Pearlshipping General Discussion - 3.0 *Spoiler Warning!*

[BlueDragonfangirl]

9 Weeks left of Pearlshipping, really? Shoot, I'll miss it. I do think Dawn will make a cameo any ways, they always let the main girl from last generation come back. Maybe they'll meet up with each other in that battle thing in Best Wishes, what are they called again? Sorry forgot. Have Dawn and Ash battle each other? Or Iris and Dawn? Maybe over AshXD Ultimate battle. Ask for todays English dubbed episode, Dawn's reaction to Ash's Pokemon was great, I'm sure she was really impressed with him.

[Facescar]

FFFF, it's okay. Honestly, I'm far off worse than you are. XD You know how long it's been since I've updated any of my shipping fics. *sweatdrops*

*Epic sweatdrop* haha, same issue here. My next chapter's only like 20% done at this point...

But I promise it's progressing nicely . I hope to have it out soon

I also love your analysis of the whole series regarding Ash's love life until now. Naturally, I agree with basically everything you've said there. From the reasons why he never fully developed a relationship with past females, to where it all would probably end... BUT!

Well, I've read your reasons for believing why Dawn will come back as a main cast member, and I don't particularly agree much with your theory. I would like this to come true, as you should all know, but even I have my doubts on Dawn's future with Ash. Even if Isshu is the last region for Ash (which we will never know for sure if it is), I don't think the writers would bring back Dawn for a role such as that. As far as they're concerned, Dawn is just the same as Misty or May.

To be honest, I'm not fully convinced about Dawn's return either (Heck, I'd bet against it at this point). I'm just saying that Dawn, more than Misty or May, seems ready to be returned to the main cast.

We'll learn soon enough if this is indeed the final region. I have my reasons why though... (Another list time! )

* Team Rocket: TR, not Team Plasma, is the true villain of this region. Many fans of the show were upset by Giovanni's lackluster appeal as a villain (only because he never had his final showdown with Ash). Now that Ash has traveled through 5 regions, and now that Giovanni is finally being played up as the ultimate villain, it seems like the final showdown is finally upon us.
* Champions League: I've already gone over this, but Ash's path to the end of the show has never been clearer.

Well, that list actually wasn't as long as I thought it'd be... =_=' Well, regardless, I'm thinking that's enough to believe for now that this will be Ash's final region (sans the Champion's League).

Anyways, onto the meat of your point, about why the writers should bother bringing Dawn back in that kind of a role. Well, here's the thing... Dawn really doesn't have any other path to do. Technically, we've had hints here and there that she might redo the Sinnoh Contest Curcuit, but that path has never been made clear as it was with Misty or May. Quick comparison...

* Misty: Had to go back and take over to be the Gym Leader. While Ash thought this would be temporary, we got clear signs from Misty that it was permanent, which was confirmed in her cameo in Hoenn. No chance of returning.
* May: Decided, on her own to leave and do contests in Johto. Technically, we don't know what she's doing now, but she seems to just not want to travel with Ash anymore. She has her own love interest, and Ash has already taught her everything she needs to know. No chance of returning.
* Dawn: Says she wanted to go to Kanto (probably to do contests). Ash had invited her to go with him and at least visit Pallet Town (though after that it would have been unclear). Dawn was excited (as was Piplup), but Dawn's mom stepped in and enforced the Poke-style photoshoot on her. Unlikely to return during the BW series, but will be available afterwards.

So, what else separates Dawn from Misty/May?
* She was a co-star. Of the four girls Ash has traveled with so far, she was on the most equal plane with him.
* Bond: She also seemed to be the one to make the closest bond with him. See High Touch. Sure, Misty, May, and even Iris all do (or will have) strong connections to him, but Dawn's was on another level. Again, look at the goodbyes we've seen. May didn't care (Max did, and his promised battle with Ash makes him far more likely to return than May is XP). Misty cared for a bit but reassumed a motherly role, not a friend role (reminding him how to take care of himself and offering gifts, etc.). Dawn not only maintains herself on an equal footing with Ash, but she is devastated by his departure. Just like with Piplup, the only thing holding her together in the end is the thought that maybe, someday, she will meet Ash again. There is a serious and palpable difference there.
* etc. etc. I'm too tired to type more.

The point I'm trying to make is that, over the three past girls, Dawn will be the most likely of them to return. Mix in Tomioka's apparent adoring of Hikari, and we have a shot. To be brutally honest, if Dawn doesn't make a significant move in her cameo or in the post-BW situation, PS is dead.

(random note. Dawn might visit Ash using an "unevolved pokemon club" as her excuse, similar to how Misty used a Togepi convention. Considering that another seemingly minor plot point, the poke-style contest, became such a big deal later on, it's entirely possible, if entirely unlikely :P)

What I'm trying to say is, don't think you've got the anime all figured out. We don't know for sure what the future holds.

