The Outrage

Before we digress to the side-series possibility, I'd like to discuss my idea some more before the cat is out of the bag. I think that the opposite-gender character in B2W2 will be the protagonist's doppelganger in the other universe. Hilbert and Hilda are special because they don't look the same in both universes, just like Kyurem.

This could be applied to a new set of characters, but it would work so well with Hilbert and Hilda because it would explain why the opposite-gender character wasn't shown in the previous games (outside the Battle Subway).

I don't think that most fans have even given much thought as to how Hilbert and Hilda could be retained. I would begin to understand them if they told me why something like my idea is unfeasible (although I don't see how it is), but they just assume that a sequel has to have new main characters.

And the fans that care about making all the player characters canon and important should definitely not be wishing for every (or any) generation to introduce more than two such characters. The opposite-gender character didn't even get a role in Black and White.

I hadn't read about that, but a simple Google search did the trick.

Nobunaga takes issue with people's ambition to take control of Arceus, so he sets out to topple Arceus with his own power? And to do so he makes Zekrom and Rayquaza his own? This just sounds bad.

No worries, I guess I understand the strategy -- I also get many random friend requests in forums (then again, my friend request must have been a bit random to you as well ).
Most of the people I friend get banned anyway.

They definitely derailed plot points from Crystal, but I wouldn't say that Eusine's personality changed, but rather his being a Pokémaniac in search of legends. In Crystal, he was also interested in Entei, Raikou and Ho-Oh, and he seemed to have realized early on that Suicune was looking for a special trainer for a reason. The greater shame is that the Wise Trio were removed, since they were the only ones who had some idea what Ho-Oh and the beast trio were after, and one of them even alluded to Suicune's individual link to the Unown.

Have you read my latest reply to ArginX in your blog?

Again, does the game even have a story to speak of as far as the Pokémon are concerned? Or is it just a Nobunaga's Ambition game that happens to feature Pokémon?


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That being so, once again, my name is Professor Juniper, and I am researching when and how the creatures called Pokémon came into existence.
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I know that she researched Klink and Darmanitan's origins, but she didn't seem to know much about Reshiram or Zekrom. Will she suddenly have gained insight about the original dragon or Kyurem? I have to say that wouldn't be necessary with Iris, Drayden and the Plasma characters being around, as well as potential new characters. I expect that she will have a role in the main story and that she will contribute her findings, but she needs something more than that if she wants to delve deeper into the origins of Pokémon as a whole. It is Mew that should really hold her interest, so could she be involved in a Faraway Island event? Does she know Mr. Fuji? Perhaps her father does.


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Well, Skyla, if anything comes up again, I'm counting on you!
Skyla: ...Professor, my plane's a cargo plane!
It carries luggage, not people.
...Not to mention places like Kanto and Sinnoh aren't easy destinations!
Juniper: Hey, now, don't be so harsh while you're making such a cute face...
Humans need to help each other, just like we do with Pokémon!
Well, you two, hope we meet again!
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Why did he want to go to Kanto or Sinnoh?

But from the get-go you said you didn't expect an explanation. I wonder if the term 'legendary' is even used in the game.

Has Serebii not unlocked that mission yet? It's hard to tell when the only information is a list. I wouldn't be surprised if the second hero were the opposite-gender protagonist.

Some people say that the Overdrive status is just an animation feature like Reshiram and Zekrom's. Honestly, I didn't even remember that Reshiram and Zekrom had a separate artwork for Overdrive mode, which goes to show how obscure it was; I don't recall it being described as a status or a result of their emotions. Besides, everyone expects Black/White Kyurem to at least get STAB for Electric/Fire moves, so why wouldn't Overdrive mode be relevant to that? It's not as if Reshiram and Zekrom needed to change their types.

I meant that the abilities would be a bit cheap if they had multiple effects (possibly as many as three) when just one effect was enough for Reshiram and Zekrom. Obviously, I'm not worried about compatibility.

You haven't actually clarified what you think the Overdrive status is exactly. If it is caused by Freeze Shock/Ice Burn and switches one of Black/White Kyurem's types, then I won't be surprised if the move becomes lightning/flare with a freezing effect (the animation will be altered). As a matter of fact, I don't see the Dragon type being removed.

