Different Ash every time?

[Otherworld9)]

If you ever pay attention, did you notice every time Ash starts a new adventure in a new generation, they start out fresh? What I mean is, Pikachu seems to go back to level 1 or something while both Pikachu and him get beaten by first gym leaders? Any one notice that or is it that the everytime he goes up one generation, they are stronger?

 

[Regeneration]

Ash's Pikachu tends to experience a level reset at the start of each region. This time at Unova, Zekrom's thunder seemed to have caused it.