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What are your hot takes on the anime?

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DatsRight

Well-Known Member
I feel like Ash's Alolan team is the one Ash most EARNED the power of by the end of the series, simply due to relying less on 'the power of really really wanting it' throughout SM.

I've never felt that trope works as a gratifying way to show a character mastering their skill, especially not in the way Pokemon handles it which just feels like a magic enducing rage, thus I like SM actually turns it down multiple times in favour of ACTUAL TRAINING for a new move, or even some cases the trope is used having it downplayed by only being MASTERED during a climax rather than it doing the whole job. Rockruff's evolution is brought about the same way as in the dex, it reaching its limit point to set it off and Ash demonstrating his loyalty in spite of the attitude change.

There is definitely still some cases of plot armour (anything related to Naganadel and Melmetal is pretty much happenstance on Ash's part) but SM wins simply by virtue that it's only SOME of it instead of nearly ALL of it like in other series.
 
I feel that naganadel is underrated and I would say that it is the second strongest Pokémon in Alola, it is an ultrabeast and managed to beat Lucario and fight Tapu Koko
 

DatsRight

Well-Known Member
I feel like the show works better with more main characters.

Now hear me out, I know the track record with DEVELOPING loads of main characters is bad, but that is execution not concept. I could argue SM shared development better between six protagonists than some earlier series did with just two or three. I'd argue it would have done MUCH better if it hadn't had a total lull of development in the second year, so it was hardly that they didn't have time to look into all of them.

In terms of interactions and synergy, I think Ash just works better having more characters to bounce off of. The first few episodes of SM were rather exciting and fun since each one focused on a specific protagonist and how they worked off of Ash or the others, it was neat seeing all these personality details. JN I think suffers a bit from only having one co-protagonist, though even then compensates a bit with several return appearances and frequents to colour the group.

I actually feel it is the lack of chemistries that more often let down a group than the individual arcs. Brock suffered after Kanto because he was usually standing in the background, not simply because he didn't get his own tournament or anything. His replacements actually usually get less Pokemon and team buffs but tend to relatively stick out more.

In that regard, I can see why SM downplayed self contained goals for each character where no one else could take part, even the league being used to give everyone some involvement and opportunities to gain new dynamics. It might also be why many like the contests, which often involved so many different characters taking part.
 
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Gingertail24

Well-Known Member
I feel like the show works better with more main characters.

Now hear me out, I know the track record with DEVELOPING loads of main characters is bad, but that is execution not concept. I could argue SM shared development better between six protagonists than some earlier series did with just two or three. I'd argue it would have done MUCH better if it hadn't had a total lull of development in the second year, so it was hardly that they didn't have time to look into all of them.

In terms of interactions and synergy, I think Ash just works better having more characters to bounce off of. The first few episodes of SM were rather exciting and fun since each one focused on a specific protagonist and how they worked off of Ash or the others, it was neat seeing all these personality details. JN I think suffers a bit from only having one co-protagonist, though even then compensates a bit with several return appearances and frequents to colour the group.

I actually feel it is the lack of chemistries that more often let down a group than the individual arcs. Brock suffered after Kanto because he was usually standing in the background, not simply because he didn't get his own tournament or anything. His replacements actually usually get less Pokemon and team buffs but tend to relatively stick out more.

In that regard, I can see why SM downplayed self contained goals for each character where no one else could take part, even the league being used to give everyone some involvement and opportunities to gain new dynamics. It might also be why many like the contests, which often involved so many different characters taking part.
I mean with the execution , you could say the same thing with duo or trio groups. I think ash had the best chemistry with thee original trio compared to sm gang


The issue I have with in chemistry. Is that ash and Chloe are barely friends due to how little they interact one to one and how little it feels ash affects her. Vice versa. She hasn't even seen any of his matches


Goh had better chemistry with ash in the beginning. They really played the contrast between them well. Not it feels they are one brain cell. I was hoping for a gon and killua like dynamic and relationship. Except it kinda feels like a gon and a smarter gon together
 

Bortgreen

Captain Pikachu is EPIC
In Pikachu’s Goodbye, Ash only left Pikachu for about 5 minutes.
As another hot take this was one of the weirdest baits the anime did(alongside the pikachu evolution in JN), while interestingly moving
A pokémon being left in the wild with others of their species isn't that uncommon but they did that with the main pokémon of the whole anime and went the full route of flashbacks and even special music in the dub just for it to come back later

Btw I kinda miss this kind of farewells, not much space for that since Ash and TR started to reset their team(Dustox farewell was literally crushing) but always emotional moments
The closest we got was the Floette episode but we barely knew it before it happened
 

Sham

The Guardian of Ruin and Birth
People disliking Leon because he's portrayed as a "Gary Sue" are funny. There's been some discourse about how his portrayal is annoying and so is his personality because he's displayed as this "unbeatable" Champion and glorified by the writers but the call is coming from inside the house.

These are the same exact people who over hype Cynthia and believe she's the greatest trainer ever-- so much so that they were mad she's below Leon and made a whole bunch of copes why. Again, this makes no sense.

