Ash's Personality (Kanto vs. Unova)

[Pinsirius]

Is it really appropriate when the point of a show is to see Ash become truly great? In the end, if as a character we are supposed to believe that he will someday be great, you have the two approaches, build up a head of steam and vow to crush his opposition, or take that more pragmatic approach you highlighted, and tbh, the former is probably better. I want to see a kid with burning desires to win, not patience.

Ash has been shot down four times now, the fourth time after being unfairly slaughtered by someone who frankly should not have been allowed to compete. If Ash couldn't take losses in stride, he would have stopped at Johto, given that he knew what he was doing by then and gave what remains one of his best efforts.

Notice that Ash doesn't really encounter wall bangers that remind him to be serious anymore, instead he gets legitimate opponents (Paul) and plot hax (Tobias, Trip). Either the writers noticed that those experiences would only highlight Ash's inability to win at the leagues, or Ash, who still has plenty of fire left, if I recall Best Wishes 1 correctly, realized that he can in fact lose.

Well, Ash is a lot more goody goody in Unova than Kanto. He isn't as much fun as he used to be, which disappoints me.

That is certainly there; I recall my younger brother, also a fan back in the day, noticed that everyone seemed to act stupid in Hoenn. How much nostalgia goggles factors into that assessment I have yet to determine, as he did play Sapphire, but has mostly stuck to the remakes. The show doesn't really have the nerve it used to.

 

[Mighty Arceus493]

Ash probably got so excited that he got amnesia and forgot about all the other regions, or he isn't used to all the new Pokemon, people and strategies.

 

[Stryker_Hawk]

I don't know if this has anything to do with it... But the english dub for the past few years have been terrible. I absolutely love the Japanese Dub version of Best Wishes! It reminds me so much of the first season in Kanto. I've seen one episode of Best Wishes in english and it was absolutely terrible. This is my two cents on the subject!

 

[randomspot555]

I don't know if this has anything to do with it... But the english dub for the past few years have been terrible. I absolutely love the Japanese Dub version of Best Wishes! It reminds me so much of the first season in Kanto. I've seen one episode of Best Wishes in english and it was absolutely terrible. This is my two cents on the subject!

Besides the Battle Frontier season (which was the first for the new VAs, and early Kanto episodes weren't all that great with the old VAs), the dub has been reasonable. The worst they an be accused of is not using enough of the original music, but that's likely a matter that's beyond their direct control anyway.

 

[Stryker_Hawk]

Besides the Battle Frontier season (which was the first for the new VAs, and early Kanto episodes weren't all that great with the old VAs), the dub has been reasonable. The worst they an be accused of is not using enough of the original music, but that's likely a matter that's beyond their direct control anyway.

Well... I would still have to disagree. But to each and their own.

I enjoyed the first few seasons like Kanto And Johto. Everything after that in the English Dub I didn't quite personaly enjoy. The Japanese Dub just seemed better.. It was more enjoyable to watch. I see plenty of similarities between the Kanto series and Unova.

 

[StarBP]

Welcome to the anime! lol.

That's how it is though, the games and the anime signify some sort of a reboot. Unfortunately all the development we saw through Hoenn and Sinnoh seems to have gone down the drain.

It is still the same Ash though. Him and Pikachu will be there forever, basically.

The main reason for that is that the past four gens have all been based on areas in Japan, and this one is based on an area in the USA. It was the perfect time to do a reboot.

 

[pikachu2k10]

yeah ash seems a bit more childish its probably hes giving up thinking hes guna b a pokemon master after being 10 for the last 15 years or so

 

[randomspot555]

being 10 for the last 15 years or so

Seriously? You're watching a show about little monsters that are stored as forms of energy inside magically shrinking and expanding balls, and these little monsters have unexplainable powers and often control over the elements, space, and time, among others. And this is what's bothering you the most in terms of "realism"?

Maybe cartoons aren't for you. If you want to experience something in real-time, go step outside.

 

[EifieChan]

I personally think that the new "Ash" is better than the old one. To me "Ash" treats Pokemon the same way he did in Kanto; like a game. He's always treated it like a game.

 

[CyberCubed]

Ash will always be like this more or less

 

[cyclone ace]

Ash still seems as motivated as ever

 

[thewookie1]

Kanto/Orange and Johto Ash were: Training hard, determined, stubborn, bad tempered but funny.

