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The Little Things You Appreciate

Ignition

We are so back Zygardebros
What are some aspects of the anime that, while minor compared to others aspects of the show, is just nice to see the extra detail in the show? For me, this is my favorite part of the anime (or any media outlet) as it shows the writers care about their product with a little extra charm.

For instance, I like how the current SM anime lacks one off characters & they return in various episodes. It adds the feeling of a small but social world. It fits with Alola being comparably smaller to other regions. Not to mention family's a big theme in SM and Alola's culture (Aether family, the Akala trio love for their siblings, Soph with his parents, the upcoming Poipole episode, Ash's bond with Kukui and Burnet, Rowlet and Torracat's backstory, several filler POTD like Passimian. I could go on :p)

On the flip side, what are some minor details that you feel should've been implemented in the anime without changing it too drastically?

For example, I would've loved to see Krookodile and Pikachu keep their rivalry even after the former's capture & evolution. It was established in early Unova and was a subplot in a handful of episodes. Seeing them being competitive yet friendly rivals in small moments like a TRio clash of the gang eating adds charm to both of these characters.
 

FlygontheRavager

#1 Pokémon Anime Fan!
My favorite “little thing” about the anime is something that other people hate it for: how much it differentiates itself from the games in terms of battles. In the anime, battles are so much more dynamic (and in some ways, more realistic). Type advantage isn’t always the key to victory, and Trainers and their Pokémon can create unique strategies together that can give them the edge they need. A lot of people ignore/don’t like this and desperately try to apply game logic to the show’s fights (which usually doesn’t work out), but I personally think that the anime represents battles in a much deeper way than the games ever could.
 

DatsRight

Well-Known Member
My favorite “little thing” about the anime is something that other people hate it for: how much it differentiates itself from the games in terms of battles. In the anime, battles are so much more dynamic (and in some ways, more realistic). Type advantage isn’t always the key to victory, and Trainers and their Pokémon can create unique strategies together that can give them the edge they need. A lot of people ignore/don’t like this and desperately try to apply game logic to the show’s fights (which usually doesn’t work out), but I personally think that the anime represents battles in a much deeper way than the games ever could.


I think the problem is that it's often lost in making the main bulk of them curb stomp battles anyway. That probably goes for a wanted little detail. I don't think it would be THAT complicated to have more times the twerps take odd hits back or have to use a move or something to be more defensive or evasive, just to make things a bit more interesting. The non-battlers especially I think should show more vulnerability instead of always getting easy targets, in order to show it isn't their niche. Why always so one-sided? I liked how in BW, even when they went back to being filler villains, even TR often got in a token bit of offense and forced a little strategy out of the twerps just to keep things interesting. The battles weren't the boring part of the episode.

Another would be missing the old banter and dynamic Team Rocket used to have in the OS, they were more parodies of bad repetitive villains than playing it straight, and the twerps had more amusing chemistry and jaded reactions to them, with the two sides even trying to outdo each other in genre savviness (eg. the twerps not falling for the suspicious stack of fruit on the floor, but TR seeing this coming and putting a trap with a less suspicious stack of fruit beside it). The face offs felt far less dull and clunky and reliant on both sides holding the idiot ball.

On details I appreciate, I actually love how many episodes don't even revolve around Pokemon battling in SM, and are more character driven. I like seeing more times Ash does brilliant things as a person to make a difference instead of just calling attacks. Dub watchers are drastically missing out with the Passimian episode for example.

The standstill premise also adds a bit more proactivity to Ash, his companions are no longer fastened to his waist all the time anyway, so he has to go out of his way to look out for them. I loved seeing him keep his eye on Lillie throughout the AF arc. You could tell he wasn't used to not being on auto-pilot and it being just a kooky travelling adventure with Pokemon, which made it more obvious he cared about her very much.

I also like how SM has the Pokemon out in the open more often, meaning that teams can more often feel close and together. I like the sibling dynamics with Ash, Kiawe and Sophocles' teams.
 
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VoltTacklingPika

Well-Known Member
One of the little things I appreciate right now is having all the twerps' Pokemon on screen pretty much at all times. I love how you can see them playing around in the background of scenes. There's a practical element to it, as now we don't need as many scenes of people throwing out Pokeballs and whatnot.

How they've handled the Pokedex in Sun and Moon has been very tidy as well. I called this when the show started, but having Rotomdex means they can show Pokedex entries of any Pokemon without having Ash initiate it. In fact, the general pattern of Ash recognising any Gen 1-6 Pokemon before Rotomdex does its thing is just a really neat acknowledgement of Ash's experience (as someone who has literally seen every Pokemon up until Gen 7). It's only the Gen 7 Pokemon he doesn't know, and that makes way more sense than how they used to do it. It's something I hope they manage to do for Gen 8 as well.

