Ho-oh in Episode 1

[matt0044]

When I think of it, this was a pretty amazing move the writers pulled but it begs the question: How did they know about Ho-oh before Generation 2 was even conceived? It boggles the mind.

So I'd like to hear your theories on the matter. Just don't take it too seriously.

Thank you and go wild!

 

[Lorde]

Game Freak was already planning out Pokemon Gold and Silver back in 1997, the same year the Pokemon anime debuted in Japan. I'm pretty sure they gave the anime producers the heads up and allowed them to showcase Ho-Oh.

 

[BCVM22]

How did they know about Ho-oh before Generation 2 was even conceived? It boggles the mind.

There's your error in thinking. There's no ambiguity here: they begin work on the next generation almost as soon as the current one is in the can.

Clearly they had at least the beginnings of the 2nd generation's bestiary in place by the time the anime went into production; the anime staff were able to make use of that by putting a brief, monochromatic glimpse of a future Pokémon into the first episode.

Simple as that. Nothing more. No theories or boggling of the mind needed.

 

[Shneak]

Ho-Oh is magic.

 

[GetOutOfBox]

When I was a kid, the concept of planning sequels before the 1st book/show came out was mind boggling, but if you think about it, it show's that at least there was some planning ahead going on, and these brief glimpses into the future of pokemon make the show more 3-dimensional (in a metaphorical sense). Actually it would be more correct to say 4-dimensional, but that's a long and for most people, boring story

 

[Lorde]

When I was a kid, the concept of planning sequels before the 1st book/show came out was mind boggling, but if you think about it, it show's that at least there was some planning ahead going on, and these brief glimpses into the future of pokemon make the show more 3-dimensional (in a metaphorical sense). Actually it would be more correct to say 4-dimensional, but that's a long and for most people, boring story

That's just it though, I don't believe that the anime staff really planned for much. I think they saw Ho-Oh's beta design, wanted to fit in into the first episode for whatever reason, and did so without planning out a role for it later. I mean, it's not like they knew much about the plot of Gold and Silver yet. Despite the games being planned in 1997, most of the ideas were scrapped and redone since the games were going to be made for the Gameboy Color rather than the Gameboy as was originally planned. It's not really "planning ahead" if they were only going to use Ho-Oh once to begin with :[

 

[ForeverFlame]

They planned a lot of Pokemon in advance. Look at Shellos, which was supposed to appear in Gen III, and Munna, which was referenced to in Gen I.

 

[BCVM22]

Look at Shellos, which was supposed to appear in Gen III

Yes.

and Munna, which was referenced to in Gen I.

No. Pure coincidence.

 

[Skyliner]

I thought that they made a design of a Pokemon, liked it , and made it Ho-oh

 

[BCVM22]

I thought that they made a design of a Pokemon, liked it , and made it Ho-oh

The logical - and really only - explanation is that Ho-oh was already established in planning materials for Gold and Silver and the anime was able to slip the design in for the briefest of cameos. Ho-oh did not originate in the anime.

 

[matt0044]

Thanks for your thoughts guys. I was just curious as usual.

 

[ChaosMage]

Ho-oh is one of the most important pokemon to the GSC storyline. It only makes sense that it would be one of the earlier ones to be developed. The games would have only been a year or so from completion at the time that the anime came about

 

[TR4eva]

They do plan a lot of new Pokemon for the new gen after the previous gen has been completed. Then they give them a full profile and storyline in the new gen.

 

[Sayho1234]

This proves that whether people had liked it or not the anime was ALWAYS going to have a Johto saga right from the start!

 

[A_Merry_Snowrunt]

If Johto was in the making, then why on earth did the Orange Islands make their debut? To expand the premises of Kanto Pokemon with minor Johto Pokes? It just felt more of a filler season as they were preparing for the Johto arc. Second of all, didn't the original Pokemon games meant to have over 150? Perhaps the inclusion of Ho-oH could be due to that.

 

[Sayho1234]

Obviously because the GSC games weren't completed at that point yet, so they needed to make a filler saga in the anime until it actually was completed .

 

[minumranger]

Apparently Ho-oh was Programmed into Red/Blue along with other GSC Pokemon But they were scrapped. We Can Only Assume that is where missigno comes from and also shows how the writers were able to show Ho-Oh In Episode 1.

http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78267

 

[d4rk_tailed]

Well, entirely honestly, its only genius because the writers have bothered to carry it through! Imagine if Ash had squashed a tiny bug right at the beginning of his journey, and then the writers had carried that through right? Gen10000 he comes accross the 100000th version of this bug Pokemon: "why keep following ME!!!!!!!"

Nice story for the fans? Yep. But masterstroke? Nah, good writing to keep the phoenix coming back though.

 

[Haunter ゴースト]

It probably was just being developed at the same time as the anime debuted, my guess would have been that they created it without thinking and then added it to the G/S/C generation as a legendary later on.

 

[GOONER1991]

If I remember correctly, I heard that GSC were always planned. Pokemon was orignally meant to be made up of only two generations, however with it's success it continued, and as we know there are now 5.

It is very possible that Ho-Oh had already been created when the anime debuted.