Did you prefer the anime or the games?

[Lionel_B]

Gen 1 : Game = Anime. Can not decide.

Gen 2 : Game > Anime. The video game, because in retrospect, I have more trouble with the number of useless filler that has started to become big.

Gen 3 : Game = Anime. An excellent anime and excellent games, it's definitely the best period of Pokémon for me.

Gen 4 : Game = Anime. In the sense that I do not like either xD.

Gen 5 : Game > Anime. What a mess... I understand the approach of making a cartoon to attract young audiences, but they did for Black & White... And these games deserved better (the worst is that I like the characters, animation, music... But they all did to belittle the series)

Gen 6 : Game >= Anime. I did not like the anime, and the X & Y games disappointed me, but just for AZ, I give it one more point. And then ORAS raises a little the level.

Gen 7 : SM > Anime > USUM. I loved the first game, the anime was great, but weakened in the last season (although the next episode looks epic), and USUM is for me a huge disappointment too.

 

[LilligantLewis]

RBY <<<< Gen I Anime

GSC >>>> Johto anime

RSFRLGE < AG

Gen IV games << DP anime
HGSS >>>>>>>>> Johto festa arc

B1W1 >>>>>>> BW
B2W2 >>> BWS2 (mostly because of the Cameron fight - i liked BWS2 a lot besides that, but that moment in each generation is the defining moment for me)

XY anime >>>>> XY games
ORAS >>>>>>> Steven and Sawyer's roles in the anime
XY&Z >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Z game, which was never made

SM > SM anime > USUM

 

[BabaVanga]

Games.

Anime was cool until Ash started releasing his Pokémon/dropping them at Oak's and replacing with bunch of rookies each series.

 

[MartínK]

Gen I: Anime
Gen II: Games
Gen III: Anime
Gen IV: Tie
Gen V: Games
Gen VI: Anime
Gen VII: SM>Anime>USUM

 

[Leonhart]

I prefer the anime to the games ever since Gen V since I believe that the anime handles the true essence of the Pokemon franchise better than the games do, at least in recent generations.

 

[Emboar_Rulez]

I mostly prefer the games to the anime.
Gen 1 Both

Gen 2 Games

Gen 3 Both

Gen 4 Games

Gen 5 Anime

Gen 6 Games

Gen 7 Games

 

[SH65]

I like them both but I lean more for the anime for all but gen 5 and gen 7.

 

[Redstar45]

To be honest i love ani more than game but
Gen 1 : eotp manga >>>anime >>>special manga rgby>>>>game.
Gen 2 : special manga >>>game>>>anime.
Gen 3 : anime +FRGL (game) -game (rse) -special manga (RS>>FRGL >>E).
Gen 4 : anime +special manga (dppt only) and Dp adventure >>>games (dppt only).
Gen 5 : Game >>>>anime & special .
Gen 6 : anime >>>>>games >>>special manga .
Gen 7 : usum>>>smg>>anime >>>special manga .

 

[horrahforyou]

Of course the reason why Gen 6 Anime wins because Ash-Greninja doesn't exist in the games until it was included in the Sun and Moon game demo.

Sinnoh is always The Best Generation in all format!
The Games, The Anime, and the Spe Manga.

 

[Redstar45]

Of course the reason why Gen 6 Anime wins because Ash-Greninja doesn't exist in the games until it was included in the Sun and Moon game demo.

Sinnoh is always The Best Generation in all format!
The Games, The Anime, and the Spe Manga.

Hgss part of the Pokemon special manga is suck tho as there is not much a story

 

[TwoThirds]

Definitely prefer the games overall to the anime, but the anime is still good, especially the battles from DP onwards.

 

[Captain Jigglypuff]

I personally prefer the games nowadays. I don’t have access to new episodes of the anime now.

 

[Leonhart]

Games by far, there are too many things I don't like about the anime, from Pokemon saying their names to type matchups.

Pokemon saying their names over and over is more of a dub problem than an issue with the anime in general since Pokemon in the Japanese version don't say their names as often compared to their dubbed counterparts. As for the match-up part, I do agree that the anime is incredibly inconsistent with that.

 

[Shadao]

Well, let's get this started...