On a production level, I got a kick out of broadway-inspired arrangement of Team Rocket's motto from the recent SM episode. I thought that was really fun. I feel that they've also been great at timing quick and abrupt cuts for comedic effect this season.
 

DatsRight

Well-Known Member
On a production level, I got a kick out of broadway-inspired arrangement of Team Rocket's motto from the recent SM episode. I thought that was really fun. I feel that they've also been great at timing quick and abrupt cuts for comedic effect this season.

I miss when TR had different over the top mottos nearly every episode. And the twerps reacted accordingly.
 

Ignition

We are so back Zygardebros
My favorite “little thing” about the anime is something that other people hate it for: how much it differentiates itself from the games in terms of battles. In the anime, battles are so much more dynamic (and in some ways, more realistic). Type advantage isn’t always the key to victory, and Trainers and their Pokémon can create unique strategies together that can give them the edge they need. A lot of people ignore/don’t like this and desperately try to apply game logic to the show’s fights (which usually doesn’t work out), but I personally think that the anime represents battles in a much deeper way than the games ever could.

This! The anime taking creative liberties to have unique and dynamic battles is amazing. For instance, Hawlucha using X Scissor on Trick Room in Valerie's gym is impressive. It's how I'd see real life Pokémon battles working.
 
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DatsRight

Well-Known Member
Also while battles have been limited in SM, I appreciate some of the bigger more even handed ones make more use of cartoon action as mentioned (eg. some of Ash and Kiawe's development battles). We've even had a masked wrestling one.

I feel like the show would benefit more from making battles more on cartoon rules than keeping to the games scripting or generic curb stomps. There'd be more freedom there.
 

LilligantLewis

Bonnie stan
I like details surrounding the WTP screen in the dub.

Ever since coming back in Generation V, there have been some unique quirks that have changed from generation to generation.

In BW season 1, they used one musical theme during the question, and another theme during reveal.
For Rival Destinies, they kept the question theme, but changed the reveal theme. They also changed the onscreen Pokémon logo to reflect the change in season name.
For Adventures in Unova (and Beyond), both themes stayed the same but the logo changed again for the season name change.

In XY, the onscreen logo oddly remained the same through all 3 seasons, but there was a big change as to how the themes were handled, which remains to this day:
The question theme is different for every single Pokémon! It's also the same as the theme that frequently plays during the episode itself when that Pokémon is onscreen. @Ryu Taylor is the one that taught me this.
The reveal theme is now a remix of the original reveal theme from season 1! This continued in SM, just with a different remix.

In SM, each Pokémon having an individual theme continued, but now the onscreen logo changed from SM to SM:UA to reflect the change in season name.

You can see all these changes here:

Another screen I like the details surrounding is the title screen.

From Generations II through IV, the title screen changed throughout the generation.

This article does a good job of showing them, even though it has not yet been updated for SM: http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/User:HoennMaster/List_of_anime_title_cards

In Generation II, we had two title cards. At the beginning, it was the same as the Gen I title card with the four Poké Balls at the four corners, but then for Master Quest, it changed to have Ash's badges on the outside, which got updated to show more badges when he beat Jasmine, Pryce, and Clair.

In Generation III, we actually had THREE title cards, starting with the Pokénav one, then the badge case and ribbon case (which also got updated with each badge and ribbon), and finally for Battle Frontier we had the one with Ash, May, Max, and Brock

In Generation IV, we had two title cards: first the planets one, and then the one with Dialga, Palkia, and the aurora borealis. During the second one, Dawn's ribbons and Ash's badges would fly towards the screen before the title showed up on screen, and like Gens II and III this was updated with each badge and ribbon.

However, since Generation V we've only been stuck with one title card for the whole generation, which frankly gets a little boring.

The Generation V one was REALLY boring with just the six Poké Balls and water in the background.

I did like that Gen VI had the changing focus characters on each title card, but I still thought the overall card should have changed at some point. Would have been cool to see something Zygarde or Flare-related for XY&Z. Or even just Ash's 7 badges and Serena's 2 Keys, updating of course when they each won their last
 
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Zoruagible

Lover of underrated characters
I like the recurring characters thing before it was cool, back when the Magikarp Salesmen, Butch/Cassidy and Professor Namba, that AG kid with the Plusle/Minun, the girl with the Shinx that liked Ash, Conway, Guy dressed like Watchog.... all interesting characters. Unlike the annoying characters SM shoves in your face every damn episode like the fruit lady.

