History BrokenBase / PokemonTheSeries

* Whether Zoey or Dawn should have won the Sinnoh Grand Festival is a contentious issue amongst fans. Supporters of Zoey's victory argue it would've been unrealistic and unwarranted for Dawn to become a Top Coordinator after a single contest season, particularly if the victory came from the Togekiss big of a step to have Dawn win her very first contest season, especially if her victory had come from the Togekiss she acquired only three episodes before the Grand Festival. Overall, this camp also argues that having Dawn win her first season would've gone against the [[JapaneseSpirit main]] [[ItsTheJourneyThatCounts themes]] of the series and that it was good to see a recurring rival win finals for once, instead of giving the win to a character who gets introduced immediately before the big competition as is usually the case. Those against Zoey winning argue that Dawn had far more CharacterDevelopment than any other companion has had prior or since, with Dawn growing to become the skilled coordinator she always strived to be. This along with Dawn having wanted to be a coordinator her entire life would've made Dawn winning her first season more justified and satisfying than if it happened to any other main character. The camp that felt Dawn should've won would increase in volume as fans grew frustrated with Dawn's stagnation presented during her returns in ''Black & White'' and ''Journeys''. [[TakeAThirdOption There's also a third camp]] who doesn't mind losing but would've preferred it if she lost to somebody else, as Zoey's win gives Dawn the dubious honor of being the only companion who couldn't beat their main rival.

* Whether Zoey or Dawn should have won the Sinnoh Grand Festival is a contentious issue amongst fans. Supporters of Zoey's victory argue it would've been unrealistic and unwarranted for Dawn to become a Top Coordinator after a single contest season, particularly if the victory came from the Togekiss big of a step to have Dawn win her very first contest season, especially if her victory had come from the Togekiss she acquired only three episodes before the Grand Festival. Overall, this camp also argues that having Dawn win her first season would've gone against the [[JapaneseSpirit main]] [[ItsTheJourneyThatCounts themes]] of the series and that it was good to see a recurring rival win finals for once, instead of giving the win to a character who gets introduced immediately before the big competition as is usually the case. Those against Zoey winning argue that Dawn had far more CharacterDevelopment than any other companion has had prior or since, with Dawn growing to become the skilled coordinator she always strived to be. This along with Dawn having wanted to be a coordinator her entire life would've made Dawn winning her first season more justified and satisfying than if it happened to any other main character. The camp that felt Dawn should've won would increase in volume as fans grew frustrated with Dawn's stagnation presented during her returns in ''Black & White'' and ''Journeys''. [[TakeAThirdOption There's also a third camp]] who doesn't mind Dawn losing but would've preferred her to lose to somebody else, as Zoey's win gives Dawn the dubious honor of being the only companion who couldn't beat their main rival.

* Whether Zoey or Dawn should have won the Sinnoh Grand Festival is a contentious issue amongst fans. Supporters of Zoey's victory argue it would've been unrealistic and unwarranted for Dawn to become a Top Coordinator after a single contest season, particularly if the victory came from the Togekiss big of a step to have Dawn win her very first contest season, especially if her victory had come from the Togekiss she acquired only three episodes before the Grand Festival. Overall, this camp also argues that having Dawn win her first season would've gone against the [[JapaneseSpirit main]] [[ItsTheJourneyThatCounts themes]] of the series, and it was good to see the main rival of a companion win, instead of a character introduced immediately before the big competition once. Those against Zoey winning argue that Dawn had far more CharacterDevelopment than any other companion has had prior or since, with Dawn growing to become the skilled coordinator she always strived to be. This along with Dawn having wanted to be a coordinator her entire life would've made Dawn winning her first season more justified and satisfying than if it happened to any other main character. The camp that felt Dawn should've won would increase in volume as fans grew frustrated with Dawn's stagnation presented during her returns in ''Black & White'' and ''Journeys''. [[TakeAThirdOption There's also a third camp]] who doesn't mind Dawn losing but would've preferred her to lose to somebody else, as Zoey's win gives Dawn the dubious honor of being the only companion who couldn't beat their main rival.

