Controversial opinions

[Rainbow-Rain]

It also felt kind of odd to rush its evolution when they were willing to keep Sobble in its first form for awhile and Grookey doesn't have an evolution in sight yet either.

It's especially weird considering that Cinderace evolved so soon in the first place was because of Marketing.

They plaster Cinderace on all kinds of Merchandise, paired alongside Lucario, is the by far the biggest Mascot of Gen 8.
It's practically the Greninja of Galar ffs! (Even right down to having the same Hidden Ability)

I have a theory that the writers originally had way bigger plans for Cinder but for whatever reason, these plans were scrapped. A small part of me wonders if the change in directors had anything to do with it

 

[Die-Hard Dragon Devotee]

It's especially weird considering that Cinderace evolved so soon in the first place was because of Marketing.

They plaster Cinderace on all kinds of Merchandise, paired alongside Lucario, is the by far the biggest Mascot of Gen 8.
It's practically the Greninja of Galar ffs! (Even right down to having the same Hidden Ability)

I have a theory that the writers originally had way bigger plans for Cinder but for whatever reason, these plans were scrapped. A small part of me wonders if the change in directors had anything to do with it

Hmmm.....maybe

 

[Jersey Jimmy]

As opposed to everyone else rushing to "warn" you how irredemable the show is I say give it a chance if your interested. I say this as someone with major problems myself, it definitely does have its good point and does get a little exhausting sometimes because as a half glass full kind of person I would much rather discuss things I enjoy in a piece of media than dislike if I think it's worth it. But like I said if your interested check or out

oh no I have no intentions on watching it, I've been done with pokeani for like a decade lmao. I file a restraining order against anything longer than 30 episodes.

 

[Hidden Mew]

It's especially weird considering that Cinderace evolved so soon in the first place was because of Marketing.

They plaster Cinderace on all kinds of Merchandise, paired alongside Lucario, is the by far the biggest Mascot of Gen 8.
It's practically the Greninja of Galar ffs! (Even right down to having the same Hidden Ability)

I have a theory that the writers originally had way bigger plans for Cinder but for whatever reason, these plans were scrapped. A small part of me wonders if the change in directors had anything to do with it

It's hard to say if the change in directors was a factor, especially when I don't quite recall when the new director was brought in, but a part of me would not be surprised if they originally had more plans for Cinderace. While Goh got Sobble relatively early on in Journeys, I think that they were expecting Scorbunny to be the more popular Galar starter. It was Goh's first Pokemon and featured pretty heavily in the promotion for the anime even after it evolved. I don't think that they were expecting Inteleon to blow up in popularity. Sobble doesn't really come off as a last minute addition to Goh's lineup though. If it wasn't for the really bad misleading marketing, I don't think Sobble's capture would have bothered people nearly as much.

 

[ripplefieldz]

The writers hated SWSH as much as the fandom did and it really shows

it's such a damn shame too, cause as someone who actually really liked swsh good god it NEEDED the anime and badly. but out of all the gens to get the shaft, this was the one they chose. i suppose i should get catching up on swsh pokespe, but eh, it never really had the same charm as the anime.

 

[Sai]

I knew that from the moment they did the darkest days plot way too early and sped right though it without even trying to make it better (like the Team Flare arc in XY) or do anything with it after that fact (like with the AF arc in SM) and acted like it never happened.

And yet the anime version was still better than the game one, lol. Anyway I wonder if we'll see Rose again.

Journey's is a fanservice series overall, but I think now that we've been spoiled with all these old character returns it makes me realize people always think seeing old characters again is better in their minds than when we actually get it. They've done this is past sagas too when Jasmine appeared in DP or Claire in BW to battle Iris, and even though seeing old Gym leaders again is nice it really isn't a big deal.

 

[Enzo]

The thing about Cinderace is pretty simple: the higher ups just thought that it would be the Shillmon of the generation ala Greninja. They just didn't expected Inteleon to be the one to take the spot instead, and it completely threw them off. And I strongly believe that whatever plans they had for it were scrapped because they realized they needed to have an Inteleon on the main cast at all costs possible, so they threw it out of the window in order to make Sobble evolve as quickly as they could.

Which is so funny to look back at because at the end of the day, they are both as equally irrelevant in the story because after evolving, neither get any resemblance of focus.

