We’re at an interesting time in the Pokémon fandom. The games will soon take their first foray into DLC, shedding the outdated concept of an expensive third version. The series is taking on a larger mobile presence, with GO making tons of money and Home redefining the PokéDex. And Ash Ketchum, a mainstay of the franchise, could be finishing his journey once and for all.
Ash is currently taking a journey to all of the known areas of the Pokémon world. Along the way, he’s gathering a dream team of the most popular Pokémon. He’s finally caught first gen icons like Gengar and Dragonite. He’s hatched his first egg, and it contained a Riolu. With these big gets, and a world championship on the horizon, the writers look to be delivering big payoffs to those who have followed Ash’s journey for years. In light of that, fans have been wondering what other long-running mysteries could finally be resolved. Like, could Ash and Misty finally end up together?
Those invested in the potential pairing of Ash and Misty, called PokéShippers, have some key moments to back up the idea that they belong together. One big thing in their corner is “Misty’s Song.” This old tune comes from the album Pokémon 2.B.A. Master and Pokémon Live! In both versions, Misty sings to a sleeping Ash about how she loves him but can never find the words to say it. That’s pretty much the only evidence one needs to confirm this ship as 100% destined.
Except that the song is an invention of the English dub.
Pokémon: 2.B.A Master was a CD made and released by 4Kids, the company notorious for many anime dubs in the late ’90s and early 2000s. It contained many of the staple songs from the English Pokémon dub, like the “PokéRAP” and “Double Trouble (Team Rocket).” A look at trusted Pokémon sources like Bulbapedia shows that this CD, and its songs, were not made in conjunction with the Japanese Pokémon team. That means the writers actually in charge of developing Ash and Misty’s relationship had no input on the songs.
For the most part, 2.B.A. Master doesn’t step on the toes of the original writing. Songs riffing on Team Rocket’s motto or Brock’s love of Jennys and Joys didn’t give any insight into the characters we didn’t already have. “Misty’s Song” does. It says in no uncertain terms that Misty has strong feelings for Ash and why she won’t confess them. In reality, their relationship is closer to an innocent crush. It could develop into something at the end, but for now the writers seem more interested in following Ash’s Pokémon journey than his love life. He is, after all, eternally a 10-year-old boy.
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