* Whether Zoey or Dawn should have won the Sinnoh Grand Festival is a contentious issue amongst fans. Supporters of Zoey's victory argue it would've been unrealistic and unwarranted for Dawn to become a Top Coordinator after a single contest season, particularly if the victory came from the Togekiss big of a step to have Dawn win her very first contest season, especially if her victory had come from the Togekiss she acquired only three episodes before the Grand Festival. Overall, this camp also argues that having Dawn win her first season would've gone against the [[JapaneseSpirit main]] [[ItsTheJourneyThatCounts themes]] of the series, and it was good to see the main rival of a companion win, instead of a character introduced immediately before the big competition once. Those against Zoey winning argue that Dawn had far more CharacterDevelopment than any other companion has had prior or since, with Dawn growing to become the skilled coordinator she always strived to be. This along with Dawn having wanted to be a coordinator her entire life would've made Dawn winning her first season more justified and satisfying than if it happened to any other main character. The camp that felt Dawn should've won would increase in volume as fans grew frustrated with Dawn's stagnation presented during her returns in ''Black & White'' and ''Journeys''. [[TakeAThirdOption There's also a third camp]] who doesn't mind Dawn losing but would've preferred her to lose to somebody else, as having Dawn lose to Zoey gives Dawn the dubious honor of being the only companion who couldn't beat their main rival.

* The finale of the region either suffered from ArcFatigue (with a ''52 episode gap'' between the seventh and eighth badges) or was well-paced with enough interesting things that made up for the gap (6v6 between Ash and Paul, Team Galactic finale, Grand Festival).

* Whether or not it was a good idea for Ash and Dawn to trade Aipom and Buizel respectively in "Throwing the Track Switch". Those who agree with the trade argue that Aipom was better utilized under Dawn's ownership due to her natural interest in Pokémon Contests (something that had been hinted at as early as Battle Frontier) and eventual evolution into Ambipom, and Buizel was a better fit for Ash due to its headstrong attitude, interest in Gym battles, and Ash's lack of a Water-type Pokémon in Sinnoh beforehand. However, detractors argue that trading Pokémon interfered with the chesmitry that had been built up between Ash and Aipom between the Kanto Battle Frontier and early parts of Sinnoh, that Aipom would eventually lose a lot of her personality traits under Dawn's ownership (including her crush on Ash), and that Dawn eventually giving Ambipom to O for Pokémon Ping Pong training seemed disrespectful to Ash after he previously traded with her.

* Does Ash's characterization in this show count as CharacterRerailment or not? Those in the former camp feel Ash's characterization in ''XY'' was an overcorrection to ''Black & White'' that turned Ash into a FlatCharacter. These fans applaud Alola for returning Ash's youthful energy without sacrificing his competence, citing [[spoiler:Ash winning the Alola League being the most progress he's made towards [[ToBeAMaster his dream]] since winning the Battle Frontier in ''Ruby & Sapphire'']]. Detractors, however, feel Ash's characterization in Alola is just as bad, if not worse than Unonva's characterization. This camp cites that Ash is commonly treated as a ButtMonkey and often shirks his responsibilities, with very little onscreen time dedicated to training. This camp also disregards [[spoiler: his Alola victory for various reasons, such as the lack of pre-requisites, or how two of Ash's Pokémon evolved without any input from him.]]