Oh, absolutely XD. If I come off that way, that's my bad, sorry :P Must be the debater in me... XD

As for your point about a sparse contest. It makes me sad I'll write an entry anyways though... just 'cause

@wind21: Overall, I like where you're going with this post, but I have to disagree on the "right people for the jobs each needed" point. I see it working out better than you'd expect, given the circumstances. Ash was often exactly what Dawn needed (and Brock helped, of course XD) and vice versa. Look at "Uncrushing Defeat" or the Poke-style competition. Heck, look at the Gligar night scene (right before Ash gives him up) or the countless scenes where one is so distraught about the other suffering that they can barely stand it. They worked wonders for each other.

You do have a point about not expressing the whole relationship, but one of the awesome parts about any anime or manga is that the characters don't have to speak up to make their point (or even just a symbolic gesture). Let's take Ash's "covering his eyes" moment as an example. The only person in the room to truly notice Dawn's "off"-ness is Ash, but he knows he can't speak up. Dawn's doing what she can to cover that up, and to blow that cover would only end up hurting him. He brings it around to helping her a ton.

And then we get examples of where they do express it (or where others do it for them): When Dawn takes cues from Ash, Brock notices and tells Ash. When Ash helps Dawn, she thanks him. When Dawn cheers for Ash, he says he appreciates the support ("with cheering like that, how could we not win?"... or something similar).

However, I do get what your point really is, that the level of "talking stuff over" between the two wasn't amazingly high. Point taken... sort of. If Dawn did come back (and yes, it is a long-shot), I'd hope to see that improve, and we probably would see that.

[wind21]

I really think Ash just played along in Uncrushing Defeat when Dawn put on that show. It was really sweet of him, to be honest; but he was already okay after he had some time to think about things by himself-which Brock knew was all that Ash needed. Ash was surprised when he saw Dawn was doing the show, but when Nurse Joy told him about the effort she put into it, he played along. I think that was something really cool in general in Sinnoh, about how little Ash told Dawn about himself. She would find out things as they came up, but Ash did not see the need to tell her w/o a cause. I thought this was a sign of how grown-up Ash had become, because he was so comfortable being himself. But since he never really talked about his previous adventures, I'm not sure Dawn ever got to "really" know Ash. Ash certainly knew her a good deal better than she knew him, and it would have been great if Dawn had come to Kanto to learn a bit more about Ash. I'm missing that in Isshu, right now. If in Sinnoh Ash never talked in detail about his travels, I was okay with that b/c I could see his skill regardless. That's not the case in Isshu; I'm having to remind myself of all that Ash has accomplished, b/c if I didn't, well then Ash wouldn't seem like a very good trainer.

Ash's influence on Dawn was really good, and the way he tried to handle her confidence problems after losing in the first round of contests two times in a row was, again, really sweet of him. He decided to give her space, and be as encouraging as possible. But, you know, that wouldn't have worked if that's all that happened. Dawn was still not okay, and I think that really showed at the Wallace Cup. May, Brock, and Zoey, too, all tried to follow Ash's example there (I imagine Ash asked May and Brock to do this), but you could really see them losing patience with the way Dawn acted. Ash was the only who did not, I don't think. But it took someone to finally snap at Dawn-Piplup-before Dawn was really honest herself and admitted she should not be so scared. And I think it's not a coincidence Ash was not there for that scene; May, Brock, and Zoey were all happy at the stand Piplup took, but I don't Ash would have been. Ash, I think, was almost incapable of being "hard" on Dawn, even though I think he was really worried a good deal of the time. Like when Dawn did her appeal at the Wallace Cup and nearly lost the handle on her pokeball, you could see Ash sighing and grabbing his chest. But the pt being, it's sort of an illusion that Ash and Dawn had, and Dawn would never have gotten over her confidence issues if Piplup hadn't taken that stand right there and then, to the delight of Brock, May, and Zoey. I'm also thinking of the way Ash prepared for the Sinnoh League, likely talking to only Brock about his strategies-Dawn really did not know. Which is fine, I guess. But at some pt, if Dawn were to win the Grand Festival somewhere, and Ash finally beat a champion somewhere(Please let it be Cynthia), what would they have to talk about? Their whole relationship has centered around being optimistic for each other. Some scenes that have really bothered me towards the end of Sinnoh were the final gym battle, when Ash said nothing of Dawn's enthusiastic cheering for him, the end of dp 180 when Dawn purposely did not tell Ash about the offer Kenny made her (which could be interpreted as Dawn really liking Ash, of course, so that's fine; but then, I think about how Ash wasn't too bothered at all about splitting up from Dawn and going back to Kanto-Dawn was the one who invited him to her house, and Dawn was the one willing to go with him to Kanto.), and most importantly, I think, was the end of the Sinnoh League, where Ash was staring with a very sad expression on his face, but then Dawn came and gave him a playful shove. Right away, Ash put on a smile, and pretended like nothing was the matter. But...I'm sure something was the matter. And that's the next step this relationship has to go in, in my opinion, b/c well, if I were in a relationship like that, I would like to be honest about serious things. It's Ash's problem in general, too, I think. In Sinnoh, at least, Ash had incredible self-control for the most part. Like for the Pokemarothon thing, he completely disagreed with the way that COD trained his pokemon, but he did not outright say the guy was wrong. And then, when it was all said and done (he lost), he was willing to say the guy was right with a smile, even though he absolutely did not believe it. I wish he could be more honest about his real thoughts with somebody, at least, and well, I think Dawn would be perfect for that, if she did come back. And, I think their interactions would be better for it. The best part about Sinnoh, to me, was how realistic the story was; it portrayed some of the troubles we all have. If Ash and Dawn could be more realistic about their troubles to one another, I think their relationship would be better for it. They have to, now, in a sense. Dawn did see Ash lose at the Sinnoh League (no matter how unfair and ridiculous that battle was); I wonder if she would have cheered for him in the same optimistic way after that match. There are some fun storylines that could have been explored if Ash, Dawn, and Brock had kept traveling together.

