Pokemon anime fans prepare for “shipping war” as Ash reunites with Misty
The Pokemon CompanyMisty’s return to the Pokemon anime has some fans wondering if “shipping wars” are going to ignite over Ash’s other returning friends.
Ash’s send-off mini-series, ‘Aim to be a Pokemon Master,’ has begun and Episode 2 sees the 10-year-old Pokemon Master finally reunite with one of his old traveling companions: Misty from Kanto.
Footage from the episode shows a touching reunion between the two, who briefly slip back into their old friendly rivalry from the original series.
However, Misty’s return has some fans wondering if the community will reignite past arguments over who is the favorite among Ash’s female traveling companions, as the question of whether Misty will meet Dawn, Lillie, or even Serena by the end of the series.
Pokemon anime fans prepare for “shipping war”
A post on the Pokemonanime subreddit that showed a video of Ash’s reunion with Misty in the Japanese anime gathered some attention among the community thanks to Misty’s reaction.
The video shows Misty sneakily following Ash in an attempt to follow him on his journey. When Ash and Pikachu catch wind of this, Misty is clearly embarrassed and tries to deny that she was following him.
However, when Pikachu persuades Ash to have Misty come along with them, she blushes and smiles at the chance of being able to travel together with her friend.
Misty’s reintroduction immediately sparked fan discussion thanks to the duo’s interaction. “The shipping wars will get more and more intense from here on out. May Lord Helix have mercy on us all…” said one fan.
Another commented, “This sub will be hell when Serena meets Misty.” For those who may not have watched the Pokemon XYZ series, Serena is shown to have a crush on Ash throughout and finally reveals it to Ash during the series finale. As such, many fans grew attached to Serena and were eager to see her finally return.
Of course, other fans were just happy to finally see Misty in the anime again. “This episode just felt like a OS episode and that’s such a good thing!” Hopefully, more beloved characters from the anime’s past get the screen time they deserve throughout the mini-series remaining episodes.