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Controversial opinions

I don’t know if this is the right place to do this but; I feel as if whatever the show was ultimately trying to do with Ash and his constant need to have things explained to him, especially during the first season, could’ve been handled just as well without making him look like a clueless fool who didn’t know what he was doing. I mean, to me, the way that he got portrayed and treated during the first season and even continues to get treated from time to time, just didn’t seem fair. Plus, we have even seen trainers with even less experience and battle prowess than him appear and they all seemed to be a bit more...competent by comparison. I mean, I guess I could understand just why Gary might have been a little bit more of a better trainer at the time, considering just who his grandfather is (most likely, his entire life was nothing but Pokémon facts) but that still doesn’t explain why Ash was at such a disadvantage on the matter and again it just doesn’t seem fair that he was always made to be the one who has a lesson to learn along the way
 
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I don't like the lack of Pokeball diversity in Journeys, especially for someone like Goh. Granted it's still a bit early, but I still expect him to use something than a regular Pokeball all the time.
 
I don't like the lack of Pokeball diversity in Journeys, especially for someone like Goh. Granted it's still a bit early, but I still expect him to use something than a regular Pokeball all the time.

Different types of Poké Balls has always been an issue in the anime, tbh. I know the normal Poké Ball is iconic and synonymous with the series, but like, we can’t have more than just normal Poké Balls? Not just for Goh, but for all characters? I would love to have Ash catch things in different Poké Balls.
 
I don't like the lack of Pokeball diversity in Journeys, especially for someone like Goh. Granted it's still a bit early, but I still expect him to use something than a regular Pokeball all the time.
Goh has a lot of pokemon, it would be pretty hard to keep track which one is in which pokeball. Though I agree it’s frustrating that the likes of Golurk and Darmanitan went so easily into regular pokeballs.
 
As much as I'd like to see more use of different Pokeballs in the anime, I can't blame them to sticking with just Pokeballs for the most part. Not only because they're more iconic, but it would just be easier for the animators to not have to remember which type of Pokeball to use for certain Pokemon. There were a couple of times where Ash's Totodile came out of a regular Pokeball despite being caught in a Lure Ball.
 
Different kinds of Monster Balls were never really much prominent in the anime. I believe the first time a distinct one showed up was during Jouto, and it was those ones made from apricorns.

As far as I remember Super and Hyper Balls (which debuted and were average in Gen 1) only got to appear in XY for instance.
 
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The anime characters should be at least 13 years old, I do not feel comfortable when they say that everyone is 10 years old and in some episode they suddenly decide to talk about boyfriends / girlfriends, it is strange for me since I remember that they are 10 years old and it feels a bit...creepy and make me have a bad taste,

I still don't see why this is the case. I mean:

1. I get that as people get older they equate racy moments with dating/romance, but fact is there are ways to convey dating between 10 year olds without going outside the Y to G rated category.

2. Dating would at least be potentially pleasant. You put a kid up against a crime boss or terrorist leader, they factually would be scared to death.

Yet nothing wrong with being excited at the prospect of Ash having to deal with various criminal groups or even solo acts like Hunter J who has no qualms with killing a child.


But if you want him to have a mutual date with (insert your preferred girl companion here), you're apparently the worst human ever.;)

Agree to disagree with the idea of 10 year old characters dating, but it would be nice to get more elaboration on why such a thing is treated as morally bankrupt give the two underlined points above.

I don’t know if this is the right place to do this but; I feel as if whatever the show was ultimately trying to do with Ash and his constant need to have things explained to him, especially during the first season, could’ve been handled just as well without making him look like a clueless fool who didn’t know what he was doing. I mean, to me, the way that he got portrayed and treated during the first season and even continues to get treated from time to time, just didn’t seem fair. Plus, we have even seen trainers with even less experience and battle prowess than him appear and they all seemed to be a bit more...competent by comparison. I mean, I guess I could understand just why Gary might have been a little bit more of a better trainer at the time, considering just who his grandfather is (most likely, his entire life was nothing but Pokémon facts) but that still doesn’t explain why Ash was at such a disadvantage on the matter and again it just doesn’t seem fair that he was always made to be the one who has a lesson to learn along the way

Yeah Suede especially sums this up best in his review of Pokémon Origins Episode 1 when talking about Red.

Like a player beginning to do basketball competitively for the first time will have a lot to learn all around.

