What do you think of Ash and Gary's friendship

[Leonhart]

Same.

And the cool thing about Gary picking Blastoise is that the first pokémon Ash asked after arriving on the lab was Squirtle.

Part of me wishes that Shigeru had been revealed to own Zenigame in the first episode, which could've been used as a catalyst for his rivalry with Satoshi. I could imagine Satoshi getting mad over Shigeru getting Zenigame first and him holding a slight grudge because of that.

 

[Spider-Phoenix]

I wouldn't like this very much since it would make Ash look way too petty. Ash being the underdog works because it makes him sympathetic to the audience.

 

[Leonhart]

I wouldn't like this very much since it would make Ash look way too petty. Ash being the underdog works because it makes him sympathetic to the audience.

That's fair, although I personally felt that Satoshi being the underdog compared to Shigeru for so long got irritating after a while. The same thing sort of happened with Shinji in DP, although by that saga we all knew that Satoshi probably could've beaten him if he had used his strongest reserve Pokemon. But with Shigeru, it took Satoshi too long to even have a proper battle with his rival.

 

[Spider-Phoenix]

Yeah, Ash staying an underdog for too long can get pretty boring and stale. That's why it was kind of toned XY-onwards (though I'd argue it kind start getting better with BW by the time, Ash got to tie with Trip that one time)

 

[Ubermuk]

Part of me wishes that Shigeru had been revealed to own Zenigame in the first episode, which could've been used as a catalyst for his rivalry with Satoshi. I could imagine Satoshi getting mad over Shigeru getting Zenigame first and him holding a slight grudge because of that.

Ash getting jealous at his rival's choice of starter might've been kinda fun to see but it would have made Ash look selfish in the first episode. So I'm glad that wasn't actually a thing.

 

[Redstar45]

Ash getting jealous at his rival's choice of starter might've been kinda fun to see but it would have made Ash look selfish in the first episode. So I'm glad that wasn't actually a thing.

He is kid that started his journey and have yet reach that emotionally mature so it fine it is not going affected show THAT much but it could definitely be a great ideal to show by late Shoudõ-san design that would allow pikachu dislike Satoshi bit more and risk Satoshi live to save it from a pack of Onisuzume even more !

 

[Leonhart]

Ash getting jealous at his rival's choice of starter might've been kinda fun to see but it would have made Ash look selfish in the first episode. So I'm glad that wasn't actually a thing.

I suppose that's true. I just thought it would've added an interesting element to their rivalry if Shigeru's choice of Starter had irritated Satoshi. In retrospect, Shigeru should've debuted Kamex at the Sekiei League or during the Okido-hakase lab episode prior to the League when he and Satoshi interacted with each other.

 

[Redstar45]

I suppose that's true. I just thought it would've added an interesting element to their rivalry if Shigeru's choice of Starter had irritated Satoshi. In retrospect, Shigeru should've debuted Kamex at the Sekiei League or during the Okido-hakase lab episode prior to the League when he and Satoshi interacted with each other.

I wish Satoshi choose Hitokage after Shigeru took Zenigame and we would like to see them duke it out in lab like that classic pocket monsters games funny, it would be not change actual plot of the i Choose you ! Episode that much as you know that could just made Hitokage really hate to lose to a freaking blue turtle And could be mad at Satoshi not be competent enough to order it smartly to use Growl to lower it attck and then few Scratch enough to end the Battle.

 

[Applecorp]

I wouldn't even go as far as to call what they had a friendship. We don't know that much about how close Ash and Gary were when they were younger and at the end of Johto it seemed like they just had respect for each other but not genuine friendship?

 

[Leonhart]

I wouldn't even go as far as to call what they had a friendship. We don't know that much about how close Ash and Gary were when they were younger and at the end of Johto it seemed like they just had respect for each other but not genuine friendship?

I think that them both coming to an understanding and respecting each other is the closest thing to a friendship that they'll have. It's a pretty big change from the days when they didn't get along at all, and that's probably the best we can ever hope for since it doesn't seem like Shigeru will return again, anyway.

 

[carterfeygo]

I for one would like to see Gary come back. Not as a rival because that was done before already but as a friend who would travel with Ash.