[Facescar]

I really think Ash just played along in Uncrushing Defeat when Dawn put on that show. It was really sweet of him, to be honest; but he was already okay after he had some time to think about things by himself-which Brock knew was all that Ash needed.

I have to disagree there, whole-heartedly. To be sure, he was feeling a bit better, but the fact that Dawn also had her own performance put it over the top. I think the voice acting in the dub betrays that idea a bit, but it's clear that he doesn't feel fully better until Dawn puts on her show.

Ash was surprised when he saw Dawn was doing the show, but when Nurse Joy told him about the effort she put into it, he played along.

Nah, you're reading the situation wrong. He was clearly surprised she had gone that far for him, and enjoyed himself. Seriously, don't be so gloomy about it. It was a cute, genuine moment, and there's no evidence to the contrary.

I think that was something really cool in general in Sinnoh, about how little Ash told Dawn about himself. She would find out things as they came up, but Ash did not see the need to tell her w/o a cause. I thought this was a sign of how grown-up Ash had become, because he was so comfortable being himself. But since he never really talked about his previous adventures, I'm not sure Dawn ever got to "really" know Ash.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but that's more a writing necessity than anything... It's clear that Ash told Dawn some things off-screen (actually, a ton). She knew that Ash had some pokemon from past adventures, she knew about May, etc. etc.) They just can't put all of that on-screen.

Ash certainly knew her a good deal better than she knew him, and it would have been great if Dawn had come to Kanto to learn a bit more about Ash. I'm missing that in Isshu, right now. If in Sinnoh Ash never talked in detail about his travels, I was okay with that b/c I could see his skill regardless. That's not the case in Isshu; I'm having to remind myself of all that Ash has accomplished, b/c if I didn't, well then Ash wouldn't seem like a very good trainer.

Can't disagree with the Kanto point really

Ash's influence on Dawn was really good, and the way he tried to handle her confidence problems after losing in the first round of contests two times in a row was, again, really sweet of him. He decided to give her space, and be as encouraging as possible. But, you know, that wouldn't have worked if that's all that happened. Dawn was still not okay, and I think that really showed at the Wallace Cup. May, Brock, and Zoey, too, all tried to follow Ash's example there (I imagine Ash asked May and Brock to do this), but you could really see them losing patience with the way Dawn acted.

Again, blame the writers and the plot-points. Besides, Dawn was fine by the Wallace Cup. That was set-up as her come-back point. (and she won, afterall =_=').

Ash, I think, was almost incapable of being "hard" on Dawn, even though I think he was really worried a good deal of the time. Like when Dawn did her appeal at the Wallace Cup and nearly lost the handle on her pokeball, you could see Ash sighing and grabbing his chest. But the pt being, it's sort of an illusion that Ash and Dawn had, and Dawn would never have gotten over her confidence issues if Piplup hadn't taken that stand right there and then, to the delight of Brock, May, and Zoey.

oh....k? I really don't understand what you're trying to say here as for how it applies to PS... Ash is Ash, as Dawn would say. Dawn is Dawn. Piplup is Piplup. You can't really expect anyone to jump out of their roles. And especially when this is a kid's show... not an adult drama, don't expect anything significant. Piplup's explosion was just his usual impatient nature getting the best of him. It helped, sure, but that doesn't mean Ash should have gone off on her...

