Serena – Ash Ketchum‘s One True Pairing?
Let‘s start with the cold hard truth all Pokémon fans know: after over 20 years and 1,100+ episodes, Ash Ketchum still does not have an official girlfriend. Despite meeting countless female companions over the years, romance has never been a priority in this beloved, family-friendly franchise.
However, that doesn‘t stop fans from speculating about Ash‘s strongest prospect for love. For many, that person is Serena, his traveling companion from the XY series.
Serena and Ash: A Bond Years in the Making
Unlike other girls Ash has encountered, Serena has a long history with the heroic trainer:
- As children, they briefly met at Professor Oak‘s summer camp, where a young Ash inspired Serena to embrace Pokémon training after defending her from bullies.
- Years later, a grown-up Serena reunites with Ash in the Kalos region and joins his adventure. She soon displays an obvious crush on him.
- Throughout the XY and XYZ seasons, Ash serves as a mentor to help an inexperienced Serena catch her first Pokémon and become a competitive performer.
Their friendship cultivated a deep mutual trust and care – hallmarks of a classic anime romance according to long-time fans.
Sparks Fly: Hints of a Budding Love Story
Sure, the dense Ash remained oblivious to Serena‘s affection at first. But over time, here are compelling hints their bond evolved into something more:
- Serena frequently blushes, cheers loudly, and acts nervously around Ash in a classic portrayal of a girl with a crush.
- When Serena considers giving up her quest, Ash delivers an inspiring speech to convince her to keep chasing her dreams – and she gratefully squeezes his hand.
- In perhaps the most famous scene, a tearful Serena kisses Ash on the cheek when they part ways in the final XYZ episode – a bold hint at pent-up affection.
The creators coyly dance around an official relationship, but these moments leave little doubt in many fans‘ minds that the showrunners want viewers to ship Ash and Serena – hard!
Sorry Other Girls, Ash Only Has Eyes for Serena!
Ah, but what about Misty, May, Dawn, Iris, or other girls Ash has met on his long Pokémon quest, you ask? Well…
| Girl | Relationship with Ash | Evidence of Romance |
|---|---|---|
| Misty | Close friend and original series companion | Some light bickering hints at a childhood crush, but Misty shows no overt affection |
| May | Good friend and AG companion | Mutual respect but no romantic chemistry |
| Dawn | Close friend met in DP series | Remained platonic pals |
| Iris | AG companion who called Ash "such a kid!" | More sisterly than romantic |
Notice a trend here? While he shared bonds with many girls, none came close to Serena‘s depth of history and emotional attachment to Ash!
No wonder a 2021 poll by prominent Pokémon fansite PokéJungle revealed 65% of over 5,000 respondents consider Serena to be Ash‘s best romantic match. After that conclusive kiss goodbye, the people have spoken – "AmourShipping" rules!
Will Ash Ever Get a Girlfriend?
So after 22 years, has the Pokémon anime reached a point where giving Ash an official girlfriend is conceivable?
Well, the creators play things safely when it comes to their 10-year-old protagonist and romance. But between maturing themes in later seasons and his especially close history with Serena, speculation continues to swirl that they may become an item one day.
As a seasoned fan myself, I‘d bet decent money we haven‘t seen the last of Serena. And if the powers that be ever greenlight an Ash Ketchum girlfriend to drive ratings and fan excitement to thrilling new heights…all evidence suggests his "one true pairing" will be none other than the honey-blonde Kalos Queen herself!
What do you think – will longtime fans ever get the ultimate wish fulfillment of an official "Ash x Serena" love story? Or will the Pokémon franchise leave things eternally vague when it comes to our hero‘s romantic future?
