December 9th: PM2019 135 - Pokémon! I Am Glad I Got To Meet You!

[U.N. Owen]

To copy and paste an older version of the FAQs https://forums.serebii.net/threads/...ore-posting-jan-24-2013.561725/#post-14174179

A. This is actually a vague question to answer, considering how, if you think about it, the anime never actually defined the term “Pokémon Master”. No other form of Pokémon media has defined the term, either, nor is there anything that implies it means capturing every Pokémon.
While we know from episode dialogues that you’ll be a Top Coordinator as soon as you win one Grand Festival, the same can’t be said for ‘regular’ Pokémon Trainers, apparently.
People like Tyson and Tobias, who have both won regional League tournaments, have never been called Pokémon Masters – and not even Lance or Cynthia, who’re of an even higher rank, have been referred to as such.

 

[DuquÊ?]

We'll probably never know what a Pokemon Master even is.

I mean, that's the whole point. Keep the concept as vague as possible.

 

[AllOfAshmon]

We will learn a Pokemon Master needs to pass all the Classes in the Academy and the Champion Assessment test. Can totally see as failing on one of the 2 followinf questions:
1. Do Electric type moves work on Ground types?
And
2. Who is the first Champion of Alola and current PWT Monarch?

I think that where the Treasure hunt comes in like the game mentioned that the treasure is not what are the stuff that can be found but is to find yourself and knowing your goals and dream are throughout the hunt so I think the writer might used the treasure hunt as a way to let Ash to find out what is the true meaning of being a Pokémon masters.

Which is stupid. After he beat Leon, there was no reason keeping Ash around.

Go on, cry some more, would love to see your stupid excuses throughout Gen 9 and why Ash shouldn't stay for Gen 10

I'd still rather take an Ash reset compared to a new character

Can you imagine 25 year later when our kids are watching Pokémon (if the anime is still around by then or the company as a whole) and we can look back and tell our kid, "Look, I saw this guy when he first started his journey when I was young, I cried when he became a World Champion" and that Ash became a father/ son or family bonding moment, watching the Pokémon Anime together with our kids

But that’s how it is in the games by catching every Pokemon to fill the Pokédex.

Well, ARE YOU A POKEMON MASTERS after playing and catching all Pokémon in 9 generation of Pokémon games? No right? So what made you think Ash is gonna be a Pokémon Master solely by catching every Pokémon. Plus his Pikachu is NOT GOING to evolve so catch every Pokémon? Nah (waiting for your BS excuse on why Ash should leave and replaced with new MC because Pikachu is no going to Evolve no matter what in order to "fulfill your BS fantasy")

 

[UnovaMaster]

NGL I'd feel like a cringe dad if I tried to take away my son's ability to watch his own protagonist from the ground up just so he could infinitely watch my already completed protagonist, my kid shouldn't have to be indoctrinated into the Ash cult, they should be free to not have vicariously stan my life choices

 

[TheNewGuy]

Seriously, get a better argument. None of us want to see Ash mutilated like you want him or turned into a glorified home maker like you crave.

Pathetic post.

I want stories to end where they end, and to me Ash becoming World Champion - especially given the manner of the win - feels like an ending. I'm not clamouring for him to go myself (tbh, I don't care enough) but it does feel like an ending. Wanting him to go is perfectly reasonable.

 

[colomb]

We don’t know the definition of a Pokémon master, so even though he beat Leon it doesn’t mean his work is finished.

Didn't one of the show's staff say it was someone who travels around and befriends Pokemon or something? There is no real definition and there never will be.

 

[SerGoldenhandtheJust]

It’s literally a case that they didn’t take part because the region wasn’t even conceptualized when it happened. Notice that in the gimmick rule there’s Mega Evolution, Z-Moves and Dynamax but no Terrastalization despite the fact that, by your logic, they took part in this and it’s not like a character has to be a representative of that region to use its gimmicks as is shown with Cynthia using Mega Evolution and Dynamax and Lance uses Dynamax. So at that point, they left out the gimmick of a region that’s supposedly competing thus putting them at a disadvantage if you keep the logic that everyone was in it even beyond the 8 regions that actually existed when the tournament was created. As things stand, there’s no reason to believe that regions beyond the 8 were competing. It’s literally in the anime’s DNA that this kind of thing happens all the time because of the expansive nature of the franchise. It’s literally no different than how Pokémon from later regions suddenly started showing up in Kanto after Ash and friends went to newer regions.

