Do some Pokemon movies even need Ash?

[DatsRight]

The problem with Ash is that he has little to no stakes in some of the movies. He's only there because he happened to stumble upon a legendary or town with connection to legendaries. It's the same problem I have with the main anime when it comes to people around Ash having more reason to have emotional and physical investment. Why isn't the person with a direct connection to the movie plot the protagonist and Ash the supporting character? This kid literally pushed May out of the climax of her movie.

This is all the more reason it's a shame they didn't make any Sun and Moon movies, where Ash isn't just a drifter passing by big events by chance and there's a chance to make things more character driven on his end.

For what it's worth I liked Ash setting up the temple thing in that movie, it shown his protectiveness of May well, but I feel like after that May should have taken stage for the final climax, sort of like the Power of One where Ash is the hero but everyone's helping him get to that point, Temple of the Sea could have had May the hero but with her big brother surrogate's heroism pushing her to make that big stand.

 

[SatoSereFan224888]

I feel the upcoming movie in 3D should not have Ash in it. I feel the movie should focus mainly on Mewtwo. Also I feel Ash will look terrible if he's in 3D. The only humans that should be in the movie should be the scientists that create Mewtwo.

 

[FlygontheRavager]

The whole "The world will turn to Ash" thing was a dub-invention anyway. The original prophecy only called for a "skilled commander" to help Lugia, and everyone just sorta figured "Well, Satoshi's the only one here who fits the bill!" But really, he's about as necessary as anyone else in the movie is. The whole point of the movie (despite what the dub claimed) was that no one person could save the world alone, but that through everyone helping each other out they could. So sure, he doesn't technically do anything without help... but the same holds true for everyone else. Everyone's either giving support or being given support.

Wait...seriously?

Wow; way to flip the switch there, dub.

 

[Shadao]

Wait...seriously?

Wow; way to flip the switch there, dub.

What did you expect? The Prophecy doesn't work if Ash's original name was like "Satoshi" or something like that. I have to admit though, it is a unique twist.

This is all the more reason it's a shame they didn't make any Sun and Moon movies, where Ash isn't just a drifter passing by big events by chance and there's a chance to make things more character driven on his end.

For what it's worth I liked Ash setting up the temple thing in that movie, it shown his protectiveness of May well, but I feel like after that May should have taken stage for the final climax, sort of like the Power of One where Ash is the hero but everyone's helping him get to that point, Temple of the Sea could have had May the hero but with her big brother surrogate's heroism pushing her to make that big stand.

Honestly, how would a Sun and Moon make any difference? If Ash doesn't happen to meet the events of the movie, the events of the movie comes to him. That's how it happened in the Volcanion Movie. That's how it happened in the Diancie Movie. Even in Mewtwo Strikes Back, it was Mewtwo who invited Ash to his island rather than Ash stumbling upon it by chance.

 

[Lord Starfish]

Wait...seriously?

Wow; way to flip the switch there, dub.

From where I'm standing it's probably the biggest hackjob 4Kids ever did. Oh sure, people might criticize Mewtwo Strikes Back for its hamfisted "Fighting is wrong!" message, but at least there is a precedent for that in the Japanese version, even if it's a lot less overt there... but with M2 they literally inverted the theme of the movie... in dialogue, at least. Since nothing changed about the actual chain of events happening on screen, their new message doesn't even match what we clearly see either. "Ash is the only one who can save the world, and he has to do it all on his own! Now watch as he literally has help every step of the way."

...At least TPCi didn't try to pull the same nonsense when Minna no Monogatari had basically the same theme. Of course, in that one it would be literally impossible to claim that everything rides on Ash's shoulders alone being that the entire cast splits up and does their own thing and Ash is if anything the one who contributes the least to saving the city.

 

[CMButch]

Unpopular opinion( I think): I don't really like Detective Pikachu. Because I think some cartoons/anime shouldn't be put into Live-action.We shouldn't mix it. CGI like Mewtwo movie? Ok, still traditionally animated is much better. Those cartoons/anime include: Scooby Doo, Tom and Jerry, Pokemon, Dragon Ball etc. Animated stuff >>>> CGI >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Live Action.

 

[matt0044]

Even in Mewtwo Strikes Back, it was Mewtwo who invited Ash to his island rather than Ash stumbling upon it by chance.

But it was Ash's battle skills that caught Mewtwo's attention. Thus there was a solid reason for him to get involved.

