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New Characters/Plot - Discussion/Speculation Thread

epithumia

epithumia

Poison-type enthusiast
is it me or are they favouring more gender-neutral characters this time around? from a western point of view, I'd say Grusha and Penny definetely have a queer-coded look, but even the player characters don't seem particularly boyish/girlish

I love Arven's hair so much
 
MagicEspeon

MagicEspeon

P. F. Magician
Western Pokemon fans are just super weird about gender sometimes. The bishounen and ikemen of Japanese media are just based on a specific male East Asian beauty standard and are largely presumed to be straight in that cultural context. Of course that's not to say that a character can't simultaneously be a bishounen/ikemen and queercoded at the same time (they can be), but the look alone doesn't say much of anything.

I'd also say a queer reading of these characters based on Western beauty standards makes perfect sense since from a Watsonian perspective since they're culturally Spanish/Portuguese, not culturally Japanese. But from a Doylistic perspective, I doubt any long haired pretty boy you see in Pokemon is intentionally queer-coded.

But I don't expect much from the Pokemon fandom when it comes to gender because its full of people who get unnecessarily weird about male Primarina existing and think stuff like this is an even remotely good idea:
VoHJbYs.png

GnY17lS.png
 
Mr.Munchlax

Mr.Munchlax

Great Ball Rank Trainer
I'm wondering if Scarlet & Violet are going to have a definitive champion like Leon & Cynthia, or if they'll just have several Champion Rank trainers
 
Wulava

Wulava

danger chili pepper
Staff member
Moderator
A bit late to the discussion but I guess the three plots revolve around:
- Gyms
- The race flag thing
- The rook-like lighthouses

I wonder how the Legendaries will come into play within the plot and in which one.

As for the characters, I love that we have A LOT of NPCs. Aside from Gym Leaders, we also have the teachers. We also have three "rivals". I also think Clavell might be the villain, but that's simply too obvious. A bit disappointing if that's the case. It's another Rose.

The Snap-like art style is growing on me. I still miss the PLA/SWSH style designs though.
 
lolipiece

lolipiece

Pictured: what browsing Serebii does to a person
Staff member
Moderator
I see the resemblance, but I doubt we'd get another AZ relative. One was enough.
 
L

Luthor

Well-Known Member
Wulava said:
A bit late to the discussion but I guess the three plots revolve around:
- Gyms
- The race flag thing
- The rook-like lighthouses

I wonder how the Legendaries will come into play within the plot and in which one.

As for the characters, I love that we have A LOT of NPCs. Aside from Gym Leaders, we also have the teachers. We also have three "rivals". I also think Clavell might be the villain, but that's simply too obvious. A bit disappointing if that's the case. It's another Rose.

The Snap-like art style is growing on me. I still miss the PLA/SWSH style designs though.
Click to expand...

Here's my guess. But this is pure speculation.

Gyms- will work as normal
Race flag- Some form of Racing mini game- possibly connected to that vehicle seen in the trailer- Legends Arecus did have time trial races after all.
Lighthouses- Something to do with the Legendary Pokemon- more story driven. Possibly connected to the treasure hunt mentioned.

I do think 1 rival will be more used in each path. (E.G. Nemona more associated with gym)
 
Orphalesion

Orphalesion

Well-Known Member
I don't think that Penny looks "queer coded" or all that "androgynous" (just to be clear, I have no problem with queer coded characters, I am gay and always happy about representation, Pokemon should really get some more)
I think she just looks like a 10-12 year old girl with short hair. And from her artwork she appears to be wearing some sort of pleated see through skirt over shorts and leggings, which is a rather feminine look, and the baggy hoody is just realistic for someone of that age (or at least was when I was that age :p )
Come to think of that...how come she isn't wearing the school uniform? Not even the symbol on her sweater looks anything like the school emblems.

But I freaking love Arven and his fabulous hair!

Really all three of the "rival"/friend characters have excellent designs.
 
U

Ultra Beast Lover

Well-Known Member
Yeah now that Orphalesion mentions it, why isn't Penny wearing her uniform? All the other students are wearing their uniform, sure Penny doesn't come to class very often but I guess that since it's a Pokemon school the teachers just assume that any absence is either sickness or studying. Ah, no matter, we'll figure it out eventually. I'm just hopeful that these friends are well developed, not counting the remakes, it's been a while since the story of a Pokemon game made me feel that connection between the player and their friend.
 
F

falconlord

Well-Known Member
Because, in true anime school fashion, the uniform rules only apply to the protag. Is ancient anime law, none may contest it!

In universe, it's probably because she doesn't show up to school that often.
 
RileyXY1

RileyXY1

Young Battle Trainer
Wulava said:
A bit late to the discussion but I guess the three plots revolve around:
- Gyms
- The race flag thing
- The rook-like lighthouses

I wonder how the Legendaries will come into play within the plot and in which one.

As for the characters, I love that we have A LOT of NPCs. Aside from Gym Leaders, we also have the teachers. We also have three "rivals". I also think Clavell might be the villain, but that's simply too obvious. A bit disappointing if that's the case. It's another Rose.

The Snap-like art style is growing on me. I still miss the PLA/SWSH style designs though.
Click to expand...
I think that there won't be any human villains at all.
 
lolipiece

lolipiece

Pictured: what browsing Serebii does to a person
Staff member
Moderator
She could be wearing the top under her hoodie.
 
masdog

masdog

What is the airspeed of an unladen Swellow?
Penny could be a female adaptation of Goh.

Arven looks kind of familiar. I wonder if he is related to anyone from Hisui or Sinnoh…
 
epithumia

epithumia

Poison-type enthusiast
just me then *shrugs* not that I expect any gender statement from the pokémon games, and granted, Grusha has the bishounen look, but Penny's design does stick out in my opinion. I am certain a lot of queer, non binary and even trans guys will see themselves in her.
 
Orphalesion

Orphalesion

Well-Known Member
Ultra Beast Lover said:
Arven-This name means friend of the people in German.
Click to expand...
Uh...German is my native language. And no, it does not mean that. (it does however mean "Inheritance" in Danish, apparently)
"Friend of the people" would be "Freund der Leute" or "Freund des Volkes" depending on the exact meaning of "people"

It apparently is the plural of Arve, a kind of pine tree. But no, it does not mean that.
If that isn't just some stuff a Baby name website has made up (they sometimes do that) or that they have extremely oversimplified to the point of inaccuracy, then it's most likely from some early Germanic language nobody has spoken for over thousand years, but definitely not in modern German.
In the case of the Pokemon character, it is probably derived from menthe arvensis, the scientific name of a kind of mint.
 
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