Ash battling like a noob...

[Obrusnine]

Okay, I recently got back into the anime. I kind of just stopped watching it for a while and am now catching up online. Something that really strikes me about what I've seen so far (I'm on Episode 15) is that Ash is getting through this Gen almost completely on luck alone. He's make far less use of inventive solutions, he's losing a lot more... and just general craziness.

One prime example is Trip. He's a brand new trainer and just put the smackdown on Ash and Pikachu way to easily. Seriously, that first battle between Pikachu and Snivy should've resulted in Pikachu's victory even without electric type moves. But Snivy, a Poke'mon with almost no battle experience whatsoever, defeated Pikachu in only a few hits.

Pikachu also seems to be failing a lot in this Gen. He's done almost nothing notable at all in these episodes.

Trip again gets a one-up on Ash in Episode 10 at their battle club battle. Pikachu was less prominent then Ash's Snivy. I understand why Ash's other Pokemon lost pretty easily, their new, but Pikachu should've been able to do much more then it did.

It's just annoying me how newby Ash has been acting throughout this entire season so far. He's acting like this is his and Pikachu's first adventure. He's a Pro, and he's battling with nowhere near the ability he displayed in Diamond and Pearl. Is anyone else annoyed by this?

[JadeSkittles]

This was almost two years ago. Let it go. It always happens whenever a new series begins. not sure why people are still complaining. After 4 series and 700 eps

[Obrusnine]

Like I said, I'm just getting back into it.

Also, I don't seem to remember Ash battling quite this badly from the beginning of any one of the other generations. At least he actually gave his opponents a challenge if he lost, in BW he's barely making a dent.

[TheFuturePokemon]

Originally Posted by Obrusnine

Pikachu also seems to be failing a lot in this Gen. He's done almost nothing notable at all in these episodes.

Don't worry pikachu will have his gym battles in future episodes.

[Obrusnine]

That's good to know!

The one thing that I like about this Gen is that Team Rocket aren't idiots anymore. They actually have some pretty neat moments (also, they don't blast away anymore, THANK GOD, that was annoying...).

[Renegade1]

Agreed, Team Rocket are pretty sweet now. However I miss the comedy they bring.

@Topic; Ash is a noob. End off.

[Obrusnine]

Originally Posted by Renegade1

Agreed, Team Rocket are pretty sweet now. However I miss the comedy they bring.

@Topic; Ash is a noob. End off.

I for one don't really miss the old Team Rocket. There comedy started good, but it was just the same gags over and over again eventually. Although, you can't say the part where they painted Meowth like Umbreon wasn't pretty funny,

About Ash being a noob... he isn't supposed to be. He has a ton of experience, he would've won the Lily of the Valley Conference if Tobias hadn't been cheating and using a Darkrai... He sure isn't acting like the pro he is, and it's reeeeally annoying. Especially after following this series since I was a kid.

Also, it seems like some of his character development didn't really stick. He's gotten over and confidence issues he has by now, but his fight for the Basic Badge was a mess. He was completely unsure of himself.

[Renegade1]

Originally Posted by Obrusnine

I for one don't really miss the old Team Rocket. There comedy started good, but it was just the same gags over and over again eventually. Although, you can't say the part where they painted Meowth like Umbreon wasn't pretty funny,

About Ash being a noob... he isn't supposed to be. He has a ton of experience, he would've won the Lily of the Valley Conference if Tobias hadn't been cheating and using a Darkrai... He sure isn't acting like the pro he is, and it's reeeeally annoying. Especially after following this series since I was a kid.

Also, it seems like some of his character development didn't really stick. He's gotten over and confidence issues he has by now, but his fight for the Basic Badge was a mess. He was completely unsure of himself.

Repetitive comedy is the best!

I know Ash isn't supposed to be. Even watching it as a kid, growing up. I always consisered him a mediocre trainer who just got lucky, having powerful pokemon or just getting a lucky result. I'm rewatching the entire Pokemon anime, I still look back and remember shouting at the screen (i was sad, i know) tellimg him he's using the wrong move or switching etc.

In conclusion; Ash is a noob

[Obrusnine]

Yea, Ash got extremely lucky throughout Kanto. But he started getting honestly good in Johto, and really started to show maturity and professionalism in Hoenn. In Sinnoh, he got really good.

The show is at it's best when Ash uses incredibly unorthodox but clever solutions to solve his problems. I'm not seeing much of that in Black and White at all, except for when he used Water Gun to bounce Oshawotts shell into the air after bouncing it's attack off the wall (epic win).

