Pokémon Sword and Shield - How will they impact the anime?

[DragonKahuna]

I would like to see the female companion catching the Grass and Fire starter, while Ash gets the Water starter and the fully evolved form of one of the Grass or Fire starter.

 

[Zoruagible]

In terms of the starters and type distribution, Ash has gotten the Grass starter 6/7 times. The only Grass starter he didn't get was Chespin, which instead went to Clemont. The female companion has currently never obtained the grass starter. Ash has gotten the Fire starter 5/7 times, with the Fire starter going to the female companion both times he didn't get it (Torchic and Fennekin). Ash has gotten the Water starter only 4/7 times, with Mudkip going to Brock, Piplup going to Dawn, and Popplio going to Lana.

And that is why I want Ash to get Sobble
Besides the fact he needs another evolved Water starter, it's just annoying to see the Grass type on his team 90% of the time while the Water gets passed up more than the others. But for some reason people hate the Fire starter unfairly instead.

 

[RileyXY1]

And that is why I want Ash to get Sobble
Besides the fact he needs another evolved Water starter, it's just annoying to see the Grass type on his team 90% of the time while the Water gets passed up more than the others. But for some reason people hate the Fire starter unfairly instead.

If Ash does get Sobble, I don't want it to be the only starter Ash gets because I don't want a repeat of Greninja.

 

[Ignition]

I’d appreciate TRio getting more than one Pokèmon. Still bugs me how their Pokèmon are rarely involved in their quirkinesses unless it’s Wobbuffet. I liked OS, AG, and even DP TRio because at least they got focus outside of being villans. Favorite part of seeing them was Chimeco/Mime Jr pitching in at the end of their motto. Mime Jr for Galar We got somebody similar with the typical “will x release/leave their Pokèmon?” in XY with all of their Pokèmon (even Wobbufett lol) and both have minor moments with Mareanie/Mimikyu but it’s mostly played for gags. The Pokèmon were also more expressive with their Trainers outside of attacking Pikachu yet again because they said so. AG got their teams perfectly and would like something like that again

 

[janejane6178]

If Ash does get Sobble, I don't want it to be the only starter Ash gets because I don't want a repeat of Greninja.

I prefer Greninja situation than him having 2-3 starters and doesnt fully evolve even one of them

 

[DatsRight]

I’d appreciate TRio getting more than one Pokèmon. Still bugs me how their Pokèmon are rarely involved in their quirkinesses unless it’s Wobbuffet. I liked OS, AG, and even DP TRio because at least they got focus outside of being villans. Favorite part of seeing them was Chimeco/Mime Jr pitching in at the end of their motto. Mime Jr for Galar We got somebody similar with the typical “will x release/leave their Pokèmon?” in XY with all of their Pokèmon (even Wobbufett lol) and both have minor moments with Mareanie/Mimikyu but it’s mostly played for gags. The Pokèmon were also more expressive with their Trainers outside of attacking Pikachu yet again because they said so. AG got their teams perfectly and would like something like that again

The problem is getting the balance. SM in particular is all over the place. They have two captures, but seldom use them, even in spite of having FREAKING Z MOVES for both of them, likely because they can't be bothered thinking up ways for the twerps to counter them. They almost never use Wobbuffet for anything but comic relief (he hasn't even had his token limelight episode yet) and oddly Meowth gets used the most for battling. I mean I don't mind Meowth trying more often, but he is always designated the weakest battler in the series outside gags or enemy mines, so using him so consistently without ever letting him get any better is almost like cutting the formalities and saying they're not even trying anymore. Mareanie is probably the most balanced in terms of quirks, bonds, and battling, we even see her in a few costume antics, but as mentioned we don't see her nearly often enough.

AG was still kind of in and out, they still rarely had good battles or used their resources when they should (though they at least gave a half assed excuse for Chimecho) but I liked the fact they had a more varied team. XY and SM having them so ridiculously outnumbered leaves it blatant to the fact they'll NEVER be a real threat, even when they upped their game, one of the twerps just has to bring in a second Pokemon and they're screwed, while as shown with odd times like 'Do I Hear A Ralts' the earlier bigger teams at least still had the potential to keep pace with the twerps at full power. I did prefer the feeling that TR facing the twerps wasn't CONSISTENTLY pointless and that they could still sometimes offer them a meaningful challenge that made them feel relevant as antagonists.

A problem is that the show seems to have gotten increasingly lethargic with Team Rocket as actual antagonists. They like giving them their character moments, but as threats they're now designed to be INCREDIBLY bare bones, more or less just an effortless target for the twerps to smash through, no chemistry, no challenges, no variation. They are just there to butt in when they run out of other more developed things for the twerps to do. I don't see TR actually improving in that area unless the writers regain interest in making them a proper foil for the twerps again and making entertaining and spontaneous face offs between them. Ultra Legends has done a little better recently, but only relatively.

