Pokemon Anime General Discussion

[Tomboyish Mermaid]

I tried to watch some episodes of Pokémon Journeys: The Series, but I just can not get into it. It isn't bad, like all the other anime it is a decent show, but man, this is the first anime from Pokémon that really has no clear direction. It is half nostalgia bait, half standalone series, half Original Series - since this main location takes place in Kanto -, and it also tries a bit to be a Sword and Shield anime. I'm also mixed on Ash's new companion, Goh. He isn't unlikable or anything like that, but he is a bit too much of a Gary-Stu and a lot of his development takes place off-screen, which is not a good way to show the growth of your character. 

[precita]

The earlier episodes were a bit weak and random (I think the writers themselves didn't know what they wanted this saga to be yet), but the more recent episodes have been better. Go's still going to capture wild pokemon in almost every ep, but he has a bit more of a goal when the "Project Mew" arc started.

The thing about Ash is it feels like he's on an all-star run this time around, but his Pokemon don't get any focus in fillers like all past sagas did so you only see his Pokemon in big battles now.  It's kind of strange since Ash has all-shill pokemon this saga and you'd think they'd promote them a bit more. If you told me 10 years ago Ash would have a Dragonite, Lucario, Gengar, etc...I would have laughed. Would sound like fanfiction.

Also the writers really are bringing back old characters more frequently now. I think Misty/Brock's appearance back in SM was a "test" to see how fans reacted to old main characters appearing again, and it worked, so now we're seeing it with everyone else. We already saw the Alola cast again, Iris, Gary and now Dawn, (and then for other notable game Gym leader/Elite 4 characters we've seen Lance, Korrina, Chuck, Volkner, and Cynthia is likely appearing soon, etc) and we'll probably see more old main characters appear after.

Sure there's still the usual bland fillers from time to time but every saga suffers from those, so it's par the course for anyone who watches the anime.

 

[Tomboyish Mermaid]

I heard a rumor that Sabrina will come back for one episode as well, but she is now the opposite of her old character: more happy and smiling. She will also bring back Ash's Haunter for this one episode.  

[precita]

Yeah I hope she appears.

Anyway the first part of Dawn's cameo aired today. It was a nice intro ep but they should have aired both parts together. Dawn doesn't appear until over 10 minutes into the episode, so if you wanted to see her right away you might be a bit disappointed. I noticed they purposely tried to parallel Ash/Go's dynamic with Dawn/Koharu, and that was nice.

The set-up is mostly for the next episode though. Interesting they actually showed Dawn's mother too.

 

[SanPolo4389]

So....I've just now found this thread of people talking about the Pokemon anime. 

So.....hello, I like the Pokémon anime, and the current season even if other people I've seen haven't liked it.

[PC the Hedgehog]

On 7/22/2021 at 6:00 AM, Tomboyish Mermaid said:

I tried to watch some episodes of Pokémon Journeys: The Series, but I just can not get into it. It isn't bad, like all the other anime it is a decent show, but man, this is the first anime from Pokémon that really has no clear direction. It is half nostalgia bait, half standalone series, half Original Series - since this main location takes place in Kanto -, and it also tries a bit to be a Sword and Shield anime. I'm also mixed on Ash's new companion, Goh. He isn't unlikable or anything like that, but he is a bit too much of a Gary-Stu and a lot of his development takes place off-screen, which is not a good way to show the growth of your character. 

I mean, it kinda does. Ash is battling as many trainers as possible to improve his ranking so he can take on Leon, and Goh is trying to catch every Pokemon. Honestly, I feel this series has more direction than Sun/Moon did.

[precita]

On 12/19/2012 at 9:17 PM, Soniman said:

 

I watched a good chunk of episodes of Sinnoh back when they were new, and compared to Johto it doesn't hold a damn candle.

 

I basically see the Sinnoh seasons as the huge turd mountain I will have to climb before getting to the much praised Best Wishes.

Looking through old posts in this thread from 2012, man some posts have not aged well. Kind of ironic since Soniman's favorite saga is now DP. lol @Soniman

 

Just goes to show how opinions change over time.

[KHCast]

Holy fuck that Mallow episode of Sun and Moon hit me like a truck, I didn’t expect all those feels. Jesus I actually cried a little. 

[Zaysho]

32 minutes ago, KHCast said:

Holy fuck that Mallow episode of Sun and Moon hit me like a truck, I didn’t expect all those feels. Jesus I actually cried a little. 

Was that the Shaymin one? I thought that was really well done even with the dub.

[Kuzu]

11 minutes ago, Zaysho said:

Was that the Shaymin one? I thought that was really well done even with the dub.

I think its the one when she met her dead mother. 

