How will Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon effect the anime?

[Shadao]

As much as I don't like how people are panicking over the poster, I also don't want Ash to regress like that again. That fear is a bit more reasonable considering how competent he has been in XY and the idea of turning Ash into a complete idiot again when it comes to Pokemon to start off SM doesn't sound implausible, mainly due to the transition from DP to BW. I just think it's a bit much to assume that from the poster. While it's true that there is a lot of first generation favoritism in this generation, I feel like they're more willing to appeal to older fans through the games than with the show. I certainly don't think it would be a bad idea if they did try to appeal to older fans in the anime as well, or at least throw some bones to long time fans, but I can see why that isn't much of a priority for the show as it is with the games. There tend to be more older fans playing the games than watching the show.

Although, with all of the backlash of the Kalos League finale and even some of the staff members responding to the results, it kind of makes me hope that Ash will get some kind of major victory in SM. Getting to the finals is impressive and huge, but having a huge victory under his belt would probably be good right about now. The Battle Frontier is his most recent big victory and that was over ten years ago at this point.

The high mark has been set. Not just by Ash, but by what the story of XY&Z was able to accomplish in the past 3 years, especially with Team Flare.

As for Ash's Alola Design, I can't say much other than this poem I've made:

Unfamiliarity in an Familiar Face...

I see the spirit within him.

The heart of the boy who loves Pokémon.

Like the rest of his incarnations 20 years past.

Yet I cannot see him, the trainer who travel across the land.

Searching far and wide, I only see an echo of the past.

The look is there, but different.

The smile is there, but different.

I cannot see the trainer who became the master,

Only his reincarnation, born anew.

 

[Gengarzilla]

Considering just how competent Ash has been in XY, I'm of the opinion that he can be safely dumbed down a little bit and avoid his BW standards. He can still be his battle savant self for SM if we get that happy medium.

Call me an optimist in this discussion. A regression won't be the end of the world if it just takes him to his AG or DP selves.

 

[Shadao]

Considering just how competent Ash has been in XY, I'm of the opinion that he can be safely dumbed down a little bit and avoid his BW standards. He can still be his battle savant self for SM if we get that happy medium.

Call me an optimist in this discussion. A regression won't be the end of the world if it just takes him to his AG or DP selves.

I'm keeping an eye open, but I'm a bit nervous about Ash's design here and what it implies.

 

[Arceus the Dragon]

The whole going to school thing makes the series in Alola sound awful in my opinion. I would rather take Unova and Kanto than to watch Ash get stuck in a class room and not do a thing throughout the region.

 

[Hidden Mew]

I can almost guarantee that it won't be Ash stuck in a classroom for the whole series, but people are already passing judgement on a series based on a darn poster. This might be even worse than the backlash from the Kalos League. At least the negative reactions were more reasonable and understandable due to various factors. This is just judging a book by its cover and assuming a whole lot based on nothing. It's one thing to be nervous about things and I can understand why people don't want this to be BW 2.0, but acting as if we have enough to judge the series or the school concept already when we know nothing rubs me the wrong way.

 

[Pokefan19]

Call me an optimist in this discussion. A regression won't be the end of the world if it just takes him to his AG or DP selves.

I could make the case that DP was the superior battler then XY Ash, but honestly, it doesn't matter that much. AG Ash was about what most were hoping for once it looked like Ash was going back to being goofy, since he at least was fairly competent when it mattered most. Sadly we didn't get that then, but it feels like we could get that now... or at least I hope

 

[Perpetual_Phoenix]

Does anyone actually believe Ash will be sitting behind a desk for the S&M series? One thing the anime has been clear with since the beginning is that it will always be about adventure. It's not going to suddenly turn into a school anime. The anime is probably just twisting the Island Challenges into some sort of course for trainers to take and if completed they 'graduate'.

The only thing people should really be concerned about is Ash's character continuity. Will he be the same Ash from the XY(Z) series or be regressed again? Let's be real here. None of us want to ever experience something similar to BW ever again.

 

[SceptileDragon22]

I think that Ash is probably gonna get Rowlet or Litten.

 

[SceptileDragon22]

Perpetual_Phoenix
You are correct. It was horror for Ash fans when all of us finally thought that at the end of DP, he had matured.

 

[Pokefan19]

I have to guess the Anime it taking on the tone of the early game, because Sun and Moon looks like it's all about fun in the beginning, like most games. I do hope when they get to the serious stuff that it's handled well, it was something that felt awkward in Best Wishes.

