Okay, I kinda took long to post here because my computer broke for two weeks and I didn't feel like logging on the laptop to post here (and I also thought my computer would have been fixed quicker), but here are a few things I want to say.
First, I guess whoever theorized in November that Manabu (Marvin) is the protagonist and Soudo and Shieldmillia are his bodyguards could be right.
I was also kinda expecting simultaneous volume releases, but I'm surprised it's just two. I kinda guessed three at once could be too much for some people, but on second thought the average volume price seems kinda cheap.
I don't see why they couldn't release three at once like they did with GSC back in the day. Do Kusaka and Yamamoto need more time for volume-only chapters on early XY?
I also want to post a theory I've been having for some time. Before SwSh started, we were speculating that one of the two main characters could be a cook because of the Curry Dex thing in the games. That didn't happen. But I think we all missed something very obvious: The Rivals. Mary's main Pokémon is Morpeko, a Pokémon that is constantly hungry. Given that, maybe
she is the one who is a cook and showcases the Curry Dex. Just think about it, it's perfect, and is like the kind of thing Kusaka would do.
Also, I have a saved draft of a wall of text on my Google Chrome that I would have finished and posted already if not for the above mentioned computer problem and my lack of motivation to finish in another computer. I'll not finish it now because I want to post this quick, so I'll just do a short version for now and finish my wall of a text for a later post, possibly on next month's thread. I think Kusaka is going to break the name tradition for Pokédex holders and let Rivals become Dex holders again, and the wall of text was mostly about that.
One thing that was mentioned on 5ch a few months back, when Black, White, Lack-two, and Whi-two first met in one place, is that there was no resonance sound from their Pokédexes. I have been wanting to bring this up for some time but never did. Whenever all Pokédex holders of a group meet their Pokédexes resonate by emitting a sound, something we have yet to see since Gen 4. The Unova Pokédexes didn't beep. One could argue that is because Cheren's Pokédex was destroyed, but that didn't stop Yellow's Pokédex, which had its sister devices destroyed in FRLG, from resonating on the
Emerald arc when all 10 Dex holders were united for the first time. So, I think this is evidence there are more Unova Pokédexes, as I don't think Kusaka would forget the resonance sound. Allowing Rivals to become Dex holders again would avoid silliness like X and Y's friends not being able to be main characters despite traveling with them the entire arc. It has also been suggested before that Hau, Gladio, and Lillie could be main characters due to that calendar poster where they are with Sun and Moon. Finally, Mitsuru, the first snubbed Rival could be revealed to have Emerald's old Pokédex in ORAS when we get the full volumes. I mean, he still has to showcase Mega Altaria, so we know there's at least more Mitsuru content being added in the volumes.
Now, this is where I want to get for this post. Due to the fact that one of the main traits of Dex holders is the ownership of Starter Pokémon, the number of main characters being larger than three could cause trouble for the extra ones if they don't have multiple sets of Starters. Unova has three sets, so it's fine. Whi-two is probably going to get Banjirou's Pignite, and I think if N gets a Pokédex, he'll get the Professor's Samurott. The Kalos kids are also fine as one can get the Delphox while the other two get Bulbasaur and Squirtle. The issue is from Alola onward.
One solution I thought is that, due to the Gen 1 Starters being game mascots, the remaining/extra Dex holders could get the legendary mascots of the games. I've been thinking this for a while, but due to Lillie's bond with Hoshigumo (Nebby), I think she'll eventually get Lunala, and Gladio getting Solgaleo. The fact he rides Solgaleo intro Ultra Space at the end, and has a
Midday Lycanroc, instead of the unused Dusk one (which I think might be obtained by Hau in a volume-only chapter, because his training kinda feels like stuff the volumes might add), even though he was previously implied to have an affinity with artificial Pokémon (which Lycanroc isn't), kinda pleased me because it seemed like evidence my theory was right.
