As everyone else does, I also think that Kanto should face a huge revamp from its GSC counterpart. For me, it was a really compressed region (understandably so because of space constraints on the game cart) but don't see why it couldn't be infinitely improved in HGSS. I believe that Game Freak will have felt obliged to go all out with improving both Johto and Kanto anyway, so we should have a more fleshed out Kanto to look forward to.
As it is technically part of Kanto, i'll firstly comment on Routes 26/27/Tohjo Falls. In my opinion, this area is absolutely fine. The Routes are a reasonable size and there are plenty of trainers to battle as a challenge prior to Victory Road. I do reckon however that Tohjo Falls should be extended just a little and, as is the case with the whole game, the levels of Wild and Trainer's Pokemon on these routes should be increased. As for Victory Road, well this should definitely be brought back to its RBY/FRLG standards. It was a shell of its former self in GSC, with no trainers to battle except your rival at the very end.
Mainstream Kanto: For all of the freedom that GSC gave you in travelling the region (battling Gym Leaders almost in any order you wish), I for one hope that there's some structure this time round. The originals literally had you battle one Gym a minute after each other with the Power Plant sidequest in between, and then you were on your way to Mt. Silver.
I definitely approve of what (I think) Wulava mentioned about the possibility of still porting at Vermilion Harbour on the SS Aqua, with Professor Oak meeting you this time in order to take you to Pallet Town. The screen would go blank after some dialogue, and voila, you're in Pallet Town (maybe he had his Pokemon fly you there or something). It is here that Oak informs you that, much like in Johto, there are eight Gyms across Kanto for you to challenge. He could then make reference about how the great Red conquered these Gyms and worked his way up to Champion status through defeating the Elite 4, just like Gold/Soul. After feeling like he's digressed from the subject of the Gyms, he mentions the reward for getting the badges - access to an area where only Champions (and maybe ex-Champions) are authorised to enter.
What i'm trying to get at here is that the underlying story for Kanto in HGSS would be to get all 8 badges, which would grant you the access to Mt. Silver, where you would finally meet Red. Rather than just arriving in Kanto, getting all 8 badges and being allowed to go to Mt. Silver like in the originals, you would have an incentive to get all of the badges from the get-go in HGSS. Sidequests such as the Power Plant problem, the Lavender Radio Tower and awakening Snorlax should remain, but should be more fleshed out with other sidequests occurring too.
Continuing with the Gym story, I think it'd be cool if after listening to Professor Oak, he offered to give you a Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle. The reason for this would be that you would be given two opportunities - either to start afresh with a new Kanto team, or continue with your team caught in Johto. After choosing the starter, Oak would give you a Pass depending on your choice of challenge - a Beginner's Pass (all Gym levels would represent those from FR/LG, tailored for those who decide to travel Kanto with a new team), or a Hardcore Pass (Gym levels and Pokemon would be ramped up to suit those who are still using their Johto team). Depending on the pass, trainer level's would change accordingly.
Now, i'm in two minds about my whole 'Pass' idea. For one, players could be allowed to speed through Kanto using their team from Johto using the Beginner's Pass, or they could be required to leave their party with the Professor. I would definitely go with the latter, and if the player chooses this pass, then their PC Boxes filled with Pokemon would also be disabled until they get their 8th Badge.
I think my 'Pass' idea is probably too fiddly to work here, and the idea is probably too 'out of there' for Game Freak to have considered incorporated, but I think it would be cool to give players different ways of playing through Kanto. Either way, my point stands that Kanto should be a lot more fleshed out.
*remembers having to wait for Scizor*
