How much does Ash affect your enjoyment of a series?

[Satoshi & Touko]

More importantly, complaining about Ash taking away spotlight from other character is pretty much redundant since he is the face of the show, he is the focus of the show, he is the main protagonist of the show, this show follows his journey and goal, from the very start. Take him away, and what honestly remains in the anime? Pretty much nothing.

At best, if the anime was a fruit salad with, let's say, five different fruits, removing Ash would maybe take away one of those fruits. Sure, for some time it would feel like something was missing, but unless you were watching the anime solely or mainly for Ash (which I still think is a bad idea), then it would pass. There are still four fruits remaining and that missing fruit would get replaced anyway, so we would still have a pretty delicious fruit salad.

 

[Weavy]

Almost none whatsoever. I don't care for Ash; never have, never will. I may make the occasional comment or two about things he does, but it's more on why the writers done something instead of interest in Ash.

He's always going to be the same. A 10 year old kid travelling from region to region, beating their challenges (gyms/trails), defeating the evil team, being a special snowflake and losing the league. I don't know why I should invest my time into a character that's never going to change.

 

[Dephender]

That's only if you're going by Takeshi Shudo's novelization (or so I've heard—I've never actually read the novelizations myself). I'm pretty sure it's stated within the anime itself that Ash had very recently turned 10 when he started his Pokémon Trainer journey.

It's a mistranslation of a line in the novel. It's made quite clear in the show itself that episode 1 took place on his birthday.

 

[U.N. Owen]

More importantly, complaining about Ash taking away spotlight from other character is pretty much redundant since he is the face of the show, he is the focus of the show, he is the main protagonist of the show, this show follows his journey and goal, from the very start. Take him away, and what honestly remains in the anime? Pretty much nothing.

Storytelling isn't a game of chess where the only piece that really matters is the King as all other pieces serve to defend and fight for him. That is why the world itself and the characters in it can exist without its main character. Sure, events will play out quite differently as any "World without X" story might tell you, but neither creation isn't going to unravel nor will everything be rendered meaningless without Ash if he was removed from the anime at all. We have had stories without Ash before, Legend of Thunder and other side stories, and the world hasn't been rendered pointless.

 

[AshxSatoshi]

I don’t care much at this point because the writers don’t care about him. Between BW and XY it became clear they only write Ash according to the region/saga and the people around him. The reason he acted slow-ish in Best Wishes was due to trying to give us OS vibes and provide a similar Ash/Misty dynamic with Iris. Then we are given XY where acts more doll-ish than his part incarnations and provided him with more of a hero/leader stereotypical traits while loosing his goofy moments from BW. There’s nothing wrong with this but it’s become hard to believe that Best Wishes Ash and XY were the same person and his personality magically changed on the plane ride to Kalos. Now in Sun and Moon he’s a victim of the comedy based saga. Not to say I hate SM Ash (I really do like him) but like said earlier it become hard to believe that XY Ash turned into SM Ash. The writers haven’t been on point with his personality since DP where it was slowly showing Ash grow up and become a more experienced trainer. I’m far more interested in characters like Dawn, Pikachu, Cilan, Gladion, Lillie and Iris honestly. Him never winning a league doesn’t bug me much but it just proves even further that is Ash is a marketing tool before a character.

 

[Navin]

I was a fan of Ash before BW happened. Take him away if it means the actual canon characters will get stuff done and we don't have to look at his face. Now he is a cockroach you can't swat on the camera lens and he keeps hogging all the food from the Butterfree starving to death. Don't ask me why there's food on the lens. Or better yet, take the happy ending where things were like DP era and before, because this Hawaiian region is making things worse.

ITT Ash was great during OS-DP. BW/XY/SM Ash suck.

I actually don't mind the focus centered around him, but more that it's overdue for him to 'retire' as the main character. DP Ash had everything going for him to be done with the show; the most mature and strategic without coming off as a Gary Stu, Dawn the co-star should have been the romance (better than how Serena's was handled), Ash should have beaten his greatest rival in Paul in the finals, loses to Flint in a 6 v 6, maybe Pikachu/Charizard draws against Cynthia's Garchomp in a random 1 v 1, big party in Pallet with everyone, Ash vows to keep getting better, BOOM the end!

