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How do you feel about kids growing up with the current series?

Having watched Pokemon since the original series, I have to say--from first to fourth, those generations contained actual depth. There were emotions and heartfelt battles and times that you laughed along with the characters of the show, even at their lame jokes. You really got to know the characters and their personalities: you almost knew them like the back of your hand. They were great, funny, strong--some of them I even consider role models, and I admit to fangirling over all of the gen 1-4 girls more than once. They were awesome, and had actual depth. There was an actual emotional storyline back then, as far as I can tell. When comparing all this to generation five, it seems lacking of the emotion and depth that the previous generations contained. It just feels...empty. It's like they're too happy sometimes, for no reason. It's just a show for little kids, now--they don't really expect you to be too much into it, or know anything from previous generations. It's like Generation V--No Brain Required.

I honestly feel that, if kids watch this and don't bother to watch the previous generations, and just dismiss them as old and pathetic, we'd have a group of pokemon fans who aren't really pokemon fans. No one would really be interested enough to keep into it as they get older--it's just a children's show, now. And I know that's what it's supposed to be, but...there's no depth. You used to really know the characters personally, through the TV screen--how Misty loved water pokemon and wanted to become the best water trainer in the world, how May was so unsure of herself at first and got better with Ash's training, and how Dawn learned to coordinate. It felt really personal, even though it's just a TV show, and it helped shape peoples' childhood.

I honestly think that this--the fifth generation and so on, at least as far as I've seen--won't do that. It won't have as many true pokemon fans, or people who really love pokemon for what it is. A lot of people don't really care about the anime, but for me it brought me into pokemon--it was so much cooler and life-like in the shows. It made me play the games and read the manga. It was awesome. But, in my opinion, the current anime just isn't awesome. It lacks that depth and quality that all the other series have. I kind of lost hope for the future generation of pokemon fans, at least by anime.
 
They don't know them. So? It's like saying you don't know your grandpa's favourite TV show and he smacks you in the head and says it was the best TV show and he feels sorry for the kids of today. (Add "Pokemon" instead of "TV show" and make grandpa a bit younger and you have yourself a genwunner. And yes, those still exist. Most of them just commited suicide because of NewMew, but there are still some left). They have no idea who they are. Either that or they're 11 years old now and know everyone from Alabaster to Zinzolin, like me.

EDIT:
I just feel happy that at least they're not growing up with something worse. That, and I actually like the BW series.

I also like BW and its dub too. I'm only ending my run with the anime because I feel that they keep milking Ash and it's too sad for me to watch that go on any longer.

I agree. I still watch the anime, and I probably will keep watching it, but watching Ash keep going and going and never achieving anything is just getting more and more painful at this point.

Exactly. It's really painful to watch him never achieve anything for so long.

I heard they're going to completely renovate everything along with X and Y, including the anime, manga, and cards. Maybe we're going to have a new protagonist in an alternate universe where everything is the same, but time actually passes and it's years into the future. Ash and the rest could make cameos, and the new characters would actually age.

I'd personally love that. That would be a great way to revamp everything, and I feel that way all of us fans would be on equal ground and no one would be calling others "nostalgiafags" or "newfags" etc. I miss the days when one could express his or her preferences politely without demeaning others' opinions.

Having watched Pokemon since the original series, I have to say--from first to fourth, those generations contained actual depth. There were emotions and heartfelt battles and times that you laughed along with the characters of the show, even at their lame jokes. You really got to know the characters and their personalities: you almost knew them like the back of your hand. They were great, funny, strong--some of them I even consider role models, and I admit to fangirling over all of the gen 1-4 girls more than once. They were awesome, and had actual depth. There was an actual emotional storyline back then, as far as I can tell. When comparing all this to generation five, it seems lacking of the emotion and depth that the previous generations contained. It just feels...empty. It's like they're too happy sometimes, for no reason. It's just a show for little kids, now--they don't really expect you to be too much into it, or know anything from previous generations. It's like Generation V--No Brain Required.

