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| {{ship}}
| | [[File:Satosere.png|thumb|250px|Ash and Serena meet up for the first time in years]] |
| '''AmourShipping''' (Japanese: '''サトセレ''' ''SatoSere'') is the belief that {{an|Serena}} and {{Ash}} belong in a [[shipping|romantic relationship]]. The name is derived from the French word "''amour''", meaning "love". It was chosen as the name because the [[Kalos]] region is inspired by {{wp|France}} (known for its romantic atmosphere) and Serena has a [[Canon|canonical]] crush on Ash. | | '''AmourShipping''' (Japanese: '''サトセレ''' ''SatoSere'') is the ship between [[Ash Ketchum]] and {{an|Serena}} and is one of the most common pairings within the Pokémon fandom, alongside [[PokéShipping]] and [[RocketShipping]]. It is also one of the few pairings that have been officially recognized by The Pokémon Company, with evidence found across multiple adaptations. |
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| This [[Shipping|ship]] is one of the most popular in the anime, much like other ships involving Ash and one of his female [[Ash's friends|friends]], such as {{s|Poké}}, {{s|Advance}}, and {{s|Pearl}}. However, AmourShipping is unique compared to these and most other shippings because of the confirmation of Serena's crush on Ash, rather than fans presuming based on hints and inconclusive evidence. Its popularity began before the premiere of the {{series|XY}} due to the revelation that Serena knew Ash in their childhood. Since then, it has become one of Serena's notable characteristics.
| | Though Serena had debuted in ''[[XY001|Kalos, Where Dreams and Adventures Begin!]]'', long after Ash originally debuted in the anime series, the pairing is unique in that Ash and Serena had canonically first met each other prior to the beginning of the series. Serena had gotten lost in the forest during {{an|Professor Oak}}'s Summer Camp and was scared by a {{p|Poliwag}} that caused her to trip and injure her leg. Ash eventually found her by chance and bandaged her leg with a handkerchief he had on hand. He then helped her stand up, but not before leaving her with encouraging words to never give up, which left a lasting impression on Serena. Years later, in ''[[XY002|Lumiose City Pursuit!]]'', she would learn of Ash being in the [[Kalos]] [[region]] after he became the center of attention in a news report from [[Lumiose City]] that involved him stopping a {{TP|Professor Sycamore|Garchomp}}'s rampage, after which she would recognize him. Eager to see him again and thank him for their first encounter, Serena started her journey in hopes of meeting him once more. She reunites with him and is eventually invited by Ash to travel with him. The two traveled together all throughout Kalos and built a strong bond with each other. Their bond has most recently been made evident in Serena's first reappearance in ''[[Pokémon Journeys: The Series]]'', well after the two first parted ways. |
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| ==Anime evidence== | | ==History== |
| ===Serena's hints===
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| *''[[XY002|Lumiose City Pursuit!]]''
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| :*When Serena sees a live news report of Ash trying to calm a rampaging {{p|Garchomp}} on [[Prism Tower]], she silently looks on, seemingly in awe at Ash's bravery. When Ash jumps off the tower to rescue {{AP|Pikachu}}, she gasps in fear for his safety. However, this may have been merely general concern, since the news camera never showed Ash's face in full until he was safely on the ground.
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| :*Upon seeing Ash's face on TV, she ponders whether she recognizes him, having a flashback scene of a younger Ash at the end of the episode.
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| *''[[XY003|A Battle of Aerial Mobility!]]''
| | ===Pre-series=== |
| :*Serena decides to begin her journey after seeing Ash on TV. Upon arriving at [[Professor Sycamore]]'s laboratory, and before choosing her [[starter Pokémon]], Serena tells the professor that she is looking for the boy who was on the news. Her eyes seem to light up considerably when Sycamore identifies him as Ash.
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| *''[[XY005|A Blustery Santalune Gym Battle!]]''
| | [[File:Young Ash and Serena.png|250px|thumb|right|Young Ash and Serena walking back to camp together. ]] |
| :*When Serena is walking down the steps in [[Santalune City]], she thinks about how she cannot wait to see the look on Ash's face when he sees her. Then, she has a flashback of a young Ash extending his arm, as if he was offering her his hand. When the flashback ends, she is seen blushing slightly.
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| :*When she sees Ash battling [[Viola]], she is so overcome with excitement that she runs toward the battlefield, seemingly planning on going ''directly'' on there to greet Ash without noticing that the battle is still in progress.
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| :*Later, when Ash loses the battle, Serena is obviously remorseful and attempts to speak to him, but is further saddened when he runs past her without noticing her, since he is concentrating on his injured Pokemon. | |
| :*When Serena returns Ash's backpack to him (which Ash had left behind at the Gym), she starts to ask Ash something while blushing a little, only to be interrupted by the [[Pokémon Center]] bell.
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| :*When Ash is on the ground from the intense {{pkmn|training}}, dirty after falling to the ground while catching Pikachu and {{AP|Fletchling}}, Serena walks up to him and hands him a handkerchief to clean himself up with, showing her thoughtfulness towards him.
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| :*Serena looks evidently nervous before she asks him if he remembers her. It is interesting to note that when she is seen interacting with [[Grace (Kalos)|her mother]], Serena has a sassy and rebellious attitude towards her, but whenever she is around Ash, she seems to be extremely hesitant and nervous, contradicting the personality that viewers have seen from her in prior episodes.
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| *''[[XY006|Battling on Thin Ice!]]''
| | In ''[[XY007|Giving Chase at the Rhyhorn Race!]]'', the story of Ash and Serena's first meeting is revealed. Both had enrolled in Professor Oak's Summer Camp when they were younger, the latter against her will as it was her mother's decision to enroll her there. Serena got lost in a forest, losing track of the other participants, and was scared by a Poliwag. She subsequently fell and injured her leg. By chance, Ash encountered her while searching for Poliwag, and while helping her, told her to never give up until the end. These words left a lasting impression on Serena, and she would cherish her memory of her first encounter with Ash for years to come. |
| :*After she asks Ash if he remembers her, Serena mentions that they met in {{an|Professor Oak}}'s Pokémon Summer Camp in [[Pallet Town]]. When Ash remembers attending the camp, she is overjoyed and tells him that she went there as well. However, when he says that he does not remember her specifically, she is visibly disappointed, but instantly cheers up, obviously not wanting to be upset or angry with him.
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| :*When the group is having dinner after the training session, Serena glances at Ash and smiles at him while he is eating. Since this is directly after him saying that he is sure to win the rematch, this strongly implies that she is admiring his determination and is impressed by it.
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| :*Throughout the entire Gym battle, her cheering for Ash seems to be in a more enthusiastic way than {{an|Clemont}} and {{an|Bonnie}}. She also keeps reassuring Clemont, Bonnie, and Alexa that everything is going to be okay and that Ash would win, showing that she strongly believes in him. Later, when Ash becomes overwhelmed by Viola's new battling strategies, Serena cries out to Ash that he should not give up (echoing a motto Ash had told her in their childhood). In that scene, the emotions are seemingly emphasized. Her encouragement snaps him out of his panic and helps him win the battle.
