Like most of my post, you've misinterpreted them. Of course we all know the characters don't age, I was taking about their time on the show regarding to how long the anime's been around.
My bad than.
What I put in bold is pretty much what I've been saying this entire time, unfortunately you only choose to address select things from my post making this debate more convoluted than it needs to be. Like you said, The writers would have less to work with bringing someone like Jessiebelle back. They would would have to come up with a good reason and pretty much center one or more episodes around a more important character, making a less important character's chances of reappearing much higher. Just look at the Magikarp Salesman, they don't need to create any circumstances for him to return, they can throw him into any old episode which takes a lot less time, planning, and work.
Still was there need to bringh back Jessibelle for example in Sinnoh after so much time)to be more precise more than 11 years)?Or any of those less relevant characters.
We all know how reason why some characters didnt appeared in Sinnoh was because this show having already too many past characters with not being possible to expect that all of them got fitted in.
Creating reasons(which exist,i could count at least 20 plausible ones)for their return wouldnt be much of a trouble to be honest.
At this point the only way for someone elder to receive more screntime is in being brought to main cast.Naturally some of the would have plausible reasons for return due to unfinished story fitting adequatly with storylinebut in reality chances for this are very small.
Depending on how many viewers actually know who they are. The program is aimed at children, and most children today weren't around when it starting airing, so they wouldn't care if Misty returned or not because they have no clue who she is.
Actually that may have been the case before,but nowdays lot of small kids knows about lder character like Misty through HGSS games,reruns of previouis seasons which aired on TV stations like boomerang,aswell one Japanese TV station(i think it is pokemon sunday)reairing older seasons.
There are also DVDS,internet etc.
Personally i met some of them who were familiarized with older characters wanting to see them again.
Older viewers like you and I would be pleased to see older characters return, but unfortunately the show isn't aimed at us.
More viewers never hurts,and whenever some of popular older characters returned TV ratings jumped during those episodes.
They are one of the main focuses of the story, they're just on the opposite side. They have to hold just as much importance to the story as the main protagonist in order to be an antagonist.
However hey are not the ones around who story revolves,not having plots which they are pursuiing with show folowing their journey.Therefore protagnists hold more of importance than rivals.
Whether they're largely involved in the story or not doesn't make a difference, they're still someone or something that the hero has to eventually overcome in the end.
It does matter,because it determines around who story revolves.
Second, all the development and growth that Ash went through in Sinnoh was all either directly or indirectly in preparation for his battle with Paul. Counter-Shield, Ice Aqua Jet, Infernapes Blaze, etc. were all plot devices made to be used against Paul during their league battle. Ash's entire Sinnoh journey was centered around Paul and the lead up to their eventual Sinnoh League match, if you viewed Sinnoh and that wasn't clearly apparent to you, then you clearly weren't watching the Sinnoh saga.
That doesnt change the fact hat Ash was main focus of story with Paul being one of components,therefore Ash being more important chracter.
Yes, people are entitled to have opinions, but opinions have no bearing over fact.
And i already mentioned what can and cant be considered as fact.
but opinions don't change the fact that Paul was a better handled character, had better battles against Ash, and was a better rival overall.
Now you see this is where we have another disagreenent,Now i agree how Paul had better battles but this is just my opinion,you would be surprised how many people thought how finale battle between Ash and Gary was better than Pauls.
Paul was better handled yes,but when it comes to rivarly you will encounter many people who dont share this opinion finding Grys rivarly while less focused being done in more concrete way.
No, peoples views on the facts are based on opinion, which can neither be right or wrong, but not the facts themselves.
Facts can be wrong too sometimes,with people drawing wrong conclusion about certain things.
I think all of them won't return:
1: May is busy in Contests
Character being busy doesnt matter,May was busy with contests in Johto too,but this didnt stoped her from coming to Wallace Cup.
3: Brock is waaaaaaay too old
So?Ash,Jessibelle,Gary,May etc are old to but this isn tstopping them from returning or being in show.
4: Misty hasn't had an appearance since Hoenn
5: Who needs the old Gym Leaders(except Misty)?
First Misty isnt old(10 yeas is nothing for lifespan of character),and second going by this we can say the same thing about Jasmine who is "old" gym leader appearing despite this in DP.
Also unlike Jasmine Misty has better reasons to return considering she acually had storyline unlike her which didnt met conclusion,aswell not being possible to achieve her goal as water master only as gym leader for several reason which were explained through older series and some E4 members.
Also Mistys last appearance was at beginning of Battle Frontier.
I still think he has a better chance in appearing.
Contests aren't going to be in the new region, right? That would be the only reason to bring Dawn back really.
Actually no,writers could have her back for some other rason too like competing in tag battlke tournament with Ash or others,or contributing to story of one of new characters whether that would be Iris or Dento.
It's a little too late for some characters.
As long show is airing its never too late.
Why is Pokemon still going on then? Years without Misty, they continued the anime.
It's still Pokemon, even without Misty.
AND I REPEAT MY QUOTE
Because while Mistys replacing did shaked TV ratings with risk being involved it wasnt to that kind of scale which would jeopardize existence of this anime.
Now if someone like Ash was took off,than we would have another story.
Actually yes I do.
I'm not a very serious person most of the times, but I was being serious.
It doesn't matter with popularity. It matters how the writers are able to fit the characters into the current storyline.
My point being ..even villains from older seasons have a better reason of coming back. They could easily be fitted into the new villains plans. Not saying it's going to happen, but it would be possible.
Misty ..not so much.
Misty can be more easily fit in current storyline considering she actually has stronger connections with some of current main characters,aswell unlike previous vilains having unfinished parts in her story serving as gateway which would justify her return,aswell being more easily to bring someone for some tournament,to catch new pokemon or to even travell again than going through all trouble of reviving previous Team of Villains(Galactic)which was ripped apart with several of them being arrested,one being stucked in dimension for eternity,with their initial planm nbeng stopped being dead in its track.
So parten me,while i dont agree with statement of Team Galactic having bigger chanes to return than previous popular and 10 times more important(generally speaking)main character.