I honestly feel that, if kids watch this and don't bother to watch the previous generations, and just dismiss them as old and pathetic, we'd have a group of pokemon fans who aren't really pokemon fans. No one would really be interested enough to keep into it as they get older--it's just a children's show, now. And I know that's what it's supposed to be, but...there's no depth. You used to really know the characters personally, through the TV screen--how Misty loved water pokemon and wanted to become the best water trainer in the world, how May was so unsure of herself at first and got better with Ash's training, and how Dawn learned to coordinate. It felt really personal, even though it's just a TV show, and it helped shape peoples' childhood.

I honestly think that this--the fifth generation and so on, at least as far as I've seen--won't do that. It won't have as many true pokemon fans, or people who really love pokemon for what it is. A lot of people don't really care about the anime, but for me it brought me into pokemon--it was so much cooler and life-like in the shows. It made me play the games and read the manga. It was awesome. But, in my opinion, the current anime just isn't awesome. It lacks that depth and quality that all the other series have. I kind of lost hope for the future generation of pokemon fans, at least by anime.

The depth has gradually disappeared over time for me. In Gens I and II, I felt an extraordinary amount of sincerity of emotion. Gen III, I felt it to almost the same extent, but not as much. Gen IV...well, sometimes it came off as forced and insincere/on the spot, but some moments like Chimchar's release and Ash's desire to help it after Paul released it were still present, and I can't help but feel their rivalry was the best the series has had in terms of one's ideals vs. anothers and how they took two different roads to get where they are. "Pokemonic" values so to speak were still preserved.

Gen V initially had this depth with Ash and Tepig, very reminiscent of Ash and Charmander. Iris and Excadrill also had some depth to it as well. Yet since then, a lot of that depth has vanished for some reason.

I'm glad they're getting a quality dub, I can't even watch the OS episodes in English anymore.

Wow a person who likes the new dub over the 4Kids one. You my friend are very cool. I like both tbh but I love how the current dub uses many acotors unlike 4Kids who seemed to use like 6 for the entire series. Heck we even got some Funimation people like Tatum,Clark and now Vic as Keldeo

I couldn't care less if they were from FUNimation, 4Kids, TPCi, Ocean, etc. What matters to me is if that voice actor does a good job or not. That to me is what really matters. Heck, I don't care who dubs it. If they do a solid job with it, then I'm fine with it.

I thought Vic blew it as Keldeo. ;P

That being said, I do like most FUNimation VAs. I find them pretty talented and versatile.

Holistically, I'd have to say prefer the 4Kids dub over the current one. That being said, I've somewhat liked the current one since BW.
 
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Most kids now and days have probably watched the older series online or something like that. So I don't know if the kids growing up with the new series care or not. I'm sure that the BW series would be like how the kanto series was since there is alot of similaries. Bad writing, bad gyms and bad characters.
 
Originally Posted by Emotional Tension PKMN:
I think the exact opposite on all points, but thanks for sharing, as it gives me a different perspective on the series right now. For me, it's not so much about the animation quality, or the drawings: it's about the characters and the story to me. It's about the emotional moments. It's about what Pokemon does in that it brought a lot of people together just to share in simple moments of everyday happiness. I strongly prefer the dub voices used in the first few seasons as well myself. They sound a lot more like kids than the voices we have now to me for the twerps, and for TRio, they sound more fitting to me. *shrugs*

Fascinating that two people can watch the same thing and just get a completely different opinion of it- perhaps this is because you grew up watching OS and I didn't watch any of the anime until six months ago, when I quickly watched almost every episode (an injury to my feet laid me low and stopped me from participating in after-school sports, so I had a lot of free time). I think this gives me a more objective view of the show.

I don't like the animation quality or the drawings most of all- those are just bonuses. I like the story most of all, like you, and I think that the more recent seasons have far better stories, over all, and do a much better job of telling them. I wonder how we could have such different views of the voice actors- maybe people's voices sound different where we come from? Also, I even think that OS ruined those emotional moments you mentioned with superfluous slapstick(except for the silver league).