Now there's little continuity and no sense of flow between series with even alternate universe Ashs in the films.

 

[AshxSatoshi]

ITT Ash was great during OS-DP. BW/XY/SM Ash suck.

I actually don't mind the focus centered around him, but more that it's overdue for him to 'retire' as the main character. DP Ash had everything going for him to be done with the show; the most mature and strategic without coming off as a Gary Stu, Dawn the co-star should have been the romance (better than how Serena's was handled), Ash should have beaten his greatest rival in Paul in the finals, loses to Flint in a 6 v 6, maybe Pikachu/Charizard draws against Cynthia's Garchomp in a random 1 v 1, big party in Pallet with everyone, Ash vows to keep getting better, BOOM the end!

Now there's little continuity and no sense of flow between series with even alternate universe Ashs in the films.

OR Ash accept the BF title (becoming a Frontier Brain) and have Dawn replace him traveling regions competing in Contests in different regions. I could argue that Iris could of kept BW interesting by herself but eh. They could of written him off also in XY since that was his "come up saga" according to some people. I could easily see Lillie or even Hau taking his spot but alas they refuse to get rid of him.

 

[AznKei]

OR Ash accept the BF title (becoming a Frontier Brain) and have Dawn replace him traveling regions competing in Contests in different regions. I could argue that Iris could of kept BW interesting by herself but eh. They could of written him off also in XY since that was his "come up saga" according to some people. I could easily see Lillie or even Hau taking his spot but alas they refuse to get rid of him.

I rather see the fans putting these imaginations/scenarios to work about the characters they care, than having them to beg the anime producers to make these happen tbh. People might not have the same amount of budget than the show, but there's tools you can find on the internet to make fanfics, fancomics, fangames and so on. I did mine about Serena in Hoenn, and I like it to such extent that I wouldn't care what the anime producers would do to her in the future and moved on.

 

[Navin]

OR Ash accept the BF title (becoming a Frontier Brain) and have Dawn replace him traveling regions competing in Contests in different regions. I could argue that Iris could of kept BW interesting by herself but eh. They could of written him off also in XY since that was his "come up saga" according to some people. I could easily see Lillie or even Hau taking his spot but alas they refuse to get rid of him.

Accepting the BF position would have been perfect for a time skip of a couple years. Ash gets better, Sinnoh shenanigans, and wins it all.

It's like they think there's no point in changing the main character, but don't realize they actually wrote an iconic character with a clear arc and keeping him any longer just ruins it. The franchise can survive Ash just fine. If they're that scared, make him an older, recurring character. Or make the protagonist Ash's son/daughter or something lol.

 

[SinnohEevee]

Accepting the BF position would have been perfect for a time skip of a couple years. Ash gets better, Sinnoh shenanigans, and wins it all.

It's like they think there's no point in changing the main character, but don't realize they actually wrote an iconic character with a clear arc and keeping him any longer just ruins it. The franchise can survive Ash just fine. If they're that scared, make him an older, recurring character. Or make the protagonist Ash's son/daughter or something lol.

Pyramid King as he can keep travelling.

I think Ash will end up as a generic character who's nothing but a marketing tool.
They will NEVER replace him. Instead, he will keep going in circles for ever and ever, the target audience keeps renewing itself and the show will keep making tons of money regardless of how generic Ash becomes.

 

[Darthlord7]

He doesn't affect me as long as he isn't stealing the spotlight from each gen's characters and has the mentor role being supportive or when he's just focused on his own goal. But I would have much much more interest in this show if Ash lost his protagonist status and turned into a recurring character. His character has grown stale for years, his goal is going nowhere and I have completely no interest in a journey which doesn't have a final destination or more like the writers refuse to make one. If it wasn't for the gen's characters and seeing the new Pokemon animated, I would probably stop watching more of this anime.