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| *''[[XY007|Giving Chase at the Rhyhorn Race!]]''
| | ===XY Series=== |
| :*After Ash asks Serena to join them in their travels, she puts a hand over her heart and smiles before winking at him and accepting the invitation.
| | Serena would eventually reunite with Ash in ''[[XY005|A Blustery Santalune Gym Battle!]]'', which would carry over into ''[[XY006|Battling on Thin Ice!]]''. Much to her disappointment, Ash did not recognize her at all, however, while Ash was in a slump over his defeat at the hands of Viola, Serena reminded Ash of the encouraging words he told her when they first met, which gave Ash the push and motivation to persevere in his training to eventually defeat Viola. Alexa took note of this, and told Serena the next day that she knew Ash needed inspiration, but did not expect it to come from Serena. During the Gym Battle, Ash proclaimed he wouldn't give up until the very end, and later, Serena would also further encourage Ash during the Gym Battle. Ash was evidently grateful for Serena's support, so much so that in a first for Ash's companions, he invites Serena to travel with him. |
| :*When Clemont asks Serena why she started her journey, she pulls out the same handkerchief Ash used to bandage her, and shows it to Ash in a second attempt to get him to remember their past. This shows that Serena has kept the same handkerchief Ash used to tie up her knee with after all these years.
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| :*In a flashback of when Ash and Serena first met as children, Ash bandages Serena's knee and then pulls her up from the ground. She ends up falling into his arms in some sort of hug, and the camera zooms on her surprised face. Then, she quickly pulls away and looks at him, a surprised expression on her face. When Ash is showing her the way out of the forest, she is wide-eyed and blushing. This flashback indicates that Serena developed feelings for Ash after that incident.
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| :*When Ash identifies Serena as the same girl he helped when he was younger, she blushes.
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| [[File:Young Ash and Serena.png|thumb|300px|Flashback of Ash and Serena]]
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| :*Ash asks Serena why she went through all the trouble of returning the handkerchief to him and she replies with "I felt nostalgic and wanted to see you". Serena then pouts with blush marks on her face when she says that Ash didn't remember her. This shows that she was slightly hurt that Ash did not remember her upon first glance like she did to him.
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| :*Serena puts on a pink outfit for {{p|Rhyhorn}} racing and then asks Ash what he thinks of it with a blush on her face.
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| :*When Serena is on top of the Rhyhorn and demonstrating for Ash how to ride one, she is blushing.
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| :*When it is nighttime and everyone is sleeping, there is a view of the whole room with Serena's bed shown to be empty. It is then revealed that Serena is in the kitchen baking. At the end of the episode, she hands to Ash a pouch filled with cookies. She blushes and tells him that it is because she is thankful towards him. Then, she has a flashback of her and Ash when they were younger holding hands. After the flashback ends, she winks at him.
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| *''[[XY010|Mega-Mega Meowth Madness]]
| | Throughout the series, Ash and Serena often motivate and inspire each other, especially in the latter's case as she finds her own dreams and works towards them. |
| :*When Ash falls down, everybody else worries about Pikachu, but only Serena yells Ash's name.
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| *''[[XY013|Kindergarten Chaos!]]''
| | At the beginning of ''[[XY013|Kindergarten Chaos!]]'', a woman named Penelope challenges Ash to a battle on the condition that if he loses, he'll be coming with her. Serena panics at this, fearing that Ash will be taken away from her, but is later on relieved that it is a non-romantic situation. |
| :*When a teacher named {{an|Penelope}} challenges Ash to a battle and states that if she wins, he would have to come with her, Serena freaks out and begins to blush. Later on, when Penelope takes the group to the kindergarten she works at and Serena realizes she misunderstood her, she puts a hand over her heart in relief.
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| :*When Ash is pushed out of the truck by {{TRT}}, Serena quickly runs towards him while shouting his name.
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| *''[[XY020|Breaking Titles at the Chateau!]]''
| | Serena notably has a canonical romantic attraction to Ash, which other characters often pick up on and notice. In ''[[XY026|A Battle by Any Other Name!]]'', Miette teases Serena, telling her to confess her feelings to Ash before Miette tells him herself, flustering her. In ''[[XY031|A Cave of Trials]]'', Serena notably tries to stand closer to Ash during the group's photo, and stares at the photo with a blush afterwards. |
| :*Serena and Bonnie are both excited to introduce the idea of the [[Battle Chateau]] to Ash. While Bonnie blushes over the possibility of cake, Serena is blushing because she is sure that he would like it. After they arrive there, Serena asks if this is something Ash's interested in, which he answers in the affirmative.
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| *''[[XY021|A PokéVision of Things to Come!]]''
| | During ''[[XY037|The Cave of Mirrors!]]'', Ash disappears into the Mirror World in the Reflection Cave. Serena eventually becomes despondent and fears that she may never see Ash again. Later, when the portal between the two worlds reopens, Ash and Serena reach out for each others' hands and to try to get Ash back to the real world. Afterwards, Serena asks Ash if they'll always be together from now on, to which Ash affirms that he wouldn't have it any other way. |
| :*Serena is visibly worried when Ash mentions that the video of {{an|Aria}} looks cute before he clarifies that he's talking about Aria's Fennekin. Once the clarification is made, Serena's expression softens.
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| :*When Serena asks Ash for help with her video and he declines, she is upset. Note that she asks Ash before everyone else.
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| :*At the end of the episode, Serena specifically asks Ash what he thought of her video with a blush on her face.
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| *''[[XY024|An Undersea Place to Call Home!]]''
| | [[File:Ash Giving Ribbon.jpg|250px|thumb|left|Ash giving Serena the blue ribbon.]] |
| :*When Ash and friends are using one of Clemont's machines to randomly decide the two who going in the submarine together, Serena unhesitatingly chooses the same arrow as Ash, before either of the siblings can.
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| *''[[XY025|Climbing the Walls!]]''
| | In ''[[XY059|Under the Pledging Tree!]]'', Ash and Serena notably go shopping together by themselves for the Coumarine City Festival. At the end of the episode, Ash gifts Serena with a ribbon as thanks for helping him choose gifts for his Pokémon. At the end of the following episode, ''[[XY060|A Showcase Debut]]'', Serena changes her outfit and appearance, and also wears the ribbon Ash gifted her, which Ash takes note of. Ash complements her new appearance and says that she looks good in her new attire. |
| :*When Ash is rock climbing in [[Cyllage Gym]], the camera closes up on a worried Serena.
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| :*Even before the battle between Ash and [[Grant]] starts, Serena is very worried. She clasps her hands together which catches the notice of Bonnie and Clemont. She then begins to blush and, at one point, tears up when thinking about how hard Ash has trained.