Seriously, it's like they pressed the rewind button on Ash's skills and character development to when he was just entering Johto, XD

[Renegade1]

Originally Posted by Obrusnine

Yea, Ash got extremely lucky throughout Kanto. But he started getting honestly good in Johto, and really started to show maturity and professionalism in Hoenn. In Sinnoh, he got really good.

The show is at it's best when Ash uses incredibly unorthodox but clever solutions to solve his problems. I'm not seeing much of that in Black and White at all, except for when he used Water Gun to bounce Oshawotts shell into the air after bouncing it's attack off the wall (epic win).

Seriously, it's like they pressed the rewind button on Ash's skills and character development to when he was just entering Johto, XD

Yeah, I saw that episode the other day! I was like 'hrm, bet Cilan told him to do it, through his mind' LOL.

I disagree partially@ him getting increasingly better, I'm up to Hoenn again (where he just won the Balance Badge). I guess in little ways he did. But everytime a new region appears he starts off like a noob. I mean in Hoenn he challenged for the Balance badge at the start and got his backside whooped. I don't really mind though, it's like a new journey which keeps me interested as to the path he takes once more.

[Obrusnine]

I guess it is sort of refreshing, still annoying, but refreshing.

In most anime, the main character would be an unstoppable bada** by now, lol

[Renegade1]

Don't you think if Ash was unstoppable and never lost, it'd become pointless to watch it?

[Obrusnine]

That's what I meant.

Still, he already starts with new Pokemon in every region... it's extremely unnecessary to roll back his character development like they do.

I also don't like how they treat all the characters they introduce like their disposable. I miss May and Max, Misty and Brock. This show has one serious lack of fanservice. Seriously, if I didn't like the battling I probably wouldn't watch this show. It usually has a pretty awesome storyline, but they don't do anything to please long-term fans of the series, and they just love resetting everything after every Generation.

At least we sometimes get some fanservice when the Poke'mon League gets closer... such as Misty coming back when the Hoenn League was underway.

Also, I honestly wish the Pokemon League worked in the games like it does in the show. It would be a whole lot more interesting to make it a Tournament then just fighting the Elite 4. It would also be a great change of pace.

Although, honestly, it seems like the Elite 4 have an extremely reduced presence in the show. Not to mention there is no explanation for why they are there in the first place, since the trainer doesn't have to actually fight them to become the League Champion. It would be cooler if anyone who won the tournament got to fight the Elite 4 as a chance to prove themselves the champion,

[Renegade1]

Well, never say never!

I miss Brock to be honest, he was awesome. he was one of the few who kept his knowledge and skill throughout the regions he was in.

[Obrusnine]

Yea, I miss Brock to. It's strange watching Pokemon without him there.

Seriously, he's the one character other then Ash who has been in every single Pokemon series as a main character. He just disappeared after Diamond and Pearl, extremely annoying.

[Kenshin5]

Ash had a rough start in Sinnoh he tied with Paul Elekid and lost his first match against Roark. His loss against Lenora was just his generational loss in a gym so I wouldn't look to much into that. I'd look more into his poor performance like you said with Trip at the Battle Club. He has fared a bit better since but he still seems lacking even with his battle recently against Homika he has a 6 on 3 match and barely won...

[Childish_Gavino]

I think the anime is poorly handled when it comes to the balance. For some reason they can't get the balance between ash being a super trainer and ash being an incompetent fool. Honestly, I would like to see how the anime would work if he DID act like a super trainer...I think it would make for a much better show. Really though, I think they can make ash's skill level balanced WITHOUT having him purposely putting himself at a disadvantage by sending out a grass type against a poison type, or not evolving his pokemon. (Seriously, why does he not do that? "Because I love you!" is not a valid excuse anymore.)

[Riptobazooka]

Originally Posted by Renegade1

Team Rocket are pretty sweet now. However I miss the comedy they bring.

Yeah, until the Japanese get to see their Live Caster Takeover, and not the rest of the world.

[Shootingace]

Ash really sucks for the hero of the show and you're right Pikachu has been in what, 5 generations? It supposed to murder all of Ash's opponents with ease like what Charizard did with the Johto trainers until ash released it.

[hamtah]

I think Ash gets Pikachu's stats reset after each region. Seriously, it seems as if Pikachu might still be Level 5.

[Olli97]

Originally Posted by hamtah

I think Ash gets Pikachu's stats reset after each region. Seriously, it seems as if Pikachu might still be Level 5.

