Who will be Ash's water-type in Alola?

[Hikamaru]

No more water types for ash. He only fails with them.

And that's because that before Greninja, his only evolved Water-type was a Kingler. Not counting Palpitoad since it was already evolved when caught.

 

[CodeHelmet]

I wouldn't say Ash fails with Water types. His philosophy centers around Pikachu. Pikachu didn't want to evolve so he's decided to give all the Pokemon he catches or befriends that same courtesy. Remember Bulbasaur? Same deal. Just because Squirtle, Totodile and Oshawott didn't evolve(by choice I would believe) doesn't make him a bad Trainer with respect to Water Pokemon.

What is a travesty I suppose is that Greninja may never be coming back and the reason it stings is not because he's bad ass(that's a given) but because the track record of released Pokemon coming back is shall we say... depressing. #MakePidgeotGreatAgain

 

[Alexander18]

Ash did fail greninja. Releasing counts as a failure. What were the writers thinking?

 

[Piii]

I don't know about that. Pokemon started to gain a lot of momentum again in Kalos. Not only that, Serena was voted as the best female companion, second overall, only beaten by Brock in Japan. And I know there was a TON of support for Serena in Kalos especially at the end of the Kalos saga.

Kalos was also loved by a ton of people in America because of Serena.

Anyway, he also didn't release Goodra. It is a pokemon that can be called on, much like Charizard. And I also don't consider Greninja being released as he probably can call on him. But what does it matter anyway? It isn't like we are gonna see pokemon from the past much.

But your opinion is your own.

As for Lapras, I don't see that ever happening. Although he might mention it like his Tauros. But he didn't say anything about it in Unova, Kalos or Alola and Lapras was a main pokemon in at least 1 episode in each. Other than Alola when it is reoccurring.

Greninja and Goodra are released Pokemon, they are not coming back to the Ash. Charizard was a much different story due to him being abuse by a really mean Pokemon trainer, and Ash left it at the Charizard valley so it could become a lot more stronger which it did, it was never truely released in the first place.

I don't see Ash having a water type at all in the Alola region. I can see him capturing a Crabrawler and adding it to his Alola team line up.

 

[Iceshadow3317]

Not according to Serebii which is what I go by. As far as I am aware, a pokemon in which was not actually released from a poke ball like other past pokemon that have been released, then it isn't considered a released pokemon. There is no confirmation that he completely released them. Not even Greninja was seen to be released completely, just went into the wild to help take care of the corrupted roots because it could see them.

Ash called Goodra back and therefore is a pokemon that can be called on. Not released. If he had released Goodra, he wouldn't have been able to use it in the Pokemon League.

But as I said, it doesn't matter because it is unlikely we will say any of his pokemon will return. So by your logic, all of his pokemon should be considered released since they are likely not to come back. I am not trying to be rude, but that is how I see it.

 

[Hikamaru]

I wouldn't say Ash fails with Water types. His philosophy centers around Pikachu. Pikachu didn't want to evolve so he's decided to give all the Pokemon he catches or befriends that same courtesy. Remember Bulbasaur? Same deal. Just because Squirtle, Totodile and Oshawott didn't evolve(by choice I would believe) doesn't make him a bad Trainer with respect to Water Pokemon.

I think the only reason those Water starters didn't evolve was due to their evolutions not being marketable enough to the target audience, which was pretty much confirmed by Masamitsu Hidaka as the outright reason why Dawn's Piplup didn't evolve.

Also, Ash's Bulbasaur and Squirtle not evolving was likely due to Charizard being the breakout starter back then. It didn't even spend long as a Charmeleon.

 

[Piii]

I think the only reason those Water starters didn't evolve was due to their evolutions not being marketable enough to the target audience, which was pretty much confirmed by Masamitsu Hidaka as the outright reason why Dawn's Piplup didn't evolve.

Also, Ash's Bulbasaur and Squirtle not evolving was likely due to Charizard being the breakout starter back then. It didn't even spend long as a Charmeleon.

Squirtle didn't evolve because of the Squirtle Squad, besides it was never given an episode about wether it wanted to evolve or not.

 

[Hikamaru]

Squirtle didn't evolve because of the Squirtle Squad, besides it was never given an episode about wether it wanted to evolve or not.

That was an in-universe thing. The writers probably didn't find the evolutions marketable enough due to Charizard's breakout popularity.

 

[CodeHelmet]

I think the only reason those Water starters didn't evolve was due to their evolutions not being marketable enough to the target audience, which was pretty much confirmed by Masamitsu Hidaka as the outright reason why Dawn's Piplup didn't evolve.

Also, Ash's Bulbasaur and Squirtle not evolving was likely due to Charizard being the breakout starter back then. It didn't even spend long as a Charmeleon.

Heh speaking of Charmander and its evolution line, I watched the Episode where it evolved into Charmeleon today and then like three Episodes later it evolves into Charizard. However, it's not the fastest Evolution for Ash. Caterpie was caught Episode 3 and becomes Butterfree in Episode 4. Excluding those examples, the only two Evolutions that I considered quick were Sewaddle to Leavanny and Goomy to Goodra.

Anyways, I just don't see Ash getting a Water Pokemon this time around. I would kill for a Season where Ash's team is made up of Pokemon he let go, aka the Forgotten. Namely his team would be Pikachu, Butterfree, Pidgeot, Goodra, Greninja and Primeape.

 

[Alexander18]

Not according to Serebii which is what I go by. As far as I am aware, a pokemon in which was not actually released from a poke ball like other past pokemon that have been released, then it isn't considered a released pokemon. There is no confirmation that he completely released them. Not even Greninja was seen to be released completely, just went into the wild to help take care of the corrupted roots because it could see them.

Ash called Goodra back and therefore is a pokemon that can be called on. Not released. If he had released Goodra, he wouldn't have been able to use it in the Pokemon League.

But as I said, it doesn't matter because it is unlikely we will say any of his pokemon will return. So by your logic, all of his pokemon should be considered released since they are likely not to come back. I am not trying to be rude, but that is how I see it.

Ash was still in kalos at the time so goodra was able to be recalled. But he is not in kalos any more is he? Therefore it is officially released in my eyes. So is Greninja. My logic is that if the pokemon is not in training or at oak's lab (juniper in unova) then it is released.

 

[Piii]

That was an in-universe thing. The writers probably didn't find the evolutions marketable enough due to Charizard's breakout popularity.

I do believe you are correct.