But it really doesn't matter who is right-all that matters is that everyone has some seasons of the anime that they enjoy. Some, like you, are probably reminded of their childhood, while others, like me, like it for its entertainment and quality. But as long as all fans are happy with what they grow up with, I think that the anime is doing a great job.
 
Originally Posted by Emotional Tension PKMN:
I think the exact opposite on all points, but thanks for sharing, as it gives me a different perspective on the series right now. For me, it's not so much about the animation quality, or the drawings: it's about the characters and the story to me. It's about the emotional moments. It's about what Pokemon does in that it brought a lot of people together just to share in simple moments of everyday happiness. I strongly prefer the dub voices used in the first few seasons as well myself. They sound a lot more like kids than the voices we have now to me for the twerps, and for TRio, they sound more fitting to me. *shrugs*

Fascinating that two people can watch the same thing and just get a completely different opinion of it- perhaps this is because you grew up watching OS and I didn't watch any of the anime until six months ago, when I quickly watched almost every episode (an injury to my feet laid me low and stopped me from participating in after-school sports, so I had a lot of free time). I think this gives me a more objective view of the show.

I don't like the animation quality or the drawings most of all- those are just bonuses. I like the story most of all, like you, and I think that the more recent seasons have far better stories, over all, and do a much better job of telling them. I wonder how we could have such different views of the voice actors- maybe people's voices sound different where we come from? Also, I even think that OS ruined those emotional moments you mentioned with superfluous slapstick(except for the silver league).

But it really doesn't matter who is right-all that matters is that everyone has some seasons of the anime that they enjoy. Some, like you, are probably reminded of their childhood, while others, like me, like it for its entertainment and quality. But as long as all fans are happy with what they grow up with, I think that the anime is doing a great job.

You probably do indeed have a more objective view of things given you just started up your run with the anime, but here's my thoughts:

- On the stories: I agree with you. I mean, I do think DP series had a lot of depth, but it just didn't click with me. I felt like the OS managed to really pull these kinds of moments off well in times like when Ash said goodbye to Butterfree or when Ash and the original group parted ways in EP275.

Emotional moments I'd recommend from OS include when Ash catches his Chikorita in Johto, or eps like "Snow Way Out!" as well. There I found a lot of depth and I really identified with how Ash seemed to care for his Pokemon for some reason.

- On the voice actors: Could be, IDK. Or maybe we just have different tastes in voices. lol. I found Ash and many of the protagonists sounded way, way too old and deep since mid-Season 9 up until Season 13's end myself. I've always been mostly fine with Team Rocket's current voices-- they sound pretty close-- but Ash and Brock in the current dub were just massively ear-grating for me. May was also pretty unbearable for me in DP.

I liked the Silver League as well. Probably the highlight of Johto in my case. It really brought everything together really well.

But, at its core, you're exactly right that as long as we all find something to enjoy about the anime, old or new, we're all equally fans of Pokemon and the anime. No one saga/voice/story/plot is objectively better than another, but rather it's merely a matter of taste and preference.

I can't tell you in words how it's great to be able to talk to someone with the complete opposite reasoning of my views and discuss stuff with them respectfully, getting to better understand their logic/reasoning for the series. It's tough to find people like that without being shunned as a "nostalgiafag" and stuff these days.
 
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Originally Posted by Emotional Tension PKMN:
I think the exact opposite on all points, but thanks for sharing, as it gives me a different perspective on the series right now. For me, it's not so much about the animation quality, or the drawings: it's about the characters and the story to me. It's about the emotional moments. It's about what Pokemon does in that it brought a lot of people together just to share in simple moments of everyday happiness. I strongly prefer the dub voices used in the first few seasons as well myself. They sound a lot more like kids than the voices we have now to me for the twerps, and for TRio, they sound more fitting to me. *shrugs*

Fascinating that two people can watch the same thing and just get a completely different opinion of it- perhaps this is because you grew up watching OS and I didn't watch any of the anime until six months ago, when I quickly watched almost every episode (an injury to my feet laid me low and stopped me from participating in after-school sports, so I had a lot of free time). I think this gives me a more objective view of the show.

