Is Pokemon really aimed just for Children?

[Platinum fan.]

I thought Pokemon was aimed at primates! They lied to me! They are liars!

Anyway Pokemon is aimed at kids obviously and for kids to play the games as advertisement. Pretty much most if not all Pokemon stuff is advertisement to play the games. However if kids get all excited to play as their favorite characters from the show, only two of them are available for a playthrough. Well three if you include Lyra.

 

[GetOutOfBox]

The anime is marketed for children, and aside from people who have nostalgic connections to the franchise (myself included), almost all of it's audience is made up of children. I'd say 90% of the time the humor is extremely corny, and the plot ridiculously simple (walk to a gym, help random strangers along the way, repeat), but I still manage to enjoy it, since I can remember a time when I truly loved the show, which helps make it more enjoyable. Virtually anyone who did not watch the show as a kid probably would hate the show (at least most of it, it's had a few shining moments).

The games are a different manner, since they have the benefit of less stigma and having catchy (pardon the pun )gameplay.

 

[-Nator-]

It's SUITABLE for kids, not made for them. The Y7 rating is the equivalent of PG. Now let's tally up how many adults watch PG shows/movies...

 

[iraqmaster]

Honestly, I can say that Pokemon is aimed primarily for children. I remember back when I was but a young lad in Pokemon's early days, kids would mainly talk about other anime such as :

Dragonball Z
Sailor Moon
Monster Rancher
Digimon

Only sparingly did I hear others mention pokemon..

 

[Ace Of Keys]

While it may be aimed for children I don't think they've made it hard for people older to enjoy the show. For example the extreme methods of Hunter J. She's probably the only antagonistic presence that actually tried to kill someone as opposed to disabling or preventing the main characters from getting in their way

 

[Serebii]

The anime is actually aimed at 8-12 year olds. It has been said as such in interviews. That said, it's not exclusive to that.

The games are not solely aimed at children and they're fully aware of it. Being accessible for kids does not mean it's aimed at them

 

[Ace Of Keys]

The anime is actually aimed at 8-12 year olds. It has been said as such in interviews. That said, it's not exclusive to that.

The games are not solely aimed at children and they're fully aware of it. Being accessible for kids does not mean it's aimed at them

That does make sense. Its pretty good that they are aware of who watches the show and plays the games. I mean its kinda hard to let go of things you were fond of growing up, let alone find something that still appeals to you the way it did as a kid

 

[Haunter ゴースト]

It's aimed for kids, that doesn't mean only kids can watch it.

The majority of the Serebii forum fanbase proves just that.

 

[CyberCubed]

The only reason there are older people watching it now is because all the original fanbase grew up and is now around 18-25 year old.

Back in 1998, I bet it would be very rare for anyone over the age of 20 to start watching Pokemon. If you were an adult back then, there was no reason to.

Given the show went on for 14 years, anyone who was around 8-10 years old when Pokemon started is now around 23-24. Pretty damn scary how we all grew up.

 

[Pepsi_Plunge]

In the anime the main target is the children, doesn't mean they don 't want to hit other demographics but the main target yes its the children.

The games are for everyone same with the mangas.

 

[KingMinun]

The only reason there are older people watching it now is because all the original fanbase grew up and is now around 18-25 year old.

Back in 1998, I bet it would be very rare for anyone over the age of 20 to start watching Pokemon. If you were an adult back then, there was no reason to.

Given the show went on for 14 years, anyone who was around 8-10 years old when Pokemon started is now around 23-24. Pretty damn scary how we all grew up.

I agree, it is pretty scary. I was 6-7 when it first came here in the UK. I remember the trading cards starting the craze off, then suddenly the games appeared along with the anime. I remember running around my streets pretending to be Ash and Bulbasaur with my friends playing Brock and his pokemon and my sister playing Misty. Now, I'm going to be 18 in less than 2 months, and I'm the only 1 out of us who still like it. Time's flown by.

 

[randomspot555]

I think it's important to put into perspective the other types of animated (anime and other animated series) have an adult audience (let's say adult is 16+).

I think any series that is tied into some type of well known franchise, such as Sonic, Spider-Man, Superman, Batman, etc... will end up with a good chunk of adults because they are active consumers of other media of the franchise (comics, movies, video games ,etc...).

But the "new" audience for Pokemon, people that watch Cartoon Network at 7am or whatever, those are primarily young children. Always have been, always will be.

I think Cybercubed also brings up a good point. A lot of adult Pokemon anime viewers likely have been viewing it since the beginning. I doubt there are a lot of new adult anime viewers.

 

[Blessed]

The way best wishes looks and everything it's now obviously for children. Anyone watching now has watched since ep 1 so, The games are a different story, because a lot of older teenagers still play the games and don't consider it childish.

 

[Kutie Pie]

Back in 1998, I bet it would be very rare for anyone over the age of 20 to start watching Pokemon. If you were an adult back then, there was no reason to.

So I suppose the parents don't count, then? Yeah, it's not really based on willpower since the children tend to take over the TV during the weekend for the morning cartoons, still, I think the majority of the viewers over the age of 20 were the parents. I remember my mom sometimes sitting down with us to watch it. She doesn't like the franchise anymore, but she still says Psyduck is her favorite Pokémon because it has the ability to summon god-like power through migraines. Heck, she actually knew almost all 150 (including Togepi and Mew, so I "guess" 152) Pokémon before Johto was revealed, so at least she was finding herself liking the show--if just to collect the merchandise for the future.

And besides, how else would the kids go see the movies? About half the audience had to have been adults.

 

[iLLBlueMisT]

It was intenionally aimed for children. But for those that have grown up with it have learned to really enjoy it. Then making for children and an older generation. I play pokemon all the time and im 21 now.

 

[OshyHikari]

Yeah, Pokemon was initially intended for a younger audience but those Pokefans from the old days have since grown up and they still love Pokemon.

Now that B/W has protagonists that are older than 10 really shows that we have older Pokefans out there. I'm 19 and I still play Pokemon games.

 

[1rkhachatryan]

Considering Ash doesn't even know what a couple is, I think it's safe to say it is aimed at kids.

 

[KingMinun]

So I suppose the parents don't count, then? Yeah, it's not really based on willpower since the children tend to take over the TV during the weekend for the morning cartoons, still, I think the majority of the viewers over the age of 20 were the parents. I remember my mom sometimes sitting down with us to watch it. She doesn't like the franchise anymore, but she still says Psyduck is her favorite Pokémon because it has the ability to summon god-like power through migraines. Heck, she actually knew almost all 150 (including Togepi and Mew, so I "guess" 152) Pokémon before Johto was revealed, so at least she was finding herself liking the show--if just to collect the merchandise for the future.

And besides, how else would the kids go see the movies? About half the audience had to have been adults.

My mum wasn't like that but my neighbours mum used to watch pokemon from time to time with us, she even used to buy Jigglypuff t-shirts for women and wear them.

 

[SoulSilverMstr411]

The anime and TCG? Yes. The manga and some of the videogames? Maybe not.

 

[Nauran]

Kids (7-12) are the main demographic, but that doesn't mean the anime can't appeal to anyone older.

It'd be difficult with how lacking it is these days, but it's not impossible. The first three movies will forever be the best of the best.

If only they could reach that calibre again...

There's always this thought in the back of my head that sometime, somewhere, someone will create a pokemon anime that is worthy of the grand double-decade series.