Does Best Wishes make up for lack of female rivals in the past?

[Cascada]

To be completely honest, in terms of Ash, Misty was the closest thing he had to a female rival IMO before Best Wishes. With Bianca thrown into the mix, and possibly Burgundy and Langley, things have changed.

If one truly thinks about it, we've gotten a lot of female rivals with personality and substance since Ursula. I did like Zoey, but I understand why the fandom got bored so easily at times with her. Many fans actually prefered Ursula last saga over Zoey, and she actually gave Paul a run for his money as the most fan favorite rival.

With that being said, it seems like even though Ursula was short-lived, she left an impact, or at least gave the writers some ideas for Langley, Burgundy, and even Bianca to a lesser extent.

With how much Iris accuses Ash of being a kid, and with an inevitable future battle(s) ahead, one may even call Iris a rival of Ash as well.

I understand Burgundy and Langley aren't confirmed to be in the Unova League, but IMO, they definitely should, they'd be nice additions, and it would be a makeup for no female league rivals last saga. The only thing about that is, I really can't see them lose to Ash one again.....unless they beat him once down the line

Speaking of which did anyone find it odd that last saga, Ash faced no female in the League, wtf?

I actually hope, that if unfortunately Ash does not win the League this saga, he loses to a female, why? Because it's a nice change, and female battlers have been getting redeemed this saga.

But in terms of right now, does Best Wishes serve female rivals justice unlike any other saga?

 

[Cybersai]

To be completely honest, in terms of Ash, Misty was the closest thing he had to a female rival IMO before Best Wishes.

Misty was NEVER close to being a rival. Ash only battled her 3-4 times, he probably battled Dawn around 10 times if you include all those training matches.

Ash's closest thing to a female rival was Casey, but she fizzled out during the Johto saga.


But as for BW, yes, its good to finally have female rivals.

 

[Cascada]

Misty was NEVER close to being a rival. Ash only battled her 3-4 times, he probably battled Dawn around 10 times if you include all those training matches.

Ash's closest thing to a female rival was Casey, but she fizzled out during the Johto saga.


But as for BW, yes, its good to finally have female rivals.

It is an unpopular opinion but in terms of who could have been taken more seriously as a battler I'd go with Misty. Casey may have had a Meganium, but she did nothing with it, baseball was her true nature.

To stay on topic, I think it's important to remember that Ursula battled Dawn 3 times, Zoey did 2 times, and so did Kenny. Rivalry, IMO, is sometimes about quality and not quantity. In terms of Misty, her first battle with Ash was never finished, her second was a joke because Psyduck was tickled back into its pokeball, but her match against Ash(when her pokemon actually evolved and she almost won Totodile), and her last, when she actually beat Ash in a legit tournament says something.

Ash may want to prove to Iris that he is a good trainer by beating her, just like he did with Paul, only not so dramatic.

 

[Cybersai]

It is an unpopular opinion but in terms of who could have been taken more seriously as a battler I'd go with Misty. Casey may have had a Meganium, but she did nothing with it, baseball was her true nature.

Ash didn't battle Misty any more than any other travel companion. He's already battled Iris' Axew a few times in BW, does that make Iris his rival too? No.

Ash also battled May at least 3 times, and Dawn the most because of all those training matches. So I fail to see how Misty was anything close to a rival when they didn't compete against each other more than Ash and any other female companion.

To stay on topic, I think it's important to remember that Ursula battled Dawn 3 times, Zoey did 2 times, and so did Kenny. Rivalry, IMO, is sometimes about quality and not quantity. In terms of Misty, her first battle with Ash was never finished, her second was a joke because Psyduck was tickled back into its pokeball, but her match against Ash(when her pokemon actually evolved and she almost won Totodile), and her last, when she actually beat Ash in a legit tournament says something.

Ash battled Misty at a tournament, what does this have to do with being a rival for the other 95% of the eps? Ash battled Dawn in the tag battle arc, May in a Contest, and he's battling Iris in the Don Battle tournament.

So what is the difference? They may be rivals for that one particular tournament, but not for the rest of the series.

Pre-BW, the closest thing to a rival was Casey because she started out as run. The writing of Johto was just so poor however that the writers had no clue what to do with Casey so she fizzled out and amounted to nothing.

