Amourshipping General Discussion - V.2 *Spoiler Warning*

[Setsuna F Seiei]

Hey amourians!

*crickets*
.......
Uhh, We seemed to be having some silence here.

Just for fun scenario:
One day, Ash asked Serena something: "How do you kiss a girl?". You are Serena, how are you going to respond!?

 

[Yuraenia]

Now, I went on to Bulbapedia to look for XY064 hints in the Amourshipping section (nothing yet, I am sure there will be hints up sometime during or after the weekend), and I look at "Other Hints" and I see this:

I don't really know what to say, but I would think the animators/writers would listen to the music and know what is being sung before giving animations to the music. If they did know and they put the blanket scene in there knowing very much what was being said, then this is a somewhat-decent sized hint for Amourshipping

Just checked out the lyrics for the song. At one point, I read somewhere, either here or on Tumblr, that the use of the word "together" was vague and more about dreams..or something like that, I can't remember what it was, this was before the full version was released...But after reading the full song's translation...you can tell the lyrics are directing the "you"'s to a particular person. Obviously, we'd wanna think she's talking about Satoshi...and I wouldn't see why not.. I mean look at these lyrics (English translation from Bulbapedia)

"Oh yes! As long as you're there
Let's hurry! Establishing this feeling of mutual trust with you"

Even if every day is disappointing, it can still be repainted with complete freedom
Meeting you by chance in this wide world
We are linked more strongly than words
Together rather than alone
......
Thank you! Just the two of us together
Let's head on! In pursuit of a new interest"

What do you guys think?

EDIT: Isn't Satoshi putting a blanket on Serena a nice hint already though? I mean...when has the anime ever depicted Satoshi doing something like that to his female companion before?

 

[pokesrini]

Hey amourians!

*crickets*
.......
Uhh, We seemed to be having some silence here.

Just for fun scenario:
One day, Ash asked Serena something: "How do you kiss a girl?". You are Serena, how are you going to respond!?

*yawn* Oh...it is Setsuna again...xD

An answer to your question:

Ash: Serena, can I ask you something?
Serena: Huh? What is it Ash?
Ash: How do you kiss a girl?
Serena: Tell me. Do you want a theoretical answer...?
*Serena grabs Ash's collar and moves close*
Serena: ...or a practical one?

Well you can't blame me. I was working on an idea of the fanfic where Ash is thrown into a different dimension, and the Serena there is more bold and confident. And I also completed the release draft of Chapter 9 of my mainstream fanfic, which I sent to Sp1derp1g for proofreading. Once that is done, it will be released.

Just checked out the lyrics for the song. At one point, I read somewhere, either here or on Tumblr, that the use of the word "together" was vague and more about dreams..or something like that, I can't remember what it was, this was before the full version was released...But after reading the full song's translation...you can tell the lyrics are directing the "you"'s to a particular person. Obviously, we'd wanna think she's talking about Satoshi...and I wouldn't see why not.. I mean look at these lyrics (English translation from Bulbapedia)

"Oh yes! As long as you're there
Let's hurry! Establishing this feeling of mutual trust with you"

Even if every day is disappointing, it can still be repainted with complete freedom
Meeting you by chance in this wide world
We are linked more strongly than words
Together rather than alone
......
Thank you! Just the two of us together
Let's head on! In pursuit of a new interest"

What do you guys think?

At first, I thought the "you" could probably refer to Fennekin (now Braixen) and Pancham. Because, you know, there are times that "you" could also mean, "you all" as well. But...later on, it was mentioned, "just the two of us", and the scope narrows down a bit. Now obviously she wouldn't say, "Just the two of us" to her Pokemon, because that would make the total count to 3. So, looks like she was indeed talking of Ash! I mean, I don't see any other possibility.

It also ties with the notion that AmourShipping and the ambitions of the two of them are intertwined with each other. So probably DreaDrea foreshadowed that in XY047 itself! That Serena getting an ambition does not mean the end of AmourShipping, but rather the beginning of a new chapter. A chapter from which the plot deepens.

