Thread: Advanceshipping General Discussion

If May were to return to the series as a cameo/travelling partner in the new region, how would Ash react?
Probably no reaction at all, just happy to see her I guess. Unless she got there before Ash and maybe we would see his reaction.

Are there any notable characters in the Anime who you think would be supportive of Ash and May being a couple?
Not really. All the characters see them as good friends (excluding The Bicker, The Better).

Here's another topic that has been nagging at me a bit and this is the best way I could word it so it is appropriate for this thread.

Do you think the writers wanted to push AS more than any other ship due to the genuine hints it has?

What I mean by "genuine" is that while every ship has its hints most of them can be interpreted as just frienship e.g Dawns high fiving. Whereas AS has a lot of hints that lean towards more towards romance and not just close friendship. This isn't meant to be ship bashing so I'll just go straight to my reasoning for AS. My opinions may be Bias seeing as love AS but i'll try to explain it from a neutral point of view and I might make comparisons on other ships with no intention of bashing them.

In Bicker the better it was Ash and May's first major argument and in the same episode they introduced Oscar and Andi who said that they were in love. Now Ash and Misty argued a lot and not once do I recall someone commenting that they were in love. So why did the writers decide to imply love in this episode? I may just be reading between the lines but the fact that in Ash and Mays only major argument the writers put characters who said they were in love. They could have done something other than love so I think that this was their way of hinting they wanted Ash and May to be a couple.

Also they had a whole movie with AS moments in it with movie 9. Many non AS shippers say it isn't a hint but it is plainly obvious that there are many hints. For instance the luvdisc scene, they swam with them whereas Ash and Dawn only saw them. I think that swimming with them is a lot more romantic, it could be argued that they were there for manaphy but it doesn't chage the fact that if a couple sees them then they are destined for a loving relationship. Then there is the heart swap that manaphy did so thatAsh could hear May's prayer like message. If it weren't for that then Ash would have died, there was Pikachu there as well but it could be seen as his best friend and is romance are praying for him which I think is leaning a lot towards romance instead of friendship. Also if it was meant to be fully friendship that gives him the strength to carry on then why didn't they incorporate brock into the scene somehow, he could've had a bigger role but the movie wanted to focus on Ash, May and Manaphy. Which in my eyes is one happy family seeing as May is considered Manaphy's mom and Ash is almost a father figure. So the witers seemed to want to make this movie about Ash and May which is why Brock and Max had a backseat in this movie.
Another one is in Jiraichi about May’s wish, they left her wish open to interpretation leading to a well discussed hint about it being about Ash or Max. They could have made her complete the wish but instead they left it open for discussion which again makes me believe they wanted to hint it being about Ash and furthering their relationship.
Then there is of course the parallels between their Pokémon. The bulbasaurs, the squirtles and muchlax and snorlax. Given that the squirtles are oth male and so are snorlax and munchlax the bulbasaurs are different genders and it has been hinted that they might have been in a relationship. This was deterred a bit when May’s bulbasaur became a venusaur but vineshipping is still possible. The fact that the feelings of the pokemon can reflect the feelings of their trainers is another hint but not set in stone. There is also the case with beautifly as Norman and Carolines love pokemon was a beautifly so that is small but the comparison is still there. So why would the writers include these details and make them share the same pokemon? May could’ve had so many different ones but they chose her to have the many that are the same ones as Ash. Not to mention how May and Ash get along with the others pokemon and how May is usually the one holding Pikachu which I think Ash doesn’t share with just anyone.
Then there is the oh so important terracotta ribbon that they won together. While Ash carries misty’s lure with him he also carries his half of the ribbon as well as he pulled it right out of his pocket when May revisited in sinnoh. This is probably the most significant hint as winning something together is a lot more powerful than a gift. There was a whole discussion about the colors too but I won’t go into that much detail. Even though we hardly see it he still keeps it on his person and May brought it out in Sinnoh. The writers could’ve forgotten it or just had a brief mention of it but they had a whole scene based on it. It might be interpreted as friendship but they won it together which is a bit romantic and the way she describes how it helps her is another factor.
The writers might feel that they shouldn’t make a ship official due to it being a kids show and to the outrage by ship supporters if their ship isn’t made canon. So they make hints as to what ship they would have preferred become canon and I honestly feel that AS was that one. As they have hints that genuinely point to romance more than close friendship which other ships do.
I may just be overanalysing and my opinion may be biased seeing as I am an Advanceshipper but I tried writing this from a Neutral point of view and I just see AS hints being stronger to romance than just friendship.