 

[Storm the Lycanroc]

What if they only had two characters this time, Ash and the female trainer? We've had groups of 3-4 people throughout the series so why not just focus on two? If they each have specific goals then they can focus on character development for their Pokemon and themselves. Although knowing this community people would probably ship Ash and Scottish trainer...

 

[Pokegirl Fan~]

What if they only had two characters this time, Ash and the female trainer? We've had groups of 3-4 people throughout the series so why not just focus on two? If they each have specific goals then they can focus on character development for their Pokemon and themselves. Although knowing this community people would probably ship Ash and Scottish trainer...

They'll ship Ash and the main girl regardless of how many characters are in the group. But I agree, I would like a 2 person group for once.

 

[DatsRight]

The main concern is chemistries and dynamics with only two people. SM despite suffering the opposite extreme of being over bloated in cast, at least had this redeeming aspect, while unless they have loads of long term 'guest members' it might be harder to keep the dynamic fresh with a limited amount of characters.

Truthfully I wouldn't mind if they went with SM's established supporting cast premise again, though maybe smaller in size. This time however, show chemistries and dynamics between the other companions more often and maybe play more on Ash butts into all of that. I was kinda surprised SM never tried a 'jealousy arc' with one of the companions, given Ash comes into the main group much later and yet quickly ends up the experienced and more charismatic leader. Mallow or Kiawe in particular could have felt outshone by Ash, as could some of the Pokemon by how experienced Pikachu is. It would have also felt like a good opposite direction against XY where everyone idolised him.

 

[UltimateNinja]

Although knowing this community people would probably ship Ash and Scottish trainer...

If there must be some kind of shipping, then female trainer x male trainer, who's also a rival for both her and Ash and not part of the main group so we won't see him in every episode.

 

[Jeal]

What if they only had two characters this time, Ash and the female trainer? We've had groups of 3-4 people throughout the series so why not just focus on two? If they each have specific goals then they can focus on character development for their Pokemon and themselves. Although knowing this community people would probably ship Ash and Scottish trainer...

Please no, just Ash and the girl would be so bland. The interaction would be very limited.

 

[shoz999]

Please no, just Ash and the girl would be so bland. The interaction would be very limited.

It's a simple but effective character dynamic that has worked a lot in Pokemon Adventures and given some of the best and downright hilarious interactions in the Pokemon series. I see no reason why it can't work for the anime.

 

[Zoruagible]

Please no, just Ash and the girl would be so bland. The interaction would be very limited.

Hm????
The male and female companions hardly ever interact as it is lol Clemont and Serena are the best example
And we hardly see the other characters interact with the other's rivals anyways, Miette's really the only one to have done so recently. Wouldn't really count Gladion since he and Lillie are family, you still don't see him chatting it up with the others

A series with just Ash and a female could be very beneficial to both, especially how we get roughly 50 new Pokemon each gen now instead of 100-150 like the old days
Ash could potentially have reserves again, and the female could have more than three Pokemon for the first time in.... almost 10 years, wow!

And it opens up more episodes to develop their team further rather than a third wheel character getting focus episodes

 

[Kintaro]

There will never just be two people, lmao. It'll either be a trio again or something completely new like SM did.

 

[RileyXY1]

There will never just be two people, lmao. It'll either be a trio again or something completely new like SM did.

They might do another younger sibling, but I don't know if they will.

 

[Zoruagible]

They might do another younger sibling, but I don't know if they will.

Hopefully not
A classic three looks mighty good right now as we haven't had that since BW, though I'd still take just Ash and a female over that. I just don't want more than three main characters

There's not much you can really do with a younger sibling that hasn't already been done. They could change things up and just make the male/female companions siblings, but that's about it

 

[shoz999]

There will never just be two people, lmao. It'll either be a trio again or something completely new like SM did.

Wouldn't a duo for almost an entire journey be considered completely new for the anime?

 

[Kintaro]

The only time a duo could have worked is in DP when the female companion got near equal screentime to Ash like Dawn did, hence why Brock was treated like background exposition material throughout the saga. If you were to chop Brock out of DP, about 90% of the episodes would have played out exactly the same. The writers were able to ignore Brock in DP because he was such an old tired character by that point, but they wouldn't be able to do that with a new male companion because why bother introducing them then, etc.

 

[Deleted member 384931]

If there must be some kind of shipping, then female trainer x male trainer, who's also a rival for both her and Ash and not part of the main group so we won't see him in every episode.

Like if Ash will ever understand what love is... (even after he was kissed)

 

[Jeal]

Hm????
The male and female companions hardly ever interact as it is lol Clemont and Serena are the best example

An error don't fix another error.

Interactions with three characters

Ash - girl
Ash - boy
Girl - boy(sometimes, but still)

Interactions with two characters

Ash - girl

What they need to do is introduce a male companion who is more than cook, map and judge.