I'm also thinking of the way Ash prepared for the Sinnoh League, likely talking to only Brock about his strategies-Dawn really did not know. Which is fine, I guess.

Ok, I'm just ignoring this point. It's not based in facts at ALL. (you can claim that Dawn was surprised at every turn, but the audience members are ALWAYS portrayed as being in the dark, no matter the series or the contest).

But at some pt, if Dawn were to win the Grand Festival somewhere, and Ash finally beat a champion somewhere(Please let it be Cynthia), what would they have to talk about? Their whole relationship has centered around being optimistic for each other.

What does any anime pairing say to one another after the driving conflict is over? Seriously, stop worrying like that. =_='''''''''

Some scenes that have really bothered me towards the end of Sinnoh were the final gym battle, when Ash said nothing of Dawn's enthusiastic cheering for him, the end of dp 180 when Dawn purposely did not tell Ash about the offer Kenny made her (which could be interpreted as Dawn really liking Ash, of course, so that's fine; but then, I think about how Ash wasn't too bothered at all about splitting up from Dawn and going back to Kanto-Dawn was the one who invited him to her house, and Dawn was the one willing to go with him to Kanto.), and most importantly, I think, was the end of the Sinnoh League, where Ash was staring with a very sad expression on his face, but then Dawn came and gave him a playful shove. Right away, Ash put on a smile, and pretended like nothing was the matter. But...I'm sure something was the matter.

Calm down bud.

179: No, he appreciated it still. The point is that it happened at all, not that he seemingly ignored it.
180: I take the second interpretation. Nothing happened with it, so it isn't important.
You ignore 183-189, in which Dawn never seems to stop crushing on Ash. Seriously...
189: The point is that Ash is happy to see Dawn, even though he's sad he got so close and failed. It's a cute scene.
191: Ash *is* bothered. He seems really excited about the prospect of staying with Dawn, but understands by now that friends have their own paths to take. There's a saying out there, that goodbyes are only painful if you don't think you'll meet again. For Ash, he knows that this goodbye isn't the end. He's been though so many before he's probably lost count.

In Sinnoh, at least, Ash had incredible self-control for the most part.

meh. It was day-to-day at best.

If Ash and Dawn could be more realistic about their troubles to one another, I think their relationship would be better for it.

I say all they need is a journey without Brock. He broke up a fair number of good possible exchanges just like the one you talked about.

[wind21]

(Shrugging) The whole pt of your post seems to be to say I'm wrong or misguided about everything. And maybe so. But you have to be a little more accepting. I was not looking for a debate or trying to say anyone is wrong. B/c no one is on this topic. That was another huge deal in Sinnoh, I think, too; Ash learned to be a bit more accepting of what others did, b/c as misguided Paul was about some things, he still must have done other things better than Ash did himself. Otherwise, there was no way Paul would have been as successful as he was. I think that's what Ash took out of the full battle loss to Paul. Not that Paul was the better trainer, but that Paul was just as good a trainer, with a different style. But of course, Paul's treatment of Pokemon was still not right, and that's the pt Ash tried to make to Paul their league battle, I think, by using his Sinnoh team (besides the obvious Sinnoh league/writers have to use Sinnoh pokemon). And Paul accepted that pt, I think, hence his smiling at the end.

Yikes, got off topic again. Everyone sees the world in a different way, and you need to be more accepting of that. My last post was just to clarify my viewpoint a little better, but it's fine now, since you have obviously got the pt and disagreed with it. That's fine.

[Facescar]

To start, I'm not trying to say you're wrong and misguided on everything. I'm just offering counterpoints to stuff. Just as others pointed out flaws with my reasoning earlier, I'm just saying that what you're interpreting doesn't have to be true .

I was not looking for a debate or trying to say anyone is wrong. B/c no one is on this topic.

I think you're just reading a bit too much into what are relatively straight forward plot points. Perhaps I'm doing the same with the songs. Actually, I'm definitely going too far with the lyrics. No one's perfect . Again, I come off that way because I debate... so I apologize for that :P Please don't take this personally

That was another huge deal in Sinnoh, I think, too; Ash learned to be a bit more accepting of what others did, b/c as misguided Paul was about some things, he still must have done other things better than Ash did himself.

I totally agree there This whole point definitely makes sense. I think this goes back to the point you made about Ash stepping back a lot when it came to Dawn, and not confronting her about her confidence issues. As an observer, her attitude often did make me want to do what Piplup eventually did do, but Ash learned to accept her issues and try and work around them. Eventually, his style of sheer determination and imagination seem to get through to her, as we can see in the Summer Beach Episode and the Togekiss mini-arc. I'd say that what makes them so good for each other. We can see that, on the few occasions where Ash doesn't step back (the first 5 or so episodes and the Lyra cave episode) they fight rather badly (although Lyra takes it as a PS hint...).