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| *''[[XY026|A Battle by Any Other Name!]]''
| | Miette would return multiple times starting with ''[[XY080|Performing with Fiery Charm!]]'' as a rival to Serena. Whenever the two encountered each other, Miette would continue to tease Serena about her feelings for Ash, getting a blush from her every time. In ''[[XY090|Tag Team Battle Inspiration!]]'', Shauna notes that Ash is upbeat, and asks Serena if that's why she likes him. Serena blushes in reaction to this, claiming she admires his positive attitude and that her liking of him is purely platonic. Miette would also tease Serena in ''[[XY105|Party Dancecapades]]'', in which she asked Ash to be her "partner" for the upcoming Dance Party for Pokémon Performers, inciting an extreme reaction from Serena. During the dance, Serena narrowly misses the chance to dance with Ash as the timer for the dance portion ends just before the two are about to have their turn, much to Serena's extreme dismay. |
| :*[[Miette]] asks Ash teasingly if he has a future bride in mind (in reference to Bonnie asking women to have her brother Clemont) to see how Serena would react. Serena is shown to be paying close attention from the corner of her eye with a frown, and then looks away and pretends indifference.
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| :*When Ash is holding on the tube to stop the air flow from reaching the [[mecha]] so it could run, the camera goes to a worried Serena who yells out his name in concern.
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| :*At the end of the episode after Ash calls Serena's name, Miette teases Serena about him and says that if Serena doesn't tell Ash how she feels about him, then she will. Serena blushes bright red, but walks away smiling. It is interesting to note that Serena is the only girl to not deny her feelings for Ash when teased about it.
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| *''[[XY028|The Bonds of Evolution!]]''
| | The episode ''[[XY115|Battling at Full Volume!]]'' is notable in that Serena is forced to take care of a sick Ash. When a Trainer arrives to challenge Ash to a battle, Serena decides to disguise herself as Ash and battle said Trainer in his place alongside Pikachu. |
| :*When Ash bangs his head against the tree after catching Pikachu, the camera focuses on Serena who shouts his name in concern while clasping her hands together.
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| *''[[XY029|Heroes - Friends and Faux Alike!]]''
| | During Serena's Master Class Showcase and later Ash's participation in the Kalos League, the two are shown unwaveringly believing in each other and supporting each other. |
| :*When Ash tries to go down the transporter after Pikachu, Serena grabs and stops him. Only Serena makes an effort to stop Ash.
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| *''[[XY030|Mega Revelations!]]''
| | In ''[[XY121|Seeing the Forest for the Trees!]]'', Serena was very worried about Ash when he didn't return from the [[Kalos Route 20|Winding Woods]]. She ventured out to search for him and found him alone and depressed in the wake of his [[XY120|recent loss]] to [[Wulfric]]. Serena attempted to console him, only for him to snap in a moment of anger. Serena became saddened by this and threw snowballs at him in retaliation while telling him he wasn't acting like his true self. She nearly confessed her feelings at this moment but ran away crying before she went through with it. Ash was deeply moved by Serena's words and quickly changed his attitude. He later apologized to Serena and attributed his success to her after he claimed victory in ''[[XY122|A Real Icebreaker!]]''. |
| :*When Ash is battling [[Korrina]], only Serena is cheering him on, while Clemont and Bonnie are complimenting how strong Lucario is.
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| *''[[XY031|The Cave of Trials!]]''
| | [[File:Ash Serena farewell.jpg|250px|thumb|left|Serena preparing to kiss Ash.]] |
| :*While everyone's picture is being taken, Serena slides closer to Ash leaving an obvious gap separating them from the others and unlike everybody else, Serena isn't looking into the camera but is looking at Ash when the picture is being taken. | |
| :*After the group photo, Serena stands there admiring her picture with Ash until he calls her to hurry and she turns around with a blush. Viewers who listen closely will hear Serena sighing happily before Ash calls her.
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| :*When the group is entering the cave, Serena grabs on to Ash, showing that she is scared and uses Ash for comfort.
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| *''[[XY032|The Aura Storm!]]''
| | In the episode ''[[XY138|The First Day of the Rest of Your Life!]]'', Ash invited Serena to go on a mini-tour around Lumiose City with him after the city has returned to its peaceful self. Ash notices something is bothering Serena, and challenges her to a battle. The two battle each other, after which Serena finds her resolve on what she will do moving forward. Ash tells her he will be rooting for her no matter what. After this, Serena decides to leave on her own to compete in Contest Spectaculars in Hoenn, in hopes of becoming a role model for others and a more self-sufficient person. |
| :*As Mega Lucario is about to uncontrollably use {{m|Power-Up Punch}} on Ash who is protecting Pikachu, Serena yells out in concern.
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| *''[[XY035|The Forest Champion!]]''
| | In ''[[XY140|Till we Compete Again!]]'', as Serena was about to leave, she thanked Ash for everything and told him that the next time they met, he would like the kind of person she would grow into. Serena then went down an escalator, but in a unique turn of events, she ran back up and kissed Ash before she left. Though the scene was kept unclear, it is implied that she kissed Ash on the lips. Ash was momentarily stunned, with his eyes sparkling. He then smiled after processing what had happened. |
| :*As Ash followed Bonnie to attempted to save the berries that was stolen by a wild {{p|Ursaring}}, Serena says to him "What are you doing?", applying that she didn't want Ash been attacked by the wild Ursaring.
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| :*Serena is the first person to ask if Ash is okay after saving Hawlucha.
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| :*After Hawlucha lands a Flying Press on Ash, Serena has a shocked expression on her face and rushes to him (this was group's reaction as well), and is the first to comment on his health that he got hit hard, implying that she wants Ash to take it easy on the training.
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| :*After the mist covering the battle clears up, Serena is the first one to be seen running towards Ash, worried if he is hurt.
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| *''[[XY037|The Cave of Mirrors!]]''
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| :*Throughout the episode, Serena is immensely worried about Ash, more so than Clemont and Bonnie. When they are in front of the mirror that Ash went through, Serena clasps her hands together and wishes for Ash to return.
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| :*When the mirrors drift apart, Ash is carried to the other side away from the group. Mirror Serena yells at Serena that if she wants to travel with Ash, her will for him has to be strong. Serena's eyes widen and then she nods her head in determination realizing that if she wants Ash back, she has to try her hardest.
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| :*Serena saves Ash by grabbing his hand and helping him make it back to their dimension. Even with both Clemont and Bonnie reaching for Ash, it is Serena who manages to reach him.
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| :*After Ash is safely back in their dimension, Mirror Serena tells Serena to take good care of Ash; Serena smiles and nods her head in understanding.
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| :*At the end of the episode, Serena asks Ash if they'll always be together from now on (traveling), to which a smiling Ash replies with that she shouldn't even have asked such an obvious question.
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| *''[[XY038|Forging Forest Friendships!]]''
| | ===Post-XY=== |
| :*When Clemont hears a story about a Pokémon that controls trees, captures humans who hurts the forest, and eats them, Serena is extremely worried that Ash is going to be eaten.
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| :*After Pikachu found Ash, Serena is the first one heard saying his name in concern.
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| *''[[XY040|Day Three Blockbusters!]]''
| | [[File:Ash Serena Journeys.JPG|250px|thumb|Ash and Serena reunited in Hoenn.]] |
| :*Serena is immediately worried and asks Ash if he is okay as he lies on the ground after saving her. | |
| :*After Ash injures his foot, Serena nurses it with a wet cloth and her hand seems to linger while she is doing so, and is also apologetic to him, blaming herself that she injured his foot.
