>>27934717Not him but I don't think Ash is lazy. He does work hard but it's not always in the most efficient way.
Although if we're to entertain other people's arguments, what people call lazy is the dependence on some super special once in a lifetime power that one of his pokemon had. Don't get me wrong, he worked hard to improve with Greninja but it doesn't seem enough compared to what Alan did.
Alan also centered his team on Charizard X but he was like some obsessed chinese gold farmer when it comes to grinding battles. He battled day in and day out. He actively sought battles and spent little time on relaxing. He was like an olympic participant who only cared about winning and that's why people see Alan as someone who worked harder.
But of course, the point of the story is that type of life comes with a price. Alan may have become much stronger but he's lonely. Notice how he was alone in the locker room after he won? He and Manon still have some issues to work out. And even after winning, all he could think about was getting even stronger. That's why his strength isn't just portrayed as purely positive, it's also shown negatively.
Meanwhile, Ash lost and he was surrounded by all his friends. He was smiling and happy even in defeat because that's not all there is for him.