Oh, and the badges/ribbons being displayed on the title card. I miss that.
 

SoundVoltex

Well-Known Member
I love the fact that trainers calling out attacks are a lot more expressive now.

Take for example, when Ash commands his Rockruff to use that final rock throw in the end of the grand trial or in the same battle, calling Rowlet to use Bloom Doom. There are several more instances where because of the art style changes, there's simply a lot less static frames, and makes for such an exciting battle.
 

satopi

Life doesn’t end, …it changes.
I appreciate how much detail has been applied in the anime throughout the years. Not talking about design but in SM, they added little details you won't normally spot on the first watch so it's always an eye popping experience looking back and seeing them put in a bit of symbolism like the wind chime on top of the library house in episode 74, it has a star that represents Solgaleo, a moon representing Lunala, and a sun representing Lord Light. And observing the animation adding subtle movement that you, the casual viewer, would ignore and won't bother to notice when in one second, Rowlet hung from Ash's shoulder followed by Pikachu to Rowlet being gone and Pikachu replacing him on his shoulder when actually, Rowlet flew into Ash's backpack and Pikachu jumped to Ash's shoulder in mere seconds and the sound effects used for different Pokémon and what they're doing (like the buzzing sound of Cutiefly passing in the background, Torracat napping all day til it stayed awake for the match, Alolan Meowth scratching an empty bowl, etc.) Just those small technical details are just fascinating to look for now unlike in the past where most of the movement were stiff outside of battles.

I also appreciate how the anime tries to show us the many different career paths humans can take like you don't have to be a Pokémon Trainer or into battling. You're just your own person and whether you want a Pokémon partner to be a pet, helper, battler, costar with it's own show, whatever, that can happen. Thanks to XY(&Z) and SM, character development can be achieved through not just collecting Pokémon or badges/ribbons but from within... even if it isn't the best looking.
 

DatsRight

Well-Known Member
I also appreciate how the anime tries to show us the many different career paths humans can take like you don't have to be a Pokémon Trainer or into battling. You're just your own person and whether you want a Pokémon partner to be a pet, helper, battler, costar with it's own show, whatever, that can happen. Thanks to XY(&Z) and SM, character development can be achieved through not just collecting Pokémon or badges/ribbons but from within... even if it isn't the best looking.

I do appreciate that SM is one series that is really trying to slow down, examine, and try and make Ash matter as A CHARACTER. We can have episodes that don't talk about his master goal or battling or even his Pokemon all that much and he's still a driving force of the plot.

I think there's a division between character development and character agency. The latter is sometimes neglected too often in the anime despite the former requiring it a lot to feel significant. This quote pretty much sums up how I feel about a lot of the anime in terms of character agency sadly:

Character agency is, to me, a demonstration of the character’s ability to make decisions and affect the story. This character has motivations all her own. She is active more than she is reactive. She pushes on the plot more than the plot pushes on her. Even better, the plot exists as a direct result of the character’s actions.

The story exists because of the character. The character does not exist because of the story.

Characters without agency tend to be like little paper boats bobbing down a river of your own making. They cannot steer. They cannot change the course of the river. The river is an external force that carries them along — meaning, the plot sticks its hand up the character’s cavernous bottom-hole and makes the character do things and say things in service to the plot.

Because characters without agency are really just puppets.

SM Ash however has TONS of character agency. There are obviously some infamous aspects of the show he can never change, but in terms of episodic storytelling his quirks and attributes can drive the whole thing, and he doesn't need the plot constantly dumbed down or made to be about the same thing each time to do so. Even more so it often feels like said plots only come out such a way because it is Ash doing them in particular, otherwise we'd get a different outcome, or at the very least a very different build up to it.

They also seem more confident making Ash an outright loser at some things (if maybe a bit too often to make other characters look more remarkable), because they still have enough of a grasp on what he can do the whole episode to redeem himself, giving him a good mix of pathos with virtues, and fallible but competent qualities. This also makes for some really fun team work instances in the show, especially with the characters they similarly have some grasp on in terms of agency (eg. Lillie or Sophocles being occasional 'brains/strategists' for Ash without reducing him to dumb muscle or someone they need to babysit). The Omode written episodes for this series in particular have been pretty damn good looking into dynamics and having loads of quirks and abilities between characters play off of each other, battling or not. In other words, characters doing things to forward the plot (sometimes any random thing), and doing them in a very likeable and unique way.

