Does anyone else want Ash gone and the show to use different protagonist?

[Elite Overlord LeSabre™]

If Ashy-boy leaves, it'll give me a reason to watch again. He is the most annoying, most narcissistic, and least intelligent protagonist of any show I've ever watched. And one of the ugliest, to boot. He needed to be retired seasons ago. Him and his stupid rat. And hopefully any new protagonist would be nothing like him. Meaning they would be intelligent, wouldn't brag about becoming champion every two minutes, and wouldn't be an eyesore to look at or a pain to listen to. And they wouldn't be going around with unevolved Pokemon for multiple seasons. A female protagonist would be ideal, but honestly ANYONE would be better than Ash at this point.

Do I think this will ever happen? No, they've kept him stringing along so long that it would cause widespread panic and protests if they did give him the axe. But we can dream, right?

[feralig8rx]

I would have liked to see Ash leave after Johto. I know that's kind of odd but to be honest I always pictured Ash having a comeback and a second chance at the big league.

However, I would not be opposed to having a new lead every season. I hate to compare animes, but I like what they did with Yu-Gi-Oh! and protagonists. If only pokemon took the same approach, I think I would have seen more seasons of pokemon.

[AshleyKetchum]

If they changed it I would stop watching. Well if they changed it to much. Its obvious Team Rocket are leaving after BW but if Ash left people would rage.

[AliceBlaze]

I wish the anime was like the Adventures manga where there's new protagonists and rivals in each saga but the characters from the previous saga still appear as supporting characters. I also think it should be like the Legend of Thunder special where the main characters go their separate ways but then they team up when a legendary Pokemon gets into trouble.

[ROBO-BOY]

Here is what I think...

I think Ash is getting old. But, I don't wanna see him gone for good... yet.
I think they should make a series where it follows a new Protaganist, someone who wants to battle FOR THE FUN OF IT, NOT THE F*^$%@#! FAME OR MONEY! However, I wish that they journey with their brother(yes, main is a girl) and her best friends, Mike and Clare. I think Ash should be the main character's RIVAL in the series, but not turning up every second episode like Paul did.

[Darthbane2007]

I also wish that they would change the main character, only because i've been watching since day one and want to see ash become a pokemon master..

[double trouble!]

Nah, I'm too used to having him around. I've been watching since it started.
For some reason, I feel like I would hate it if they got rid of him now.

[Axiom]

Death to The Boy! Up with Someone Else!

His personality is frightening. He's EXACTLY the kind of person I get along with least in life- arrogant, optimistic to the point of absurdity, hypocritical, bad tempered and stupid-acting. His old voice sounds like someone's given Super Mario helium and his new voice sounds like the same plumber with a cold. In addition, I dislike baseball hats. But that's just me.

Oh, and catch 'em all? Objective: Failed.

[Natural Harmonia Gropius]

I would like Ash to leave for a season or two, then come back along with Brock (they should make him an adult too), but this time he'd be a teenager and maybe league champion, and they could be the traveling companions of whoever is the main character at the time. Although that would break the cycle of 1 boy 1 girl companion, so I dunno xD

[Patchisou Yutohru]

Even though I really dislike it when they go to a new region and he becomes this stupid character again with no experience, I really don't want them to replace him. The Pokémon anime just won't be the same if they did that. When they did that with Yu-Gi-Oh, I completely gave up on it, so I imagine that I would do the same with Pokémon, even though I don't really watch it much anymore.

[Volcanix769]

I kinda agree with you. About the Japan series overall, it took 14 1/2 years, in here, like 13 1/2, and after that many seasons, Ash is still the same guy he was since he was in Kanto, plus that it's practically getting worse. Recycling plots, same old same old. But here is what I think. Ash should finally remember of his experiences, of how he lost in so many battles, how he changed in a good way in Kanto and Johto, and how good his own team was. And that there should be a plot when everyone returns and that they cheer Ash, after that, he wins, then that is it.

[Liliris]

*sigh* Ash needs to go. He doesn't change, acts like a beginner, takes being called a kid by Iris, and *sniffle* lost his lame punny jokes.

[QuilavaKing]

No, most definitely not. They tried it once with Pokemon Chronicles, and it was a huge flop.

[Zythrone]

They need to end it, yes.

Have an arc where they find out that Ash's father is the Pokemon champion, various things happen, Ash forms a party with a combination of the strongest Pokemon from each of his region teams + Pikachu, they have an epic battle to the theme of the original Pokemon theme, Ash wins, the end.

It would kill two birds with one stone, end the series and put debate about Ash's dad to rest.

Then they can start on making an Anime version of Adventures.

Originally Posted by Axiom

Oh, and catch 'em all? Objective: Failed.

Which is why they abandoned that as the series tagline... at the beginning of Generation II.

[Nepse]

I have been watching the anime since the beginning, and I really liked the 4kids dub, but the reason I want Ash gone is partially the TPCi dub, I mean they practically replaced him back then. But since that time I've been learning japanese and watched the original episodes online. And I have grown tired of Ash in the long run. The least they could do is give him a break (or give us a break from him). In the BF he didn't have a personality, in DP he was the most childish character I have ever seen, and now in the BW series, he is a babyish ADHD n00b. I really want a new main character by now, someone that isn't reset after every journey. Rather someone that is REPLACED after his/her journey, but continues to make cameos as a supporting character, like in the manga.

