Well bringing back older highly popular characters while usually saved as last resort, is one of strategies which in most cases helps to increase faltering reputation and popularity of any anime. Depending on how strong following, loyalty and interest among fans that character enjoys.
Because based on responses, love, constant talk and share of opinions between people there exists massive demand for Misty return to pokemon series. Im not talking about few hundreds, but in reality hundreds of thousands of people based on responses on internet, all kind of sites, youtube, petitions , tumblr etc asking for exact same thing. That Misty returns in pokemon.
With people being interested in writers continuing with development of older forgotten characters who have just as enjoyable, if not more fun personalities and unfinished dreams, unresolved questions and mysteries about themselves giving material for plausible, creative and endearing storyline. Rather than seeing new ones getting all attention they can have, while older ones who have room and potential to offer more are lying in dust forgotten like they never matered.
People want continuity, consistency in storyline and revisit their chiodhood memories and characters they grew to like and were able to identify themselves with refreshed, updated and enriched with new skills, quirks and enjoyable details in their lives, dreams and storyline.
Something focus on older generations and important companions which meant something to plot and Ash character are more than capable of delivering.
p.s. On side note, i dont know what are people talking about? But Misty personality was
great in Hoenn and chronicles.
She was hilarious brimming with spunk, playful enthusiasam, shy and insecure nature and witty sarcasm liking her interactions with Ash, Brock or Max when relating to each other over older siblings(that moment in cave between them was heartwarming with Misty acting like older sister to him), Badass as well perplexing everyone when using gyarados being full of pride, confidence and slight arrogance in positive way of not letting others to mess up with her like colonel Hanson.
Keeping Brock under control with that ear pull to distance him asway from princess SArah being truily priceless leaving May and Max impressed.
She was still playful, terrified of bugs shaking and acting nervous like crazy while expressing lot of emotion when having to say goodbye to her Togetic.
She still showed outbursts such as Psyduck teasing her over having crush on another boy when Georgio asked her on date, Being all angry. Annoyed when Casey and Sakura thought Tracey was her boyfriend pushing him away making her irked that everyone assume this. Sassy toward her older sister Daisy when chasing TR in Luvdisc chronicle special and her carefree behavior,.
But also developed closer bond with her oldest sisters with their teamwork in defeating Butch and Cassidy being pretty sweet.
She even bickered with Ash just like in good old days when coming to dr. Yung castle over who is better trainer and got furious at colonel Hanson for wanting her Togepi.
Misty in Hoenn was still tomboyish, witty and caring girl we all know and like. She was only more mature, tolerant and confident in her abilities which was great character development for her.
Allowing to earn sisters respect for her battle skills, taming berserk Gyarados, showing high level of resourcefulness when protecting Togepi and taking care of Max and Pikachu when lost in forest. And interacted with Ash in playful more smartass way still teasing him and challenging his ego coming in clash being annoyed. But instead of hatred, we witnessed to desire in outsmarting each other and brag about their skills showing above everything respect and admiration. Reflecting how much their friendship evolved coming to accept differences and qualities feeling like long time friends who have close and un breakable bond between themselves.
Given the Serena's profile, it's logical Kasumi would return with a tsundere-ish and jealously behaviour but that would be only if Satoshi's conlusion is confirmed and Pokemon takes the Super Sentai formula (replacing characters every series, but everyone is connected in some sense), however, that would be likely impossible for now.
Wouldn't people be actually more interested if Misty were to return in other things beside just serving as vector in helping push concept of romance and Ash love story in anime though?
Like her own story, dreams and interests. Such as career of becoming water pokemon master which she never accomplished? Possibility to mega evolve her pokemon like Gyarados making massive improvement as trainer?
Enter strong tournaments with high competition, whether its expansion on Whirl Cup, Battle Chateau, maybe something even on global basis like World Cup was helping her to come closer toward achievement of her dreams?
Meeting prestigious water experts like E4 Sirebld who is first elite trainer specializing in water pokemon helping Misty to unlock hidden potential of her pokemon, become more skilled trainer, learn to use Psyduck properly?
Possibly taking Misty as his apprentice preparing to become E4 member one day hersečf. Sice she said ghow she wishes to become strongest water trainer in world wanting to become powerful as her idol Lorelei/Prima. Dreaming to reveal whole world how unique and adaptable water specie ids.
Or Misty unresolved flaws and insecuritioes. Such as bug phobia making her meet peculiar water pokemon like Surskit who is half big, or strangely design pokemon like Binnacle causing conflict and struggling in character. In having to get over her prejudices of measuring pokemon by looks, instead of their inner beauty.
Get over her issues with older sisters telling them what bugs her about their behavior and irresponsibility.Taking advantage of her kindness and feel of guilt in not wanting to risk her home ending shut down, having difficulties in expressing her feelings about it. As evidenced in taking over gym mainly because of them being lazy and selfcentered, feeling she has no choice to stay until problem with Cerulean gym gets resolved, Putting her own dreams on hold to help family out expressing frustration and disappointment over not being able to count on her family when talking to Max.
To add on writers could even enrich whole story by revealing more of her past by introducing parents. They could be some high class water trainer with their daughter wanting to gt acknowledged by them as good trainer having potential to become one day good as they are fearing to fail to fulfill their expectations.
By finding out about her parents we could also find out why she started to prefer water giving us insight in her past.
Etc.
There exists a lot more reasons which hold higher value, importance and innovation in making Misty relevant to pokemon series again.
Than just exploring more on her feelings for Ash in reality and delivering new dimension to character interactions abnd relationship currently existing in XY between Ash, Serena, Clemont and Bonnie.
Just saying.
Apparently, neither you or Famon have heard of Advanceshipping (you know, MayxAsh), not that I believe in the ship myself, or any shipping for that matter (I only believe in ships if they are either Romeo and Juliet or most Disney ships, specifically those that are love at first sight). And besides, if I remember correctly, Misty got miffed with Melody since the latter gave a welcoming kiss in Pokémon the Movie 2000, and neither Melody nor Ash even have the hots for each other beyond that. That alone, especially if Pokeshipping is canon, would have made Misty somewhat jealous of May even if there isn't any shipping going on. Hence why I have doubts about Misty getting jealous of Serena. Serena being jealous of Misty? Maybe that might be the case, but I don't know about that either.
Well to be fair Misty only got jealous, upset and grumpy if other girl flirted with Ash, got too close to him or expressed love interest. Giving Misty reason to react abruptly.
Such as Melody kissing Ash on cheek and zooming around him trying to gsther his attention. When Ash got interested in Giselle startoing to blush and stare in her. When fire trainer Macy in Johto leasue asked Ash to take her on dinner, flirting infront of Misty and implying to be perfect person for her in "becoming couple" etc.
May when Misty made return didnt do any of those things, didnt even insinuated in any shape or form how she has romantic interest in Ash. So in reality its not like Misty had reason to be jealous, shocked and in dibelief developing any kind of displease.
Serena is on other hand different story though, not hiding that she clearly has feelings for Ash. So Misty encounter with her could arguably bring more drama and disharmony in interactions between two girls,. Learning to overcomne their differences and misunderstanding with close friendship eventually blossoming out of it.
Because we do have to take in account how character interactions and way in which theyll react is defined by circumstances, situations, other people and how would their personality mesh between each other.
