Sun & Moon Pokémon Speculation Thread

[Pikasaur]

Not arguing that it wont, but i see no reason for Charjabug to evolve.

Sophocles has shown Zero interest in battling. Outside the Lusamine/Ultra Space thing he really hasn't done much.

Popplio evolving, i don't mind. Lana has a Z-Ring and Crystal, plus Brionne could make bigger bubbles if thats still what Lana goes for.

 

[Decidueye23]

JFC, I reiterate what I said earlier. I hope in Gen VIII, it's either just Ash with no companions or Gen VIII lasts longer than three years. Those are the only ways Ash is going to have a fully evolved, properly developed team with no rushed evolutions or anything.


I mean, other than Goodra and one or two cases of Early Installment Weirdness (specifically thinking of the Weepinbell James got in that trade with the Magikarp salesman evolving without the use of a Leaf Stone), when else has the method of evolving been changed? They've been consistent with that in SM.

Agreed that in sun and moon they have been consistent ,but previously slowpoke evolved into slowbro when a shelder bit its tail, and serena's eevee evolved without learning a fairy move if i remember correctly. i am not saying that something likely will happen but since the concept of candy is non existant yet in the anime world so i am assuming they might have a different method to show a meltan evolving if at all they show.

 

[Blaze Master X]

I would laugh so hard if Ash would catch Meltan or Totem Kommo-o.

Rowlet - Grass Starter
Torracat - Fire Starter
Dusk Lycanroc - Special Form
Solgaleo (Unofficial) - Legendary
Poipole - Ultra Beast

 

[Joltik-Kid]

Well they could pull a Goodra where it comes back for the league and then leaves again right after. I'm not saying it's good writing, but that it's probably expected because the options are so limited.

With the way things are going, I wouldn't put it past them to just straight up do this... however nickdt put it best, Goodra was always an option to return thanks to being in a known location with a human character nearby. Outside of forcing an Ultra Recon Squad (who have no business showing up at this point) moment where Poipole just happens to tag along, there's no way to make it fit in a narrative sense as to why it's back.

Popplio evolving, i don't mind. Lana has a Z-Ring and Crystal, plus Brionne could make bigger bubbles if thats still what Lana goes for.

Actually, both the Z-Ring and the evolution are pretty undeserved considering Lana is the 3rd wheel battler, if you can even truly call her one, behind Ash and Kiawe. If anything, those two are the truly deserving ones, yet both have been stalled because the writers just now remembered the others exist. Pretty silly if it's evolving only for bigger bubbles...

 

[Golden_Latias]

Possibly hot take, but I honestly don't mind the others getting some focus for a little bit. Ash will be back in Gen VIII. So what if he doesn't wind up with the world's most powerful team in this series? SM isn't trying to be an action-oriented series anyway. And who knows? Maybe Gen VIII will be more action-oriented like XY(Z) was, and maybe Ash will wind up with a powerhouse team then.

But most likely, we're never going to see the supporting cast ever again once SM is over. So as far as I'm concerned, they might as well be active and doing stuff instead of being background fodder and cheerleaders for Ash. Because if that's all they're going to be, they're better off not being part of the main cast at all.

Ash had a ton of focus last year anyway, where the other characters basically got nothing aside from Lillie getting the Icium-Z, Steenee evolving, and Nagisa at the very end of the year. The series isn't fun to watch when Ash is the only one who gets to do stuff or when Ash is the only one who gets cool stuff while everyone else just stands in the background and watches. Then, it might as well be the fourth season of Digimon or something.

 

[Sceptile Leaf Blade]

Actually, both the Z-Ring and the evolution are pretty undeserved considering Lana is the 3rd wheel battler, if you can even truly call her one, behind Ash and Kiawe. If anything, those two are the truly deserving ones, yet both have been stalled because the writers just now remembered the others exist. Pretty silly if it's evolving only for bigger bubbles...

That's going by the pretence that only battlers deserve Z-Moves, which has never been stated to be the case. Lana deserved the Z-Ring because she managed to tame and work with the most difficult Stoutland, because she selflessly put herself on the line in between a dangerous Garbodor and both her own Popplio and the Stoutland that had not done anything for her whatsoever before. That's why she deserved the Z-Ring. Lana deserved the Z-Crystal because she went out of her way and nursed an injured Wishiwashi expecting nothing in return, and after that went fishing not expecting a reward. She just wanted a fun fishing adventure. And she proved herself a capable fisher by managing to work together with Popplio and reel in Totem Wishiwashi.

For both the Z-Ring and the Z-Crystal, a large portion of what makes Lana properly earn them is her character strength. Strength comes in different forms and pokémon battles are just one of them. It's also a large reason as to why Lillie deserved her Icium Z. Because she selflessly entered a battle, not expecting a reward or anything, but purely to protect the Sandshrew. It's even something that Kiawe outright says in the second episode. "Only those with feelings for something other than themselves are permitted to use Z-Moves!" To diminish their character strength so readily diminishes a lot of what the Sun and Moon anime is really about at a deeper level, beyond being cute and funny. Pokémon Sun and Moon isn't just about battles, it's more than any pokémon series before it just as much about characters and their choices.

In regards to Popplio evolving. It has a lot of growth in over a hundred episodes. It got consistently and steadily better and better with its balloons, it learned a couple of new moves, it trained and learned how to use Z-Moves, it is very often also seen practising and training in the background in scenes that are often not even about Popplio at all. It has done plenty in its Popplio stage, and evolving is the next stage in Popplio's development and growth.

 

[bewearsus]

Possibly hot take, but I honestly don't mind the others getting some focus for a little bit. Ash will be back in Gen VIII. So what if he doesn't wind up with the world's most powerful team in this series? SM isn't trying to be an action-oriented series anyway. And who knows? Maybe Gen VIII will be more action-oriented like XY(Z) was, and maybe Ash will wind up with a powerhouse team then.