I don't like the animation quality or the drawings most of all- those are just bonuses. I like the story most of all, like you, and I think that the more recent seasons have far better stories, over all, and do a much better job of telling them. I wonder how we could have such different views of the voice actors- maybe people's voices sound different where we come from? Also, I even think that OS ruined those emotional moments you mentioned with superfluous slapstick(except for the silver league).

But it really doesn't matter who is right-all that matters is that everyone has some seasons of the anime that they enjoy. Some, like you, are probably reminded of their childhood, while others, like me, like it for its entertainment and quality. But as long as all fans are happy with what they grow up with, I think that the anime is doing a great job.

You probably do indeed have a more objective view of things given you just started up your run with the anime, but here's my thoughts:

- On the stories: I agree with you. I mean, I do think DP series had a lot of depth, but it just didn't click with me. I felt like the OS managed to really pull these kinds of moments off well in times like when Ash said goodbye to Butterfree or when Ash and the original group parted ways in EP275.

Emotional moments I'd recommend from OS include when Ash catches his Chikorita in Johto, or eps like "Snow Way Out!" as well. There I found a lot of depth and I really identified with how Ash seemed to care for his Pokemon for some reason.

- On the voice actors: Could be, IDK. Or maybe we just have different tastes in voices. lol. I found Ash and many of the protagonists sounded way, way too old and deep since mid-Season 9 up until Season 13's end myself. I've always been mostly fine with Team Rocket's current voices-- they sound pretty close-- but Ash and Brock in the current dub were just massively ear-grating for me. May was also pretty unbearable for me in DP.

I liked the Silver League as well. Probably the highlight of Johto in my case. It really brought everything together really well.

But, at its core, you're exactly right that as long as we all find something to enjoy about the anime, old or new, we're all equally fans of Pokemon and the anime. No one saga/voice/story/plot is objectively better than another, but rather it's merely a matter of taste and preference.

I can't tell you in words how it's great to be able to talk to someone with the complete opposite reasoning of my views and discuss stuff with them respectfully, getting to better understand their logic/reasoning for the series. It's tough to find people like that without being shunned as a "nostalgiafag" and stuff these days.

I won't shun you as a nostalgiafag. You're obviously nostalgic, but your opinions are perfectly reasonable despite that-or, perhaps, because of it. Also, I hate it when people are called "fags" in an insulting way, because it implies that somethings is wrong with gay people. Which is totally wrong.

Onto your voice point: Yes. Sarah in BF, especially in the Manaphy movie(I can't watch this movie in English because of how the VAs mutilated their lines), gave Ash a voice that was way too deep, but she fixed it around the time that Ash challenged the Oreburgh Gym. By the Galactic Battles season it was perfect. Also, even when it was too deep and manly I think it sounded better than Veronicas's voice. It certainly sounds better than Jamie Peacock's(Master of Mirage Pokemon, there's a reason this was redone with Sarah's voice) though not as good as Rica Matsumodo's. Brock's voice was perfect: 15-year-olds should have voices that deep. If they don't, they have issues. May's voice also improved. I couldn't bear the breathiness that she had before BF. Jessie and James's voices were perfect. The only bad voices were Max's, which was so bad I bawled my eardrums out, and Jessie's Dustox's.

The stories. DP tells stories so much better than OS did. Usually, OS ruined this with its little comedy routine. Sometimes OS did get it right, I admit, but those occasions were rare and OS's best doesn't come close to DP's. I found the Butterfree episode so annoying and I am stunned that they tried so hard to make a sad farewell episode and failed completely, ruining it with team rocket and terrible voice acting, as well as the fact that they didn't have Ash's personality completely developed yet(Ash understood romance! That should be a crime against humanity) FYI, "Snow Way Out" is a Kanto Episode. I did like Chikorita's rescue Episode. However, episodes like "Crossing Paths(DP073)" are hard to top in their emotional value.

