Lukewarm Greetings and Goodbyes

[TPrower]

I had this thread in the old forum, but decided to put it up again.

Call me a sentimental fool, but when the main characters meet after so long or even say goodbye after traveling together for an entire region, the hellos and goodbyes disappoint me sometimes. I mean, how about when Ash returns from Hoenn to find Misty waiting for him? Pikachu got a hug from her, but I thought Ash could have done more than simply stare at her in amazement. Or how about when May returned mid-Sinnoh. I thought she could at least have run up and hugged Ash. Ok, the high-five between Ash and Dawn, I won't argue about, but still, it's something that bugs me. Why is the anime (and anime in general) so touchy about emotional reunions or partings?

 

[Torterrius]

Regardless of what people may think, I believe the writing team behind the anime don't want to provide too obvious fodder for the multitudes of shippers floating around the fanon. With what minor hints the shippers feed off of, anything major like a hug would just start an explosion.

I am typically miffed by the send-offs and reunions as well, as I believe, after saving the world and each others lives (multiple times in Dawn's case), there should be more than a hi-five and hello between them.

 

[Araragi-hakase]

I see this argument around the internet continuously and it baffles me.

What do people want, then? They're not going to start bawwwwwing over "omgggg I have missed you I haven't seen you since that time we ran around Kanto" or whatever. Kids in the targeted audience weren't watching the show when Kasumi, or even Haruka, were around. There may even be new fans that started watching when Best Wishes! started, that wouldn't know who Hikari is. The high five between Satoshi and Hikari was fitting, I thought that was a nice good bye episode. Takeshi's goodbye was nice, too, just a simple lingering handshake, but it was fitting for their friendship. But it doesn't need to be sad, a lot of times I think the message is to remember what you learned from your friends and carry it with you. (Whenever a new series starts, this goes out the window, of course~)

I think they save all the emotion for the pokemon releases. Bye Bye, Butterfree.

 

[Trainer Yusuf]

I wholeheartly agree with the OP, but I imagine the reason is because of possible shipping controversies that might happen and animation costs. Another reason might be they might return some other day, but then again Glion got an overdramatic release episode despite eventually returning, though that also might be counterargued by Glion returning because of popularity rather than being planned to return beforehand, but that discussion will go on forever.

Some might say that is because Pokémon are the real stars in this show(I mean they are title critters), as such they are the ones that truly deserve emotional goodbyes, but seeing some barely get any development, while others get shoddy development, calling them the true stars would be a strech, unless some offical promotions' call them such. Thankfully such thing never happe-

Damn.

 

[Cybersai]

Keep in mind Ash actually only travels with each character a few months. Other than Brock, it's not like these characters are with him for years.

 

[Jaye]

Keep in mind Ash actually only travels with each character a few months. Other than Brock, it's not like these characters are with him for years.

You don't need to spend years with someone to feel compelled to show open affection or emotion upon reuniting with them. It depends a lot more on the personality of the person and what type of relationship he/she has with another person.

Why is the anime (and anime in general) so touchy about emotional reunions or partings?

Pokemon focuses more on the relationships between humans and Pokemon than on the relationships between two or more humans. We rarely hear about what Ash thinks of his firends specifically outside of "they're my best friends and mean a lot to me", and we never hear what Ash's friends think of him specifically. So I guess the writers feel it'd be awkward to have such emotional reunions/partings when the relationships themselves are basic. Emotions as a whole in Pokemon are basic.

In other anime, I think it's a similar case. Some anime may have one or two feature relationships between two characters, and those two characters will have more emotional moments, but the same characters won't be shown to interact with the others in the same way (unless it's a really emotional anime to begin with).

 

[Cybersai]

What do people want? Considering Misty no longer visits Ash at Pallet Town anymore and hasn't since the last two times he came home, it's obvious his friends don't have a borderline obsession with him.

Misty especially is probably better friends with Tracey now, given the specials confirm he visits the Cerulean Gym regularly. I also think May is too wrapped up in her rivals that her friendship with Ash has diminished.

Dawn too probably won't keep in contact anymore, but it remains to be seen if she gets a cameo or not.

 

[pokemon fan 132]

I have to agree with OP on this one too.It really feels like slap in the face when two long time known friends meet after so long with most of friendship staying on hello,and handshake at best.You would think that after being absent for so long and judging by how close they were with Ash as anime portrayed,how there would at least be included hug or something to symbolize their strong friendship and all adventures they went through together.

Most emotional goodbye was probably when Misty departed and this is closest as we are ever going to get when it comes to emotions in kids tv show.and i can say i liked it because it was heartwarming and you could tell everyone really cared for each other.May wasnt that lucky with her goodbye scene being random and real slap in face to her fans,and Dawn while slightly better was pretty subpar if you ask me.

Writers probably dont see need to include such scenes,and if they really fear how this might cause controversy implying some romance they are more stupid than i thought.Simple hug is something which friends do quite often,being just act of caring for each other and people being happy when not being seen for long time.

As for target audience,it doesnt matter if they dont know older companions like Misty or May.
They didnt knew who Gary,Butch and Casidy,Jessibelle etc were either,when they were reintroduced in DP.
One of purposes behind older character returns is exactly in getting them familiarized with Ash past companions explaining who they are,strengthening continuity of pokemon show.

To them it really doesnt matter if they dont know someone, because they would view past companion as basically new character accepting it .And lets not pretend how none of today kids doesnt know that Ash had past friends either,because judging by reruns of older seasons TV statons aired,internet ,pokemon books or older relatives that simply isnt true.

Keep in mind Ash actually only travels with each character a few months. Other than Brock, it's not like these characters are with him for years.

