When did the Pokemon anime become "bad"?

Oh, I don't know if it's bad... I haven't seen the newest series. I think... I watched up to the third series, when they were in Hoenn, and haven't watched any more after that. I'd like to though! I'm currently trying to watch all the episodes, though I'm only up to episode... uh... 8, of the first series, so I have a long way to go!

I don't like Ash, he's so dumb bwahaah!! I really prefer the side characters. I like the look of the newest series, the one in Unova, but I'm sad they got rid of Brock ;m; but I heard that they finally made Team Rocket smarter, so I'd like to see that hehe.

People often say Pokemon in general is going down hill. I've seen heaps of people complain about the newest games, say they've lost their charm, etc. It really matters what the individual thinks, I reckon. I'm not disappointed with Pokemon yet xD

I was never really the hugest fan of the pokemon anime. I mean, sure, I enjoy watching it, but I've never actually watched an entire series/season of one before. I've mainly watched random episodes that were on TV at the time. I've gotta agree with MahuruRaji about how childish it's become. When I watch the older episodes of the anime, it makes me feel really cool. But nowadays when I watch the newer episodes I get a little embarrassed.
It does kind of bother me that none of them have really aged much xD opposed to the newer pokemon games that features them when they were (at least a little bit) older then they are in the anime. But at the same time, since I haven't seen any of the newer episodes, maybe there have been stuff featuring Misty and Brock being older and I've just missed it or something xD

You're right, the voice acting does kind of... hurt :c But in most anime's nowadays they have high-pitched voices anyway
Oh well, I guess a little progress is better then no progress xD

I stopped watching it after I realized how much of a dud Ash is.
He has always been a screwball to watch. He is a rather inconsistent battler for someone with his experience, losing easy battles (*cough* Trip *cough*) and winning the borderline impossible ones (for example, some of the Battle Frontier ones). I congratulate him in my head when he wins, and then wonder why I bother watching the show when he loses, particularly against easy opponents.
It was rather painful for me to watch him get stomped by Trip during their first two battles, both of them being ones he should have easily won with just Pikachu, considering the mouse's prowess and otherwise superb fighting record.
A single Iron Tail to the head should've been enough to beat a comparatively young and weak Snivy. I don't care if his electrical abilities were inhibited, that was just pathetic. Even in the second battle, Pikachu should've been able to sweep Trip's entire team single-handed quite comfortably, but no. Both Ash and his entire team choked and crashed.
While I'm on a rant, watching him fight Tobias in Sinnoh was terrible as well. The creators clearly didn't want Ash to win a Championship anytime soon, so they put an Uber-Tiered wall in his way, just to watch him go out valiantly in an unwinnable blaze of failure. How Tobias obtained both Darkrai AND Latios is anyone's guess, not to mention whatever else that bloke had up his sleeve.
One of Ash's brighter moments for me was the episode called "Showdown at Dark City!", where he single-handedly resolves a bitter feud between two rival Gyms.
One thing that frustrates me as much as it does the next person is, as MahuruRaji pointed out, is that the kid is still ten years old after all this time. I reckon they should retcon the anime with a new protagonist, like Kyouhei or something, and start afresh. Seriously, in one 5 minute trailer, that dude was more epic that Ash ever was (or will be) in the entire Unova saga. It would defintely reignite the franchise. But then again, that's why we invented Fanfiction :3

(Hi Mandy! )

That is a very good point their topgun, I think their strength and his ability is rather inconsistent throughout the series. It's almost like, each time he goes to a new region, he is a new trainer, he almost never learns from his mistakes or past experiences, and it's almost like it's his first day as a trainer. The rivals that get introduced are practically Ash's equals are even superior to him, whether this was intentional because they wanted the rival to actually be a rival figure or not, it's ridiculous that a guy who just got his first Pokemon should beat Ash and his Pikachu when they've been together and beaten opponents like the elite four and battle brains.

And that trailer will forever leave me to believe how Pokemon should be but never will >n>
(Seriously it wasn't just the characters that were better, but the attention to detail (Seviper hissing in the background, the faint crack as Arcainine bit it's neck, ect.), effects and just the general feel of it was more awesomer than the actual anime. Plus it felt why less childish.)
Or at least compared to the anime we have now-adays.