History TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter / PokemonTheSeries

* While the vast majority of previous companions and rivals Ash reunites with have major changes in their lives, or at least a change in their Pokémon team (such as Misty catching a Clauncher, Paul getting offered a position as Gym Leader, or Iris becoming Unova's Champion), Dawn, Cilan, Kiawe, Mallow, and Lana have had no such changes since their last appearances. It's most egregious with Dawn, as she’s been absent the longest of those listed, yet despite appearing in eight episodes across the series (twelve if one counts the four web specials about Arceus), she’s arguably made the least progress towards her goal out of all of Ash's prior companions (aside from [[TagalongKid Max and Bonnie]], who are too young to be trainers yet).

* While the vast majority of previous companions and rivals Ash reunites with have major changes in their lives or at least a change in their Pokémon team (such as Misty catching a Clauncher, Paul getting offered a position as Gym Leader, or Iris becoming Unova's Champion), Dawn, Cilan, Kiawe, Mallow, and Lana have had no such changes since their last appearances. It's most egregious with Dawn, as she’s been absent the longest of those listed, yet despite appearing in eight episodes across the series (twelve if one counts the four web specials about Arceus), she’s arguably made the least progress towards her goal out of all of Ash's prior companions (aside from [[TagalongKid Max and Bonnie]], who are too young to be trainers yet).

* While the vast majority of previous companions and rivals Ash reunites with have major changes in their lives or at least a change in their Pokémon team (such as Misty catching a Clauncher, Paul getting offered a position as Gym Leader, or Iris becoming Unova's Champion), Dawn, Cilan, Kiawe, Mallow, and Lana have had no such changes since their last appearances. It's most egregious with Dawn as she’s been absent the longest of those listed, yet despite appearing in eight episodes across the series (twelve if one counts the four web specials about Arceus), she’s arguably made the least progress towards her goal out of all of Ash's prior companions (aside from [[TagalongKid Max and Bonnie]], who are too young to be trainers yet).

* While the vast majority of previous companions and rivals Ash reunites with have major changes in their lives or at least a change in their Pokémon team (such as Misty catching a Clauncher, Paul getting offered a position as Gym Leader, or Iris becoming Unova's Champion), Dawn, Cilan, Kiawe, Mallow, and Lana have had no such changes since their last appearances. It's most egregious with Dawn as she’s been absent the longest of those listed, yet despite appearing in eight episodes across the series (twelve if one counts the four web specials about Arceus), she’s arguably made the least progress towards her goal out of all of Ash's prior companions (aside from Max and Bonnie, who are too young to be trainers yet).

* While the vast majority of previous companions and rivals Ash reunites with have major changes in their lives or at least a change in their Pokémon team (like Misty catching a Clauncher, Paul getting offered a position as Gym Leader, or Iris becoming Unova's Champion), Dawn, Cilan, Kiawe, Mallow, and Lana have had no such changes since their last appearances. It's most egregious with Dawn as she’s been absent the longest of those listed, yet despite appearing in eight episodes across the series (twelve if one counts the four web specials about Arceus), she’s arguably made the least progress towards her goal out of all of Ash's prior companions (aside from Max and Bonnie, who are too young to begin their journeys).

* While the vast majority of previous companions and rivals Ash reunites with have major changes in their lives or at least a change in their Pokémon team (like Misty catching a Clauncher, Paul getting offered a position as Gym Leader, or Iris becoming Unova's Champion), Dawn, Cilan, Kiawe, Mallow, and Lana have had no such changes since their last appearances. It's most egregious with Dawn as she’s been absent the longest of those listed, yet despite appearing in eight episodes across the series (twelve if one counts the four web specials about Arceus) she’s arguably made the least progress towards her goal out of Ash's previous female companions.

* While the vast majority of previous companions and rivals Ash reunites with have major changes in their lives or at least a change in their Pokémon team (like Misty catching a Clauncher, Paul getting offered a position as Gym Leader, or Iris becoming Unova's Champion), Dawn, Cilan, Kiawe, Mallow, and Lana have had no such changes since their last appearances. It's most egregious with Dawn as she’s been absent the longest of those listed, yet despite appearing in eight episodes across the series (twelve if one counts the four web specials about Arceus) she’s arguably made the least progress towards her goal out of Ash's female companions.

* While the vast majority of previous companions and rivals Ash reunites with have major changes in their lives or at least a change in their Pokémon team (like Misty catching a Clauncher, Paul getting offered a position as Gym Leader, or Iris becoming Unova's Champion), Dawn, Cilan, Kiawe, Mallow, and Lana have had no such changes since their last appearances. It's most egregious with Dawn as she’s been absent the longest of those listed, yet despite appearing in eight episodes across the series (twelve if one counts the four web specials about Arceus), out of Ash's female companions, she’s arguably made the least progress towards her goal.