Everyone sees the world in a different way, and you need to be more accepting of that. My last post was just to clarify my viewpoint a little better, but it's fine now, since you have obviously got the pt and disagreed with it. That's fine.

hmm? ok, sure... I totally understand different viewpoints, but I think the best thing we can do, especially in the shipping community, is to examine the warrants behind them... Just because I was a bit rough with my points doesn't mean I'm totally against your views (it just means I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning XP). I'm actually interested in what you had to say, and I can certainly see how what you're saying makes sense in a variety of ways (and I'm at fault for not expressing more of those acceptances). But I think it's also important for you (for everyone really... including myself) to be more open to these kinds of criticisms. After all, you never know how strong your arguments are until you have to use them in a real "fight". That's why I loved the discussion we had with Neji, because both sides were open to critique

Anyways, I'm done pretending to have a high horse. If you need me I'll be writing my long-overdue chapter.

[nuggetmaster]

Hey guys! It may be a bit late to jump into this thread, but I figured, since I've been leaving this page open on my iPod and "creeping" on your posts... ever notice that one guest that's always there? Well... it was me and I finally decided to join Serebii.

Even though Pearlshipping may be dead at the moment, it's still a cute pairing. Imagine when/if they get older... Guess that's what fanfics are for. And I thought of one thing while I was wondering why Pearlshipping wasn't made official- Pokemon has and will always be a show mainly directed at kids. (With older fans in collateral.) I don't know if it's the case for everyone, but I'm sure a kid would want Pocket Monsters battling each other than Ash and Dawn kiss each other for a half hour. You know what I mean. What hooked you onto Pokemon at first? I'm sure it wasn't a love story, that's for sure. Point is, while it's nice to imagine, Pearlshipping- make that shippings in Pokemon- it feels like it only exists in mostly the older fan's mind. It's just my opinion, that's all.

[Yuppirox]

@ Facescar & wind21: Debating is totally fine (and encouraged) in this thread. Just try to keep it as friendly and open-minded as possible. We are a Pearlshipping community after all. We need some seriously engaging discussions around here. Makes it more...fun I guess. =)

Actually, I'm definitely going too far with the lyrics. No one's perfect .

Oh, come now. No matter how far you go with your song-related posts, who's to say they aren't enjoyable to read? Now that Pearlshipping is on the same boat as Poke and Advanceshipping, we're free to speculate as much as we want, and dig deeper into Ash and Dawn's relationship as far as we want.

Hey guys! It may be a bit late to jump into this thread, but I figured, since I've been leaving this page open on my iPod and "creeping" on your posts... ever notice that one guest that's always there? Well... it was me and I finally decided to join Serebii.

Heh. You're not the only Pearlshipper who started out as a thread stalker. Also, it's never too late to join in on the fun! You'll soon find out that being a member here is...interesting XD

And I thought of one thing while I was wondering why Pearlshipping wasn't made official- Pokemon has and will always be a show mainly directed at kids. (With older fans in collateral.) I don't know if it's the case for everyone, but I'm sure a kid would want Pocket Monsters battling each other than Ash and Dawn kiss each other for a half hour.

Well, saying something like "kiss each other for a half hour" is a stretch of what we desire, as you probably already know. And besides, we've seen full fledged romance in Pokemon before, and that doesn't seem to slow down the show's popularity. I'm pretty sure the reason why Pearlshipping hasn't gone as far as, say, Contestshipping or (even though it's in the manga) Franticshipping, is because it involves Ash. I'm pretty sure Facescar has said something similar in an earlier post, but since we've been stuck with Ash for so many years, and will continue to be stuck with him, the writers don't want to involve him in any serious relationships until probably the very end of his journeys. They probably wouldn't want a 4th gen character hanging around in 5th Gen land; they need more room to showcase the new characters. Ash having a relationship for so long would be kinda awkward. Remember: It's all about marketing and advertisement. :|

Whenever a romantic relationship seems to build in Pokemon, the writers always leave it open and underdeveloped, never bothering to finish what they started. So they instead have the characters involved in said ship leave the main cast.

And that's why Pearlshipping didn't canonize. With Best Wishes! on the horizon, they couldn't close or expand upon Ash and Dawn's bond because they still needed Ash for the next series, and Dawn was no longer needed for advertisement needs.