 

[satopi]

That Keldeo movie barely had Ash and co interfering in an irritating way. If anything, they were a support role which I very much appreciated. In some ways, Ash and co are needed if the plot demands them to or they just so happened to get lumped into other people's business like in the Lucario movie or befriended the focus legendary Pokémon so, I think Ash is needed.

 

[AshKetchumFan9128]

Yeh, ash is good to be in every movie especially when with his friends that travel in different regions. That what makes the movies more interesting to watch.

 

[Ryker101]

Nah

 

[Blood Red]

Wow, who decided to bring this back from the abyss? But yeah, considering how the second movie wasn't even written with Ash in mind, I think you could feasibly write him out of every Pokémon movie aside from a couple. The rest of the main cast would have to be written out as well though.

 

[Jeal]

This question makes no sense. Yeah, Ash can be replaced by any character, but it's the same for all the other characters. No character is really "needed", the writers always can write a different story.

 

[SatoSereFan224888]

Honestly the CGI remake of the first movie should have had no humans except for the researchers. I hated how the humans looked in CGI.

 

[thor94]

Yep, some movie could have ended same without involving Ash, but not all.
Movie 1: Without Ash mewtwo would have purged the world from humans => Ash required
Movie 2: Ash is the Chosen One, without him the world would have been doomed => Ash required
Movie 3: It is normal for Ash being the one rescuing his mother => Ash required
Movie 4: Without Ash time travel, Oak would have probably not become the professor we know, and Ash wouldn't have a Pikachu => Ash required
Movie 5: Latias crush on Ash what was driven the plot and incited latias to fight back=> Ash required
Movie 6: Ash mostly played bait, anyone could have fitted the role => Ash not needed
Movie 7: The movie main incident revolved around robot rampage, anyone could have rebooted them =>Ash not needed
Movie 8: Without Ash, none of the events occured in the movie would have happened (no kidnapped pikachu, no awaken lucario) => Ash required
Movie 9: Like some people said, Jackie could have replaced Ash => Ash not needed
Movie 10/11/12: Like movie 2, Ash is involved in a some prophecy => Ash required
Movie 13: Ash helped Zorua, the movie wouldn't ended well without him => Ash required a little
Movie 14: Without Ash, victini wouldn't have shown up and none of the events in the movie would have happened =>Ash required
Movie 15: It was mostly about a reckless Keldeo hunted by Kyurem, without Ash he would have just needed more time to mature => Ash not needed
Movie 16: Like movie 1, it is Ash kindness that show vengeful pokemon that cruel humans are the exception not the rule => Ash required
Movie 17: Nothing would have really changed without Ash => Ash not needed
Movie 18: Ash was just here by luck = Ash not needed.
Movie 19: Ash inspired volcanion => Ash required
Movie 20/21/22 are reboot so don't count
Movie 23: It was Ash meeting with Koko that started the plot => Ash required

 

[Psajdak]

The biggest problem with Ash in Pokemon movies is that out of all the people in the world, it HAS to be him.

 

[BlueDragonfangirl]

Tbh, I'll be freaking out if Ash appears in the Detective Pikachu live action movie. He's probably going to say the same introduction from the anime like "Hi, I'm Ash from Pallet Town, and I want to become a Pokemon master!", and the fans are probably going to be mixed about the actor playing as him, and I already saw Smosh on YouTube playing as him in his Pokemon live action clips before.

I hated that movie, it doesn’t feel right without Ash in it, he’s the it factor other than Pikachu. I felt screwed over when they didn’t have him as the lead in that.

Not all the movies should be Ash focused at this point. It's okay if he isn't the hero of the day in some movies as well but I personally think Ash should appear on all of them (animated movies only) as long as he is the MC of the anime.

I liked that movie, Ash wasn’t the focous no but he acted leader like and was the heart of that group. Whenever the group got sad Ash was the one who cheered them up and got them to focous.

So yah,as long as they get the character right I’m fine with it this coming from a big Ash fan.

Weird thing is none of them included Go who was filling in the female lead at this time, did they hear the backlash on his character or somethin?

 

[Applecorp]

Not really. The biggest evidence was the Manaphy movie because May got a big chunk of the plot to herself and Ash was just kinda there in the background for 90% of it until the climax and then of course he took over the action role and left May in a submarine.

But take that last part away and the movie didn't even need Ash to be there.

 

[Falconmaroni]

The AU films don't really need him, at least after movie 20