* While the vast majority of previous companions and rivals Ash reunites with have major changes in their lives or at least a change in their Pokémon team (like Misty catching a Clauncher, Paul getting offered a position as Gym Leader, or Iris becoming Unova's Champion), Dawn, Cilan, Kiawe, Mallow, and Lana have had no such changes since their last appearances. It's most egregious with Dawn as she’s been absent the longest of those listed, yet despite appearing in eight episodes across the series (twelve if one counts the four web specials about Arceus), she’s arguably made the least progress towards her goal out of any female companion.

* While the vast majority of previous companions and rivals Ash reunites with have major changes in their lives or at least a change in their Pokémon team (like Misty catching a Clauncher, Paul getting offered a position as Gym Leader, or Iris becoming Unova's Champion), Dawn, Cilan, Kiawe, Mallow, and Lana have had no such changes since their last appearances. It's most egregious with Dawn as she’s been absent the longest of those listed, yet despite appearing in eight episodes across the series (twelve if one counts the four web specials about Arceus), she’s arguably made the least progress towards her goal of any female companion.

* While the vast majority of previous companions and rivals Ash reunites with have major changes in their lives or at least a change in their Pokémon team (like Misty catching a Clauncher, Paul getting offered a position as Gym Leader, or Iris becoming Unova's Champion), Dawn, Cilan, Kiawe, Mallow, and Lana have no major changes in their lives or even their Pokémon teams. It's most egregious with Dawn as she’s been absent the longest of those listed, yet despite appearing in eight episodes across the series (twelve if one counts the four web specials about Arceus), she’s arguably made the least progress towards her goal of any female companion.

* While the vast majority of previous companions and rivals Ash reunites with have major changes in their lives or at least a change in their Pokémon team (like Misty catching a Clauncher, Paul getting offered a position as Gym Leader, or Iris becoming Unova's Champion) Dawn, Cilan, Kiawe, Mallow, and Lana have no major changes in their lives or even their Pokémon teams. It's most egregious with Dawn as she’s been absent the longest of those listed, yet despite appearing in eight episodes across the series (twelve if one counts the four web specials about Arceus), she’s arguably made the least progress towards her goal of any female companion.

* While the vast majority of previous companions and rivals Ash reunites with have major changes in their lives or at least a change in their Pokémon team (like Misty catching a Clauncher, Paul getting offered a position as Gym Leader, or Iris becoming Unova's Champion) Dawn, Cilan, Kiawe, Mallow, and Lana have no major changes in their lives or even their Pokémon teams. It's most egregious with Dawn as she’s been absent the longest of those listed, yet despite appearing in eight episodes across the series (12 if one counts the four web specials about Arceus), she’s arguably made the least progress towards her goal of any female companion.

* While the vast majority of previous companions and rivals Ash reunites with have major changes in their lives, or at least a change in their Pokémon team (like Misty catching a Clauncher, Paul getting offered a position as Gym Leader, or Iris becoming Unova's Champion) Dawn, Cilan, Kiawe, Mallow, and Lana have no major changes in their lives or even their Pokémon teams. It's most egregious with in Dawn as she’s been absent the longest of those listed, yet despite appearing in nine episodes across the series (13 if one counts the four web specials about Arceus), she’s arguably made the least progress towards her goal of any female companion.

** It happens again in the ''Journeys'' series when it turned out that the writers had decided to have Goh catch all 3 of the Galar starters. Scorbunny not so much as it was clear from the beginning that it was going to be Goh's first Pokémon, and will be getting a lot of screentime for that reason. The Sobble and Grookey catches however were more controversial due to the catches happening later in the series where it had already been established by this point that Goh wasn't much of a battler, but more a catcher. As a result, people are left feeling that Sobble and Grookey aren't going to have much time to shine.

** Haunter, Houndour, Larvitar, Hippopotas, Riolu, Scatterbug, Litleo, a shiny Phantump, Wimpod, Dreepy and Drakloak, Hatenna, Beartic, and Latias for Ash.

** Mightyena and ''especially'' Ralts for Max, the latter of which he made a promise to come back to get it once he starts his own journey. Many felt that Ralts could easily have been a {{Foil}} to Ash's Pikachu, especially as the main starter for Max seeing as how well they got along upon first meeting each other, contrasting with how Ash and Pikachu didn't get along upon their first meeting.

* [[spoiler: Both Rose and Oleana. Usually, villains or anti-villains would make minor appearances throughout the series and would be defeated at a much later time. Both Rose and Oleana face off against the heroes at JN044 and JN045, only to go in hiding once Eternatus is defeated and captured by Goh. This is the earliest time a main antagonist team/leader are defeated and they never reappear again except in quick cameos at the tail end of the series, and that doesn't get any acknowledgement from the plot itself.]]