 

[Amourshpping]

I have 2 questions:
With Serena's new design,do you think her hair would grow over time throughout the series?
Like every time they reach a new city it gets progressively longer

2nd question:
With the blue ribbon pretty much being the symbol for Ampur right now,do you think it would be referenced again later on?
Like a COTD asks Serena where she got that ble ribbon and then she says:Uh,I got it from a friend while looking at Ash and blushing

Yes I think it will. It should be long again by ep. 80 (cus i hate her short hair)

2. Yes.

 

[Yuraenia]

At first, I thought the "you" could probably refer to Fennekin (now Braixen) and Pancham. Because, you know, there are times that "you" could also mean, "you all" as well. But...later on, it was mentioned, "just the two of us", and the scope narrows down a bit. Now obviously she wouldn't say, "Just the two of us" to her Pokemon, because that would make the total count to 3. So, looks like she was indeed talking of Ash! I mean, I don't see any other possibility.

It also ties with the notion that AmourShipping and the ambitions of the two of them are intertwined with each other. So probably DreaDrea foreshadowed that in XY047 itself! That Serena getting an ambition does not mean the end of AmourShipping, but rather the beginning of a new chapter. A chapter from which the plot deepens.

I wonder how the plot will deepen >v>
So we can say that the song itself is a hint on Serena's side? Possibly. We're already 60+ episodes into the series and the XY arc is still breaking all of these status quos (as if that hasn't been said enough already). The fact that the ship and their stories are connected is already a good sign of things to come. It would be dumb for the writers to sweep everything under the rug especially when, clearly, Serena and Satoshi's relationship is a plot point for at least Serena's journey as a Trainer and a Pokemon performer.

I just noticed that Satoshi's character development has been more...subtle, if you may, compared to Citron, Serena and even Eureka's character development. So far, I've been getting the vibe that the XY arc is more about Serena than Satoshi obviously not really, but I wonder when they'll start really focusing on Satoshi's side and how they'll handle his relationships, especially with Serena. All I've seen honestly is him catching Pokemon, winning gyms, saving the day...not so much on his personal side. We have a lot of that from Serena's side on the other hand.

I wouldn't mind if the XY arc ended with Satoshi traveling to a new region, as long as Serena's crush on him has some closure with it. Kiss on the cheek perhaps?

Sorry if a lot of these things have already been said and I'm just repeating them all.

 

[Amourshpping]

just realised that there is a new thread

why is there a new one?

 

[Zack_in_Black]

An answer to your question:

Ash: Serena, can I ask you something?
Serena: Huh? What is it Ash?
Ash: How do you kiss a girl?
Serena: Tell me. Do you want a theoretical answer...?
*Serena grabs Ash's collar and moves close*
Serena: ...or a practical one?

Well..... I am not sure how to respond to this here. This would be the funniest thing to ever happen in the show. Too bad it won't ever happen.

But to answer Setsuna's question:
I would say that it would happen during some romance based episode, there would be something where kissing is referenced or there are two people that actually kiss in the episode. Then Ash, being stupid and not realizing how it can be interpreted, he turns to Serena and asks, "How do you kiss?" Serena doesn't know how to handle it and asks "Why do you want to know? Is there someone you want to kiss?" Ash then crushes her hopes and dreams by saying "No, I just always wondered."

 

[Setsuna F Seiei]

Well..... I am not sure how to respond to this here. This would be the funniest thing to ever happen in the show. Too bad it won't ever happen.

But to answer Setsuna's question:
I would say that it would happen during some romance based episode, there would be something where kissing is referenced or there are two people that actually kiss in the episode. Then Ash, being stupid and not realizing how it can be interpreted, he turns to Serena and asks, "How do you kiss?" Serena doesn't know how to handle it and asks "Why do you want to know? Is there someone you want to kiss?" Ash then crushes her hopes and dreams by saying "No, I just always wondered."

Zack, this is only a "just for fun scenario" and by any means not meant to represent anything in the anime, especially the behavior of the characters. You can think of it like a behind the scene and/or an AU scenario, kinda like majority of any fanfics. Simply put, it's for comical purpose only. Good scenario though.

 

[ShadowForce720]

Yeah, it was interesting. A funny and sad moment at the same time. Sad cuz, I mean, maybe it was a bit hypocritical on Serena's part, but I'm sure that she was just thrilled to hear Jessie's plan. We have a term for it from where I come from: "kilig". That sort of positive thrill that you get from romance or even cute things. That was probably what Serena was feeling when she decided to help Jessie out and not much else.

