All this talk of Ash sucking, people need to get a grip on reality (of this animated TV show).
The anime shows the Pokemon world in a more realistic light than the games. And if you want to say that the show isn't realistic (which is obvious), then your argument instantly fails when compared to the realism of the game.
Ash is considered a bad trainer?
First of all, he's ten and will always be ten.
Second of all?
He's a human in a world where creatures run the planet with enough strength to level or create continents.
The game shows you as a fearless human, roaming the massive region of (insert name) by yourself. You bare no need to go to relieve yourself, showers are unnecessary, and you can walk into anyone's house at anytime you want without them pressing charges.
You can catch a multitude of Pokemon and leave them in a box. Are they locked in a state of limbo? If not, then you're a cruel, cruel person.
No matter what your Pokemon go through, a quick * DUN DUN DUNDUN DAN!!* from the Pokemon center heals them all up. Whether they were hit by a fissure (ground opening up, making Pokemon fall into an abyss), ANY horn attack (being STABBED!?),
and most Ghost attacks (Perish Song? Perish doesn't mean faint).
Do you people read the Pokedex? There is some f*cked up sh*t in there. Especially the majority of the Isshu region's Pokedex. Pokemon who have the mask of stolen souls? Pokemon that drag you into the underworld? Wtf? And you can catch a control the Gods of the planet? The God of the Pokemon world will seriously listen to everything you say when you catch it in a spherical apparatus?!!
And you say Ash is a terrible trainer! Listen, if the Pokemon world were real, the only way it could be as safe a world as it is is through the anime. People don't OFTEN catch legendary Pokemon. Pokemon are hurt bad enough to be put in the emergency room. I mean, let's be serious, Onix should be the strongest-damned Pokemon out there, simply because falling on you is death. Onix using slam on Caterpie? What?
In the anime, Pokemon also learn more than four attacks.
You also can't fly on Pidgy or surf on Linoon. Not to mention there are no stats in the show you can look at anytime you want. You never hear people on the anime comparing Levels, EV's, stats, etc.
Because they don't exist. That whole thing on one of the earlier episodes of 'what level does pidgy blah blah' was just full of inconsistencies.
What?
Ash is doing a decent job.
Should've kept Charizard though.
Edit: tl;dr. Wtf did I just do.
- Do you know for a fact he will ALWAYS be ten? If the writers want to change his age just like if they want him to win a league they very well can. Not to say that will be the case, but most stuff is not absolute. People watching the first two regions may think Brock and Misty would continue travel with Ash through out all the regions, but did they?
- Yes some pokemon have the power to level and create continents. But how many times does Ash really face a pokemon of that magnitude? People say he sucks because he constantly loses to Shooti or Paul. Heck just about anyone would lose the top tier legendary pokemon.
- Perish Song is a Normal Type move btw.
- To say people can't Fly on Pidgey or Surf on Linoone is incorrect. Just because we haven't seen it doesn't mean it couldn't happen. I believe in the Orange Islands there was an Island with giant pokemon whose to say somebody can't hitch a hide on a giant Pidgey or Linoone. If you haven't seen Rydon using Surf in the anime would you think it could, do to it being a Rock Type?
- If he kept Charizard then it would detract from the development of new pokemon. Charizard had it's time to shine now it's time for others to have the spot light. If I recall correctly Ash was pretty adamant upon starting his journey in Hoenn that he wanted to start anew so taking Charizard would be the opposite of his wishes.