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As far as Ash's friendships/interactions go, I really prefer when his companions have a level of confidence and humor to them rather than needing Ash to be their 'savior'. Ash's character flourishes when he's bouncing off of someone who doesn't need him to save them. When bouncing off of Serena, Lillie, and Koharu, Ash reverts to a very basic happy face and a "you can do it!" mode that doesn't let much personality through.
He comes across as more comfortable (and entertaining) when paired with characters like Misty, Iris, Kiawe, and Goh. He can mock Misty for her bug phobia, get into heated fights with Iris and Kiawe, poke fun at Goh by asking if he wants to quit the search for Kingdra, and it never feels pedantic and doting like his relationships with the aforementioned three girls. It's like he knows they aren't capable of anything incredible (big goals and big accomplishments are what make Ash excited) so he just defaults to being nice to them.