It might just be because I like the 'kooky, blundering but deceptively competent and heartwarming' archetypes, but SM Ash just feels like a needed breath of fresh air.

Oh, and I'm just gonna say it. Ash's SM design. I don't care what people say, it's adorable and, when not overdone, his expressiveness is amazing. For some reason those baggy long shorts really work on him as well.
 
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satopi

Life doesn’t end, …it changes.
I do appreciate that SM is one series that is really trying to slow down, examine, and try and make Ash matter as A CHARACTER. We can have episodes that don't talk about his master goal or battling or even his Pokemon all that much and he's still a driving force of the plot.

I think there's a division between character development and character agency. The latter is sometimes neglected too often in the anime despite the former requiring it a lot to feel significant. This quote pretty much sums up how I feel about a lot of the anime in terms of character agency sadly:



SM Ash however has TONS of character agency. There are obviously some infamous aspects of the show he can never change, but in terms of episodic storytelling his quirks and attributes can drive the whole thing, and he doesn't need the plot constantly dumbed down or made to be about the same thing each time to do so. Even more so it often feels like said plots only come out such a way because it is Ash doing them in particular, otherwise we'd get a different outcome, or at the very least a very different build up to it.

They also seem more confident making Ash an outright loser at some things (if maybe a bit too often to make other characters look more remarkable), because they still have enough of a grasp on what he can do the whole episode to redeem himself, giving him a good mix of pathos with virtues, and fallible but competent qualities. This also makes for some really fun team work instances in the show, especially with the characters they similarly have some grasp on in terms of agency (eg. Lillie or Sophocles being occasional 'brains/strategists' for Ash without reducing him to dumb muscle or someone they need to babysit). The Omode written episodes for this series in particular have been pretty damn good looking into dynamics and having loads of quirks and abilities between characters play off of each other, battling or not. In other words, characters doing things to forward the plot (sometimes any random thing), and doing them in a very likeable and unique way.

It might just be because I like the 'kooky, blundering but deceptively competent and heartwarming' archetypes, but SM Ash just feels like a needed breath of fresh air.

Oh, and I'm just gonna say it. Ash's SM design. I don't care what people say, it's adorable and, when not overdone, his expressiveness is amazing. For some reason those baggy long shorts really work on him as well.
I couldn't have said it better myself. Great analysis as usual DatsRight! I'm apathetic on Ash's design (or well, I'm not nitpicking on Ash not wearing gloves, acting like it's unnatural). I like that he's showing way more skin than he's ever has, including his own feet! His outfit compliments his skin complexion, the outfit itself matches, and blue has always suited him. The baggy capris do suit him, way better than his skin tight Ultra Guardians suit (but it doesn't suit anyone but the girls). Since you brought up his outfit, I appreciate the vast wardrobe they picked out and put on Ash. It's adorable seeing him with a Pikachu pajama shirt (which might be his favorite since we see him wear it more than once.) :D It's also nice seeing scenes of Ash or anyone else just doing regular things like Mallow putting her hair down when she sleeps with a sleep mask on, Ash and Kukui watching television that isn't news, Lillie cuddling with a Clefairy doll and bringing it with her in the camping episode, the Pokémon racing each other in class, presenting a class project, having a splash war, playing football, etc.
 

FlygontheRavager

#1 Pokémon Anime Fan!
I also appreciate how the anime tries to show us the many different career paths humans can take like you don't have to be a Pokémon Trainer or into battling. You're just your own person and whether you want a Pokémon partner to be a pet, helper, battler, costar with it's own show, whatever, that can happen. Thanks to XY(&Z) and SM, character development can be achieved through not just collecting Pokémon or badges/ribbons but from within... even if it isn't the best looking.

This is definitely a welcome aspect of the Pokémon anime. It’s such a shame that people tend to dismiss goals and careers that don’t center around battling or Contests/Showcases as boring; Mallow’s goal of making her restaurant #1 in Alola, for example, is actually legitimately interesting, and I hope the writers do more with it.
 
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DatsRight

Well-Known Member
It'd be nice to have more episodes that just focused on Mallow in terms of her character and goals, not just using the old tricks and distractions like Team Rocket or making her Pokemon stronger but still irrelevant to her agenda. They're still setting her about in the old generic trainer way compared to the other SM characters who get to just wander free reign in some of their episodes and do their own thing. It's very strange.

We had a couple episodes that showcased Kiawe's farm that were pretty good (though battling was used and was more relevant for the character in question there) but still, a couple. It's odd the protagonists that have arguably the most grounded agendas in the entire anime (ie. actual employment) are getting the least amount of spotlight on it.