* Finally having [[OlympusMons several mythical Pokémon officially caught by (or at least allocated to) main characters]]. Some enjoy the taboo finally being broken and rare Pokémon being allowed in as main characters utilized by the protagonists. Others complain it takes away their elusiveness and makes them more generic. Then others are merely split over the execution, particularly with so many given to Trainers all at once, along with some of them [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter barely doing anything afterward despite their status]] [[spoiler:before being unceremoniously released]].
* The lack of entry qualifications for the Alola League, which leads to almost every recurring character in the season taking part. Some enjoyed this premise as a formula breaker from the usual arc, with both the league and its build-up development allowing for a proper final hurrah for the Alola cast. Others complained that it diminished the prestige of the tournament, with half of the protagonists feeling shoehorned in due to lacking battle experience or motives (indeed, Mallow and Lillie were eliminated early on), and feel that the lack of as many accomplished battler lessened the impact of [[spoiler:Ash's long-awaited victory]].
* [[spoiler:Ash winning the Alola League. On one hand, people were just glad that after twenty years of failures, Ash ''finally'' got a game-based league win under his belt, that Gladion was a well-enough established rival to make the victory meaningful, and that Ash winning the league works because the times spent in Alola have a meaning to him and to themes in the story, especially since he's sad and reluctant in leaving behind what has become a second home to him, a feeling that he never experienced on any other region. Others, however, felt that Ash's victory was [[AntiClimax too lackluster]] after twenty years of buildup, that he was ''far'' more deserving of it in other leagues (Sinnoh and Kalos being the top choices, especially the latter due to a more evolved team), and that the questionable writing choices[[note]]such as the lack of entry requirements, a preliminary in the form of a battle royale (where at least one trainer managed to pass by hiding and let other trainers take each other out), Ash's ''extremely'' controversial match against Hau (where Rowlet seems unable to battle only for Hala to reveal that he was just asleep), no full battles outside of the exhibition match, and Ash's Meltan evolving into Melmetal with no input from Ash just before the final battle[[/note]] leading up to the victory largely dampened the feeling of accomplishment from it. A large factor of the split is how the victory feels in the vacuum of the ''Sun and Moon'' series alone compared to it being the culmination of Ash trying to win a League for twenty years]].
** [[spoiler:As an addendum to this, whether Ash VS Kukui makes up for the lackluster victory or not. While people tend to agree that the battle is at the very least decent, fans are split on it due to its nature as an exhibition match with mostly symbolic value: supporters say that it helps finish the Alola series on a strong note that fits the series' themes of family and fun alongside allowing Ash and Pikachu to prove themselves against Tapu Koko one last time in a suitably climatic fashion, while detractors tend to point out how being an exhibition match meant that Ash's victory in the League was never at stake even if he lost (making its four-episode-long duration feel way too long relative to its importance) and claim that stuff like Tapu Koko forcing itself in the supposed battle of family between Ash and Kukui muddles the aforementioned themes for the sake of closing everything the series had left quickly]].

* Ash not using any of his reserves in the Masters 8 Tournament, with Ash instead only using his current team. Supporters of the decision feel that since most of Ash's captures in ''Journeys'' spent their time OutOfFocus it would be an insult to have them not take center stage in Ash's greatest challenge. These fans also point out [[spoiler: it's ultimately Pikachu, Ash's first Pokémon, who secures Ash his victory over Leon, and Pikachu only gains [[HeroicSecondWind the strength to do so]] by remembering all of Ash's captures over the years]]. Others, however, feel Ash not using any Pokémon from the past six series is an even greater insult to the show's legacy and a major wasted opportunity, considering how little Ash used his reserves past Sinnoh and how ''Journeys'' is Ash's final series as the main character. These fans also feel that having Ash only use his current team [[spoiler: makes his ultimate victory feel hollow and/or too unbelievable. As having a team that spent most of their own series OutOfFocus insinuates Ash only won due to luck and raw power, rather than the strategy and adaptability he's known for.]]

* The final half of the series, ''Aim to Be a Pokémon Master'', is a divisive GrandFinale for many. While some fans enjoyed these episodes for returning back to the show's original roots of traveling after the genre change in ''Sun & Moon'', [[TheBusCameBack Misty and Brock returning as traveling companions]] after 21 and 13 years respectively, and the return of many of Ash's beloved Pokémon (such as Squirtle, Lapras, and Pidgeot). Others found it to be underwhelming and inconsequential finale, disliking how the remaining eleven episodes of Ash's journey were allocated to filler episodes, that the majority of call-backs derived from the ''Original Series'', Ash's status as [[spoiler: the Master's Eight Champion not even getting acknowledgment from him or his friends]], and the number of plot threads from the series being left unanswered, which many felt unsatisfying from a show that had been running for two and a half decades.

