Do you think May was writers experiment of trying to make first female co-star?

[pokemon fan 132]

As we get to see May was treated a lot different compared to other Ash supporting characters(like Cilan,Misty,Brock etc) being treated like protagonist rather than sidekick.She had several rivals,on going quest in form of contests,show revolved around her to some extent as well being given her own theme song(although not until Battle Frontier).

Granted title of pokemon show wasn't named as her and Ash adventure like it was case with Dawn but at same time she received more screen time and focus than any other characters aside from Ash and Dawn did.

So i would like to ask all of you do you think writers tried with May to make her first female co-star?

 

[FANG-TAN]

Obviously. They wouldn't have based her on a game protagonist if they didn't.

 

[Darthbane2007]

I agree.

 

[chimera]

Since I've been watching a lot of AG lately, I've noticed that. I agree.

 

[Cybersai]

She was the first playable game heroine introduced as a main character, so she had to be.

I do agree that when she first appeared it took a while for the Contests to get started, so it did originally seem like she was going to be another supporting character who was just there to travel with Ash through Hoenn.

By the time DP started the writers knew most people were familiar with Contests already, so they were able to start them right away.

 

[Hellion]

I think the writers considered her a sidekick, like all the others that came before her, as is evidenced by AG still being "Staoshi's Adventures" and not Satoshi and Haruka's Adventures, plus May didn't do something outside of contests (fighting TR, helping COTD) on a regular basis à la Ash. In those situations, she was more there to bring interactions and humour.

That being said, she's the first (and so far only) sidekick with a structured storyline, a quest, rivals, etc. Though, that might change with Dento seeing as the writers introduced some background as to what i required to be a sommelier and Cabernet being a likely recurring rival. That doesn't elevate her to co-star status, but just means that the writers decided to develop her as a character outside of her interactions with Ash and give her more of a raison d'être on the show besides "My bike's fried and I might have a crush on Ash"

 

[CrackFox]

Not a protagonist of the anime no, more of a protagonist for the games.
Fundamentally I think she was still a sidekick, but they treated her a hell of a lot better than Misty, probably with an aim to draw more girls into the franchise and also probably just because they'd gotten better at handling the show, plot wise.

 

[BxSalamence55]

May was very revoluntionary, she was not the star of the show but she did offer an interesting sidestory (contests). She was in a way someone to attract female viewers.

 

[pokemon fan 132]

I think the writers considered her a sidekick, like all the others that came before her, as is evidenced by AG still being "Staoshi's Adventures" and not Satoshi and Haruka's Adventures, plus May didn't do something outside of contests (fighting TR, helping COTD) on a regular basis à la Ash. In those situations, she was more there to bring interactions and humour.

I dont disagree with this necessarily but to be honest someone doesnt need to receive equal amount of focus like Ash did to be considered protagonist.When plot revolves around someone being treated as central character he already fulfills required criteria to be considered as one.

With May it always seemed like writers treated her as something between co-star and supporting character basing her character on protagonist from games implementing story with all components Dawn or Ash received (minus show not being referenced as her adventure)but at same time not being there yet.I guess they used AG as their testing field to see how would introduction of contests in this show work out learning eventually how to do things right improving them on higher level as DP showed.

Then again writers seem to have strange view point on what is protagonist or supporting character meant to be seeing how ex head writer mr.Shudo stated how he viewed Ash first traveling companions as protagonists too.

Though, that might change with Dento seeing as the writers introduced some background as to what i required to be a sommelier and Cabernet being a likely recurring rival.

So far Dento does seem to receive more focus than Iris did(though that started to change lately).I guess we will have to wait and see but i doubt any sidekick will ever receive as much as screen time as May did.

That doesn't elevate her to co-star status, but just means that the writers decided to develop her as a character outside of her interactions with Ash and give her more of a raison d'être on the show besides "My bike's fried and I might have a crush on Ash"

If your referring to Misty by time Kanto ended she didnt seemed to care about bike at all anymore wanting to just to stay with her friends and pursue her dreams of learning everything she can and becoming water master.

 

[FullmetalSuicune]

Well, May as a the main character well.... I don't think it would be a good Idea. Well exactly that would be awesome if she traveled with Misty, Dawn, and Iris!