Pearlshipping General Discussion - 3.0 *Spoiler Warning!*

[Yuppirox]

Awww, guys.. Seeing you all reminiscing about the good ol' PS days makes me want to go back to that, to still wish Dawn had never left. Can't believe it's been so many years since their ~fateful~ meeting. (':

I've been trying to experiment with different Ash shippings, but none of them have stuck with me like SatoHika did. (Well, except for some yaoi ships, but that's a whole different level). It's like, they were MADE for each other, you know? Dawn has been (and always will be) the only girl who can truly be called Ash's equal. It's obvious that in BW and in past sagas that no other girl have had any significant importance as much as Dawn did, and they had little impact on Ash's goals compared to her. I mean, hello; without her, Ash wouldn't have used many of the winning techniques she created in the Pokemon League. I think that means a lot (considering this is Pokemon).

My point: I still love PS from the bottom of my heart. I still go online and watch clips of famous Pearlshipping hints and moments...

I want to go back a bit and reintroduce some old topics:

Why do you like LOVE Pearlshipping?

and

What got you into Pearlshipping in the first place?

Heehee. (:

[mew151]

Well said, topic creator. Extremely well put. *sniffs*

Why do you LOVE Pearlshipping?

I became a supporter much earlier before Dawn was introduced in the anime. Mostly because with May leaving soon, my interest shifted towards the possible new coupling. When DP started and finished, I'm glad to stay as a Pearlshipper from start to finish of DP and look forward when Ash and Dawn meets again. Disappointed with how DP mishandled a few things, but the relationship was more than satisfying for me to enjoy. From this point on, Dawn remains as my favorite girl for Ash. No one else, even the officials.

What got you into Pearlshipping in the first place?

Curiosity. That's it. Simply wondered what would the relationship of Ash and Dawn will be like in the DP series, I got more than 2 handfuls. Much stronger compatibility than the past and even the current girls. Pearlshipping stays as my coupling staple.

[wind21]

What got you into ps in the first place?

I have to be honest, when their moments first started to happen, I paid little attention. I thought it was just the normal advertising sort of thing. In the first few episodes, when Dawn was so impressed with what Ash was doing in rescuing Pikachu, I smiled a little at it, but I didn't think too much would come of that. Then there was the cheerleading routine, which again brought the same sort of smile to my face, but it was nothing I was actively rooting for. I was acknowledging the moment, in the same way I acknowledged Ash's and May's moments in the Manaphy movie-those sort of moments just have to happen in this type of show. I admit I felt justified to have this somewhat cynical view when the Darkrai movie came out, with the CN commercial showing Ash reaching for Dawn's hand, and then seeing the full scene in the movie itself a little later. I was a little more amused by ps's shippy moments compared to other ships, since the "girly" way Dawn dressed up as well as her personality seemed a little, um, at ends with the type of character I thought Ash to be. So really, when Kenny showed up, I thought that was that (and Drew and May, to me, was a really well done pair), and the moments would really die down. I did raise an eyebrow when Dawn didn't want to tell Ash about the Pikari joke, since it seemed contrary to the way you'd want to go for a different shipping. Complex is not normally what you think of in this show, at least at that time, so I disregarded the scene. I think my interest really went down for a while after that.

But wow, when Dawn lost her 2nd contest in a row, and the way Ash reacted to that, that's when I really took an interest in this ship. And then their interactions got better and better, and scenes here and there showed how concerned Ash was about Dawn's troubles, and Dawn really started to respond to that. It was a side, to really both of their characters, that I really didn't see coming at all. For Dawn, maybe not so big of a deal, but for Ash, that was saying something. And I really think the moral conflicts Ash had with Paul really helped Ash's maturity as well. Some ships are fun to watch just b/c it's cute, but I really feel like for ps, Ash has taken alot of responsibility and interest in helping Dawn through so many tough times, even when he's had some tough times himself. He gave her a ton of strength and support, while never expecting or asking her for any in return. But, she did it anyway, or at least she wanted to support him. That's why dp 133 is so significant for me, b/c it showed how concerned Dawn was about Ash's disappointment, while Ash was a little stupefied that Dawn had put effort into putting on that (WEIRD) show (but it's the thought that counts!). And in the end, I thought they really grew so close.

So really, after the 2nd contest loss was when I became a supporter of Pearlshipping.

[Ciccone]

What got you into Pearlshipping in the first place?

