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How do you expect the writers to go about writing the 8th gen?
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Redstar45
The Anime/Special's canon know it all.
Problem is that new main character is probably is not going to be that different from ash ........i have problem with changes hero once the series ending and we won't see the character ever again and they will compare to ash and his legacy will overshadowed the new guy or girl like how Digimon or yu-gi-oh still compare them to taich or yugi
That sounds like a horrible system that creates such a disconnect between the story that you might as well have three separate series...
Almighty Zard
He has returned.
To this day I still don't get why pokemon won't take that "step". yes there will be comparison's if a new "main" was brought in, but at the same time this anime could stand some freshness. Ash is getting no closer to his goal (it's pretty obvious to me that the current region isn't going to help him in his endeavor) and it's getting boring.
Now Ash doesn't necessarly need to leave the anime, but they need to do something, like let him win a league and then maybe put him in a mentor role to a new trainer like Brock was to him.
Of course they also need to deal with Team Rocket since their so linked to Ash and Pikachu.
Shadao
Champion GETTO DA ZE!
With the advent of Tim Goodman for the live-action movie Detective Pikachu, that might not be a problem. Pokémon as a franchise has variety of trainers to focus upon long after Ash. And they can certainly hold a series on their own. This has been the case for Pokémon Adventures. And it has been the case for the Pokémon Anime itself. Dawn is the most notable example. The very first episode of DP has virtually little to no Ash at all. It was completely focused on Dawn and her starter Piplup. Dawn is actually one of the few, if not only, characters to be promoted as the official deuteragonist of the show.
Really, it feels more like they're only keeping Ash out of tradition. And it's starting to cause some noticeable strains. Namely SM Ash being content with staying on one island at school instead of exploring the Alola islands. It's virtually unthinkable for Ash to simply stay in one place. Let alone staying around for school. Likewise, any attempts to give Ash more "character" is going to be met with contempt and debate if it clashes with his character development.
All of these problems could have been resolved with a new main lead. Or at the least, not be noticeable as it is with Ash.
While I doubt Ash will get replaced outright, it is maybe a good time to consider demoting him slightly into more a deuteragonist. Maybe not The Power Of Us level where he's ONLY a supporting character, but to the point the new characters get more equal treatment and the show may actually be primarily more about one of them (SM looked like it was hinting to this with Lillie but then stopped halfway).
This still works with what SM has offered us, after all a more vibrant personality only means Ash can still hold up in a supporting role (as shown many times another character IS in the limelight).
It would likely also be better to explain Ash's more lax handling of his own goal if the others had been getting key development in all that time as well, since it's perfectly in character for Ash to slow down progress for the sake of his allies (eg. detouring for Serena's showcases in Kalos).
This still works with what SM has offered us, after all a more vibrant personality only means Ash can still hold up in a supporting role (as shown many times another character IS in the limelight).
It would likely also be better to explain Ash's more lax handling of his own goal if the others had been getting key development in all that time as well, since it's perfectly in character for Ash to slow down progress for the sake of his allies (eg. detouring for Serena's showcases in Kalos).
04n70n10
Well-Known Member
I'm for an Ash with a more mentor-like role, a deuteragonist, there is no need to replace him (for have basically another one with a Pikachu, the mascot of entire franchise).
But with the decline of the "secondary goals" like Pokémon contest/showcase... the new protagonist (along with the "mentor" Ash)..... what does he/she have to do?
Writer need to give even for others a "battling goal" IMO. I (personally) would like to see a pokégirl with a battling goal (why not for the league?) for once. But in that case... Ash? What does he have to do in that case? battle along with the new protagonist of that region? Is maybe redundant to have two battlers? Maybe for one the gym(-like) quest and for the other another battle-like competition/tournament? Do you think it could work?
But with the decline of the "secondary goals" like Pokémon contest/showcase... the new protagonist (along with the "mentor" Ash)..... what does he/she have to do?
Writer need to give even for others a "battling goal" IMO. I (personally) would like to see a pokégirl with a battling goal (why not for the league?) for once. But in that case... Ash? What does he have to do in that case? battle along with the new protagonist of that region? Is maybe redundant to have two battlers? Maybe for one the gym(-like) quest and for the other another battle-like competition/tournament? Do you think it could work?
Prof. SALTY
The Scruffy Professor
I'm fine with Ash staying on as a main lead but I want him to get a redesign. I'm soooooo sick of his design. Just like... different hair, clothes and another shift in artstyle. Say his hair grew out in the gap between series.
