Controversial opinions

[AgedVeteranofShow]

I was glad it came down to slightly deeper by late Johto and persisting into AG, it was a nice medium between the early super deep voice which I agree was her worst (I didn’t hate it though, 16-30 was better than 1–15 imo) and the later higher pitched one until she found the right balance. A lot of 10 year old boys have the voice she did there, and she was able to make him sound mature but also still smooth with that tone: I wish that take had lasted longer than it did, honestly.

I remember as a boy I was upset about the switch most because I felt Taylor had hit her stride as both Ash and May by the end and then, they recast everyone. The only voice I had any real issue with in the main cast back then was James (didn’t “hate” it per se either though), and they’ve made it a thousand times worse by this point IMO, somehow the goofy take there is nowhere near the worst by now so I guess there’s that at least?

That they gave Ash to an obviously scared 19 year old adolescent girl at the time fresh out of acting school without any experience in Anime dubbing at the time, was a double smack in the face to me (not a knock on Natochenny specifically as she was thrust into a terrible situation & that goes on Larry/Armen from TAJ who cast her as well as TPCi, but that they thought that was sufficient to follow up an 8 year veteran in the role they worked with prior, is appalling to me). It might’ve worked for enough people that didn’t/don’t mind it, sure, but I feel the quality suffered for it.

 

[AgedVeteranofShow]

Unpopular opinion incoming: Detective Pikachu SUCKED.

I didn't like the Movie (the graphics make my eyes hurt, the dialogue was cheesy, etc.) and the video game was only mildly better. I think Pikachu is better portrayed in all other forms of Pokémon media.

 

[Dr. Gro 3001]

Unpopular opinion incoming: Detective Pikachu SUCKED.

I didn't like the Movie (the graphics make my eyes hurt, the dialogue was cheesy, etc.) and the video game was only mildly better. I think Pikachu is better portrayed in all other forms of Pokémon media.

I still enjoyed the movie; however, I do wonder if my opinion of the movie has changed over the years. I do think that the battling in the movie is kind of lame. Maybe it's because we don't see a lot of it or maybe it is just kind of bad.

 

[Dr. Gro 3001]

I still enjoyed the movie; however, I do wonder if my opinion of the movie has changed over the years. I do think that the battling in the movie is kind of lame. Maybe it's because we don't see a lot of it or maybe it is just kind of bad.

I wanna stress that I still do like the movie, and I do think it still looks pretty good. But enough time might have somewhat changed my opinion on it. I also think the move effects look pretty cool, but I do think the battles are pretty lame.

 

[DigitalGen6]

SM wasn’t very good (I mean, I kind of liked it).

• I hate how they made Ash dumb
• They shipped him with Lana (SM005) and Lillie (like various episodes) and possibly Mallow.
• Repeated tropes from XY and OG:
  • Sophocles/Clemont (Electric user, science fanatic)
  • Lana/Misty (Water type user, shipped with Ash; but unlike Misty, Lana does not get mad at Ash)
  • Mallow/Brock (chef, and just in case any of you get ideas, it has nothing to do with race)
  • Lana/Serena (Eevee girl, once again shipped with Ash)
  • The possibly only ones that do not fit any are Lillie and Kiawe
• Artstyle. No, just no. Idk why they had to change it but it’s… just no. If they really want to change it, either revert it back to Johto2-Sinnoh (the other is Kanto-Johto1) or just leave it at Unova-Kalos. Like, oh my Arceus. Just why.
• Gonna be a bad one but: Like, Brock and Olivia should get married lol (they’re both Rock users, they also liked each other a lot. You get my point).

That is all.

 

[Eitarou]

SM wasn’t very good (I mean, I kind of liked it).

They shipped him with Lana (SM005) and Lillie (like various episodes) and possibly Mallow.

When and where? Is Ash not allowed to have a positive relationship with girls now?

Repeated tropes from XY and OG:

Every series has a trope or two that appeared in previous one.

Sophocles/Clemont (Electric user, science fanatic)

Is Clemont the only character allowed to use Electric-types? And he's hardly the first Electric-type inventor in the franchise.

Lana/Misty (Water type user, shipped with Ash; but unlike Misty, Lana does not get mad at Ash)

Lana is "shipped" with Ash a grand total of twice. And it's nothing more than her younger sisters annoying her. Y'know, things that younger siblings are wont to do.

Mallow/Brock (chef, and just in case any of you get ideas, it has nothing to do with race)

Brock is not a chef. He's a guy that can cook. They are related, but not the same thing.

Also Cilan exists.

Lana/Serena (Eevee girl, once again shipped with Ash)

When did Serena become the "Eevee girl"? She isn't even the first one.

Gonna be a bad one but: Like, Brock and Olivia should get married lol (they’re both Rock users, they also liked each other a lot. You get my point).

Brock is 15. Don't be weird. Also, the episode made it clear that, like it usually is, his crush is one-sided.

