One Bad Pokémon Battle Proves Why The Series' Least Popular Criticism Deserves Its Reputation

Ash Ketchum, the protagonist of the original Pokémon anime, is widely known for his amazing strategies and unbreakable determination. The hero entertained fans for over two decades thanks to his strategic mind, endearing character, and the incredible battles he was a part of. Nonetheless, Ash was not always the best protagonist, and fans are aware that not all iterations of the character were equally competent.

One of the most disliked iterations by viewers all around the world is Ash from the Black & White era of the anime, often considered a failed attempt at rebooting the franchise. The reasons behind this disdain can be seen during the protagonist’s embarrassing battle against the Electric-Type gym leader Elesa. This fight indicates everything wrong with his attitude and personality during the show and exemplifies why fans tend to avoid this part of his journey.

Ash vs Elesa Is a Bizarre and Infuriating Battle

The Protagonist Acted in a Nonsensical Way

In episode #50 of Pokémon: Black & White, Ash arrives at Nimbasa City’s Gym to challenge the leader, Elesa. Knowing that his opponent specialized in Electric-Type Pokémon, he decided to only bring with him a Palpitoad, a Ground-Type, which would be super effective against his opponent. His decision was alarmingly questionable, as this was far from the first or hardest Gym Leader he had ever fought against. As expected, Palpitoad ended up being quickly defeated by Elesa’s Emolga, forcing Ash to run back to the Pokémon Center to acquire new team members.

Although Ash won in the end, the embarrassment he and the audience felt during the battle made this battle one that fans wish they could forget about. The hero acted like a complete novice, being overconfident and thinking he knew better than one of the best trainers in the region. Worse of all, he put Elesa in a difficult position, as she had no obligation to let him run to get more Pokémon. She could have simply disqualified him, as this would have been fairer for all past and future challengers.

various versions of Ash from over the years.

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Fans abhor this battle because it is the perfect example of how Ash went from a competent trainer into a reckless beginner by just traveling to a new region. The Ash from Diamond & Pearl would never have made such a mistake, as he had learned from his errors during the Indigo League series. Yet, once he arrived at Kalos, all his progress was lost, almost as if he had forgotten the amazing and memorable battles he was a part of during previous seasons of the anime.

Ash's Problems Go Beyond His Lack of Strategy

Even His Pokémon Suffered During Black & White

Trip and Ash from the Pokémon anime in a battle against eachother

The Pokémon League of the Sinnoh region is considered by most fans as one of the best Ash participated in. Despite the protagonist not being crowned as victor, this event did include one of his best battles ever, against the mysterious Tobias. His opponent, against all logic, had a team made of nothing but Legendary Pokémon, including the imposing Latios and the terrifying Darkrai. Out of all the talented trainers who joined the competition, Ash was the only one capable of defeating two of Tobias’ partners, demonstrating his impressive strength and skill.

This incredible progress as a trainer seemed to have been forgotten during the Black & White era, as even Ash’s strongest Pokémon, Pikachu, seemed to have been weakened during the show. This was proven during Ash's first battle against his rival, Trip, a new trainer who had received his first partner moments before the battle. Pikachu, who was supposed to be agile and strong enough to defeat a deity, failed to even damage a small and inexperienced Snivy, being defeated almost instantly.

Journeys Ash with Liko and Roy from Horizons.

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The franchise’s mascot was indeed unable to use electric-type moves at the time, but it had years of experience over the opponent. While Elesa’s battle and its hilariously awkward development can only be blamed on Ash, his fight against Trip cannot be justified. Ash and Pikachu had hundreds of battles under their belt when Trip asked them to fight, implying that the Pokémon was several times stronger than Snivy. This is by far one of Ash’s most humiliating defeats, proving how much of his progress was stripped away from him during Black & White.

His Personality Also Became Less Appealing

The Boy Reverted to His Rude Season 1 Self

Ash Ketchum and Iris in Pokemon Master Journeys

Another big reason why fans do not enjoy watching Ash in the Black & White anime seasons is due to his drastic personality change. Although the hero had always been somewhat rude and stubborn, his journeys helped him understand how to be more empathetic and kinder to others. He would get into an occasional argument with some of his best companions, like Dawn or May, but the fight would end soon, with both parties apologizing for their mistakes. Black & White also took away Ash’s emotional maturity and brought back his somewhat annoying season 1 self.

The hero would often mock and hurt Iris's feelings, acting like a young and socially inexperienced child rather than a famous trainer. This would have been okay if the series had decent humor to go along with Ash’s change in personality, but most of the jokes fell flat, only making him look bad in comparison. In contrast, fans still love the original anime because it managed to use the hero’s harsh comments to create memorable comedic moments, something that no other show in the franchise has done.

X & Y Saved Ash From Oblivion

His Next Iteration Is Several Times More Competent and Likable

Ash, Pikachu, and Greninja after the village is safe.

While the version of Ash introduced during the Black & White era is by far one of the worst, the writers of the series seemed to have learned their lessons. The hero depicted during Pokémon: X & Y is far more mature, capable, and kind than most other characters in the franchise. His strength and skill came back tenfold, with him acquiring one of his strongest teams ever to reach the finals of an official Pokémon League for the first time.