Do you think the writers wanted to push AS more than any other ship due to the genuine hints it has?
Wait...let me think...
No. They did include good and shippy hints, but unfortunately, I don't think that they want any shippings with Ash to become canon. After all, the plot is centered on Ash traveling around random regions...etc. However, they do want shippers to have some fun, so they put in some hints. I don't want to be mean to AS or anything...
But there is a reason why they made OrangeShipping, GymShipping, ContestShipping, PenguinShipping, and IkariShipping.
I don't think the writers really care, either. There are a lot of writers with different opinions; therefore every ship gets its own push.

Originally Posted by Anikasnow6

Do you think the writers wanted to push AS more than any other ship due to the genuine hints it has?
Wait...let me think...
No. They did include good and shippy hints, but unfortunately, I don't think that they want any shippings with Ash to become canon. After all, the plot is centered on Ash traveling around random regions...etc. However, they do want shippers to have some fun, so they put in some hints. I don't want to be mean to AS or anything...
But there is a reason why they made OrangeShipping, GymShipping, ContestShipping, PenguinShipping, and IkariShipping.
I don't think the writers really care, either. There are a lot of writers with different opinions; therefore every ship gets its own push.

Yeah thats what I concluded to as well, just that I thought the hints they put in there were more romantic than other ships hints as well as ome that lead to close friendship. That is probably what lead me to ask the question as I had that AS feeling it was true. Like I said that may be a biased opinion as I am an Advanceshipper. Always have always will be

To WistfulSong:
Oh, I see. I do think that the AS hints were much more convincing than other hints, but that is also because I'm an AdvanceShipper. I'm not sure that the writers were trying to push AdvanceShipping, though. I really liked AdvanceShipping because when I first found "shipping", I thought the hints in AdvanceShipping were the most "interesting". As in fun to read. So now I'm an AdvanceShipper. That doesn't necessarily mean that they want to push AS.
Anyway, we'll never know what they're thinking, will we...?

Originally Posted by Anikasnow6

To WistfulSong:
Oh, I see. I do think that the AS hints were much more convincing than other hints, but that is also because I'm an AdvanceShipper. I'm not sure that the writers were trying to push AdvanceShipping, though. I really liked AdvanceShipping because when I first found "shipping", I thought the hints in AdvanceShipping were the most "interesting". As in fun to read. So now I'm an AdvanceShipper. That doesn't necessarily mean that they want to push AS.
Anyway, we'll never know what they're thinking, will we...?

Yea unfortunately we won't, imagine if in the future they created multiple "special episodes". None of them actually becoming the official pokemon canon but each episode showed each of the most popular Ash shippings come true. So there is an episode for AdvanceShipping, PokeShipping and PearlShipping just to show each of the shipping supporters what might have been.

I would of course only watch the AS one and accept that as the canon
That makes me think of a topic:

If there was an episode where Ash and May become or are already established as a couple how do you imagine it to turn out?

Personally I see multiple scenarios but the first that comes to my head is Ash is around 14 and finally wins a major pokemon league and all his friends are watching. After all the congragulations they retire to their rooms but Ash decides to stay outside for a bit and just look at the stars. May decides to join them and they have a heart to heart talk about many things. The conversation eventually becomes a bit romantic and fluffy where Ash talks about how he will always be there for her and she blushes at his compliments. She then decides to take a chance and kisses him. After the initial shock they embrace and lie together under the stars.

I'm tempted to make a fanfic about that and try and really capture whats in my head

Do you think the writers wanted to push AS more than any other ship due to the genuine hints it has?

That's some essay, WistfulSong. In fact, to answer your question, partly - no writers would dare to push AdvanceShipping to canon. There must be limit to that. Writers come and go. And, they have different opinions and views. They might have added a lot of sweet and romantic scenes in the anime, but the only thing they won't do is to make any Ash-related shipping canon, reason being it is a children's anime, and it will disrupt the flow of storyline. Another reason is that both of them are still 10. Well, the stories for each episodes will probably be discussed in a meeting and anything too shippy be eliminated. Still, kudos to the staff of M09 and 'The bicker the better' - the two platinum icons for AdvanceShipping.

My view on why they insert some sweet moments in the series is that they wanted to keep the series fresh and ongoing with some micro character development between those two that eventually turned into somewhat a passionate relationship between those two.

If there was an episode where Ash and May become or are already established as a couple how do you imagine it to turn out?

I could only imagine that the episode is about Celebi, bringing both of them to the future. Then, they discovered their relationship and young May would blush every time she sees Ash. I'd love to see what's in your fanfic though.

Here's another topic that I referenced from PK07:

How would Ash and May celebrate the anniversary of the day they first met?

Food, food and many food. And, they enjoy a night... outside... under the stars. Uh... I'm not good at this.