 

[Rainbow-Rain]

It's hard to say if the change in directors was a factor, especially when I don't quite recall when the new director was brought in, but a part of me would not be surprised if they originally had more plans for Cinderace. While Goh got Sobble relatively early on in Journeys, I think that they were expecting Scorbunny to be the more popular Galar starter. It was Goh's first Pokemon and featured pretty heavily in the promotion for the anime even after it evolved. I don't think that they were expecting Inteleon to blow up in popularity. Sobble doesn't really come off as a last minute addition to Goh's lineup though. If it wasn't for the really bad misleading marketing, I don't think Sobble's capture would have bothered people nearly as much.

The thing about Cinderace is pretty simple: the higher ups just thought that it would be the Shillmon of the generation ala Greninja. They just didn't expected Inteleon to be the one to take the spot instead, and it completely threw them off. And I strongly believe that whatever plans they had for it were scrapped because they realized they needed to have an Inteleon on the main cast at all costs possible, so they threw it out of the window in order to make Sobble evolve as quickly as they could.

Which is so funny to look back at because at the end of the day, they are both as equally irrelevant in the story because after evolving, neither get any resemblance of focus.

I don't think it's Inteleon's fault for Cinderace's lack of screentime because:

1.) Inteleon gets worse treatment and even less screentime than Cinderace does

2.) With the narrowing exception of it's Evolution episode and the Drake episode, everytime Inteleon appears, we also see Cinderace

If Inteleon were the reason, it'd appear more than it actually does.

And Cinderace is still the Shillmon as it still appears constantly in Merchandise, it got a Shoes based off of it recently


Like they didn't throw away Torracat's development arc just because Primarina and Rowlet were more popular than Incineroar.
So I highly doubt it's the case here


But while we're on the subject of the Sobble line,

It actually bothers me that when Sobble was around outside of it's Pokeball, that never stopped Cinderace from making appearances.
The Bunny was usually whenever Sobble was


It wasn't until Grookey came along that Cinderace mostly disappeared entirely.

As if saying that Monkey is too good to be around the other 2 Starters.

 

[Kurolegacy]

The thing about Cinderace is pretty simple: the higher ups just thought that it would be the Shillmon of the generation ala Greninja. They just didn't expected Inteleon to be the one to take the spot instead, and it completely threw them off. And I strongly believe that whatever plans they had for it were scrapped because they realized they needed to have an Inteleon on the main cast at all costs possible, so they threw it out of the window in order to make Sobble evolve as quickly as they could.

Which is so funny to look back at because at the end of the day, they are both as equally irrelevant in the story because after evolving, neither get any resemblance of focus.

I wouldn’t say that Inteleon took the spot this generation. If you look at their popularity, both Cinderace and Inteleon are exceptionally popular (then it kinda falls off a cliff with Rillaboom). It seems that they weren’t prepared for just how popular Inteleon would be to the degree of rivaling Cinderace. Their handling of the situation though was just terrible though.

 

[Rainbow-Rain]

Since we're on the subject tho I saw a post on Serebii and I wanted to share it here:


"Am I the only one getting kinda annoyed with the Shoulder Pet Pokémon in Journeys?
Like, I’m kinda happy next week’s episode is about Pinsir because I’m pretty tired of this show being the Pikachu, Grookey and Eevee Show featuring Piplup.
I get it, these guys are easier to animate, but…can we just have one episode where these guys don’t need to waste screentime being shown eating the cutesy food, chasing each other or getting involved in the gimmick of the day?
I remember how cool it was that Cinderace would just be walking around with Ash and Goh, but now they might as well be renamed “Pyro Ball” because that’s all they show up to do nowadays. What’s Yamper up to these days? How’s Cubone doing? Sirfetch’d doing alright? Maybe these guys wanna be the stars of the next racing episode, cooking episode, obstacle course episode, dress-up episode while the round-headed Plushiemons just…sit out?"

I agree with everything here. Let the Bigger mons be showcased more outside of their Pokeballs

Let Lucario and Sirfetch'd be sparing buddies like the 2nd OP hinted at

Let Lucario and Cinderace be friendly rivals like the Almost Pikachu Crisis episode set up but never did anything with

Let Dragonite be a Momma to all the other Pokémon

Let Gengar pull pranks around the Lab and annoy every other Pokemon

Let Sirfetch'd be an over protective big brother and protect the Pokemon from Gengar's pranks

Keep doing what you're doing with Dracovish but just give it more Screentime

Let Inteleon charm and flirt with every female Pokemon he sees within a 10 mile radius

Let Inteleon and Cinderace fucking interact ffs

God just let these Pokemon have actual personalities!!!!