Hoenn Ash: was a linnear transition as he seemed to mentor May in the art of battles and further progressed with his parties

BF Ash: was similair to Ash of Kanto but slightly more mature but still just as much of charge into a situation knd of guy

DP Ash: As anyone would, slacked off in the beginning but regained his tempo and learned a few coll techniques along the way. Also showed signs of maturity in how he handeled some situations

Unova Ash: Seems completely different, no real strategy, much more childish then even season one, extremely laid back, no seriousness at all. At first I hoped it was only a temporary thing, like when you see a whole new place for the first time, but he seems to even be retrogressing further. It saddens me, as long as he as a person and pikachu grow linnearly I couldn't care less about him being immortal at age 10. But he seems to be back stepping.


As for Poke Inc. I can understand the need for a new beginning, but restting everything will only murder your older fanbase and even newer followers from Advanced or DP. Please, I beg you, bring Ash back to normal and let Pikachu be a god and less used. You can still reset your market but at least allow your older followers some sanity.

 

[Endoplasmic Reticulum]

I don't know if this has anything to do with it... But the english dub for the past few years have been terrible. I absolutely love the Japanese Dub version of Best Wishes! It reminds me so much of the first season in Kanto. I've seen one episode of Best Wishes in english and it was absolutely terrible. This is my two cents on the subject!

What do you mean? It's pretty much identical. The dialog, the music, everything. The only thing I can see a difference in is the voice acting, but everyone is good in my opinion, except for Ash

 

[randomspot555]

Unova Ash: Seems completely different, no real strategy, much more childish then even season one, extremely laid back, no seriousness at all. At first I hoped it was only a temporary thing, like when you see a whole new place for the first time, but he seems to even be retrogressing further. It saddens me, as long as he as a person and pikachu grow linnearly I couldn't care less about him being immortal at age 10. But he seems to be back stepping.

This whole mythical "reset" of Ash is gone by like episode 7 or 8, and is completely gone by the time he hits the second gym. This really does happen in every saga so Ash doesn't just plow through the entire early-region trainers and gyms.

 

[randomspot555]

The Best Wishes series is a reboot so Ash is still ten and past events won't ever be talk about ever again,besides old Kanto Ash was much better.

It didn't retcon everything that happened previously. Best Wishes/Black and White starts out with Ash travelling to Unova with two of the oldest characters in the anime, Oak and his mother.

 

[(P.O.K.E.M.O.N)]

This whole mythical "reset" of Ash is gone by like episode 7 or 8, and is completely gone by the time he hits the second gym. This really does happen in every saga so Ash doesn't just plow through the entire early-region trainers and gyms.

so did ash flip his hat alot in dp did he get constantly called a child does he play childish games like whose following who No ash's personality has resetted he is less hott headed then kanto but more childish

 

[randomspot555]

so did ash flip his hat alot in dp did he get constantly called a child does he play childish games like whose following who No ash's personality has resetted he is less hott headed then kanto but more childish

How many times he turns his hat is not an actual reflection on his personality. It's just something he did often in Kanto, didn't in Advance/DP, and now does it more again.

Just because Iris calls him a child doesn't mean Ash is actually childish. There've been several occasions, such as the first gym battle, where she verbally admires Ash's skills and knowledge of Pokemon and battling, and she's often refused to battle him because of his strength. A lot of the "you're such a child" comments she makes are about Unova specific knowledge. Like when she said he's childish for not knowing what a Sommelier/Connesieur is, Dent/Cilan pointed out that there's no reason for him to know about the profession becuase it's exclusive to Unova.

 

[Jordio99]

Unova is being aired in U.K???

 

[Ghostie]

I'm wondering if it would be better if they had a whole different character for the seasons past Johto. I mean, it would make sense that he could go to Johto since it's so close by. This is probably a terrible idea that would be commercial suicide for the anime, but hey, at least he wouldn't have to get rebooted all the time and go back to being a noob. It would probably be like changing misty for may/dawn/iris, people were ticked at first but got over it. And the old characters could show up now and then in special episodes to meet the new ones.

I thought of this too, but you know what? I wouldn't work. Digimon did that, and I know that the show lasted quite a while, but I think part of the reason that Pokemon is still here is because Ash is.

Maybe. I wouldn't be sad if they had followed a different trainer for BW, though. I mean, they were going for the 'fresh start' feel. It would have been logical to have a new, rookie trainer for this season. Oh well.

 

[Endoplasmic Reticulum]

The only thing is if they were going to replace Ash, people would freak out, like Misty. So I guess the writers realized they could just keep the same character, only severely alter his personality like they were creating a new character