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Who do you think has had the best character development?

janejane6178

janejane6178

Kaleido Star FOREVER in my heart <3
Serena for sure. Especially her personal development
 
E

Epicocity

Well-Known Member
SerenaRulez said:
Serena, Lillie and Paul have gotten the best development especially Lillie who went from fearing Pokemon to loving them plus all the stuff about her family troubles. :)
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Just to point out, Lillie never feared Pokemon. She loved them. She just had a fear of touching them, so she'd freak when they got close. But on their own, she adored Pokemon.
 
ash&charizardfan

ash&charizardfan

Humans are tools
Applecorp said:
Lillie, Dawn and Serena. Actually alot of the so called Pokegirls had good development compared to the boys including Ash.
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Add may as well, she was definitely treated well too except for some of her questionable wins, but no girl has come close to level of OS-DP ashlevel development, his growth was much realistic than anyone else.
 
SinnohEevee

SinnohEevee

Well-Known Member
SerGoldenhandtheJust said:
Dawn is the best in terms of development imo, Goh seems to be getting a lot too. Idk about you guys but i think a duo is perfect cast rather than 3 or 4 people. If Goh leaves the anime next gen, id like ash and the female companion together.
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I wish DP was Ash and Dawn.

To answer the question, I think the best development (at least with humans) occurred with Ash (pre-BW) and Dawn
. Ash went from a total noob in Kanto to the unofficial runner-up in Sinnoh. Dawn went from an overconfident trainer who struggled with Contests to the runner-up and Ash's equal. I haven't watched all of SM so I can't comment much on Lillie.
 
Lacuna

Lacuna

Goodnight
I was gonna say Dawn and May and Ash of course but I think they've all been covered in this thread a lot already lol.

I totally agree with the Team Rocket trio development, even if (or especially because!) it's subtle when you're not paying attention. One thing I noticed is that in "The Problem with Paras" really early on, when Meowth gets sick, Jessie and James almost shrug it off and leave him behind - but in "Operation: Dub Pikachu" recently, they both immediately try to help him get better. Jessie also started caring for Wobbuffet a lot more over time. They all seem like they stick together and stand up for each other a lot more (and aren't quite as averse to helping out the twerp sometimes as they used to be)!

I also personally really like how Gou's character is developing right now as well. Obviously Journeys is nowhere near ending, so maybe they'll throw a curveball at us (pun intended) somewhere in there and I'll change my mind, but I think it's being handled pretty realistically. He still struggles at times with a lot of things because of bad past experiences, but is slowly trying to learn and get better, instead of just making a complete instant 180 like I sort of expected at first. Even Koharu pointed out that he's only just now starting to rely less on data and calculated outcomes, and more on instinct instead. That kind of growth is really investing to me.

I think I've typed enough but obviously, honorable mention to Gary too, even if everything that could be said about him has been said already. I always think that "The Rivalry Revival" is a really good example of that off-screen development, since that was the first time we saw him after his loss at the League, and it's noticeable that he's changed since then.
 
Dragonsoldier77

Dragonsoldier77

Bittersweet Satisfaction
Serena, without a doubt. How her development progressed through the whole series was just great. While the showcases didn’t really succeed as a competition arc, it did a hell of a job as a vehicle for her growth

Even though it’s all intertwined two points really stood out, which are ‘choosing a path in life’ which is developed with her participation in the showcases and the characters around it and ‘never giving up’ which was done through the individual shows and setbacks. Three if you count the shipping stuff that acts as a catalyst for the rest.
The goal finding was great, with how she starts with a path set by her mom but one she didn’t want. The early episodes did good by showing her own doubts and trying different things like pokevison, which peaks during the camp with her talk with ash where he says to take her time and that fennekin is also there for her.

