How do you solve a problem like only 70 Pokemon

[Genwunner]

So folks, I think after a week of X and Y it's not really a spoiler anymore to say there are only 70 new Pokemon in these games so how will this be handled in the anime where series tend to last 140+ episodes ie twice the number of new Pokemon.

So how do you think this faux pas de Nintendo will be handled?

Will this be a really short series, and then maybe they'll go onto some Battle Frontier type thing/ Decolora/Orange Islands.

Will they focus on old Pokemon and give them episodes reintroducing them pretending Ash has never met one before.

Will they try and include Megas as new Pokemon and have episodes focusing on Mega Gengar, or Mega Pinsir etc?

Or will they do something entirely different?

 

[MegaGarchomp]

Could end focusing on Megas since they are really powerful in battle. And I have a feeling GF will release new Megas every so often so it could go on for a while.

 

[Langley]

Well they could have more stories that run across multiple episodes. They could develop stories without doing a Pokemon of the week thing (the key word here is "could" as opposed to "will", sadly). Or who knows, maybe there'll be 80 DLC Pokemon? Anyway, the Megas are new Pokemon, at least as much as any evolution in the past has been when counting towards the total amount of new Pokemon.

 

[Frugrow]

I immediately thought of the anime when the leakers had posted that there were only 69 new Pokemon in the games, not including Mega Pokemon and event legendary Pokemon. Even it we included Mega Pokemon, isn't the total number of "new" Pokemon still under 100? I am really hoping for a shorter gen in this case, or perhaps Game Freak can introduce a second batch of new Pokemon for the inevitable follow-up game(s).

On the other hand, D/P only introduced around 107ish? new Pokemon and they somehow made it last 4 years.

 

[Mooites]

IF Hoenn remakes are a thing, we could see a lot more Hoenn Pokemon featured as well. We could also get more episodes focusing on the main characters' Pokemon interacting with each other instead of the main characters' Pokemon interacting with the Pokemon of the Week.

 

[Moe]

You solve the problem by having Ash win the league. A year of storylines right there.

 

[Jaye]

Although there is a smaller amount of new Pokemon this generation, they should still be able to make at least around a 100 episodes. Each new Pokemon could get an episode, which would give you 70 episodes already. Each gym could get two episodes, so that would be another 16. The league adds at least five more episodes. Even if some new Pokemon receive their focus during gym battles and the league, you can still make up for that with Mega Evolution, Team Flare and all the focus episodes the other members of the cast should be receiving.

Breaking it down like that, there should be no problems. Hoenn received 132 episodes before Battle Frontier started. Best Wishes got 108 before Episode N and their island travels. They should get a total somewhere between that. What happens after would depend on what new games are released; if there's an X2 and Y2, they can release some episodes based on that, or if there're are Ruby/Sapphire remakes they could send the gang to Hoenn for a Battle Frontier type saga.

 

[garrison-san]

Presumably, the emphasis upon new pokemon won't be quite as heavy this saga - the opening sequence for XY seems like a pretty good indication of that.

Best Wishes didn't exactly have a lot of choice, given that no older pokemon were available during the main gameplay in Unova, but they really milked the intrigue surrounding the then-new pokemon for all it was worth in their first opening, with the systematically revealed silhouettes and altogether lack of human characters. In the first XY opening the "omfg! new pokemon!" element seems much more subdued by comparison.

As for what else they'll be focussing upon...well, there are the Megas for a start. Maybe they'll be a bit more sparing with how quickly they reveal new pokemon. Heck, maybe some of the older pokemon who haven't been given a lot of spotlight in a while will even get a revisiting.

 

[SlimeStack]

Since when did the amount of Pokémon determine how long a series is? Best Wishes was very short but had more new Pokémon than AG and DP...

