I understand your point and I agree to some point. But poor Ash should be thrown a bone at some point. I think it would also help with what you’re saying the anime is trying to teach.

Your first paragraph: Ah ok see I haven’t watched the series frequently (like all the episodes in a season) in a loooooong time so I didn’t know about this. Thought the guy had literally lost every tournament he had ever been in but I’ll admit that impression comes mostly from people talking about how he always loses…

He wants to be the very worst

Ah, I’m sorry, he fought Drake for the Orange League title, not Gary. My memory had merged the fights with Drake and the fight with Gary in the Johto League - he does win though. The Gary fight is definitely one of my favorites. Bayleef, Heracross, Muk, Charizard, Snorlax and Tauros against Gary’s Nidoqueen, Magmar,…

Him losing all the time makes sense so kids can see its fine to lose. Eventually though, he should win so kids can see that 20 years of determination will let you win one for once. All I see is that no matter how hard I try, I will always fail. Not the best thing to teach a kid.

Yet again, a Charizard screws over Ash.

That is the face of someone who has given up.

None of the Digi-Destined put up with second place!

Ash Ketchum, the eternal loser. Or maybe the biggest loser of all.

I mean, at least the true protagonist of XYZ wins, right?

Even Goku eventually won the World Martial Arts Tournament in Dragon Ball.

The guy who defeated him got his 8 badges in 6 episodes RIGHT before the league because he didn’t have an interest before Ash brought it up to him...and he was only there to beat him.

Yep ash is never going to win. Cannot believe i actually bought into the hype of this league and thought he could actually do it and watched the past few episodes

Has there ever been interviews with the anime team? Feel like they are just trolling at some point with how rigged ash’s team is this season and the type advantage over charizard etc.

I knew it. But it still a bitter pill to swallow. I just want this guy to win at least once. He always pull through against legendary pokemons, but he losses in league matches? Either the legendaries are wimps, or the pokemon league champions are monsters. Dunno which is worse :/

Ash is a master at losing shit on so many different regions

Red would’ve won

This is such a disappointment. I normally watch the dub, but I started watching it in Japanese, sometimes unsubbed so I could keep up with one of my friends who was super hyped for the league. At least the battles were exciting, I guess.

Man. I was so ready. I haven’t watched pokemon in a good 10+ years. So just this morning, I marathoned the 10 or so episodes up until this point. Such a fucking cocktease. Legit. This was shaping up to be such a good year for Pokemon. Between GO, Uranium, and the next handheld incarnation. Ash finally becoming a…

FUCKIN BULLSHIT THAT WHAT THAT WAS.