In terms of Amourshipping, IMO, it doesn't hold a huge significance. It would be weird if Serena had confessed to Satoshi so quickly into the XY arc, but yes you do wonder if Serena herself had that thought in the back of her head..the whole "if she will ever confess to Satoshi" when she said that she'd help out. Hope that makes sense.

Will another reason why Serena might have wanted to help Jessie confess is because that would mean one less Team Rocket member to deal with everyday and plus they wouldn't have to worry about Wobbuffet blocking attacks anymore so while I do agree that she most likely was helping Jessie for the reason you mentioned I wouldn't be surprised if she had done also just so that they have one less TR member to deal with since it would make it easier on Ash to relaxed.

 

[Dinomeyt]

I wonder how the plot will deepen >v>
So we can say that the song itself is a hint on Serena's side? Possibly. We're already 60+ episodes into the series and the XY arc is still breaking all of these status quos (as if that hasn't been said enough already). The fact that the ship and their stories are connected is already a good sign of things to come. It would be dumb for the writers to sweep everything under the rug especially when, clearly, Serena and Satoshi's relationship is a plot point for at least Serena's journey as a Trainer and a Pokemon performer.

I just noticed that Satoshi's character development has been more...subtle, if you may, compared to Citron, Serena and even Eureka's character development. So far, I've been getting the vibe that the XY arc is more about Serena than Satoshi obviously not really, but I wonder when they'll start really focusing on Satoshi's side and how they'll handle his relationships, especially with Serena. All I've seen honestly is him catching Pokemon, winning gyms, saving the day...not so much on his personal side. We have a lot of that from Serena's side on the other hand.

I wouldn't mind if the XY arc ended with Satoshi traveling to a new region, as long as Serena's crush on him has some closure with it. Kiss on the cheek perhaps?

Sorry if a lot of these things have already been said and I'm just repeating them all.

I feel that Ash is still getting the better of the character development between the four, because it is still the Pokemon Anime. If he isn't now, he will be getting more developed down the road. I am personally worried about Citron's development down the road after XY067 (the gym battle) because there isn't much we can do with him other than give him the invention blowing-up gag. Eureka is a kid, so most of the development is going to be about her being a more mature individual.

The reason that Serena is getting so much development is because how unique she is to Ash's story. She is the first girl he knew before the Original Series and the only travelling companion with a confirmed crush on Ash. She stands out from all the other girls, save Misty because "she's the first female companion". It's the reason Amourshipping and Pokeshipping are in a sense the two strongest ships in the anime. As to when they will start to develop Ash's feelings, I am going to say right after this gym battle that is coming up because after that (in terms of Ash), there are three gym battles, the Team Flare arc, and the Kalos League + beyond that if Ash wins Kalos. Laverre City (which is home to the Amourshipping theme) is right after the Citron gym battle so maybe this is where Ash starts to experience romantic feelings for Serena (and they would be light feels, don't expect Ash to go Brock-mode on Serena).

As to the end of the XY arc, there has been a rumor floating around that this is the last arc for Ash. I know that Ash represents the anime (how well he has done so is up to you), but there is a time and place to say "We can't develop him any more or any better than we just did, so let's give him/her a good ending and start the next series with a new main character." This has to be the XY writers mentality right now and honestly, XY is the perfect place to wrap up Ash's saga. If they continue Ash's story and it doesn't include Serena, Citron, and Eureka with him on his new journey, it just won't feel the same and I honestly will stop watching the anime. And it's not because Amour didn't become canon (though that would be another reason as to why I would stop, as I have stated in a post a while back) but because you can't develop Ash any better than you have right now. And if they start delving into his emotions and start developing those, then there is nothing more we can do with Ash.

Come April 1st, the anime will turn 18 years old. It took us 18 years to see Ash do the following: Act more mature, ask the female companion to join him, evolve his water starter, and obtain a Pseudolegendary Pokemon (granted he doesn't have it yet, but we all know it's coming). Honestly, what more can we do to him other than allow him to win the Kalos League if the writers decide to develop his emotions after the Lumiose Gym Battle?

 

[MastermindofGames]

I like turtles.

just realised that there is a new thread

why is there a new one?

MATTHEW11!! WHERE ARE U?!! I mean seriously that turtle post....i can't even. ugh

Well I'm back, how you guys doin'? My grasp on time has disappeared as my other commitments take over but I always enjoy posting every so often to expel my guilt of not posting. So now it's QUESTION TIIIIIIIME!