If there was an episode where Ash and May become or are already established as a couple how do you imagine it to turn out?
Uh...uh...um...hm............
Well, you said, "turn out," so I'll say that it'll turned out as something love-filled. Yeah, maybe Ash will say he likes her and that confession stuff. I really don't know, mind you. I'm not a big fan of GIANT HINTS (also why I support AdvanceShipping).
So...yeah.
How would Ash and May celebrate the anniversary of the day they first met?
My answer will be related to if it is canon. Maybe a lot of kisses during the daytime. Then, at night, they'll pull out some towels and set off fireworks (remember that episode?) and eat a giant dinner that was cooked by Brock. Ash and May could pull out their ribbon halves and put them together. Maybe some stargazing, talking, kissing; all that good stuff.

Do you think the writers wanted to push AS more than any other ship due to the genuine hints it has?

I really don't think the writers ever really intended on making any shipping a focus of the show (it is a Saturday morning cartoon, after all), but I do think, and this may just be because of my personal bias (which I have plenty of when shipping is involved), that the Advanced and Battle Frontier arcs were quite a bit more romance oriented than the others. After all, Ash didn't swim with Luvdisc with any of the other characters, did he? I don't know. Maybe it's due to a change in writers that we're getting less and less of these romantic moments.

Forgive me for my absence; my life has been so hectic lately that I can't seem to find time for anything anymore. Nevertheless, I promise to never forget this shipping and all that it stands for.

So, how about a new topic?

What keeps you coming back to Advanceshipping even though it can seem hopeless at times?

My answer is simple: I love what it represents. To me, Advanceshipping is less about hoping it will become canon and less about 'winning,' but more about the wonderfully nostalgic memories I have of watching the AG series and the idea that a love as pure as we portray Ash and May's still exists somehow, somewhere. I love supporting this pairing because it has such a talented fanbase, and writing about them just feels so right. I love the character that Ash matured into when he met May, and I love their tried-and-true dynamic: it's not a passionate, fiery love, but instead they share a warm and stable love, one based off of friendship and adventures and the experience of discovering who they were and what they wanted. And god forbid, as long as Pokemon continues on and Ash remains single (and perhaps perpetually ten), then there will always be hope. I will never stop supporting it. Our ship will never sink.

It's interesting too, on a side note: I've been taking a psychology course at school, and we were learning about relationships. I asked my teacher if the "opposites attract" theory really works in real life (because we all know our two main rival ships are textbook examples of this theory), and she said something along the lines of:

"The opposites attract theory seems to work at first because the two people are so different that they interest each other. However, a couple based off of this will never survive long term. Instead, a healthy, sustainable relationship requires that the two people involved share the same core values and are supportive of one another as they face life together."

I thought this really made sense, and really applied to Ash and May. I mean, without Ash, I don't think May would have ever found herself, and she wouldn't have established her core values: he essentially gave her the dreams that made her who she was. In turn, May "taught" Ash how to be more mature, like a mentor figure, and I think that really helped him establish his core values as well. See, in the original series, Ash was just this enthusiastic little kid who "wanted to be a pokemon master." But then, once AG rolled around, Ash (by guiding May through the first steps of her journey) finally smoothed out the edges of his own vague dream and started truly working towards a better future. In a nutshell, Ash and May helped each other discover their respective core values together. If that doesn't say "soul mates," then I don't know what does.

Anyway, sorry for the long rant. It's late and I get annoyingly wordy ^^;

Banner dump before I leave! (Honestly, I don't think I'll ever get tired of making these...)



[There is one thing I know for sure,
No matter where we end up,
Or who we become,
You wrote a chapter into my life that I know I can't live without.]

@xLolPanda - I think you misinterpreted what I meant but I do agree with your answer. I highly doubt it would become canon but I just felt some hints as a whole were a lot more romantic than other ships and I wonder if the writers liked the idea of ash and May becoming a couple more than other ships but didn't intend to make it canon. And yes I love the writers for making Movie 9 and all the other love themed episodes :D
@Ice Cold Chilli Pepper - I agree completely with you. AG and BF did feel more romantic which is why I have a feeling they wanted to push it without making it canon. If I remember right AG has the most love themed episodes. Coincidence? I think not :P
@Princess of Hoenn - no need to apologise for absences, as much as we love Advanceshipping we do have lives outside of it :) I also agree with you on the theory of opposites attract you quoted. I never felt like Ash and Misty would have worked. AS feels so much more natural as it started off as a student/mentor relationship where she looked up to him. Then it became Knight in shining armor saving the princess :P. Then it became best friends who have many fond memories of each other. Seeing that trend makes me feel hopeful of romance between them xD

How would Ash and May celebrate the anniversary of the day they first met?

In the actual show I reckon they would eat and eat and eat then after that pull out their ribbon halves and recount their travelling days :D
In my head canon they would do all that except the ribbon scene would be under the stars and then they would confess with a kiss and become a couple xD

What keeps you coming back to Advanceshipping even though it can seem hopeless at times?

