What is the most important thing the Pokemon anime has to get right for it to be enjoyable for you?

[Ubermuk]

I'm not asking for much just cut down on the number of fillers. Right now there's no excuse to keep giving us pointless episodes about Ash and Goh meeting characters we'll never see again or competing in stupid activities. There's soooo much video game content that they could be using for episode ideas but they refuse to give us the good stuff...

 

[Spider-Phoenix]

Having seen today's episode, Does anyone find the idea of bringing back old characters to be nothing more than hype without substance?

I do. Actually, I posted the same thing somewhere else

*HighTouch*

Since the episode didn't give us that, all that's left is we do among ourselves

 

[Dragonsoldier77]

Having seen today's episode, Does anyone find the idea of bringing back old characters to be nothing more than hype without substance?

For the most part. Though gary was handled really well tho imo.

 

[Ryker101]

Characters. As long as I enjoy seeing the people on screen, they have interesting backstories, aspirations and interactions with each other. I’m not too worried about plot since simple ones can be effective. Good characters can carry episodes on their own anyway (unless the plot is beyond boring or something).

Battles are also important, but those are more for the highlights than the journey itself.

 

[Spider-Phoenix]

Danm, forgot to post my opinion...

For me it's mostly the characters and their interactions, either with their friends or their pokémon. As long as that one is enjoyable, it's fine for me.

 

[mysticalglacia]

1. Characters being well-written, above all else. A series can have the most below average handling of its plot (BW and SM) and as long as I find the characters both entertaining and well-written, I can somewhat ignore that and enjoy the show. I like DP as much as I do because I really appreciated how not only Dawn and Ash, but also their rivals were written and executed with purpose.
2. Pokémon having personality. The Pokémon being personable and having a presence is a big part of what makes the show interesting; they can’t just be there. They have to feel like a living and breathing part of the world, because after all, it is their own world. Humans are in the world of Pokémon, not the other way around, and that’s what Journeys fails to understand.
3. The battles being good. And if they aren’t, there needs to be significant and consistent story development to keep me interested. When a series has neither, that’s when I really start to not care.
4. Animation and direction. That includes music and how well it fits and integrates into a scene too. With smart direction, poor animation doesn’t bother me as much. But when something is as visually dull as possible, it gets to me.

Other stuff like goals being interesting, group interaction, a big plot, etc. is important to me, but not to the point where I’d stop watching.

 

[AuraChannelerChris]

Replace Ash.

In fact, adapt the games and expand on their lore...not change it all.

 

[Lucariomen]

1. Equal Spotlight: Each member of the main cast should have balanced attention, both on character growth and achieving its own goals. Ash should get an extra portion of the character since he is the main character. They did something somewhat similar in Pokemon DP and XY Anime, and somehow pulled off a perfectly balanced crew in the Pokemon SM Anime, even though it had the whopping 6 members on the main cast. The Pokemon SwSh/Journeys Anime were horrible on implementing that, with Goh basically replacing Ash on the main character title, with Ash being merely the supportive role that usually the girl protagonist has (Eg: Dawn, Iris, Serena...), no cook role (Brock, and my favorite Green-haired characters if you exclude N: Cilan and Mallow). Still, Journeys is enjoyable, but it could be more.

2. An Actual Plot: Another Journeys Anime error. I feel like they are making up stuff as they Goh (can't Liepard, I couldn't resist). No cohesive gym badge sequence, catching hordes of Pokémon without barely interacting with caught Pokémon... (Ash's Gengar and SPECIALLY Goh's countless Pokémon. I'm not against Goh's "catch em' all" motives, I actually love it, but the poor execution of it makes me want to never have another Goh-like trainer again.) I was expecting something that takes place in Galar (even though I love the travelling between regions idea, but there should be more Galar), with Ash catching first-stage mons and raising them, while he bonds with each of his Pokémon, and it's a sin that they made the Journeys anime without the quallity we had in the past... Also, ACTUAL RIVALS, not STOLEN *my boy Gary was stolen from Ash *!

*Sidenote: I still like Goh, but he could've been better. *

 

[DatsRight]

The comfort level this show has always had. Anipoke has never been a 'peak' show or good in quality when it comes to its writing esp with the types of anime out there. What made it popular and why it's still Popular aside from nostalgia is the comfort level this show gives with its premise of Pokémon as creatures and their bonds with trainers. As long as that aspect is preserved and we get good interactions with trainer and Pokémon and characters that have the ability to deliver such moments perfectly, I'll have fun with the anime. Sure stellar character writing, better battles and more complex plots will always be welcomed (as long as they don't become too over ambitious and fail horribly) and a sense of proper progression for Ash and proper continuity is sorely needed, but as long as the anime continues to be wholesome and makes me smile, I'd like it like I always have. SM did this aspect the best in my opinion and is therefore my favourite despite the controversial new dynamics, changes and art style

Same really. I think it's the more spontaneous character focus of that series.

Sure actual character DEVELOPMENT is kinda relaxed in SM, but I like how much it just lets the cast's personalities and interactions pilot everything, not let the formula and cliches take over. I think it's the one series that most plays off the fact the Pokemon are basically their own group of characters and they and the humans are trying to bond in spite of a language barrier, sort of Rugrats thing I guess. There's some adventure in there, but the unique chemistries and bonds give it all a cozy core.