[KHCast]

Yep. They even put in some original music for that moment to further add emotion to when she meets her, instead of recycling one of the only 3 tracks they play every episode in the dub lol

[SanPolo4389]

I'm gonna be the odd one being that I didn't like the episode if only because I think Mallow isn't really a good character for how she's a static character for almost all of the show. 

To basically give my stance on it now, I don't think SM is a great season as I felt it was leaned too much on the comedy side and felt very directionless for most of it besides the Trials, and wasn't a fan of the League either with Ash winning feeling a bit hollow for it felt like it was made for him to win. 

And where I see people talking about the anime they always say that this season was the best or that it's really great and I feel like the odd man out with not liking it because I also noticed some thinking it's perfect and has no flaws despite some being there and ignoring them.

[precita]

Mallow was clearly intended to be the, "Brock" of the SM group, meaning she was the older sister-type character who cooked and looked after the group but wasn't intended to get much screentime herself.

Personally when I rewatched SM I liked all the character building moments, Ash's father/son relationship with Kukui, the Torracat/Incineroar rivalry that went on through the show, Ash's rivalry with Gladion and the two Lycanrocs, Rowlett was a cute marketable pokemon but could battle, etc. Then they did the stuff from the games with Lusamine and Aether but didn't make her evil, which actually worked better for the anime version. Lana and Kiawe were the breakout characters I thought, they had a lot of fun episodes and character arcs.  Lillie's character was frontloaded though, she got a lot of focus and development in the first year of SM....then the writers pretty much ran out of things to do with her and she took a backseat for the rest of the series till the Mohn stuff started. Tapu Koko also had a rivalry with Pikachu and the series ending with Kukui's wife being pregnant and the baby being born this series reinforced the family dynamic.

While the league itself didn't have the same prestige of competing trainers, Ash still fought Guzma, Gladion and later Kukui after it, so those 3 were usually on the level of battlers Ash faces. Also at least Ash actually won something for the first time since Battle Frontier, I'd take this over another loss.

Tbh the old formula of the anime already ran its course by the end of DP, which is why BW and XY tried to do different things (BW tried the semi-reboot approach, XY tried to go as shonen as the anime could go for a kids series), and I can see why the writers dropped it.

[SanPolo4389]

Ok then, it’s just I found elements in SM either really annoying or distracting like with the Ultra Rangers or how Poipole was handled, and that it’s small things that start piling up. 
 

Well personally I didn’t like it since the whole league felt like a farce with how most of the trainers didn’t have alot of pokemon, also with Kukui that fight felt a bit……pointless since it didn’t matter if he won since he already won the league. 

[precita]

The Ash/Kukui battle was more of a thematic epilogue to SM as a whole:

-Ash/Kukui had the father/son bonding I mentioned, and Kukui is essentially the champion of Alola, so by beating him Ash proved he was the strongest trainer in that region.

- Torracat settled its rivalry with Kukui's Incineroar, evolving as a "passing the torch" moment. It's also why some didn't understand why it evolved in the last moment, it was a wrestling "rite of passage" where Ash's Incineroar is the new wrestling champ.

- Pikachu and Tapu Koko settled their rivalry, with Pikachu defeating another legendary.

Also at 4 episodes long the battle was neither too rushed or too stretched out since they dedicated the right episode length to it. It's a much better conclusion than if Ash/Gladion was the final big battle of the saga.

[SanPolo4389]

Ok then, I don't agree with it but whatever.

Like I don't know how to put into words but this season I just didn't like at all, but I don't want to say it again since I feel like I might annoy people with this.

[KHCast]

Just wanna say: The ultra warriors tbh felt like a really cringe attempt at doing the whole action hero toy craze, but like 30 years too late lol

[precita]

Yeah the Ultra Guardian eps were a bit hit or miss. Some of them were decent like the Buzzwole ep, but the rest were meh.

But the Kukui stuff and parallel with Torracat/Incineroar was great. I watched the eps live when they aired and I didn't expect them to pull it off so well. I'd probably place Ash vs. Kukui as the third overall best battle of the anime, only behind Ash vs. Paul in the Sinnoh league and Ash vs. Alan in Kalos.

 

[SanPolo4389]

6 hours ago, KHCast said:

Just wanna say: The ultra warriors tbh felt like a really cringe attempt at doing the whole action hero toy craze, but like 30 years too late lol

And felt like a waste with the Ultra Beasts as they could’ve had a more serious plot with them but got relegated to being MOTD for their Power Ranger parody. 