It's rather impossible being upset about Leon's portrayal in the anime but when you ask why X trainer couldn't beat Cynthia the best excuse is because "Cynthia is Cynthia that's why". People are becoming more aware that the fandom have been overhyping her a bit much and that's why its gonna be refreshing having her Garchomp taken down no matter who does it and having her being pushed.

Associating game strength with anime strength is bad logic especially given that Diantha is giving Lance a good fight despite her fight in XY


And at the same time that very fact makes me mad too. If Leon can be called "undefeated", why can't Cynthia, too? If Leon can steamroll Alain, why can't Cynthia do the same with Iris?? That is so incredibly unfair, because I bet you Cynthia is just as strong as Leon, if not stronger! And all that just because they need to set up Leon as that massive last obstacle for Ash, at the expense of a weak plot that should actually be more realistic and do justice to the "true" champions like Cynthia

Directly from a Cynthia fan. It’s great that they’re showing her as touchable now since she’s fighting ACTUAL other regional Champions this time around
 
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Gingertail24

Well-Known Member
People disliking Leon because he's portrayed as a "Gary Sue" are funny. There's been some discourse about how his portrayal is annoying and so is his personality because he's displayed as this "unbeatable" Champion and glorified by the writers but the call is coming from inside the house.

These are the same exact people who over hype Cynthia and believe she's the greatest trainer ever-- so much so that they were mad she's below Leon and made a whole bunch of copes why. Again, this makes no sense.

It's rather impossible being upset about Leon's portrayal in the anime but when you ask why X trainer couldn't beat Cynthia the best excuse is because "Cynthia is Cynthia that's why". People are becoming more aware that the fandom have been overhyping her a bit much and that's why its gonna be refreshing having her Garchomp taken down no matter who does it and having her being pushed.

Associating game strength with anime strength is bad logic especially given that Diantha is giving Lance a good fight despite her fight in XY




Directly from a Cynthia fan. It’s great that they’re showing her as touchable now since she’s fighting ACTUAL other regional Champions this time around
Honestly. The constant Cynthia wanking that's been going on in the anime and games has been so annoying. Especially since she was.never stated to be the strongest trainer in both games and.anime yet her fans act like she is and it's canon. I prefer if no trainer is "the strongest" because I feel there is so many flaws with that.

But the meltdown people are having now and after she is defeated is gonna be interesting to say the least. Let's be honest, there only mad because the game and anime isn't confirmin there headcanon. Same people who expect diantha to be steamrolled or lose because she is weak in the games.
 

DayQuil95

Well-Known Member
I can't wait for the brain gymnastics once Cynthia's Garchomp is beaten. While me and the other 3 Steven fans get to enjoy our boy inevitably losing to Ash without complaining, because he's got:
- One of the best champion themes.
- Literal last boss fight in Emerald, harder than Elite Four and Wallace.
- A damn Mega Metagross that is a freaking monster in ORAS.
 

mehmeh1

Not thinking twice!
I can't wait for the brain gymnastics once Cynthia's Garchomp is beaten. While me and the other 3 Steven fans get to enjoy our boy inevitably losing to Ash without complaining, because he's got:
- One of the best champion themes.
- Literal last boss fight in Emerald, harder than Elite Four and Wallace.
- A damn Mega Metagross that is a freaking monster in ORAS.
Can't help but remember Marriland stomping Steven with a Minun, tho that was due to Encoring Skarmory into spamming Spikes and using Nasty Plot
 

pacman000

On a quest to be the best...
I’m tired of TV shows which only produce ~20 episodes a year. I want to see a show I like each week, even if that means the show has filler.

I like exploring the world of Pokemon,
& don’t mind seeing more stories in it, even if each story isn’t part of a larger narrative.

Remember Sherlock Holmes? Most of his stories stand alone, but the character’s stood the test of time. Having a continuous narrative can even be harmful; if someone misses an episode they’re lost. That’s why Doyle decided to focus on stand-alone short stories.
 

Gingertail24

Well-Known Member
I'm fine with fillers so long as they aren't monotonous. Fillers can often be used for character building and letting the audience get attached to the universe the show is establishing.

It's why Kanto and SM's fillers are put high above most of the other series, which were often just repetitive padding.
Honestly that's why I really loved the episode where the SM cast switch Pokemon. I loved ash interacting with a more reserved and shy snowy. Definitely one of my favorite fillers in the anime as a whole
 

DatsRight

Well-Known Member
Honestly that's why I really loved the episode where the SM cast switch Pokemon. I loved ash interacting with a more reserved and shy snowy. Definitely one of my favorite fillers in the anime as a whole
Adding to another hot take.

I don't mind the downplay of time and budget on battles in the newer series. Yes, battles are a key part of the show, but I don't think they're the DEFINING element of it. The big goal of the anime is to make the premise of these little creatures people can catch compelling.

I actually kinda like the almost Rugrats-esque slice of life appeal of SM really, just these trainers trying to relate to their animal companions despite the big language barrier and seeing how their personalities mesh.
 
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