* '''Gary Oak.''' Ash's rival didn't even show up for that many episodes during the course of their rivalry, having more impact on the plot ''after'' the rivalry was over. And now, he hasn’t made a real in-person appearance since the Team Galactic arc ended, which comprises of the ~40 episodes of DP that remained, the new series so far, and three whole series inbetween.

* The lack of top-tier trainers that appeared in past Pokémon Leagues is quite noticeable throughout the World Coronation Series. Not once does Ash ever face off against a trainer that he battled against from a previous League. This is especially noteworthy amongst the trainers that kept Ash from winning the league or won it all. Whether it's Richie, Harrison, Tyson, Tobias, Cameron, or Virgil, not a single one of these trainers chose to take on the World Coronation Series despite their proven talent. Some of them were League winners, which you would think that at least a few of them would take part in such a massive event. As a result, Ash misses out on getting the chance to finally defeat the trainers that he suffered losses to.

** With the exception of Paul, none of the rivals from ''Diamond & Pearl'' appear, which means no appearances from Zoey, Nando, Kenny, Ursula, Conway, Barry, or Tobias, not even a cameo to see how they're doing.

** Fans of Diamond and Pearl and Team Galactic in particular were disappointed that Charon wasn't used as the villain of the 2-part Winter Special for 2021. After being rendered a severe case of WhatHappenedToTheMouse in ''Diamond and Pearl'' after somehow escaping being arrested along with the rest of Team Galactic at the end of the Team Galactic arc, the premise of the Winter Special, of a villain seemingly recreating the red chain to try and capture Dialga and Palkia, causing the two to battle and distort time and space in the process, seemed like it could have provided a great organic opportunity to finally wrap up that loose end, and turn the special into a proper follow up to the Team Galactic arc. Instead, the actual villains of the arc end up being an AU version of the Team Rocket trio, who while not poorly received on their own, it still feels like a let down to some.

* Many lament that despite ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite'' having one of the most thought out and developed plots in the franchise, it's animated adaption is probably the ''least'' [[AdaptationDecay true to the text]] adaptation the anime has done of the games due to the [[RealLifeWritesThePlot need to combine it with]] story elements from ''VideoGame/PokemonBlack2AndWhite2''. N and Ghetsis don't show up until the ''post-League'' saga while the anime was waiting for the next games to be released, with N in particular having some vast differences in characterization. Many wish that the anime had done a more straight forward adaptation of the game's plot, feeling that Ash and Pikachu's bond would have been a fantastic foil to N's belief that Pokémon and humans should be separated.

* Many lament that despite ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite'' having one of the most thought out and developed plots in the franchise, it's animated adaption is probably the ''least'' [[AdaptationDecay true to the text]] adaptation the anime has done of the games. N and Ghetsis don't show up until the ''filler'' saga while the anime was waiting for the next games to be released, with N in particular having some vast differences in characterization. Many wish that the anime had done a more straight forward adaptation of the game's plot, feeling that Ash and Pikachu's bond would have been a fantastic foil to N's belief that Pokémon and humans should be separated.

* While the vast majority of previous companions and rivals Ash reunites with have major changes in their lives, or at least a change in their Pokémon team (like Misty catching a Clauncher, Paul getting offered a position as Gym Leader, or Iris becoming Unova's Champion) Dawn, Cilan, Kiawe, Mallow, and Lana have no major changes in their lives or even their Pokémon teams. It's most egregious with in Dawn as she’s been absent the longest of those listed, yet despite appearing in eight episodes across the series, she’s arguably made the least progress towards her goal of any female companion.

* While the vast majority of previous companions and rivals Ash reunites with have major changes in their lives, or at least a change in their Pokémon team (like Misty catching a Clauncher, Paul getting offered Gym Leader position, Iris becoming Unova's Champion) Dawn, Cilan, Kiawe, Mallow, and Lana have no major changes in their lives or team their Pokémon teams. It's most egregious with in Dawn as she’s been absent the longest of those listed, yet despite appearing in eight episodes she’s arguably made the least progress towards her goal of any female companion.

* While most companions Ash reunites with have changes in their team (like Misty catching a Clauncher) and/or status (like Iris becoming Unova's Champion) Dawn and Cilan feature no changes whatsoever. It's especially notable in Dawn's case as she makes multiple appearances throughout ''Journeys'', which to many did nothing but highlight her stagnation since leaving Sinnoh.

** And if we expand to include the rivals: Gary is obviously based on Blue, and Barry, Bianca, Shauna, Tierno, Trevor, and Hau appear as themselves. Silver makes one brief unnamed cameo in one of the openings, while Cheren is merely a Gym Leader with no connection to Bianca.