 

[EmberFireTrainer]

I for one would like to see Gary come back. Not as a rival because that was done before already but as a friend who would travel with Ash.

I wouldn't mind that either. Perhaps as a short arc like about 3 or 4 episodes where Gary temporarily travels with Ash and Go. I would love to see Ash and Gary team up especially since they have opposite personalities. Kinda reminds me of the Sinnoh episode where they teamed up to save the Shieldon although Ash and Gary didn't actually travel together then.

 

[Snupiks]

Satoshi and Shigeru knowing each other even before the events of episode one was retconned.

In the first episode they talk like they met for the first time.

 

[Redstar45]

Satoshi and Shigeru knowing each other even before the events of episode one was retconned.

In the first episode they talk like they met for the first time.

nope
In the pre-release material they are a childhood friends and they do know each other

 

[Captain Jigglypuff]

Ash has always been written as being acquainted with Professor Oak and by association Ash always knew Gary as well. They were neighbors and it’d be very strange if Ash knew Oak for years but not Gary.

 

[Leonhart]

Satoshi and Shigeru knowing each other even before the events of episode one was retconned.

In the first episode they talk like they met for the first time.

I'm pretty sure that Satoshi referred to Shigeru by name in the original version [I can't remember if it happened in the English dub], so they obviously knew each other.

 

[Redstar45]

I'm pretty sure that Satoshi referred to Shigeru by name in the original version [I can't remember if it happened in the English dub], so they obviously knew each other.

Yup and dub sceaw that aspect up

 

[Satoshi]

Satoshi and Shigeru knowing each other even before the events of episode one was retconned.

In the first episode they talk like they met for the first time.

Dub-only. Given the context of the pre-release material, the nuance of their Japanese dialogue in the first episode indicates that they're familiar with each other. It's certainly not how Japanese people would speak to someone they've never seen before, even in a particularly rude way.

His bio in the pre-release material leading up to the anime's launch:

「サトシの幼なじみで最大のライバル。オーキドはかせの孫だ。」

Literal: Satoshi's childhood friend and greatest rival. He is Dr. Orchid's grandchild.

Suggesting that their past relationship and rivalry will be rather faithful to their base characters of Red and Green from the Game Boy games. Here's the first thing Shigeru says to Satoshi in the first episode, after Satoshi bumped into him:

「痛いのはこっちだ！ん．．．！？ お前はサトシだな。はいはい、サ～トシさんだよ！サトシ君は最初から遅刻かい。」

Literal: That hurt! Hm...!? You're Satoshi, aren't you? Yeah yeah, it's Saaatoshi-san! Is Satoshi-kun late from the start?

The dub's choice of English then proceeds to change and over-embellish the context/nuance completely, as if Gary's only ever heard of Ash and gives Ash the honors of "meeting" him, despite that conflicting with later encounters and flashbacks. Much like a certain companion's not-so-dead mother.

"Hey, watch where you're going! Well, you must be Ash! Better late than never, I guess! At least you get the chance to meet me!"

(If the dub wasn't an inaccurate mess of a localization, this might have been better: "Hey, watch where you're going! Hm? Well oh well, if it isn't Ashy-boy! Better late than never, I guess!" Proper native English interpretation of the original nuance using localized names/mannerisms, and none of the plotholes.)

 

[Kuzehiko]

Their bond went through a great development for both. Going from rivals who disliked one another to rivals that respected each other and then good friends. Gary becoming a researcher suits his character well imo but I would have loved had he continued being Ash's main rival in the series. IIRC in DP Gary said Ash was his best friend to which Ash nodded so I consider them to be best friends as of now. Also, Gary was Ash's very first bond in the Pokemon world even before than Pikachu or Serena. Of course, that bond was of rivalry but it developed greatly since they met.

 

[Snupiks]

Literal: That hurt! Hm...!? You're Satoshi, aren't you? Yeah yeah, it's Saaatoshi-san! Is Satoshi-kun late from the start?

I WAS talking about original Japanese version, and the way Yuko Kobayashi delivered those lines was really like Shigeru just knew about him, but never directly interacted with.

I mean, "You're Satoshi, aren't you? Yeah yeah, it's Saaatoshi-san!", it just doesn't sound like something you would say to a person you talked to before.