Who is Ash’s best friend? (Besides Pikachu)

[Leonhart]

Certainly Brock and Misty. They are the ones who went through the most with him, the ones whose departure affected him the most and the ones he mentions most often in following seasons.

While we're led to believe that they were his closest friends, I've always felt that Takeshi's various farewells (many of which were pointless since he came back eventually) weren't as touching as Kasumi's OS farewell, by which I mean that Takeshi and Satoshi just kind of said goodbye to each other, grasped hands, and then walked away almost as if nothing happened. So it makes me wonder if Takeshi and Satoshi were even that close to begin with.

 

[Kuzehiko]

Oh Yeah.
I think Gary's one of his closest friends as well. He is Ash's best friend after all.

 

[Shayminslicker]

I currently haven't watched S/M yet, so I won't be including anyone from that cast. Though I think I would say Clemont.

I think these two have a really close bond. The promise that Clemont made to Ash is mainly the reason why I say this. I mean, Clemont left the group for a few days so he train up to give Ash the battle of his life.

They're constantly impressed with one another too, whether it would be Clemont being impressed with Ash's battling skills, or either Ash being impressed with Clemont's machines.

 

[Doppelgänger]

Brock, Dawn, and Kiawe.

Nobody in Kalos qualifies because you can't be friends with a cardboard cutout.

 

[horrahforyou]

For the Pokemon side, yes sure that Ash and Greninja has a strong bond with each other. But haven't we forgotten poor Bayleef? It's indeed very obsessed towards Ash ever since it was a Chikorita but Ash cares w/ Bayleef as well

 

[Kintaro]

Brock, Dawn, and Kiawe.

Nobody in Kalos qualifies because you can't be friends with a cardboard cutout.

If you're referring to Ash in XY, he had plenty of personality in that series. He was no more a cardboard cut-out than he was in DP or AG before that. I think people having a grudge against Ash being serious compared to the sagas where he's silly or an idiot (like Kanto, BW and SM), is kinda absurd.

 

[Peter Harrison]

Dawn and Brock.

Dawn, because Ash developed moves with her and even sung a duet with her.
And Brock because he travelled with Ash for so long and helped inspire Ash a lot.

 

[Kintaro]

Even though the VA’s sang a duet together, that’s not canon in-universe, lol. None of the character songs are.

 

[Apslup]

Brock. He was their from the start, helping Ash along as a young trainer and stuck with him. He got to see Ash at his peak in DP.

Dawn also comes to mind. I always remembered Ash being closer with Dawn than he was with his other female friends (except maybe Misty).

 

[Kintaro]

It's kind of funny that some people are conflicted whether he was closer to Misty or Dawn. I guess nostalgia/shipping wise some people might say Misty, but otherwise it's Dawn. Dawn was literally written as a female Ash at times, or Ash's long lost twin sister, so I can see that.

 

[BTS_fan]

Dawn and Brock.

Dawn, because Ash developed moves with her and even sung a duet with her.
And Brock because he travelled with Ash for so long and helped inspire Ash a lot.

I don't think that Ash and Dawn's song together meant anything special other than them both being able to sing on key unlike certain other voice actors.

 

[Peter Harrison]

I don't think that Ash and Dawn's song together meant anything special other than them both being able to sing on key unlike certain other voice actors.

In their duet(High Touch) the lyrics are about how much Ash and Dawn support and help each other. Here are some key lyrics.

. As long as we are together
I will not give up so easily!

. As long as we're together
We'll escape from any kind of pinch!

. Through today, tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow
This journey goes forever on, but
Always...
Your smile is with me!

To the north, to the south, east and west
The scenery goes on changing, but
No matter where I go...
Your smile is always there!

. As long as we're together
We can go even further than before!

That is why I think they have a best friendship.

 

[Captain Jigglypuff]

I’d say Misty first and Brock second. Misty is his most important best friend as she was literally the first person he ran into right after the Spearow started attacking and they formed a close bond although they wouldn’t know it and would think that they were only traveling together because of the destroyed bike and not because they enjoyed being together. Ash has said a few times that Misty was his best friend. Brock is his second as he traveled around with Ash the longest but by Sinnoh it was time for him to leave. Brock’s mentor role towards Ash was slowly becoming unnecessary as Ash was beginning to show competence back in Hoenn when it came to battling and raising Pokémon and in Sinnoh it felt as if Brock was included in the main cast just for longtime viewers of the anime. He really had no important arcs or goals in either Hoenn or Sinnoh other than hatching the Happiny egg and raising Bonsly into a Sudowoodo which was only there to promote the Gen IV games before release much like Munchlax. He was just the big brother of the group. Misty was the one who connected with Ash the most.

 

[Kintaro]

I think the problem is now that the anime has gone on so long and has had so many travel companions, it feels like his older friends were there for a much shorter time. For example Misty was only there for two regions, but Ash has now traveled through 7+ regions and has 8+ female companions, so technically Misty traveling with Ash only went on a short time. Likewise now that Dawn and Brock have been gone for awhile, he hasn't been in contact with them regularly for a long time, etc.

I'm sure everyone notices this. Every time they bring new travel companions into the series and the show goes on another generation, it feels like all his older companions become less important to his journey because then you realize how they all were only there like 1-2 regions at most (besides Brock), and Ash travels without them forever.

 

[BTS_fan]

In their duet(High Touch) the lyrics are about how much Ash and Dawn support and help each other. Here are some key lyrics.

That is why I think they have a best friendship.

Yes but that's just an opening song, so it's not canon. I mean Misty sang a song in the dub's Christmas CD about wanting to dance with Ash, but that doesn't make their friendship any stronger because it's not supposed to be part of the main anime.

 

[Peter Harrison]

Yes but that's just an opening song, so it's not canon. I mean Misty sang a song in the dub's Christmas CD about wanting to dance with Ash, but that doesn't make their friendship any stronger because it's not supposed to be part of the main anime.

High Touch was sang by the Japanese VA’s and was an official opening, so I think that’s pretty canon.

 

[NPT]

It's either Dawn or Brock.

 

[BTS_fan]

High Touch was sand by the Japanese VA’s and was an official opening, so I think that’s pretty canon.

So you think that Ash and Dawn went into a recording studio during the middle of their Sinnoh journey to record a song together just because? Sure, okay.

 

[Kintaro]

Personally I find Ash's friendship with the SM cast a bit overrated. He has his moments with all of them, but I dunno, I just don't feel a strong connection between Ash and each one individually. Maybe it's because of SM's writing style, because I do like Ash/Kiawe's bro status and his interactions with the girls, but it's...just kinda there. I mean I bizarrely see people say Ash and Lillie are really close...I've watched a lot of SM episodes and I don't really see that. He has his moments relating to her and bonding with her, sure, but it's the same thing he does with every female companion in every series.