Hands down BW is fixing the mistakes of the past and giving Ash proper female rivals, something he never had prior.

 

[Cascada]

I never said Misty actually WAS his rival, she was the CLOSEST thing to it IMO. Misty's battles were much more hyped, and Ash vs May's battle was not only a contest, but it wasn't to prove anything, to claim a pokemon, to advance in a round, I mean they both got half a ribbon.

I understand why people disagree, but that's how I viewed Misty at times, and with Iris criticizing Ash so much, she could very well be perceived as a rival if whenever Ash and her battle, Iris is proven right or wrong about Ash.

 

[Cybersai]

Misty's battles were much more hyped, and Ash vs May's battle was not only a contest, but it wasn't to prove anything, to claim a pokemon, to advance in a round, I mean they both got half a ribbon.

How in the world were Misty's battles more hyped? The only ones remotely important were the Gym battle, (and even then it was a Gym battle, not a tournament), and the Whirl Cup, which is the same tournament setting the Don Battle tournament or Tag battle arc had.

Misty's battles with Ash weren't any more important than the others. Brock wanted Togepi too, remember? Nice how you left that part out.

I understand why people disagree, but that's how I viewed Misty at times, and with Iris criticizing Ash so much, she could very well be perceived as a rival if whenever Ash and her battle, Iris is proven right or wrong about Ash.

Ash's female rival is Bianca. If Langely or Burungly reveal they're collecting badges, then maybe them too.

 

[Cascada]

I left Brock out because he isn't female, but in total, we'll just have to agree to disagree.

The only thing that bothers me about Burgundy, Langley, and Bianca, is the fact that they all don't have many wins under their belt for them to be taken serious enough. If they were all to be in the League, I can't see Ash losing to them, but another loss for any of these women isn't needed at this point.

Yes Langley did beat as well as tie with Iris, but she is set to lose to Ash, who is still yet to confirmed to be her rival or not if she's collecting badges.

Bianca is entertaing, but how far will this go for her as a rival, she should beat Ash at least once, and so should Burgundy with Cilan.

One thing I'll give Langley is she gives Iris a reason for a rematch, I want Dent to care about Burgundy's rivalry with him, and I want Ash to look at Bianca as a serious threat at least once, not just another opponent who appears often.

Barry beat Ash, but to be fair, Gible was his new pokemon, while Empoleon was Barry's first. That battle wasn't BS, but the win, in terms of the rivalry were.

Even Ursula never beat Dawn, at least have some of these female rivals win occasionaly is what I'd like the writers to do.

 

[Cybersai]

Well we can agree BW finally has a lot of female rivals in the show. Its too bad Bianca is losing every match she's in though, but I guess that's the point.

I wouldn't mind seeing Langely or Burungly in the league.

 

[Cascada]

I wouldn't mind either, and it does suck that Bianca is losing every battle.

If we don't get a rushed league maybe she can battle Burgundy or Langley if they are in it that is.

 

[Lilac]

yes because casey wasn't really a rival but she had a good song

 

[MarshiyanMisutaa]

It's too early to say anything about it. Focus on the girl rivals is a good thing, but we don't know how much a serious threat they will become.

To be completely honest, in terms of Ash, Misty was the closest thing he had to a female rival IMO before Best Wishes.

"In the original Japanese, Ash declares that Casey will be his new rival outright."

 

[Cybersai]

. Focus on the girl rivals is a good thing, but we don't know how much a serious threat they will become.

At the moment, not much. Bianca loses every battle she is in and doesn't come off as competition for Ash at all. She is comic relief.

Cilan beat Burungly fairly easily. Ash beat her too. The girl gets creamed as well.

Langely is a tougher battler than those two, giving Ash a bigger challenge, but he beats her too.


So seems like the girls are getting put in their place, honestly.

 

[Trainer Gabriel]

Ash's female rival is Bianca. If Langely or Burungly reveal they're collecting badges, then maybe them too.

We know Burgundy is anyway.

In DP we did have Zoey and Ursula, but they were strictly contest rivals, so I like to think that DP made up for lack of previous female rivals while BW sort of improved on it. But they do need to be treated like more competent rivals before I can say that BW is doing female rivals justice.