 

[novalysis]

Ok, in my view, the only real way for the Going to School plot to gel with the fact that Ash has cleared multiple gym challenges and keeps doing well in tournament after tournament (at least Quarter Finals) is for the School NOT to be an ordinary Poke-tech; where clearing the School allows you to bypass the gym-challenge and participate in the local league.

Rather, I'd like to present a theory/speculation, that the School is actually designed for young veteran Pokemon trainers with a very high potential to become Pokemon Masters. These are trainers between the levels of Shota and Alain, who are equals to Ash as trainers in both depth of experience and accomplishment. Which means these trainers have consistently cleared Gym Challenges in multiple regions again and again, and have made it to the final rounds of Pokemon League tournaments again and again. Some might even have won regional league tournaments before, only to enter the Champions tier and get their asses handed over to them by Elite Four members rather badly. In other words, the school exist because there is a huge gap between even winning a regional league tournament, and being an Elite Four or Regional Champion trainer.

So, the school is quite exclusive, and invites specific trainers who have a very good chance of achieving the status of Pokemon Master if they don't get discouraged, and is meant to help these young trainers to get over the large gap between League tournaments and Elite Four level trainers. The School is not out to teach you type advantage. The School is not an institution where you are confined in a class-room and have book-knowledge crammed into you and where you take written test. It is a school that that exposes trainers like Ash to trainers of similar levels on a routine basis through battling together and against each other, and have these trainers undergo difficult "Island Trials" as Assignments they must pass - each trial being an open-air adventure of it's own.

The School is out to teach more complex competitive Pokemon tactics, and have trainers master these tactics. From being able to command their Pokemon without vocalized instructions, to mastering the art of altering and exploiting terrain and weather, using status effects successfully, practicing how to successfully stall out your opponents, mastering the art of priority moves and teaching trainers the value of Set-up moves and how to use them effectively in battle; to anime interpretations of Super and Hyper Training. The goal of the classroom scenes are to tell you what they are in theory - but Ash is the kind of person that has to learn these things by having them used against him and getting experience in using these tactics in addition to his current tendency to rely on terrain exploitation only; and sub-optimal uses of evasion moves like Double-Team. And so his journey becomes a very focused learning journey with clear tactical options he seeks to master. The Island Trials are set-up such that they cannot be cleared short of advanced tactics. Ironically, the first Island Trial tests him on the one advance tactic he is very good at - terrain exploitation and alteration; and so he excels, because its right in his comfort zone. The subsequent Island Trials will take him away from that Comfort Zone- they will be designed such that terrain tactics alone are going to produce guaranteed failures without additional advanced tactics.

If indeed, the School is meant for veterans young trainers of Ash's age, I'd like to suggest that both Mallow and Lillie are actually highly experienced trainers - they are not Alola natives, but have cleared multiple regions of gyms and participated in several league tournaments. Mallow is going to be quite similar to Korrina, in that she's likely a battle-specialist. Unlike Iris or Korrina however, she has firm and strong control over her Pokemon, in the sense that Ash doesn't have disobedient or out of control Pokemon issues in X&Y either. Much of her chemistry with Ash will revolve around the fact that they are both battlers, and very eager individuals who are passionate about Pokemon battles - in that sense, their relationship is similar to Ash and Korrina (or indeed Ash and Clermont or Ash and Alain) in that their dynamics are driven by a shared passion for battling. She might be presented as Ash's equal as a trainer at a similar stage of her journey as Ash - thereby distinguishing her from other female companions so far.

Lillie might be a different case - her attribute of not liking Pokemon battles in game promotion materials might cross into the anime too. She might actually be a very competent and excellent battler who lost her interest and passion for Pokemon battling, in favor of other more peaceful avenues of being a Pokemon trainer - be it participating in Contest, Research , Pokemon racing or similar non-battle activities. Not only that, whatever made her lost her passion for battling in her past, also led to her attitude of disliking the very idea of Pokemon fights itself.

This is of course an optimistic speculation. For all we know, Mallow might be another Iris clone with problems controlling her Pokemon, or another May/Dawn/Serena expy only interested in Pokemon Contest/Performances or starting out on her journey and being utterly new. And despite being utterly clueless of Pokemon battles at the start, actually destroys Ash in battle, ala Ash Pikachu getting beaten by Snivy in Black and White because Ash was re-set back to utter Noob who can't even throw a Poke-ball correctly or even give commands to Pikachu; in hopes that somehow this convinces hordes of four and five year old Japanese newcomers to watch the anime over Yokai Watch (a cohort shrinking every year and increasingly populated by parents who played Pokemon as children themselves).. somehow. If that happens, alarm bells will probably be ringing, and I predict ratings would tank since kids aren't stupid. Large chunks of their Prime target demographic between 6-12 knew only badass X&Y Ash and have not yet experienced the horrific transition between D/P and B/W Ash that might make them more mentally prepared for such a scenario. And among the older audience, Mallow would earn the undying hatred of not only Amourshippers but neutrals who don't want to see a repeat of B/W again. But that's the pessimistic scenario.

