Despite being one of the most fan-favorite ships in Pokémon, Ash and Misty proved not to be one of the series’ enduring couples. Over the years, anime has given the protagonist a lot of companionship. However, out of all the girls that Ash had befriended, none had a close relationship like Serena.
Pokémon began airing in 1997 in Japan, with an English release a year later. From the start, fans had a number of ships they cheered on. One of the original popular couples in the Pokémon anime series was Ash and Misty, his longtime companion. Considering the ages of the characters (Ash is always supposed to be 10 in every season) and the age of the original audience, it means there won’t be any official relationship very soon. Still, after 25 years, there hasn’t been much romantic progress for the series’ enduring hero, with the exception of one particular character: Serena.
Serena is Ash’s true love in Pokémon Anime, Not Misty
Several moments and songs from the series and related films imply that Misty has romantic feelings for Ash. Misty’s feelings were teased in Pokémon the Movie 2000, and the episode Misty Meets Her Match! in Pokémon: Adventures in the Orange Islands, as well as in the songs “Misty’s Song” (Pokémon: 2.BA Master) and “He Drives Me Crazy” (Totally Pokémon), sung from Misty’s perspective and discussed about her feelings. cannot openly share. However, these romantic teasers were never fully developed and many hints of Ash and Misty’s romantic relationship were added to the voice acting. Misty will eventually leave the show as usual, to be replaced by other female leads such as May, Dawn, Iris, and finally Serena, a new romantic rival in the Pokémon XY genre, the series sixth generation ri. As a result, fan ships are usually divided into two groups: PokéShipping (Ash and Misty) and AmourShipping (Ash and Serena).
Serena is unique among Ash’s female companions in that it is revealed that she met Ash before the series, when they were both children; he helped her at a summer camp after she injured herself. Throughout XY and XYZ, it’s clear that Serena has a crush on him, to the point where it’s even discussed by other characters – including Serena’s romantic rival, Miette. Although the two coaches have never had an official relationship, an implied kiss occurred when the season XYZ starring Serena ended and the two said their goodbyes to each other. That puts her above Misty, who has never had any such kisses with Ash.
There is no romance for Ash Ketchum
Despite these teases and many other potential romantic interests along the way (Melody in Pokémon the Movie 2000, Latias/Bianca in Pokémon Heroes, Miette in Pokémon XY/XYZ), Ash has not revealed any romantic feelings towards any of his companions. Everyone knows that he values his companions, as well as the time he spends with them. Ash sometimes expresses that he misses them or carries things that remind him of them, such as Misty’s fishing lures. However, it’s fair to point out that Ash also got a hook from Cilan, another old companion with whom he has no romantic connection.
When it was announced that Ash Ketchum would be leaving the series, many fans were hoping that a romance would eventually be established for Ash. Those hopes became even stronger when it became clear that Misty and Ash would reunite in the final 13 episodes of Ash, offering the chance to give their relationship a chance. However, the series again ignores Ash and Misty’s potential romance; Their interactions in these final episodes are no more romantic than most of their interactions in the early episodes, and Misty plays a relatively minor role in the finale. Even their final goodbye was disappointingly normal, finally hammering the final nail into the coffin for a classic Ash and Misty romance. Serena herself also makes a late final appearance in Pokémon Journeys, but in that episode, she and Ash only meet for a moment and don’t get a chance to talk, leaving their potential romance unresolved as well. decide.
Serena may not be as prominent as Misty in the Pokémon series in general, but she’s already the girl in Pokémon who came closest to declare his love for Ashand even go a step further in revealing them, which gives her more rights to the title than Misty.