Pokémon: Ash and Misty Never Kissed & Here’s Why
Looking back on one of the longest-running franchises, Pokemon certainly accumulated a great number of “what-if’s” among its fans, as it continuously introduced new characters and put them through various situations they needed to overcome. One such thought revolves around Ash and Misty’s relationship, where we are left wondering did Ash & Misty ever kiss?
Ash and Misty never kissed in the Pokemon series or movies. Due to their relationship and everything they’ve been together, the so-called “Pokeshippers” among the fans began to feed into this idea, and fan fiction were created. The most prominent one is that Ash and Misty kissed in a Christmas special titled “A Kiss Under the Mistletoe,” but there has been no canonical romantic relationship or kiss between Ash and Misty in the Pokémon anime series.
While the two did develop a close relationship, it never grew into anything non-platonic throughout the series. The rumor, if we may refer to it as such, was most likely initiated by the fans, and here is why we believe it to be so!
Ash and Misty’s story
It is no overstatement to declare how Pokemon is most likely in all top lists when it comes to the longest-running franchises in the entertainment industry. Its “influence” in the world of media is felt in anime series, movies, games, TV specials, spin-offs, etc., as it has been present and well-established in all of these forms of media for decades.
Throughout the series, the main protagonist, Ash Ketchum, has been through many adventures in numerous cities, towns and Pokemon arenas, which consequently led to his many interpersonal connections. Thus, on his quest to “catch them all”, Ash happened to meet Misty in the town of Pallet, where his Pokémon journey began.
As the series began, we met Ash – a young, ambitious kid who dreamt of someday becoming a Pokémon Master. His enthusiasm, however, resulted in him sleeping in on the day he was supposed to obtain his first Pokémon at Professor Oak’s Pokémon Laboratory. When he finally arrived there, the only Pokémon left was Pikachu.
The two had set out on a journey to collect badges, as Ash started to learn more about Pikachu and the Pokémon world through the many challenges he had to face with his newest companion, Pikachu. As they traveled and trained together, they encountered Misty, whose bicycle Ash destroyed by accident.
While the two didn’t seem to agree on many things, Misty, one of the four sisters leading the Cerulean City Gym, eventually became an integral part of his group of friends and traveled with him throughout the early seasons of the Pokémon anime.
What indicates that Ash & Misty kissed?
While Ash’s adventures continued for years after his time with Misty, the two seem to remain the most popular “ship” among the fans regarding this franchise. With the fans writing their fiction and discussing this romance, the song “Under the Mistletoe,” in which Ash and Misty seem to sing to one another in the form of a dialogue, feeds into such ideas quite well.
In the song, Misty sings the lines, “There’s a secret I’m keepin’ that no one can hear, a feeling deep in my heart,” after which she continues to ponder over a chance that “maybe this Christmas her true love will show under the mistletoe.” These notions can easily be connected to Ash, who sings the first lines of the lyrics where he’s glad about the night ahead, maybe for the snow or the mistletoe.
Overall, the two have certainly carved their story in stone when it comes to the Pokémon fanbase and shall remain one of the most memorable duos in anime franchises for years to come. However, this romance was never canonical, and their kiss never happened in the series.