[precita]

From today's Japanese ep:

 

 

Dawn likes girls confirmed. They REALLY upped the "girl love" vibes with Dawn and Koharu this ep. I guess Dawn always interacts well with girls no matter the season (with May in DP, Iris in BW, and now Koharu...lol)

[KHCast]

So I’ve gotten to the battle between Kukui and Ash. I think I’m like 3 episodes in. Man, I kinda wish Ash’s Greninja made a return for this given the bond between those two. If Mega evolution could show up in this, Ash Greninja could have been neat to also see come back 

 

Alright, finished sun and moon. The ending was pretty ok, but nothing memorable.  Watching some Journeys. 
 

I like how it’s ash going around the world to places he’s visited, (tho I wouldn’t have minded a more traditional arc based around sword and shield) but it’s kinda disappointing they don’t use this opportunity to bring out Ash’s LARGE stash of Pokemon and flesh out his relationship with them. So far they haven’t even been referenced like ash never caught them. It’s a good thing they make ash competent in battles now, since he’s, yknow, now a Pokemon Champion. Would be fucking stupid if he’s the only champion out of all the regions to make rookie mistakes …I jinxed it didn’t it?

 

I also find Goh’s whole “just gonna throw a pokeball at a Pokemon and catch it” shit annoying. Like I know it’s to market Pokemon Go, but like, it kinda flies in the face of the previous arcs and the whole “gotta battle them to weaken and catch em” stuff. Like the Pokemon suddenly just stand around and take it with rarely a fight back? Lol

 

Edit: WHY DOES LEON HAVE AN AMERICAN ACCENT AND NONE OF THE ENGLISH TERMINOLOGY THAT WAS IN THE GAME??? Like 50% of the charm about Galar was how it took heavy inspiration from English culture, even the Pokemon company would talk all about wanting to be accurate to the culture they were representing…so why the fuck did they strip that for the anime? 

[precita]

I think the final ep of SM (the goodbye ep) is tied with XY's final episode as the two best goodbye/final eps of the series. Ash's family dynamic with Kukui was very well done and the crying scene at the airport was great. Also kinda ironic they made it seem like Lillie got a little crush on Ash at the end when she was running on the boat to say goodbye to him after what they did with Serena in the previous series. But the writers always throw in ship-tease with every female character and Ash anyway.

 

 

[KHCast]

They really gave Goh the most annoying voice in the entire serious. Jesus Christ, I can’t stand his high pitched voice and screaming. He’s so annoying. I thought I’d get used to it, but NOPE

[KHCast]

It’s a hypothetical at this point, but had they done a dedicated arc to Sword and Shield, who would you have wanted to be the inevitable gym leader that travels with Ash? I’d have loved to have seen Nessa be the one that accompanies him. If not her, Gordie I think would have been a fun companion for Ash. I assume Hop probably would have been Ash’s second companion, so we’d already have the energetic optimistic cocky character in the dynamic, so ultimately, if I had to choose, based on that, Nessa would likely be the better option to balance the dynamic a bit.

 

Also can I just say, watching the entire series has been a nightmare in terms of platforms? I’ve had to go from Amazon Prime, to Hulu, to Netflix, (and a few episodes were only on Pokeflix) because the series is spread between ALL 3 STREAMING PLATFORMS

 

Qs for Journey’s, my update: loved the Alola episode, made me smile all throughout the episode seeing how they didn’t just pretend that series didn’t happen, and to see ash still retains that family bond with everyone there. (And to see what happened to his Pokemon). I really hope they go there again. Also seeing Bewear and the team rocket Pokemon was cute. 
 

Chloe once I realized it was the voice actress for Makoto, shot up as one of my favorite characters lol

[precita]

Basically most of the post-original series companions get more development than the earlier characters, especially since the Johto arc stagnated the entire main cast for 3 years (most of Misty's development is in her cameos after she left the series rather than when she was on it), and even though Brock stays for all of Hoenn and DP, he's basically just treated like a background exposition character at that point besides a few small roles here and there. Once Ash started improving as a trainer it became obvious Brock's mentor role was unneeded, so he was basically just there to explain Ash's battles to the audience, or May/Dawn, etc.

The writers really didn't start giving bigger roles to the companions until May was introduced, and this continues with most of the characters who come after, with varying degrees of success (or not, depending on your views of each character). And all the newer male characters like Cilan, Clemont, Kiawe and Go generally get better treated than post-Kanto Brock at least.

Only thing that the anime seems to have gone a step backwards is, is for the most part stopping the female companions from being active battlers or having full teams like the older ones. Nowadays each girl only gets a few pokemon and isn't into battling, and it's kind of jarring when we've now gone multiple series in a row with female characters like that. It's actually hard to believe May and Dawn were the last female companions with full teams....and that was over 10-15 years ago now.