I like the chill vacation slice of life style of SM and hope they bring some of that into the future, though a smaller main cast would be a better idea. I think just 1 more character would be good.
I like the chill vacation slice of life style of SM and hope they bring some of that into the future, though a smaller main cast would be a better idea. I think just 1 more character would be good.
MidnightMelody
Hopeful for Gen 8
What I don't like is how the series since the 2010s began feel so unrelated. OS,AG and DP flowed into each other and were the same genre. Sure the series evolved with each generation but BW,XY and SM feel so different the change is unnatural. Really hope with Gen 8 we go back to the older style of having a more natural flow and older art
None of the girls introduced since XY have done ANY impressive battling, in fact they're pretty much only in battles practically rigged so they can dominate with base attacks, which is dull as hell. It almost feels like the writers have begun flinching about having the girls and their cutesy Pokemon get roughed up, in which case you can count out any battle goals since going through an entire competition not even suffering basic hits and trial and error would be a farce (how can Ash mentor an invincible character?). Even besides that Ash having the main goal isn't the problem, that's his direction, it's just there lacks a really solid alternate agenda for the companions right now.
You can maybe see why, BW was a series that tried to have tons of key battles for everyone, even the male companion's activity and TR face-offs tried to be halfway developed for a change, but this took a severe toll on the quality all around, and what were usually the main events like the rival/gym/league matches ended up really diluted. The writers obviously can't think up loads and loads of well choreographed and dynamic battles in a short timeframe and it becomes a case of quality over quantity, especially in the newer more compressed series timeframe. And let's be fair, just loads and loads of battling as the impetus of every story would be formulaic, even if it was consistently well handled.
The non-battling goals aren't fundamentally bad, it's just they aren't developed. At all. They're blatantly just there as an excuse for the writers to do less battles rather than with actual intent to have a more diverse long term agenda. Compare this to the contests, which were a developed gimmick from the games that the anime added battles into because they didn't think the lone gimmick had enough substance (even if some of the battles themselves were basic). It's a tough situation where they have to keep a moderation on the battles but don't seem to trust any other approach but battles to have a lot of long term investment.
I'm kinda hoping gen 8 adds a really developed alternative mechanic that the anime can play for this.
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Ashton Ketchum
Well-Known Member
Well, if show in future got talented writers, and after Gen 8 Yajima takes Yuyama's place of chief director, this stereotype can be broken.
I more prefer see Ash (as not main protagonist) as episodic character. Where he is back for 10-15 episodes for each saga, where he as champion and agent of International Police meets with each new protagonist, and later they united for fight against new villain Team. And with each he growing up. And in one of future generations, he can be deuteragonist, as father. With father and son dynamic like with Ruby and Norman in PokeSpe.
LilligantLewis
Bonnie stan
Given that three generations in a row, which were all very different otherwise, have all stuck to having TR NOT appear in every episode, it would surprise me greatly if they went back to that.
That's on you then.
No, the plots should interweave, not have one happen start to finish, in such a rush, and only then start the next one.
Well, the way they could make it work (which they'll never do) would be if Ash won a league, and in the next generation, he had to go to 4 diverse places (like they're not all in one location, I mean) to see the four Elite Four, while the girl does the gyms.
MidnightMelody
Hopeful for Gen 8
What I want also replies on GF doing something different. I'd love a more sci fi thing with a focus on VR or AR. I'd want a more serious Ash but at the same time a new Ash. If they want to keep Ash ok but make it like Spider-Man where different series have a different kind of Peter. Go back to the style of OS-DP where things flowed well between series and don't be scared to put Ash in the back seat. It is called Pokemon not Ash. I would be totally fine with Ash taking on a mentor role for a rookie and a younger kid who is like Max or Bonnie but not related to the rookie. Maybe Ash has a cousin that ends up at Pallet and wants to hang out with him. I could see it going like this.