 

[Pokegirl Fan~]

Other anime have the decency of giving meaningful development to supporting characters despite someone being "the face" of the show. Defending Ash in this topic is not a smart thing to do if it does mean the rest of the cast are just there without getting meaningful stuff done. I could name so many supporting characters in other anime because they do so much and are actually entertaining. Here, though? I could care less about the likes of Mallow, and I barely care about Lana because she got lucky to have a starter that isn't a spotlight hog and does mean she has a future...to promote Popplio, but I digress.

Sure, Ash gets development, but the way this anime is structured makes it moot for him to even capture Pokemon if they will all get sacked forever. The "rinse and repeat" nature he was given is stupidly stale and does nothing to me. If I actually cared for Ash, I'd have done it a long time ago...which I did because his traveling partners were almost equally getting equal justice (fillers be damned, you reading this need to admit things were balanced really well back then)...until BW started. When that started, the supporting cast started to decay (or straight up die) in importance halfway through and he is constantly shoved down our throats every episode.

I was a fan of Ash before BW happened. Take him away if it means the actual canon characters will get stuff done and we don't have to look at his face. Now he is a cockroach you can't swat on the camera lens and he keeps hogging all the food from the Butterfree starving to death. Don't ask me why there's food on the lens.

Or better yet, take the happy ending where things were like DP era and before, because this Hawaiian region is making things worse.

*holds up a lit candle*

Agreed pretty much.

He doesn't affect me as long as he isn't stealing the spotlight from each gen's characters and has the mentor role being supportive or when he's just focused on his own goal. But I would have much much more interest in this show if Ash lost his protagonist status and turned into a recurring character. His character has grown stale for years, his goal is going nowhere and I have completely no interest in a journey which doesn't have a final destination or more like the writers refuse to make one. If it wasn't for the gen's characters and seeing the new Pokemon animated, I would probably stop watching more of this anime.

I feel the same as well. He should honestly be demoted to the third wheel or just become a recurring character at this point. I think Team Rocket even needs less screentime than they are getting right now as well for me to enjoy the series, but neither is going to happen, sadly. I feel that Ash and Team Rocket have long since overstayed their welcome and are just dragging the newer characters, regional villain teams, and the anime in general down.

 

[SinnohEevee]

Agreed pretty much.


I feel the same as well. He should honestly be demoted to the third wheel or just become a recurring character at this point. I think Team Rocket even needs less screentime than they are getting right now as well for me to enjoy the series, but neither is going to happen, sadly. I feel that Ash and Team Rocket have long since overstayed their welcome and are just dragging the newer characters, regional villain teams, and the anime in general down.

Congratulations on being biggest DP can. It's my favourite series.

Ash should have won the Sinnoh League and get replaced in BW. He would make more appearances though. He would take on the Kanto League, become Kanto Champion, and maybe resign his position to become a Battle Pyramid King so he can keep travelling.

 

[DatsRight]

While Ash has pretty much hit a wall in terms of a proper character arc and how dynamic he can be as a protagonist, I question what replacing him would achieve. Another lookalike with a similar personality, similar role and likely similar unachievable goal, just without the same recognisable charm and face. They may as well as well just keep their iconic protagonist.

Also, I like keeping a 'veteran' protagonist around, a guy that's had his run through the basics and now helps out the new protagonists.

At the same time though, I can't begrudge Ash too much, it does feel like the writers TRY to keep him fresh, especially in SM where he's trying a lot of completely new territory, and there just seems to a bigger breakthrough in quirks and warmth as a standalone character. I love his personality and interactions with everyone this series and I think a lot of the charm would be lost if he wasn't there (Lillie was cute interacting with the player the games, but interacting with a dorky knight like Ash in the anime is ADORABLE). At this current state, Ash doesn't work brilliantly as a dynamic protagonist, but as an iconic static one, he at this point works as well as Winnie the Pooh, Bart Simpson, Batman and so forth.

 

[AuraChannelerChris]

A new protagonist would be fresh only if the people they talk to make them act in different dynamic ways. Sadly, it's kind of too generic nowadays.

