• Hi all. We have had reports of member's signatures being edited to include malicious content. You can rest assured this wasn't done by staff and we can find no indication that the forums themselves have been compromised.

    However, remember to keep your passwords secure. If you use similar logins on multiple sites, people and even bots may be able to access your account.

    We always recommend using unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication if possible. Make sure you are secure.
  • Be sure to join the discussion on our discord at: Discord.gg/serebii
  • If you're still waiting for the e-mail, be sure to check your junk/spam e-mail folders

Pocket Monsters XY Character Review Thread

Status
Not open for further replies.

KKS-Lapras

Well-Known Member
Why can't it start now? If XY's writing is as great as people claim it is, then it should finally be time for the writers to develop all characters equally in my opinion. I'd even like for Bonnie to develop instead of her just being "cute" all the time and getting episodes where all she does is showcase that cuteness.

Bonnie is more then just cute, she's an outlet for bonding for all 3 of the other cast members. She's also a strong support system for all 3. She's been shown to be witty at times, yes she is cute, but she's enjoyable to have on the screen. As to equal screen-time, it'll never happen, not fully equally. Not in a show that is primarily about Ash. If Serena's goal is something more passive, she will inevitably get less screen-time towards said goal. If Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie are all passive in terms of goals, then equal treatment is highly unlikely, because even passive goals have an order to them when compared to one another. XY's writing can be good, and also not be giving 100% equal treatment, the two do not have to go hand in hand. To some, there's an obsession with this supposed balance, but it's really not what this show has ever been about. Even in real life, some people are just less aggressive, and therefore get less limelight. That's not to say that they won't have their time to shine, because Serena will get hers, but it will happen on the writers terms, and until then, as I've said, the whole circular conversation and obsession with Serena " needs a goal and development" is totally moot.

Do most people on here really think it's that great? I mostly hear people say the writing is subpar as Serena is not getting development and her own goal, Bonnie is only there to be cute, Team Rocket are plot devices, and Ash is likely to lose the Kalos League. And besides, Ash is the main character. It's expected he gets more than the other characters.

The previous points I made in this post apply to this as well.
 
Last edited:

Lorde

Let's go to the beach, each.
Do most people on here really think it's that great?

Yes. The recent Bonnie episode is proof; the episode is being heralded as a great episode despite the fact that Bonnie got no development. I mean even a pointless filler is being praised, so that shows how well-liked XY is in general. But anyway, I think people have a right to want more development for both Bonnie and Serena, especially the latter since female sidekick characters have always been dynamic in their own ways and at the moment, Serena is the opposite of dynamic imho. :c
 
Yes. The recent Bonnie episode is proof; the episode is being heralded as a great episode despite the fact that Bonnie got no development. I mean even a pointless filler is being praised, so that shows how well-liked XY is in general. But anyway, I think people have a right to want more development for both Bonnie and Serena, especially the latter since female sidekick characters have always been dynamic in their own ways and at the moment, Serena is the opposite of dynamic imho. :c

Every saga has their share of fillers that people love despite characters getting limited development so that's nothing new. The fact is there are still people criticizing aspects of this saga daily so I don't think it's as loved as people are making it out to be. People recognize its flaws. And I agree that Serena getting very little despite her being the main girl this saga is something brought up often. But I am willing to wait until Episode 20-25, which is around the time Iris got more.
 

KKS-Lapras

Well-Known Member
Yes. The recent Bonnie episode is proof; the episode is being heralded as a great episode despite the fact that Bonnie got no development. I mean even a pointless filler is being praised, so that shows how well-liked XY is in general. But anyway, I think people have a right to want more development for both Bonnie and Serena, especially the latter since female sidekick characters have always been dynamic in their own ways and at the moment, Serena is the opposite of dynamic imho. :c

It actually was a decent episode. Both the main little girls were adorable, the story helped develop the bond Bonnie has with Serena and Ash, it showed how much Bonnie cares for Dedenne considering even when Pichu and Pikachu were playing, she still got upset. Point is, a character like Bonnie will only ever get subtle moments of development, and to say she got none in that episode, that's just be ridiculous.
 

CyberCubed

Yeah, ok!
This is entirely my opinion, but this group has more natural chemistry. Iris and Cilan were interesting, but their being polar opposites at times got old. Misty was my favorite traveling companion, and as I said, this current group is the first group I've liked in a long time, as I did like Misty and Brock, though the longer Brock was on, the more tired his character became. I'll put it this way, I like Bonnie way more then Max whom was my least favorite traveling companion in general, and I like Serena way more then May, whom was my least favorite of the main girls. I liked Dawn and Tracey both about equally, somewhere in the middle of the likeable scale.