Oh, this is embarrassing but here it goes: Dawn's hair. I noticed that in the anime, she had black hair like Ash, only with a slight blue hue to it. I liked that about Dawn and then I started pairing her up with Ash for fun. It wasn't really serious at first but then I started to picture them together (romantically) and I really liked how they complemented each other. I didn't even know that other people enjoyed the idea of Ash and Dawn as a couple so I didn't really seek out other PearlShippers until about a year ago. Eventually, I got really interested in the PearlShipping discussions so I joined this thread

[Yuppirox]

Time to answer my own topics. (:

Why do you LOVE Pearlshipping?

Oh, where do I begin...?

The Support: One thing that makes PS stand out amongst all other Ash/Dawn ships is the support they have for one another. Of course, the past females rooted for him here and there, but none of them went that extra mile to make sure their feelings of support actually helped him in his time of need. And Ash - he really beat our expectations when he started involving himself in Dawn's affairs (or at least tried to). Was that really something you would have expected him to do with his previous female companions? I bet not.

Their Equality: They balance each other out quite nicely, no? Ash did not hog the spotlight often during DP, as he had Dawn with him - Dawn, the only girl to reach that level of co-stardom within the show. It was as if they were nice partners and nice rivals for each other, huh?

The Similarities: Self explanatory, ain't it? Let's just say that Ash is to Dawn as Dawn is to Ash. *giggle*

The Friendship: Although not quite on the romantic level I'd like to see, you can't say their moments were ignorable. The bond they shared and their symbol of closeness was carried out throughout the series nicely, even showing up during the *final* scene of the series, where our favorite couple had to separate. How many high fives can you count that are scattered throughout all ~190 episodes? I say props to the writers for not abandoning that key signature of their bond. It just goes to show how much attention was given to SatoHika.

All in all, I love everything there is to PS. Anything you can think of, I love it. It's the best we got, and I'm content with how much was given to us. (:

What got you into PS in the first place?

Simple: I stumbled upon the Bulbapedia page. By the time I finished reading through it, I was in love.

Btw, wind21, I love your post. Really heart-felt and relatable.

[UDI]

Why do you LOVE Pearlshipping?

and who does not love this couple?

This couple has everything to win, many hints, many "notables" (Lyra, Zoey, Ursua and why not? Johanna too) in the anime, is the only couple who buy an symbol (the high touch) and also have a song together

Ash and Dawn make a cute couple and very versatile, and no doubt are meant to l other, and that is why I want to make a cameo of Dawn in BW saga, where we will see hints insurance

top it off, Dawn is the only main girl who have a pokemon who in love with someone Ash's pokemon

[Dark Zekrom]

well.........
I guess it started with the first episode. Oh one thing i am a multishipper so i support only a select few ships. anyway it was the first episode becasue Dawn had practicly the whole episode and her adventure in it was almost the same as Ash's. so yea that what was made for me

Here is a question: If Ash got with another girl and they ended the series what would you do?

P.S. i have been playing Pokemon White and Mass Effect 2 lately so that explains my absense i guess

[Espeon 114x]

Sorry about like dying on you guys here. I'm still a hardcore Pearlshipper and nothing will change that?

Why do you like LOVE Pearlshipping?

Oh my gosh, where do I begin? I could go on for hours when listing the reasons why I love this shipping.
Ash and Dawn had such a deep bond in the anime. They were just so close, practically inseparable. They have such much in common and Dawn was the closest thing to the female version of Ash before Iris came along.
You saw how willing Dawn was to cheer Ash on in his gym battles. She wore a cheerleading outfit for some of his gym battles. Neither Misty or May EVER went to such lengths to cheer him on and that's a huge hint to me. It just showed that she was willing to cheer him on in such a big way and I loved that. Ash never missed any of her contests and that's also another big reason why.
High Touch! That song is like literally the ultimate Pearlshipping hint. Just look at some of the lyrics, like "Your smile is with me" and 'Your Smile is always there" just scream Pearlshipping.

What got you into PS in the first place?

I was a fan of Pearlshipping since before Dawn aired in the anime. As soon as I saw her, I couldn't help but pair her with Ash. Ever since then, I've always continued to pair them together.
They just looks so cute together and they so great with each other too, IMO!

[Tyranosaurusalan]

What got you into PS in the first place?

I used to be a big advanceshipper and followed it almost religiously, however the community forum I was a part of slowly became less involved with the ship and basicly erupted into anarchy so I quickly left. I had lost interest in the pairing and Pokemon in general for a few years then when I came back I tried to get back into advanceshipping but then after watching a few DP episodes I thought to myself "Dawn suits Ash better than May does..." and it just continued on from there.