 

[DigitalGen6]

When and where? Is Ash not allowed to have a positive relationship with girls now?

AureliaShipping. Look it up. I don’t know what episodes.
He is, but not when it’s bordering about to cause shipping wars. I saw a post one time about someone getting upset about excessive Ash shippings (aka “Let’s ship Ash with every girl he travels with, such as Serena”).

Is Clemont the only character allowed to use Electric-types? And he's hardly the first Electric-type inventor in the franchise.

No. He’s not the only one allowed to use them. I’m just not super into copy-pastes.

Lana is "shipped" with Ash a grand total of twice. And it's nothing more than her younger sisters annoying her. Y'know, things that younger siblings are wont to do.

Once again, another “let’s ship Ash with every girl he’s traveled with” thing I had to rant about (also, when was the other time? The only one I’ve heard of is in episode 5).

Brock is not a chef. He's a guy that can cook. They are related, but not the same thing.

Huh. I thought they were, but I guess not.

Also Cilan exists.

I know. I didn’t even mention him because I felt like he wasn’t relevant.

When did Serena become the "Eevee girl"? She isn't even the first one.

May is. Someone said in another thread that she (along with May, Lana and Chloe) was.

Brock is 15. Don't be weird. Also, the episode made it clear that, like it usually is, his crush is one-sided.

Come to think of it, you’re right. (But he goes after girls that are older than him, such as lots of Nurse Joys, Officer Jennys, Lucy who likely doesn’t have a confirmed age, etc.).
The way I saw it, I thought she liked him back. We’re likely gonna have to rewatch the episode then.
Also, for most of my life, I thought he was 20. I don’t think he has a confirmed age.

Edit: I have super controversial opinions when it comes to SM- I’m sorry, everyone. I literally wrote my post an hour ago and I don’t stand by the opinions I had then.

 

[AgedVeteranofShow]

Artstyle. No, just no. Idk why they had to change it but it’s… just no. If they really want to change it, either revert it back to Johto2-Sinnoh (the other is Kanto-Johto1) or just leave it at Unova-Kalos. Like, oh my Arceus. Just why.

I agree with this, it shouldn’t have changed after AG as it is to me, Sayuri should’ve stayed in charge…and I wish they had kept the OS-DP art style but SM’s was the most visually grating for me (fluid animation or not accompanying it).

 

[DigitalGen6]

I agree with this, it shouldn’t have changed after AG as it is and I wish they had kept the OS-DP art style but SM’s was the most visually grating for me (fluid animation or not accompanying it).

And then they changed it again for Journeys (somehow I find that change actually tolerable)

 

[Hidden Mew]

AureliaShipping. Look it up. I don’t know what episodes.
He is, but not when it’s bordering about to cause shipping wars. I saw a post one time about someone getting upset about excessive Ash shippings (aka “Let’s ship Ash with every girl he travels with, such as Serena”).

Ash has been shipped with every girl he's traveled with. This has been pretty common since AG. Every new series fans ship him the new female lead. So even causing sipping wars isn't really new among fans. I don't think that they really pushed for Ash and Lana outside of just a couple of times where her little sisters were being annoying about it, so it's not like they really went hard on that pairing.

No. He’s not the only one allowed to use them. I’m just not super into copy-pastes.

I've never understood the notion that Clemont and Sophocles are that alike. Beyond the surface level stuff like being Electric type trainers, how are they anything alike to the point where they just copy and pasted Clemont onto Sophocles? Clemont was much more into actually making inventions, much more shy and awkward and his storyline was about him becoming more confident. Sophocles doesn't really have that. He wants to become an astronaut instead of an inventor and while he also gains more confidence in some of his later focus episodes, it's not really presented in the same way it was with Clemont since they have different personalities and issues to deal with.

Come to think of it, you’re right. (But he goes after girls that are older than him, such as lots of Nurse Joys, Officer Jennys, Lucy who likely doesn’t have a confirmed age, etc.).
The way I saw it, I thought she liked him back. We’re likely gonna have to rewatch the episode then.
Also, for most of my life, I thought he was 20. I don’t think he has a confirmed age.

I think I read somewhere that he's supposed to be 15. It might have been from an old magazine, so it might not be accurate either. I never thought that Brock was an adult. He was never treated as one and certainly didn't act it either.

 

[DigitalGen6]

Ash has been shipped with every girl he's traveled with. This has been pretty common since AG. Every new series fans ship him the new female lead. So even causing sipping wars isn't really new among fans. I don't think that they really pushed for Ash and Lana outside of just a couple of times where her little sisters were being annoying about it, so it's not like they really went hard on that pairing.

I don’t really ship Ash with May (I ship her with Drew if anything), or with Iris. I kind of ship him with Serena (when I was younger, this was one of my favorite pairings).
And what about Ash and Chloe? Oh wait, that’s right, she’s a supporting character.
Wait, wasn’t the Ash X Lana thing (Lana’s sisters teasing her) only in SM005 and not in any other episodes? I don’t know what episodes have Ash X Lillie, or Ash X Mallow.