Timeline in pokemon is full of contradictions.While Ash and characters are stuck in loophole never aging,time still passes in pokemon with there existing references how weeks,months or even years passed. Like in third movie "Entei and Spell of Unknown"when Ash celebrated Pikachu birthday and how one more year passed.

What do people want? Considering Misty no longer visits Ash at Pallet Town anymore and hasn't since the last two times he came home, it's obvious his friends don't have a borderline obsession with him.

Misty especially is probably better friends with Tracey now, given the specials confirm he visits the Cerulean Gym regularly. I also think May is too wrapped up in her rivals that her friendship with Ash has diminished.

Dawn too probably won't keep in contact anymore, but it remains to be seen if she gets a cameo or not.

Reason she didnt visit Ash in Pallet town was because writers didnt decided to include her there,it has nothing to do with how good friends they are.

And who says Ash doesnt keep in contact with his past companions?

Not frequently of course,but as we can notice when Misty came for visit in Hoenn when eviolving Togepi,she already knew May and Max saying how Ash talked to her about them. Same for May,group knew where to meet with her and she already knew who Dawn was.

I say thats pretty good evidence,how of screen contact exists.It doesnt have to be necessarily showed to presume this,its common sense.

As for Tracey true Misty is good friend with him getting to know each other better as hosos showed.But thas not to say she isnt good friend with Ash anymore and going by original series and cameos she seemed to be closer with him.I think fact that she decided to surprise Ash when coming back to Pallet after Hoenn wanting to see him or lure gift she sent by prof.Oak showed how they are still very good friends.

Same for May,giving Ash half of her ribbon in DP only symbolized how much friendshp means to each other.

People have other obligations and things in their lives to do and they may have not travel together anymore,but that doesnt mean they no longer care for Ash with friendship still existing.

 

[CommanderPigg]

The only one that really disappointed me was Brock's last farewell, since...as someone had said, the guy's been with Ash since the beginning. I mean...maybe in a way, it was subdued because they knew they would see each other again (having parted ways more than once before) so finalizing the goodbye like that would seem redundant.

kinda like saying goodbye to my family har har

I was pretty happy with the way Paul was cast off though Sure we didn't get waterworks or anything, but it's Paul. That was the most you probably could have gotten from it XD I mean, Ash wasn't obligated to say goodbye or anything, he just did it. Which kinda proves that he does feel bad about the parting, he just can't express it fully. He's been emotionally stunted by all the departures he's had in the past, they've jaded him

 

[J J M]

Keep in mind Ash actually only travels with each character a few months. Other than Brock, it's not like these characters are with him for years.

Then again going by the in-show timeline (considering Ash is still 10), Brock's probably only been with Ash 1 or 2 months more than the others...Ash switches friends every few weeks. The jerk.

 

[Cybersai]

The only one that really disappointed me was Brock's last farewell, since...as someone had said, the guy's been with Ash since the beginning. I mean...maybe in a way, it was subdued because they knew they would see each other again (having parted ways more than once before) so finalizing the goodbye like that would seem redundant.

It was fine. Ash and Brock are not going to BAAAAAW their eyes out over not traveling together. They had traveled together for so long and their last words, "Pokemon Master, Ash" and "Pokemon Doctor, Brock," said it all. They both grew up.

 

[Dogasu]

You guys also have to remember that Pocket Monsters is a Japanese cartoon. Japanese people are generally less touchy-feely than Westerners are, which is probably why it's rare for any Japanese show to have two characters hug each other.

 

[Cybersai]

You know its kinda funny that at the end of AG134, which turned out to be Misty's final appearance in an episode, after Misty says goodbye to Max, the entire group just turns in opposite directions as they all walk away from each other.

Its almost at that point as if they were saying, "Yeah I'm going to be stuck at the Gym for the rest of my life, so long guys!"

Probably more ironic when you realize that would be the last time Misty ever appeared in a normal episode, and back when that ep first aired in 2005 we didn't know that at the time.

 

[pokemon fan 132]

I dont know,to me when Misty said goodbye to Brock and Ash in her appearance,it kinda sent message along the lines "see ya later"with everyone going their own way while acknowledging how they will stay friends no matter what.

Admittedly i expected more emotion put into it and at least handshake but since they were already used to departures, its natural to expect how they wouldnt be sad about having to split up second time around.First time it was shock,and than its usually the hardest to say goodbye.

Also i doubt "Real Cleffa Hanger" was intended to be Misty final appearance with writers probably planning to have her back somewhere down the road.Especially when many things they left hanging in the air and undefined with this episode being simply continuation to Pallet reunion not being focused much on character itself.

Thats not something you would expect from someone final appearance.Speaking of gym considering she took it out of necessity and obligation forcing it on herself because of incompetent sisters doesnt give impression how this is something she will stick to forever either,with frustration and sadness when rushed by Daisy adding to it.Especially when it was established how her goal was to become something more,like water master with writers leaving uncleared what are her plans in future.

Writers might return her at some point in future at least to tie up loose ends.Dont know when, but we might see Misty meeting up with group at some point eventually.

About Brock i have to agree with Commander Pigg on that one.After being longest traveling companion Ash had,i expected at least something little more meaningful than simple handshake when they said goodbye to each other at end of Sinnoh.
He and Ash are probably best friends with Brock following him through so many good and bad times,and after all he did it was disappointing to see them split without any sadness or emotion being invested in whole thing.
Than again seeing how Brock is known for easily coming back,there was no need for teary departure when he might likely meet Ash again.

 

[Cybersai]

Fun fact: I just watched the Orange Island episode where Brock leaves the group. Brock's departure there was actually done better than his departure at the end of DP. Hell, even Brock's departure at the end of Johto, (where he only stayed gone for like 4 episodes before returning), was done better.


It amazes me that Brock has like 3 different departure scenes in the anime.