So now that DP is over, which character truly got more screentime?

[Cybersai]

I'm going to have to say definitely Ash. While the writers did do a great job of trying to make Dawn an almost even co-star...she still didn't get as much as Ash did overall.

Ash also steals Dawn's rivals. Ash battled both Zoey and Kenny, and entered Contests. Dawn never got to battle Paul or Barry. And she only entered 1 Gym battle.

The Sinnoh league is bound to be 8-10 eps, while the Grand Festival was only 4 episodes.

Ash also got to enter competitions like the Pokeringer, Pokethlon, Contests, battled Palmer, battled the Elite's, and stuff like the summer school arc and tag battle tournament were far more about Ash than Dawn.

Maybe next gen they'll get it right with a "true" co-star. As Ash still by far got more focus.

 

[Trainer Yusuf]

I say Paul.

 

[revolvingscott]

BROCK WAS THERE ALL THE TIME!

 

[OneOfTheDragons]

Ash lol, there is no way that any other character gets more screentime than he does.

 

[CommanderPigg]

Seeing as I sometimes forgot Dawn was there, I'd say Ash definitely was treated to more screentime.

I say Paul.

Ahaha Well, he appeared in more flashbacks than he needed to XD

 

[Falconwing]

I say Piplup.

 

[Cascada]

I vote for the 2nd one. I was way more interested in Dawn's story, which is enough for me to believe she was just as good as Ash.

 

[Piplup]

In my opinion Ash and Dawn were usually showcased as totally equal

They even got coupled together for things like movie 10's "save the day" thing or eps like the tag battle VS Quilava/Croconaw and tag battle against Lyra/Khoury

But Ash still got a LITTLE, really only a little more...
In movie 11 they were totally equal until the very end, where Ash stole the "save the day" thing to himself, though Dawn still did things while Ash did the "save the day" - she saved Shaymin when it fell at the end and also helped with the ice with her Buneary and Swinub... so even when Ash did the "save the day", she also got something to do, unlike Brock who just was there
In movie 12 I think she really didn't do much other than the opening tag battle with Ash...

And in the show itself, if you'll count Ash focused eps and Dawn focused eps, you'll see it's about equal... not to mention the good amount of eps that focus on both equally as partners

So again, they were equals, with Ash getting a little more... just a little, which will probably always be the case as long as Ash stays, since after all he was here since the very beginning and named after the creator

Ash also steals Dawn's rivals. Ash battled both Zoey and Kenny,

How is that "stealing her rivals"? you're really exaggerating now...

and entered Contests.

Dawn battled Gym Leaders and Elite Four members too

Dawn never got to battle Paul or Barry.

Wrong
Tag Battles Tournament: DAWN and Conway VS PAUL and Ash
Also, Conway is considered Ash's rival too - and Dawn had battles WITH him in the Tag Battles Tournament and battle AGAINST him in the Summer School

And she only entered 1 Gym battle.

But still, see all of this:
- Dawn VS Lucian
- DAWN & Ash VS GARDENIA & James
- Dawn VS Maylene

3 Gym Leader / Elite Four, while Ash participated at 2 Contests

The Sinnoh league is bound to be 8-10 eps, while the Grand Festival was only 4 episodes.

You mean 8 eps at BEST
And yes, this is one of the few examples where Ash is still treated as more important
Though she still got more than May's GFs

Ash also got to enter competitions like the Pokeringer,

Dawn didn't own a flying type and that competition was an Ash rival/evolution ep

Pokethlon,

Well, Dawn got that Hearthome Collection thing, but Ash participated too

Contests,

Dawn also battled Gym Leaders

battled Palmer,

A high level trainer... Dawn also battled Johanna, a high level Coordinator

battled the Elite's,

Dawn did too

and stuff like the summer school arc and tag battle tournament were far more about Ash than Dawn.

Brock and Dawn got some good screen time in this tournament too... it wasn't completely Ash
Dawn even was involved with the Chimchar thing... she reminded Paul of Cynthia's words and defended Chimchar together with Ash

Maybe next gen they'll get it right with a "true" co-star. As Ash still by far got more focus.

All next girls will probably get as much focus as Dawn, maybe slightly more... being pretty much equal to Ash like Dawn was, but like with Dawn - Ash will always be a LITTLE more important

The only way there won't be one star the gets a little more is if we get a brand new cast... and even then, I can see the male Gym challengers get a little more than the female Coordinator, since I think they still view Poké as a little more for boys and also because of the Gym's importance in games...