* Possibly the most divisive moment in the anime's entire run comes from Alain defeating Ash in the Kalos League finals after nearly the entire fanbase was certain Ash would win. Those against it felt that after the large build-up of Ash-Greninja's extraordinary power in-story and in promotional materials Ash should have beaten Alain. This camp also argues Alain's subsequent action of [[AccompliceByInaction allowing Ash to get kidnapped by Team Flare]] and [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone having a breakdown upon learning Lysandre's full goals]] would've made far more sense if Alain had lost and [[GreenEyedMonster let jealousy get the better of him]]. Some fans went as far as to say Alain's victory [[OvershadowedByControversy tainted the entire Kalos Saga for them]] and quit watching the anime. Those in favor of Ash losing point out that Alain was a pretty strong Trainer and that his Charizard, the one to beat Ash-Greninja, had already proven himself more than justified in his win, having gone toe to toe with many other strong opponents before the League (the fights with the Legendaries and the ten consecutive Mega Evolution battles come to mind). This camp feels that Alain ending up with nothing for being an Unwitting Pawn would be KarmicOverkill, and Alain's arc works better by showing he could still obtain victory through legitimate means. Some TakeAThirdOption and say that they'd have been fine with Alain winning had Ash won one of the prior leagues, rather than this being his '''sixth''' loss.

** In general the series marks a directional shift away from 'A Pokemon World with People in it', to 'The Real World but with Pokemon'. Fans who like slice-of-life episodes and the show's atmosphere generally like the shift, fans who like adventure and traveling don't like the shift, and it marks a clear and distinct shift in tone that fans are split about in both ''Sun and Moon'' and the following series.

* Does Ash's characterization in this show count as CharacterRerailment or not? Those in the former camp feel Ash's characterization in ''XY'' was an overcorrection to ''Black & White'' that turned Ash into a FlatCharacter. These fans applaud Alola for returning Ash's youthful energy without sacrificing his competence, citing [[spoiler:Ash winning the Alola League being the most progress he's made towards [[ToBeAMaster his dream]] since winning the Battle Frontier in ''Ruby & Sapphire'']]. Detractors, however, feel Ash's characterization in Alola is just as bad, if not worse than it was in Unova. This camp cites that Ash is commonly treated as a ButtMonkey and often shirks his responsibilities, with very little onscreen time dedicated to training. This camp also disregards [[spoiler: his Alola victory for various reasons, such as the lack of pre-requisites, or how two of Ash's Pokémon evolved without any input from him.]]

* Finally having [[OlympusMons several mythical Pokémon officially caught by (or at least allocated to) main characters]]. Some enjoy the taboo finally being broken and rare Pokémon being allowed in as main characters utilized by the protagonists. Others complain it takes away their elusiveness and makes them more generic. Then there are others who are merely split over the execution, particularly with so many given to Trainers all at once, along with some of them [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter barely doing anything afterward in spite of their status]] [[spoiler:before being unceremoniously released]].

** The first round battles in particular are very polarizing. Many find them extraordinarily underwhelming for what are meant to be battles between the world's greatest trainers, often criticized for weak animation, rushed pacing, uncreative strategies, and (other than Cynthia vs. Iris) low emotional stakes, as very little time is dedicated to building character or the relationships between the Masters Eight members. While some argue they're acceptable battles in a vacuum and not worth being upset about, others feel the series should not have went with such an ambitious premise if it couldn't deliver on the execution. WordOfGod even stated in an interview that the battles not involving Ash were originally meant to be depicted through still frames rather than being full episodes, which only amplifies the detractors' view that they were poorly thought out and blatantly added at the last minute.
* In all previous series, each tournament arc comprised only of the league or league-related episodes, while ''Journeys'' - alongside taking multiple weeks with no episodes at all - interrupts the tournament to focus on Chloe and Goh with little relevance to the ongoing battles. This included recap episodes for each member of the main cast, including Ash (which had rather bizarre placement, being ''after'' the first round of battles). While some have waved it off as the production studio experiencing disruption following the UsefulNotes/Covid19Pandemic, others are skeptical that it's doing so badly as to require multiple weeks off and multiple episodes of nothing but recycled animation. This wasn't helped when it was discovered that immediately before the start of the final against Leon was ''another'' recap episode.