[dangit12]

for me i think they should just make another same verson of pokemon with new characters. so if dont know what i mean. here it is. So there is two versons of the pokemon tv anime



Pokemon best wishes


Pokemon the journey begins NEW

this should have new characters and actully someone who smart.

[Souji Seta]

I've watched the show since the original Kanto arc. Although, I'd say he's becoming a bit redundant in the show. I remember when they tried such with Pokemon Chronicles, but I'm not sure how successful it was. I feel as if most of the anime watchers have grown tired of Ash. Just because it's the same thing every time, it's becoming a bit too repetitive. However, I feel like if they replace Ash the Anime will go down the drain because of the simple fact that Ash is pretty much the symbol for the anime as a whole.

[Nintendork15]

I would love a new protagonist for the anime, heck! I'd go back and watch it again if they did. Ash needs to retire, and he needs to soon, If what the guy in the interview said about pokémon being everlasting and there's plenty more anime to come after 5th gen, then I'd rather spend it with a new character rather than a overused 10 year old who's been 10 for 15 years.
Also, If they did put a new character in, wouldn't he/she go through the same cycle of being a new trainer, whom doesn't understand alot about being a trainer or how things work in the pokémon world, aiming to become champion/Pokémon master or a Co-ordinator.

Again, if they did add a new main hero, I would like to see an episdoe where him/her versus Ash, I'd think it would be 'absol'lutely amazing, but like, having Ash grown up! :D

Also:

Main characters of Pokémon Chronicles
Ash Ketchum
Brock
Casey
Jimmy
Gary Oak

I'm not gonna post the whole list, but I'm not seeing and ''new'' Characters here...
Casey was introduced in a earlier stage, and 'Jimmy' is a Anime version of 'Gold' or 'Ethan'.

I'm gonna be honest these to me are not new characters since they've been used before, I think what the Original poster is trying to put through is Brand NEW characters, that haven't been used nor seen before.
It would be great to see it in my opinion.

[Taro Tanaka]

I honestly do. I mean, Ash is a perpetual 10-year-old who showcases nothing worth important unless it's a movie or a Gym battle. Sure, with a new protagonist this formula might not change, but after so many years, it gets old of watching Ash be the star. I personally think it's time he grew up and we get to follow a new face and a new personality.

[yossarian]

I'm quite split on this.

On one hand the only reason I vaguely follow the anime any more is because of Ash; as you can guess from my personal info I'm one of the old school fans from the early days of Kanto. Ash is the only constant from the start of the show (I don't include Team Rocket or Pikachu) and I want to find out what happens to the guy, thus if Ash was eliminated from the show I would have no reason to follow it at all and I would definately stop. But I've become quite depressed about the direction taken in Unova and Black and White and the almost certain lack of eventual resolution or progression to his character it may be for the best that the writers abandon him at the end of B&W rather than continue with the current direction, if only to give a chance no matter how small, to give a fitting end to his character progression.

Yes the plot is repetitive in every region - it's already been pointed out a million times, however up to unova it did seem Ash was making at least some overall progress, no matter how miniscule it was to his initial goal (to become a pokemon master) as evidenced by the fact he was going further in every end tournament; from the last 16 in Kanto to the Semi Finals in Sinnoh. I could also understand not using his old pokemon for the main journeys in each region (after all the main point of the anime is to promote the new pokemon). However I really have become wholly disillusioned in Unova - Ash is back to making completely elementary mistakes and the writer have gone out of their way in not making any references at all to any of the early series and adventures that Ash had. I think they've gone full reset in B&W and have ditched everything that's happened before meaning that we'll never see Ash's old pokemon or comrades again nor will Ash make any geniune holistic progress at the end of every region.

[Misty~]

YES PLEASE!!! Give Ash his ending already, poor guy.

[EntwinedSilence]

^ Lol, that's so weird coming from "Misty".

Also, yeah, Ash is my least favorite character currently. I highly prefer Dent and Iris, and just.. wow. It feels like the show should change, and does change every season, but it's stunted to a point just because Ash is still there. Though, I'm torn, since I do like Ash okay, and I roleplayed him for a few years at one point, and just.. what if he left, and the new character was even worse? D;

[Misty~]

Originally Posted by EntwinedSilence

^ Lol, that's so weird coming from "Misty".

how is that weird? LOL. wow...

[Quixote]

I mean personally, you guys do realize that we're getting to the point that the demographic for the anime is starting to become YOUNGER than the character himself?

Personally I think Ash should have been dropped after Master Quest because let's look at it. We started off with a noob trainer at Episode 1 and watched him grow from that into a not so piece of crap trainer. After that, there was nowhere to really go and that's where the writer's made their mistake. I remember the beginning of the Advanced Series Episode where I really thought May was the new trainer.

While I could bear it in the Advanced and DP series, I could not watch it in Best Wishes which is really sad. I heard that they were going to make it shorter and have him catch more pokemon like in the first two regions and I got excited, but when I saw that he had regressed to Route 1 Noob, I lost it.

All in all, Ash is like a toy you've had since you were a kid. You haven't played with it for years yet it would still feel weird if you threw it out.

[Shining Raichu]

I would never want them to replace Ash! As much of an idiot as he is, he's ingrained in my childhood and I've grown attached to the guy. I don't think the problem is Ash so much as it is the writers. They need to actually allow him to grow as a person and as a trainer, rather than just resetting him every time they go to a new region.