My Big Problem with the Pokémon Anime - An Essay and a Rant

[EscLucy]

I would also like to add that if you haven’t watched the newer seasons then you might not know if the writers have improved the anime and therefore to suggest that the anime should be cancelled based on past seasons doesn’t sit right with me. Also, forcing people to not watch it isn’t a good atmosphere that the moderators would want in A&M...The anime will always be a marketing tool for the video games and because it makes them tons of money that isn’t going to change.

 

[KenzeyEevee]

I would also like to add that if you haven’t watched the newer seasons then you might not know if the writers have improved the anime and therefore to suggest that the anime should be cancelled based on past seasons doesn’t sit right with me. Also, forcing people to not watch it isn’t a good atmosphere that the moderators would want in A&M...The anime will always be a marketing tool for the video games and because it makes them tons of money that isn’t going to change.

No offence and with all my respect, but cant we say what we want (and we do that in a proper way) because moderators dont like it? And if you dont do something with passion, it gets baf.

 

[EscLucy]

No offence and with all my respect, but cant we say what we want (and we do that in a proper way) because moderators dont like it? And if you dont do something with passion, it gets baf.

My comment was on my own personal views and doesn't necessarily reflect the views of the moderators. I, of course, accept others opinions and I didn't say that Rath's opinion was wrong. I'm not trying to attack anyone and I apologise if it came off that way ^^;

 

[KenzeyEevee]

My comment was on my own personal views and doesn't necessarily reflect the views of the moderators. I, of course, accept others opinions and I didn't say that Rath's opinion was wrong. I'm not trying to attack anyone and I apologise if it came off that way ^^;

Sorry, if I was kind hard against you. But sometimes we cant even discuss some things who are relatated to the episode or plot. And that is sometimes frustrating.

And Pokémon lost its love and sweet attitude. Sometimes, episodes are boring and they change things TOO much like in SM. If the anime is meant to promote the games, why do you change everything then? And suddenly changing in a comedy series because that is popular, is really stupid. And you know why? Pokémon has proven that it can be good on its own without looking to other series or animés. They really have to do something to make it popular again, because the ratings have never been so low in the US for a pokémon series. And thw magical thing, in the past, no matter where you live, you could understand pokémon and laugh about it. But now, due SM, you have to watch a lot of other animes and read books and stuff, to get all the references they make to other series and books. And the humor of SM only works in Japan I think and not around the world! I never laughed once in SM about a stupid joke. And the voice acting isnt that good anymore beside Japan.

And if you are gonna review a series, please dont look back at previous series. Not everything is DP or OS.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

And Pokémon lost its love and sweet attitude

I don’t think someone can go through the Litten arc and say that...

 

[KenzeyEevee]

I don’t think someone can go through the Litten arc and say that...

I mean pokémon in general

 

[Rath]

Sorry, if I was kind hard against you. But sometimes we cant even discuss some things who are relatated to the episode or plot. And that is sometimes frustrating.

And Pokémon lost its love and sweet attitude. Sometimes, episodes are boring and they change things TOO much like in SM. If the anime is meant to promote the games, why do you change everything then? And suddenly changing in a comedy series because that is popular, is really stupid. And you know why? Pokémon has proven that it can be good on its own without looking to other series or animés. They really have to do something to make it popular again, because the ratings have never been so low in the US for a pokémon series. And thw magical thing, in the past, no matter where you live, you could understand pokémon and laugh about it. But now, due SM, you have to watch a lot of other animes and read books and stuff, to get all the references they make to other series and books. And the humor of SM only works in Japan I think and not around the world! I never laughed once in SM about a stupid joke. And the voice acting isnt that good anymore beside Japan.

The change in tone had nothing to do with any other anime. It was done to mimic the Sun & Moon games.

 

[Jared DiCarlo]

Here’s my two cents on this “essay”: I think the reason that everyone is upset about Ash losing all the time is that he is the main character. As the main character, he’s someone that the audience wants to see come out on top. And to see that being taken away from him year after year kind of makes them upset. With that said, writing him out of the anime will only make things worse. Can you imagine the fan outcry if that happened, especially in Japan?

 

[Antiyonder]

Here’s my two cents on this “essay”: I think the reason that everyone is upset about Ash losing all the time is that he is the main character. As the main character, he’s someone that the audience wants to see come out on top.

Not necessarily wanting him to come out on top, but more or less kicking the anime out of it's status quo is God approach.

 

[SinnohEevee]

PokéAni isn't here to tell a good story or make Ash a Pokémon Master. It is here to sell games, nothing more and nothing less. Want a good story? There's PokéSpé (which is also a commercial for the games) and fanfics.

Not only it's not about telling a good story, it doesn't need to. The target audience changes every 3 years and the staff are rolling in money. Heck, the whole franchise is swimming in money without the need to care about quality or what the fans think. This is Pokémon.
Another thing is that Pokémon (especially) the anime is for kids, and kids don't care that much about good writing and good stories. They only care about seeing their favourite monsters on TV or in a videogame.

