he caught him not too long after Butterfree.

I don't think we really need to see Butterfree, but then again Lapras did make a cameo in Johto showing us it is doing alright with its family, so they could do the same for Butterfree.

Primeape, up in the air as what they should do and what they should have do. For me he had a lot of potential as an obedient poke like Char to be a good powerhouse at least at the time. I would like to think they revisit him as well, so I don't see why they would revisit the first two and leave him out of the picture.

I've thought of tournaments like this, but the plausibility is extremely unlikely. Closest thing I can think of is a Champions league Cynthia mentioned. Which would all hinge on Ash actually winning for once. Or there would be like a gather of the best per region representing each region in a regional team battle tournament or something.

Well, Pidgeot and Butterfree were promised a reappearance, and they are long overdue of one. Primeape is out of the jury as to whether he was foreshadowed to reappear or not, though.

Misty definitely needs a reappearance, and not simply as a photograph, but an actual, in the flesh appearance. Putting her in the gym was a big mistake, especially seeing how the show usually treats Gym Leaders (ie, the same way they treated JJM, meaning as weak trainers capable of being beaten by rookies). Have her reappear, and then if she does have to leave again, at least use something other than the gym thing, maybe have her pursue her Water Pokemon Master goal again.

Max might get a reappearance, although seeing how Ash is still 10 in Unova, I wouldn't count on it.

Seeing how Unova does not have Pokemon Contests, not to mention Jessie giving up on them even if they did, Dawn and May getting reappearances is extremely unlikely, even if I wanted them to return (which I don't, BTW).

If Brock is to return, they should actually focus on his breeder goals, and also he should stay as far away from being a sex addict as possible. Making him a skirt chasing womanizer was a really big mistake, and I don't think parents want him to act like Charlie Sheen/Charlie Harper, or Glenn Quagmire, in front of their kids.

I would like to see more appearances from past characters in the future. I don't mean all the time but every now and then, a random appearance would be nice or even just a mention by name.

weedle_mchairybug said:

Well, Pidgeot and Butterfree were promised a reappearance, and they are long overdue of one. Primeape is out of the jury as to whether he was foreshadowed to reappear or not, though.

Misty definitely needs a reappearance, and not simply as a photograph, but an actual, in the flesh appearance. Putting her in the gym was a big mistake, especially seeing how the show usually treats Gym Leaders (ie, the same way they treated JJM, meaning as weak trainers capable of being beaten by rookies). Have her reappear, and then if she does have to leave again, at least use something other than the gym thing, maybe have her pursue her Water Pokemon Master goal again.

Max might get a reappearance, although seeing how Ash is still 10 in Unova, I wouldn't count on it.

Seeing how Unova does not have Pokemon Contests, not to mention Jessie giving up on them even if they did, Dawn and May getting reappearances is extremely unlikely, even if I wanted them to return (which I don't, BTW).

If Brock is to return, they should actually focus on his breeder goals, and also he should stay as far away from being a sex addict as possible. Making him a skirt chasing womanizer was a really big mistake, and I don't think parents want him to act like Charlie Sheen/Charlie Harper, or Glenn Quagmire, in front of their kids.

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If they were promised a reappearance, regardless if they show progression I still think they should do them justice by revisiting. I don't know if it would be simple as cutting a few fillers during the regular saga so we can have a post main story arc, but it would be nice to see Ash revisit people and his own pokemon abroad and at Oaks lab.

Apparently the show likes to treat Ash the same was a gym leaders since he has an affinity for losing to rookies or a rookie(definitely Trip).

I'd think they would focus more as a doctor then a breeder. Since those watching last time would be like "Wait I thought he was a doctor now. When did he go back to being a breeder?" And yeah the show should be more child oriented, but they Alder be the new skirt chaser, so having him back wouldn't surprise me if they stuck with that.