I love the show's current quality- the Unova League, which was rushed at first, ended perfectly, with Ash getting defeated by a guy he had to help get registered. This ending perfectly showed Ash's belief in his ideals of fair play, something he will need soon. It also showed his kindness on a new level.

If you don't watch the Japanese as well as the dub(which helps to give you more objective opinions), I can tell you that the show's quality is about to get a whole lot better- you'll like this next arc if you've played Black or White. It's a whole lot more epic than anything they have attempted so far.

Since the show is good and getting better, I still believe that kids growing up with the current series are lucky.
 
Originally Posted by Emotional Tension PKMN:
I think the exact opposite on all points, but thanks for sharing, as it gives me a different perspective on the series right now. For me, it's not so much about the animation quality, or the drawings: it's about the characters and the story to me. It's about the emotional moments. It's about what Pokemon does in that it brought a lot of people together just to share in simple moments of everyday happiness. I strongly prefer the dub voices used in the first few seasons as well myself. They sound a lot more like kids than the voices we have now to me for the twerps, and for TRio, they sound more fitting to me. *shrugs*

Fascinating that two people can watch the same thing and just get a completely different opinion of it- perhaps this is because you grew up watching OS and I didn't watch any of the anime until six months ago, when I quickly watched almost every episode (an injury to my feet laid me low and stopped me from participating in after-school sports, so I had a lot of free time). I think this gives me a more objective view of the show.

I don't like the animation quality or the drawings most of all- those are just bonuses. I like the story most of all, like you, and I think that the more recent seasons have far better stories, over all, and do a much better job of telling them. I wonder how we could have such different views of the voice actors- maybe people's voices sound different where we come from? Also, I even think that OS ruined those emotional moments you mentioned with superfluous slapstick(except for the silver league).

But it really doesn't matter who is right-all that matters is that everyone has some seasons of the anime that they enjoy. Some, like you, are probably reminded of their childhood, while others, like me, like it for its entertainment and quality. But as long as all fans are happy with what they grow up with, I think that the anime is doing a great job.

You probably do indeed have a more objective view of things given you just started up your run with the anime, but here's my thoughts:

- On the stories: I agree with you. I mean, I do think DP series had a lot of depth, but it just didn't click with me. I felt like the OS managed to really pull these kinds of moments off well in times like when Ash said goodbye to Butterfree or when Ash and the original group parted ways in EP275.

Emotional moments I'd recommend from OS include when Ash catches his Chikorita in Johto, or eps like "Snow Way Out!" as well. There I found a lot of depth and I really identified with how Ash seemed to care for his Pokemon for some reason.

- On the voice actors: Could be, IDK. Or maybe we just have different tastes in voices. lol. I found Ash and many of the protagonists sounded way, way too old and deep since mid-Season 9 up until Season 13's end myself. I've always been mostly fine with Team Rocket's current voices-- they sound pretty close-- but Ash and Brock in the current dub were just massively ear-grating for me. May was also pretty unbearable for me in DP.

I liked the Silver League as well. Probably the highlight of Johto in my case. It really brought everything together really well.

But, at its core, you're exactly right that as long as we all find something to enjoy about the anime, old or new, we're all equally fans of Pokemon and the anime. No one saga/voice/story/plot is objectively better than another, but rather it's merely a matter of taste and preference.

I can't tell you in words how it's great to be able to talk to someone with the complete opposite reasoning of my views and discuss stuff with them respectfully, getting to better understand their logic/reasoning for the series. It's tough to find people like that without being shunned as a "nostalgiafag" and stuff these days.

