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Of All Ash's Travel Companions...

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  • Misty, Brock, and Ash with a Pikachu at least has an amusement quality to their choice of names. May and Max were a case of them adding a female, who got involved in a canonical ship, and dragging along a 'younger-brother' character to complement this, as well as introducing Pokémon Contests in a way which perhaps got in the way of the focus on training, and in general while Misty couldn't half nag at least they occasionally tried to discuss battle and its own journey, rather than just having it come up in Contests. Although May could occasionally seem a bit out-of-place, which was appealing, this was generally not allowed to run for too long at the time, and she tended to just listen to people after a time. They didn't really form that great a series of companions, in some ways, and in any case it felt a bit weird to just add someone who was mostly superfluous, at that point you wonder if the anime wasn't too involved with tangential matters and feelings rather than the Pokémon.

    Serena has a fairly poor plot-line, although this seems to be the standard for females in Pokémon games of late, but is decently reserved or uncomfortable at times, and there is still place to develop that. She isn't akin to Misty, at least, who often came across as just a part of the early Oak-Delia-Brock (less so)-Misty thing, and so on, which was just a bunch of people scolding Ash to press him into some form of obedience and reliance, and introducing another character who was mostly just there to tell Ash that they were bad at things, and to illustrate how Ash gets things wrong constantly - while seemingly by that point everyone else is portrayed as immaculate, other than Team Rocket who they might have been better off siding with at some point -, seems a bit unnecessary and doesn't really help things. Having them tag along with their gimmick and only form of dialogue at times being such things seems to pretty much limit Ash to losing things, in any case. Bonnie and Clemont still haven't lived up to their potential as the next Jessie and James, and this is disappointing, more or less. You might say Serena or Iris, in such a context, but obviously Serena's story is still going, so what occurs there might have to depend.

    Incidentally, it's kind of weird how Ash loses the League some five times and somehow doesn't come across as that detached or resigned, by themselves, by that point. Perhaps they're not really focussing on the Pokémon battles or their relationship with that.
     
    183
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    12
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    • Age 33
    • Seen Nov 23, 2017
    Loved everyone except Iris. She did not mesh at all. I mean Misty argued with Ash but it was more like the Ben/Gwen teasing in Ben 10 but just like that as he progressed she and him became good friends. However with Iris she almost seems hostile from the start and it was not till like the final ep of the BW she seemed to chill. It was almost as if she had no idea what he had done or seen prior and just assumed he was a first time trainer. And while Bonnie calls Clemont out a lot he kinda has it coming when his inventions back fire lol
     

    Apollo

    怖がらないで
    1,333
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    • Seen Jul 22, 2017
    Definitely May and Dawn. They were both interesting and I enjoyed watching them.

    As for least favorite, I'm gonna say Iris and Cilan but that's because I watched them the least.
     

    Melody

    Banned
    6,460
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  • As I watch XY; at least in it's early stages; I'm beginning to see Serena's charm as a partner for Ash. Now; she's just begun her first serious character development arc though, so it's not a final opinion. Just one as I watch.

    Iris was...definitely forgettable. She was basically a younger, and slightly different form of a Misty. Substitute Cerulean for Dragon Village, her preferred type with Dragon, change her backstory, and make her Younger. The similarity in personality was not a good thing in my book. Yes Iris was a lot wilder, and she did have compassion...but I swear to god, not even Paul would have been as prickly of a travelling Partner as Iris was, and he was Ash's biggest rival. Cilan...at least counterbalanced things, and very arguably could have been a female character if you only considered personality, though I'm glad he was not.

    Dawn had her charm points too. But...in the end her own journey stole a lot of light from Ash's own struggles; and she really started to care less about Ash. Her feelings amounted to nothing really more than a girlish crush. She wanted him, but he was more focused on his goal and she had her own. So...I stopped watching and caring about her, once it was clear they'd both overcome the interest. Worse was when Dawn started getting openly hostile and treating Ash like a brother. That broke it for sure.

    May likewise had many charm points. She was at least; a more interesting character. Her flaws made it clear from the start that she and Ash would never be a solid couple. She still did really well though. I wouldn't mind seeing her come back to travel with Ash alone if it meant she'd grown up and could spend time with him, and not focusing elsewhere. She could have been. She did have feelings for him at least. But also one of the more satisfying things about the Hoenn adventures was that May grew past her feelings for him and came to understand him better, rather than demanding his attention...which isn't gonna happen. He'd rather be concerned about Pikachu.

    Misty was...a second mother to Ash. Any girlish crush that Misty displayed for Ash probably quickly vanished in and around a few episodes and developed late in the first season after she accepted him as an equal, not a child. Furthermore; the party dynamic was that of a Father (Brock), Mother (Misty) and Son (Ash) travelling together. Of course the tropes were hopelessly inverted though. Brock did often act more domestic and feminine in some ways, while Misty definitely acted more masculine when she wasn't embracing her own feminine side. The party dynamic did make for some really good and comical watching. Perhaps some things were Played For Laughs a little too much though, for any real feelings to really have the space needed to develop. I imagine it hardly helped that Brock was such a desperate bachelor that Misty was often in an angry fog, disliking men...including poor Ash. Compound that with Misty being basically the Token Girl, and well...it wasn't a plot for romance at all. I'm surprised she found someone when she did, but that required the plot take her away from the two clods long enough to do so.
     

    FireSnow

    Show me that Fighting Spirit
    2,644
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  • Now this may be the child side of me speaking but I have to go with Misty and Brock. Though all the other trios/quartets had their own charms and flaws, there is simply nothing like the original trio since the fateful final episode with them. I hope to one day see them together again.
     
