How would you like to see Ash's character develop in the future?

[Alexander18]

And the post that prompted your argument had an entire list of ideas for his development, with him leaving only being a small aspect. You're the one who chose to focus on that little thing, not anybody else.

Leaving the show is not development of character and not what the thread is about. I am just pointing out that Ash is sticking around.

 

[U.N. Owen]

The writers could start by giving him better character interactions. Some of the dialogue feels so reused that you could play a drinking game out of it. Characters interacting with each other in order to dig up character traits is writing 101.

 

[Mrs. Oreo]

I don't think Ash meeting his dad would help develop him, but at most it could give him a morale boost.

I think him meeting his father could at least develop him as a character a little even tho he'd likely remain the same as a trainer no matter what. But then again, Ash's character probably wouldn't make much use out of character development any ways cuz he isn't really required to change. He seems to appeal to kids the way he is now. ^^

 

[Leonhart]

The writers could start by giving him better character interactions. Some of the dialogue feels so reused that you could play a drinking game out of it.

That's probably because Satoshi himself doesn't have much depth. He's just a happy-go-lucky kid who loves Pokemon. It's hard to make him exchange meaningful dialogue with others that doesn't revolve around that.

 

[DatsRight]

That's probably because Satoshi himself doesn't have much depth. He's just a happy-go-lucky kid who loves Pokemon. It's hard to make him exchange meaningful dialogue with others that doesn't revolve around that.

In fairness Ash at least used to be capable of being snarky and comical. Compare some of his retorts to Team Rocket then and now for example.

 

[thor94]

Only having ash character develop in the future (instead of somewhat regress) would already be a major improvement of this anime.
All other main and secondaries characters in the show have far more depth than him (damn, we know more about most characters of the day backstories than Ash)

 

[Typhlosion Trainer]

For starters, I would like Ash not to seem to revert back to a complete newbie when he goes to a new region. That has always bothered me. At least keep the knowledge of Pokemon you ran into in the past when you see them in the current region. I hate when pulls out a Pokedex for a Pokemon he has already seen before (especially one he has or had).

But off of that rant.

I would like to at least seem him get closer and closer to winning a league. I think that would be the obvious thing for his character development. It was nice to see him get to the Top 4 in the Sinnoh League (even though to this day, I hate how the writers made him lose). Obviously he took a step back in the Unova League, but keep making him get closer. I better see AT LEAST Top 4 in the Kalos League.

Only having ash character develop in the future (instead of somewhat regress) would already be a major improvement of this anime.
All other main and secondaries characters in the show have far more depth than him (damn, we know more about most characters of the day backstories than Ash)

I agree. We have had Ash since day one, but we do not know much about his past (such as before his journey began). Who is the true Ash and how has he come to be the forever 10 year old that we have come to know?

 

[Leonhart]

I hate when pulls out a Pokedex for a Pokemon he has already seen before (especially one he has or had).

That's done primarily to give the viewers an overview of the Pokemon he meets, not necessarily because Satoshi is forgetful regarding which Pokemon he's met. The Pokemon Zukan usually has new info on Pokemon in each region anyway, so it's helpful.

 

[Kanto_Caper]

I'd pretty much like the same thing as everyone else. Let Ash remember what he's learned about Pokemon, let him either win a League Tournament or slowly start winning higher and higher in the tournament until he can face off against and/or win against the Elite Four, and for the love of everything, let him eventually complete his goal of becoming a Pokemon Master!

That's done primarily to give the viewers an overview of the Pokemon he meets, not necessarily because Satoshi is forgetful regarding which Pokemon he's met. The Pokemon Zukan usually has new info on Pokemon in each region anyway, so it's helpful.

We all know that's the reason the writers have him do that, but it doesn't make it any less annoying to watch for long-time viewers. =/

Nor does it make Ash any less forgetful in-universe. If they wrote specific reasons for him to look up Pokemon he's seen before, like if he hit his head and got amnesia at the start of the season and said he had to re-learn a lot, or he just pulled out his Pokedex for the benefit of a Pokemon newb he picked up in the new region to look over his shoulder, or if they had him muse out loud that he'd be interested to know what the new Dex has to say about this old Pokemon he's seen before. But the writers don't provide a reason in-universe for him to look up information about Pokemon he should already know about, so in-universe he comes across as forgetful at best.

 

[malcolm_n]

If he wins a league, wouldn't that make him a pokemon master and be the end of his goal? I can see him taking 2nd a few more times, or winning side stuff (like the Orange Island's league, etc).

Anyway, wishlist... Meeting his dad would be cool. Also, having him actually catch a legendary/pseudo-legendary would be cool since he seems to interact with all of them over time. Also, he needs more shiny pokemon.

 

[Moonstardust]

If he wins a league, wouldn't that make him a pokemon master and be the end of his goal?

I don't think so. At least, I don't remember if it was ever said in the show itself that winning a League = becoming a Pokemon Master.

 

[Pokegirl Fan~]

I think once Ash wins a league, he should get a new battling goal to show progression towards his Pokemon Master goal. I really don't think having him continue the gym quest and league will be that interesting to watch after he wins and it'd be too repetitive, plus what happens if the writers decide to reset him again like in BW? Anyways, have Ash get a new battling goal to show his progression after winning the league and have the female companion do the gym quest and league from that point forward.