Also I got back from a Buddy Guy show and I got this nice idea for a story that I'mma try and write down before I forget it.

[Yuppirox]

^ Good luck with your fic! When you're finished, would you mind linking it here for the rest of us? I'd love to read it. (:

Here's a topic I think will help stimulate some creativity:

IF Dawn and Ash somehow meet up again in the future, how would you expect their reunion to go?

Sorry if it's been asked before. I didn't exactly read through all the past pages. XD;

Also, here's a question you guys can mull over in your next response. It's not a topic per se, but it's been on my mind now for a couple of days, and, well, I've been wanting to ask:

What are you going to do now?

You see, back in the day when Pearlshipping was still fresh, and we still had no idea of what was to come, we spent most of our time speculating about future possible hints and basing our discussions on current events and such.

Now that Dawn is gone and has been replaced (as is the "tradition" of the show) by Iris, what do you do to fulfill your Pearlshipping needs? Read/write fanfics? Watch or make AMVs? Look for/draw fanarts? Engage in discussions? What do YOU mainly do? Do you do it more often or less now that the DP saga is over?

As you can see, I've provided lots of questions for you guys, but I was just genuinely curious. Sorry if it sounded inconsistent - I'm tired and I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed right about now. XD

[wind21]

What are you going to do now, pearlshipping wise?

I think the biggest thing is just check this thread every day. I think alot of us do that, even during times of inactivity. At various pts, when the lack of new posts stretched to a few days, a different member has taken the initiative with a new topic or just by saying hi. To be honest, I feel like we're a pretty good group in here, all linked by how much we like this pairing.

Sometimes I listen to the lalala song for a few hours, since it really reminds of how close Ash and Dawn (and it reminds me of Brock, too, of course) were. That's probably the extent of things. My facebook picture and the background of my computer are both a picture from dp 133, so that reminds me as well of pearlshipping a little. One of the reasons I like Gliscor so much is b/c I think Dawn helped out in its training in a meaningful way, so I'm reminded there as well just by looking at my picture thing by my name.

I (and many people here) have written so much about the relationship b/w Ash and Dawn that it doesn't feel like its really gone for me. I remember a lot of the things that have happened pretty well, and it's gotten to the pt that it's a part of me. The times I really miss it the most are on Thursday mornings, since my day used to be made just seeing what little hints they had. Other than that, it's been okay.

[Ciccone]

IF Dawn and Ash somehow meet up again in the future, how would you expect their reunion to go?

Hmm, good question. I could imagine Ash and Dawn setting up a reunion at some point during their travels. I could imagine Dawn arriving at a port somewhere and Ash going to greet her. They'd then go to get some ice cream while Dawn would talk to Ash about all of the Contests she had entered and then Ash would tell her all about his own travels. They'd then spend the rest of the day around the port just looking around and stuff. Kind of like a date I suppose, only it would just be between two really good friends at first and then it would turn a bit more serious as the day would go by. Maybe they could end the day with a kiss? That would be so cute

[Adelaide1994]

Since no one has posted in 3 days, i just wanted to deliver a message to each and every one of you pearlshippers and especially Brazillianguy. I really enjhoyed your post on march 22nd Brazilianguy ..... You brought a tear in my eye....... we're like the same. Supporting pearlshipping... was a dream come true ........ I just loved waking up every day during the summers of 08 and 09...(which was my first year of high school ).. and listening to high touch everyday and looking at PK0082's reports for hints ... It just brought warmth to my heart. I still remember that moment in 2007 in that episode "Mounting a coordinator assault" when ash and dawn shared their first highfive with each other. At that moment i thought "Maybe these two are destined to have something special between them". Throughtout these past 4 years i was right. Just watching Ash and Dawn support each other through Sinnoh just warmed my heart and instilled compassion... PKLegendHeroe(owner of pearl thread 2.0) played such a HUGE part in me making my debut in the pearl thread 2.0. He was such a great leader taht cared about each and every one of us. Something just made me choose Pearl over Poke and im so happy that i made taht decision. Im so happy i met all of you in the pearl thread. You guys(from 2009) were like family to me... I felt as if we were all traveling together just like Ash, Dawn and Brock. Before I supported Pearlshipping, I had lost interest in the Pokemon anime. I have to give my full thanks to this MARVELOUS ship for bringing my interest back. Brazilianguy, you were like a brother to me, and i loved having convos with you. WGCV23(Wil), you were so random and you thought me how to respect every ship other than pearl and helped me evolve into a wiser person. Erin,(Espeon114x) you were one of my best friends on youtube and i still remember us talking about how Lagomorph connected to pearl and the awesomeness of the New York Yankees . Pat(Pokefan#493), we didnt talk that much, but im happy to have a great leader like you in this marvelous thread and that we live really close. Angelo(Ccangelopearl1362), I swear, youre one of the smartest guys around here at Serebii forums. I loved hearing your wisdom about what happened now and then in the world and how you connected all those to Pearlshipping . I want to thank each and every one of you for treating each other and me like a family member here on this thread . Supporting Pearlshipping was one of my most prolific moments in my recent memory and im so proud and overjoyed to have supported one of the most magnificent and harmonic ships in Pokemon anime history. SATOHIKA 4ever!!.

