I know this might trigger some nostalgia, but does anyone else feel like the anime is finally breathable again? Don't get me wrong, Ash is a legend, but the "immortal 10-year-old" trope was holding the storytelling back for years. With Liko and Roy, there’s actual stakes and mystery that we haven't seen since the early days. The Rising Volt Tacklers dynamic feels way more like a real adventure and less like a repetitive gym crawl. Are we ready to admit that retiring Ash was the best decision the franchise has made in a decade, or are we still clinging to the past? I’d love to hear if anyone else thinks the writing has actually improved!