>>53343233The real answer is that Pokémon went corporate around the time when RS came out on the GBA. Before that, Ishihara just licensed the IP out to anyone who wanted to write books, make toys, etc. without as much oversight in order to get the Pokémon brand out there in the public eye. That's how we got stuff like The Electric Tale of Pikachu and the talking Clefairy manga. Misty was always paired up with Red/Ash because she's literally the only named female character who is the same age as the MC in Gen 1. It was just assumed by everyone that they would become a couple, because that's what typically happens between the male and female lead characters, and no one knew back then that Pokémon would just go on forever.
