2. The only point of the Battle Frontier was to advertise the third gen games. It was not needed at all. The Unova league and the filler arc at the end was absolutely terrible. However, I will admit that the tournaments throughout the series were done pretty well, especially since there were so many named characters taking part instead of just the 3 main characters and Ash's/female main's rival. Iris not only winning a tournament but defeating Ash and pikachu in the process was a major achievement that Misty never had.
I will agree how tournaments were one of BW saga hightlights. It was refreshing to see all rivals and main cast gathering at one place producing wide array of emotions and humorous interactions. Especially with Iris and Geargiua clash and heated tension, along with Burgundy grumpy nature mixed with jealousy over Cilan higher rank.
Female lead for once stealing glory from Ash was nice change of pace as well when dominating that Don George tournament and winning set of wings. Because Ash most of time wins bigt competitions, so seeing girl succeed for change was satisfying.
However i disagree over Battle Frontier not being needed. While it portrayed return to Kanto terribly not resembling revisit of this region at all aside from title. Not featuring any older gym leader(not even Sabrina when Ash and co were in Saffron city, return of any familiar faces like Misty which could have joined group traveling with them there and advance her own dreams of water master possibly ending as E4 Lorelei apprentice better representing Kanto and Ash homeland that way through another face iconic to this region. No visit of older places, towns, landscapes and various trainers Ash met on his journey initially(like Gielle or AJ), No comeback or throwback to some of his older pokemon like Primeape for example.
Battle Frontier still served very important role in giving May and her rivals build up of story established before showing character actively continuing to improve as coordinator after pretty mediocre performance in Hoenn GF. It allowed to have May finally defeat her most fierce rival Drew and come to cognition of being time to leave Ash and make her own path to follow. It established new scope for Ash to obtain serving as testament to hard work, training and more creative strategies he developed during journey through AG saga. Conquering Battle Frontier and making big leap in becoming recognized as powerful, ingenious and skilled trainer,. Which is important because from future pokemon masters its expected to make name for themselves among other powerful trainers of high caliber.
It gave Brock development in evolving his pokemon like Mudkip, catching new ones like Bonsly, developing better understsnding for his disfunctional family witnessing nice bonding moment with younger brither Forest motivating him to become succesful gym leader and continued to enrich on knowkedge as breeder.
So i wouldnt say BF was waste of time.
On other hand Decolora adventure was disaster, With little to zero development for anyone, Cilan and Iris rivalries with Georgia flopping not going anywhere in end.
Whole adventure through islands not having any real plot, substance and sense of direction. With main cast starting to stagnate after N arc being painfully clear how writers just stalled out until next generation comes out not putting effort at all to tell eventful and endearing story anymore.
Fact how bad departure between Ash and Iris, Cilan was wanting to go visit his hometown and region he originated from just to change mind and depart to Johto with no emotion, attachment and impression of three strong friends saying goodbye existing there says ALOT.
Worst thing of all is how they had material in games to adapt in anime such as World Cup. Which could have received more coverage than just small, local like event in form of Junior Cup which was travesty and disgrace to such huge competition made in games. Biggest event existing in pokemon world gathering powerful trainers from all part od world.
Writers could dedicate whole DA adventure to promotion of World Cup dividing it in multiple cups like junior cup, senior cup, champion cup. Featuring return of older gym leaders, return of previous traveling companions like Misty who could gained alot in meeting and battling all kind of reputable trainers in sharping skills and building way toward reaching elite trainer calliber. And giving more flavor and story to post league adventure.
Give Ash some sense of importance and objective to reach in helping him to discover new alternative ways of building strength of his pokermon progressing goal of becoming pokemon master. While Iris and Cilan could through participation in such events improve their trainer skills, develop better their pokemon and advance forward.
Especially in Iris case helping pokemon like Axew to become more powerful and open doors toward reaching predispositions to eventually evolve.
3. Cilan I felt was a horrible character at first but over time grew to like him more. He's still no Brock, however. As for Iris, I feel she was handled WAY better than Misty ever was. All Misty had going for her was that she was angry and had a crush on Ash. Take that away and she has nothing. Iris was badass and didn't take crap from anyone, including Ash, which was a nice change. It might seem she did not get much development because she started out so strong, but seeing her confidence grow over the course of the show was great.
Is this a joke?
Misty had story to become water pokemon master,learn as much as she can about water type, find and if possible catch legendary pokemon she always dream about, had complex of feeling less worthy compared to Daisy and others along with having issues and fears which stood on way preventing her from going forward(Gyarados specie fear, tendency to judge pokemon by looks, rather than inside strength etc came to mind).
She also had highly passionate, sympathetic and colorful personality capable of showing big range of expressions. From enthusiasm, appreciation for romance, sassy behavior coming with various jokes, along with defiant, strongwilled attitude not letting others to give up and be submissive and lot of unselfish, caring side. Coming of as nuanced and rich in personality protagonist.
In comparison i felt Iris character development was well pretty scarse compared to Misty. Who displayed big change in emotionally growing in more mature, tougher, tolerant and independent individual. Showing various sides to her personality over time as she grew and developed new traits and interest. In developing close appreciation for her human friends, repairing broken rekationship with sisters, overcoming personal childhood trauma and becoming more open and understanding of different opinions, thus accepting better criticism than she used to in early days, Along with working hard for every pokemon and achievement she had with no shortcuts involved.
Iris didn't revealed especially big change in her behavior staying for most part same from start to end of Unova. Coming of as wild, hyperactive, snarky and instinctive. Something she was in reality from start, barring becoming more comfortable with Ash out of box thinking and more selfcritic realizing her own flaws.
Further more while Iris did received more fleshing out and exploration of her dragon master goal, whole development arc was inconsistent. Dissipated all over the place and poorly designed. First writers introduced Axev as main vector behind Iris even going on journey in first place, just to see it dropped defeating whole point behind character existence in middle of road . With supposed story of trainer and small dragon working on improving themselves and developing close bond full of understanding. Which would lead toward Axew fulfillment of dream evolving in powerful Haxorous and serve as proof to Iris coming closer toward dragon master status going nowhere.
Than we get to see Iris story and dreams barely receiving build up or focus until Meloetta arc , just to follow rushed and well pretty cheap way to suiddenly boost her pokemon team and trainer competence through capture of Dragonite. Which while ill admit later lead toward more concreete and meaningful arc in bond between dragon and its trainer eventually being established.
Still came of as forced and poorly designed storyline, mainly because there was no build up or foreshadowing toward Dragonite capture whatsoever. I had no problens with Iris getting fully evolved dragon, since it brought new perspective to character story in having to deal with with disobedient and enraged fully evolved dragon needing to break barriers which existed between them coming to understand and respect each other.
Something which is alot harder to do than its case with baby dragons putting to test Iris talent and ability to understand dragon hearts, allowing to learn more that way.
But i had issue in how factors which contributed toward whole arc were never met. With Iris strength as dragon trainer and expert , amount of training and hard work not reaching predispositions to warrant inclusion of pokemon with such calliber . Considering how there was no foreplay, any story leading toward capture.
Or Iris trainer abilities suddenly jumping 180% over night in Axew which was basically infant with little to no battling, growth and training starting to learn powerful moves out of nowhere such as giga impact managing to affect pokemon of champion level.
I liked Iris. She was unique, funny and interesting character but i also feel her development could have been executed in more consistent and productive way.