 

[Bahmo]

While, I, too, have made known my disdain for the anime never letting Ash win a league, that is mostly because their official reason, "because then the series would be over", simply isn't true. Ash is always swapping out his older, more powerful Pokemon out for ones from the present generation, and gamers are constantly buying new Pokemon games after they beat the old ones, so there's no logical reason why, upon raising a team that won him the gold, he'd just call it quits, resolve his team was now too powerful for Pokemon battles to be challenging anymore, and never challenge another league with other Pokemon.

However, just because Ash could still logically go on challenging leagues if he won them, that doesn't mean it's what I want to see. For the near future, it would be nice to see the showrunners let him win another league--one that's actually in the video games, this time--but for the adult in me, a protagonist striving to be the best at a sport that doesn't even exist just isn't meaningful; even if he becomes more successful at it. Given the choice between Ash beginning to win leagues but continuing to frame his life around them, and Ash never winning leagues but moving on to more interesting conflicts, I'd probably choose the latter...

...the "probably" being there because I'm not sure what would constitute "more interesting conflicts" in this series. The world the Pokemon series inhabits has always been rather ridiculous, pretentious and shallow, and often when it gets into more weighty conflict it escalates to flat-out repulsive. I think I find new things to hate about the Yellow arc of Pokemon Special each time I think about what I hate about it. So I don't want Pokemon to stay mired in the doldrums of 2BA Master, but I also don't enjoy the quasi-Lovecraftian "end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it" scenarios that the series has increasingly normalized. I think I would prefer more character-centric conflicts and resolutions; good examples would be the relationship of Ruby and Sapphire in the manga, the episodes of the anime that show the Team Rocket trio in a more sympathetic light, and Brock's quest to meet a woman he clicks with. Some might argue that shifting the focus to these sorts of things would decrease the degree to which it's even Pokemon anymore, but then, when they're constantly teased by the series, why not resolve them and move on?

 

[Alexander18]

I think once Ash wins a league, he should get a new battling goal to show progression towards his Pokemon Master goal. I really don't think having him continue the gym quest and league will be that interesting to watch after he wins and it'd be too repetitive, plus what happens if the writers decide to reset him again like in BW? Anyways, have Ash get a new battling goal to show his progression after winning the league and have the female companion do the gym quest and league from that point forward.

I don't think so. Ash is always going to be challenging gyms and league in my opinion. The chances of a female companion taking on gym battles are almost zero. Maybe a female rival though. I don't think Ash should change his goal so one of his companions should take over. Plus gym battles and leagues are part of his journey.

 

[Bahmo]

Female companions have no business taking on gyms and leagues. Best that Ash sticks to his goal of pokemon master while female companion does contests or whatever.

Yikes, dude. I'm not what anyone would call a feminist, but seriously, that's cold.

Then again, if being a battle-obsessed maniac made a female character as dull as Ash, would anyone really want that? (I know what you'll say: Sapphire proves they would, but I at least mostly like Sapphire because I feel she's more of a deconstruction of hot-blooded, glory-hounding anime protagonists.)

 

[Alexander18]

Yikes, dude. I'm not what anyone would call a feminist, but seriously, that's cold.

Then again, if being a battle-obsessed maniac made a female character as dull as Ash, would anyone really want that? (I know what you'll say: Sapphire proves they would, but I at least mostly like Sapphire because I feel she's more of a deconstruction of hot-blooded, glory-hounding anime protagonists.)

Sorry about that. I realized what it sounded like so I edited it. Anyway, point is I think Ash would stick to battling gyms and league while his character develops in between them.

 

[Aduro]

I don't think so. Ash is always going to be challenging gyms and league in my opinion. The chances of a female companion taking on gym battles are almost zero. Maybe a female rival though. I don't think Ash should change his goal so one of his companions should take over. Plus gym battles and leagues are part of his journey.

It would be dull to have a companion who does the same gym battles as Ash right before or after Ash does them. A companion needs to have a different goal to Ash but ideally one with clear, tangible goals like contests had with collecting ribbons.

As for Ash winning the league and companions handling the gym battles, I can't see that happening. The main character in the games collects badges and the anime reflects that goial. So either Ash stops being the main character and gets out of the new protagonists way for most episodes, or Ash will stay as the main character and keep collecting badges.

 

[Bahmo]

Sorry about that. I realized what it sounded like so I edited it. Anyway, point is I think Ash would stick to battling gyms and league while his character develops in between them.

My other point stands, though; wouldn't that run the risk of making Ash the least interesting protagonist in a show that's supposed to be about him?

 

[Alexander18]

My other point stands, though; wouldn't that run the risk of making Ash the least interesting protagonist in a show that's supposed to be about him?

It wouldn't. Gym and leagues battles are made for him. Ash is still interesting always will be in my opinion.

 

[TheScentedApple]

The show is about Ash and his journey so him leaving is almost zero chance in my opinion. Ash probably loses the league and moves on to Alola. His character is developing just fine for me.

or this show is about Pokemon, hence the name