I've just started doing this!
Boy, the first season is so... Odd. So many things were not decided on and developed in the ways we're used to in the later seasons. Officer Jenny is surprised at Pikachu being out of its pok?ball because pok?mon "always stay inside" - but in later seasons several characters keep pok?mon outside of the balls at all times. Ash states that the Pok?mon League rulebook says that only one trainer and one pok?mon can battle legally at a time - but double battles later become so common! Very funny how things have evolved.
The original season also is so funny tbh, with sooo many jokes and funny scenes. Misty is amazing haha, I'd forgotten just how great her arguments with Ash were.
Currently on the Squirtle episode. Squirtle is so cool, certainly one of Ash's coolest pok?mon ever <3
Watching the English dub, btw.
EDIT: oh wow, a group of men just pointed shotguns at Ash.
900+ Episodes? Yeah... come back to us in about 6 months when you finally finish that task(that's averaging a little more than 5 Episodes a day to watch everything up to Sun&Moon). Although with most shows, comparing the very first season or two to later seasons(if a series goes long enough) is like comparing Apples to Oranges. Animation styles change or improve(Compare early days of CGI to now... night and day), Voice Actors change or become more crisp and consistent and just the fact more $$$ is put towards any given Episode. Plus this series had character turnover with the only recurring protagonist being Ash/Satoshi. Therefore the only true thing you can compare is Ash over the Generations.
How I generalize each Generation:
Generation 1(Seasons 1 to 5): Ash is a complete newb and gets an unruly Pikachu. Gets fished or "caught" by Misty(hence the beginning of a classic Tsundere relationship. If only we could pick our mates like that no?) and meets up with Brock, a man looking to get away from the responsibilities of life to explore and experience the world. Tracey replaces Brock for 1 Season(due to Brock's deranged obsession over women. We shall never know what happened in Professor Ivy's lab, just like the center of Tootsie Pops). Ash saves the world several times in movies and events.
Generation 2(Seasons 6 to 9): Ash visits a new region with just his trusty friend. Meets a hot but misguided Trainer in May and finds out she's the daughter of a Gym Leader with an annoying Brother in Max(even I admit I'd leave home to get away from him). Turns out May disliked the idea of being a Gym Leader and discovers a new path in Pokemon Coordinators. Through a Student/Teacher relationship, May learns the ropes of what it means to be a Trainer and eventually becomes his equal(with the symbolic sharing of a contest ribbon). Brock tags along as the Adult in the room, although continues his wild women antics. Again Ash saves world several times through movies/events.
Generation 3(Seasons 10 to 13): Ash visits yet another region with just Pikachu(recurring theme... what is this Groundhog Day?) and meets Dawn, a very raw and inexperienced Pokemon Trainer who knows what she wants to do but fears falling short of the standard her Mother left for her(yeah don't we all?). Ash and Dawn form a symbiotic relationship, each helping one another along the way while tolerating Brock's women antics(fortunately Croagunk keeps him in check). Dawn, in my opinion, eventually becomes an equal to Ash because many of the techniques or strategies Ash used to win Gym Battles were devised by Dawn in Pokemon Contests. Group saves the world several more times(beginning to wonder if this isn't the Legend of Ash(*cough* Zelda *cough*)) and you wonder why this group had to break up(wait... blame it on Lyra and the marriage talk. This is a kid's show).
Generation 4(Seasons 14 to 16): Another region to visit with just Pikachu. Entirely new surroundings and no one from his past to guide him. Lets revert back into newb mode and reboot the series with another Tsundere who was just as childish as Ash was(At least Misty was the mature one) with a catch phrase that should be a ring tone("Your such a kid"). Iris being a Gym Leader brings striking memories of Genration 1 and wow lets add Cilan(another Gym Leader who can cook... where have I seen that before... *facepalm*). Only works once folks but eh at least they saved the world a few more times.
Generation 5(Seasons 17 to 19): New region but lets age the Protagonist a bit while adding a companion who's a hybrid of previous Pokegirls(*gasp* We have a Hybrid... what is this... Starcraft 2?) that has a huge romantic crush on the guy. Lets also flip the Brother-Sister script from Generation 2 while making the Brother an actual Gym Leader(sorry Max, even Bonnie gets a Pokemon) and lets replace the classic Brock gag with the "You're a keeper" Bonnie gag. Instead of becoming one with Ryhorn, Ash becomes one with Greninja, saving the world yet again. Cherry on top... Fire beats Water? WTF?!@!@ I call shenanigans. At least Serena wasn't friendzoned.
Generation 6(Season 20): Yeah... Ash finally gets a John McClane vacation but reverts into a prebuscent imp. At least he watched Cartman's podcast on Facebook friends because as we all know, chick friends are worth almost triple what dude friends are. Female version of Brock... ok... Calm and cool Misty... ok now I'm a bit scared. A fatter Clemont?! Ok where's the panic room.
That's how I summed them all up lol.
