Jaye
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- Jan 19, 2012
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We obviously have completely different opinion of what means effective. Because when you see constant drop in watchers for pokemon series, TV ratings being with each generation lower and lower, popularity of pokemon series sinking to rock bottom. Complaints being only bigger and bigger as time pass on and status quo comprised of character regression, stagnation in character development, zero continuity and connection to past successes/tasks taking place.
TV ratings are lower for every show. Less people watch shows on their TV now. They watch online and at any time they want through streaming services, downloads, etc. So the decline over the years isn't solely down to Pokemon's quality. The numbers you see now are not an accurate measure of anything.
Hence I place more emphasis on position in the rankings. That allows us to compare and measure Pokemon against other shows. The ranking has dropped but Pokemon (XY at least, because that's how far I've checked back recently) has retained a spot in the top 10 for several years; it dropped out last year, but quickly recovered. That last part is key, because it suggests that without changing anything Pokemon is still capable of pulling out of any valleys it finds itself in.
I'd say "rock bottom" is a huge exaggeration. Again, check the rankings.
This is more anecdotal, but I've been on Pokemon forums for a decade now and frankly the complaints now and no bigger or prevalent than they were in 2007.
I call effective strategy where those who do production of some anime stay true to their product identity and theme following foundations on which everything began.
I genuinely do not understand this statement.
Pokemon's "foundation" is that it was an anime of an incredibly successful pair of games and capitalised on the subsequent fad. It broadcast during an era where anything with the Pokemon label was red hot. Pokemon isn't as hot anymore (although Pokemon Go has sparked something of a resurgence) but the games sell amazingly well and the anime happily piggy backs on that success. I don't see how things have changed.
Pokemon's "identity" is that it was a show about a boy traveling far and wide to catch Pokemon and become a Pokemon Master. He met new friends and rivals and there were all sorts of crazy hijinks. Pokemon now is... the same things. It's still about a boy traveling far and wide, catching Pokemon, meeting new friends and dreaming of being a Pokemon Master.
Not a great deal has changed. They haven't strayed from this path. So I really don't understand all your claims that the show has lost its identity and that it's now a shriveled up husk of what it used to be. Fundamentally it's still the same show it's always been. It's never, ever, been a show with a strong character development, arcs, story, progression towards goals - all those things you bring up in every post. All those things people bring up as problems and reasons to criticse. All those things people keep saying it should be doing.
But it's like Lyrebird said:
Honestly it is a show for kids that advertises the games. Expecting a lot from it does seem a little bit much
Why on earth should anyone expect anything more? It's never set a very high standard in terms of quality yet somehow people feel they're entitled to something better because they've been "loyal".
Because in last 20 years number of missed opportunities and ways to push Ash and story forward was enormous. Even if we take in account problem of there not existing endgame and template on which stairway toward conclusion could be built, there was and still is room to develop much more not just main hero but every other forgotten character from past making it feel like at very least something moved with this stagnant journey.
And yet the show continues and, dare I say, even succeeds in what it does.
If they can miss all those opportunities for 20 years, I think they can continue to do so. I mean, put it in perspective: for a strategy you keep calling unsustainable and ineffective, it sure has been working a long time, don't you think?
In here your doing logical mistake because someone can be both disappointed and upset with some show, product. Yet still continue to watch it or remain its consumer. Not because he/she is masochist, but because people still care.
And it's because people still care and keep watching that they get away with half the stuff they do.
Your right, something keeps drawing them back. But is that quality if pokemon anime itself? Or is it hope and repressed desire of something changing for better whenever new series start or continues to air staying and still hoping for break of status quo?
Does it matter? Either way they're going back to watch and that's all that matters.
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