 

[Jukain]

And thus popularity once again proves it isn't everything.

 

[Keshav]

Ok, in my view, the only real way for the Going to School plot to gel with the fact that Ash has cleared multiple gym challenges and keeps doing well in tournament after tournament (at least Quarter Finals) is for the School NOT to be an ordinary Poke-tech; where clearing the School allows you to bypass the gym-challenge and participate in the local league.

Rather, I'd like to present a theory/speculation, that the School is actually designed for young veteran Pokemon trainers with a very high potential to become Pokemon Masters. These are trainers between the levels of Shota and Alain, who are equals to Ash as trainers in both depth of experience and accomplishment. Which means these trainers have consistently cleared Gym Challenges in multiple regions again and again, and have made it to the final rounds of Pokemon League tournaments again and again. Some might even have won regional league tournaments before, only to enter the Champions tier and get their asses handed over to them by Elite Four members rather badly. In other words, the school exist because there is a huge gap between even winning a regional league tournament, and being an Elite Four or Regional Champion trainer.

So, the school is quite exclusive, and invites specific trainers who have a very good chance of achieving the status of Pokemon Master if they don't get discouraged, and is meant to help these young trainers to get over the large gap between League tournaments and Elite Four level trainers. The School is not out to teach you type advantage. The School is not an institution where you are confined in a class-room and have book-knowledge crammed into you and where you take written test. It is a school that that exposes trainers like Ash to trainers of similar levels on a routine basis through battling together and against each other, and have these trainers undergo difficult "Island Trials" as Assignments they must pass - each trial being an open-air adventure of it's own.

The School is out to teach more complex competitive Pokemon tactics, and have trainers master these tactics. From being able to command their Pokemon without vocalized instructions, to mastering the art of altering and exploiting terrain and weather, using status effects successfully, practicing how to successfully stall out your opponents, mastering the art of priority moves and teaching trainers the value of Set-up moves and how to use them effectively in battle; to anime interpretations of Super and Hyper Training. The goal of the classroom scenes are to tell you what they are in theory - but Ash is the kind of person that has to learn these things by having them used against him and getting experience in using these tactics in addition to his current tendency to rely on terrain exploitation only; and sub-optimal uses of evasion moves like Double-Team. And so his journey becomes a very focused learning journey with clear tactical options he seeks to master. The Island Trials are set-up such that they cannot be cleared short of advanced tactics. Ironically, the first Island Trial tests him on the one advance tactic he is very good at - terrain exploitation and alteration; and so he excels, because its right in his comfort zone. The subsequent Island Trials will take him away from that Comfort Zone- they will be designed such that terrain tactics alone are going to produce guaranteed failures without additional advanced tactics.

If indeed, the School is meant for veterans young trainers of Ash's age, I'd like to suggest that both Mallow and Lillie are actually highly experienced trainers - they are not Alola natives, but have cleared multiple regions of gyms and participated in several league tournaments. Mallow is going to be quite similar to Korrina, in that she's likely a battle-specialist. Unlike Iris or Korrina however, she has firm and strong control over her Pokemon, in the sense that Ash doesn't have disobedient or out of control Pokemon issues in X&Y either. Much of her chemistry with Ash will revolve around the fact that they are both battlers, and very eager individuals who are passionate about Pokemon battles - in that sense, their relationship is similar to Ash and Korrina (or indeed Ash and Clermont or Ash and Alain) in that their dynamics are driven by a shared passion for battling. She might be presented as Ash's equal as a trainer at a similar stage of her journey as Ash - thereby distinguishing her from other female companions so far.

Lillie might be a different case - her attribute of not liking Pokemon battles in game promotion materials might cross into the anime too. She might actually be a very competent and excellent battler who lost her interest and passion for Pokemon battling, in favor of other more peaceful avenues of being a Pokemon trainer - be it participating in Contest, Research , Pokemon racing or similar non-battle activities. Not only that, whatever made her lost her passion for battling in her past, also led to her attitude of disliking the very idea of Pokemon fights itself.