Now that we are not hyping for a date episode anymore, what kind of episode plot would next the next big amourshipping hype fest?

I have no clue on what to expect in this kind of episode in the future. Maybe a....second "date," but that's not original. A separation of the group leaving Ash and Serena alone doesn't feel to exciting either.
Note that I'm looking for a hint as big a the date or bigger....I just don't know. Let me hear your ideas, amourians (sorry but i hate this word, don't ask me why).

 

[Dinomeyt]

MATTHEW11!! WHERE ARE U?!! I mean seriously that turtle post....i can't even. ugh

Well I'm back, how you guys doin'? My grasp on time has disappeared as my other commitments take over but I always enjoy posting every so often to expel my guilt of not posting. So now it's QUESTION TIIIIIIIME!

Now that we are not hyping for a date episode anymore, what kind of episode plot would next the next big amourshipping hype fest?

I have no clue on what to expect in this kind of episode in the future. Maybe a....second "date," but that's not original. A separation of the group leaving Ash and Serena alone doesn't feel to exciting either.
Note that I'm looking for a hint as big a the date or bigger....I just don't know. Let me hear your ideas, amourians (sorry but i hate this word, don't ask me why).

It's very likely they will do a second "date", with the amount of hints and interactions between the two as of episode 60, I can see this date being a much more successful date. Who initiates it is up to speculation, but I would not be surprised if it was Serena. If there is a second date between the two, all I ask of Ash is to stay with Serena THE ENTIRE TIME. The majority of fans and viewers enjoyed XY059 in terms of Amour so if it works once, why not try again. The only people who really didn't like the episode were the people who were expecting either a) a kiss or b)Amourshipping becoming canon 59 episodes into a series that is over 100 episodes in length or c) expecting an over PG-13 rated scene happening (seriously, what is wrong with some of the people in these threads)

Now if the writers were trying for something new, I say why not have Ash and Serena participate in a ballroom dance. Now listen, I know Ash's dance moves are underwhelming to say the least, but if you give him time and the willingness to learn, he can succeed at anything. Serena would get all blushy and act strangely during the dance, Ash would hopefully notice this, and start realizing his feelings for her are more romantic than he initially thought. Of course, we need to somehow get the concept of romance into Ash's head and make it stick. How that can be done is up for debate

 

[JSLatios]

Haha, I like turtles too! But Tortoises are better. And yes.....MATTEW!!!!!

MATTHEW11!! WHERE ARE U?!! I mean seriously that turtle post....i can't even. ugh

Well I'm back, how you guys doin'? My grasp on time has disappeared as my other commitments take over but I always enjoy posting every so often to expel my guilt of not posting. So now it's QUESTION TIIIIIIIME!

Now that we are not hyping for a date episode anymore, what kind of episode plot would next the next big amourshipping hype fest?

I have no clue on what to expect in this kind of episode in the future. Maybe a....second "date," but that's not original. A separation of the group leaving Ash and Serena alone doesn't feel to exciting either.
Note that I'm looking for a hint as big a the date or bigger....I just don't know. Let me hear your ideas, amourians (sorry but i hate this word, don't ask me why).

Scrap dates and separations, well maybe not the separation but I want an arc where Ash and Serena are parted from the lemon siblings and have to be dependant on eachother. They never showcased it in the movie. Well in Japanese they did but watching a japanese pokemon movie before its DVD is released or the English dub version is released, is hard. (Stupid phoney surveys -_-) Imagine Ash seing Serena willing to put her life at risk to make sure Ash is okay and vice versa.

And I HAVE A SOLUTION!

Make Amourshipping canon in a movie so it's not canon in the anime and has no relevance to it and Ash continues his journey as a Pokemon trainer and a money maker. Makes us somewhat happy, and the non-shippers happy. And dem pokeshipper questioning the actual canonisation of Amourshipping because of was in a movie than the actual anime. Perfect. No

 

[Chianti]

Haha, I like turtles too! But Tortoises are better. And yes.....MATTEW!!!!!
Make Amourshipping canon in a movie so it's not canon in the anime and has no relevance to it and Ash continues his journey as a Pokemon trainer and a money maker. Makes us somewhat happy, and the non-shippers happy. And dem pokeshipper questioning the actual canonisation of Amourshipping because of was in a movie than the actual anime. Perfect. No?