 

[Cybersai]

In DP we did have Zoey and Ursula, but they were strictly contest rivals, so I like to think that DP made up for lack of previous female rivals while BW sort of improved on it.

Ursula also didn't debut until well over 90 episodes or whatever it was in DP. Here we have 3 female rivals from the beginning.

And as for Zoey, she just didn't feel the same as having a female rival, probably because she was so masculine.

 

[Trainer Gabriel]

Ursula also didn't debut until well over 90 episodes or whatever it was in DP. Here we have 3 female rivals from the beginning.

Granted, but being a late-comer doesn't negate what I just said.

And as for Zoey, she just didn't feel the same as having a female rival, probably because she was so masculine.

*facepalm*

I'm not so sure if you speak for everyone when you say that she didn't feel like a female rival. Being a tomboy does not change the fact that she's a girl.

 

[Cybersai]

I'm not so sure if you speak for everyone when you say that she didn't feel like a female rival. Being a tomboy does not change the fact that she's a girl.

Sure. But Zoey didn't feel rivalish enough to me.

She was like this mentor or older sister who helped Dawn out whenever we saw her. That combined with her masculine traits (especially the male contest outfits she wore), negated the feeling to me.

 

[Trainer Gabriel]

I can concede to the "mentor" part at least. That role she was given did kind of lessen her "rival status".

Still, it was an improvement over what we got before--since all we had before was Casey. And now it's even better (or at least shaping up to be).

 

[Cybersai]

Still, it was an improvement over what we got before--since all we had before was Casey. And now it's even better (or at least shaping up to be).

Well the problem is Ash's rivals were always male, even in the leagues. Gary and Richie, then Gary and Harrisson, Morrisson and Tyson. Then Paul, Barry, Conway, Nando and Tobias. How sad is that? No wonder why everyone liked Katie.

May having all male rivals except Solidad at the last minute, and Dawn not getting Ursula until over 100 eps in DP didn't help matters.

 

[CommanderPigg]

Why couldn't they have just made Paul a girl? Damn, nothing would have changed.

But yeah, I guess they handled them a bit better by actually introducing them earlier on/not forgetting about them in the long run. Helps that a chunk of them are actually interesting and funny. But I've yet to see a rival that's both multi-dimensional and competent (to my satisfaction) in BW. It's like, one or the other

 

[pokemon fan 132]

History in this show was never very amicable toward females as rivals until DP came on scene.
For Ash closest thing to female rival was Casey in Johto which had potential but writers just dropped the ball with whole thing never even getting to battle her after their first encounter(let alone at league).Or if you want count to some extent Misty between who and Ash at times existed some rivalry often wanting to prove being better than another in character sense.

By time DP came around writers started to give some female rivals(namely to Dawn)in form of Zoey,Ursula and occasionally Jessie but it didnt happened until Best Wishes that huge discrepancy between guys and girls as rivals finally started to shrink.

Writers probably realized how lack of female rivals with mostly guys being used for that role was in a way discriminating and repetitive deciding to fix that mistake by adding more variety.
For start Ash finally received real legitimate rival in form of Bianca and while she doesnt come of as any real threat yet,it is surely step in right direction being followed with Langley and Cabernet as rivals to Cilan and Iris.

In short yes writers are pretty much trying to redeem in Unova for lack of girl rivals before.

Misty was NEVER close to being a rival. Ash only battled her 3-4 times, he probably battled Dawn around 10 times if you include all those training matches.

Well to be brutally honest in here Misty acted as pseudo rival to Ash character at times in character sense with there often existing tension and competitive fire(from Kanto to Johto) being possible to tell by their interactions and nitpicking how they often tried to make themselves portrayed in better light than another and surpass each other.

Sure you could say that Ash battled with other girls just as much but whenever he battled with Misty there was always something on stake with there being awaken some sort of competitive spark between them being important for both sides to win at any cost(whether it was for gym badge,Togepi,Totodile,Whirl Cup or pokemon race).
With May or Dawn there never existed same amount of tension or competitive fire(call it whatever you want)so personally i can see from where some people are coming from with considering Misty as some sort of false rival.Because in true sense she was never of course one.