The Way Ash Ketchum Finally Won His First Pokémon League Championship Was Disappointing

There used to be an old saying that went, “Nothing is certain but death and taxes and Ash Ketchum never winning a Pokémon League.”  Well, that saying isn’t true anymore.  After 22 years – and after falling short six times before – Satoshi a.k.a. Ash has finally won his very first League championship in the most recent episode of Pokémon Sun and Moon!

Just like everyone who has been a Pokémon fan at some point of his life, I was delighted when this news dropped.  But after watching for myself the two-episode championship match of the Alola League, my elation disappeared.

Three years ago, after Ash’s maddening loss in the final round of the Kalos League, I thought the show’s writers missed the best opportunity of finally giving Ash the satisfying win that everyone was waiting for.  Concluding my reaction article for it, the exasperated me wrote this:

“I just hope that when the showrunners decide to finally let Ash win it all in the Pokemon League, it would be sufficiently gratifying to make up for all of this crap.”

Unfortunately, Ash’s Alola win didn’t quite make up for his Kalos loss – or the accumulated frustration through the years derived from his peripheral losing for that matter.  Let me explain.

There Was No Hype Around It

Most fans who grew up with the Pokémon anime have long stopped following it.  But most of them – including yours truly – tuned in to the latest Pokémon XYZ episode three years ago because it had been hyped well.  The implication was, history was about to be made: Ash was finally winning a Pokémon League championship for the first time.   It ended up being another disappointment, but prior to that, there was a lot of excitement in the air – and the fact itself that there was a lot of excitement in the air was also a cause of excitement.  It was a fun time to be a Pokémon fan again.

This wasn’t the case this time around.  It just... happened.  There was no buzz toward it.  Many old fans were never even aware that Ash was currently participating in another championship match – let alone another conference tournament.  We were just hit by the surprising news that Ash has won.   It was exciting news, sure, but it might have been more gratifying if we had been given the chance to eagerly anticipate for it and witness it in real time.

The Match Wasn’t Even a Full Battle

The championship battle was only 3-on-3 instead of the usual Full Battle standard of 6-on-6.  What’s up with that?!  I haven’t played the game, so the 3-on-3 arrangement might have been based on that.  Even so, that sucks.  Ash winning with just half the usual number of Pokémon makes it feel like he just won half a championship.

Ash Had a Bland Lineup

Why does Ash’s first Pokémon League triumph have to come from arguably his least appealing lineup ever?  Seriously, it was inferior to any of the six-Pokémon lineups he had during the six Pokémon League Conferences he participated prior to Alola.

Actually, I had this theory before that Ash’s seventh try would end up with him becoming champion (which what did happen), and his lineup for it would be Pikachu-less for the first time, but would be composed of a Pokémon from each of the six previous Pokémon League lineups he lost with.  It would give the whole thing a redemption angle.  Now, isn’t that amazingly poetic?  Isn’t that a more meaningful and electrifying lineup for Ash’s very first championship?

Seriously, Charizard must redeem himself from the bullcrap he pulled in his battle against Richie’s Sparky.

The Battle Itself Was Underwhelming for Such a Momentous Event

Particularly, when comparing it to Ash and Alain’s epic championship battle three years ago.  Again, that was when an Ash victory would have made the most impact!

*   *   *

So, yeah, Ash has now a championship to show for it.  But even then, he still comes off like a bona fide loser.