Yeah i would welcome for next girl to have sidequest too allowing for more proactove roler. Although i wouldn't be necessarily against supporting role but only if writers do better job than what was case with Iris.
With Iris goal it wasn't possible to create on going quest involving dragon types through which growth could be measured. From simple fact of type not having rich enough pool of options to create substantial storytelling(i think it was possible with Misty but its known why it didn't happen given stage in which anime was back than). Axew becoming main mascot killed chance to have him evolve and give Iris growth through different way too(defeating point of traveling in first place sadly)and rushed, in general iconsistent treatment of whole series was responsible for Iris sloppy treatment too. Its not only her, whole Unova was written as one giant mess damaging Ash as character, Cilan, rivals, Team Rocket etc.
Its like writers tried out different ideas just for sake of it without planning ahead and making sure to execute them in viable way.
Though im sure they learned on mistakes with XY going to be better saga. In some ways they started to improve by paying more attention to past and continuity through references to past characters and regions , and as result Ash seems more experienced thanks to their presence.
Heck he does look "older", more mature in look in trailer for XY saga compared to BW.
With Iris goal it wasn't possible to create on going quest involving dragon types through which growth could be measured. From simple fact of type not having rich enough pool of options to create substantial storytelling(i think it was possible with Misty but its known why it didn't happen given stage in which anime was back than). Axew becoming main mascot killed chance to have him evolve and give Iris growth through different way too(defeating point of traveling in first place sadly)and rushed, in general iconsistent treatment of whole series was responsible for Iris sloppy treatment too. Its not only her, whole Unova was written as one giant mess damaging Ash as character, Cilan, rivals, Team Rocket etc.
Its like writers tried out different ideas just for sake of it without planning ahead and making sure to execute them in viable way.
Though im sure they learned on mistakes with XY going to be better saga. In some ways they started to improve by paying more attention to past and continuity through references to past characters and regions , and as result Ash seems more experienced thanks to their presence.
Heck he does look "older", more mature in look in trailer for XY saga compared to BW.