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| :*When Serena exclaims how amazing Ash is after hearing him talk about his dream, he looks at her in surprise. She quickly becomes flustered and tends to his foot again to change the subject.
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| :*Serena took Ash's advice when he said,"Nothing we ever do is the waste of time," to come up with the idea for a new PokéVision video.
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| *''[[XY041|Foggy Pokémon Orienteering!]]''
| | Serena first reappeared in ''[[JN105|Reuniting for the First Time!]]''. She fondly recalled her time with Ash to [[Chloe]], indirectly mentioning him as someone who was there to push her forward. Serena and Ash ran into each other as the latter was boarding a boat back to Kanto with Chloe and [[Goh]]. The two were excited to see each other, but both soon became disappointed as the boat began to move away from the dock, cutting their reunion short. Before the two would part ways once more, Ash and Serena affirmed their goals to each other, aiming to become the top battler and Performer, respectively, and that they would be rooting for each other no matter what. Serena stayed at the dock until nightfall when the boat carrying Ash became too far away to see. |
| :*Serena asks about Ash's foot (from the injury before) with a concerned look on her face.
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| :*As Ash makes his way back across after saving Bonnie from the other side, Serena, who says in concern that he can do it, conveys that she doesn't want Ash to lose his footing and hurt himself.
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| *''[[XY042|Battling Into the Hall of Fame!]]''
| | Serena last appeared in ''[[JN132|Partners in Time!]]''. In this episode, Serena was shown to have kept her end of the promise to always root for Ash, as she excitedly watched him face {{an|Leon}} in the [[Masters Eight Tournament]] finals. |
| :*During the entire episode, each time Serena battles, she is usually ordering Fennekin to support Pikachu. This is an interesting hint since she could have chosen to assist Clemont instead or battle more independently like Clemont and Ash did.
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| :*When Serena recalls how Ash practiced the rhythm battling style the night before, she is the only one who found it amusing as she giggles and calls Ash clumsy.
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| *''[[XY043|Origins of Mega Evolution!]]''
| | ==Other media== |
| :*When Ash and his Pokémon are practicing their dancing moves, Bonnie and Clemont start laughing at Ash's clumsiness and Serena tells them to stop.
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| :*After Clemont's dancing machine blows up, Serena tells Ash that she can teach him to dance. Although the two dancing together is not shown, the scene moves from day to sunset where Ash and Serena have just finished dancing and Ash collapses from exhaustion from a full day's training.
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| *''[[XY044|Showdown at the Shalour Gym!]]'' | | ===Music=== |
| :*When Ash's Hawlucha is struggling with the rhythmic battle style, the camera briefly focuses on Serena with a worried look.
| | * In [[Shōko Nakagawa]]'s 2015 album "[[DreamDream (single)|DreamDream]]" (which includes Serena's theme song, [[DreamDream]]), a song titled "Candy Girl" embodies Serena's feelings towards Ash and her wish to stand alongside him as an equal, in hopes that the two would be able to push each other to great heights together. |
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| *''[[XY050|Pathways to Performance Partnering!]]''
| | ===Promotional Material=== |
| :*When Team Rocket throws the smoke bomb, Ash and Serena turn towards each other and cover both of their heads with their arms to protect each other.
| | [[File:Entertainment Kiss.png|200px|thumb|Valentine's Day Poster]] |
| | [[File:Ash and Serena Animedia.png|200px|thumb|The Animedia Magazine Poster]] |
| | * On the first official character connection table, an arrow is shown from Serena to Ash with the phrase "I love ...?". |
| | ** In the March 2014 issue of Onnanoko to Tame no Kuchikomi & Tōkō Magazine, there is a summary of Serena where among her character description it says that she has special feelings towards Ash. There is also another character connection table with an arrow from Serena to Ash that says "very interested in". |
| | *** The aforementioned magazine also includes a Valentine's Day poster featuring Ash and Serena surrounded by Pokémon and balloons. Serena is holding a heart balloon while looking up at Ash. |
| | * In the July 2014 volume of Animedia Magazine, there is an official poster featuring Serena and Ash sitting next to each other and holding drinks. |
| | * On the official Pokémon movie website for Japan, there was a quiz where one question asked what the dialogue from Serena was at the end of Summer of Discovery!, with one of the options featuring Serena saying: "My dream is, to become Satoshi's bride... AH! I am embarrassed!" |
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| *''[[XY052|A Stealthy Challenge!]]''
| | ===''I Choose You!''=== |
| :*While Ash is training Froakie and Pikachu, Serena is the only one who is cheering for him while Bonnie and Clemont only give compliments about the two Pokémon.
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| *''[[XY053|A Race for Home!]]''
| | During the end credits of ''[[M20|Pokémon The Movie: I Choose You!]]'', every traveling companion of Ash is seen, presumably from his point of view. When Serena is shown, her hat falls off. It is caught from the camera's point of view, and handed to her. She takes it back and smiles. As this film takes place in an alternate continuity, this would make Serena the only companion that the alternate [[Ash Ketchum (M20)|Ash]] appears to interact with directly. |
| :*When Ash tells Serena that it was thanks to her teaching that he was able to participate in a race, Serena visibly blushes.
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| :*When Ash is going to reveal Serena's goal to Grace, Serena covers his mouth. It is interesting to note that Ash's previous female companions (particularly Misty) might've been more aggressive during that moment.
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| :*As Serena is practicing her routine, she gets discouraged but instantly cheers up as she remembers Ash's words.
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| :*During the race against Grace, when Serena falls behind, she shouts the words Ash told her when they met, helping her win the race.
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| *''[[XY055|A Slippery Encounter!]]'' | | ==Trivia== |
| :*When Ash falls down after Goomy lands on his head, Serena calls out in worry, despite it not being a dangerous situation. | | * The Pokémon Company International's English Twitter account tweeted the scene where Serena kissed Ash from XY140 on Valentine's Day of 2018 and 2020, and on May 31, 2021. |
| :*When {{TRT}} orders their Pokémon to attack Ash, Serena is the only one who voices her concern.
| | * In ''[[XY140|Till We Compete Again!]]'', Serena's flight to Hoenn is H71 Latias. "H71" can be interpreted as the #071 in the [[List of Pokémon by Hoenn Pokédex number in Generation VI|Hoenn Pokédex]], which is {{p|Mawile}}, or Kucheat (クチート) in Japanese. This can be read as a corruption of 口と, meaning "with the mouth", suggesting that Serena kissed Ash on the mouth. |
| | ** In addition, the use of Latias may be a reference to ''[[M05|Pokémon Heroes: Latios and Latias]]'', which also features Ash getting kissed. |
| | * In ''Till We Compete Again!'', when Ash is shown entering his house, the white flowers in the foreground are Baby Breath flowers which symbolize everlasting love and are used in bride's bouquets. It's been confirmed that it's a hint from the writers that shows their content with the ending of XY&Z having Ash and Serena kiss and that it's a willing hidden message. |
| | * In ''[[JN105|Reuniting for the First Time!]]'', Serena no longer wears the blue ribbon that Ash gave to her in Coumarine City, but she does wear an ankle bracelet connected to beads on her left leg as a part of her contest costume. Wearing an accessory on the left ankle symbolically means having a husband, boyfriend, lover or someone you're interested in romantically. |
| | * In ''Reuniting for the First Time!'', as Serena watches Ash's boat from a distance, the dock lights turn green. This could be a reference and parallel to ''{{wp|The Great Gatsby}}'', in which a green light on a dock is symbolic of Gatsby's hope to rekindle his past love with Daisy. |
| | ** This could also be a reference to ''{{wp|The Green Ray}}'', in which a green light appears at sunset when two lovers gaze into each other's eyes, similar to what happens between Ash and Serena in the episode. |
|
| |
|
| *''[[XY066|One for the Goomy!]]''
