AbilityShipping

This article is about shipping. As hints and evidence for ships are mostly speculation, this page may contain personal points of view.

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Anabel blushing after shaking hands with Ash

AbilityShipping (Japanese: サトリラ SatoLila) is the belief that Ash and Anabel, the Salon Maiden of the Battle Tower, belong in a romantic relationship. Canonically, this shipping is one-sided on Anabel's part, with Ash oblivious to her feelings. The name is likely derived from Anabel's Frontier Symbol.

The first piece of evidence is found in Talking a Good Game!. Shortly after the two meet, a Gyarados attacks them, and Anabel stands up to try and protect Ash, even though she hardly knows him.

More evidence to support this ship is in Second Time's the Charm!. After Ash fails to establish a mind-link with Corphish, Anabel suggests that he attempt to "see what is in [her] heart," which he fails to do. Nevertheless, she reassures him, saying, "That's okay. You're fine the way you are." The camera then zooms into a close up shot of her eyes, which are watering.

When Ash is leaving the Battle Tower and the two say their good-byes, the two share a handshake. Afterward, Anabel looks at her hand and blushes, and with a smile thinks to herself, "Guess you can't sense feelings yet, Ash, or you would've sensed my feelings for you."

Evidence

File:Ability Shipping 1.png

Anabel and Ash laughing together

Ash's hints

• Ash relies on Anabel to get him out of trouble with a swarm of Beedrill.
• Ash seems very interested in Anabel's ability to tune herself to nature.

Anabel's hints

• Anabel offers to help Ash clean up his Tauros and has fun playing with him in the lake.
• Anabel tries to get Ash to sense what is in her heart and does not feel discouraged by what he does not find.
• Anabel blushes after Ash shakes her hand, and thinks to herself that he cannot sense feelings yet or he would have sensed her feelings for him.
• Anabel stood up for Ash when the Gyarados attacked them, even though she hardly knew him.

Other hints

• Both Trainers get along very well and have fun together.
• When they get out of the lake, they both smile and laugh at each other.
• Ash's main Pokémon Pikachu mimics Anabel's main Pokémon Espeon in many ways.
• Anabel knows what Pikachu is thinking much like Ash does.

Alternate names

TowerShipping - an erroneous name fans dubbed the couple; is defunct by TowerShipping being the allotted term for Rafe and Ash.

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This article is part of Project Shipping, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each couple in Pokémon.