This is actually a big fear of mine. For Serena to be the Pokemon version of Sakura Haruno. A character with loads of potential but is constantly bogged down because of her unhealthy obsession with a boy that will never return her feelings. Thankfully Serena doesn't show any signs of being like that so for the moment she's safe. No character in any anime should ever want to be like Sakura, not even Sakura herself.
I believe more appropriate example for being obsessive would be Yuno Gasai from Future Diary. She was epitome of unhealthy obsession holded for some character. With Sakura case its more desperate hope being unable to get over it. Still she is medic ninja, is involved in several recue missions, improved her strength and techniques over the years and has attitude, flare and highly determinative approach lifting up dynamic.
Something we have yet to discover with Serena who so far come of as quite passive character barely being involved in episode plots, didn't had any real battle so far and lacks what it appears to be motivation, courage and desire to be more involved within action, find something which she wants to accomplish and grow through valuable experience she may get when traveling.
In a way i can definitely understand frustration and fear from fans which wants her to be more than love interest. Because while sometime this is all its required to have characters grow through exploration of such kind of relationship helping them to find inner srtrength and more confidence like it was case in Sailor Moon or in newer anime like Sword Art online.
In pokemon any attempt of romance subplot developing in something meaningful and influencing in longer run is sentenced to fall flat on surface with nothing coming out of it. Because it simply isn't such type of show where love and romance aspects have much relevance lacking complex plot and deep development to allow on expanding on whole thing and gain something substantial from it through which characters can live on and develop. For same reason whole romance angle for example between May and Drew or Misty harboring affection for Ash were never dived deeper into. With this girls existence primarily being centered on having dreams and motives to accomplish, battling, enriching on group dynamic through multifaced rich characterization and got involved in various plots gaining inner strength and more integrity .
Nor im not sure if i would welcome that with main charm of series being in battles, finding where you belong and what fulfills him, her as person and adventure aspect where friends support each other, develop closer friendship and encourage themselves in overcoming obstacles and achieving their own agendas and goals.
Personally i wont be even bothered if whole point of Serena journey really is just focused on trying out different things not having goal set in mind ofwhat she wants to become and where she sees herself.
As long its portrayed as voyage of some sort of selfquestioning not being sure what entertain her the most and make her happy. With Serena developing aspiration in sticking to it and working hard to better herself, improve battle abilities, come out of shell not being so closed up and become resolved in achieving ultimate desirers.
With journey with Ash, Clemont and Bonnie helping to realize her own strength and virtues as character discovering at what she is truly good at gaining more identity and substance as character eventually.
brock and max didnt do anything in AG and again Misty May Dawn(got co-star status) and Iris were treated better than the male sidekicks so how is that fair? that for 15+ years the male companion became irrelevant and ultimately a background character
I dont think Brock and even Max were irrelevant in AG. Brock got more focus on his breeder career in Hoenn, became more battle active, entered quite a few events. Still helped Ash in training and preparing strategies practicing many sparring battles, had plenty of bonding moments with other pokemon and characters along with more attention being given to his family and issues he gone through with them at times.
Max contribued to cast chemistry producing at times clash and tension with his instigating remarks with suster or Ash, grew abit in learning how books and theory isn't everything and became more respectful toward others, including his sister. While having moments for himself.
