Can the next anime series have more and better battles of old, and the art style and characterization of SM?

[KrspaceT]

To be clear when I say this, I am not one of 'those' people.

Sun and Moon is not my favorite series, but it is not my least favorite either. For all the issues it has, it still has a charm to it, and I'm probably not going to have a final judgement on it until I see everything it has. Even then unless the league goes horribly it probably won't dethrone pre-Master Quest Johto or Unova.

However I am a battle fan, and Sun and Moon is not a series that makes battles shine or shows them off a lot. It can put out some decent ones, but the gaps are simply too much and the peaks aren't grand.

(They even brought back action lines, but in a way I can't really understand either...)

So here is my simple question: can the anime combine both preferences?

More and better battles, and the animation and characterization of Sun and Moon?

I'm happy to see a meeting of the best elements of XY and SM, and I doubt it's impossible to do.

 

[BigDocFan]

I agree about having more and better battles, the animation is certainly good now I've gotten used to it

 

[Gligarman]

The XY battles were incredible but I like the emphasis on hand drawn animation. Since the designs have all been simplified now the animation is a lot more fluid.

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

I hope not. I don't like the art style and characterization of SM.

 

[Daenerys]

I wouldn't mind intricate battles in the next series, but not if it comes at the cost of more face faults, twerking, glitter vomit, or uvula faces like we've grown accustomed to in SuMo. Give me XY-esque animation and less try-hard comedy shtick than SuMo, and we've got a deal.

 

[LuxrayOfTheWild]

The Sun and Moon art style has really grown on me, and I'd love to see the next series continue to use this style, though I'm not sure it will.

The Sun and Moon series tried to do something new and I really appreciate the writing team for trying, though I haven't really enjoyed the full on emphasis on the comedic slice-of-life style this series has had entirely. It has had some fun moments, but I really hope the next series has more focus on the journey and the battles than this series has, while still taking the time to have these fun, comedic slice-of-life style episodes.

 

[sc190191]

To be clear when I say this, I am not one of 'those' people.

Wow, what does that mean....

I really don't see either of these qualities as the strengths of their respective series. I think battles looked amazing in XY, but it wasn't what made the series enjoyable, and I don't feel the SM art style looks anywhere close to as good for battles. More battles will come just from having a series where the protagonist(s) have battle related goals, so I think most people agree that is pretty likely. Considering they aren't likely to return to XY art style, you will probably get your wish to an extent.

The problem is, I think one of the reasons SM battles are less satisfying is due to the tone of the series (regardless of whether you like said tone or not). Beyond just the gaps, there really isn't much training either, so when it is time for a battle there isn't as much invested in it, so the stakes just don't seem as great. Although the Pokemon get characterization, it is less related to improving in battle, so the moments of improvement that led to an emotional rush in the past because of all the hard work that led up to them, they just aren't as significant now. Beyond that, having the constant threat of the scene completely changing from serious to forced humor really lessens the intensity and suspense.

I do think it would be great to carry forward Pokemon getting a lot of personal development that isn't battle related, and then also having training development to go with it (not that this hasn't happened before, but it is an actual strength that SM has). I just don't think the humor style and extreme laid back methods of SM would work well in a series that tried to have serious battling. I do hope there will still be humor, just please show a little restraint and not force it into every serious moment and maybe be little bit, you know, actually funny (similar to past series).

 

[DarkraiKnight]

Wow, what does that mean....

He's talking about the people who say stuff like this.

 

[Nicolas721]

The art style can go.....somewhere else. I still think the good moments in animation we've had come from the XY style, except for maybe the shots of Ash running (which aren't vital to the series) and Z-moves (which hopefully will be gone). Pikachu looks terrible.

However I agree that the characterization and the battles should be together in harmony and that they are completely compatible, and that a series with both would be ideal. Part of the series is about the bonds between Pokemon and people, and battles have been defined as a way to show those bonds since the beginning of the series regardless of a character's profession or goal. I don't understand why battles were erased so easily from SM to the point Ash didn't even have a normal trial in Poni.

 

[Almonds]

I hope they reach a compromise with the art style and refine it to bring back some of the Kalos-style animation. The battle sequences were really fun to watch.

 

[Peppermint Phoenix]

As one of "those people" I have faith the gen VIII will be even more battle focused than X&Y simply due to patterns.

An expression I use is that Pokémon zigzags. People are enjoying their zig and I'm okay with that as long as I get one hell of a zag.

 

[SammyW27]

Ah heck, they try out a different approach EVERY series. And even then they'll change course or switch gears mid-series depending on what happens in the games or something behind the scenes.

The main thing about the next series is what Gen 8 is about with what the higher-ups want.

On a somewhat related note, I think they seem to take the things people disliked about the previous series or didn't work/help and do the opposite of it (though that usually creates a new set of problems)

The main thing is more/better battles, and a smaller cast might help. Though that's just me.

 

[Johtohfiller]

I'm not crazy about SM's art style but Z-move stock footage overkill is a bigger gripe for me. Really sucks the excitement out of what battles we do get IMO (and this isn't just a Pokemon thing for me - I'm watching Gaogaigar right now and while it's a great show for the most part, some of the episodes really go overboard with stock footage).

I want XY's moving backgrounds back, that's easily my favorite visual innovation the show has done.

 

[kantoskies]

If we could get a nice blend of XY and SM in all areas-- animation, tone, characterization, etc-- I would be satisfied.

I wouldn't mind an artstyle more akin to M21. Though my pipe dream is to go back to the old Kanto style...

 

[KrspaceT]

If we could get a nice blend of XY and SM in all areas-- animation, tone, characterization, etc-- I would be satisfied.

I wouldn't mind an artstyle more akin to M21. Though my pipe dream is to go back to the old Kanto style...

YOu mean pre digital art? Painted Cell and what not?

 

[KyseL]

I will legit cry if they change the art-style instead of just polishing it more at most. I know it's an unpopular opinion, but the M21 style is just not animation friendly, while being extremely dull, and having a poor sense of volume, while any of the previous series' styles would just be too severe of a downgrade because of just how stiff they were by nature.

When it comes to battles, I wouldn't mind seeing more (and better) battles. If that meant losing on character acting, however, I'd be really torn. At the same time, I don't want the insane amount of filler battles we got in every previous series back.

 

[kantoskies]

YOu mean pre digital art? Painted Cell and what not?

It wouldn't have to necessarily be cel painted, just have warmer colors that evoke the cel painted feeling. I think the AG movies were digitally painted but still looked like the cel painted stuff?

 

[Islander Princess]

Probably. They just wanted to do something different with SM, and they went with what they felt best fit the region. I think it ties together nicely, personally.

My dislike for XY is well known, so SM being pretty much the exact opposite puts it much more in my personal favor. I did like XY's general art style better (although it will forever bother me that they made Ash in particular look waaay too old which just led to rehash of the same old age arguments) but SM's animation much better. I certainly don't hate SM's art style, to be clear, but it's definitely got more of a "fun" feel to it that I'm not sure would translate over to other series as well. Now that they've had a couple of years to work with this animation, I feel like they can definitely blend this level of animation with a different, slightly more sophisticated art style.

I'm not a huge fan of battles, so SM has enough for me, but I can see why those who are bigger on them feel that they're missing out. Ultimately, I think the next series all comes down to where the region is based off of, and how the writers want to approach characterizing that region in the anime.