 

[Navin]

While Ash has pretty much hit a wall in terms of a proper character arc and how dynamic he can be as a protagonist, I question what replacing him would achieve. Another lookalike with a similar personality, similar role and likely similar unachievable goal, just without the same recognisable charm and face. They may as well as well just keep their iconic protagonist. At this current state, Ash doesn't work brilliantly as a dynamic protagonist, but as an iconic static one, he at this point works as well as Winnie the Pooh, Bart Simpson, Batman and so forth.

Ash should never become a Bart Simpson. Even if the anime is episodic and often repetitive, Ash as a character has had a clear arc, and now dragging him from series to series becoming completely static would undermine that as well be a sign the writers have no desire to further his story in a meaningful way. That's a lack of loyalty to a main character, as well as to fans who have invested in seeing an end.

Even if the new protagonist behaves similarly, it would still be a far better outcome than keeping Ash for another decade or two.

 

[SinnohEevee]

Ash should never become a Bart Simpson. Even if the anime is episodic and often repetitive, Ash as a character has had a clear arc, and now dragging him from series to series becoming completely static would undermine that as well be a sign the writers have no desire to further his story in a meaningful way. That's a lack of loyalty to a main character, as well as to fans who have invested in seeing an end.

Even if the new protagonist behaves similarly, it would still be a far better outcome than keeping Ash for another decade or two.

No way the execs want Ash to get replaced. They make tons of money from his presence and they don't want to risk losing money because a fictional character they don't care about s becoming stale and is losing his personality.

 

[Navin]

No way the execs want Ash to get replaced. They make tons of money from his presence and they don't want to risk losing money because a fictional character they don't care about s becoming stale and is losing his personality.

I don't think losing Ash would be some devastating blow, especially if the writers understand that their target audience (8-13 y/o) recycles. None of them were even alive for OS/AG/half of DP. The Pokemon, games, etc, having an anime to showcase all of that is the real $$$ draw, not Ash. New protagonist can be Ash's child or some random also with a Pikachu. Kids aren't going to stop watching because Ash was replaced.

 

[satopi]

I don't think losing Ash would be some devastating blow, especially if the writers understand that their target audience (8-13 y/o) recycles. None of them were even alive for OS/AG/half of DP. The Pokemon, games, etc, having an anime to showcase all of that is the real $$$ draw, not Ash. New protagonist can be Ash's child or some random also with a Pikachu. Kids aren't going to stop watching because Ash was replaced.

You're underestimating Ash's existence. Removing Ash from Pokemon will be like removing Mickey Mouse from Disney (as far as mascots go.) Just because the kids weren't' alive when OS/AG/DP/etc was originally airing, it doesn't mean that they won't know about it or eventually. There's also why we have reruns. His replacement won't be well received and won't even be a shadow of Ash, even if it's his kid. And even then, it takes away "the eternal 10 year old" and glamour that kids & adults see in Ash in themselves. Team Rocket's replaceable and would've gotten replaced many times had it not been for the fan popularity. It's unsure if kids will continue or not continue to watch Pokémon if Ash is replaced but the staff themselves will get hit with a large blow of disgust from media since Ash and his Pikachu are iconic.

I also think they aren't disrespecting Ash by keeping him static because he isn't static. Yes Ash has remained the same person but he does learn from the past (most of the time). Ash doesn't have to one up himself in each League just to see his progress. In real life, in competitive sports, the person isn't going to consistently go up in ranks (something Ash has been fortunate to do) every year. Even with practice, strong Pokémon, and the power of bonds, there's always going to be someone stronger than him or an unexpected event or force pushing him from winning.

I honestly think, and of course we will always disagree with this, but it's honestly stupid and extremely unnecessary to replace Ash with his kid or some random beginner/intermediate trainer regardless of if said character will bring something that Ash didn't do. Why create a new character when there's Ash? I feel like one reason on why they created Alan was to showcase Mega Evolution on a grand scale to face off against Ash. There's a natural reason(s) on why Ash has ever changing traveling companions. What's completely disrespectful and utterly devastating will be to remove Ash from his own damn journey, the boy who's been focused on almost every episode and started it all with his Pikachu on the first episode.

 

[AuraChannelerChris]

Assuming the little kids care about the 10-year old not in the games but the actual creatures themselves.