This chart sums it up.
>1997: A kid who's going on his first journey, he's tense and uneasy, and he's got something to prove
>2002: Same kid gained experience, teaches a new trainer the ropes and is confident in what he can do. Still a long way to go, but he's getting there
>2006: Even more experience under his belt, he's a seasoned trainer and knows what to expect and is ready to face any challenge that comes his way
>2010: Disregard all of the above, he's back to being inexperienced and don't you dare ask why, also whatever character development the villain squad had was wiped out thanks to a natural disaster
>2013: He's showing more experience and knowledge, even more than 2006? This could be the redemption arc he needs.
>2016: Fuck that, he lost again, ALOLA LOL
>2017: Twenty years wasted on this faggot, member Kanto? I member!
>2018-19: Errm...let's clone him and see if it works. No? Okay, give him a win and put him out his misery
tl;dr 1997 is the GOAT and even he got sanitized before the west even got Episode 1.

>>714592275
YouTube Kids does that for all its videos.

>>57959072
So much cope, Ash got tanner with time unlike Roy