And there's Galar. With three Rivals, we have five main characters, and I was thinking, when I first came up with my theory, that Game Freak would never put more main characters than that in a game, so the set up of three Starters and two cover legendaries for the five Pokédex holders seemed perfect for me. So my theory was that PokéSpe SwSh would end up with this setup: Soudo with Grookey, Shieldmillia with Scorbunny, Hop with Sobble, Beet with Zacian, and Mary with Zamazenta. Heck, Zacian, a Fairy-type legendary, for Beet, who becomes a Fairy-type Trainer at the end, seems perfect! Unfortunately for Mary, Zamazenta is not Dark-type, but she still uses one non-Dark Pokémon in the games anyway.
Then they announced the Expansion Pass DLC and two new Rivals, but even so,
The Isle Of Armor has a mascot with two forms. So, Klara and Savory could each get one style of Urshifu each, and this setup still works. And of course, if
The Crown Tundra introduces another Rival (which it might, if the game's theme is anything to go by), PokéSpe can just give Calyrex to them.
Then this month's chapter partially debunked my Galar setup theory by giving Sobble to Manabu, which could imply he's meant to be a main character. I don't know what else to think of as Starter equivalents then, since even if Beet and Mary hypothetically get the wolves, Hop gets nothing. Even if he catches Eternatus, it is not a mascot (not yet anyway, they could launch another DLC), and that would also be the final battle anyway, so it would be like getting his mascot at the end (although, Hue is getting a Snivy literally on the final battle).
Someone on Discord suggested Manabu exists to form a balance with the Rivals, so we get a main trio and a Rival trio. If that theory is correct, then maybe Hop, Beet, and Mary will just have another set of Galar Starters? I'm not sure.
On 5ch, there's a theory that Dande (Leon) has an Inteleon, and is the Water guy between Sun and Soudo. Ignoring the last part for now, Dande
does get one of the Starters in the games. If that is true, maybe he could gift this Inteleon to Hop later. He already has a Charizard anyway.
I still think Klara and Avery will get the two Urshifu forms, regardless of what Kusaka does about Starters/equivalents for Hop, Beet, and Mary. In fact, I think even in the games these two will get an Urshifu. Like, the IoA DLC is about training Kubfu in your chosen style and you have a Rival. It just seems obvious that the Rival will get a Kubfu and evolve into the opposite style's Urshifu.
Finally, two last bits about my Dex holder theory for now: First, Professor Araragi the Father is taking an active role in the finale, and could end up giving out Pokédexes to the Rivals. That wouldn't be unprecedented. In RGB, Blue only got her Pokédex in the penultimate chapter. Someone receiving a Pokédex on the finale would not be new. Second, Professor Magnolia is traveling with Soudo and Shieldmillia, and it's the first time ever a Professor travels with the Dex holders. Perhaps, the reason Kusaka is doing that, is so she can give Pokédexes to the other Rivals during the journey.
April's a bit earlier than expected, though I'm a bit confused.
We still have Ghetsis and Colress to take down, and I can't imagine them both going down in this month's chapter unless it's longer than usual.
Or are we going to have the finale extended in the volume? If so, wouldn't they want to wait an extra month or two so there's more time to, y'know, make the extra stuff?
Maybe the extra stuff has been done in advance. I mean, Kusaka and Yamamoto are the same guys who at one point put out five PokéSpe chapters a month. I can see them making the B2W2 finale in advance and releasing said final chapters one after another monthly just so they can have extra content in the volumes. In that case, it could explain why there's not more XY stuff coming at once: They focused on making B2W2 in advance, and so XY had to wait a bit more for more chapters.
But April still seems weird. If they want extra publishing space for Isle of Armor stuff, that only releases in June, so they could have extra chapters releasing until them. The only other thing I can think of is a
Let's Go arc. And yes, I know some people want a second magazine for more SwSh, but I think Kusaka wants
CoroCoro Aniki for that, and will probably get approval for that due to
Pokémon being the most profitable franchise in the world.
Plus, it's not like SwSh needs to be in a hurry. DLCs are replacing yearly game releases, so Kusaka doesn't have to worry that much about extra games and a new arc every year. I even believe Gen 8 will be longer than Gen 6 and 7 were.