 

[JinksChow]

Since we're on the subject tho I saw a post on Serebii and I wanted to share it here:


"Am I the only one getting kinda annoyed with the Shoulder Pet Pokémon in Journeys?
Like, I’m kinda happy next week’s episode is about Pinsir because I’m pretty tired of this show being the Pikachu, Grookey and Eevee Show featuring Piplup.
I get it, these guys are easier to animate, but…can we just have one episode where these guys don’t need to waste screentime being shown eating the cutesy food, chasing each other or getting involved in the gimmick of the day?
I remember how cool it was that Cinderace would just be walking around with Ash and Goh, but now they might as well be renamed “Pyro Ball” because that’s all they show up to do nowadays. What’s Yamper up to these days? How’s Cubone doing? Sirfetch’d doing alright? Maybe these guys wanna be the stars of the next racing episode, cooking episode, obstacle course episode, dress-up episode while the round-headed Plushiemons just…sit out?"

I agree with everything here. Let the Bigger mons be showcased more outside of their Pokeballs

Let Lucario and Sirfetch'd be sparing buddies like the 2nd OP hinted at

Let Lucario and Cinderace be friendly rivals like the Almost Pikachu Crisis episode set up but never did anything with

Let Dragonite be a Momma to all the other Pokémon

Let Gengar pull pranks around the Lab and annoy every other Pokemon

Let Sirfetch'd be an over protective big brother and protect tge Pokemon from Gengar's pranks

Keep doing what you're doing with Dracovish but just give it more Screentime

Let Inteleon charm and flirt with every female Pokemon he sees withing a 10 mile radius

Let Inteleon and Cinderace fucking interact ffs

God just let these Pokemon have actual personalities!!!!

All you'll get will be a picture from the official Pokemon anime Twitter account showing these Pokemon having fun together, and you will like it.

 

[Lightning Flame Blast]

I agree with everything here. Let the Bigger mons be showcased more outside of their Pokeballs

“Grookey smacking shit with a stick, take it or leave it”

-the writers, probably

 

[HiroHunter]

And yet the anime version was still better than the game one

Not really. The game version had better character and build up.

 

[Ghost Diplocaulus]

Since we're on the subject tho I saw a post on Serebii and I wanted to share it here:


"Am I the only one getting kinda annoyed with the Shoulder Pet Pokémon in Journeys?
Like, I’m kinda happy next week’s episode is about Pinsir because I’m pretty tired of this show being the Pikachu, Grookey and Eevee Show featuring Piplup.
I get it, these guys are easier to animate, but…can we just have one episode where these guys don’t need to waste screentime being shown eating the cutesy food, chasing each other or getting involved in the gimmick of the day?
I remember how cool it was that Cinderace would just be walking around with Ash and Goh, but now they might as well be renamed “Pyro Ball” because that’s all they show up to do nowadays. What’s Yamper up to these days? How’s Cubone doing? Sirfetch’d doing alright? Maybe these guys wanna be the stars of the next racing episode, cooking episode, obstacle course episode, dress-up episode while the round-headed Plushiemons just…sit out?"

I agree with everything here. Let the Bigger mons be showcased more outside of their Pokeballs

Let Lucario and Sirfetch'd be sparing buddies like the 2nd OP hinted at

Let Lucario and Cinderace be friendly rivals like the Almost Pikachu Crisis episode set up but never did anything with

Let Dragonite be a Momma to all the other Pokémon

Let Gengar pull pranks around the Lab and annoy every other Pokemon

Let Sirfetch'd be an over protective big brother and protect tge Pokemon from Gengar's pranks

Keep doing what you're doing with Dracovish but just give it more Screentime

Let Inteleon charm and flirt with every female Pokemon he sees withing a 10 mile radius

Let Inteleon and Cinderace fucking interact ffs

God just let these Pokemon have actual personalities!!!!

I agree with this to an extent, but at the same time I feel like it's scapegoating the cutemons a little too much. I mean, it's not like the cutemons aren't getting a raw deal either, since they havent been doing anything particularly memorable or interesting.

