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How would Ash winning a league change the anime?

Shadao

Aim to be a Pokémon Master
There's still hope for the world!



I think you are being a bit too optimist here. I think it feels that way because the direction just doesn't care for it the same way they don't care much about battles, Grand trials and the Ultra Beast/Necrozma climatic arcs lol

The joke is that Ash's first League victory would be so mundane, people would wonder why on earth was it a big deal beforehand in previous series.

It's like beating an impossibly hard game only to discover that the reward at the end is "A WINNER IS YOU."
 

Spider-Phoenix

#ChespinGang
But if Ash won the Alola league I could still see complaints because it'd be pretty much a joke competition considering how much the series is comedic, what kind of role Kukui has in the anime and the overall lack of "journey climax".

And I almost forgot:

A perspective that is a running theme of XY: How do people perceive Ash Ketchum as?

You know, that's actually a great read of the series. Personally I never thought about things in this light but now we brought it up, it makes all sense. Now, I like the series even more than I did already!

In fact, part of Alain's surprise with Ash is how he easily he got over his losses and just wants another battle with Alain in the future, possibly in another League and with a new team. Keep in mind, Alain's mentality prior to the Team Flare climax was to get stronger and never lose. Defeat was not an option. So for Alain to see Ash shrug off the defeat (as well as the fact that it was kinda Alain's fault that Ash was captured, tortured and nearly turned into a slave for Lysandre), it made him realize he could not defeat Ash. Maybe have victories over him, but Ash still keeps on going like Rocky Balboa.

Another great read of the entire thing and knowing anime tropes, I bet that was Yajima's intention.
 

AuraChannelerChris

Easygoing Luxray.
Guys, I'm pretty sure something that deep should have been used on anyone else but Ash who is already too used to losing leagues. We want him to win, dammit, not teach others we'll never see ever again that it's a blast to lose and shrug it off. It's such a disposable life lesson that won't matter in the show's universe anyway. If it had been a newbie show without 1000 episodes, it would've been more meaningful (and better pulled off), but not this anime.
 
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Shadao

Aim to be a Pokémon Master
Guys, I'm pretty sure something that deep should have been used on anyone else but Ash who is already too used to losing leagues. We want him to win, dammit, not teach others we'll never see ever again that it's a blast to lose and shrug it off. It's such a disposable life lesson that won't matter in the show's universe anyway. If it had been a newbie show without 1000 episodes, it would've been more meaningful (and better pulled off), but not this anime.

The question is then... how do we react when he does win? What happens when he finally does it?

Will it be a bang and there'll be celebration on the streets? Or would it be so mundane and anti-climatic that we have to reflect upon the obsession with the League victory?

It's something I realized when reflecting back upon Alain. Humbled and humiliated by Lysandre. Has to learn a few lessons from Ash post-League. Has literally no clue on what to do after the League. And then he goes back to being Sycamore's assistant searching for Mega Stones (with the added bonus of getting rid of the very thing that made his Charizard mega powerful). No Elite Four run for him, as far as I'm concerned.

That's something I tend to muse about time and time again. This biggest joke the writers could pull off for the next League is for Ash to win... and not make a big deal out of it.
 

AuraChannelerChris

Easygoing Luxray.
The question is then... how do we react when he does win? What happens when he finally does it?

Will it be a bang and there'll be celebration on the streets? Or would it be so mundane and anti-climatic that we have to reflect upon the obsession with the League victory?

It's something I realized when reflecting back upon Alain. Humbled and humiliated by Lysandre. Has to learn a few lessons from Ash post-League. Has literally no clue on what to do after the League. And then he goes back to being Sycamore's assistant searching for Mega Stones (with the added bonus of getting rid of the very thing that made his Charizard mega powerful). No Elite Four run for him, as far as I'm concerned.

That's something I tend to muse about time and time again. This biggest joke the writers could pull off for the next League is for Ash to win... and not make a big deal out of it.
It will be a big deal if it gives him a special pass to the mythical Champions League.
 
D

Deleted member 384931

Guest
I think that Ash took his lose in XYZ easily, because he matured. And SM Ash isnt bad at batteling at all, its just not showed that much. That makes you wonder: can Ash still grow as a specialist in battles? Besides, what can we expect from the Aloloan League? Only Z-Rings or also ME? Where will it be held? Whio will participate? Are Misty and Brock involved by making the league? Will there be six-on-six battles?
 