I feel most series start off okay with this, but it all slowly whittles down as the arcs take over, the Pokemon evolve, and the fillers become lazier and more formulaic, even with actual development occurring it all just becomes more bland and automated with many personality quirks and synergies forgotten, while SM just never let go of them, there was always these cool details and interactions that kept a lot of personality to the whole thing. Even in the league arc they use the fact everyone is involved to just get little chemistries and back and forths, even just cute little moments like the ones in Pokemon seating area add a lot of charm:

 

[AxelJade]

Two factors above all else:

1) Give the Pokémon long-running character arcs that can be potentially as deep as or even more fleshed out than the human characters. Pokémon are the namesakes of the franchise, and making sure they have solidly constructed characters we can get attached to is more important than any human characters in the franchise. Give me Charizard learning how much his friends care and Infernape's struggles with psychological trauma rooted in a harsh past over Ash getting depressed for stupid reasons or Serena learning to find the path she wants to take any day.

And in Journeys, where Ash's Pokémon outside of Pikachu don't appear often and don't seem to have any potentially long-running character threads, that's sorely lacking. Even Sun and Moon had Lycanroc's mood swings, Pikachu's rivalry with Tapu Koko, and Litten/Torracat's rivalry with the Masked Royal's Incineroar.

2) Give Ash a consistent singular rival that pops up more frequently than other rivals that can push Ash to grow by testing his character. Ash feeling inferior to the self-righteous and cocky Gary. Being able to see himself in and learn how to grow in failure from the more mature Ritchie. Having his whole philosophy and world view tested by his polar opposite Paul. Needing to prove himself against the dismissive and power obsessed Trip. While I consider the Pokémon to be more important than the Trainers, Ash IS the lead character, and having to grow/helping his rivals to grow has always been important to the show.

Even in XY, where I argue Ash has no character arc or development to speak of, Ash plays a role in the development of Clemont, Shota, and Alan. But in Sun and Moon, he... Didn't really help anyone develop, or develop himself. And thus far, in Journeys, he hasn't done either of those things yet either. Rinto seemed like a reasonable, if cocky, human being that just needed a slap across the face. And neither Bea not Ash are really facilitating any growth in each other either.

So yeah. TL;DR, stronger Pokémon characters than humans, and good rivals. That's what I need for the Pokémon anime to be enjoyable.

 

[DatsRight]

Even in XY, where I argue Ash has no character arc or development to speak of, Ash plays a role in the development of Clemont, Shota, and Alan. But in Sun and Moon, he... Didn't really help anyone develop, or develop himself.

Kiawe, Sophocles, Lillie, Gladion, Hapu, Guzma?

Sure their arcs are more subtle and there is a larger point they start to fend for themselves, but I think Ash still played pivot in helping them grow and that Ash had to go out of his way and do things out of his comfort zone more often to accomplish this.

 

[AxelJade]

Kiawe, Sophocles, Lillie, Gladion, Hapu, Guzma?

Sure their arcs are more subtle and there is a larger point they start to fend for themselves, but I think Ash still played pivot in helping them grow and that Ash had to go out of his way and do things out of his comfort zone more often to accomplish this.

See, the reason I didn't count them, and I readily admit this, is because... Well, in Sophocles, Lillie, Hapu, and Guzma's case, I don't consider them rivals. Sophocles and Lillie don't really compete with Ash over anything, and don't even get to battle against Ash in the Alola League. Hapu, because of her role as a Kahuna, I automatically associate her to the Gym Leader role instead of the more traditional rival role. And with Guzma, much like Hapu, my brain kind of automatically locks him down as "villain" instead of "rival". So while those four are rivals, I typically don't consider them rivals.

Kiawe and Gladion... Okay, you've got me there. But I guess I just wish they were more... On-sight, I guess? With Paul and Trip, it didn't take much for a battle to break out or for growth to be had. They'd see each other, Ash and his friends would try to be nice, Paul and Trip would have a harsh criticism to give, Ash would defensively criticize back, then Ash would challenge them to battles to try and prove his point (and his strength).

And yeah, in the case of specifically Paul and Trip, that's just their characters. It wouldn't make sense for Gladion or Kiawe to get like that with Ash. And to completely invalidate that, Ritchie doesn't battle Ash at all outside of their famous League battle and is nothing but a nice boy, and manages to help Ash grow as a rival and friend just fine (and I love him for it. I love Ritchie so much).


I dunno. I guess I just more specifically miss antagonistic rivals. Rivals that would either help Ash grow or be made to grow themselves in more obvious ways, and whose character arcs don't end until a final battle with Ash gives the last push both characters need.

 

[Applecorp]

Actual good comedy and laugh out loud moments are a must. There's been very few times like that after the original Kanto episodes and the scripts now for both the sub and dub are so boring compared to what they used to be like.

The animation might be alot better now but the dialogue has actually gotten worse over time.

 

[ZarudeSandstorm]

good battles

 

[ChiVulpix]

A strong female travel companion, epic battles and character development.

 

[cricketlaxwolvesbandy]

Good art style.
There, I said it.

 

[uncutpokemon]

The English dub, which unfortunately they haven't

 

[Satoshi & Touko]

For me, it’s content that warrants a higher age rating. Not like R, but a strong PG or soft PG-13 rating.
Also, romantic subplot(s) that actually go places with actual characters GETTING TOGETHER. Maybe a breakup here and there.
And little to no Kanto.

 

[janejane6178]

Un fugly artstyle and none pointles characters like having a goal to make a bubble

 

[Evstike]

An episode that doesn't make me want to turn it off at any point.