What I feel the real problem is is that cutemons aren't allowed to be enything except act, well, cute for the cameras and get into sweet little antics while the non-cutemons are instead relegated to being solely battlebots and little else. And what makes this especially egregious is that things didn't use to be this way: in past series being small and cute didn't bar you from getting cool action while being big and badass didn't bar you from getting into adorable slapstick. In Journeys, however, Pikachu is just about the only Pokemon who is still allowed to be both cute and badass (and even this mostly just feels like it's only the case because Pikachu is already an established character rather than nepotism) while everyone else can only be one or the other. Even if they started out like cutemons like Sobble and Scorbunny as soon as they evolve it's battlebot time and nothing else.

Remember how in past series we had Pokemon like Piplup, Rowlet, and Totodile who were comic relief but also could fight? Heck, even Oshawott, weak as he ended up being, still technically got to fight. We need the cutemons to be doing more like that. Let Chloe's Eevee participate in a serious battle that doesn't involve wild Pokemon or villainous teams (honestly, even in these occasions it isn't like Eevee's done much: her contributions generally boil down to helping deal the finishing blow with a Copycated move). Let Grookey learn an actual goddanged move already (and also stop shifting the blame on everyone else whenever Grookey's mischief causes a problem). Let Yamper just... have any sort of presence whatsoever.

And the battlebots need the opposite. Remember the epsiode where Lucario and Cinderace got into wacky hijinks? I know a lot of people hated it, but the fact of the matter is that we need more stuff like that, because taking the battlebots out of their element allowes them to showcase their personalities in other ways. Just in the past saga we had things like Turtonator and Tsareena still getting into cute antics despite being fully evolved. We need the battlebots to get that.

TL; DR, Pokemon need to stop being relegated to just one role or another and have dimension.

 

[Rainbow-Rain]

I agree with this to an extent, but at the same time I feel like it's scapegoating the cutemons a little too much. I mean, it's not like the cutemons aren't getting a raw deal either, since they havent been doing anything particularly memorable or interesting.

What I feel the real problem is is that cutemons aren't allowed to be enything except act, well, cute for the cameras and get into sweet little antics while the non-cutemons are instead relegated to being solely battlebots and little else. And what makes this especially egregious is that things didn't use to be this way: in past series being small and cute didn't bar you from getting cool action while being big and badass didn't bar you from getting into adorable slapstick.

Remember when people hated Oshawott, Rowlet and Piplup?

Man we really took those 3 for granted.

Even Chespin did shit on occasion

In Journeys, however, Pikachu is just about the only Pokemon who is still allowed to be both cute and badass (and even this mostly just feels like it's only the case because Pikachu is already an established character rather than nepotism) while everyone else can only be one or the other. Even if they started out like cutemons like Sobble and Scorbunny as soon as they evolve it's battlebot time and nothing else.

Well I'd make a case for Raboot and Riolu
(Arguably Cinderace as well)

Remember how in past series we had Pokemon like Piplup, Rowlet, and Totodile who were comic relief but also could fight? Heck, even Oshawott, weak as he ended up being, still technically got to fight. We need the cutemons to be doing more like that. Let Chloe's Eevee participate in a serious battle that doesn't involve wild Pokemon or villainous teams (honestly, even in these occasions it isn't like Eevee's done much: her contributions generally boil down to helping deal the finishing blow with a Copycated move).

At least Eevee is likable for the most part, and is developing albeit at a slower pace

However being the best of the worst developed cutemons is nothing to gawk at.

Not to mention she's tainted by the fact that she's 4th Eevee on the main cast and the 3rd one in a row, and the 2nd unevolved one in a row

No matter how well her arc pays off, I'd argue that it's too little too late for her to not fall into redundancy

Let Grookey learn an actual goddanged move already (and also stop shifting the blame on everyone else whenever Grookey's mischief causes a problem).

Remember when everyone couldn't wait for Grookey to arrive after not showing up for the first 60 episodes?

Be careful what you for indeed....

But seriously do not understand what the hell these writers are trying to accomplish with this Monkey?

Even freaking Togepi did more than Grookey. That's disastrous.

I'm so wary of this thing's inevitable evolution because at the rate it's going it's looking to be even worse than Sobble's

Let Yamper just... have any sort of presence whatsoever.

