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The Unpopular Opinions Thread

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Captain Jigglypuff

Leader of Jigglypuff Army
May got Glaceon off screen and we're far over the midway point of SM.
Pokémon still evolve at really random times though. I mean Cyndaquil evolved into Quilava way past Johto and was a bit of a surprise since there was no real indication of when or even if it would happen. Phanpy evolved during the BF season. You can never tell when a Pokémon will evolve by episode count alone.
 

satopi

Life doesn’t end, …it changes.
I watch the anime for Ash. He’s one of the best characters and I really don’t want to see him replaced when the whole anime is his story! I watch him for his personality and events surrounding him, not his battles. I honestly could care less about his battles unless they’re mildly entertaining. I think he’s an underdog and shouldn’t be seen as this unstoppable Trainer just because he caught a lot of Pokémon and traveled through 6-7 regions, especially when he keeps his past trained Pokémon at Prof Oak’s Ranch. He’s not a blank canvas that the writers can place him in anything nor is he rebooted just because he’s made dumb mistakes. He’s human and someone still learning about the world around him. I’ll truly be gutted when it comes the time when it’s time to say goodbye to him.
 

SH65

Victory Over All!
Pokémon still evolve at really random times though. I mean Cyndaquil evolved into Quilava way past Johto and was a bit of a surprise since there was no real indication of when or even if it would happen. Phanpy evolved during the BF season. You can never tell when a Pokémon will evolve by episode count alone.
You bring up pokemon who showed up after their saga ended. But here's what I ask what chance will Lana have to ever come back after SM is over.
 

satopi

Life doesn’t end, …it changes.
It’s a shame Nagisa doesn’t do anything. I really enjoyed his introduction and following shorts of it eventually meeting the main cast. Nagisa should’ve been kept on the shore and let it travel with its Mantine friend after it’s Lets Go Eevee promo obligation. I’m still not a fan of his bowl cut hair Lana gave him. We all know Nagisa would’ve been Ash’s just as Shiron would’ve been his had Mallow not suggested Lillie nor Lana mentioning how much it loved the sea like her.
 

DatsRight

Well-Known Member
I have no problems with Lana getting Sandy, the problem was afterwards she did nothing to infuse it with her own agenda and just demoted it to comic relief, when it really didn't have to.

Same for Mallow with Shaymin, only the very recent episode has toyed with it complimenting her team mom role with her using it to nurse her friends.

For Snowy, well Ash took Nebby so fair's fair. :p

Truthfully, I don't really feel ripped off that Ash only ever had five Pokemon in Alola, there's almost always one or two per series that fall into the background anyway, while all the Alola mon have personality and some degree of arc focus. I also liked the main four all being individual opponents for Ash's rivals.
 

DatsRight

Well-Known Member
I don't really mind the approach of the Alola League. I do think it's a shame we didn't get more developed battles in SM, but the Alola league fits into the more character driven approach of the series and does at least boost up character development for all the main characters instead of just Ash. Throughout the league and the build up prior we've had WAY more strengthening of the non-Ash bonds and interactions of this series for example.

The idea of a more professional league with Ash and maybe just one more experienced companion taking part like what was hinted too earlier wouldn't be a bad premise at all however and I wouldn't mind if they tried that in Galar.
 

TheWanderingMist

Paladin of the Snow Queen
I don't really mind the approach of the Alola League. I do think it's a shame we didn't get more developed battles in SM, but the Alola league fits into the more character driven approach of the series and does at least boost up character development for all the main characters instead of just Ash. Throughout the league and the build up prior we've had WAY more strengthening of the non-Ash bonds and interactions of this series for example.

The idea of a more professional league with Ash and maybe just one more experienced companion taking part like what was hinted too earlier wouldn't be a bad premise at all however and I wouldn't mind if they tried that in Galar.
Plus, we get to see every single battle in this League, whereas there were too many participants to make that feasible in the old days.
 

DatsRight

Well-Known Member
Plus, we get to see every single battle in this League, whereas there were too many participants to make that feasible in the old days.

I'm also kind of interested in the dynamic of combining it with the villain arc as well, and having the students trying to climb to the top to prevent someone ruining the league and Alola's battle traditions before it even flourishes. This obviously would have been more effective if Guzma appeared earlier and was more developed, but it's all a very fresh take on a mandatory arc for seven regions now and arguably one of SM's better cases of condensing storylines.
 
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Doppelgänger

Superancient Member
I think restricting moves to 4 like the games made battles worse. That made them predictable, attack patterns repetitive, limited how a battle can play out and how long it could go.

There's a distinct pattern that after the 4 move limit came into play, we saw bigger teams and shorter battles between individual Pokemon.

The Alola League has shown the weakness of such a limitation in such battles when a 1v1 has to be stretched out, like Kiawe v. Acerola and Kiawe v. Sophocles. The same attacking moves were spammed and questionably useful moves like the x4 resisted Signal Beam used just for variety.

And SM as a whole showed that even Z-Moves, an official "5th move", doesn't spice the scripting up because they're essentially a powered-up version of a normal move.

The anime tried to get around this with unconventional applications of those moves, combination moves, or learning a new move during a battle so the bout isn't restricted to just 4 moves, but the results have been pretty hit or miss. I think SM Pikachu has the most flexibility with what he's capable of because Electroweb is creative license do do basically anything the writers want. But Pokemon like Torracat and Lycanroc are a lot more limited.
 

Leonhart

Imagineer
Sham said:
Iris deserves a cameo more than Serena on the strict basis that it should go in order.

I agree, because I think that Iris got the short end of the stick when it came to her not returning during XY like some people expected. She did get a post-BW special focusing on her battle with Ibuki and that was good for her character, but it wasn't the same as her meeting Satoshi's new friends.
 

k6666

Pikachu Fan
SM ash = XY ash same but it have livelier moment because of his surroundings
 

TheWanderingMist

Paladin of the Snow Queen
SM Ash = half the skill of XY Ash and made into a butt monkey.

That's pretty accurate.

No, it isn't. You're both just mad because he doesn't act "cool" all the time. SM Ash is clearly equally competent to XY Ash, and even more confident than XY Ash, given his choices of Pokemon when battling Hapu.
 

J.Agera

[Top-notch Сasual Dating Authentic Ladies]
No, it isn't. You're both just mad because he doesn't act "cool" all the time. SM Ash is clearly equally competent to XY Ash, and even more confident than XY Ash, given his choices of Pokemon when battling Hapu.
I don't wanna argue, but to be absolutely fair XY Ash would stomp this league.
Even if you hate the XY Series, you can't be that blind.
To say that "SM Ash is clearly equally competent to XY Ash" "more confident than XY Ash" is pretty bold.
Although SM is confident too but in a kiddish and fun way.
XY Ash was confident in a "cool" way as you said, and it actually felt like he was serious about his goal.
 
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SH65

Victory Over All!
No, it isn't. You're both just mad because he doesn't act "cool" all the time. SM Ash is clearly equally competent to XY Ash, and even more confident than XY Ash, given his choices of Pokemon when battling Hapu.
Thats not the case at all. And from what I seen SM Ash isn't even close to being as competent as XY Ash or as confident.
 

Zoruagible

Lover of underrated characters
I don't like neither XY or SM Ash but even I can tell that XY Ash would kick SM Ash's butt
 
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