 

[EscLucy]

Another thing is that Pokémon (especially) the anime is for kids, and kids don't care that much about good writing and good stories. They only care about seeing their favourite monsters on TV or in a videogame.

I agree with most of what you said. However, in my opinion, I think that kids do care about the plot lines. Granted, not as much as teenagers but kids are always looking for action and adventure. The anime currently is adventure but for kids and I think the plot lines are good for kids. They can do this whilst promoting the games and the Pokemon. It's a very clever marketing tool in my opinion...even if it's boring.

 

[KrspaceT]

I agree with most of what you said. However, in my opinion, I think that kids do care about the plot lines. Granted, not as much as teenagers but kids are always looking for action and adventure. The anime currently is adventure but for kids and I think the plot lines are good for kids. They can do this whilst promoting the games and the Pokemon. It's a very clever marketing tool in my opinion...even if it's boring.

It's a fairly well trodden in phrase in animation fandom channels that good stories sell products. If every product selling show was equally successful, then how come Transformers is still a thing while Butt Ugly Martians is deader than Stoutland?

 

[Daenerys]

My issue with the anime lately is the lack of originality. Almost every subplot, storyline, and gag feels run-of-the-mill these days. There's little to no creativity, and everything feels incredibly trite. This is something that has been bugging me since early Sun & Moon when the same face fault gags kept being repeated a dozen times per episode, which is why I quit watching it.

 

[Rath]

Not necessarily wanting him to come out on top, but more or less kicking the anime out of it's status quo is God approach.

Status Quo being God is universal to every series. It's not something that's possible to avoid.

 

[Jared DiCarlo]

deader than Stoutland

I see what you did there

 

[RetroPokeFan]

It's a fairly well trodden in phrase in animation fandom channels that good stories sell products. If every product selling show was equally successful, then how come Transformers is still a thing while Butt Ugly Martians is deader than Stoutland?

Probabrly because it was absolute garbage.

Somehow it was more of a hit here in the U.K. than it was in the US.

 

[Edith Compos]

I'd love to give my two cents if you'd like. A good season that I liked on Pokemon was with May. Her goal was to be a Pokemon Contest master, and I watched every step. A good stepping stone would be her losing to that one woman. May beat Drew and it was a great struggle, only for her to lose against that woman. I think a great thing would be to have her train even more to beat that woman and become the best. I rooted for May, but it was understandable that she lost to an older more experienced opponent. I even liked Dawn, who came later on. Though I was over Ash.

 

[SinnohEevee]

The anime sells well because of the games and because it's Pokémon. Quality doesn't matter.

Also, don't blame the wrters for Ash losing, blame the executives. The writers have to do what their bosses tell them.

 

[Vengeful Ghost]

1. Ash does not obtain his dreams of becoming a Pokémon Master.
2. His companions also do not obtain their respective dreams, and will likely never do so thanks to getting written out of the anime.
3. Ash's Pokémon except for Pikachu also get written out despite their hard work and achievements throughout his adventure.
4. TRio, despite failing over and over again to obtain Pikachu or some other goal, nonetheless continue to stalk him.
5. Thus, any existing bonds or relationships between Ash and his Pokémon and peers are gone, because the latter groups are no longer in the anime.
6. Finally, the entire region becomes filler, as Ash remains in the initial state he was at the beginning of the saga—ready to start a new adventure with Pikachu by his side.

Of all the definitions of filler out there, this is by far the poorest one I have ever seen. It first implies that the intentions of the protagonist, no matter what they are, must end in his/her favor. Stories which are at heart a tragedy would be excluded by your definition. In addition, works which feature the villains' point of view as the heroes rush off to stop his/her plans are suddenly and swiftly rendered "useless filler" by your definition.

 

[_Dog]

Of all the definitions of filler out there, this is by far the poorest one I have ever seen. It first implies that the intentions of the protagonist, no matter what they are, must end in his/her favor. Stories which are at heart a tragedy would be excluded by your definition. In addition, works which feature the villains' point of view as the heroes rush off to stop his/her plans are suddenly and swiftly rendered "useless filler" by your definition.

Don't misread me. Ash being in the beginning state he was at the end of a saga alone does not make it filler; it's the fact that he is unchanged in any manner in terms of age, accomplishment or character; no one needs to watch what Ash did in this saga to watch whatever is going on with whatever he does in the next region. At the end of every saga, every Pokémon he has barring Pikachu is gone, his traveling companions are all written out permanently, his rivalries are abandoned, his badges are now worthless, Ash and Pikachu are often soon to be made weaker, and so forth; all without any measure of progress or closure to the main premise of the anime. That is what makes the entire saga filler. This is precisely what happened with XY, and I predict the same thing will happen with Sun and Moon.

I still have more to respond to others later.