D:

So, uh, yeahh.. We'll just have to wait until the series' ending and see how that goes for us! 8D Oh, and like I said, debates and feedback on opinions is encouraged! Just be friendly. I want to know if anyone has any thoughts regarding my post. XD

[Facescar]

    Spoiler:- nuggetmaster:

Show Spoiler

 
quick note, I'm going to start reading your story tomorrow :P Too tired right now...

Hey guys! It may be a bit late to jump into this thread, but I figured, since I've been leaving this page open on my iPod and "creeping" on your posts... ever notice that one guest that's always there? Well... it was me and I finally decided to join Serebii.

Haha, welcome aboard! I stalked for a bit before joining too (unfortunately, I joined like right before the DP180 bombshell landed, and we lost PK for a few months . Btw, you seem to be using the iPod Touch really well... I can't imagine writing a whole post (or heck, a whole story) on one :P

Even though Pearlshipping may be dead at the moment, it's still a cute pairing.

It's dead!?! *hides under a rock*

On a more serious note, I agree with PF493 for most of this one... It's typical, but I certainly think that Dawn got the farthest when it came to the end. (As I argued a page ago, Poke died off in Johto for the same reason AS became ContestShipping and that Dawn couldn't visit Ash in Kanto.

To be honest, I'm still wondering what happened between DP191 and BW001. There seems to have been a significant time-jump (sure, he's still 10, but we didn't get what we usually get, which is an immediate jump into the next series). Heck, Delia almost forced Ash out, instead of her usual oh-noes-Ash-is-leaving deal :P I wonder too where Ash got his new clothes, but that's another issue (Dawn the designer, maybe?)
 

    Spoiler:- pokefan#493 (y'know, the boss):

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@ Facescar & wind21: Debating is totally fine (and encouraged) in this thread. Just try to keep it as friendly and open-minded as possible. We are a Pearlshipping community after all. We need some seriously engaging discussions around here. Makes it more...fun I guess. =)

This is why it's good to have you back, pokefan . Yeah, I kinda went overboard with my earlier post... my bad :P

Oh, come now. No matter how far you go with your song-related posts, who's to say they aren't enjoyable to read? Now that Pearlshipping is on the same boat as Poke and Advanceshipping, we're free to speculate as much as we want, and dig deeper into Ash and Dawn's relationship as far as we want.

Regardless, though, I have to be realistic. Even if there's some hidden story behind the music, that doesn't mean anything necessarily. (Although I will maintain that the consistent themes of wind and love which were so prevalent in the Movie themes, combined with that "nostalgic voice" in Best Wishes! (the song) has to mean something . I'll get back in that mood soon enough. I'm planning one more "wrap-up" analysis of every DP song before I'm outta juice on this thread .
 

-EDIT-
As for the full version, I believe we've already seen this... which sucks because I was getting excited to do one of my "going too deep" song analyses . (I've definitely already done a song analysis on it). Long story short, Dawn is most definitely being referenced, which is a first for a Pokemon song (to reference a previous "girl" that is).

[xskywarriorx]

Sorry I haven't posted in a while but i come up with good news
the full translated lyrics from the Best Wishes op are on bulbapedia
the ending hasn't a full translation so far

    Spoiler:- here are the links:

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http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wi...es!_%28song%29
http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wi...e_of_the_Heart
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXjDvnDJAHA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9pUIdpG6w8
 

[Facescar]

3-4 days since the last post... oh well :P    Spoiler:- Topic Time!:

Show Spoiler

 
If Dawn ever does come back to the show, how do you think this would affect her relationship with Ash?

Alllllllllrighty.

To start with, it really isn't entirely clear that she would come back. I know I've been probably one of the strongest advocates on the other side of this, but still, there's a saying that "A goodbye isn't painful unless you know it's forever". (I think I've brought this up before). Dawn clearly thinks that this is forever...

Wellllll, ignoring my unnecessary side-note... There's four clear possibilities, and I'll do my best to explain which one I think is more likely based on our past examples.

1. It weakens the relationship

Well, we've all seen this story before. When Misty and May both went through their final seasons on the show (Johto and Battle Frontier respectively) their relationship not only went on the back-burner, in one case a rival shipping took over!

Possible scenarios:
Penguinshipping (blegh): Basically, Kenny somehow wins Dawn over in Ash's absence, overriding the entire vibe of the series (ignoring DP 180's dub, lol).

No shipping: Again, entirely possible. Of the three girls we've had in the dub (and hence at the point where I can really analyze them) Dawn is the least "romance-oriented". May and Misty always emphasized the romantic nature of things or the need for romance or whatever, but Dawn's been rather mum on the topic. When Lyra seemed to go the same way, it freaked her out a bit.