| | [[File:Serena Pier Green Light.png|250px|thumb|right|The green light in ''[[JN105|Reuniting for the First Time!]]'']] |
| :*After Serena and Bonnie are separated from Ash and Clemont, Serena is calling out for Ash but not Clemont.
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|
| |
|
| *''[[XY058|Green, Green Grass Types of Home!]]''
| |
| :*When Serena goes out onto the balcony, she watches Ash training and admires him for his hard work.
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|
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|
| [[File:Serena new look.png|thumb|300px|Serena blushing with her hand on the ribbon Ash gave her.]]
| | {{Project Fandom notice}} |
| *''[[XY059|Under the Pledging Tree!]]''
| |
| :*When Serena registers for the [[Pokémon Showcase]], she looks at Ash and loses her sense of doubt and nervousness when she sees him nod in encouragement.
| |
| :*As Ash and Serena walk away from Bonnie and Clemont, Serena's thoughts are voiced over and she says that she feels like she is on a date with Ash.
| |
| :*While walking, Serena blushes and attempts to hold Ash's hand. Her hand is visibly shaking and has turned red, possibly out of nervousness, and she is unable to grab his hand.
| |
| :*When Ash and Serena are riding the monorail, Serena sees Ash looking happily out the window; this makes her smile and blush.
| |
| :*When Ash goes on his own to look for presents for his Pokémon, Serena starts pouting at being left alone.
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| :*During the fireworks, when Ash gives Serena the blue ribbon as a gift for helping him out, Serena is surprised (and slightly blushing) and happily accepts the gift.
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|
| |
|
| *''[[XY060|Showcase, Debut!]]''
| | [[Category:Shipping]] |
| :*During the Pokémon Showcase, Serena recalls Ash's advice from ''Day Three Blockbusters!'' and makes sure to put everything she has learned on her journey thus far into her performance.
| |
| :*When Ash points out that Serena is wearing the ribbon he gave her on her new outfit, she blushes.
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|
| |
|
| *''[[XY061|An Oasis of Hope!]]''
| | [[zh:配對:小智與莎莉娜]] |
| :*As Ash voices out his anger, Serena joins in while Bonnie and Clemont remain quiet. | |
| :*When Ash is struck by Iron Tail, Serena calls out his name in worry. | |
| | |
| *''[[XY062|The Future Is Now, Thanks to Determination!]]''
| |
| :*When Ash, Clemont, Bonnie, and Serena enter to the ventilation duct, Serena moves closer to Ash.
| |
| | |
| *''[[XY064]]''
| |
| :*After being challenged to a battle by Aria, Serena is hesitant to accept the challenge, but does so after being encouraged by Ash. She blushes as he does so.
| |
| :*During her battle with Aria, Serena looks at Ash several times and later mimics his battle style, as if trying to impress him.
| |
| | |
| *''[[XY065]]''
| |
| :*Serena blushes while asking Ash what strategy he has for his upcoming Gym battle against Clemont.
| |
| | |
| ===Ash's hints===
| |
| *''[[XY007|Giving Chase at the Rhyhorn Race!]]''
| |
| :*In the beginning of the episode, after Serena says she doesn't know what she is going to do, Ash asks her to travel with them, saying that it was because of her that he won the [[Bug Badge]] and that it would be nice if she stayed with them. This is the first time that Ash has asked a female [[Ash's friends|companion]] to travel with him. It can also be noted that when Ash asked Serena to travel with him, he appears to be nervous which is shown in his voice and when he scratches his cheek; cheek scratching is a classic anime symbol for nervousness.
| |
| :*In a flashback of when Ash and Serena first met as children, Serena hurts her knee. Ash arrives, takes out a handkerchief upon seeing her injury, and bandages it up for her. Then, he holds out his hand and when she hesitates to take it, he grabs her hand and pulls her up, quickly taking her by surprise and making her fall into his arms in a hug. It is noted that during the hug, it is Serena who pulls away and not him. Afterwards, he holds her hand and helps her find her way back to the camp.
| |
| :*After the flashback, Ash finally remembers Serena as "the girl with the straw hat." After Serena pouted for not recognizing her right away, Ash apologizes.
| |
| | |
| *''[[XY010|Mega-Mega Meowth Madness!]]''
| |
| :*It can be noted that Ash checks on Serena first and asks if she was okay instead of checking on Bonnie or [[Professor Sycamore]].
| |
| | |
| *''[[XY011|The Bamboozling Forest!]]''
| |
| :*As the group is looking for {{p|Pangoro}}'s bamboo leaf, there is a scene where Ash helps Serena cross a small river by holding her hand. It is interesting to note that the scene was just of Ash and Serena getting across and not the others.
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| | |
| *''[[XY012|To Catch a Pokémon Smuggler!]]''
| |
| :*It can be noted that when Ash tells Dolan to let everyone out of the net, he explicitly mentions Serena.
| |
| | |
| *''[[XY013|Kindergarden Chaos!]]''
| |
| :*When Serena comes out of Penelope's car and asks if Ash is alright, he punches the air in front of him and says he's fine. The punch may have been to impress her.
| |
| | |
| *''[[XY021|A PokéVision of Things to Come!]]''
| |
| :*When Serena is in her Fennekin outfit, Ash is seen to be blankly staring at her, possibly out of attraction. His is the only face out of everyone present (an audience including Bonnie, Clemont, Dedenne, Froakie, Fletchling and Pikachu) that has a different expression than the others. It is also worth noting that the camera focuses on just Ash's face at first, showing everyone else a few seconds later.
| |
| | |
| *''[[XY026|A Battle By Any Other Name!]]''
| |
| :*When Serena shows her fresh-baked Poképuffs to the group Ash tried some and said they were the best things he'd ever tasted.
| |
| :*When the team goes out to the forest to looks for berries for the Pokepuff competition, Serena bolts off by herself in the forest making Ash concerned about her.
| |
| :*When the group heard Serena screaming from a distance, Ash calls out her name and runs after her.
| |
| :*Ash commands Pikachu to use Thunderbolt on the {{p|Swirlix}} in order to make them leave Serena alone.
| |
| :*Ash is the first person to find Serena and ask if she's all right.
