Well the truth here is one: Brock and Misty were bad characters during OS. Say what you want but outside the greasy scenes that involved were not very remarkable that say, only have the favor of nostalgia, nothing more.
Misty and Brock were bad characters? Says who?
For characters who played highly important role in Ash development as trainer and person acting like his coaches and mentors. Characters with greatly defined and complex personalities and backstory(especially Misty with all complex of inferiority, imposed by sisters, struggle in discerning what she feels for Ash, ambivalent stance regarding her desires and dream of becoming water master).
Characters who had several highly memorable and fun pokemon. Who helped move story on their own through their charisma, flexibility, wisdom and curious nature were anything but bad characters.
They may had not received stellar handle of their own dreams, but role they played they did very well. I dare to say even great.
Im baffled that so many people in here who obviously didn't grew up with later generations still don't know what were Original series about and what was their main focus whe telling the story.
It was about adventure, friendship, build on human personalities and introduction to pokemon world itself.
Beside who can say they had no development? Misty alone faced more hardships, prejudice and conflicts related to her own dreams than Serena did and she matured considerably evolving in character aspect.
Having different companions makes it more interesting and including newer gen Pokemon shows that, even though they weren't around in the anime seires of the nineties, these Pokemon still existed in their specific regions and trainers from those said reasons came to Kanto to train or to study.
Appeal to novelty! Just because its something new dies not mean its going to be automatically good.
There is no reason to believe that presence of Misty and Brock in this movie wouldn't be able to deliver new, original storyline as well. Or make different, interesting additions and changes regarding them in perhaps catching new pokemon, learning about missing pieces about their past receiving more depth. Cast new light in their long term careers and wishes acquiring new knowledge, fun quirks as result of changing and growing up. Or being pat of entirely fresh and exciting new plot and adventure.
Why there exist such false and misleading belief of new things not being possible to be done with older characters renewing them in fresh, entertaining light is beyond me.
A lot of newer fans don't even know who Misty is. Her being in this movie won't mean anything more to them than having an original character.
Just like they have no idea who this new characters are knowing nothing about them. So what difference does it make if Misty and Brock were in it
Most importantly this movie will be anything but aimed even partially for older fans since it treats pokemon roots and original characters with utter disrespect.
Because I already know all about Misty and Brock and they have nothing new to offer to me in terms of storytelling.
New characters potentially getting new companions status is very interesting IMO.
As narrow-minded as usual. Stay classy.
You do realize your doing same thing? By rejecting any possibility of Misty and Brock as characters themselves having new things, untold secrets about their past, updates and new directions through which their goals and stories could be made to offer.
Im sorry but just as it may be "narrow minded" to reject new characters due to being in movie which was supposed to celebrate 20 years of pokemon anime airing being freaking anniversary(pokemon must be only anime which for this kind of milestone ignores and spit on roots and original cast).
Its just as much narrow minded to hold such negative prejudice of Brock and especially Misty who lasted in main anime for much shorter(and we even have confirmation from Shudo blogs how she was never used to full potential despite that same potential existing resulting in half assed and rushed exit with no real closure).
To not have potential and material to deliver something new and exciting.
Something im willing to challenge and debate about because they do.