You're so close to getting the point
Exactly yeah, a soft retcon of Paldean trainers having been in the PWC would be alright. Sure it'll be a soft retcon since Paldea never existed back then and we never saw Paldean trainers, plus the terrastilising point you mentioned
But they can soft retcon that yeah Paldean trainers also participated and whatnot even if they couldn't reach the masters 8
That would make sense

What wouldn't make sense is contradicting them by saying they don't CARE about the PWC, which is absolutely nonsense as we see Paldea has that competitive battling scene
So that would be changing the entire Paldean battle atmosphere in the anime and contradicting their character. That's a nonsensical choice

So I'll rather a soft retcon like we have had in the past than a nonsense choice in the narrative that makes zero sense

 

[Tabasco Boshi]

You're so close to getting the point
Exactly yeah, a soft retcon of Paldean trainers having been in the PWC would be alright. Sure it'll be a soft retcon since Paldea never existed back then and we never saw Paldean trainers, plus the terrastilising point you mentioned
But they can soft retcon that yeah Paldean trainers also participated and whatnot even if they couldn't reach the masters 8
That would make sense

What wouldn't make sense is contradicting them by saying they don't CARE about the PWC, which is absolutely nonsense as we see Paldea has that competitive battling scene
So that would be changing the entire Paldean battle atmosphere in the anime and contradicting their character. That's a nonsensical choice

So I'll rather a soft retcon like we have had in the past than a nonsense choice in the narrative that makes zero sense

I'll applaud them if they do that. That's the kind of retcons that should exist in the anime. They will always have to deal with the games introducing new things but there are ways to implement them naturally and what you exposed is simple but effective.

It always comes to my mind how James knew Carnivine since he was a kid, and had a mansion in Sinnoh. We know that wasn't planned since day 1 for obvious reasons but it was organically added to the series.

 

[SerGoldenhandtheJust]

I'll applaud them if they do that. That's the kind of retcons that should exist in the anime. They will always have to deal with the games introducing new things but there are ways to implement them naturally and what you exposed is simple but effective.

It always comes to my mind how James knew Carnivine since he was a kid, and had a mansion in Sinnoh. We know that wasn't planned since day 1 for obvious reasons but it was organically added to the series.

DP had incredible moments of calling back and adding new layers but doing it organically. In general the writing and consistency of DP hasn't been matched since
I also really liked Ash and Gary 's backstory being added, it felt like a natural extension and obviously wasn't intended from the beginning

 

[Poke Master 7]

You're so close to getting the point
Exactly yeah, a soft retcon of Paldean trainers having been in the PWC would be alright. Sure it'll be a soft retcon since Paldea never existed back then and we never saw Paldean trainers, plus the terrastilising point you mentioned
But they can soft retcon that yeah Paldean trainers also participated and whatnot even if they couldn't reach the masters 8
That would make sense

What wouldn't make sense is contradicting them by saying they don't CARE about the PWC, which is absolutely nonsense as we see Paldea has that competitive battling scene
So that would be changing the entire Paldean battle atmosphere in the anime and contradicting their character. That's a nonsensical choice

So I'll rather a soft retcon like we have had in the past than a nonsense choice in the narrative that makes zero sense

See that’s your problem, you’re expecting the writers to care enough to soft retcon about things for your convenience when in reality, they’ve crafted numerous things over the years that generate plot holes or outright contradict what came before and just sweep it under the rug because it’s not important to the story they’re telling. You’re perfectly free to headcanon these things but don’t expect the writers to cater to your headcanon.

 

[SerGoldenhandtheJust]

See that’s your problem, you’re expecting the writers to care enough to soft retcon about things for your convenience when in reality, they’ve crafted numerous things over the years that generate plot holes or outright contradict what came before and just sweep it under the rug because it’s not important to the story they’re telling. You’re perfectly free to headcanon these things but don’t expect the writers to cater to your headcanon.