* The rate at which May wins her Pokémon Contests has been rather contentious among viewers. Those who don't mind argue that May's ratio of victories is no more egregious than how often Ash wins his Gym Battles, with May still getting some crushing defeats that contribute to her CharacterDevelopment. These fans note that May competing in two seasons, compared to Dawn's singular one, made it understandable for some things to be condensed. However, fans who take issue with this argue that it's unrealistic for May to go her entire tenure with only five contest losses when considering how new May is to the profession and how often she messes up. These fans also note that three of her five losses were caused by recurring rivals (the two exceptions being a Hoenn contest where Bulbasaur refused to participate out of stage fright and the Kanto Grand Festival Semi-Finals), which ultimately causes the outcome of most contests to be [[ForegoneVictory devoid of any tension]].

* The Chronicles episode "[[FullEpisodeFlashback Training Daze"]] is either loved for showing the early struggles of the Rocket Trio turning into FireForgedFriends, along with providing prime fuel for the [[FanPreferredCouple widely-beloved]] [=RocketShipping=]. Or it's hated for retroactively applying Cassidy and Butch VillainDecay to their entire tenure, along containing several continuity errors and retcons regarding Jessie and James' pasts.

* Possibly the most divisive moment in the anime's entire run comes from Alain defeating Ash in the Kalos League finals after nearly the entire fanbase was certain Ash would win. Those against it felt that after the large build-up of Ash-Greninja's extraordinary power in-story and in promotional materials Ash should have beaten Alain. This camp also argues Alain's subsequent action of [[AccompliceByInaction allowing Ash to get kidnapped by Team Flare and having a breakdown upon learning Lysandre's full goals would've made far more sense if Alain had lost and [[GreenEyedMonster let jealousy get the better of him]]. Some fans went as far as to say Alain's victory [[OverShadowedByContraversy tainted the entire Kalos Saga for them]] and proceeded to quit the anime. Those in favor of Ash losing point out that Alain was a pretty strong Trainer and that his Charizard, the one to beat Ash-Greninja, had already proven himself more than justified in his win, having gone toe to toe with many other strong opponents before the League (the fights with the Legendaries and the ten consecutive Mega Evolution battles come to mind). This camp feels that Alain ending up with nothing for being an Unwitting Pawn would be KarmicOverkill, and Alain's arc works better by showing he could still obtain victory through legitimate means. Some TakeAThirdOption and say that they'd have been fine with Alain winning had Ash won one of the prior leagues, rather than this being his '''sixth''' loss.