But many newcomers would at least get that you throw the ball into the other team's hoop. In contrast, despite Pokémon being a major aspect of both anime, it doesn't reflect well when Ash or Red don't get the equivalent to toss the ball in the other hoop.
 
Agree to disagree with the idea of 10 year old characters dating, but it would be nice to get more elaboration on why such a thing is treated as morally bankrupt give the two underlined points above.
I think it's more than anything the kind of people that attracts, or at least I think so considering the things Google has shown me...

EDIT: Bear in mind that I'm pretty unlucky with Google, so that's only the impression that I get, and I could be wrong.
 
Apologies in advance if this comes across as very harsh or accusing--it is not meant to be.

2. Dating would at least be potentially pleasant. You put a kid up against a crime boss or terrorist leader, they factually would be scared to death.

Yet nothing wrong with being excited at the prospect of Ash having to deal with various criminal groups or even solo acts like Hunter J who has no qualms with killing a child.
So, I've seen you make this argument multiple times, and I just feel it's an apples to oranges comparison. There's just something different about children doing battle in an ultimately lighthearted and childish cartoon where they will never get seriously injured or killed, and children entering in a relationship, and I think @prog rocker's comment about the people it attracts is a big part of it. I'd figure having two children enter a relationship would attract more, ahem, unsavory folk than the cartoon violence does. And it's not like adults really enjoy seeing children in danger--I'd argue it's more the plot, character development, seeing them overcome the danger, etc. Nor is there real danger that those people will actually go out and harm children for their enjoyment. On the other hand, adults who want to watch children date... well... let's just say some (not all) might have some ugly motives for why they'd want to see that.

It's just... not the same.

Also, describing two ten year olds dating as "potentially pleasant" just seems like a rather poor choice of words.
But if you want him to have a mutual date with (insert your preferred girl companion here), you're apparently the worst human ever.;)
[...]
Agree to disagree with the idea of 10 year old characters dating, but it would be nice to get more elaboration on why such a thing is treated as morally bankrupt give the two underlined points above.
To be very blunt, I think it's less the idea of children dating and more the fact that, like what prog rocker hinted at, it would attract pedophiles, people who I think most would agree tend to lean on the morally bankrupt side. I'm not saying that all people, such as you, who want to watch Ash date fall into that category, but you can see why many people are not too keen on the dating aspect when it would attract such people.

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Just curious, but why are you so keen on having Ash and a girl companion date? I've seen you make multiple posts defending the idea and it honestly makes me a little uncomfortable with how defensive and dare-I-say obsessed you are with this subject, as well as the way you seem to be almost innocently unaware of why people would be uncomfortable with Ash dating when I figure it'd be plainly clear to people. I mean, you seem to attribute people's discomfort with the shipping of children to sexism (if I am interpreting your comment correctly--if I am not, just ignore this sentence) rather than the much more obvious reason of "pedophiles will like it." I am not saying you're a terrible person or a pedophile for wanting to see Ash date, I just want to understand better.
 
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Just curious, but why are you so keen on having Ash and a girl companion date? I've seen you make multiple posts defending the idea and it honestly makes me a little uncomfortable with how defensive and dare-I-say obsessed you are with this subject, as well as the way you seem to be almost innocently unaware of why people would be uncomfortable with Ash dating when I figure it'd be plainly clear to people.

OK and I apologize for that.

First off I've accepted that the anime itself won't go in that direction. No I tend to get tense, because:

1. Yeah lack of good faith. I'm sure some Pokéshippers, Advancedshipper do have more squicky intents/views, just I don't think it helps to label or insist that all shippers in that range operate that way.

You didn't, which I appreciate, but just seems like you mention that you ship a couple of kid characters it's one strike and you're out. Can't be because you find the idea cute.

Also I tend to ship couples regardless whether it's two kids, two teens and two adults.

The human lead in this case is just forever ten.

2. That and having to repeat my stance several times before someone is willing to express their disagreement and why.

I'm really not a prideful person. You think I'm wrong feel free to debunk an opinion I
as I post them. Preferably the first time. Can't expect a person to learn if you ignore them and hope they just shut up and die:).

I mean, you seem to attribute people's discomfort with the shipping of children to sexism (if I am interpreting your comment correctly--if I am not, just ignore this sentence) rather than the much more obvious reason of "pedophiles will like it."

Didn't mean it for certain, but I could have phrased it better. But then I don't think you need to be told that a poor choice of words is one of my flaws.:LOL:

Also that's more a post referring to those who don't take issue with kid characters dating, but question the realism when the shows in question often take liberties with life.