 

[Dr. Buni]

They will likely give focus to older Pokémon and mega evolutions along the new Generation VI Pokémon in X&Y. Seriously, "only" 70 new Pokémon isn't even a problem to begin with, so there is absolutely no need to solve anything. Also, Gens II and IV introduced few Pokémon as well and those two series were longer than Best Wishes, the series based on the generation which introduced the biggest amount of new Pokémon (156).

 

[Supreme Leader Palpitoad]

I hope that this series will be more story and battles and fewer fillers to promote pokemon that no one wants to see. Those eps where we see Ursarings chasing ash and friends or baby dragons getting lost may be funny but they are not exiting or interesting. A well written plot and cool battles is. I hope that the writers understands that and will make less fillers and more plot/battles. They have the perfect opportunity now.

 

[Langley]

I hope that this series will be more story and battles and fewer fillers to promote pokemon that no one wants to see.

That's what I hope, too. I have to admit, my experience with the anime is pretty sporadic and there are gaps everywhere, but the vast majority of what I've seen tends to just feel like "Oh look it's [Pokemon name], he seems [sad/angry/lost/confused/etc] let's follow him for a bit." They have all this potential for stories but it tends to just break down to samey showcases of various Pokemon. Sure, it's essentially about the various Pokemon and Ash battling them, but that's just the basics. I mean Lord of the Rings is about Sauron vs Middle Earth, but it isn't just 12 hours of Sauron punching Aragorn with the occasional "Guess the Hobbit!" eyecatch.

 

[Jukain]

The way I see this, and it applies to the games as well as the anime, is that this generation isn't necessarily about new pokemon, although it has that. This generation seeks equal treatment of all gens, despite the new guys. I'm sure that the Megas will be seen a lot, but I just get the feel that this wasn't entirely about making new pokes, but they wanted all gens to come together somehow.

 

[MikaelDerp]

Most of what I was think has been said above, ie, the Pokemon centered episodes, Team Flare, Gym Battles, etc.

But one of the important factors that hasn't been said, is that of Serena. With little known other then that she's a childhood friend of Ashs, we could possibly see episodes regarding that, and for all we know she may find a goal to pursue. So with possible racing, or contest like challenges for her, that could easily be 20 episodes right there if they span it across multiple arcs.

 

[SammyW27]

Not having as many new Pokémon isn't a problem at all

 

[Ashs Battle Coach]

If anything having fewer new pokes makes things easier. Ash will likely not catch as many, likely just 5, solving his rotation problem. There will be less fillers featuring a new pokemon. Hopefully more development for the gangs pokes, and any rivals or whoever may come along. Plus there should be villain plots to fill some eps. I'm looking forward to this

 

[Magma Bomb]

It is definitely not a problem for them. When the writers have a limited number of new Pokémon at their disposal they usually make some episodes featuring Pokémon from previous generations.
You know, unlike Unova, Kalos is plagued with old Pokémon, so there's nothing preventing them from using this card. In fact, they've been doing that since Johto.
Alternatively, they can always focus some episodes on Mega Evolutions to make up for the shortage of new Pokémon.

 

[Divine Synner]

If anything, the less new Pokemon is better for them. A lot of people have fallen out of Pokemon because "nothing can compare to the first generation". The game using new, improved, awesome, graphics is drawing a lot of people back to the game. This has been described as the Pokemon game to get back into. I heard a rumor that Gamefreak actually reduced the Pokemon X and Y rating because it felt too much like the original Pokemon games. They want the people who are coming back to play to not feel completely unfamiliar with everything. Gen 6 is so far my favorite, because they had new Pokemon and it feels like a new game, but at the same time they left out all the stupid Pokemon just to get the number to 100.

 

[PokémonJesus]

Less filler episodes?
I hope...

 

[Grabbergirl]

Fillers then maybe a whole arc like how we got "Battle Frontier" and "Declora Islands" to fill in for the remaining of the series. Or maybe we might get gen VII in there (like Johto journeys) that way so Clemont and Bonnie will stick around for two generations.