Shipping:ImaginationShipping

undefined ImaginationShipping (Japanese: サトベル SatoBel) is the belief that and  belong in a romantic relationship. Bianca met up Ash while he was traveling to Nacrene City in order to give him a badge case. They have encountered each other a few times after that and have traveled together for a short period. Though they are rivals, they maintain a mostly friend-like non-competitive relationship which differs from Ash's relationships with his other rivals.

Bianca's hints

 * Minccino-Neat and Tidy!
 * Even before meeting him, Bianca accepted the errand to deliver Ash's badge case to him for Professor Juniper. Fans can interpret that as her being interested in meeting the Trainer she was supposed to be giving it to rather than simply doing Juniper a favor. Bianca tries to give Ash his badge case but cannot find it in her cluttered bag and looks distressed by it. When she finally gives it to Ash, she is interested to see the one badge he has.


 * A bit later, a, makes off with Ash's badge case. Bianca tells him not to worry about it and volunteers to get it back for him. When she fails to do so, Ash calls out  who is interrupted by  who wanted to battle instead. Bianca seemed excited that Ash's Pokémon come out by themselves and even said they were "darling".


 * Also during this episode, Bianca winks at Ash on several different occasions, a classical sign of showing affection.


 * Reunion Battles In Nimbasa!
 * Bianca becomes very worried when Burgundy's  Ash's Palpitoad with  during the Club Battle tournament. The tone of voice she uses expresses her concern.


 * Enter Elesa, Electrifying Gym Leader!
 * Bianca was visibly uncomfortable with the idea of Ash battling her father given that if he lost he'd have to return to Pallet Town. During the battle, she looked on extremely worried from the sidelines and kept whispering his name as her father held the upper-hand against him. Not able to take it anymore, Bianca interrupted the battle and pleaded with Ash to stop saying she didn't want him to have to return home on her account.


 * Let's Join Hands
 * Professor Juniper is seen saying something to Bianca. It is commonly assumed, due to the theme of the ending, that the news is that Ash and his friends left Unova, something that makes Bianca to rush in disappointment and drop some tears.

Ash's hints

 * Minccino-Neat and Tidy
 * After a Minccino escapes with his badge case, Ash decides he's going to get it back on his own. But Bianca begs him to let her help as she wanted to capture Minccino. He eventually agrees to it seeing how much she wanted him.


 * Emolga the Irresistible!
 * Ash and find Bianca on the ground trying to catch her breath after chasing a . Ash asks her if she is okay and then offers her a helping hand. He also wishes for her to stop chasing Emolga so she won't get hurt by its . This is unlike how he has acted in the past when his friends tried to catch a Pokémon where he encouraged them to do what ever it took to get it.


 * Enter Elesa, Electrifying Gym Leader!
 * Ash defends Bianca's will to continue traveling, and even risks returning to Pallet Town for her.


 * Dazzling the Nimbasa Gym!
 * Ash is seen to be more scared on the roller-coaster at the Nimbasa Gym when he is sitting by himself, but in the previous episode he was seen to be having fun on the roller-coaster while sitting next to Bianca.

Similarities

 * Both have owned a member of the family that have used,  and.

Trivia

 * There is a running gag in the, where every time Bianca encounters Ash, she loses her footing while running towards him and ends up knocking him into a body of water. On every occasion, Ash removes some of his clothing in order to dry off. Fans often joke about it, saying that Bianca knocks him into water purposefully in order to make him take off his clothes.
 * Also, the impact animation when Bianca hits Ash in A Fishing Connoisseur in a Fishy Competition! shows a couple of hearts.