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Pocket Monsters 2019 Anime: Thoughts before anime started vs thoughts now!

Spider-Phoenix

#ChespinGang

Leonhart

Imagineer
SerGoldenhandtheJust said:
Considering the nature of this series there is no need for Milo to appear first lol. Ash may not even have to battle him and it can be regulated to other minor characters

I think that Yarrow being a Gym Leader pretty much guarantees him an appearance, though. Even if he wouldn't battle Satoshi, he'll probably get an episode to himself later down the line. I still wish he'd been Satoshi's male companion, though.
 

Leonhart

Imagineer
Mythical-Moonlight said:
This just made me realize that Gou is Ash's first Male Companion who isn't a Gym Leader lol

(I know Kiawe and Sophocles are Trial Captains but still)

I hadn't thought of that, but it's probably for the best since Takeshi and Dent being Gym Leaders didn't have much of an impact on the plot of OS or BW. I typically dislike anime original characters for the most part, although Gou's design and role are fine.
 

Red and Blue

Well-Known Member
Had there been a traditional SwSh series I think Ash's male companion would have been Allister. They were already around the same age group.
 

Mew29240

Well-Known Member
Had there been a traditional SwSh series I think Ash's male companion would have been Allister. They were already around the same age group.

I think it would be better if Gordie and Bea (and maybe Sonia if you want a 4-person group) became Ash's companions in a Galar-focused series. That way, they could include all the Galar Gym Leaders (with Allister and Melony being the ones he has to beat) in the anime.
 

Applecorp

Well-Known Member
I thought it was going to redeem a lot of the mistakes the writing staff made years ago but instead they've just made a whole new batch of mistakes from wasted opportunities. :(

I wish the fillers wouldn't happen so frequently because what's the point of having so many now any ways? Unlike before the pacing can leap forward at any time because there's no badge quest or league happening so I wish they'd stop dragging their heels.
 

lolipiece

Pictured: what browsing Serebii does to a person
Staff member
Moderator
Why would they use the artist to promote a photography game? He doesn't even have connections to Snap.
 
D

Deleted member 384931

Guest
Isnt that positive. It is a hit or miss show tbh rn.
 

Ultra Beast Lover

Well-Known Member
Warning, essay hidden behind button. I don't think I'm yet able to explain why I don't like Go so it may appear sloppy.

This year of Pokemon has been tough to say the least. The anime continues to transition out of the old formula. Change is good, especially for a franchise that could go on until the end of the world. We have gone four generations now without Brock, while I wish he had been there for the Alola League I do think that him leaving was a good change as it allows other characters a moment to shine. With this generation I think it is apparent that the badge quest is at least over for the foreseeable future. Though, Ash staying in one place so often does make me concerned that the anime is losing its roots, if this is the case we might have to prepare for a nasty dork age.

The quest this time around is the PWC, it's our league replacement. It involves Ash ranking up to Master Class, he is in Ultra Class, right below Master Class, expect him to rank up and down until he needs to be at Master Rank. The appeal of the badge quest was the big countdown that would cause you to grow more and more excited and dreadful because the big day would be coming up, a day fans celebrate like an actual football tournament, and the big day where we'd have to say goodbye to our beloved friends would be close behind. Here though? The PWC is fixed, the progress is fake, the hype is disingenuous, Ash will be where he needs to be until he needs to be at the Master Rank. They also rushed through the Darkest Day, something I still go back and forth an being ok with. The villain plot is a highly anticipated event, the second to last obstacle before the league, a way for us to say, "We're ready to fight the ultimate battle." Here though, they go through it in four episodes, yet some parts are still better than the games.

We have a co-protagonist in Go, a divisive character to say the least. I try to be fair to characters but if I'm being honest he's pretty boring. He's subdued compared to others in terms of personality and design. His difficulty with empathy is often mishandled to the point where it doesn't feel like he quite gets what he did wrong, he still hasn't apologized to Cinderace for snapping at him as a Scorebunny and he can come across as unsympathetic. The main issue is his goal of catching every Pokemon, which he doesn't typically struggle with, only a few put up a fight. Some Pokemon probably would be willing to just be caught however, as much as we joke about it, the purpose of fighting Pokemon before catching them, or in Ash's case befriending them isn't just to make it easier but also to gain their respect. You don't catch a fainted Pokemon because there's no honor in it. A trainer has to show that they have a certain level of restraint when catching a Pokemon, after a while a person might be tempted to just knock a Pokemon out and catch it but if you keep going and resist that urge long enough the Pokemon will deem you worthy of its power. And some Pokemon just deem everyone as worthy. Where's the sportsmanship in chucking a pokeball at a Pokemon and not letting them fight?