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| | |
| *''[[XY037|The Cave of Mirrors!]]''
| |
| :*When the Mirror Dimension is splitting apart, Ash makes a great leap across the chasm and grabs on to Serena's hand instead of calling upon one of his Pokémon or using Clemont's {{p|Aipom}} arm.
| |
| | |
| *''[[XY040|Day Three Blockbusters!]]''
| |
| :*When Serena begins to fall down a cliff, Ash runs after her and grabs her hand to try to stop her from falling, but ends up falling down with her in the process.
| |
| :*When Serena is feeding her Fennekin, the camera focuses on Ash, who is staring at her and smiling.
| |
| | |
| *''[[XY044|Showdown at the Shalour Gym!]]''
| |
| :*When Ash's rhythm battling strategy seems to be failing against Korrina, he turns to look at Serena in the middle of the battle and remembers her words from the [[XY043|previous day]]'s training, which motivates him and gives him an idea that helps him win the battle.
| |
| | |
| *''[[XY048|A Campus Reunion!]]''
| |
| :*When {{p|Luxio}} uses {{m|Swift}}, Ash moves in front of Serena in a defensive position.
| |
| | |
| *''[[XY050|Pathways to Performance Partnering!]]''
| |
| :*When Team Rocket throws the smoke bomb, Ash and Serena turn towards each other and cover both of their heads with their arms to protect each other.
| |
| | |
| *''[[XY052|A Stealthy Challenge!]]''
| |
| :*When Serena falls down the cliff with Clemont, Ash is the only one that calls out to her.
| |
| | |
| *''[[XY053|A Race for Home!]]''
| |
| :*Ash is constantly checking on Serena to see if she was okay since she is very quiet and appeared upset.
| |
| :*When Grace talks about Serena not helping with cooking, Ash speaks up and compliments Serena's baking.
| |
| :*Ash was praising Serena and saying it was thanks to her he learned how to ride a Rhyhorn.
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| | |
| *''[[XY054|Facing the Grand Design!]]''
| |
| :*When the group see a {{p|Malamar}} and remember their previous encounter with it, Ash puts his arm out in front of Serena to protect her.
| |
| :*When a truck is driving recklessly and almost hits them, Ash pushes Serena away from the road so she doesn't get hit. This is significant because both Clemont and Bonnie are closer to the road at the time and are therefore in even more danger of being hit by the truck.
| |
| | |
| *''[[XY056|One for the Goomy!]]''
| |
| :*When the group is separated, Ash is calling out for Serena only, despite others like Bonnie and {{AP|Goomy}} being lost as well.
| |
| | |
| *''[[XY059|Under the Pledging Tree!]]''
| |
| :*Ash wins a blue ribbon for being a significant number rider on the Coumarine Monorail. At the end of the episode, he gives it to Serena, scratching his nose nervously.
| |
| | |
| *''[[XY060|Showcase, Debut!]]''
| |
| :*When Clemont is wondering if Serena is okay after her loss in the Pokemon Showcase, Ash tells him that she'll be fine because she is strong, showing that he trusts her.
| |
| :*When Bonnie and Clemont notice that Serena is missing, Ash volunteers to go find her.
| |
| :*When the group sees Serena's new hairstyle for the first time, Ash is the only one who had a positive reaction by saying that it looks good on her, as opposed to Bonnie admitting she liked Serena's long hair better and Clemont asking her what happened. He is also glad to see that she is wearing the ribbon he gave her.
| |
| | |
| ===Other hints===
| |
| [[File:Entertainment Kiss.png|thumb|Valentine's Day poster with Ash and Serena.]]
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| [[File:Ash and Serena Animedia.png|thumb|The poster from Animedia Magazine.]]
| |
| *On the second promotional poster for the series, Serena is depicted blushing while looking at Ash.
| |
| *''[[XY006|Battling on Thin Ice!]]''
| |
| :*After Serena asks Ash if he remembers her, Ash's Pikachu and Fletchling run to Clemont and Bonnie in response, implying that the two Pokémon sense that this is a sensitive moment between Ash and Serena and that they should be left alone.
| |
| :*As Serena and Ash talk, [[Alexa]] is seen smiling at the two of them, suggesting that she enjoys seeing the two of them together and even senses a spark between them. However, she could also be smiling as a response to Serena restoring Ash's motivation to train, by quoting a sentence he once said in his childhood, about "never giving up".
| |
| :*Before the start of the rematch between Ash and Viola, Alexa tells Serena when she heard Ash and her talking, he needed some inspiration, but she didn't think it'd be from her. This sentence implies that Ash wouldn't be as inspired and determined to win the battle if Serena hadn't appeared.
| |
| *On the first official character connection table, an arrow is shown from Serena to Ash with the phrase "I love ...?".
| |
| **In the March 2014 issue of ''Onnanoko to Tame no Kuchikomi & Tōkō Magazine'', there is a summary of Serena where among her character description it says that she has special feelings towards Ash. There is also another character connection table with an arrow from Serena to Ash that says "very interested in".
| |
| ***The aforementioned magazine also includes a poster with Ash and Serena (Clemont and Bonnie are clearly missing) surrounded by Pokémon and hearts. Serena is holding a heart while looking up at Ash.
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| *There is another official poster from Animedia Magazine of only Serena and Ash sitting next to each other and holding drinks.
| |
| *On the official Pokémon movie website for Japan, there is a quiz where one question asks what the dialogue from Serena was at the end of ''[[XY039|Summer of Discovery!]]'' and one of the options is Serena saying, "My dream is, to become Satoshi’s bride… AH! I am embarrassed!"
| |
| *At the end of the third Pokemon XY ending theme, while Serena is sleeping, Ash places a blanket over her. This is interesting since the most likely person to do that would be Bonnie, considering their closeness.
| |
| :*Many fans are intrigued by the ending theme since there is a line that says "two people finding a new love" followed by the scene of Ash placing a blanket over Serena.
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| *During the Pokemon Special that aired between ''[[XY055|A Slippery Encounter!]]'' and ''[[XY056|One for the Goomy!]]'', Ash and Serena were the only ones narrating their progress in Kalos while Clemont and Bonnie were noticeably absent.
| |
| *The Japanese title of ''[[XY059|Under the Pledging Tree!]]'' is "Satoshi and Serena's First Date!? The Vow Tree and the Present!!"
| |
| :*In this episode, Ash gives Serena a ribbon, which is one of the very few times Ash has ever given a gift to one of his female friends (he gave a {{p|Beedrill}} to {{an|Casey}} in ''[[EP161|The Bug Stops Here]]'', and he gave a flower to {{an|Iris}} in ''[[BW131|The Path That Leads to Goodbye!]]''). It should be noted that unlike when he gave those gifts to Casey and Iris, he gave Serena the ribbon without any advice from another person.
| |
| *In several episodes, when Ash and friends have to split up in order to go look for something, the majority of time, Ash tends to partner up with Serena.
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| | |
| ==Movie evidence==
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| ===Serena's hints===
| |
| *''[[M17|Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction]]''
| |
| :*During the night after Ash and [[Diancie (anime)|Diancie]] make a wish on a star, it shows Serena awake in her tent gazing at Ash adoringly from a distance without him being aware.