What they need to do instead of making characters return is to make "cameos" appear in the anime… -_-;

"We've seen you Lucas and Brandon in the beginning of pokemon movies… SHOW UP ONCE AND FOR ALL"

Kenshin5 said:

If they were promised a reappearance, regardless if they show progression I still think they should do them justice by revisiting. I don't know if it would be simple as cutting a few fillers during the regular saga so we can have a post main story arc, but it would be nice to see Ash revisit people and his own pokemon abroad and at Oaks lab.

Apparently the show likes to treat Ash the same was a gym leaders since he has an affinity for losing to rookies or a rookie(definitely Trip).

I'd think they would focus more as a doctor then a breeder. Since those watching last time would be like "Wait I thought he was a doctor now. When did he go back to being a breeder?" And yeah the show should be more child oriented, but they Alder be the new skirt chaser, so having him back wouldn't surprise me if they stuck with that.

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Okay, but the main problem is Max. Given that he is definitely younger than 10 (he's 8, at most), and given the obvious intentions of the Writers of making the characters incapable of aging, it's extremely unlikely for Ash and Max to battle or even reencounter each other during the upcoming series. He has to stay home with Norman until the unlikelihood that he ever turns 10, and the only chance he has of even reuniting with Ash is if Ash for some reason revisits Hoenn. May and Dawn are slightly more likely, but Dawn will only reunite with Ash if he meets up with her in Hoenn (since that special has her going to Hoenn for contests), and as for May, she's more likely to visit Sinnoh for contests at this point, since she already cleared the other regions including presumably Johto by the time Ash clears Unova, and as mentioned before, Unova doesn't have contests (They wouldn't have made a big deal of their not having contests by Jessie's temper tantrum post-Sinnoh GF if they did.)

I know about how they are treating Ash now, and let me make it clear that I'm not happy about that aspect, either. My posts on the Anime topic made that disconcertion on that specific issue very clear as well. I mean, Ash is supposed to be a veteran, not a rookie.

Regarding Brock, I know he became a Doctor, but even still, I got very irritated that they either didn't even focus on the breeder goal or didn't even explain it (which it is depends on whether the breeder goal was intended to be the same as the one in the games or not). I mean, it's like making Two and a Half Men a show for six year olds despite the obvious trash that comes from it.

dabeatmaster123 said:

What they need to do instead of making characters return is to make "cameos" appear in the anime… -_-;

"We've seen you Lucas and Brandon in the beginning of pokemon movies… SHOW UP ONCE AND FOR ALL"

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What no love for Ethan )=, all he got was Pokemon Chronicles as Jimmy. And a cameo in Zoroark: Master of Illusions. Thought he would have been better appearing then Khoury imo. I don't see them having a role since Ash is still the main character.

weedle_mchairybug said:

Okay, but the main problem is Max. Given that he is definitely younger than 10 (he's 8, at most), and given the obvious intentions of the Writers of making the characters incapable of aging, it's extremely unlikely for Ash and Max to battle or even reencounter each other during the upcoming series. He has to stay home with Norman until the unlikelihood that he ever turns 10, and the only chance he has of even reuniting with Ash is if Ash for some reason revisits Hoenn. May and Dawn are slightly more likely, but Dawn will only reunite with Ash if he meets up with her in Hoenn (since that special has her going to Hoenn for contests), and as for May, she's more likely to visit Sinnoh for contests at this point, since she already cleared the other regions including presumably Johto by the time Ash clears Unova, and as mentioned before, Unova doesn't have contests (They wouldn't have made a big deal of their not having contests by Jessie's temper tantrum post-Sinnoh GF if they did.)

I know about how they are treating Ash now, and let me make it clear that I'm not happy about that aspect, either. My posts on the Anime topic made that disconcertion on that specific issue very clear as well. I mean, Ash is supposed to be a veteran, not a rookie.

Regarding Brock, I know he became a Doctor, but even still, I got very irritated that they either didn't even focus on the breeder goal or didn't even explain it (which it is depends on whether the breeder goal was intended to be the same as the one in the games or not). I mean, it's like making Two and a Half Men a show for six year olds despite the obvious trash that comes from it.