Yes, but if in the movie Satoshi and Serena confess but act as if nothing from the movie occured in the next anime episode, one could question if the movie was truly "canon". Some people believe that only certain movies are canon because they flow with the anime timeline. It seems like a great idea in text, but if that happened, us shippers would be left disappointed and wanting more.

 

[pokesrini]

I wonder how the plot will deepen >v>
So we can say that the song itself is a hint on Serena's side? Possibly. We're already 60+ episodes into the series and the XY arc is still breaking all of these status quos (as if that hasn't been said enough already). The fact that the ship and their stories are connected is already a good sign of things to come. It would be dumb for the writers to sweep everything under the rug especially when, clearly, Serena and Satoshi's relationship is a plot point for at least Serena's journey as a Trainer and a Pokemon performer.

I just noticed that Satoshi's character development has been more...subtle, if you may, compared to Citron, Serena and even Eureka's character development. So far, I've been getting the vibe that the XY arc is more about Serena than Satoshi obviously not really, but I wonder when they'll start really focusing on Satoshi's side and how they'll handle his relationships, especially with Serena. All I've seen honestly is him catching Pokemon, winning gyms, saving the day...not so much on his personal side. We have a lot of that from Serena's side on the other hand.

I wouldn't mind if the XY arc ended with Satoshi traveling to a new region, as long as Serena's crush on him has some closure with it. Kiss on the cheek perhaps?

Sorry if a lot of these things have already been said and I'm just repeating them all.

The plot will deepen with Ash developing in a subtle manner, and Serena's dream progressing forward. Now since AmourShipping is intertwined with Ash's and Serena's ambition, it is safe to say that their ambitions are rather intertwined to each other too, albeit rather loosely. Once again, if you look at the character development arcs of the two, they are quite similar. Ash met the incumbent Kalos Champion, he also walked along the lines of the incumbent Champion (that is, his team came first place in that summer camp. Diantha supposedly came first in her summer camp as well), and he battled Diantha. Similarly Serena met Aria, the incumbent Kalos Queen, has a Braixen (which is what Aria had when she won), and battled Aria. Now unless they pull a really elaborate facade like Trollbias once again, there is nothing to stop Ash from winning the league this time.

Now I am pretty sure that XY will be a four year saga rather than a 3 year one. Game Freak's announcement for this year was a game in partnership with Sega (the company still exists!) Yet here we are, in the second quarter of the second year (I am counting from October) and Ash already has five gym badges! (for all practical purposes) So this almost surely means a filler arc. Ash will complete the league by the end of next year, which is when we will get the second version of the XY games. So it will be something like the Battle Frontier saga, following the storyline of the XY2 games.

That will be the final sprint of AmourShipping, good or bad. But for this year, I am pretty certain we will be seeing subtle development from Ash's side. The first year was all about Ash. This second year is probably going to be Serena. Next year, again Ash (because of the league). And the last year- ???

I don't blame you for thinking that the XY saga has been about Serena, but no. Fact remains, it is all about Ash. The first year is a testament to that. And even now, see how many Goomy episodes we got? The reason we feel that Serena is getting so much focus and blatant development is because she has gotten a lot more development episodes than in the first year. But I will agree, Ash's development has been rather subtle of late.

And the other reason is:

The reason that Serena is getting so much development is because how unique she is to Ash's story. She is the first girl he knew before the Original Series and the only travelling companion with a confirmed crush on Ash. She stands out from all the other girls, save Misty because "she's the first female companion". It's the reason Amourshipping and Pokeshipping are in a sense the two strongest ships in the anime. As to when they will start to develop Ash's feelings, I am going to say right after this gym battle that is coming up because after that (in terms of Ash), there are three gym battles, the Team Flare arc, and the Kalos League + beyond that if Ash wins Kalos. Laverre City (which is home to the Amourshipping theme) is right after the Citron gym battle so maybe this is where Ash starts to experience romantic feelings for Serena (and they would be light feels, don't expect Ash to go Brock-mode on Serena).

Yes, but if in the movie Satoshi and Serena confess but act as if nothing from the movie occured in the next anime episode, one could question if the movie was truly "canon". Some people believe that only certain movies are canon because they flow with the anime timeline. It seems like a great idea in text, but if that happened, us shippers would be left disappointed and wanting more.