This has pretty much been the case with every region yet, yeah. This is obviously so that Ash won't have one overpowered Pokémon with him throughout the regions that would be there to save his butt everytime he was in a tough situation, though of course he still needs to keep his partner. I mean just look at Charizard. He has been one of Ash's Pokémon for almost as long as Pikachu, though he's still as strong as ever because it doesn't matter that much, since he's not a part of Ash's main team in the newer regions, except for in the league battles.

Though on the actual topic, the fifth generation was supposed to be a restart of everything, so it makes sense for Ash to be weaker than his rival at first, then slowly climbing further up to becoming stronger than him, and obviously Pikachu should've been much stronger than all of Trip's Pokémon, though that would've made it less of an experience for the viewers, and less of a rival if Ash was always able to beat him. Of course they could turn the roles around, so that Ash kept on beating his rival and then the rival got the better of him in the league, though since Pokémon is aimed for the younger audience, and since that's probably not what they want to see, I don't think the possibilities of that ever happening are that big. But yeah, Ash will grow stronger, and his team will most likely make it further in the Unova league than they've done in any other league, since Ash appears to get further and further in every new league he competes in.

All in all, just stop worrying about Ash becoming weaker. Of course it doesn't make sense, but how else are they gonna show Ash progressing if he's already as good as they get?

[weedle_mchairybug]

Originally Posted by Olli97

This has pretty much been the case with every region yet, yeah. This is obviously so that Ash won't have one overpowered Pokémon with him throughout the regions that would be there to save his butt everytime he was in a tough situation, though of course he still needs to keep his partner. I mean just look at Charizard. He has been one of Ash's Pokémon for almost as long as Pikachu, though he's still as strong as ever because it doesn't matter that much, since he's not a part of Ash's main team in the newer regions, except for in the league battles.

Though on the actual topic, the fifth generation was supposed to be a restart of everything, so it makes sense for Ash to be weaker than his rival at first, then slowly climbing further up to becoming stronger than him, and obviously Pikachu should've been much stronger than all of Trip's Pokémon, though that would've made it less of an experience for the viewers, and less of a rival if Ash was always able to beat him. Of course they could turn the roles around, so that Ash kept on beating his rival and then the rival got the better of him in the league, though since Pokémon is aimed for the younger audience, and since that's probably not what they want to see, I don't think the possibilities of that ever happening are that big. But yeah, Ash will grow stronger, and his team will most likely make it further in the Unova league than they've done in any other league, since Ash appears to get further and further in every new league he competes in.

All in all, just stop worrying about Ash becoming weaker. Of course it doesn't make sense, but how else are they gonna show Ash progressing if he's already as good as they get?

Unfortunately, they still didn't do a good job in a total restart. Otherwise, they either would have replaced Ash, period, or even just had him not bring Pikachu to Unova, period. That is a true fresh start to everything.

[Olli97]

Originally Posted by weedle_mchairybug

Unfortunately, they still didn't do a good job in a total restart. Otherwise, they either would have replaced Ash, period, or even just had him not bring Pikachu to Unova, period. That is a true fresh start to everything.

Even though it appears that a lot of people want to see a new main character, I don't think that'd get that positive a reaction from most of the fans. Many have grown up watching the earlier seasons of Pokémon, with Ash at the time being kind of their idol, so replacing him would prooobably not make the ones who're still fans very happy.

Though to be honest, I think the one that would cause the most of hassle if they were replaced in the show would be Pikachu. It's kinda the mascot for the franchise as a whole, and even more for the anime, so replacing him wouldn't be the smartest move ever.

Though I do agree with you that if they were aiming for an actual reboot of the series, they needed to do more than making Brock leave and reintroducing a few things from the first seasons, though I don't think replacing either Ash or Pikachu would be a good idea, especially since the anime is all about Ash's journey to become Pokémon master.

[DaEpicTrainer]

Ash was always noob, he uses fire type against water type, water type against electric type, (not battling but ; he uses water gun on brock's onix <.<), but yeah he gets noob-ier in 4th & 5th gen.

[Olli97]

His choises to use a weaker type against his opponents are usuallyn ot because he doesn't know the type advantages, but more because he wants to challenge himself. Of course it may not always be the smartest moves, and he doesn't do those kinds of things when it's in dangerous situations, however by doing that and winning he proves to be less of a newb than he would otherwise appear to be. I can't really see why you're saying he got worse in the later generations though.