Serena is the most underdeveloped character of all the main girls even just counting the first 15 episodes. She's ironically nothing more than a quieter version of May, who was a lot funnier and more entertaining in 15 episodes than Serena has proven just far.

I find it odd you claim the XY group has such great chemistry when outside of Serena and Bonnie bonding there's not much else to go on so far.
 

Lord Trollbias

Y'all Salty Bishes
Yes. The recent Bonnie episode is proof; the episode is being heralded as a great episode despite the fact that Bonnie got no development. I mean even a pointless filler is being praised, so that shows how well-liked XY is in general. But anyway, I think people have a right to want more development for both Bonnie and Serena, especially the latter since female sidekick characters have always been dynamic in their own ways and at the moment, Serena is the opposite of dynamic imho. :c

Fillers can be great episodes too. Not every episode will be character development. Those episodes will come so I don't see what's so wrong about enjoying a good filler episode. I do agree Serena needs to do more but like I said those episodes will come so I'm not worried.
 

KKS-Lapras

Well-Known Member
Serena is the most underdeveloped character of all the main girls even just counting the first 15 episodes. She's ironically nothing more than a quieter version of May, who was a lot funnier and more entertaining in 15 episodes than Serena has proven just far.

I find it odd you claim the XY group has such great chemistry when outside of Serena and Bonnie bonding there's not much else to go on so far.

Ah yes, May's biggest fan signed on. Everyone can disagree, and I never have, never will like May.

Serena is not as underdeveloped as many you love to shove down the throats of everyone that attends these forums. Her development is subtle, but her character is enjoyable, and will get development and time to shine when the writers are ready to delve into it.
 

CyberCubed

Yeah, ok!
Ah yes, May's biggest fan signed on. Everyone can disagree, and I never have, never will like May.

Serena is not as underdeveloped as many you love to shove down the throats of everyone that attends these forums. Her development is subtle, but her character is enjoyable, and will get development and time to shine when the writers are ready to delve into it.

Why do you pride yourself in not liking May, and the claim Serena is not underdeveloped or rather subdued? Serena doesn't really feel much more than an expie of early Hoenn May just without the enthusiasm.
 

Lorde

Let's go to the beach, each.
Fillers can be great episodes too. Not every episode will be character development. Those episodes will come so I don't see what's so wrong about enjoying a good filler episode. I do agree Serena needs to do more but like I said those episodes will come so I'm not worried.

I don't expect every episode to have character development obviously, but I did predict that neither the Pichu episode nor the Espurr episode would be for the benefit of Bonnie's development. Of course my predictions are almost always scoffed at, but the fact that Bonnie can get away with two filler episodes is what irks me. Either she should get episodes where she develops in some way, or she shouldn't get any at all imo. Those episodes should've been about Serena so that she could've gotten screen-time at least imo.
 

KKS-Lapras

Well-Known Member
Why do you pride yourself in not liking May, and the claim Serena is not underdeveloped or rather subdued? Serena doesn't really feel much more than an expie of early Hoenn May just without the enthusiasm.

Serena is not like May, I see more of Dawn in Serena if she is similar to any of the past main girls. I don't pride myself on not liking May, I just don't like her, not when compared to the other female main characters. What I pride myself on is that I can appreciate subtleties, when so many other people are looking for big developments all at once. You want her character to be written upfront. It's too bad that you waste some much time on the same points, over and over and over.
 
Serena is not as underdeveloped as many you love to shove down the throats of everyone that attends these forums. Her development is subtle, but her character is enjoyable, and will get development and time to shine when the writers are ready to delve into it.

I agree. Just because she doesn't have a goal, battled often, or captured more than one Pokémon does not mean she is not developed. It's been 16 episodes and we learned several things about her, such as her backstory with Ash, her crush, her love of making cookies, her fear of camping out, her fear of losing Ash to another girl, her relationship with Bonnie, etc.
 

CyberCubed

Yeah, ok!
Serena is not like May, I see more of Dawn in Serena if she is similar to any of the past main girls. I don't pride myself on not liking May, I just don't like her, not when compared to the other female main characters. What I pride myself on is that I can appreciate subtleties, when so many other people are looking for big developments all at once. You want her character to be written upfront. It's too bad that you waste some much time on the same points, over and over and over.

This I find very odd, as outside of Serena's design she has no similarities to Dawn at all. It's almost like you've convinced yourself that Serena is this amazing dynamic character yet we see none of it in the actual episodes. If Serena actually was written as good as May or Dawn were we'd have a much more interesting female companion to follow right now.

Everyone in the fandom feels that for the first 15 episodes that Serena is underdeveloped. The crush on Ash is literally the only thing the writers did with her and it doesn't show up in every episode.

I want to really like Serena but I find myself losing interest because there's nothing she's doing that's all that interesting.
 

