Fans have a low tolerance for character incompetence. It's not just Ash, it's the female companions too. How many people complained May didn't know what she was doing or was making clueless mistakes in early Hoenn? Then when Dawn started losing multiple contests? Or Serena, Lillie,etc. barely doing any battling until far into their run.
If people actually liked watching characters built up from the beginning, you wouldn't see people constantly complaining about every new female companion being weak and incompetent at the start.
If people actually liked watching characters built up from the beginning, you wouldn't see people constantly complaining about every new female companion being weak and incompetent at the start.