Highlights
- Ash's lack of preparation and disregard for his Pokemon's well-being is a major flaw. He doesn't carry any healing items and instead relies on rushing to a Pokemon Center for quick healing, which is dangerously shortsighted.
- Ash's reckless bravery often puts himself and his Pokemon in unnecessary danger. He jumps into dangerous situations without a plan, relying on luck and plot convenience to escape unharmed. His actions are often more foolish than admirable.
- Ash's habit of starting from scratch in each new region goes against all logic. He gives away his experienced Pokemon and focuses on catching new ones, which hinders his progress. There's no reason to believe that Pokemon in new regions are weaker, so having a seasoned party would be beneficial.
Of all the human characters in Pokemon, Ash Ketchum is the most iconic. He's been the anime's protagonist since the beginning, and most seasons follow his efforts to become a Pokemon Master. Just because he's the focus, though, doesn't mean he's always the best or brightest.
Over the course of his long journey, he makes several rookie mistakes. Many of these blunders are more apparent due to the games' presence. After all, players undergo the same journeys with each generation and can point to everything that Ash does wrong. Even without the larger franchise for context, however, these missteps are embarrassing enough. They make one wonder why any self-respecting Pokemon would listen to this kid.
5 Not Carrying Items
Pokemon battles often cause injury. That's why players come prepared by stocking up on potions and other medicinal items. That way, they restore their party's health and cure status ailments in a pinch. What's more, is that these items usually come cheap, so having a ready supply should be common sense. Unfortunately, such sense never crosses Ash's mind. None of these items are in his backpack. When his team is injured, he just rushes to the nearest town and bursts into the Pokemon Center for some quick healing. It's like a guy not taking his medication and then going to the hospital emergency room. It's dangerously shortsighted.
Not only does it prolong his Pokemon's suffering and risk of death, but it gets him into trouble with the Squirtle Squad. These Water-type rogues want a Super Potion, so Ash has to run all the way to the closest store. A little bit of foresight could solve half of his problems. It's not just his Pokemon's well-being he disregards, though.
4 No Self-Preservation
Ash routinely risks life and limb to save whatever Pokemon he sees. Some might see this as an admirable quality. After all, prioritizing others' lives is a noble goal, but bravery is ineffective when coupled with stupidity. That sums up Ash in a nutshell.
He always dives into dangerous situations with no plan. He comes between Mew and Mewtwo's war, turning to stone for his trouble. Later, he jumps off a cliff with a falling Lapras. These are just a couple of examples. The only reason he gets out of these jams is that the plot demands it. In reality, reckless actions should yield two results: one dead kid and a batch of Pokemon who are no better off.
3 Starting From Scratch
A new Pokemon game means a new region to explore, and a new region means a fresh batch of pocket monsters to collect. Players then catch and train these guys to conquer the Pokemon League once again. They can trade party members from previous generations, but this approach creates problems. Namely, these veteran Pokemon may not listen to a rookie trainer. In short, this means starting over.
Ash does the same. Whenever the hero goes to a new region, he seems to begin again like the players. He gives away most of his previous Pokemon and focuses on catching new ones. This goes against all logic. Ash isn't buying a new game; there's nothing forcing him to sacrifice everything he's built. If anything, doing so is a hindrance. This is supposed to be a living world instead of a video game with level progression. There's no reason to believe the Pokemon are any weaker just because they're in the region's early areas. Having a seasoned party could be a lifesaver, but Ash just sticks with Pikachu.
2 Not Battling
Fans of Pokemon, as well as any RPG, know that grinding game. Among the most effective ways to level up one's party is to fight enemies in random encounters. Pokemon has these in spades, as the little monsters attack players every few feet. In addition, countless rival trainers are eager to match their Pokemon against each other. These endless fights can be annoying, but they provide valuable experience. In the process, they guarantee that the player's party is strong enough to tackle gym battles and other integral clashes. They're essential stepping stones in that sense.
Ash skips those stepping stones in the show. He rarely fights wild Pokemon, and he only battles other trainers if they get on his bad side or serve the episode's plot in some way. Granted, writers obviously don't want to bog down the story in repetition and busywork (any more than it already is), but a montage or two would go a long way toward conveying a sense of progression. Ash bumbles from one place to the next with little to no training. He then acts surprised when he loses a pivotal battle. Meanwhile, players can only hang their heads in shame.
1 Sleeping In
Talk about stumbling at the starting line. On the day that he's meant to get his first Pokemon, Ash sleeps in and arrives late to Professor Oak's giveaway. This mishap works out in the end, as he gets his iconic Pikachu. However, a favorable outcome doesn't change the fact that it was a mistake, one which shows pitiful negligence on Ash's part.
The kid goes on and on about his passion for Pokemon and his aspirations to become a Master, but this action suggests otherwise. If his goal is really that important to him, he'd set an effective alarm. At the very least, he'd ask his mom to get him up. Instead, his tardiness makes a terrible first impression. It doesn't exactly scream, "Devotion." Oak only cuts him a break out of pity.