I mean Lillie and Sophocles don't even have much in terms of serious long term goals, but they still have a substance and drive to them that can flow episodes and make them feel proactive, which I find very interesting a twist. They also have niches that the main character doesn't, but they tend to make for developed dynamics between them instead of going the old route of having Ash or another character suck excessively to make them relatively look good (eg. Ash being ridiculously crap at cooking each series just so it looks like the third wheel companion has SOMETHING remarkable on their quota). Perhaps because of this they also willing to let them have the same fallibility as Ash and let them fail miserably at some things to make them sympathetic.

Misty was similar in Kanto, very little of spotlight actually revolved around her being a trainer, but she was arguably at her best then. I think this tests the use of goal focus against character focus. What is needed to give a character agency?
 
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CabochonJaw

Well-Known Member
I like how in the Unova league, all three fully evolved Unova starters participated in the league. I missed some leagues, so I'll give kudos to any other leagues where that also happened.
 

DatsRight

Well-Known Member
This one is harder to pinpoint precisely but I kinda feel like Ash became a far more interesting and heartwarming character when they switched him from being a standard hot blooded shonen hero to, for lack of better terms, a weirdo.

XY started this transition I believe, even if it lacked a full and proper characterisation, though SM played on it further and further. This enigmatic streak to him and feel you only get a taste of what he truly is and how his mind functions. I think it also benefits his sisyphean and non-discript goal since it makes Ash feel like he has something of an existential complex. People complain about SM diluting his focus on his goal, but if anything I feel like that is the sensical way to go. He likes the leagues and battles, but often times, that doesn't feel like what he's truly there for. He keeps compulsively travelling the world, in awe with everything around him and seeing if there's any true place he'd like to stick, with the excuse of this league goal being the best link to doing such. Alola comparatively has him standing still, giving him time to immerse and take in others' bonds with him, making him reconsider his options. Probably not, but it's one making more cogs turn than usual.

It also fits Shudo's original plans for the anime, where most Pokemon goals were designed to be shallow and fake, and often led to many trainers failing to uphold professions. Ash is just the hedonist of the bunch that semi-holds onto a shallow goal but just wants to enjoy the world compared rather than stay and be embittered by the pompous staunchy residents of his home town and their 'get good NOW or you're failure' attitude.

In terms of what could be improved out of this, I would like to see a more wistful side from Ash regarding it, some unhappy self awareness that he's chasing some goal he never improves at and ditches all his friends and loved ones in the process of finding some sort of satisfaction in life. He feels like a guy that should have a kind of lonely streak he'd try to hide from everyone. He has family and friends who love him, and he loves them back, but they only see so far into his mindset and he's gone before they can get any further. The younger Pokegirls seem to spark him the most however (sometimes I think Ash senses some alternate timeline where he has a baby sister).

For some reason I keep connecting later-Ash to Gonzo's 'I'm Going To Go Back There Someday', basically a song about a fellow weirdo that has some vague grasp of deja vu to where his real 'home' is, but can't quite pinpoint what or where it is, though invites friends to go with him and keep him company until he discovers it.
 
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shoz999

Back when Tigers used to smoke.
My favorite “little thing” about the anime is something that other people hate it for: how much it differentiates itself from the games in terms of battles. In the anime, battles are so much more dynamic (and in some ways, more realistic). Type advantage isn’t always the key to victory, and Trainers and their Pokémon can create unique strategies together that can give them the edge they need. A lot of people ignore/don’t like this and desperately try to apply game logic to the show’s fights (which usually doesn’t work out), but I personally think that the anime represents battles in a much deeper way than the games ever could.
I don't know. Except for type advantage, most of the battles, notably XYZ, seem to represent the games fairly well in fluid form to the point it still feels kind of stupid when they go off away from game logic, like Pikachu using electroweb to protect himself from a Z-move with no damage. I feel like inserting game logic while maintaining that fluid action can work a lot more than you think.
I guess it partly has to do with the fact that I read Pokemon Adventures a lot which has both game logic and fluid battles at the same time most of the time since Gen 1 and not only does it work, it feels very convincing on the strengths and limitations it's built on. Personally I prefer Adventure's take on action as it makes many the attacks and biological features portrayed by Pokemon, from Dusclops blackholes to Mudkip's personal radar in his fin, more exciting the more you understand it, like understanding a sort of science or magic system with strengths and limitations, and see it in fluid action. It's also one of the little details I appreciate in Pokemon Adventures and wish was a more integral detail early on in the anime series.
 
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