But most likely, we're never going to see the supporting cast ever again once SM is over. So as far as I'm concerned, they might as well be active and doing stuff instead of being background fodder and cheerleaders for Ash. Because if that's all they're going to be, they're better off not being part of the main cast at all.

Ash had a ton of focus last year anyway, where the other characters basically got nothing aside from Lillie getting the Icium-Z, Steenee evolving, and Nagisa at the very end of the year. The series isn't fun to watch when Ash is the only one who gets to do stuff or when Ash is the only one who gets cool stuff while everyone else just stands in the background and watches. Then, it might as well be the fourth season of Digimon or something.

No wonder the anime is flopping. Gen 8 better be action based and NOT QoL comedy mess.

 

[Pokegirl Fan~]

No wonder the anime is flopping. Gen 8 better be action based and NOT QoL comedy mess.

What sources say that the anime is flopping? If youre talking about ratings than you're mistaken because ratings don't mean squat.

 

[DatsRight]

The problem isn't Lana having a Z Ring but the fact that, doing almost no official battling and the show failing to establish any alternative use for the Z Moves, means she has no real developed agenda to use it on.

Ash battles for his main goal so it makes sense for him to have one. Kiawe doesn't battle AS often but he does the token amount of developed battles (ie. not curb stomps against jobber bad guys with no relevance to him). Him also having one allowed agency in the form introducing the mechanic in the first few episodes before Ash had one, and his general personality is an Alolan culture enthusiast. Even Team Rocket have at least used theirs a couple odd times to befit their schemes (if admittedly in an absurdly sporadic amount).

Lana at this point lacks a specific agency for her Z Ring, even in terms of demonstrating Waterium Z a COTD did that for her, while Lillie will at least supposedly introduce Icium Z and has mentioned wanting to learn the ropes in battling.

 

[Zariful]

You know what surprises me even more. Gladion hasn’t gotten a new pokemon since Sivally either. I hope we see him get something. I don’t want just three random new Pokémon to show up during the league.

 

[mehmeh1]

You know what surprises me even more. Gladion hasn’t gotten a new pokemon since Sivally either. I hope we see him get something. I don’t want just three random new Pokémon to show up during the league.

he'll probably use noivern at least (which makes me wonder if ash will use garchomp in the league, I hope not, it wouldn't be deserved, but still a possibility)

 

[paipr_christian]

You know what surprises me even more. Gladion hasn’t gotten a new pokemon since Sivally either. I hope we see him get something. I don’t want just three random new Pokémon to show up during the league.

That we have seen. But it's possible we may see lots of random Pokemon show up added to various folks teams.

 

[DavidD001]

I had a thought about the whole 'emotional' set up that was mentioned...it's likely going to be for Ash cause if you actually look at the opening you will see Ash sitting on the beach at sunset while holding a pokeball and looking emotional....before Kiawe, Mallow and the rest come to get him.

 

[kickachu]

Quick question what kind of spoilers will future merchandise show this year

 

[Decidueye23]

I had a thought about the whole 'emotional' set up that was mentioned...it's likely going to be for Ash cause if you actually look at the opening you will see Ash sitting on the beach at sunset while holding a pokeball and looking emotional....before Kiawe, Mallow and the rest come to get him.

Well isnt he reminscing poipole in that scene? Maybe that episode could be when poipole decides to come back and stay with ash?

 

[DavidD001]

Well isnt he reminscing poipole in that scene? Maybe that episode could be when poipole decides to come back and stay with ash?

I think that scene could likely be when & if Poipole make returns to Ash for good. Or it could be for someone else as also as much as I don't wanna consider it...Ash also released his Greninja at sunset so it could also foreshadow that as well as also possibly some other pokemon for Ash.

 

[GarchompChain]

What sources say that the anime is flopping? If youre talking about ratings than you're mistaken because ratings don't mean squat.

What kind of an argument is that? If we can't judge the succes of the anime on ratings, on which objective argument can we judge it then?

 

[Akkipeddi]

What kind of an argument is that? If we can't judge the succes of the anime on ratings, on which objective argument can we judge it then?

Because ratings have been dropping for years due to the decline in TV viewership, so it is not a very accurate measure of gauging how successful or unsuccessful a series is. And besides, the Pokemon Anime exists purely as a means to market the merchandise and games, so it's falling ratings probably don't mean anything to the Pokémon franchise as a whole, since the anime probably is at the bottom of the barrel regarding how much of a **** the Pokémon company gives. As long as merchandise and the games continue to sell well, that's all that matters.

 

[GarchompChain]

Because ratings have been dropping for years due to the decline in TV viewership, so it is not a very accurate measure of gauging how successful or unsuccessful a series is. And besides, the Pokemon Anime exists purely as a means to market the merchandise and games, so it's falling ratings probably don't mean anything to the Pokémon franchise as a whole, since the anime probably is at the bottom of the barrel regarding how much of a **** the Pokémon company gives. As long as merchandise and the games continue to sell well, that's all that matters.

Still not an answer to my question: what is an objective argument to rate the anime?

 

[Mew2]

Still not an answer to my question: what is an objective argument to rate the anime?

I would say that merchandising sales could be a way to guestimate how well the animé is doing in general; at least, animé-based merchandise sales. Also, you could take a look at the ratings and see if there are any significant drops during the series, itself, or from one series to another, assuming there aren't any outside factors that could affect those ratings, such as a time slot switch, which has affected the ratings for the Sun and Moon animé. Thinking more about it, though, I would say that you could also use the rankings to see how the animé is doing, though that would (and has for Sun and Moon) also be affected by outside circumstances, such as a time slot switch.