[JetshipperKekkaishi]

What got you into Pearlshipping in the first place?
Well I saw Ash and Dawn traveled together for the first time it clicked for me. Dawn and Ash get along so well and they agrue they make up so fast. They worked together to improve not only themselves but for each other. Their love for Pokemon and That Darkrai movie scene make me think that they will be perfect together and High touch sealed the deal for me as a Pearlshipper. Listening to that and see how great friends they are make me LOVE Pearlshipping to death.And all of you guys are awesome. Keep up the supporting and I created a fanfic called Dark Blade Knights.
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6652869/..._Blade_Knights

[Animefan145]

What got you into Pearlshipping in the first place?

Hm, good question. I'm honestly not sure when I started following the coupling that closely. I had lost interest in the anime during Hoenn and didn't get back into until the second dub season of DP at least. I've always liked the idea of pairing Ash up with various girls, but aside from Misty most other girls had appeared only once and May already had her own rival/romantic interest. Then I eventually started watching the dub again, sometime during the second season I think, especially after hearing the second dub opening during the Darkrai movie which was much catchier. And Dawn's personality caught a lot of my interest, not to mention her cute design if I'm being completely honest. She was often bickering with Ash but she wasn't as violent as Misty had been and unlike most other traveling companions she got a ton of screen time, about on par with Ash.

From there I started catching up on old episodes, from the beginning, started collecting DVDs, and I saw not only how much the series had improved over the stagnant Hoenn episodes, but Dawn also seemed like a co-star rather than just background like some of Ash's other friends. And then I think there was that episode where Pachirisu got sick, and it really did seem like they were playing house there with their Pokemon teams as their family. I think that's still my favorite part of DP actually, since most of Ash's team was still small and cute too, but also their Pokemon spent a lot of time outside their Poke balls, for meals or just for training. And they cheered each other on for their gym battles and contests. And their personalities were also somewhat alike, like during that first summer school episode where they were running late and they were still bickering. At the same time they got along really well and encouraged each other, and the 12th opening is one of the best Pearlshipping hints ever!

Why do you like LOVE Pearlshipping?

Well, I started going into why I love Pearlshipping while answering the previous question, but one can never gush too much about this couple. I love the 12th opening since it perfectly symbolizes their friendship, but part of why I like Pearlshipping so much is that DP wasn't just Ash's journey, it was also equally Dawn's journey, yet at the same time Ash wasn't a complete novice (unlike how he's acting in the current series). They were always together, cheering each other as they all had their ups and downs.

While the series will never make any shipping canon, usually the closest is some one-sided love (like whenever someone likes Ash or Brock or Dawn with the trio oblivious), and while calling Ash and Dawn romantic would be a stretch to say the least, there were just so many moments when they were acting like parents to their Pokemon. Normally an episode where they were just staying at a random cabin in the middle of nowhere would be boring, but with how all of their Pokemon all had so much personality it was anything but, and with Brock gone Ash and Dawn took over the chores, almost like a mom and dad. And they were often battling each other to test out new techniques, sometimes they borrowed moves, they actually traded Pokemon with each other. Although its kind of melodramatic a bit since its not like they wouldn't see their Pokemon again. I guess (one of the reasons) why I love Pearlshipping is that there were just so many moments that could be interpreted as them being closer than friends. Heck, Lyra actually recognized how close they were. Its not often a pairing gets so much evidence/moments. It also helped that Sinnoh was one of the best sagas, with a relatively developed storyline, memorable Pokemon personalities, strong rivals for both Ash and Dawn and multi-episode arcs, which made almost every episode at least bearable to watch. I'm probably ranting, but there were just so many examples of their strong bond so it was always fun to just watch Ash and Dawn traveling together.

