Is Ash a good main character?

[EscLucy]

Agreed. He's better rather than those normal faces he always had - they (Pikachu and Ash) are funnier but I still don't like Ash lol (Dawn and Zoey ftw). Agreed with KyseL, the Pokemon are the true carriers of the anime - they have the personalities that make us laugh. Also, it is always worth noting Ash won't really no longer be the protagonist because viewers all like the status quo and people don't really like change in TV shows. I don't see Ash going anytime soon.

 

[Robert Ketchum]

I paricularly like Ash Ketchum. He's become my favorite Pokemon trainer ever since I watched Pokemon DP. Now while Im not as in the loop on the cartoon as I want to be, I still support having him as the main character for the series.

 

[JFrombaugh]

Yes and no. While he is much more likeable than some other characters, provides plenty of great comic moments, and you do feel for him in many episodes...I just can't help but like the deuteragonists of the various series (Brock, Serena, Lillie, etc.) much more than Ash himself.

One of the biggest problems I have always had with the Pokémon anime in general is that it feels like Ash's original philosophy of "I wanna be the very best, like no one ever was" completely and utterly controls the outlook of the series as a whole. At times it almost feels like the anime is like a very well-tuned orchestra and Ash is the conductor.

If you look at Ash's strongest Pokémon over the years, only Sceptile & Greninja have really made sounds that were different from the Pikachu line, and those differences were VERY subtle. Even before Ash-Greninja was revealed, you could tell that Froakie, despite being a stoic loner type, bonded with Ash specifically because it respected his impulsiveness and love of battling. And when it comes to those human characters who serve as kind of a Yin to Ash's Yang, characters like Serena go on to admire Ash for his hot-blooded attitude while those who either find him kind of annoying for this (Trip) or simply have more of a cool-headed & strategic approach to battles (Sawyer) are usually relegated to the status of Rival characters.

This is one reason why I've actually kind of liked the Sun and Moon series more than I thought I would, because I feel that it uses its much wider cast to its advantage.

 

[Almonds]

OS: I loved Ash!
AG: I haven't watched this series much, but eh, so-so.
DP: I haven't watched this series much either, but he was likable
BW: I hated Ash.
XY/Z: I LOVED ASH!
SM: I haven't watched this series much, but I really don't like how they took away his charisma from Kalos.

So in average, I like him as a character, but depending on how the writers(or animators) mess him up, I feel disappointment.

 

[Dogasu]

To me, Satoshi is just kind of meh and his appeal 100% comes from Rika Matsumoto being such a freaking rock star. Without her amazing performance I wouldn't care about him one way or the other.

 

[spykerspyder]

Ash has always, even for a preteen, seemed painfully naive to me; especially when it comes to the boundaries of others. That...slightly hinders my enjoyment of him as a character, but I know that is my own personal bias (I had to grow up very quickly, so it's hard for me to connect with characters like Ash). I think for an anime aimed at children, Ash is a good protagonist. Cheerful, affable, likable enough, very energetic, and always willing to help, learn, and try to do the right thing. I enjoy him as much as someone as cynical and jaded as I am can enjoy such a character, haha.

 

[David blane]

Ash has a lot of what takes to be a good leader so yeah probably

 

[Yankees4life]

Not really nowadays. His time as come to leave and let someone else be the main guy

 

[Gligarman]

Most of the time he is but other times Best Wishes is a thing.

 

[Greninjaman]

I think he can be a good character if done right. It's not Ash's fault that he sucks. It's the writers.

 

[EscLucy]

I think he can be a good character if done right. It's not Ash's fault that he sucks. It's the writers.

In my opinion, that can be said about every other character people think "suck". I think in assessing a character we have to push past the fact that "the writers made him like that" to the character development.

 

[KrspaceT]

He's quite workable and has a lot of room to develop when writers, official or fanfic, are able to and understand who he is. No strange and really out of nowhere behaviors.

He just has the disadvantage of being in a genre where losing is rare and expected to have the trauma of Naruto losing to Sasuke at the Valley of the End, or Luffy losing at Marineford.