But yeah I do understand being uneasy that some people do less than innocent ship pics of 10 yes olds, but I find it to be a waste to avoid entertainment, products or disliking potential creative decisions because they might bring out certain fans.

Otherwise, I'd had to just avoid anime, manga and US comics as a whole just cause of a majority of people who consume them.
 
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I still don't see why this is the case. I mean:

1. I get that as people get older they equate racy moments with dating/romance, but fact is there are ways to convey dating between 10 year olds without going outside the Y to G rated category.

2. Dating would at least be potentially pleasant. You put a kid up against a crime boss or terrorist leader, they factually would be scared to death.

Yet nothing wrong with being excited at the prospect of Ash having to deal with various criminal groups or even solo acts like Hunter J who has no qualms with killing a child.


But if you want him to have a mutual date with (insert your preferred girl companion here), you're apparently the worst human ever.;)

Agree to disagree with the idea of 10 year old characters dating, but it would be nice to get more elaboration on why such a thing is treated as morally bankrupt give the two underlined points above.

Okay ... this is probably off topic, but what bothers me most about it is that it reminds me of my country where children as young as 10 years old started to enter into "romantic relationships" (in quotes, because my country is. ... complicated, for lack of a better word and I don’t know how to explain it to people from other countries, even I don’t understand), so that’s why I would prefer them to be at least 13 years old because it is something that bothers me in real life and slightly reminds me of that aspect of my country, so that's just why it bothers me.

Sorry for the off-topic post. :(
 
I thought that the Journeys team would take a new approach with Ash working frequently with fully evolved Pokémon, while the issue would be the handling of the unevolved Pokémon so they don’t lag behind...
But it turns out that the anime has returned to the older ways of having the battles "scale" to the unevolved Pokemon.

It usually isn’t an issue in the other series since all Pokémon are somewhat unevolved or less experienced, but in this series Dragonite and Gengar are really suffering. I personally prefer the mid-stages, and this feels like the writers could handle them better so I’m beginning to seriously feel that Ash should've got Dragonair and Haunter instead of Dragonite and Gengar. They’ve got their moments, but one-two good moments really pale in comparison to Farfetch'd, Pikachu and Riolu.
 
I thought that the Journeys team would take a new approach with Ash working frequently with fully evolved Pokémon, while the issue would be the handling of the unevolved Pokémon so they don’t lag behind...
But it turns out that the anime has returned to the older ways of having the battles "scale" to the unevolved Pokemon.

It usually isn’t an issue in the other series since all Pokémon are somewhat unevolved or less experienced, but in this series Dragonite and Gengar are really suffering. I personally prefer the mid-stages, and this feels like the writers could handle them better so I’m beginning to seriously feel that Ash should've got Dragonair and Haunter instead of Dragonite and Gengar. They’ve got their moments, but one-two good moments really pale in comparison to Farfetch'd, Pikachu and Riolu.
Relatedly, there's Pikachu getting so many of the PWC wins.
Did someone on the staff see that Pikachu's W/L ratio was lower than they wanted for the secondary protagonist and are trying to pad his resume? :p

Still, I hope Dragonite and Gengar will get more focus a bit later when the newbies have evolved and we're seeing higher tier opponents.
 
Relatedly, there's Pikachu getting so many of the PWC wins.
Did someone on the staff see that Pikachu's W/L ratio was loser than they wanted for the secondary protagonist and are trying to pad his resume? :p

Still, I hope Dragonite and Gengar will get more focus a bit later when the newbies have evolved and we're seeing higher tier opponents.
Personally if this is how we're going to see PWC matches for the most part, I'd think it'd be better if they cut down on the pointless 30 second battles against a bunch of nobodies who will be wiped off of the face of the earth after they lose and keep Pikachu for the battles that really do matter.
 
The way Ash’s JN party is being handled makes me especially sad when this is one of the few instances where his pokemon showcase a notable personality trait in their debut and retain that afterwards.

Most past sagas had some of his pokemon show an interesting character trait that was mostly dropped afterwards. Squirtle and Palpitoad’s toughness, Noctowl’s mischief, Turtwig’s biting, Noibat’s crying, Litten’s rebellious attitude, pretty much anything remotely interesting about Greninja...

Dragonite has been consistently nurturing, Gengar has been consistently mischievous, Riolu and Galarfetch’d have been consistently competitive, Mimey has been consistently Mimey... and yet barely anything is actually done with most of these when it comes to the plot.
 
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