[fireball20]

Hmm a nice revival indeed of pearlshipping...

What got you into Pearlshipping in the first place?

(Rummaging through my few couple posts)

Ok, at first, I was a pokeshipper (I still like it, but not nearly as much as pearlshipping). But as I watched the interactions between Dawn and Ash (again this is more with the first couple "seasons," like up to DP100ish), it seemed that they seem better for each other. I definitely thought they were cute together, and (until the episodes with Lyra) unlike Misty and May, I would think if asked if they were in a relationship, the two wouldn't quickly deny it.
Some examples that stood out for me was when she first met Ash saving Pikachu (He still owes her for saving Pikachu! :P). DP133 would be another. Cute moments that stood out for me were the miltank episode and the maze episode where Ash worries about Dawn. When Lyra says, "Those two are like peas in a pod." You know that was also said about Forrest and Jenny in Forrest Gump. Those two are just so cute together!

I still agree with my earlier sentiments! :P I think I just really like their interaction together, and how they kinda fed off each other's energy and stuff. I really didn't even understand that "shipping" was the notion of a romantic relationship between two characters. I just like them together.

Also, I've been meaning to get to reviews of some FF, but just haven't gotten around to it. There's a lot that are pretty good!

[Pikapi72]

It's been awhile since I was in Pearlshipping since I was in the older thread but I'm back. Can I join? Well I started to like the series of DP and I liked all the characters and I got into Ash and Dawn together.

I starting seeing all the hints and I loved them! I thought that they are perfect for each other and I saw how Dawn was more different from the other girls. Hmmm Ash was always cheering her on unlike the others and he would watch all her contest! I really liked when he saved her from being ran over by piloswine, when she hid behind him holding on to him from the croagunk, and how he stuck up for her to Ursula.

[Facescar]

There are so many new posts!!! I kinda feel bad for dropping out for a bit

I'm sorry that this post can't be more substantive, but I've been totally overwhelmed by work lately, and into the foreseeable future as well (I decide which college to go to this week o_o (Yeah, that ages me just a bit ;P)) (plus I have to admit I've been a bit distracted by other manga/anime :/)

Anyways, this is just to leave a note as a placeholder for when I can write up a much longer response. It's about DP re-airings.

You see, I was at a debate tournament recently, and what do I find on the hotel TV but a DP re-run! (Of Ash and Paul's conference rematch no less!) It was rather surreal to see it again, though I didn't have any time to really enjoy it. It's fun to see that those best episodes of Pearlshipping are still making the rounds.

Anyways, I'll be back soon with more content.

Have fun and PS forever,
Facescar


(PS. if you note a change from my usual writing style, it's because I'm sick, up at 3 AM, and still not done with my work for tomorrow... cheers?) =shot for pity-mongering=

[Oceanus119]

I haven't exactly been very active on here, have I? I haven't been very active on serebii to begin with. Sorry guys.

Why do you like LOVE Pearlshipping?

Well, TBH, I don't love Pearlshipping. Don't get me wrong, I do like it. It's just not my main shipping.
I have to say it's a cute pairing. Ash and Dawn were so close in the anime. They had so many similarities and they do look very cute together. Plus, it's a very plausible shipping.
Do I need to say more?

What got you into Pearlshipping in the first place?

I'm not sure myself.
I kind of liked Pearlshipping back when I saw the preview for Diamond and Pearl and I just thought they looked really cute together. The obvious hints help too. Dawn actually wore a cheerleading outfit for a couple of Ash's gym battles, that just completely sold it to me. Neither Misty or May did that for him. How many times have they high fived? That just shows there is a deep bond between the two of them. And there is High Touch, which just screams Pearlshipping. Friends don't say stuff like: "Your smile is with me!" to each other. I just HAD to say that.
So yeah, that's basically how I got into Pearlshipping.

IF Dawn and Ash somehow meet up again in the future, how would you expect their reunion to go?

That's a good question. I definitely expect them to be happy to see each other.
I'm honestly not sure. If I come up with something, I'll edit this post. I really can't think of how their reunion would go.

[Pikapi72]

IF Dawn and Ash somehow meet up again in the future, how would you expect their reunion to go?


I'm not sure either how that can go. Uhh maybe in Pallet Town or in the Sinnoh region they can meet. Anything could happen then though. Hmmm that's a tricky question for me! >.<