LilligantLewis

Bonnie stan
I think that Ash took his lose in XYZ easily, because he matured. And SM Ash isnt bad at batteling at all, its just not showed that much. That makes you wonder: can Ash still grow as a specialist in battles? Besides, what can we expect from the Aloloan League? Only Z-Rings or also ME? Where will it be held? Whio will participate? Are Misty and Brock involved by making the league? Will there be six-on-six battles?
The Indigo League is the only league where Ash didn't make it to the 6on6 rounds, so I expect him to make it to the 6on6 rounds in this league.
 

ash&charizardfan

Humans are tools
The Indigo League is the only league where Ash didn't make it to the 6on6 rounds, so I expect him to make it to the 6on6 rounds in this league.

Then again indig league was a part of only series that doesn't take battling seriously and put it to backburner over humour and comedy.
 

LilligantLewis

Bonnie stan
Then again indig league was a part of only series that doesn't take battling seriously and put it to backburner over humour and comedy.
That had nothing to do with it. It had to do with the fact that Ash lost to Ritchie in the Round of 16. He's not going to lose in the Round of 16 in this league. Heck, there may only even BE 16 total people in this small league.
 

Shadao

Aim to be a Pokémon Master
Then again indig league was a part of only series that doesn't take battling seriously and put it to backburner over humour and comedy.

If I recall correctly, Oak said that if Ash wins his fifth round, he'll be able to use his full team in a six-on-six battle. The fifth round was Ritchie, and I don't think it was a coincidence they mentioned this fact to Ash, given his love for battles.

The real question is what is the Alola League even all about. It's not an established thing in Alola, and my gut tells me it ain't going to be even a professional round of competition. More like a Don George Tournament.
 

Genaller

Silver Soul
Yeah I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; Ash showing any sadness at loosing the KL would’ve actually been out of character given Ash’s progression with respect to how he handles league losses (was upset for a good amount of time after loosing at the Indigo League, was only momentarily upset after loosing at the Johto League, wasn’t upset after loosing at the Hoenn League, was momentarily upset at the realization that he never stood a chance against Tobias but was not upset with the actual loss since he went out in a blaze of glory, usually don’t count Unova but even there he wasn’t upset after his loss, and in Kalos to show further progression he still wasn’t upset after his loss despite the stakes the match being a league final had for him since he was able to perform at his peak till the very end). Ash by this point essentially embodies the principle: “do your duty, come what may” meaning you shouldn’t be upset by the result as long as you were able to do your best; it’s an idealistic notion that most people in real life can’t emulate a lot of the time, but then again Ash being fictional is an idealistic character.

Also for people that question what happens when 1 wins a league conference; from gen 1 - 6 it’d be that 1 gains access to a/the Champions’ League based on lore established in DP though for gen 7 most likely not since the Alola League probably doesn’t have the same accreditation as other leagues due to not having a gym system.
 

Litleonid

Well-Known Member
The way I see it, not too much. He wins the league, loses to an Elite 4 member, then carries on. His mom, Professor Oak, and friends at home congratulate him and he puts his trophy on the display shelf he has. Ash realizes he can still go up and decides to move onto the next region to shoot for the top spot as the Regional Champion.
 

LilligantLewis

Bonnie stan
The way I see it, not too much. He wins the league, loses to an Elite 4 member, then carries on. His mom, Professor Oak, and friends at home congratulate him and he puts his trophy on the display shelf he has. Ash realizes he can still go up and decides to move onto the next region to shoot for the top spot as the Regional Champion.
which is why it should happen. I would love for him to face an Elite 4 member.
 

U.N. Owen

In Brightest Day, In Blackest Night ...
If the writers want to keep writing Ash as a perpetual traveler, then they will. Nothing would change if he won every league up to now and nothing would change if he lost every league.
 

Leonhart

Imagineer
Litleonid said:
The way I see it, not too much. He wins the league, loses to an Elite 4 member, then carries on. His mom, Professor Oak, and friends at home congratulate him and he puts his trophy on the display shelf he has. Ash realizes he can still go up and decides to move onto the next region to shoot for the top spot as the Regional Champion.

I agree with this assessment, minus the emphasis on the trophy. I feel like the anime has made Satoshi's achievements seem somewhat minor in recent sagas that even a new trophy for him might not be celebrated on-screen.
 

Yuugis Black Magician

Namaikina Imouto
After the fifth league, it made me wonder if the writers hate their OC.

Now it's becoming a bit ridiculous. I just want know if they will ever let their OC win something big instead of being crushed with a smile on his face. I want to know if they like him.

The plot is restricted by what they are allowed to do by executives. Head Writers Tomioka Atsuhiro (he's personally scripted over two hundred episodes) and Matsui Aya love the franchise. Series Director Tomiyasu Daiki loves the franchise. The high-quality of Sun & Moon is a direct off-shoot of the increasingly higher amount of effort allowed to be placed into the series thanks to the production schedule being specifically geared towards increasing the quality.
 
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