Why Ash's reserves weren't used in PWC?

[Enzito]

So recently, I've been thinking about why Ash didn't use any of his previous Pokemon for the PWC, was it because of production constraints? Limited timing? I would like for some decent answers that actually take into account production issues.

 

[Eitarou]

He didn't use them because he hasn't used them in over a decade. Nothing has suggested they were ever going to used.

 

[Hidden Mew]

I don't think that it was necessarily due to any production problems. Ash hasn't used his reserves for over a decade, so the idea that he'd use them in the PWC was already a pretty big long shot. I think that the writers were just more interested in having him use a new team instead of making use of his older Pokemon throughout the tournament. The structure and the pacing of the PWC definitely wouldn't have helped matters either. Bringing in some of his older Pokemon for random one on one battles against random nobodies wouldn't have worked. If the structure of the PWC was different, maybe they could have tried balancing out his current and older Pokemon, but this was just not something the writers were interested in doing.

 

[Imtnt]

If I rememver well on some point he told Oak he want to start a new journey with Pikachu everytime and lnow all sorts of pokemon and use only them. Pron in order to be a master pokemon. Though Im not sure in what season and I didnt find that scene

 

[Kurolegacy]

I don't think that it was necessarily due to any production problems. Ash hasn't used his reserves for over a decade, so the idea that he'd use them in the PWC was already a pretty big long shot. I think that the writers were just more interested in having him use a new team instead of making use of his older Pokemon throughout the tournament. The structure and the pacing of the PWC definitely wouldn't have helped matters either. Bringing in some of his older Pokemon for random one on one battles against random nobodies wouldn't have worked. If the structure of the PWC was different, maybe they could have tried balancing out his current and older Pokemon, but this was just not something the writers were interested in doing.

Honestly I find that was a major failing when it came to this series. In spite of the fact that this was an anniversary series that gave numerous references to the past, when it came to structuring Ash’s team, they treated it like just any series. IMO, they should have done like the Battle Frontier but bigger where they would mix both old and new in Ash’s team. Not only would this have been a fan service for longtime fans but would also add an air of unpredictability to Ash’s battles that kept things fresh since you’d never know which Pokémon you’d see used.

 

[Hidden Mew]

Honestly I find that was a major failing when it came to this series. In spite of the fact that this was an anniversary series that gave numerous references to the past, when it came to structuring Ash’s team, they treated it like just any series. IMO, they should have done like the Battle Frontier but bigger where they would mix both old and new in Ash’s team. Not only would this have been a fan service for longtime fans but would also add an air of unpredictability to Ash’s battles that kept things fresh since you’d never know which Pokémon you’d see used.

That would have been a nice way to showcase Ash's older Pokemon and add some variety to his battles. I'm not too surprised that they didn't go that route. Ash's Journeys team were already struggling for screentime for the majority of the series. I remember when people would be practically cheering when Gengar would show up for five seconds. Throwing in his older Pokemon into the mix might have made that problem worse. By the time the Battle Frontier started, Ash's Hoenn team had already gotten plenty of screentime, so bringing in older Pokemon for his Frontier Brain matches wasn't a huge issue.

I remember people commenting that Ash should have just had a rotating team of his reserves instead of a new team for this series given their lack of screentime. I'm not surprised that they still wanted to give Ash new Pokemon, especially if their goal was to give Ash access to all three battle gimmicks, and they haven't been willing to use reserves for ages anyway, but I could understand the appeal of that idea. It would give more screentime to Ash's older Pokemon, actually have them used more frequently and could have made his victories over Champions a bit more believable given he has some pretty powerful experienced Pokemon in his reserves.

 

[Nicolas721]

The biggest reason imo is relatability for kids, Ash needed a stable team that they could constantly make merchandise from and that kids wouldn't need too much prior knowledge to understand and relate to.

Secondary reasons include the fact that they couldn't give prior Pokemon equal screentime even if they wanted as there are too many of them, and that using new Pokemon would open the floodgates to giving him very popular Pokemon that would sell the show by themselves.

I think they exaggerated by forbidding reserves to participate in literally anything, save for a Moltres and some vines, but it's too late to keep complaining.