Tough question but a really good one. I guess I come back because it is the first and only ship I have ever supported in Pokemon. I didn't even know what shipping was yet subconsciously supported it. I watched pokemon from the very beginning and never once thought of AshxMisty yet as soon as May came on I thought Ash and her would be cute together. Their interactions are just adorable from the teasing to the saving and the comforting I love it all. Even though in the Anime we haven't seen her in years even if they could have showed her watching him compete in the leagues I just know she is doing it off screen xD. Knowing he stil carries his Ribbon half also keeps my opes up as i imagine him staring at it from time to time and remembering her. In the actual canon it has only been a few months since he last saw her so there is still chances for her reappearance. Maybe at the wallace cup in Johto? If they show that and she is not there I might become depressed xD. nevertheless I will never stop supporting AS, been supporting it since her debut and still do and I admit I have wavered but I just look back at the thread and look at all the joyful posts and laughter you guys had back then and it keeps my hopes up :D

btw princess that 1st Banner is actually amazing I love it :D If you don't mind can I use that for my sig? I love all of them but that one just stood out to me over all your others :D
The second one is also really good, its simple but delivers such a srong message like all of them do xD

Oh yeah and if you didn't notice I reviewed your stories on FF.net as I was blown away by them. I guess you could say I'm a huge fan of yours and you are one of the reasons my AS spiri has stayed alive for so long :)

Originally Posted by WistfulSong

btw princess that 1st Banner is actually amazing I love it :D If you don't mind can I use that for my sig? I love all of them but that one just stood out to me over all your others :D
The second one is also really good, its simple but delivers such a srong message like all of them do xD

Oh yeah and if you didn't notice I reviewed your stories on FF.net as I was blown away by them. I guess you could say I'm a huge fan of yours and you are one of the reasons my AS spiri has stayed alive for so long :)

You are too kind, WistfulSong. I did see your reviews, yes, and they made my day (: I'm glad that your ADV spirit has remained mostly intact...we need more hope these days ;3;

As for the banner, you are always welcome to use any of my banners as long as you credit me somehow (as you have already done, so no worries!) I often post banners here, so if any of them ever catch your eye, you can use it at your leisure. I also do requests if you'd like, but that's a different story.

How would Ash and May celebrate the anniversary of the day they first met?
As many people have already mentioned, they would definitely eat, A LOT. Perhaps they'd engage in a noodle eating contest. And then pull off some Lady and the Tramp style noodle kissing haha xD Maybe they would also go to a carnival or something, or they would enter another unofficial contest just for fun like they did in Terracotta town. Then, at night, they would watch fireworks/stars/whatever else is in the sky, and reminisce about old memories.

Goodness, I'm so sappy XD

About the opposites attract thing...perhaps it is true. I knew a couple that were opposites, but I heard that they broke apart. Ash and May are just about the same...or maybe male and female counterparts of each other. Hm...
Anyway, onto the question.
What keeps you coming back to Advanceshipping even though it can seem hopeless at times?
Hm? Everything.
Well, it's one reason is the Bulbapedia article on AdvanceShipping. Even when I feel like the ship is dying, I read the article and I fully support AdvanceShipping again. The article is just so fun to read!! I must have read it at least thirty times.
Another thing is that I like drawing Ash and May. If there are two characters that I draw with the same feelings when I draw them alone (sorry, a little confusing), then I ship them. And Ash and May are practically my two favorite people to draw. Especially May.
Third, Ash and May just look perfect together. Enough said.
Finally, AdvanceShipping is one of those ships with hints that are not forced. It's one of those ships where there's not suddenly a giant hint. I like the pairings where both characters care for each other in a concerned way. And not many ships do it the right way. And that is why I keep going back to AdvanceShipping. (And a few other ships)
And, to Princess of Hoenn: Keep making banners~!!

I haven't been here in a long time either. Good to see some old faces.

What keeps you coming back to Advanceshipping even though it can seem hopeless at times?


Loyalty, I guess. That and the fact that all other Pokemon shippings are just as hopeless, making it a level playing field.

It's nice to see you Ranger Jack (:

Anyway, I was looking around and found a quote that really reminded me of Advanceshipping, which sort of pertains to what we've been talking about:

"They’d never been lovers, of course, not in the physical sense. But they’ve been lovers as most of us manage, loving through expressions and gestures and the palm set softly upon the bruise at the necessary moment. Lovers by inclination rather than by lust. Lovers, that is, by love." ~Gregory Maguire

I think this about sums it up. Sure, Ash and May have never been in a relationship (and all things being equal, may never be so long as the writers don't want to lose a portion of their fanbase) but the way that they interact, care for each other, respect each other, comfort, treat, and otherwise learn from each other is what matters. It's not so much a label as a "couple" that we're looking for; it's more about their actions.

Originally Posted by Anikasnow6

And, to Princess of Hoenn: Keep making banners~!!

Yes ma'am!