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| :*When Ash is separated from Diancie and the rest of his friends, Diancie expresses her worry for him, but Serena instantly speaks up, believing that he will be fine.
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| ===Ash's hints===
| |
| *''[[M17|Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction]]''
| |
| :*Ash holds Serena's hand as they cross a log together. The interesting thing about this is that it showed Bonnie and Clemont getting across with no problem, so it wasn't necessary for Ash to help her.
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| :*When Ash is telling [[Diancie (anime)|Diancie]] about friends, Ash turns his head to Serena then turns back to [[Diancie (anime)|Diancie]]. Although [[Bonnie (anime)|Bonnie]] was behind Serena, Ash was making eye contact with Serena.
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| :*In the ending credits, when Ash and the others see a shooting star, Serena is making a wish and Ash is the only one who is looking at her while Clemont and Bonnie start sleeping.
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| | |
| == Similarities ==
| |
| *They both wear hats and are based off a playable character from the games: {{ga|Red}} and {{ga|Serena}}, respectively.
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| *Both [[Serena's Fennekin]] and [[Ash's Froakie]] were originally [[Professor Sycamore]]'s.
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| *Both Ash and Serena had only their mothers make an appearance in the anime: [[Delia]] and [[Grace]], respectively.
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| **Also, neither of them have any siblings.
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| *Both own at least one Pokémon that wears sunglasses: Ash owns a {{AP|Krookodile}} and a {{AP|Squirtle}}, while Serena owns a {{TP|Serena|Pancham}}.
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| *Their first {{t|Fighting}} types were {{AP|Primeape}} and Pancham respectively, both of which have coincidentally stolen Ash's hat.
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| *They both know how to ride Rhyhorn and Skiddo.
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| *Both have unknown fathers.
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| *Both have changed their hats at some point.
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| *Both have traveled through their home regions in two different travelling outfits.
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| *Both have been burned in the face by a [[Fire type]].
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| **Serena was burned by her {{TP|Serena|Fennekin|Braixen}} and Ash has been burned by his {{TP|Ash|Charizard}}.
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| | |
| == Trivia ==
| |
| {{incomplete|section|needs more information}}
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| | |
| *Ash and Serena met each other when they were young at {{an|Professor Oak}}'s Summer Camp in [[Pallet Town]]. This would make it the first time a [[Ash's friends|traveling companion]] of Ash's knew him prior to [[EP001|the beginning of the series]].
| |
| *"SatoSere", the shipping's Japanese name, has been trending in Japan on Twitter at various times.
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| *Serena is the only one of Ash's friends so far to not have invited herself along with him and to travel with Ash, and was instead invited.
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| == Alternate names ==
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| {{incomplete|section|needs more information}}
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| * '''SatoSere''' - often used, this name is taken from '''Sato'''shi and '''Sere'''na
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| * '''AASL''' - standing for '''A'''sh '''A'''nd '''S'''erena '''L'''ove
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| * '''ChildhoodShipping''' - another name of the shipping, due to the fact that Ash and Serena met each other when they were young at Professor Oak's Summer Camp in Pallet Town.
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| {{-}}
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| {{Project Shipping notice}}
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| [[Category:Shipping|{{PAGENAME}}]]
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| [[Category:Anime ships|{{PAGENAME}}]]
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| [[Category:Ships with Ash|{{PAGENAME}}]]
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| [[Category:Ships with Serena|{{PAGENAME}}]]
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Ash and Serena meet up for the first time in years
AmourShipping (Japanese: サトセレ SatoSere) is the ship between Ash Ketchum and Serena and is one of the most common pairings within the Pokémon fandom, alongside PokéShipping and RocketShipping. It is also one of the few pairings that have been officially recognized by The Pokémon Company, with evidence found across multiple adaptations.
Though Serena had debuted in Kalos, Where Dreams and Adventures Begin!, long after Ash originally debuted in the anime series, the pairing is unique in that Ash and Serena had canonically first met each other prior to the beginning of the series. Serena had gotten lost in the forest during Professor Oak's Summer Camp and was scared by a Poliwag that caused her to trip and injure her leg. Ash eventually found her by chance and bandaged her leg with a handkerchief he had on hand. He then helped her stand up, but not before leaving her with encouraging words to never give up, which left a lasting impression on Serena. Years later, in Lumiose City Pursuit!, she would learn of Ash being in the Kalos region after he became the center of attention in a news report from Lumiose City that involved him stopping a Garchomp's rampage, after which she would recognize him. Eager to see him again and thank him for their first encounter, Serena started her journey in hopes of meeting him once more. She reunites with him and is eventually invited by Ash to travel with him. The two traveled together all throughout Kalos and built a strong bond with each other. Their bond has most recently been made evident in Serena's first reappearance in Pokémon Journeys: The Series, well after the two first parted ways.
History
Pre-series
Young Ash and Serena walking back to camp together.
In Giving Chase at the Rhyhorn Race!, the story of Ash and Serena's first meeting is revealed. Both had enrolled in Professor Oak's Summer Camp when they were younger, the latter against her will as it was her mother's decision to enroll her there. Serena got lost in a forest, losing track of the other participants, and was scared by a Poliwag. She subsequently fell and injured her leg. By chance, Ash encountered her while searching for Poliwag, and while helping her, told her to never give up until the end. These words left a lasting impression on Serena, and she would cherish her memory of her first encounter with Ash for years to come.
XY Series
Serena would eventually reunite with Ash in A Blustery Santalune Gym Battle!, which would carry over into Battling on Thin Ice!. Much to her disappointment, Ash did not recognize her at all, however, while Ash was in a slump over his defeat at the hands of Viola, Serena reminded Ash of the encouraging words he told her when they first met, which gave Ash the push and motivation to persevere in his training to eventually defeat Viola. Alexa took note of this, and told Serena the next day that she knew Ash needed inspiration, but did not expect it to come from Serena. During the Gym Battle, Ash proclaimed he wouldn't give up until the very end, and later, Serena would also further encourage Ash during the Gym Battle. Ash was evidently grateful for Serena's support, so much so that in a first for Ash's companions, he invites Serena to travel with him.
Throughout the series, Ash and Serena often motivate and inspire each other, especially in the latter's case as she finds her own dreams and works towards them.
At the beginning of Kindergarten Chaos!, a woman named Penelope challenges Ash to a battle on the condition that if he loses, he'll be coming with her. Serena panics at this, fearing that Ash will be taken away from her, but is later on relieved that it is a non-romantic situation.
Serena notably has a canonical romantic attraction to Ash, which other characters often pick up on and notice. In A Battle by Any Other Name!, Miette teases Serena, telling her to confess her feelings to Ash before Miette tells him herself, flustering her. In A Cave of Trials, Serena notably tries to stand closer to Ash during the group's photo, and stares at the photo with a blush afterwards.
During The Cave of Mirrors!, Ash disappears into the Mirror World in the Reflection Cave. Serena eventually becomes despondent and fears that she may never see Ash again. Later, when the portal between the two worlds reopens, Ash and Serena reach out for each others' hands and to try to get Ash back to the real world. Afterwards, Serena asks Ash if they'll always be together from now on, to which Ash affirms that he wouldn't have it any other way.