Then she finally get her goal and an obstacle appear in her mom. This is where the ‘never give up’ from her defeatist attitude really starts to develop, even though it actually started all the way back during her childhood meeting with ash. Her mom points out her flaw and tries what she think is best as a parent, and this relatable since many real parents do the same. Serena finally showed some grit and gets her mom to understand that she is serious. At this point i already found serena better than may tbh, since may decision do contest felt like it came very easily.

Then the showcases starts in earnest and each shows the progression on her embracing the ‘never give up’ mantra she got from ash. Starting from the first one where her first big mistake caused her to give up. Then her resolution not to give up again marked by the haircut which was her big shift in character. Then it was just the step by step development. Not giving up again because of the dress mishap, then her having to put it to use not only for herself but also to evee after another showcase misshap. Then toping it off with the masterclass, which was actually quite subdued but just masterful imo.

It was just that injury. The injury that just showed her not giving up one last time, before being seemingly forgotten. But i found it a beautiful way to wrap it up. As the little girl who resigned herself to being lost in the forest because of her in injury that ash told to never give up, has become a performer who refuses to give up DESPITE her injury. A nice bookend for one aspect of her character.

The remaining ‘life path’ aspect that deals with palermo hits close to home just like the stuff with her mom. Even for one goal there are many paths, and serena is clearly thinking about it a lot. From second guessing the choice you made and what you actually want, to the confusion and uncertainty for the next decision. As a fresh graduate who was deliberating my future choices at the time, serena’s contemplation of palermo’s offer was just too understandable. Then it ended with ash telling her that her pokemons will be there for her whatever the path, she choose once again rounding it up nicely with their talk during the camp arc and giving her the determination to finally set her own course. Which again hits home because i did also realize my family were there for me whatever my choice was as well.

It’s really all those little things that made me really love the character development in XY and especially serena. There’s those narrative thread that continuously woven across the series and connects the start and the end, even if they’re not always put front and center. It’s just masterful to me, and not something I expected from this show.
 
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DatsRight

Well-Known Member
Lacuna said:
I totally agree with the Team Rocket trio development, even if (or especially because!) it's subtle when you're not paying attention. One thing I noticed is that in "The Problem with Paras" really early on, when Meowth gets sick, Jessie and James almost shrug it off and leave him behind - but in "Operation: Dub Pikachu" recently, they both immediately try to help him get better. Jessie also started caring for Wobbuffet a lot more over time. They all seem like they stick together and stand up for each other a lot more (and aren't quite as averse to helping out the twerp sometimes as they used to be)!
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True I also like how they edge into the idea that the trio can be legitimately good at things if they bother to exert effort into them instead of playing dirty. Like Jessie becomes more and more talented a coordinator the more she stops she cheating and just tries to figure out the ropes, they even start using past events and quirks as chekhov's guns. There's a fun feeling of desperation with the Team Rocket trio in these cases because it feels like they try to piece together every bit of legitimate talent they have. There's a feeling that at least SOME elements of their constant travels and failures have helped them, and hey, at least Giovanni respects them now.

Applecorp said:
Lillie, Dawn and Serena. Actually alot of the so called Pokegirls had good development compared to the boys including Ash.
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While it was more subtle, I think the boy companions got a good deal in SM, since I loved the dynamic and synergy focus with them and Ash. Kiawe and Sophocles start off the least welcoming and extroverted of the lot at the start of the series (even Lillie, while shy, is outwardly friendly to Ash), though the two slowly come out of their shell as Ash warms up to them and shows he has common ground. I think they also do a good job alluding to their character flaws early on and having them shrewdly worked on bit by bit throughout the series.

I just loved all their 'bro' episodes together. By the time of the league, Kiawe and Sophocles' match is one of the highlights, just demonstrating their development as trainers and the bond they've strengthened throughout their efforts with Ash. Sophocles has started to become a confident technical battler through training his Vikavolt he got from his friends, while Kiawe has went from a one note wonder to a versatile trainer that can use all three of his Pokemon to their full potential.

I tend to love character growth that is done succinctly through dynamics and less through exposition.
 
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