    126
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    8
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    • Seen Nov 20, 2016
    I'll start with my least favourite, which are Brock, Cilan and Iris in this exact order. Brock because of his womanizing thing, which should not have any place in kids show, but he also was quite bland character. In Kanto and Johto, he served as someone to mediate things between Ash and Misty. When that was over, he served no more reason than just being the cook for others. The same is true for Cilan. As for Iris, well, she was quite like wilder version of Misty, but unlike Misty, without any real character development.

    As for my favourite, that would be harder, since I like, to a degree, all the others. But if I must choose just one, then I'll surprise you by telling Max. He was something new to the show, character that cannot be trainer yet, but has some knowledge. And his hate-love relationship with May also spiced things up, much more then Misty-Ash arguing before. Honestly, Misty and Ash, especially during Johto, reminded me of old married couple, where the love dissipated years ago and all they have now are fights over the smallest thing. May and Max, on the other hand, are real siblings, who could argue a lot, but in the end, love and care about each other. And that was unique in the show.
     
    196
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    13
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    • Seen Jan 3, 2018
    If I have to go with who I enjoyed the most, that would be probably Misty/Kasumi.,
    I liked that she had dynamic and fun personality having multiple sides to her not being your typical one note character.

    You could see how temper was just one of many sides she had to her personality and i found endearing how wide diapason of her emotions was. Ranging from insecure and impatient girl which was spunky, passionate and outgoing to young and caring lady which could be girly, self confident and playful . Making for highly interesting and complete character bouncing of naturally with Ash, Brock just about any character. Developing very close and sympathetic bond with them.

    You could tell during Johto, especially in sunset of that generation how much more attached, devoted and appreciative Misty became of her friends Brock and especially Ash. Revealing gradual and clear change in her characterization, which was reflect of her emotional development.

    Her pokemon came in all kind of unique and different shapes containing distinct characteristics to the(especially more unusual ones like Psyduck or mysterious in a way Staryu or Starmie). She had very original dreams of wanting to become water pokemon master.

    Goal which exuded with mystery, charm and lot of secrets present behind it never knowing what to expect from it. It gave us insight in legends about ancient sea spirits and mystical water artifacts which allowed that water masters understand their hearts and use them to full potential.

    Having character who idolized E4 wanting to reach such recognition and strength basedc on how much she praised Lorelei.

    Not to mention Misty imo had saddest backstory of al future females. Abandoned by parents at young age, living in shadow of three egoistic sisters which degraded her deconstructing self worth and had to grow up fast learning how to take care of herself being like diamond in rough.

    Misty imo brought lot of charm, passion and charisma to pokemon. Being one of reasons why i prefer Orginal series over any other saga. And wishing to see Misty return to pokemon because she has lot of untapped potential, unfinished plots and dreams about mastering water pokemon which require winning big tournaments as Whirl Cup revealed, learning how to use pokemon to full potential(like her Psyduck or Gyarados mega evolving it), clear up her confusion and lack of realization how to achieve her final destination and some like to say her love thoughts as well(based on how she warmed up to Ash).

    For least favorite I do not have any character I particularly hate or dislike. But let just say how certain individuals like Max or Serena(there is still time for that to change though) failed in catching my interest. Not possessing required depth, originality and memorability im looking from protagonists to have in order to gain enjoyment and satisfaction out of their development and storyline. Which is pity because they had lot of potential, still have. But due to marketing, series formula and possible lack of communication between writers weren't allowed to blossom and be explored to their full potential.
     
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    Sirenita55

    Team Popplio!
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    • Seen Aug 9, 2018
    Brock springs to mind, I actually preferred him to Ash when I was younger :o I've watched about 50 XY episodes now and I really like Ash's current travelling trio, particularly Serena. <3
     
    50,218
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  • My faves were definitely Dawn and Serena, given they were my fave females in the anime so far. Dawn had a lot of notable development with her depression arc caused by losing two contests in the first round, but she got better after the Wallace Cup win.

    Serena started off uninteresting for me, but after her first Showcase loss and haircut it made me start to like her better as a character due to how easily relatable her breakdown was, and she has a team of cute Pokemon.
     
    2,688
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    • Seen Aug 29, 2020
    So far as the topic, Misty I definitely enjoyed seeing the most, with Ash being a close second. I really don't know much about Max, and Tracy's okay. Dent, Bonnie, and Clemont I can't really say since I really don't know much about them. Iris probably has the potential to be Misty's replacement, but she's in the gray area. Serena... well, they really didn't do so well with her. As far as May and Dawn, I hated them. For Brock, that depends: If it's Kanto and to some extent Johto Brock, he's cool, and I can tolerate his skirt chasing behavior to some extent. For his future appearances, especially AG and DP, no way, no how, he really needed to go a long time ago.

    I'll start with my least favourite, which are Brock, Cilan and Iris in this exact order. Brock because of his womanizing thing, which should not have any place in kids show, but he also was quite bland character. In Kanto and Johto, he served as someone to mediate things between Ash and Misty. When that was over, he served no more reason than just being the cook for others. The same is true for Cilan. As for Iris, well, she was quite like wilder version of Misty, but unlike Misty, without any real character development.

    I take it you aren't going to like Lumiere from Disney's Beauty and the Beast for the same reasons as why you don't like Brock, right? Because that character basically is a womanizer as well, and this is DESPITE BATB being a kids film.
     
    126
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    8
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    • Seen Nov 20, 2016
    I must admit, as big of shame as it is, I never saw Beauty and the Beast. And now, thanks to you, I am not sure I want :(
     
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