Lorde

Let's go to the beach, each.
I agree. Just because she doesn't have a goal, battled often, or captured more than one Pokémon does not mean she is not developed.

You're making it sound like those are good things. Serena is completely underdeveloped though. All she really has going for her is her past encounter with Ash and her crush on him and while that's great from a shipping point of view, it does very little for her character. Is her Fennekin supposed to be neglected throughout XY? Because if Serena doesn't get a goal or battle often, then her owning Fennekin or any other Pokemon would be redundant. And I'm personally tired of the "XY just started/it's too early in the saga" excuse.
 

Faker500

Trolls aren't funny!
This I find very odd, as outside of Serena's design she has no similarities to Dawn at all. It's almost like you've convinced yourself that Serena is this amazing dynamic character yet we see none of it in the actual episodes. If Serena actually was written as good as May or Dawn were we'd have a much more interesting female companion to follow right now.

Everyone in the fandom feels that for the first 15 episodes that Serena is underdeveloped. The crush on Ash is literally the only thing the writers did with her and it doesn't show up in every episode.

I want to really like Serena but I find myself losing interest because there's nothing she's doing that's all that interesting.

There really isn't anything that anyone is doing that is all that interesting. Even though Ash has his gym battles, that itself gets pretty boring after a while. Ash is the only one that is really doing anything quest wise, so unless someone gets one of their own, than everyone in the group is in the same boat. Let's hope that changes for the show's sake.
 

Sephora

yes I'm back
I never have, never will like May.

*GASP*

Serena is not as underdeveloped as many you love to shove down the throats of everyone that attends these forums. Her development is subtle, but her character is enjoyable, and will get development and time to shine when the writers are ready to delve into it.

Precisely. Couldn't have said it better myself.
The way some people on here keep going on, you'd think that Serena is the new DP Brock. She will get development and time to shine later down the road for sure.
Like you said, her development currently is very subtle and her story line progression is slow. Does not mean that she will remain that way for the rest of the series.
Serena catching another pokemon and getting more focused episodes is inevitable. I just have my fingers crossed for her goal to be revealed very soon. As much as I don't mind waiting, clearly everyone else does.
 
You're making it sound like that's a good thing. Serena is completely underdeveloped though. All she really has going for her is her past encounter with Ash and her crush on him and while that's great from a shipping point of view, it does very little for her character. Is her Fennekin supposed to be neglected throughout XY? Because if Serena doesn't get a goal or battle often, then her owning Fennekin or any other Pokemon would be redundant. And I'm personally tired of the "XY just started/it's too early in the saga" excuse.

Making what sound like a good thing? I am not saying I am complacent with her not capturing more Pokémon, battling more, etc. It's still only 16 episodes and she really only joined the group in Episode 7. She still has time. What I am saying is she is getting stuff. They are taking their time to give her more development. Iris didn't really start to take off in her development until the mid 20's either. And Serena has more characters to battle with for screen time than Iris did.
 

Vernikova

Champion
Serena is the most underdeveloped character of all the main girls even just counting the first 15 episodes.

I think we can all be grateful that Serena's run is going to be more than fifteen episodes then.
 

Sephora

yes I'm back
And I'm personally tired of the "XY just started/it's too early in the saga" excuse.

But it's true lol. Who says that in the first 16 episodes she has to have everything going for her? For some reason the writers are taking it slow and I don't believe that she will stay the same way she is now throughout the whole series. Think about it; do you really believe Serena will stay in the background with only Fennekin as her partner for the rest of the saga? Personally I highly doubt it. I think people got too spoiled with previous characters knowing what their goal was right from the start.
 

Lorde

Let's go to the beach, each.
I think we can all be grateful that Serena's run is going to be more than fifteen episodes then.

I think the point that others were trying to make is that at least other female companions got some development and made progress towards discovering their goals during their first 15 episodes, whereas Serena hasn't been on par with those other females. Yeah she got XY007 where she battled Team Rocket and learned that she didn't like Rhyhorn Racing, but that was such a minor thing in retrospect.

Btw, I'm not "obsessed" with Serena. I want her to have proper development like Clemont has gotten and I don't see what's so bad about that.
 

Vernikova

Champion
I think the point that others were trying to make is that at least other female companions got some development and made progress towards discovering their goals during their first 15 episodes, whereas Serena hasn't been on par with those other females.

That's a fair critique.

I don't find it to be too much of a problem in a long-runner. There's also that some characters don't need development to be enjoyable characters. Not that I'm saying she won't get any development, though.

Yeah she got XY007 where she battled Team Rocket and learned that she didn't like Rhyhorn Racing, but that was such a minor thing in retrospect.

In retrospect to what? We won't know how that episode impacts her overall development until near the end of it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top