I won't shun you as a nostalgiafag. You're obviously nostalgic, but your opinions are perfectly reasonable despite that-or, perhaps, because of it. Also, I hate it when people are called "fags" in an insulting way, because it implies that somethings is wrong with gay people. Which is totally wrong.

Onto your voice point: Yes. Sarah in BF, especially in the Manaphy movie(I can't watch this movie in English because of how the VAs mutilated their lines), gave Ash a voice that was way too deep, but she fixed it around the time that Ash challenged the Oreburgh Gym. By the Galactic Battles season it was perfect. Also, even when it was too deep and manly I think it sounded better than Veronicas's voice. It certainly sounds better than Jamie Peacock's(Master of Mirage Pokemon, there's a reason this was redone with Sarah's voice) though not as good as Rica Matsumodo's. Brock's voice was perfect: 15-year-olds should have voices that deep. If they don't, they have issues. May's voice also improved. I couldn't bear the breathiness that she had before BF. Jessie and James's voices were perfect. The only bad voices were Max's, which was so bad I bawled my eardrums out, and Jessie's Dustox's.

The stories. DP tells stories so much better than OS did. Usually, OS ruined this with its little comedy routine. Sometimes OS did get it right, I admit, but those occasions were rare and OS's best doesn't come close to DP's. I found the Butterfree episode so annoying and I am stunned that they tried so hard to make a sad farewell episode and failed completely, ruining it with team rocket and terrible voice acting, as well as the fact that they didn't have Ash's personality completely developed yet(Ash understood romance! That should be a crime against humanity) FYI, "Snow Way Out" is a Kanto Episode. I did like Chikorita's rescue Episode. However, episodes like "Crossing Paths(DP073)" are hard to top in their emotional value.

I love the show's current quality- the Unova League, which was rushed at first, ended perfectly, with Ash getting defeated by a guy he had to help get registered. This ending perfectly showed Ash's belief in his ideals of fair play, something he will need soon. It also showed his kindness on a new level.

If you don't watch the Japanese as well as the dub(which helps to give you more objective opinions), I can tell you that the show's quality is about to get a whole lot better- you'll like this next arc if you've played Black or White. It's a whole lot more epic than anything they have attempted so far.

Since the show is good and getting better, I still believe that kids growing up with the current series are lucky.

No problem at all, and thanks for the suggestions. I understand where you're coming from as well. For the stories, I admit, DP took a very mature direction and you know it was probably for the best in hindsight. See, for me, I still prefer the older stories and voices (part nostalgia, part preference), as I just like how young and goofy the voices used to sound, and how much simpler stuff was, you know? It made me feel like a kid again at heart. With the new ones, everyone just sounds so much older and sometimes the stories are too intricate, so I don't get that feeling as much anymore. I kinda prefer when everything was simpler and less mature, so I'm pretty happy with BW. I didn't like the league myself, but I think it's because I found most of BW is better than it so far. I remember some of Episode N I watched has been very good, and yeah, occasionally I watch the subs as well.

I mean, I'm definitely a bit nostalgic: you're right about that, but I'm not saying everyone else has to agree with me at all. I just hate when people act like that's the only reason why someone really likes older stuff. Life itself is a very mature thing, and I admit AG/DP were really nice as I got to see my chars grow up with me, but I still miss that inner kid feeling sometimes and that childish outlook on things. :)

Yeah, calling others "fags" is offensive towards homosexuals like you said, so I don't see why people would use that to demean other people's opinions.
 
I personally think for any series that you get a better experience if you start at the beginning. It also helps the viewer see growth in the characters' and plots' development. Pokemon is a little different though, because the themes don't completely lead us to completely see growth in Ash. But that's not completely true either.

Anyways, I think it'd be better to watch the older seasons too, because even if the Pokemon are different, new ones will keep on being created with each generation anyways. Sadly, the Pokemon franchise in general was said to be less popular in America than it was before. I'm not sure if that's necessarily true, or to what extent, but supposedly that was their reasons for needing to cut production costs by replacing the Voice Actors )=
 
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