I don't think the confession will be in a movie. But if it is, it will occur in a timeline that doesn't seem parallel to the XY saga. It will probably be seen happening sometime in the future. And hello there fellow Cyndaquil line fan!

 

[Setsuna F Seiei]

Hey, Amourians! Happy white day to all! What's white day you asked? Ehh, just google it. = 3=

Anyway, do you guys have any White day commemorations for the lovely couple Ash and Serena?

PS: I just realized that the episode that came out this week is close to white day and that episode has a lot of Ash's support to Serena and White day is normally known for boys returning the favor to girls. Coincidence?

 

[Lorde]

It's very likely they will do a second "date", with the amount of hints and interactions between the two as of episode 60, I can see this date being a much more successful date.

Hmm tbh, I wouldn't see a second "date" as all-that successful since I didn't think the first one was that great anyway. The first one was overhyped and gave me headaches in the weeks leading up to it. I'd rather see Ash and Serena get separated from Clemont and Bonnie again and for their alone time to be the basis of more shipping hints, simply without Serena thinking that she's on a date again.

 

[pokesrini]

Hey, Amourians! Happy white day to all! What's white day you asked? Ehh, just google it. = 3=

Anyway, do you guys have any White day commemorations for the lovely couple Ash and Serena?

PS: I just realized that the episode that came out this week is close to white day and that episode has a lot of Ash's support to Serena and White day is normally known for boys returning the favor to girls. Coincidence?

I remember this one xD

I do have something to commemorate it. Chapter 9 of my fanfic

Hmm tbh, I wouldn't see a second "date" as all-that successful since I didn't think the first one was that great anyway. The first one was overhyped and gave me headaches in the weeks leading up to it. I'd rather see Ash and Serena get separated from Clemont and Bonnie again and for their alone time to be the basis of more shipping hints, simply without Serena thinking that she's on a date again.

While the "first date" was a perceived disappointment to many here, the Japanese seemed totally happy about it from what I hear to be fair. Having said that, I don't think the next one will be another thing like the "first date". It will be something else, with Ash and Serena away from Clemont and Bonnie again like you said.

 

[Ikcatcher]

Hey, Amourians! Happy white day to all! What's white day you asked? Ehh, just google it. = 3=

Anyway, do you guys have any White day commemorations for the lovely couple Ash and Serena?

PS: I just realized that the episode that came out this week is close to white day and that episode has a lot of Ash's support to Serena and White day is normally known for boys returning the favor to girls. Coincidence?

Oh,I never realized that today is White Day
And I do have something to commemorate:Chapter 3 of my fanfiction

 

[Yuraenia]

I feel that Ash is still getting the better of the character development between the four, because it is still the Pokemon Anime. If he isn't now, he will be getting more developed down the road. I am personally worried about Citron's development down the road after XY067 (the gym battle) because there isn't much we can do with him other than give him the invention blowing-up gag. Eureka is a kid, so most of the development is going to be about her being a more mature individual.

The reason that Serena is getting so much development is because how unique she is to Ash's story. She is the first girl he knew before the Original Series and the only travelling companion with a confirmed crush on Ash. She stands out from all the other girls, save Misty because "she's the first female companion". It's the reason Amourshipping and Pokeshipping are in a sense the two strongest ships in the anime. As to when they will start to develop Ash's feelings, I am going to say right after this gym battle that is coming up because after that (in terms of Ash), there are three gym battles, the Team Flare arc, and the Kalos League + beyond that if Ash wins Kalos. Laverre City (which is home to the Amourshipping theme) is right after the Citron gym battle so maybe this is where Ash starts to experience romantic feelings for Serena (and they would be light feels, don't expect Ash to go Brock-mode on Serena).

As to the end of the XY arc, there has been a rumor floating around that this is the last arc for Ash. I know that Ash represents the anime (how well he has done so is up to you), but there is a time and place to say "We can't develop him any more or any better than we just did, so let's give him/her a good ending and start the next series with a new main character." This has to be the XY writers mentality right now and honestly, XY is the perfect place to wrap up Ash's saga. If they continue Ash's story and it doesn't include Serena, Citron, and Eureka with him on his new journey, it just won't feel the same and I honestly will stop watching the anime. And it's not because Amour didn't become canon (though that would be another reason as to why I would stop, as I have stated in a post a while back) but because you can't develop Ash any better than you have right now. And if they start delving into his emotions and start developing those, then there is nothing more we can do with Ash.

