[UNCONFIRMED] Ash will be NOT in next year's anime

[Gengar]

Lol, it's every advancer's dream!!

[LuciferIX]

I'm with pretty much everyone here, I have mixed feelings about it all. I haven't watched the anime in years but getting rid of Ash will be like getting rid of Pikachu (which in effect I guess they are doing that too, lol) he's the icon of the series. But at the same time the series as a whole has run on longer than longer than virtually any other anime series out there, they have to be running out of material.

As for bringing back an older Ash I'd say that's a toss up. Sure there is a good amount of older kids following the series still but it's not the target audience. Producers want a character that can relate to who they want to watch, and if you make an older Ash he goes from being someone they "could be" to someone to look up to, which changes the theme enough. On the other hand they can change around the material and then the change in theme could easily work, so it's hard to say. From their standpoint though it would be easiest to simply get rid of him.

When it comes to the shipping aspect though, if they retire Ash completely that moment will be the point where a shipping will either become canon or be lost to the fanfiction for the rest of its life. I said this in the old forum but I still say that if an Ash shipping becomes canon it'll be in a fashion that Digimon did in their second season, a couple minutes of still shots of the older versions of the characters. I'll still be rooting for Advanceshipping to come out in the end but I'd put my bets on the fact that they won't confirm anything.

Jul 14, 2012 7:59:38 GMT -8 Wubbzy said:

We could convince the writers to make ash older,marry may and watch their kids travel. Just saying.

I assume that you were thinking about the Lucky series when you said that? hehe

[Dr. Phil E. Sophical]

Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if "replacing Ash" turns into "ending the anime". the anime has been around for 14 years now, they've made hundreds of episodes, some movies, and a handful of specials. Needless to say, the franchise has done a lot.

So how much more can they do? Even if they get a new protagonist won't they still be in need of some new plot ideas? They can't go on forever without the plot getting old.

If you ask me, the anime's days are numbered.

[Anthony]

Hm.. even if they shove a new dude in, I'm wondering about what they'll do about the rest. Unless they come up with something new, they'll probably just go with new or maybe even the same regions, and it would just go around in a circle again.

[Wubbzy]

I.have an advanceshipping day thread. That's what I plan on doing with this..who's in?

[Wubbzy]

@lucy. Conceited fuck. It's not all about you you know....yes yes i was LMFAO

[Anthony]

Lucy..? Now that's a very interesting nickname heh

I'm in.

[Yoh]

Let's try to

[PichuAuraGuardian19]

I always had a feeling that this might happen one day. I'm intrigued, so I'll see where this goes.

[Charizard_1234]

Jul 14, 2012 7:56:38 GMT -8 Pharah said:

I'm actually a little torn on this one...I don't really watch the anime all that often anymore, but from a nostalgic perspective seeing Ash, the main protagonist of the series, leave and be replaced with a new main protagonist is a bit heartbreaking. I would have been absolutely devastated if they'd done this a few years ago when I was regularly keeping up with the anime.

Then again, like you all have said, this is a much more realistic option. Ash can't be a 10 year old going on adventure after adventure forever. Plus, if the writers really are getting bored and starting to feel detached from the show, it can be a way to start fresh and re-inspire them with a new cast.

But, honestly, what more is there for them to do? If they're getting bored, it might not necessarily be Ash's character that's causing them to get stuck in a rut, but the plot of Pokemon itself. They've already done a lot with Ash and his adventures, so if there isn't much left to do that might just translate over to the next protagonist :/

I'd be really interested in seeing a new series that's a more adult version of Pokemon, where either Ash and Co. age a few years or the new cast is all around the ages of maybe 15+. This would allow them to explore more things that don't necessarily work in a child's television program and appeal to a larger audience. A lot of Pokemon fans aren't just kids, after all.

So, yeah, like I said, I'm torn. Growing up with Ash as the main character makes this all very sad, but thinking of it from a more logical standpoint I do see the reasoning and the potential for something new and exciting.

These are my thoughts exactly. However, I'm not sure myself if this is true or not. There was a pretty consistent rumor that ash wouldn't be going to unova for a while also. I'll just have to wait and see if this continues on to determine if its true or not.

[LuciferIX]

Jul 14, 2012 14:23:37 GMT -8 Wubbzy said:

@lucy. Conceited fuck. It's not all about you you know....yes yes i was LMFAO

I know you well enough to make that little statement. You're one of my biggest fans I have of that series, if not the biggest.

Jul 14, 2012 14:36:13 GMT -8 Anthony said:

Lucy..? Now that's a very interesting nickname heh

Yeah... they use that form when they want to try and annoy me a bit. Usually it's Luci, and that one was started by Midnightmoon quite a while ago, heh.

[Dr. Phil E. Sophical]

Jul 14, 2012 14:00:41 GMT -8 Wubbzy said:

I.have an advanceshipping day thread. That's what I plan on doing with this..who's in?

I'd like to know a little more about what this entails before I commit myself to it...

[Deleted]

I'm sort of happy about this, but I'm worried.

You see, I doubt the animators would cut all relations between Ash and the new protagonist. Maybe it will be his son/daughter? That's where I'm coming from. It all depends on who's getting shipped that worries me. I feel like they'll release a poll asking who Ash should go with

[Yoh]

^same, I feel that way too

[xwittychickx]

I'm kind of happy that Ash can finally have some closer on his journey. I agree, he's had a terrific journey and it's about damn time he made his dreams come true!!

I'm just worried of what will happen to Pokemon if this rumor is true. Will a new protagonist kill the series? I hope not, since the anime brought so many wonderful memories to me, and I'd like future generations to have such a great show as well.