I agree, but they never blatantly destroy an entire region's story like that. It'll be contradictory to the games, I doubt they'll want to do that especially when they have stuck close to the games recently
Watch them not even mention the PWC at all tho lol and all this is pointless

 

[Guy100]

Well, if this episode on Friday ends up confirming Goh's departure and revealing Ash's next goal to reaching his dream of being a Pokemon Master.

I would assume his next goal would focus on something he's never done before or has repeatly failed in doing along his journey that he needs to overcome in order to get to the next level of being a Pokemon Master.

So far to my knowledge, Ash has not done the following along his adventures which have been an inspiration for him to get stronger as a trainer and connect with Pokemon;

1) He's never met Ho-oH persoanlly, and Hoh-Oh is hailed as some sacred Pokemon that all pokemon trainers and phyiloshers of research around the world think of as some messiah of Pokemon and Human connectivity.

2) Ash has met Mewtwo, but has never defeated Mewtwo in battle whom is self-proclaimed or acknowledged by researches as the most powerful pokemon in the world.

3) Has not yet fully travelled to all regions of the World renowned for pokemon battles

4) As of Gen 9, has not yet caught certain pokemon of all regions of the world, although I dont think this really matters.



I assume the prerequisites of being a pokemon master, is ultimately getting acknowledgement from Ho-OH as being a trainer that has reached some type of enlightment by developing a strong connection with Pokemon species.

I have this strong belief that Mewtwo will be the end-game final challenge for Ash, or perhaps play a role in Ash's final challenge to be a pokemon master, which will get Ho-OH acknowledgement, espcially seeing how Mewtwo is consistently showcased as cynical towards human and pokemon connection, and still considers Ash inferior to him since Ash has not defeated him.

 

[SerGoldenhandtheJust]

I honestly don't care anymore what the next anime and it's setting or structure or whatever is, as long as Ash gets proper character growth and is explored.

 

[STICKTOPIA]

Didn't one of the show's staff say it was someone who travels around and befriends Pokemon or something? There is no real definition and there never will be.

Either way my point was we gotta wait for more info before we assume ash will be in the next season or not

 

[Joltik-Kid]

Should be interesting that Ash goes back to school yet again if he's returning as the protagonist lol

 

[Kazuniya]

Should be interesting that Ash goes back to school yet again if he's returning as the protagonist lol

Honestly, if Ash does go back to school, I hope the story points out the sheer ridiculousness of a world champion choosing to enroll in school once again. Like, have characters questioning 'why this Alola Champion and PWC Champion attending classes with us regular students?'

 

[Kazuniya]

meh doesn't even matter since you're barely even in school for SV lmao. There for a few days and then you're out of there off on your own.

Well, doesn't the academy in Paldea have dorms for the students?

If Ash enrolls again, it is possible they would treat the academy grounds as the home base, similarly to the lab in Kanto for Ash and Goh. That means we could see the school setting more often than we think.

Of course, it's not confirmed, but just a possibility I'm offering.

 

[Red and Blue]

Well, doesn't the academy in Paldea have dorms for the students?

If Ash enrolls again, it is possible they would treat the academy grounds as the home base, similarly to the lab in Kanto for Ash and Goh. That means we could see the school setting more often than we think.

Of course, it's not confirmed, but just a possibility I'm offering.

Yeah plus we have the option to return to school and take classes on different subjects. Since the flying taxi service is back it should be easy to fly back and forth from the Academy

 

[SerGoldenhandtheJust]

Honestly, if Ash does go back to school, I hope the story points out the sheer ridiculousness of a world champion choosing to enroll in school once again. Like, have characters questioning 'why this Alola Champion and PWC Champion attending classes with us regular students?'

Well clearly enrolling in school once worked out for him considering he became a champion and world champion right after, so why not try again

 

[Spider-Phoenix]

Honestly, if Ash does go back to school, I hope the story points out the sheer ridiculousness of a world champion choosing to enroll in school once again. Like, have characters questioning 'why this Alola Champion and PWC Champion attending classes with us regular students?'

Well, in the games Nemona is a champion already by the time we meet her, yet we can see her in the classes.

So... He can be both Champion Ash and a student, if writting wants it