She has a big crush on Ash, which ultimately culminates in her famously kissing him before she departs from his journey, which contributed to her being a popular character.

Throughout her Gym Badge journey, she also deals with the villainous Team Flare, led by Lysandre, and must stop him from getting the power to destroy those who oppose his vision of the world.

Prior to the start of the series, she met Ash at a summer camp in her youth, where he helped her recover after she was startled by a wild Poliwag.

Throughout the series, Serena has a goal of participating in Pokémon Showcases, female-only beauty-pageant-like competitions, to become the "Kalos Queen," a title for the top performer.

[15] Serena has received generally positive reception, identified as a popular character among fans of the Pokémon anime.

"[16] Victoria McNally from The Mary Sue appreciates the presence of Serena's character in X and Y, which is considered to represent female players by providing options to change hairstyles and clothing styles.

[17] Dexerto writer Laura Grey noted various qualities that made her so popular, including her challenging stereotypes and "genuine nature and determination.

[a] Hobby Consolas writer Jesús Vicario Rodríguez noting how some fans have disliked the way the scene was handled due to not being able to see the kiss.

[24] Inside Games writer Nennetaro noted how excited the kiss between them made a lot of fans, discussing how Serena is a rare character in the series due to her explicit affection for Ash.

[27] According to an IT Media reader poll, Serena was the most popular female character in the series, receiving more than a quarter of the vote, with many commenters expressing disappointment that she was removed from the anime.

He argued that if she did, the kiss would have to be addressed, which would detract from the emphasis on adventure to focus on romance, which he believed wouldn't fit the tone of the show.