Come April 1st, the anime will turn 18 years old. It took us 18 years to see Ash do the following: Act more mature, ask the female companion to join him, evolve his water starter, and obtain a Pseudolegendary Pokemon (granted he doesn't have it yet, but we all know it's coming). Honestly, what more can we do to him other than allow him to win the Kalos League if the writers decide to develop his emotions after the Lumiose Gym Battle?

Well maturity-wise, according to other sources, Satoshi was already fairly mature in the DP arc at least (I haven't been able to see the entire arc since I prefer the English subs and they're so difficult to find online). I will just look past BW cuz I mean really? But yeah, you have a good point there. Citron's development is probably one the weaker ones of the show. When I said subtle, I guess i just meant it wasn't as obvious, not that Satoshi was not getting much development (he is the star of the show after all). I'm still a little skeptical as to just how much they'll develop Satoshi's feelings towards Serena, feelings that will be easier to pick up by the audience, not just Amourshippers or shippers in general. But I would like to see some more changes come after that Lumiose Gym battle since we actually don't have much to look forward to, meaning they haven't shown us that many previews of future events, besides the upcoming Goomy episode and Tierno I think).

But you're right. It may actually makes more sense to end Satoshi's journey in this arc. But at the same time, it is a little risky since Satoshi is so recognizable to everyone. A bit exaggerating but the entire world who grew up with Satoshi will definitely react if they hear that his journey's end is confirmed and who knows if they'll follow the new protagonist in case the writers decide to change him. A good ending to Satoshi's journey though should have a good closure in Satoshi's and Serena's relationship, whether they get together or not. Ever since they've gone global, the writers should have been adapting to changes and the fanbase. I mean isn't getting back viewers, old and new, one of the reasons they even added Amourshipping in the first place? I can't say if I'll stop watching the anime after XY (if it does continue), cuz I mean, what else does the Pokemon Company have in store for us?

The plot will deepen with Ash developing in a subtle manner, and Serena's dream progressing forward. Now since AmourShipping is intertwined with Ash's and Serena's ambition, it is safe to say that their ambitions are rather intertwined to each other too, albeit rather loosely. Once again, if you look at the character development arcs of the two, they are quite similar. Ash met the incumbent Kalos Champion, he also walked along the lines of the incumbent Champion (that is, his team came first place in that summer camp. Diantha supposedly came first in her summer camp as well), and he battled Diantha. Similarly Serena met Aria, the incumbent Kalos Queen, has a Braixen (which is what Aria had when she won), and battled Aria. Now unless they pull a really elaborate facade like Trollbias once again, there is nothing to stop Ash from winning the league this time.

Now I am pretty sure that XY will be a four year saga rather than a 3 year one. Game Freak's announcement for this year was a game in partnership with Sega (the company still exists!) Yet here we are, in the second quarter of the second year (I am counting from October) and Ash already has five gym badges! (for all practical purposes) So this almost surely means a filler arc. Ash will complete the league by the end of next year, which is when we will get the second version of the XY games. So it will be something like the Battle Frontier saga, following the storyline of the XY2 games.

That will be the final sprint of AmourShipping, good or bad. But for this year, I am pretty certain we will be seeing subtle development from Ash's side. The first year was all about Ash. This second year is probably going to be Serena. Next year, again Ash (because of the league). And the last year- ???

I don't blame you for thinking that the XY saga has been about Serena, but no. Fact remains, it is all about Ash. The first year is a testament to that. And even now, see how many Goomy episodes we got? The reason we feel that Serena is getting so much focus and blatant development is because she has gotten a lot more development episodes than in the first year. But I will agree, Ash's development has been rather subtle of late.

Wow i didn't even notice those similarities in their arcs haha. Nice. You do wonder though. In terms of Satoshi's character development, what would you guys suggest that he experience (for example, episode plots) in order for him to fully understand Serena's feelings for him (something that would not make him act out of character)? Since you guys have been talking about scenarios lately, I'd thought I'd add a bit more to it. (I get the feeling you guys already talked about this but..oh well hehe)