What's sure is - every gen gets better with trying to appeal equally for both genders
While it may never reach 50/50 - it's good enough the way it was in DP... at least to me

So I didn't vote because I feel they were equals even if Ash got a little more

 

[Cybersai]

It also seems like the whole last part of DP after the league are almost all non-Dawn episodes. Even that Kenny episode is more about Ash than Dawn.

 

[Trainer Yusuf]

It also seems like the whole last part of DP after the league are almost all non-Dawn episodes. Even that Kenny episode is more about Ash than Dawn.

Instead of disproving you, I will try something more different.

Yes, Ash will always be the poster child of animé. Because of that, he will get more focus than anybody and their mothers. He is the fricken mascot and and he will continue to be.

Now to disprove you;

Conway. His entire character is built around the fact he is a creepy pedo to Dawn, obviously he will continue to do that in League too. Which would mean more screentime to Dawn than you expect.

 

[Piplup]

Not to mention the inevitable Dawn/Zoey/Ursula ep and also Dawn's departure ep... that's at least 2 Dawn focused eps by DP's end... and she's likely to get some focus in the Kenny ep too (I can totally see a cute scene of Kenny talking with Dawn trying to figure out what he should do)

 

[Aladar]

We all know it's Pilup. Don't deny it.

 

[Hestia]

This thread seems a tad pointless ...but anyway, their focus was pretty much equal, Ash probably got a little more but quite frankly not so much more that it actually matters.

In movie 11 they were totally equal until the very end, where Ash stole the "save the day" thing to himself, though Dawn still did things while Ash did the "save the day" - she saved Shaymin when it fell at the end and also helped with the ice with her Buneary and Swinub... so even when Ash did the "save the day", she also got something to do, unlike Brock who just was there
In movie 12 I think she really didn't do much other than the opening tag battle with Ash...

I really, really have to watch these movies!

 

[Hellion]

I voted for the second one.

Sure you can dissect the show 20 ways from sunday, but the thing is, for the first time, it didn't feel like it was just Ash's adventure like the original series and the advance generation felt. This time it truly felt that it was Ash and Dawn's adventures.

Did Ash get involved in some of Dawn's things, yes. He did the Jubilife contest, the Wallace Cup and the Hearthome Collection, but Dawn was involved in the plot of three of Ash's gyms, Oreburgh, Hearthome and Veilstone, even battling in one of them. Dawn and Ash both battled E4 members, they were both part of the minor arcs, they both had realtionships with each other rivals (Ash and Kenny, Dawn and Conway and to a lesser extent Ash and Zoey, Dawn & Barry), they had plenty of tag team battles together, Dawn participated more in fighting TR, fighting wild pokémon and in the overall plot of episodes than Ash's previous travelling companions.

Did Ash get a little more, probably, but in essence, this isn't just his show anymore, this saga felt equally about Ash and Dawn. If the writers want to make it even more equal next time around, then I'm all for it.

 

[Cybersai]

Then why make the GF only 4 episodes?

With how rushed it was, the GF could have easily been 5-6 episodes. Proper screentime for Dawn Vs. Jessie and a few other matches.

 

[Duckgon Z]

Then why make the GF only 4 episodes?

With how rushed it was, the GF could have easily been 5-6 episodes. Proper screentime for Dawn Vs. Jessie and a few other matches.

Because it would have been boring.

This is probably why they didn't have Dawn face Jessie, then Kenny, then Ursula, then Nando in the GF to get to Zoey. We would have been burnt out on Dawn's Pokemon, pretty much leaving us with nothing left for the finals.

I don't think we'll ever get that long a GF, one that's as long as a League, regardless of who the coordinator is (if there is, but that's another topic.

 

[Cybersai]

I don't think we'll ever get that long a GF, one that's as long as a League, regardless of who the coordinator is (if there is, but that's another topic.

This might also be the final GF of the entire show, but I agree that's for another topic.

 

[Rex Kamex]

I really don't see why there'd be a debate. The writers didn't try to make Dawn 100% equal to Ash.

Maybe next gen they'll get it right with a "true" co-star. As Ash still by far got more focus.

Considering the 5th gen girl'll most likely leave too, I'm betting no, that they probably wouldn't bother.

 

[Cybersai]

I still can't see how they got even screentime if Ash still gets blatantly more.

I believe Paul appeared more this saga than Zoey did. His league is longer than the GF.

Ash participated in competitions that Dawn sat out of like Pokeringer/Pokethlon and so forth.

The tag battle arc, even though Dawn was in it, was still mostly about Ash, Paul and Chimchar.

I also believe Ash's actual Pokemon got more screentime than Dawn's this saga. Cynda/Togekiss were late captures, and Buneary/Pachi went some gaps without being used at all.

 

[Piplup]

Scott, just count the Dawn focused eps and Ash ones, then tell me how much each got...