>>53452525It's because there are compilations on the internet which compile every hint/allusion/blushy moment into a single video. Even in the Orange Islands, where they were pretty blatantly selling some sort of romantic build up between Ash/Misty, we were maybe getting signs every handful of episodes at most.
Still, the Orange Islands had to fill 36 episodes, so there was a little bit more space to spread that type of stuff out. If they were leaning that way in MPM, I'd have honestly expected at least one or two more tsundere moments already.
Could be wrong, though. Even for an arc thta the show self-describes as a "directionless journey," I've been surprised by low little structure there is to MPM. With that in mind, it doesn't seem impossible that some sort of romance element could be folded into the finale, despite the lack of buildup.
