Ash starts off perhaps slightly more competent than canon but quickly improves in a believable manner due to his drive to be the best, helped by the fact his pokemon actually evolve and that Ash has a very small team, not even having a full half dozen until after getting his fourth badge (as of this review, Ash has 11 pokemon, 2 of whom don't battle). He also actually trains his pokemon regularly rather than simply play or laze about until a few days before a competition. Noticeably, when Ash is forced to rest for a week and not allowed to even train his pokemon, he starts going stir crazy because he can't stand to be idle.
Ash doesn't truly start diverging from canon (beyond being more serious about training) until the events of the S.S. Anne due to a combination of trauma and being separated from his traveling companions (the Bulbasaur and Charmander trainers). That's when he becomes more serious and starts showing some similarities to Red from the games, such as going three weeks without seeing another person and talking less often in general. A few big things do keep Ash from becoming an outright marty stu. First, Ash still struggles against high end opponents and gets utterly wrecked by members of the Elite Four and Champions. Second, Ash doesn't win the Indigo Conference. He does better than any rookie before him ever has, but still only takes second. Third, according to Delia, every time she sees Ash, he's quieter and more traumatized from clashes with Team Rocket (portrayed as a serious criminal organization) and Legendary Pokemon.
Fans of his canon team and companions should look elsewhere as neither Brock nor Misty travel with Ash and the only canon species on his team is his Pidgey/Pidgeotto/Pidgeot.
Incredibly long and incredibly worth it
Ash starts off perhaps slightly more competent than canon but quickly improves in a believable manner due to his drive to be the best, helped by the fact his pokemon actually evolve and that Ash has a very small team, not even having a full half dozen until after getting his fourth badge (as of this review, Ash has 11 pokemon, 2 of whom don't battle). He also actually trains his pokemon regularly rather than simply play or laze about until a few days before a competition. Noticeably, when Ash is forced to rest for a week and not allowed to even train his pokemon, he starts going stir crazy because he can't stand to be idle.
Ash doesn't truly start diverging from canon (beyond being more serious about training) until the events of the S.S. Anne due to a combination of trauma and being separated from his traveling companions (the Bulbasaur and Charmander trainers). That's when he becomes more serious and starts showing some similarities to Red from the games, such as going three weeks without seeing another person and talking less often in general. A few big things do keep Ash from becoming an outright marty stu. First, Ash still struggles against high end opponents and gets utterly wrecked by members of the Elite Four and Champions. Second, Ash doesn't win the Indigo Conference. He does better than any rookie before him ever has, but still only takes second. Third, according to Delia, every time she sees Ash, he's quieter and more traumatized from clashes with Team Rocket (portrayed as a serious criminal organization) and Legendary Pokemon.
Fans of his canon team and companions should look elsewhere as neither Brock nor Misty travel with Ash and the only canon species on his team is his Pidgey/Pidgeotto/Pidgeot.