This is of course an optimistic speculation. For all we know, Mallow might be another Iris clone with problems controlling her Pokemon, or another May/Dawn/Serena expy only interested in Pokemon Contest/Performances or starting out on her journey and being utterly new. And despite being utterly clueless of Pokemon battles at the start, actually destroys Ash in battle, ala Ash Pikachu getting beaten by Snivy in Black and White because Ash was re-set back to utter Noob who can't even throw a Poke-ball correctly or even give commands to Pikachu; in hopes that somehow this convinces hordes of four and five year old Japanese newcomers to watch the anime over Yokai Watch (a cohort shrinking every year and increasingly populated by parents who played Pokemon as children themselves).. somehow. If that happens, alarm bells will probably be ringing, and I predict ratings would tank since kids aren't stupid. Large chunks of their Prime target demographic between 6-12 knew only badass X&Y Ash and have not yet experienced the horrific transition between D/P and B/W Ash that might make them more mentally prepared for such a scenario. And among the older audience, Mallow would earn the undying hatred of not only Amourshippers but neutrals who don't want to see a repeat of B/W again. But that's the pessimistic scenario.

Not going to happen, you really think the writers think that much before doing something? They never give us any reason for whatever they do.

 

[Pokefan19]

From the looks of it... the Sun and Moon anime is gonna effect viewership lol

 

[CrystaI]

Ok, in my view, the only real way for the Going to School plot to gel with the fact that Ash has cleared multiple gym challenges and keeps doing well in tournament after tournament (at least Quarter Finals) is for the School NOT to be an ordinary Poke-tech; where clearing the School allows you to bypass the gym-challenge and participate in the local league.

Rather, I'd like to present a theory/speculation, that the School is actually designed for young veteran Pokemon trainers with a very high potential to become Pokemon Masters. These are trainers between the levels of Shota and Alain, who are equals to Ash as trainers in both depth of experience and accomplishment. Which means these trainers have consistently cleared Gym Challenges in multiple regions again and again, and have made it to the final rounds of Pokemon League tournaments again and again. Some might even have won regional league tournaments before, only to enter the Champions tier and get their asses handed over to them by Elite Four members rather badly. In other words, the school exist because there is a huge gap between even winning a regional league tournament, and being an Elite Four or Regional Champion trainer.

So, the school is quite exclusive, and invites specific trainers who have a very good chance of achieving the status of Pokemon Master if they don't get discouraged, and is meant to help these young trainers to get over the large gap between League tournaments and Elite Four level trainers. The School is not out to teach you type advantage. The School is not an institution where you are confined in a class-room and have book-knowledge crammed into you and where you take written test. It is a school that that exposes trainers like Ash to trainers of similar levels on a routine basis through battling together and against each other, and have these trainers undergo difficult "Island Trials" as Assignments they must pass - each trial being an open-air adventure of it's own.

The School is out to teach more complex competitive Pokemon tactics, and have trainers master these tactics. From being able to command their Pokemon without vocalized instructions, to mastering the art of altering and exploiting terrain and weather, using status effects successfully, practicing how to successfully stall out your opponents, mastering the art of priority moves and teaching trainers the value of Set-up moves and how to use them effectively in battle; to anime interpretations of Super and Hyper Training. The goal of the classroom scenes are to tell you what they are in theory - but Ash is the kind of person that has to learn these things by having them used against him and getting experience in using these tactics in addition to his current tendency to rely on terrain exploitation only; and sub-optimal uses of evasion moves like Double-Team. And so his journey becomes a very focused learning journey with clear tactical options he seeks to master. The Island Trials are set-up such that they cannot be cleared short of advanced tactics. Ironically, the first Island Trial tests him on the one advance tactic he is very good at - terrain exploitation and alteration; and so he excels, because its right in his comfort zone. The subsequent Island Trials will take him away from that Comfort Zone- they will be designed such that terrain tactics alone are going to produce guaranteed failures without additional advanced tactics.

If indeed, the School is meant for veterans young trainers of Ash's age, I'd like to suggest that both Mallow and Lillie are actually highly experienced trainers - they are not Alola natives, but have cleared multiple regions of gyms and participated in several league tournaments. Mallow is going to be quite similar to Korrina, in that she's likely a battle-specialist. Unlike Iris or Korrina however, she has firm and strong control over her Pokemon, in the sense that Ash doesn't have disobedient or out of control Pokemon issues in X&Y either. Much of her chemistry with Ash will revolve around the fact that they are both battlers, and very eager individuals who are passionate about Pokemon battles - in that sense, their relationship is similar to Ash and Korrina (or indeed Ash and Clermont or Ash and Alain) in that their dynamics are driven by a shared passion for battling. She might be presented as Ash's equal as a trainer at a similar stage of her journey as Ash - thereby distinguishing her from other female companions so far.