* Ash's initial loss to Viola has become controversial, particularly due to Pikachu losing to her unevolved [[ScissorsCutsRock Water-type]] Surskit. Some see it as an acceptable loss that serves the story and is made plausible through her use of Sticky Web and Ice Beam, while setting up the {{bookend}} of Ash struggling against Wulfric using the same strategy. Others feel it clashes with his otherwise skillful ''XY'' portrayal and that the plot point makes no sense when he's dealt with many ice battlefields in the past, contradicting the idea that ''XY'' builds off of past series when many of its story beats only work within its own self-contained bubble.
* The Ash-Greninja arc as a whole has proven to be very divisive. Fans love it for giving Ash powers to call his own and providing the CharacterDevelopment that Ash had been lacking since the end of Sinnoh. Detractors meanwhile find the very concept of Ash-Greninja to be out of place for the Pokémon series, finding Ash's struggles to master it a pile of Wangst that sidelines Ash's Kalos captures in favor of turning Greninja into a SpotlightStealingSquad. Two of the most divisive moments in particular are as follows:
** The scene where Serena [[GetAHoldOfYourselfMan throws snowballs at Ash]] during his HeroicBSOD after failing once again to master Ash-Greninja. It's either an amazing dramatic scene with genuine character conflict or one that exacerbates the aforementioned CharacterShilling and SatelliteLoveInterest criticisms of the series. Supporters appreciate how it exemplifies Serena's development by providing an HourglassPlot where Serena helps Ash out of his funk, after Serena struggled immensely to make strides on her own, particularly since Serena had been OutOfFocus after the Pokemon Showcase finals. Detractors meanwhile argue that the scene ''regresses'' Serena's development, giving the impression that she only likes Ash for the [[LovingAShadow idealized positive image he represents]], getting upset because the Ash "she knows" easily bounces back from everything. They also criticize the fact that the conflict is resolved simply because Ash [[StatusQuoIsGod returns to his old self]], arguing that because of this, she never actually learns to stop idolizing him.
** There's been much dispute over how the arc concludes, with Greninja getting released to protect the Kalos region from the evil vines that sprouted from the aftershocks of Lysandre's plan. Fans of this plot point consider this decision to be an emotionally moving ending for the Ash-Greninja arc that gives Greninja a more dignified ending than getting [[PutOnABus sent to Professor Oak's laboratory]] with the rest of the Kalos Team. Other fans hate this choice viewing the plotline of the evil vines as a DiabolusExMachina done for the [[StoryBreakerPower sole purpose of preventing Ash from using Greninja's powers anymore]], adding to Greninja's CharacterShilling, and trying to dump more unnecessary pathos to the ending of ''XYZ''. The fact Ash would not use any reserves in sanctioned battles for the rest of his tenure widens the debate. Supporters of the decision argue that if Ash was never going to use Greninja again it was good to give him a unique sendoff and it allowed Greninja to [[TheBusCameBack make a guest appearance]] in an episode of ''Journeys''. However, detractors argue that Ash never using reserves again just makes the release even more unnecessary and emotionally manipulates the audience into viewing one Pokémon's fate as more significant, when there's no difference between it and the other Kalos captures in the long run.
* Possibly the most divisive moment in the anime's entire run comes from Alain defeating Ash in the Kalos League finals after nearly the entire fanbase was certain Ash would win the Kalos League. Those against it felt that after the large build-up of Ash-Greninja's extraordinary power in-story and in promotional materials Ash should have beaten Alain. This camp also argue Alain's subsequent action of allowing Ash to get kidnapped by Team Flare and having a breakdown upon learning Lysandre's full goals would've made far more sense if Alain had lost and let jealousy get the better of him. Some fans went as far as to say Alain's victory tainted the entire Kalos Saga for them and proceeded to quit the anime. Those in favor of Ash losing point out that Alain was a pretty strong Trainer and that his Charizard, the one to beat Ash-Greninja, had already proven himself more than justified in his win, having gone toe to toe with many other strong opponents prior to the League (the fights with the Legendaries and the ten consecutive Mega Evolution battles come to mind). This camp feels that Alain ending up with nothing for being an Unwitting Pawn would be Karmic Overkill, and Alain's arc works better by showing he could still obtain victory through legitimate means. Some TakeAThirdOption and say that they'd have been fine with Alain winning had Ash won one of the prior leagues, rather than this being his '''sixth''' loss.
** Related to this, Alain (and by extension the narrative) declaring that Ash was the real winner and better trainer during the aftermath of the Team Flare crisis has caused much division in the fandom. Some fans agree with such a notion since it showed how Alain's hollow pursuit of power allowed him to be manipulated by Lysandre, failed to help Mairin despite being a big part of his motivation, and made him complicit in the disaster caused by Team Flare. These fans also note that such a statement is more in keeping with the series' overall themes. Others, on the other hand, point out that Ash being a better-adjusted person than Alain has nothing to do with their respective ability as trainers, find such reasoning an insulting excuse and a weak attempt at preemptive damage control over the inevitable backlash that was going to follow over Ash losing yet another league. This camp refuses to consider Ash a better trainer than Alain until Ash is able to defeat him at least once, with some going as far to argue the entire Leauge should be considered delegitimized since the Mega Ring Alain used to win was a gift from Lysandre.