Ash giving Serena the blue ribbon.
In Under the Pledging Tree!, Ash and Serena notably go shopping together by themselves for the Coumarine City Festival. At the end of the episode, Ash gifts Serena with a ribbon as thanks for helping him choose gifts for his Pokémon. At the end of the following episode, A Showcase Debut, Serena changes her outfit and appearance, and also wears the ribbon Ash gifted her, which Ash takes note of. Ash complements her new appearance and says that she looks good in her new attire.
Miette would return multiple times starting with Performing with Fiery Charm! as a rival to Serena. Whenever the two encountered each other, Miette would continue to tease Serena about her feelings for Ash, getting a blush from her every time. In Tag Team Battle Inspiration!, Shauna notes that Ash is upbeat, and asks Serena if that's why she likes him. Serena blushes in reaction to this, claiming she admires his positive attitude and that her liking of him is purely platonic. Miette would also tease Serena in Party Dancecapades, in which she asked Ash to be her "partner" for the upcoming Dance Party for Pokémon Performers, inciting an extreme reaction from Serena. During the dance, Serena narrowly misses the chance to dance with Ash as the timer for the dance portion ends just before the two are about to have their turn, much to Serena's extreme dismay.
The episode Battling at Full Volume! is notable in that Serena is forced to take care of a sick Ash. When a Trainer arrives to challenge Ash to a battle, Serena decides to disguise herself as Ash and battle said Trainer in his place alongside Pikachu.
During Serena's Master Class Showcase and later Ash's participation in the Kalos League, the two are shown unwaveringly believing in each other and supporting each other.
In Seeing the Forest for the Trees!, Serena was very worried about Ash when he didn't return from the Winding Woods. She ventured out to search for him and found him alone and depressed in the wake of his recent loss to Wulfric. Serena attempted to console him, only for him to snap in a moment of anger. Serena became saddened by this and threw snowballs at him in retaliation while telling him he wasn't acting like his true self. She nearly confessed her feelings at this moment but ran away crying before she went through with it. Ash was deeply moved by Serena's words and quickly changed his attitude. He later apologized to Serena and attributed his success to her after he claimed victory in A Real Icebreaker!.
Serena preparing to kiss Ash.
In the episode The First Day of the Rest of Your Life!, Ash invited Serena to go on a mini-tour around Lumiose City with him after the city has returned to its peaceful self. Ash notices something is bothering Serena, and challenges her to a battle. The two battle each other, after which Serena finds her resolve on what she will do moving forward. Ash tells her he will be rooting for her no matter what. After this, Serena decides to leave on her own to compete in Contest Spectaculars in Hoenn, in hopes of becoming a role model for others and a more self-sufficient person.
In Till we Compete Again!, as Serena was about to leave, she thanked Ash for everything and told him that the next time they met, he would like the kind of person she would grow into. Serena then went down an escalator, but in a unique turn of events, she ran back up and kissed Ash before she left. Though the scene was kept unclear, it is implied that she kissed Ash on the lips. Ash was momentarily stunned, with his eyes sparkling. He then smiled after processing what had happened.
Post-XY
Ash and Serena reunited in Hoenn.
Serena first reappeared in Reuniting for the First Time!. She fondly recalled her time with Ash to Chloe, indirectly mentioning him as someone who was there to push her forward. Serena and Ash ran into each other as the latter was boarding a boat back to Kanto with Chloe and Goh. The two were excited to see each other, but both soon became disappointed as the boat began to move away from the dock, cutting their reunion short. Before the two would part ways once more, Ash and Serena affirmed their goals to each other, aiming to become the top battler and Performer, respectively, and that they would be rooting for each other no matter what. Serena stayed at the dock until nightfall when the boat carrying Ash became too far away to see.
Serena last appeared in Partners in Time!. In this episode, Serena was shown to have kept her end of the promise to always root for Ash, as she excitedly watched him face Leon in the Masters Eight Tournament finals.
Other media
Music
- In Shōko Nakagawa's 2015 album "DreamDream" (which includes Serena's theme song, DreamDream), a song titled "Candy Girl" embodies Serena's feelings towards Ash and her wish to stand alongside him as an equal, in hopes that the two would be able to push each other to great heights together.
Promotional Material
The Animedia Magazine Poster
- On the first official character connection table, an arrow is shown from Serena to Ash with the phrase "I love ...?".
- In the March 2014 issue of Onnanoko to Tame no Kuchikomi & Tōkō Magazine, there is a summary of Serena where among her character description it says that she has special feelings towards Ash. There is also another character connection table with an arrow from Serena to Ash that says "very interested in".
- The aforementioned magazine also includes a Valentine's Day poster featuring Ash and Serena surrounded by Pokémon and balloons. Serena is holding a heart balloon while looking up at Ash.
- In the July 2014 volume of Animedia Magazine, there is an official poster featuring Serena and Ash sitting next to each other and holding drinks.
- On the official Pokémon movie website for Japan, there was a quiz where one question asked what the dialogue from Serena was at the end of Summer of Discovery!, with one of the options featuring Serena saying: "My dream is, to become Satoshi's bride... AH! I am embarrassed!"
I Choose You!
During the end credits of Pokémon The Movie: I Choose You!, every traveling companion of Ash is seen, presumably from his point of view. When Serena is shown, her hat falls off. It is caught from the camera's point of view, and handed to her. She takes it back and smiles. As this film takes place in an alternate continuity, this would make Serena the only companion that the alternate Ash appears to interact with directly.
Trivia
- The Pokémon Company International's English Twitter account tweeted the scene where Serena kissed Ash from XY140 on Valentine's Day of 2018 and 2020, and on May 31, 2021.
- In Till We Compete Again!, Serena's flight to Hoenn is H71 Latias. "H71" can be interpreted as the #071 in the Hoenn Pokédex, which is Mawile, or Kucheat (クチート) in Japanese. This can be read as a corruption of 口と, meaning "with the mouth", suggesting that Serena kissed Ash on the mouth.
- In Till We Compete Again!, when Ash is shown entering his house, the white flowers in the foreground are Baby Breath flowers which symbolize everlasting love and are used in bride's bouquets. It's been confirmed that it's a hint from the writers that shows their content with the ending of XY&Z having Ash and Serena kiss and that it's a willing hidden message.
- In Reuniting for the First Time!, Serena no longer wears the blue ribbon that Ash gave to her in Coumarine City, but she does wear an ankle bracelet connected to beads on her left leg as a part of her contest costume. Wearing an accessory on the left ankle symbolically means having a husband, boyfriend, lover or someone you're interested in romantically.
- In Reuniting for the First Time!, as Serena watches Ash's boat from a distance, the dock lights turn green. This could be a reference and parallel to The Great Gatsby, in which a green light on a dock is symbolic of Gatsby's hope to rekindle his past love with Daisy.
- This could also be a reference to The Green Ray, in which a green light appears at sunset when two lovers gaze into each other's eyes, similar to what happens between Ash and Serena in the episode.