Ep 1-Ash is chilling in Pallet bored when his younger cousin drops by and he shows him his older pokemon only to have Prof.Oak ask him to go to the new region to give the professor something
Ep 2-Focus is on the new rookie choosing a first pokemon only to have Ash and his cousin arrive at the end of the episode
Ep 3-Team Rocket appear making issues for the rookie only to be stopped by Ash once he does what he came to do for Prof.Oak and they all travel together at the end of the three parter
Ep 1-Ash is chilling in Pallet bored when his younger cousin drops by and he shows him his older pokemon only to have Prof.Oak ask him to go to the new region to give the professor something
Ep 2-Focus is on the new rookie choosing a first pokemon only to have Ash and his cousin arrive at the end of the episode
Ep 3-Team Rocket appear making issues for the rookie only to be stopped by Ash once he does what he came to do for Prof.Oak and they all travel together at the end of the three parter
Captain Jigglypuff
Leader of Jigglypuff Army
Don’t make Ash an idiot and make his interactions with TR more jaded and snarky because he’s so used to them that they rarely surprise him. In The incidences where TR DOES succeed in surprising Ash and friends make Ash’s reaction genuinely surprised.
XY very nearly reverted. They barged into a ridiculous amount of stories and their schemes were some of their blandest, especially when they cut the formalities and completely got rid of their BW battle competence.
TR's usage (as well as any similar substitute jobber antagonists) right now tends to depend on how well the twerps can hold stories on their own without plot devices. SM seems to be directly trying to avert Ash's "vanilla" personality so it makes sense he relies on Team Rocket for padding a lot less, it just depends if that idea sticks.
The thing they REALLY need to do in order to stop TR being this looming omen of monotony is to make them relevant antagonists, and not just as in jobbers or gate crashers to half finished plots, they need to offer SOMETHING to the protagonists as characters, a chemistry, a proper challenge, a more personal rivalry, anything of depth, because after a while delivering the exact same curbstomp against them just stops being an interesting accomplishment. BW was the last series to really try this, making them bumbling again in later points, but still moderating their appearances and making the times they did but heads with the twerps more entertaining on both sides. Basically one's role wasn't counter productive to the other's.
SM feels like it SHOULD have done this too, but the problem is, despite giving TR all the resources to be entertaining arch enemies to the twerps, a personal rival, funny characterisation, a power boost through the Z Rings, none of it really seems to make them more effective, the twerps still just stonewall them and flick them away like any other generic villain, and when they can't plot armour just butts in. They still seem to just exist as padding, with no intent for the two sides to have a real dynamic. This is ironic for a series that actually focuses largely on interactions.
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Shadao
Champion GETTO DA ZE!
The Team Rocket trio is Team Skull before Team Skull became a thing in Gen VII. The key difference that Team Skull followed an arc where they eventually disband the organization and strive to become better trainers.
The TRio have yet to complete that step. Thus they are nothing more than punching bags for Ash and friends no matter what level of badass they upgraded themselves. They should be fortunate that anime Team Skull are below them in terms of skill and effectiveness.
The TRio have yet to complete that step. Thus they are nothing more than punching bags for Ash and friends no matter what level of badass they upgraded themselves. They should be fortunate that anime Team Skull are below them in terms of skill and effectiveness.
There are plenty of bungling villains that are stuck in a stagnant loop of failure but can at least make it interesting in HOW they lose. The problem is that the anime has run on for so long that the writers don't even bother adding a punchline to it anymore. TR do motto, twerps call one or two attacks, TR blast off. The only benefit recently are the new Bewear gags.
BW was the last series that really tried to prove that, yes they have to lose no matter what, but at least they can make the process interesting. They can at least force Ash and co to put up a show, or at least get non-stock reactions from them, and prove why you should give a damn. XY-SM TR seem implemented almost as opposite of that, an excuse to keep the hero side bland. Some comical villains do actually work on this level (eg. Wile E Coyote, Dastardly and Muttley) but there is no contradictions in storytelling there because the hero is SUPPOSED to be a prop while the villains are the focus and usually ruin their own plans (this is maybe why Johto did a little better since while it did a lot of TR formula, by Shudo's own admission, TR were often the stars as much as Ash was, so it felt like a full story, in later series they're often just plot devices, and I don't think a single writer would be caught insinuating that the protagonists are intentionally bland).
The Pokemon anime has too often relied on lazy relative approval; making protagonists that are supposed to be remarkable as individuals but usually just pitting them against even bigger losers to hide their blandness. It's not just Team Rocket, every lame rival or COTD all too often feels like a diversion, something to make the protagonists look better than they really are over actually making them interesting. SM has tried to make Ash more vibrant individually, but that hasn't really improved TR as just made them redundant, with Team Skull, an even weaker less impressive version of TR's role, being even more obsolete.
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