Ash/Satoshi as the main protagonist

[youkomazuki]

Well at first I do like Ash, but now I'm just wishing for him to hurry up and finish his journey so we can have a new protagonist (preferably without Pikachu). It's been way too long and the way he kept regressing with each new generation is really starting to become painful to watch.

 

[Aashi]

i love ash as the protagonist but what bugs me is that he is still 10 and i don't understand why..if the makers wanted to keep him 10 they shouldn't have mentioned that for how long he is travelling..In jhoto misty said ash started years ago or something like that :/

 

[CrashBash]

i love ash as the protagonist but what bugs me is that he is still 10 and i don't understand why..if the makers wanted to keep him 10 they shouldn't have mentioned that for how long he is travelling..In jhoto misty said ash started years ago or something like that :/

To be fair, not everyone in animation, or anime for that matter, ages. I think that sorta thing is more common in Western Animation than in Anime, but the point still stands.

 

[Morningstar]

I think as of recently Ash has become rather generic. He's bland compared to other characters (Misty's Tsundere-ish and maternal tendencies, Brock's skirtchasing and mentorship, May and Dawn's contest arcs, Bonnie's enthusiasm, Clemont's genius, Iris's...annoyances and Cilan's skill as a Connoisseur and even Serena's Crush [ironically] all stand out more than Ash's tired "To be a Master" shtick, for better or worse. To say nothing of Team Rocket...). He's not that bad but he just seems rather generic, even at the beginning of the series (though arguably to a lesser extent).

 

[TeamRocket Pikachu]

Like the others have said, Ash is an average protagonist, plain and simple. He has no bad traits, but he has no good traits either.

 

[Bloodstained]

From what I watched, his goofiness even when he's meant to be somewhat of a mentor was always present. Not exactly a bad thing, but I guess after so long, it was just going to drag him down. As a trainer, he's very good, but it doesn't seem to get him anywhere. Aging him probably would've been the best thing they could've done for him, but I guess that'll never happen.

 

[Harryghost]

I do like Ash the way he is right now and he is interesting enough for me. But, of course, if it were not for his traveling companions and his Pokémon, he would have been pretty bland and uninteresting since the original series itself. His friends and his Pokémon play a great role in his character development.

 

[CrystaI]

Personally, I prefer the kind of protagonist character that stands strong on their own, not only meaning in terms of combative strength and abilities, but also in terms of uniquesness and individuality in the characteristics and personalities. Meaning, a non-passive protagonist that takes the lead which drags other characters into his/her way, influence the others even the surrounding situation by his/her own manners of thinking and own methods of doing things, whether the protagonist do this intentionally or unconsciously. And most importantly, an active protagonist that can be interesting in his/her own actions even without the existence of other characters.

The characteristics of Ash Ketchum is relying too much on the existence of other characters, including the pokemon characters as well. Without the other characters, Ash Ketchum is just nothing, just an average trainer one may find in every street.
And that also includes the current XY saga as well. The XY Ash is seemingly taking the lead hence it looks like he is dragging the other characters especially the companions and important recurring characters into his thinking, but that is more because of those characters are in the plot role of Ash's cheering supporters, they act in a way which makes Ash look good, regardless of is Ash really worthily good or not. So Ash is forced to role-played as "The Heroic Big Brother" by the other characters, he is still a passive character that is influenced by other characters and the surrounding, especially being influenced by the plot's need.

 

[Mareepy]

In my opinion I think Ash is an OK or even good protagonist.

 

[Arceus the Dragon]

Ash is a great character and I don't see him leaving the anime series anytime soon in my opinion.