I just can't get over the new character designs.

[Azureth]

The Pokemon are fine, as are the tertiary characters for the most part, but I can't stand the way the made Ash, Misty and Brock look. I seriously hope this isn't permanent and in the next series they'll either change Ash back or at least change it to something different. I haven't seen many of the S/M eps but have seen pictures and recently watched the latest episode and...gahh I hate it.

 

[Neo Blaze]

Considering the animation style changes each series (although not as drastically as XY to SM I will admit) I doubt this animation style will stay after SM is over.

Well, to each their own. Personally I did need time to get used to it but now I'm totally fine with it. I like how expressive this animation style is and how it brings forth each individual character more.

 

[SonansuMan]

I kind of like Ash and Misty's designs this series. Their personalities blend well with it, and work with their silly natures. I haven't been troubled by any of the designs aside from maybe Jessie's but even then its not bad sometimes.

 

[kantoskies]

While my favorite style was the original one, characters were drawn so off-model all the time I actually prefer how Kasumi looks in the SM series to a good chunk of her older appearances.

 

[Cresselia92]

You certainly aren't the only one. Even after 43 episodes into the series, I still can't accept this drastic change.

I have been following the classic style since I was seven years old, and the new style still doesn't click with me. I don't hate it as much as the beginning, though, and there are some scenes with slightly sharper lines which reminded me somewhat the old style and that make it easier for me to tolerate, but if it still didn't grow on me after all this time, I doubt it ever will. It's completely alienating to me.

I admit that the new animation is more fluid and the characters are more expressive, but I simply prefer the old style, even if it was more rigid. The stillness never bothered me too much, since I'm used to seeing cartoons and animes with mostly still shots, so the anime wasn't any different to me and I was mostly unfazed.

Ideally, it would be good if they will find a compromise with both the old and the new style for the next series, so that it will retain the original charm while allowing some more dynamic scenes and expressions.

 

[Rath]

Ash, Misty, and Brock look the same as the other characters in Sun/Moon.

 

[Johtohfiller]

The new art style is too flat for my liking, not enough detail or shading. Well, except for the meme faces, which I can definitely do without - it seems like most of the detail goes into those.

I can't say I care about increased fluidity tbh. Nothing I've seen yet has made me think "wow that's fluid", it's just not as big a deal to me as overall art style.

 

[Rath]

The new art style is too flat for my liking, not enough detail or shading. Well, except for the meme faces, which I can definitely do without - it seems like most of the detail goes into those.

I can't say I care about increased fluidity tbh. Nothing I've seen yet has made me think "wow that's fluid", it's just not as big a deal to me as overall art style.

In animation, animation is more important than art style.

An anime being decently animated is more important than it looking pretty.

 

[Johtohfiller]

In animation, animation is more important than art style.

An anime being decently animated is more important than it looking pretty.

There's no room for taste and I'm a wrongfan having wrongfun. Duly noted.

 

[Rath]

There's no room for taste and I'm a wrongfan having wrongfun. Duly noted.

This isn't a matter of opinion, it's an objective fact. If you want pretty art, go to an art gallery.

 

[Flynn]

I do miss Satoshi's old face, and by that I mean his pre-BW face before they gave him those big brown eyes. I liked it better in the Kanto episodes where they'd occasionally draw him with brown eyes whenever there was a close up on his face. His SM design isn't bad or anything, but I prefer his original design.

 

[Cresselia92]

This isn't a matter of opinion, it's an objective fact. If you want pretty art, go to an art gallery.

Actually, in animation, both art style and animation fluidity are very important.

An animated scene with terrible art design but terrific animation and an animated sequence with cool-looking style but with rigid animation are equally bad. To create a good animated sequence it's essential to strike a good balance between style and movements, in order to create a marketable product that is actually pleasant for the eyes.

Besides, in this thread we are talking about the design of the characters, not the animation. And I find it unfortunate that details and shading were sacrificed in order to get some extra "lol random" faces and scenes.

I don't have problems with having some nonsensical moments once in a while, mind you. However, having a treasured art style removed just to make it more slapstick-friendly is something that I don't really support.

 

[Hidden Mew]

I actually really like the art style. I can totally understand why it wouldn't be appealing to other people though. While each series does have a different art style, I think it was more noticeable going from XY to SM and that could make it feel more jarring too. Plus, it just might not appealing for people to look at even without that transition in mind.

Still, I think that the designs for the human characters work pretty well. I think I was only thrown off by how James' hair looks or moves a bit differently than before, but I think it works. They're expressive and it kind of fits with the more light-hearted tone of the series. Ash being so happy all the time is reflected nicely through his expressions and that helps to make me like him in this series too. I may even like Misty's redesign over her original one. I just like the bubbly and energetic expressions I've seen through the images of her return. It helps to give her more personality than I think her original design did. I can understand why the art style wouldn't click with everyone and the next series will probably have different designs, but I like it.

 

[Insanish Danish]

Oh man I LOVE the SM style so much. It's so wonderfully zany and over-the-top expressive and I adore it.

I still don't understand why so many people dislike it, but then again I've always had some ~unpopular opinions~ in this fandom so oh well.

 

[Gengarzilla]

Let's be honest, the art style pre-SM feels too stiff and confined. It's something I came to realize after just two episodes in this new series; now there's a lot more freedom on the visual side of things. After sitting through the high octane and ultra serious XY&Z arc, I've really been able to appreciate how the wacky side of that new style lends itself to SM's inherent zaniness.

I'd go so far as to say that I may not have enjoyed SM as much if the older style was retained, really. Sometimes you've just got to let go of past trends.

 

[Flynn]

The light-hearted and wacky vibe the anime is aiming for in SM definitely wouldn't have worked as well if they had kept the XY art style.

 

[Almonds]

I dislike the new art style and it led me to semi-drop the SM series. I watch some of the episodes occasionally if they are supposedly interesting and super-important to the overall arc (such as Gladion's debut episode). But the art-style really bothers me.

I do acknowledge the fluidty and animation being a lot smoother. However, I prefer the sharp style of the previous series (especially XY) and as silly slapsticky movements aren't my taste, the SM series isn't engaging to my eyes yet.

 

[Rajas20]

The art style works for the tone of the series tbh but I was surprised at how well Ash looked in the redrawn Kanto flashbacks. Makes me wonder if it's his 3/4 pants that make him look smaller. I do miss the XY look he had though but thats solely down to my preference.

 

[ii kanji]

I don't love the way Satoshi, Musashi and Kojirou look in screencaps, but the new characters (and Kasumi/Takeshi) look fantastic and really everyone and everything looks so much more alive in action - the animation is unreal!; see SM 43 - that I find it painful on the eyes now to rewatch old episodes because they're so wooden!

 

[Charmander4]

It looks hideous and cheap and nothing like Pokémon.