To extend the point a bit further, many of the furthest lengths we've seen Dawn go to to impress Ash have never been explicitly for winning him over. Even when she dresses Piplup up to cheer in her place, she seems more motivated in showing Ash how dressed up (and supportive) Piplup is (and hence that she is).

I actually think this is one is the least likely to happen to Pearlshipping should Dawn return. Given that she'd be the only character to take a break before coming back, her return would likely be at worst neutral.

Speaking of which...

2. Was... was something supposed to happen?

That is an entirely possible scenario. After all... (cross apply what I said before, but less harshly). Dawn stays where she is right now with Ash, that is to say really close friends.

Again, I think this is highly unlikely. If they're going to go so far as to bring a "shelved" character back, it has to be for a purpose. Either there is some here-to-fore unseen revolt against "The Squeaker" Iris and they have to backpedal, or they make Dawn get further developed as a character. I'm not seeing the former happen... sooo

3. It strengthens the friendship

Basically, Dawn and Ash get closer over the course of their journey (entirely possible, we'd just get more Dawn-cheering-for-Ash scenes).

Again, not likely. If they're going to develop their relationship, and go so far as to bring her back to do it, there's really only one likely outcome...

4. Pearlshipping happens

I would be so happy if this actually happened. I recently rewatched DP191 (and I'm in the process of rewatching the "Paul Final Battle" arc, and it's reminded me a lot of why I like this pairing so much (and why I think I've miscasted them a bit in my current fan-fic, something I hope to fix for the contest).

Dawn goes so far to support Ash, and is so funny in how she chooses to show it. Not to mention, given the extreme high note they left off on, it'd be fun to see it go even farther later on .
 

    Spoiler:- Contest Sadness:

Show Spoiler

 
Please guys? Can you just sign up for the contest? It'll be fun! I know a lot of you are busy, but it'd be great to have at least one more cool contest
 

    Spoiler:- Parting Note:

Show Spoiler

 
OHOHOHOH!

I found another one of those subtle Tomioka hints! (For those who might not remember, I had a field-day trying to find a bunch of subtle hints Tomioka left behind in his PS episodes).

Watch DP186 and go to 6:48. This is the scene that basically groups Ash, Dawn, Paul, Barry, and Brock together before the fight. In it, we have that uber cute scene where Dawn jumps over to Ash and what not, and Ash obviously is a bit confused as to why Dawn's blushing and whatever (silly guy).

He keeps this confused face as Barry asks Dawn if she's been having a chat with Paul (and more specifically I think if she was checking out his battle strategy). Dawn angrily denies this, and for some reason this makes Ash smile. I'm thinking he might have been relieved that Dawn wasn't betraying him? But I'm not sure why that'd have to worry him. Either way, it was an interesting note.
 

btw, if you guys think I'm posting too much... be sure to let me know ._.

=EDIT=
haha, shoulda known Japanese Emperor Satoshi was still around XD. Good to hear from you

[Japanese Emperor Satoshi]

I read this thread everyday!!!
I am just too lazy to post anything...
However, don't worry!!!
I am a pearlshipper forever...

[Qlick_Anime]

CONTEST? HURRAH~!

Can I participate in the contest? I'll do something under the art category.
Hopefully I can get Ash's hair right. And Dawn's hat. And actually finish a CG drawing. And get it in on time because I'm just so busy. *sigh* BUT I SHALL TRY.

Wow, I haven't been to this thread for a while. :P I have read Facescar's post about Ash's entire Pokemon journey and about their opinion on Dawn's return, and I officially have faith in her return now.

[nuggetmaster]

Sorry about just now posting, but I've been finishing some Chemistry research for school, and I've been working on my fanfic a ton. (Plus it's Thanksgiving weekend in America... I'm still super full.)
Anyways, if Dawn does reappear for a bit in Best Wishes, it might be due to advertisements? I mean that's probably the only reason besides one of the writers taking a liking to Dawn and Ash... And what's this about the Champion's League? From the sounds of it, it sounds like an epic finale to Ash, and... a good time for everyone to come back. I mean, we've had Ash for how long now? I doubt/hope they don't go to a sixth generation with Ash...

EDIT: I thought this didn't get posted... iPods can be unreliable sometimes. Anyways, what do I have to do for the fanfiction part of the contest? It sounds interesting. And when would the cutoff date for entries be?

[Yuppirox]

CONTEST? HURRAH~!

Can I participate in the contest? I'll do something under the art category.
Hopefully I can get Ash's hair right. And Dawn's hat. And actually finish a CG drawing. And get it in on time because I'm just so busy. *sigh* BUT I SHALL TRY.

