>>34903424I felt BW in general was really hack in terms of writing, so I tend to forgive any out of character weirdness, since the writers wanted Dawn to associate with Iris, and because they already dumbed Ash to nincompoop status, so ergo, Dawn had to go that way too, instead of say, Iris starting to see why Ash was best boi. Then again, Negaishippers would say in a way, Iris always knew. Which is nice of them. I think it's sad they, and we all never got to see Iris come visit Ash in Kalos, and basically say to Ash what she'd believed, maybe even apologize for who she had been. It would have been really cute, especially as a nighttime scene on the beach or something.
Now as for Advance, I'm in agreeance that May's stuff was much more subtle. But they key is it was sustained, and constant. The reason Contestshipping had any legs imo is because a lot of it's fans were, lets face it, young, and that it usually takes a while in life before people realize love isn't about the big things now and then, it's the small, sustained experience lived everyday. You really have to look over the whole series, and analyze May and Ash's interactions to see they dearly treasured each other. I think most people at least thankfully noticed that May is extremely touchy feely, and she is ONLY that with Ash. She never, ever hesitates to touch him, and he her. Look at each other, admire each other.
The older I get, the more I realized May and Ash basically acted like a husband and wife do. Ash and Dawn too, though in a different way. That's why the two have such passionate fans, and get along with each other and understand each other, imo.