 

[Greninjaman]

In my opinion, that can be said about every other character people think "suck". I think in assessing a character we have to push past the fact that "the writers made him like that" to the character development.

what do you mean?

 

[EscLucy]

what do you mean?

Well you are saying that the writers made him "suck" but that could be said about multiple characters. I don't think it's a fair way of assessing a character. I would assess a character based on their personality and character development and not blame it on the writers because at the end of the day, we can't change what they write.

 

[IncineROAR]

I am not even sure I can really say with 100% certainty if the Ash from each generation of the anime can be considered the same Ash. Yes there is implied continuity but he gets the dumb with each new region. I am still in disbelief that the Pokemon School was the starting basis for Ash staying in Alola, as if he really needed it after his awesome performance in Kalos.

 

[KenzeyEevee]

Not really nowadays. His time as come to leave and let someone else be the main guy

Or girl. What if the animé of LGP starts with a new main girl/boy? A new console a new main girl/boy?

 

[Gengarzilla]

I genuinely, truly, honestly don't understand why Ash Ketchum attracts so much hate. Why, I don't care if he falls in the first round of every single league conference from now on, because he takes his losses quite well nowadays. I respect that. Anyone would flip their shit after coming so close to winning the Kalos League only to fall at the literal last move but Ash handled himself in such a way during the following Flare crisis that the actual league winner called him the better trainer. The kid makes second place look like the best thing in the world.

And when it comes to SM, he and his antics bring such a refreshing smile to my face after the serious tone of XYZ. I maintain that Ash's competence is more like a sliding scale with two extremes rather than a scope of "bad <-> good" and that he was generally too good in XY, but that's neither here nor there. I find him to be really great entertainment; any stupid antics of his in SM are things that I can actually appreciate and crack a grin at, rather than just share my head like in BW. He's fun and still good when it comes to battles this time, a nice middle ground if you ask me.

Point is, if I want a main character who has success spilling out from their pores then I'll watch some other anime. A likeable, optimistic, selfless, well-meaning personality means a bit more to me than some league conference results.

So yes, I think Ash is a good main character. He may have started out with a plethora of rough edges that I disliked but I can't see myself taking a replacement now.

 

[KenzeyEevee]

Not really nowadays. His time as come to leave and let someone else be the main guy

I agree. 20 years is enough. Dont het me wrong I like Ash, but XY Ash was the peak. After SM I would like to see a new female protagonist

 

[HiroHunter]

I agree. 20 years is enough. Dont het me wrong I like Ash, but XY Ash was the peak. After SM I would like to see a new female protagonist

I feel like its too late for that. If they won't let Ash leave after XY then I don't think its ever going to happen. That and I like Ash as the MC.

 

[KrspaceT]

I genuinely, truly, honestly don't understand why Ash Ketchum attracts so much hate. Why, I don't care if he falls in the first round of every single league conference from now on, because he takes his losses quite well nowadays. I respect that. Anyone would flip their shit after coming so close to winning the Kalos League only to fall at the literal last move but Ash handled himself in such a way during the following Flare crisis that the actual league winner called him the better trainer. The kid makes second place look like the best thing in the world.

And when it comes to SM, he and his antics bring such a refreshing smile to my face after the serious tone of XYZ. I maintain that Ash's competence is more like a sliding scale with two extremes rather than a scope of "bad <-> good" and that he was generally too good in XY, but that's neither here nor there. I find him to be really great entertainment; any stupid antics of his in SM are things that I can actually appreciate and crack a grin at, rather than just share my head like in BW. He's fun and still good when it comes to battles this time, a nice middle ground if you ask me.

Point is, if I want a main character who has success spilling out from their pores then I'll watch some other anime. A likeable, optimistic, selfless, well-meaning personality means a bit more to me than some league conference results.

So yes, I think Ash is a good main character. He may have started out with a plethora of rough edges that I disliked but I can't see myself taking a replacement now.

Not entirely sure many would argue being 'too good' is a flaw, at least in XY. I've heard people argue that because of BW's handling of him, a series of him being basically at top level and given respect for it/borderline shilling that people treat as 'Tropes are not Bad' is not unwelcome.