Do you mean that Turboblaze and Terravolt would have added effects or that they would be completely revamped? The former case would be a bit too much, and in the latter case I would think it would be more natural to introduce new abilities. As for giving STAB as opposed to replacing the type, does that mean you think Freeze Bolt and Cold Flare won't have their types changed in Overdrive status?

I'm interested in whether or not the Kyurem variants are going to be usable in local wireless battles against Black/White players. It would be much more sensible to make sure that they can be used via Wi-Fi against other B2W2 players. Besides, if the Overdrive status is a real game mechanic, I don't see how it can be integrated into battles where Black and White are involved.

"We now know that when their emotions are worked up, Black Kyurem and White Kyurem become Overdrive status!"

Their emotions being worked up could refer to the original dragon realizing that it is not perceived as it should. So it replaces the Ice typing, but it manifests a different type (Electric/Fire) depending on the universe, so arguably the situation is even worse. Was the original dragon a pure Dragon type? Or did it somehow encompass Fire, Electric and Ice, as well? I see Black and White Kyurem having a new ability that would eliminate the wasted turn when using Freeze Bolt/Cold Flare, as well as changing the user and move's type after using the respective move. Presumably, the original dragon would have the same ability, but would it have access to both moves, or would it have a new one?

Most fans don't seem to think that a new region, the original dragon or references to a universe split will be included in the games. How so very boring, but they didn't think the sequels were possible, either.

I do hope the games come out in the summer in the west. I don't think it can compete with BW hype in the fall. I don't know, I see more people interested in this game than Pokepark 2 (so I'm surprised Serebii would extend his experience from one spin-off to a completely different one--especially when most Western fans don't know what to expect from the Nobunaga half), and I'd like to think Tecmo Koei would want to reach Western players with this game as well.

Though, hearing that some of the post-game episodes is as long as the main story itself is great

B2W2 aren't really being advertised now in the west or arguably even in Japan. The timing of their announcement is reminiscent of Black and White (then just "brand new games") being announced prior to Guardian Signs' release. There is a 8-month gap between PokéPark 2 and B2W2's release dates, so if Nobunaga's Ambition isn't localized during this period, then the game itself is to blame (or at least how it is perceived by western players). It has very little chance of being released next year, but it may be announced next month and still be released before the B2W2 hype train gets started in the west.

This is the reason Serebii didn't create a discovery thread. You can tell him what you'd like to see covered, though.

But Coronis has a firm grasp of Japanese and unlike Serebii he does play the games for their plot among other reasons. I'm surprised that they don't have a discovery thread for the game.

I'm not sure that the mention system works after editing posts, so here's a link just in case.

The Ranse region is shaped Arceus. That's pretty odd considering the real-world ties, but I was actually a little worried that the region was based on Chugoku, which might have created a slight problem for Game Freak. Does this game have a plot, though? It's as if the only sort of information about it is in the form of Bushou Leaders (all 200 of them) and new areas.

So you don't think I should be worried about the gender?

I actually find it appropriate that the identity of the king/queen may not be obvious to the original dragon, let alone its individual parts. After all, the original dragon had faith in the twin heroes, and that didn't end well at all.

I have a theory that I'm working on regarding the sequels' story climax. Without going into the details, it involves the Abyssal Ruins prophecy and even the two universes. The problem? The mention of a king rather than a queen even when Hilda is the player character. I've tried to think of ways for N to be the king; it works on paper, but not when I try to fit the fulfillment of the prophecy into the games. The bottom line is that the player character will almost definitely be the one to catch Black/White Kyurem, and the prophecy refers to the king as defeating one Pokémon (presumably White/Black Kyurem) and being joined by another (the other one). N can't be the player character if only because there needs to be a female representative, as well.

The thing is, if Game Freak had made 'King' interchangeable with 'Queen', then the inscription being a prophecy would have been rather obvious. So I'm wondering if it is excusable for the prophecy to get retconned.

See my comment in your blog.

But they could have given it the national number and then no one would have noticed it. But I may be overanalyzing and it didn't occur to them that anyone would read anything into the number.