 

[Kurolegacy]

The biggest reason imo is relatability for kids, Ash needed a stable team that they could constantly make merchandise from and that kids wouldn't need too much prior knowledge to understand and relate to.

Secondary reasons include the fact that they couldn't give prior Pokemon equal screentime even if they wanted as there are too many of them, and that using new Pokemon would open the floodgates to giving him very popular Pokemon that would sell the show by themselves.

I think they exaggerated by forbidding reserves to participate in literally anything, save for a Moltres and some vines, but it's too late to keep complaining.

I dunno about that. When it came to them building Ash’s teams in the past, they’ve almost always given him popular Pokémon. So at that point, even from a marketing standpoint, it doesn’t make a lot of sense given that more marketable Pokémon gives them more things to merchandise around. While they did give Ash marketable Pokémon this series especially with Lucario, they missed an opportunity with his other popular Pokémon.

 

[Harryghost]

I was never with this 'Ash needs to use reserves' trope from the start. This series is about Ash's Journeys team; it is only fair that they get the spotlight in battles.

 

[Eitarou]

Ash's Journeys team gets little to no screentime outside of PWC-related episodes. If they wanted a team that was strong without needing to build them from scratch, his reserves are right there.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Ash's Journeys team gets little to no screentime outside of PWC-related episodes. If they wanted a team that was strong without needing to build them from scratch, his reserves are right there.

I like to think that Ash doesn't need to use old reserves to be strong or successful. If anything, him always raising a new team in each series shows how he can raise a new team to just as high of a level as his old reliables.

 

[Kurolegacy]

I like to think that Ash doesn't need to use old reserves to be strong or successful. If anything, him always raising a new team in each series shows how he can raise a new team to just as high of a level as his old reliables.

While that might be the case, the 25th anniversary doesn’t come along every day. We have literally any series to see Ash focus on a single new team. It would’ve been nice to them do something special for the silver anniversary.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

While that might be the case, the 25th anniversary doesn’t come along every day. We have literally any series to see Ash focus on a single new team. It would’ve been nice to them do something special for the silver anniversary.

Ash may not have directly used them, but even them just appearing together was a big deal that's not been seen since AG. And they contributed in helping Ash's team grow stronger.

Speaking of Ash's current team, I feel his team being full of fan favorites is a big celebration in and of itself.

 

[Kurolegacy]

Ash may not have directly used them, but even them just appearing together was a big deal that's not been seen since AG. And they contributed in helping Ash's team grow stronger.

Speaking of Ash's current team, I feel his team being full of fan favorites is a big celebration in and of itself.

I can’t really feel that way as it’s essentially more of the writers basically throwing the old toys to the side while shilling the new ones. As a result, we’re basically going to be hearing people constantly talk of this team just overshadowing every other Pokémon Ash has in strength because they were the ones with the spotlight on them. Essentially the older Pokémon will never get to have feats that show the fanbase that they’re just as strong or valuable as the Journeys team. I find a true celebration would have been bringing both old and new together to create a truly amazing spectacle.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

I can’t really feel that way as it’s essentially more of the writers basically throwing the old toys to the side while shilling the new ones. I find a true celebration would have been bringing both old and new together to create a truly amazing spectacle.

We all have different definitions of what feels fit for a certain situation.

 

[Eitarou]

Ash may not have directly used them, but even them just appearing together was a big deal that's not been seen since AG. And they contributed in helping Ash's team grow stronger.

Speaking of Ash's current team, I feel his team being full of fan favorites is a big celebration in and of itself.

Uh, DP? BW? SM? XY is the only series where they don't appear in some fashion.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Uh, DP? BW? SM? XY is the only series where they don't appear in some fashion.

I meant as in all of the Pokémon that Ash has at Oak's at that point. The last time that happened prior to JN114 was just before the Battle Frontier in AG.

 

[Peppermint Phoenix]

I was never with this 'Ash needs to use reserves' trope from the start. This series is about Ash's Journeys team; it is only fair that they get the spotlight in battles.

All the old teams not getting as nearly as big of wins as his Journeys team because Ash's offscreen training exp. coefficient wasn't as high when they were the stars of the show is incredibly unfair from my perspective. I was never with the "Ash CAN'T use reserves because Charizard got too much focus in the Johto league" trope.