#((Hopefully the starter isn't too long if it is don't feel the need to match. I just like to set up the scene is all =w= ))

[doubleddenden]

So Ash finally won after all these years. Consider me... not at all surprised, tbh.

After the shit storm that broke out after losing to Alain in the Kalos league, and given the lower than usual ratings that the anime has been getting as of late (at least according to rumors I've heard), it makes sense. Don't want anymore backlash like last time.

I will say that this fight wasn't bad but it definitely doesn't feel as good as the Sinnoh or Kalos league battles, and his team is definitely not as good. TWO unevolved starters, one being the unevolved Rowlet, and only 5 pokemon. Pikachu, Torracat, Rowlet, Dusk Lycanroc, and Melmetal, and of course he'd need a legendary for it.

The anime handles it with just a 3 on 3 match, so I guess it's slightly forgivable. And I do appreciate that Gladion's Silvally took down Melmetal in the first round, because it would have been SUCH a copout for Ash to have won with a legendary pokemon. I do like that Zoroark used his ability to really mess with everyone, and it's one of my favorite pokemon too so points for that as well.

The final battle between Gladion and Ash's Lycanroc feels pretty decent. It isn't Infernape vs Electivire satisfying to me, and the animation DEFINITELY doesn't match up to Ash vs Sawyer or Ash vs Alain, mind you, but I do like that the two took a moment to laugh it out before the fight. Gotta say though, the constant animation recycle kind of took me out of it.

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but Dusk Lycanroc used his own variation of Counter to beat Midnight Lycanroc, right? I couldn't really find subs just yet but I did sort of get the overall gist of it. It at least wasn't a copout like the fight with Hau that almost borderline qualifies as cheating, in my book. Plus some of the faces were just hilarious.

Overall it was an okay match. Not necessarily a match I think is worthy of crowning Ash the championship because there have been SO many other satisfying matches, which admittedly probably has left me pretty jaded and bitter over the course of the years, but overall not bad.

So, a few questions:

Will the writers keep their word? They said a long while back that if Ash ever won a championship, that'd be the end of his journey.

There's rumor floating around that the next anime will take place in every region. Will he still be the protagonist? I kind of hope not, but I've been ready for him to retire since Sinnoh.

Who will he lose to next? If he's going to be travelling again, he has to lose to someone so he can have a "there's always someone stronger" moment like every season. My money is Kukui or someone from Galar if anything.

Overall, I don't know how to feel. I won't lie and say that I'm entirely bitter about it, I did still feel that spark of joy that I felt all those years ago as a kid to see him beat his rival, or to see a fun battle animated. I definitely felt joy when he won because like, I grew up with him. I started out younger than HE was.

I mean it wasnt perfect, it's not how I wanted him to win. I wanted him to have a full, 6 on 6 match with a fully evolved team of pokemon carefully raised with as much love and care as his Sinnoh and Kalos teams. I wanted him to be a lot more mature and fight an impossible opponent like a champion or something. Maybe even a callback to Charizard, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur (although I'd probably call that a copout too, lol).

But hey. I'll take what I can get. Not bad overall. I hope that they retire Ash, at least for a bit, and let us have a new trainer to watch grow and hopefully win in the same series, and PREFERABLY not make us wait 22 years to see that one crowned as champion, lol. I really hope he either takes a step back or just mentors a trainer.

Pikachu can stay though. We love you Pikachu.