You know why I didn't want Chloe to catch Eevee? Because I KNEW Yamper would get tossed to the side as soon as she came along

Real nice knowing my suspicions were indeed correct

And the battlebots need the opposite. Remember the epsiode where Lucario and Cinderace got into wacky hijinks? I know a lot of people hated it, but the fact of the matter is that we need more stuff like that, because taking the battlebots out of their element allowes them to showcase their personalities in other ways. Just in the past saga we had things like Turtonator and Tsareena still getting into cute antics despite being fully evolved. We need the battlebots to get that.

That 'Almost Pikachu Crisis" episode was one if my favorite episodes and I'll always defend it for portraying Cinderace and freaking LUCARIO as something other than a Battle Bot

And yet it's still not enough

We need more portrayals like that and for the other Pokémon also.

What's worse is that ALL of these Pokemon are hinted at having other layers besides being just battle bots but the show never bothers to explore them

Remember when it was hinted somewhat early on that G. Farfetch'd, was feeling somewhat inferior to Riolu? I'm sure Sirfetch'd must have some kind of inferiority complex compared to Lucario. ESPECIALLY after that recent battle with Bea

Dragonite and Dracovish literally are shown to be kind and gentle parents

Gengar is canonically upset that Ash barely ever uses him

Inteleon is hinted to having a flirtatious, womanizing side during its fight with Kecleon and the Spanish guitar music that plays over as soon as it evolves. And maybe has a bit of an Ego if one takes the Kecleon Trainer's "Pure Lady" comment seriously



All of these can make for great episode plots but the writers refuse to acknowledge that potential

 

[HiroHunter]

All of these can make for great episode plots but the writers refuse to acknowledge that potential

Because for some reason the writers to use the pokemon as characters.

 

[Unireon]

Summing it up.....

In Pokemon Journeys there are not any, actual, Pokemon Characters.

Just automatons and props.

 

[Ghost Diplocaulus]

You know why I didn't want Chloe to catch Eevee? Because I KNEW Yamper would get tossed to the side as soon as she came along

Real nice knowing my suspicions were indeed correct

What makes this even sadder is the fact that Yamper was the whole reason Chloe and Eevee even met, and Eevee clearly looks up to him, so one would think we would have gotten a cute sibling dynamic out of the two. But I guess that was just the sequel to Farfetch'd and Riolu's "rivalry" in that one member of the nonexistent dynamic clearly got the short end of the stick for the crime of being less marketable than their peer.

Strangely, though, the situation between Yamper and Eevee is actually kind of the exact reversal of what happened just last saga with Lana's Popplio and Sandy in that in both cases the non-Eevee Pokemon was the one who led their trainer to catching the Eevee for a team of two only for one of them to get shafted hard in favor of the other, but last saga it was the non-Eevee who got all the spotlight and development what with Popplio evolving twice and learning its signature Z-Move and participating in battles while Sandy just sat there being cute and got an ugly haircut to rub salt in the wound. Now the pendulum swung hard in the other direction since now it's the Eevee the one who got its own arc while the non-Eevee disappeared into the aether. Hey, remember when May and Serena's Eevees managed to get spotlight in roughly equal measure to their teammates where nobody overshadowed anyone or was overshadowed by anyone despite both girls having teams larger than 2 Pokemon? I don't think even Pepperidge Farm remembers...

Then again, Mallow's Shaymin was treated more or less exactly the same way that Sandy was and now Yamper is being treated, so maybe the real issue is that the writers just don't know how to juggle more than one Pokemon for the girl companion when she doesn't have a clear-cut goal. Which in turn just begs the question of why they even bothered giving Mallow, Lana and Chloe another catch if two Pokemon is now apparently too much.

 

[Enzo]

Because for some reason the writers to use the pokemon as characters.

Some reason = laziness.

Like, for real. I'm sorry to say this, but that's what I think it is. They have the material, the potential and the time (cuz it's not like there's a lot happening anyways), and the series is even highly promoted like that.

(Btw I know it's not the same team who does the promition, but still.)

I don't see why not just use these Pokemon as characters. I have no idea why they don't. This is why laziness is the first thing that comes to mind. And the second is simply inability and incompetence. They might also just not know to use them, and we know they are mediocre at their absolute best day.

 

[Unireon]

Not only Journeys is badly written, there are times when it is also terribly animated.

Lazy, stingy, careless, incompetent; that's the staff this series.

I couldn't care less about today's episode.
Even the person doing the react got bored halfway and stopped watching.