** In all previous series, each tournament arc comprised only of the league or league-related episodes, while ''Journeys'' - alongside taking multiple weeks with no episodes at all - interrupts the tournament to focus on Chloe and Goh with little relevance to the ongoing battles. This included recap episodes for each member of the main cast, including Ash (which had rather bizarre placement, being ''after'' the first round of battles). While some have waved it off as the production studio experiencing disruption following the UsefulNotes/Covid19Pandemic, others are skeptical that it's doing so badly as to require multiple weeks off and multiple episodes of nothing but recycled animation. This wasn't helped when it was discovered that immediately before the start of the final against Leon was ''another'' recap episode.
** Ash not using any of his reserves in the Masters 8 Tournament, with Ash instead only using his current team. Supporters of the decision feel that since most of Ash's captures in ''Journeys'' spent their time OutOfFocus it would be an insult to have them not take center stage in Ash's greatest challenge. These fans also point out [[spoiler: it's ultimately Pikachu, Ash's first Pokémon, who secures Ash his victory over Leon, and Pikachu only gains [[HeroicSecondWind the strength to do so]] by remembering all of Ash's captures over the years]]. Others, however, feel Ash not using any Pokémon from the past six series is an even greater insult to the show's legacy and a major wasted opportunity, considering how little Ash used his reserves past Sinnoh and how ''Journeys'' is Ash's final series as the main character. These fans also feel that having Ash only use his current team [[spoiler: makes his ultimate victory feel hollow and/or too unbelievable. As having a team that spent most of their own series OutOfFocus insinuates Ash only won due to luck and raw power, rather than the strategy and adaptability he's known for.]]

** The revelation that a Pokémon Master is [[spoiler:someone who is friends with every Pokémon in the world]]. Some are satisfied with this explanation and consider it heartwarming as it remains faithful to Ash's character, shows how the journey was equally as important as the goal, and [[ThePowerOfFriendship how friendship is a fundamental aspect]] of the franchise. [[FanDislikedExplanation Others are not satisfied]] and believe it is an underwhelming explanation that contradicts a lot of Ash's previous explanations on what a Pokémon is (such as stating that challenging leagues and the World Coronation would be a step closer to becoming one) and renders everything he did in the previous seasons as unnecessary. There are also some fans who don't believe that an explanation should have been given in the first place since it ruins the mystique of what a Pokémon Master is in the first place.

* Ash's lack of a rival is seen as either a positive, as it allowed him to grow solely on his own and embrace a mentor role, or it detracted from the series by giving him no challenge outside of the Gyms and Battle Frontier.

* The Grand Festival semi-final battle (Zoey vs. Nando) was considered spectacular on both sides and agreed to be one of the best moments of ''Diamond & Pearl'', but a bit of contention exists regarding who should have won it. Some fans concur that, yes, Zoey deserved to win considering her CharacterDevelopment throughout the series and buildup of her rivalry with Dawn. Others believe that Nando should have won considering his skill at both Contests ''and'' Gym Battles, and that him facing Dawn in the finals would have been a good way to make up for his lack of screentime in the series.
** There is a similar but lesser case with Nando's first round battle with Ash at the Sinnoh League. There are fans who think Nando should have battled Ash later and that doing so somewhat lessens the idea of him achieving success in both contests and battles. Other fans note it was no mark against Nando's skill, just bad luck that he battled Ash first, that their battle was good enough to make clear Nando ''did'' earn his spot there, and that the league only had sixty-four contestants this time so there wasn't really a place to put Nando to battle Ash and match his contest position.