I've never understood the notion that Clemont and Sophocles are that alike. Beyond the surface level stuff like being Electric type trainers, how are they anything alike to the point where they just copy and pasted Clemont onto Sophocles? Clemont was much more into actually making inventions, much more shy and awkward and his storyline was about him becoming more confident. Sophocles doesn't really have that. He wants to become an astronaut instead of an inventor and while he also gains more confidence in some of his later focus episodes, it's not really presented in the same way it was with Clemont since they have different personalities and issues to deal with.

Hmm… Come to think of it, you’re right.
Sophocles seems more eccentric compared to Clemont.

I think I read somewhere that he's supposed to be 15. It might have been from an old magazine, so it might not be accurate either. I never thought that Brock was an adult. He was never treated as one and certainly didn't act it either.

1. I read on a wiki called the (get ready) YouTube Poop wiki that said he was 20. (And now I made myself laugh)
2. Yeah, ya got that right. No adult (at least, from what I’ve seen) would start randomly flirting with people they just met.

 

[Alola]

I can see your point, but I think the timing of Cyndaquil was okay. We have to remember they wanted to sync up Dawn obtaining it with HGSS' release as further promotional material to boost those initial sales.

While Cyndaquil may not have had as long a tenure as its peers barring Togekiss, it still had multiple episodes dedicated to its characterization and training, which culminated in a Contest win (in one of my favorite Dawn Battles; it was also neat finally seeing Plusle and Minun being animated in a Double Battle as they were intended for); heck, Buneary has been around since the beginning and never won a Contest for Dawn! I don't think they had time to give Mamoswine another Contest, and then Cyndaquil one after that (while also still giving Togekiss its Contest before the GF), especially given how long the series was at the point. And we've seen rushed episodes and battles (cough, Master's 8, cough); Mamoswine and Cyndaquil's two parter along with that animation (and the work Dawn had spent in prior episodes regarding a manipulation of ice) doesn't look like a rushed, last minute idea.

Their performing together didn't read as an excuse to me either given that a) it wasn't the first Double Performance rules that a Sinnoh Contest had and b) the reasoning was sound as it was a way to prepare Coordinators for the Grand Festival (something we didn't see at all with either of May's run; which is odd when you think about it, the GF rules are Double Performance Battles but every prior official event was done in a Single Performance Battle). This is more than one could say for Gible or Togekiss, who truly were last minute additions.

 

[AgedVeteranofShow]

The 4Kids casts' voice acting was at its worst in the first 15 episodes: everyone sounds so stiff and forced compared to the rest of the run, and Veronica Taylor's Ash is at its most nasal & deep (Ted Lewis' James is better than either JCC's James or Edward Bosco's James IMHO, but he had some VERY weird deliveries and flat intonations at times, and I don't think he would've pulled that role off as well as Eric Stuart's best portrayal did).

I believe Michael J Haigney made the correct call to swap out Ted Lewis for Eric Stuart in the role permanently (Ted left to do theater at the time) while the same goes for Matthew Sussman aka Nathan Price (again that said, I do believe he was better than JCC or Mick Wingert in the role, respectively- he left for photography) for Maddie Blaustein as well as Meowth. While Haigney, Stuart & Malone are my favorite VO directors for the franchise, it was due to the middle of Season 1-Season 4, Seasons 5-8 had much better VO direction than Early Season 1 w/o a doubt IMO.

 

[Rockapheller]

I won't mind if Liko catches an Eevee as long as Eevee has a district personality and fun dynamics with the rest of the crew. Maybe even a rivalry between it and Sprigatito could be a good way to include it in the main cast while we are at it.

 

[DigitalGen6]

I won't mind if Liko catches an Eevee as long as Eevee has a district personality and fun dynamics with the rest of the crew. Maybe even a rivalry between it and Sprigatito could be a good way to include it in the main cast while we are at it.

That would sound like fun. Sure we might have another Eevee girl, but at least this one would be dynamic in some way.

 

[LuxrayOfTheWild]

I'm just tired of Eevee's on the main cast cause we've had two now that have done basically nothing.

 

[DigitalGen6]

I'm just tired of Eevee's on the main cast cause we've had two now that have done basically nothing.

Yeah. Unless the main Eevee does something, it doesn’t need to be a main.

 

[Ghost Diplocaulus]

I won't mind if Liko catches an Eevee as long as Eevee has a district personality and fun dynamics with the rest of the crew. Maybe even a rivalry between it and Sprigatito could be a good way to include it in the main cast while we are at it.

I'm just tired of Eevee's on the main cast cause we've had two now that have done basically nothing.

Personally, I just want main Eevees to do stuff outside of sitting on a girl's arms and looking cute. Heck, maybe start letting them evolve again for a change.

If the mandatory MC Eevee isn't going to evolve I'd rather Freide catch it and then it becomes Captain Pikachu's Lieutenant or something along those lines.