Ohoho! Of course you can participate! That's exactly what I want to see~

    Spoiler:- contest entries:

Show Spoiler

 
Fanfiction
Facescar
Espeon 114x
rioT6296
Crimsonash310
Pearlmasterking

Art
Qlick_Anime

Graphics
Espeon 114x

AMVs
rioT6296
 

We need more people! There can't be just one person for each category. It wouldn't be a contest that way, now wouldn't it? ):

By the way, sorry for the short post this time. I'm not mentally awake at the moment, and I'm kinda distracted right now..

[LexSuicune]

So, what exactly do we do in the contest? Say I wanna participate in the graphics section, what do I 'ave to do?

[Kaush22]

Hey Everyone. How are you all doing?

So I am back from my Hiatus from the anime and pokemon. I basically gave up on both a little while after BW001. So i honestly don't know what's been going on with the anime and even this thread. My sincere apologies. So I should have some more free time now to post and see who the more regular posters are other than my friend Post Master General. My support for PS is there but it has diminished a bit.

So to stay on topic, It looks like the animators were not lying when they said that this saga would be faster than he previous ones. So my question is: Would this be beneficial for PS or not?

[midnightjewelz]

I would like to enter in the contest under the Art catorgy, but what exactly do we have to do?

So my question is: Would this be beneficial for PS or not

Depends. BW seems to be rushing things very quickly, maybe too quickly so maybe Dawn's camo could be short, not like May's Wallace Cup camo which was around 4-5 episodes. if BW continued this sudden rush then maybe Dawn might not have a powerful return like May's camo back in Sinnoh.

In the topic for beneficial for Pearlshipping, i really don't know. i mean Dawn and Ash didn't really have a item to share. like with Misty, she gave Ash the Misty lure and the handkerchief, May and Ash both have the ribbon and now the Teddiursa wooden figurine. I can't say much since BW is fairly new, but im sure that whatever happens when Dawn shows up, pearlshipping will gain more hints and whatever happens, it will end up begin beneficial.

But if the writers and animators don't remind us fans anything about the Sinnoh saga or any of the past regions Ash has been, then Pearlshipping would be in trouble, same goes to Poke and Advance.

9 weeks of Pearlshiping left? (maybe even less) wow, can't believe DP is going to end soon. i mean the DP US airing. Cartoon network repeated Galatic battles right after Ash finished his battle in Snowpoint. so i guess Pearlshipping will last a little longer over here.

[~SkyHigh~]

Forgive me for not being active on here. I've been very busy lately and I haven't had much of a chance to get online.

Ok, I really like the idea of this Contest and I'm definitely interested on participating. It would definietly give me a reason to write that Pearlshipping one-shot I've been dying to write for like ages now.
But yeah, I'm definietly interesting in participating in this Contest, Pat. But the only thing I can do is write fanfics :/

So my question is: Would this be beneficial for PS or not

I don't see how this benefit Pearlshipping at all.
Maybe if Dawn does come back to the main cast again, which I highly doubt, then maybe it would.
It also depends on if Dawn gets a cameo in BW. But I'm gonna have to to agree with midnightjewels on this one. If BW is rushed, then I doubt Dawn's return, even if it is a cameo.
But still, I just don't see how BW being fast-paces would benefit Pearlshipping.

And I honestly can't believe that DP is ending really soon. Despite the fact that I do happen to like BW a lot so far, I still miss Dawn like crazy. Watching DP191 in English is gonna be hard but definietly nowhere near as hard as it was when I watched it in Japanese. I still cry every time I watch the Japanese version. Especially during Piplup and Pikachu's crying scene.

But no matter what happens, I'll always remain a hardcore Pearlshipper, no matter what. I assure you guys that.

[pokelover94]

Hey Everyone! I have not posted on this thread in like forever...I forgot my passord and i was so upset about that. :'( I have been super busy and i just moved to another place...so many boxes...but i still love Pearlshipping! and still think they are a super cute couple! I was wondering why noone seemed to mention Satoshi's liking to mijumaru. He never had a water starter as his first pokemon in a new region and i thought it had to do with hikari because of his attachment to piplup. He even called mijumaru cute! I think hikari rubbed some of her personality onto him. anyway I will try and keep this thread active and I hope we will continue to have great discussions! I always get hopeful when i hear the opening of best wishes because when he sings the part of "that nostalgic voice" he sings it with alot of emotion to shoe how important it is to him.

As to how best wishes being face paced i can't think of any benefits but I am sooo hoping hikari was the one who designed his clothes. Imagine if he gives him a new design for his next region?! that would be sweet! but i really think they HAVE to bring dawn back because they always do it as seen with the examples of misty and may. I really hope they hug when she debuts in best wishes...and that ash will be close to crying when she leaves cause that would really show how much he cares about her. and thank you facescar and wind21! you both have very good points and it makes me excited all over again for pearlshipping! keep it up you guys!