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They pretty much went above the breeder goal and decided to place him as a doctor. Which really if I think about it Brock has been seen for caring for injured pokemon from time to time through out all the regions.

Pokemon Anime as a whole doesn't seem to want to focus and follow through with goals look at Ash and Misty. Do we think their goals are to be getting beat by noobs after noobs for Ash and being stuck in a Gym for Misty. They need more, which for Misty would seem to be accomplished by an extent by rejoining the traveling group.

Kenshin5 said:

What no love for Ethan )=, all he got was Pokemon Chronicles as Jimmy. And a cameo in Zoroark: Master of Illusions. Thought he would have been better appearing then Khoury imo. I don't see them having a role since Ash is still the main character.


They pretty much went above the breeder goal and decided to place him as a doctor. Which really if I think about it Brock has been seen for caring for injured pokemon from time to time through out all the regions.

Pokemon Anime as a whole doesn't seem to want to focus and follow through with goals look at Ash and Misty. Do we think their goals are to be getting beat by noobs after noobs for Ash and being stuck in a Gym for Misty. They need more, which for Misty would seem to be accomplished by an extent by rejoining the traveling group.

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Yeah, and that's another irritation for me. If they didn't want to follow through with goals, they really shouldn't have even bothered giving goals to begin with. I mean, of all the main characters on the main cast, the only one who actually did accomplish his goal was Tracey, which was meeting and working with Professor Oak as his assistant. All of the others haven't completed their goals yet. I mean, isn't the point of a goal to accomplish it?

I wish Pokemon was like other anime based on games. They have older people return like in Inazuma Eleven.Bakugan and Yugioh.

Looking back at all the possibilities, it's almost hard to decide if any should return because of the possibility of ruining the fantasy I'm sure we've all made up of our off screen characters. I mean, in my head, I see Misty being a totally kickass Water Gym Leader but they could return her with some crisis and she's just a trainer again. There's a chance that a return would be a letdown for all my expectations for these characters. Although, I do obviously want to see them returning for a plot arc or an episode return, just to catch up.

Ritchie. Honestly, he was probably my most favourite rival of Ash's, because as said previously by Kenshin5, he had very similar qualities to Ash and their teams were almost exact. I loved their relationship and it just seemed like it could've continued to a recurring thing. I've always wondered if things would've been interesting if Ash has a reoccurring rival like Ritchie who popped up in a couple episodes but we saw more of him during the leagues. Something constant and interesting while still bringing in new nastier rivals, I just think that a friendly rival wouldn't have hurt. (I'm sure we had a few but yeah) I'd love to think that Ritchie is doing brilliantly and his journey as a Pokemon trainer is going swimmingly. Perhaps he's just won the Sinnoh league? or he's apart of the Battle Frontier? We don't know but sometimes the fantasy and the speculation is enough because I wouldn't want to be letdown and find out that he's not really progressed since the last time we saw him.

Max. As we're all aware, time is legit stuck in the Pokemon world but I would love it if the writers aged him up like they did with Gary and give Max a really great return. I was honestly hoping that the rumours of a new lineup for B&W was going to be a returning character like Max because although it's not fresh or no, but it would've drawn in a lot of old fans and newer fans would've dug it too and could've prompted them to rewatch seasons when Max was younger.

I really do think that having old and beloved characters return as an homage to older fans who have stuck by this show for 3234325436 years. I think it's really imperative that the writers don't forget that these older characters are very significant and important, even if they were just story arc based characters. I think Pokemon Chronicles was essentially there to keep the love for character who have left the journey and essentially keep them alive. Sadly, that's poofed and I really think it's great for continuity to keep the past alive through mentions and guest appearances. Yeah, I'd love it. :D

Come on MAN who's in for Brock!?
xD Cilan personality don't like it
Its much better than Brock's because of
his Love to girls.