Gen I: Game = Anime

There are many things I find the anime to improve a lot upon the game story (like Team Rocket's connection with Mewtwo's creation, their villainous scheme on the S.S. Anne, and Blaine using Magmar on a battlefield inside an actual volcano, etc.) as well as giving us lots of emotional and iconic stories that you wouldn't get in the games unless you use your imagination (such as Charmander's backstory, Bye-Bye Butterfree, the entire of Pokémon I Choose You). But there are many aspects I that love that didn't make it into the anime for one reason or another (Cubone's subplot, Team Rocket's takeover on Silph Co., Rocket Game Corner to name a few). Thus, they are on equal footing in general.

Gen II: Game > Anime

The games expanded upon the story and lore of Pokémon established in Gen I. New Pokémon, new features (at the time), new locations, new Gym Leaders and new plot by Team Rocket. Not to mention a revisit to Kanto and a final battle with the previous player protagonist on top of Mt. Silver. It was everything you wanted out of a sequel to Gen I. Anime? Filler. Lots and lots of filler in a generation where new Pokémon are limited and at risk of being overshadowed. Heck, you might even think it's part of the Kanto saga rather than the Johto saga due to how repetitive and uninspired these filler episodes were. It's made even worse when you realized much of the filler content is the result of the anime losing the GS Ball and Celebi arc for the fourth movie. So much wasted potential. Heck, the highlight of Johto is something that should have been in Gen I, not II.

Gen III: Game = Anime

Not much to say about this one other than both the anime and the games were overshadowed by the much more improved Gen IV. Both didn't leave much of an impact on me because the rather bland designs for the buildings and lackluster villains really felt like the Pokémon franchise was in an extensional crisis. Games slightly edge out with Emerald and the Gen III remakes... but then again, Gen III also had the Battle Frontier and an actual competition for May in the form of Contests (rather than following what Ash is doing). So both are still equal footing.

Gen IV: Game = Anime

Game had better lore and overarching villainous plot. Anime has stronger characters with their goals and hardships being emphasized.

Gen V: Game > Anime

BW had one of the best crafted story about Pokémon in the games. Best Wishes had potential until the Earthquake happened. Since then, BW anime never really recovered and soon fell into the typical pitfalls of anime adaptations within a few months.

Gen VI: Game < Anime

Anime wins because they actually used the Zygarde plot to tie in with the Kalos games. Also they had better storyline, better characters and better battle match ups. In contrast, the games feel incomplete and laughably try to make me sympathize with Lysandre. Plus anime has Ash-Greninja. Gen VI cannot put that badass frog in the main games.

Gen VII: Game ??? Anime.

I need some further examination on that one.

 

[AuraChannelerChris]

Plus anime has Ash-Greninja.

The jobber against Charizard who has the worst put backstory for his super form ever?

 

[Shadao]

The jobber against Charizard who has the worst put backstory for his super form ever?

Better Ash-Greninja than getting nothing like Chesnaught and Delphox because GameFreak decided to promote the overrated fire lizard over actually promoting the Kalos region. By this point, people have become sick of Charizard's special treatment after discovering that he's the only starter to make it to Galar.

 

[AuraChannelerChris]

Better Ash-Greninja than getting nothing like Chesnaught and Delphox because GameFreak decided to promote the overrated fire lizard over actually promoting the Kalos region. By this point, people have become sick of Charizard's special treatment after discovering that he's the only starter to make it to Galar.

Eh, it's mostly the anime's fault for riding the Charizard train too early. Ash could have had Mega Blaziken be the rival, but unfortunately, it was wasted on some random guy who didn't amount to much.

 

[Sham]

Better Ash-Greninja than getting nothing like Chesnaught and Delphox because GameFreak decided to promote the overrated fire lizard over actually promoting the Kalos region. By this point, people have become sick of Charizard's special treatment after discovering that he's the only starter to make it to Galar.

All three Kanto and Alola starters are in the games it’s just Charizard made it into the dex.

 

[Shadao]

All three Kanto and Alola starters are in the games it’s just Charizard made it into the dex.

Oh like that makes it better.

Anyways, after much thinking...

Gen VII: Game = Anime

It's sort of a similar situation like Gen IV where both game and anime have their own unique strength. Though I do like how Kukui and Burnet became a couple in the anime instead of already being married like in other adaptations.

 

[SerenaRulez]

The show is better because it does things differently from the games and the characters aren't stuck doing mundane stuff all the time. The show feels more free to do whatever it wants and I like that.