Lillie might be a different case - her attribute of not liking Pokemon battles in game promotion materials might cross into the anime too. She might actually be a very competent and excellent battler who lost her interest and passion for Pokemon battling, in favor of other more peaceful avenues of being a Pokemon trainer - be it participating in Contest, Research , Pokemon racing or similar non-battle activities. Not only that, whatever made her lost her passion for battling in her past, also led to her attitude of disliking the very idea of Pokemon fights itself.

This is of course an optimistic speculation. For all we know, Mallow might be another Iris clone with problems controlling her Pokemon, or another May/Dawn/Serena expy only interested in Pokemon Contest/Performances or starting out on her journey and being utterly new. And despite being utterly clueless of Pokemon battles at the start, actually destroys Ash in battle, ala Ash Pikachu getting beaten by Snivy in Black and White because Ash was re-set back to utter Noob who can't even throw a Poke-ball correctly or even give commands to Pikachu; in hopes that somehow this convinces hordes of four and five year old Japanese newcomers to watch the anime over Yokai Watch (a cohort shrinking every year and increasingly populated by parents who played Pokemon as children themselves).. somehow. If that happens, alarm bells will probably be ringing, and I predict ratings would tank since kids aren't stupid. Large chunks of their Prime target demographic between 6-12 knew only badass X&Y Ash and have not yet experienced the horrific transition between D/P and B/W Ash that might make them more mentally prepared for such a scenario. And among the older audience, Mallow would earn the undying hatred of not only Amourshippers but neutrals who don't want to see a repeat of B/W again. But that's the pessimistic scenario.

I rather go place my bet on the pessimistic scenario.

Starting from day one since OS era, the Pokemon Anime had shown that their staffs are no genius in story-writing and scenario planning, I doubt they had ever take continuity and past of Ash into planning any future plot line. Also, especially when the anime story is never ever write with the aim of trying to make Ash into a Pokemon Master, I just don't see your optimistic speculation will ever become true.

Well, to be fair, it may become a truth in FF.net.

 

[Necrozma]

This anime is far from perfect, but it still remains enjoyable as ever to me.

As such, I will be perfectly content with whatever Sun and Moon delivers.

 

[IncineROAR]

I'm really hoping we don't have to endure three years of Ash being in "school" - the Kalos summer camp was already dreadful as it is. I'm hoping that the premise is that Ash goes to Alola to attend the school, which is nothing more than a crash course on battling in Alola, and then Ash then decides to go through the island trials. I hope the plot of the anime is deep enough to build a series that last 2-3 years.

 

[Necrozma]

I'm really hoping we don't have to endure three years of Ash being in "school" - the Kalos summer camp was already dreadful as it is. I'm hoping that the premise is that Ash goes to Alola to attend the school, which is nothing more than a crash course on battling in Alola, and then Ash then decides to go through the island trials. I hope the plot of the anime is deep enough to build a series that last 2-3 years.

Travelling will almost certainly be involved, it is the core of this anime and Ash's character.

Sun and Moon just couldn't work in a school setting for three years.

 

[Hidden Mew]

I'm honestly still amazed that people really think that they'll stay at the school setting for three years or that there's even a chance of that happening to begin with. Pokemon has always been about going on a journey, whether it's the games, the anime or the various manga titles, and Ash loves traveling around to see new Pokemon and make new friends. They aren't suddenly going to become a school anime simply because of Ash going to school. That would never make any sense and it would be especially bad here when Sun/Moon seem to be emphasizing journeying through the islands in order to complete the trials and find Zygarde Cells. The anime always does its own thing instead of being faithful adaptation of the games, for better or for worse, but I don't think that they're going to take such a drastic change as Ash not traveling because he has a book report due the next day on Alola forms or he has math homework to deal with.

It's just a hook to get people interested in watching the series. I'm sure that there is more to it, like how it could connect to the Island Trials, but considering that they're being pretty vague about the school so far, it's primarily a hook to grab people's attention and get them to talk about the new series. The anime has generally never liked to stay in one place for a long period of time, so I don't see how Ash going to school will change any of that. I'm still pretty sure that the school setting will be only temporary. Ash's journey will still probably connect back to graduating or something like that, but Ash isn't going to try and journey as far as he can only to head back to the dorms by nightfall.

 

[Daren]

I'm honestly still amazed that people really think that they'll stay at the school setting for three years or that there's even a chance of that happening to begin with.

I think it boils down to people expecting the worst. In all honesty that's usually a safe policy with the anime and if everyone stuck to it we'd have all been happier last month, but I think the closest we'll get is the school being a "hub" where he heads out on adventures from.

I just pray they don't have him flunk--the resulting memes will make what Ash gets now from the evolution brigade look like glowing praise.