As for the side characters, so far only Chloe has had development, I forget most others' names. We spend much time region hopping though our base is in Kanto. We go to familiar places but there's no familiar faces. Going to a familiar place without seeing old friends is like going to your old school when no one's around, it's just so empty without old faces saying, "Hey Ash!" I don't miss these towns or even the regions, I miss who I associate with these regions. Ash has been getting popular Pokemon from other generations but I don't feel too excited, not like I should. I think it's due to lack of development and the fact that they were given so quickly. Riolu was the most exciting because they brought back aura just so Ash could bond with it. It just feels like they're relying so much on hype. The anime has always been merchandise driven but it didn't use to feel like it, at least it was never obvious to me. But here? It's extremely obvious why Ash was given these Pokemon.

In conclusion this first complete year of life for Journeys has been a bumpy ride. It's had high moments, low moments, and it feels as though the writers are at a loss of what to do as I don't think they ever considered not having a badge quest. Hopefully this next year proves to be a better time for fans.
 

Unireon

Member
Had there been a traditional SwSh series I think Ash's male companion would have been Allister. They were already around the same age group.
Agreed. They could balance each other in terms of personalities/attitude.
Outgoing and Shy Combi.
I actually pictured it after Onion was revealed.

Almost fifty episodes of this series.....
I'm upset at how they managed to mangle what looked promising....
  • Satoshi's 'New Goal' has been neglected for so long that I started to think that the intro was lying. At this point it looks like he already forgot everything about it and shifted to travel wherever the writers want and being Ooc or being sidelined. As well as having some lapses regarding his skills and previous experiences, he's a seasoned veteran trainer, that has to be shown not just told or left for assuming. Shut down his antics.
  • His Pokemon are suffering from it, Kairyuu and Gengar appear so sporadically that are unable to develop or show their abilities/quirks. Riolu/Lucario is getting overused and evolved too fast/at a very convenient moment, even if I was among those who wanted Satoshi having one since DP. Pikachu suffered from bad writing and a glaring Ooc moment. That duck..... Ugh, Anipoke's Worst Satoshi's Capture for sure. Hope it gets realeased/gifted to a Cotd. Please, writers.
  • Koharu, I admit that I disliked her at the beginning..... But she truly is undergoing an amazing development, her issues and growth feel real and relatable. Only dampened by how long it took to even start. I liked her last episode, mainly because of the interactions between her and Eevee. While still not there, she's getting among my favourite characters at a steady pace.
  • Team Rocket..... They appear uncalled on episodes that doesn't need them. Lost their comedic appeal and any hint of competence. Them foiling the Resort heist, where they were at least resourceful and got a victory, was the only highlight for them. For now. I hope that the Gacha not working is a sign of a change, them getting their own Pokemon. They could be written better, I believe that.
  • Cotd and recurring: Mostly neutral about them. Liked Kikuna shift in personality and passionate side during the Eating Constest, because it was so unexpected. Loved Karabari and Tokio and I really want them to have more appearances. And despised Gengar's former trainer, even if he's getting mistreated again...... Thanks, writers. Though my favourite was the Trainer with the Kamukame in, irony here, the episode where the lame bird gets caught. I wish that he, at least, had a name.
And that's all, even if it has his good moments for all those characters that I like or grown to care about...... The rest has been passable at best and disappointing at worst. And infuriating when that duck got thrown into Satoshi's team. Despite that, I'll keep on watching.
I'm curious about what will happen with the fossils and Suicune. Maybe skip the Digda episode and hope that that duck gets cast out of the series.

What the future will bring to Satoshi and Koharu; their stories, lives and beyond.
 

Dragonsoldier77

Bittersweet Satisfaction
I don’t hate goh, but i think having a double protagonist puts ash’s flaws as a character in the spotlight.

I don’t think ash has ever felt as inconsequential as he is now. Like ash has never been the most deeply written character out there let’s be honest, but without the tittle of ‘main character’ covering him it feels like there’s less reason to even pay attention to him. Rather than following his story, ash feels like he’s just along for the ride as much as us.

It also doesn’t help that his goal has felt forgotten for a good chunk time now. Using a ranking was a great way to give ash constant progress along side goh’s goal, but the way it’s been sidelined just makes ash look aimless and less important than goh. Which then makes his pokemon feels even less important with the lack of appearance. I feel like ash’s only memorable achievement in regards to his goal so far is beating korrina and that’s it.

Then there’s the unending disappointment of the region hopping concept. Man there’s so much potential for this, but so far they really have barely put it to use in a meaningful way.
 
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