Characters you used to Hate but now Love

[TheGoldenToon]

I hope this one hasn't been done before.
The title says it all. What are some characters in the Pokemon Anime that you used to despise or at least drive you crazy, but now love. Feel free to elaborate on how and why your feelings have changed.

2 characters come in mind for me.

1. Max - The younger brother of May, a total know-it-all despite not being a pokemon trainier himself yet. Mocked Ash despite him making it to the victory tournement in the Johto Leauge. Swiped away the balance badge that Ash earn after beating his father Norman. Can be very annoying to his sister, May. So why did my mind change? Well after rewatching AG I realized he is really not that bad. He learned to respect both Ash and his sister as trainers after seeing the effort they put into their gym battles and contest respectively. His father (and I guess technically Ash) taught him there is no shame in losing, and he apologized to Ash for taking his badge. Can be supportive. Seem to love and care about pokemon a lot with "Do I Hear a Ralts?" being the prime example. Also being the younger sibling you kind of have to expect him to be annoying and snark off to May. I don't have any siblings myself, but I know that's a thing they do to each other like all the time. So overall nowadays I don't really mind him at all.

2. Paul - I can't believe it, but I actually miss this character. Yeah, he's a huge jerk, probably one of the biggest ever shown in the anime, but between watching both BW and SM right now I have to say I appreciate him a lot more now. As far as BW goes Trip just doesn't cut it compared to Paul. Paul always gave Ash a reason to try harder because of how much a jerk he was which in turn made Ash defeating him in the Sinnoh league with Infernape all the more satisfying. Also as mean as he is at least he's not evil like say Hunter J. As for the SM anime while I like it for what it is I have to admit there's an empty void present when watching as if some of the cast are a little too nice and we need more jerk characters to balance things out. Also I have to admit this guy has cool pokemon: Nidoking, Froslass, Hariyama, Magmortor, Aggron. I'd actually love to see his past journeys and badge quest just to see how he caught some of his pokemon and beat the various gym leaders. Again I can't believe it, but I actually miss this jerk.

So any participants?​

 

[MarshiyanMisutaa]

Brock/Takeshi.

 

[Gligarman]

I wasn't convinced Serena was going to be even remotely interesting when XY started and by the end she winded up being one of my favorite characters. Also I thought the whole Eureka/Zyguard thing was going to get on my nerves but I actually choked up a bit when she sang that song to him to make regain his sense toward the end.

 

[HiroHunter]

Before SM I didn't really like TR but now they are the only reason i'm still watching SM.

 

[EscLucy]

The only one that comes to mind is Barry. My view of him changed a lot throughout the DP anime. I actually thought he was funny and a better version of Bianca

 

[Shadowlarvitar]

Harley, as a kid I hated him. But now Harley's my favorite rival when it comes to the non-Ash rivals

 

[Jimmy 3 People 0]

I never liked Tracey much as a kid. I wouldn't exactly say I hated him (once I hate a character, my feelings on them are pretty much set... Cilan), but he never really clicked with me. Watching back some Orange Islands episodes and especially the one-offs he was in, though, I've found myself liking him a lot more. Sure, he's not the best companion Ash has had, but I think he was a fine replacement for Brock.

 

[Ashketchum205]

I felt bonnie was a little kid and she is kind of jerk.
But in XYZ I realised that we wasn't that bad she helped back ash
At same time if you have watched full xy and XYZ she is a kind of
OKKKK......