News New Pokemon Anime Announcement!

[Hidden Mew]

Sure, there'd be no point to use an AU just for a SwSh series, but that isn't what we're getting. If the original Ash is still around, that means they'll have to explain his interest in the old regions, and possibly deal with a whopping 42 Pokemon and 14 companions in addition the new ones (if they avoid them like the plague, then it's an AU in all but name). It's much easier to make a fresh start after Movie 20 worked (and I say it as someone who didn't like it), even if the primary focus is Galar.

An alternative would be to have one protagonist per region, but I have my doubts that would be better as it would be a very disjointed experience.

I'm not sure if they'd really need to make an AU for this series' vague premise. I suppose it is a possible route to take, but I just don't feel like it is that likely. Besides that, even with this series focusing on other region, having Ash be the main lead despite being an AU would still make the changes feel more moot than anything else.

Because it would allow them to cash in on nostalgia while also offering up a fresh and perhaps different variation of the character.

I'm not sure why they'd need to go with an AU setting the cash in on nostalgia. I'm also not really sure if they'd need to do that to take a different variation on Ash's character. They arguably already do that with each series.

 

[Silktree]

having Ash be the main lead despite being an AU would still make the changes feel more moot than anything else.

Was Movie 20 moot? I'm pretty sure it isn't what anyone had in mind for a 20th anniversary movie focusing on Ho-Oh.

This isn't a random idea. We have a logo that's only been used for two AU movies. They clearly want us to consider the idea.

 

[Kairyu]

Literally impossible to draw any conclusions from this announcement. I hope Ash stays tbh, I'll just find it very hard to get attached to a new protagnist at this point.

 

[game3524]

I'm not sure if they'd really need to make an AU for this series' vague premise. I suppose it is a possible route to take, but I just don't feel like it is that likely. Besides that, even with this series focusing on other region, having Ash be the main lead despite being an AU would still make the changes feel more moot than anything else.



I'm not sure why they'd need to go with an AU setting the cash in on nostalgia. I'm also not really sure if they'd need to do that to take a different variation on Ash's character. They arguably already do that with each series.

They don't have to, but it is a decent happy medium if they want to appeal to both older fans and newer fans.

 

[SammyW27]

Surely they wouldn't take that stupid, stupid "If Ash wins the story is over" BS to heart and stop the TV Show and start over from scratch.

Even if they're as tired of Ash as many fans are, they'd still need to have a Galar anime to help hype the Games. A Pokemon anime about all of PokeWorld sounds neat, but rather impractical. The main reason the Show exists--hell, the entire reason it's still on the air--is to promote the Games. And they ain't gonna raise interest and awareness of Sword & Shield (along with whatever else happens in Gen 8) with a Show that focuses on every region and their features. Like I said, sounds cool, but they've got new/upcoming games & features to pimp.

To add to that... even if Ash does win the Alola League, it won't feel like much of a win. At least not to me. Him winning when he's barely even been a trainer this saga would be bad enough. Him getting help from a Mythical--one that's had next to no battle experience or training at that--makes it even worse. If he wins, good for him. But to me it'll feel like a hollow victory (like many so-called battles in SM). If SM truly IS Ash's last hurrah, it's not going to be very satisfying...

So yeah, I'm hoping this is another show, or at least another AU mini-series (always a treat). Stopping the Show they've been working on for over 20 years just doesn't make sense from a business stand point, and I--and I imagine plenty of others--REALLY don't want Ash's journey to end on such unsatisfying, poorly written note.

 

[Silktree]

This is the show. They can only be so misleading.

And the main point of the anime is to promote merchandise; the games are far less dependent on it. Chances are that Galar will still get the most episodes; it might be the same as what Kanto got, except with fewer fillers.

 

[Hidden Mew]

Was Movie 20 moot? I'm pretty sure it isn't what anyone had in mind for a 20th anniversary movie focusing on Ho-Oh.

This isn't a random idea. We have a logo that's only been used for two AU movies. They clearly want us to consider the idea.

No, I don't think that I Choose You was rendered moot because Ash was still the lead. However, I do think that's a different situation compared to a potential reboot of the anime series. Both I Choose You and The Power of Us were able to tell different stories as a result of being set in an alternate universe from the anime. That gave the writers more creative freedom than if they had to figure out how to fit in the SM cast in the plots and it helped to make both movies feel refreshing as a result. Wanting to do something different for the 20th movie in particular with making it an alternate telling of Ash's first journey made sense.

Unlike with the movies, I don't think that the anime needs to have reboot to become more refreshing or give the writers more creative freedom. They've been able to explore different ideas and concepts over the years and each series feels pretty distinct from each other as well. AU movie Ash is still pretty much the same as Ash has always been, but it still allows for the writers to do something different with the movies. Since most of the movies tend to focus primarily on Ash, his friends are lucky to do anything significant and they're rarely referenced in the series, they might as well focus on an AU version of Ash. I'm not saying that the idea of a reboot is random. I can see why that is a common theory based on what little information we have and the logo being used for two AU movies also stands out. I just don't see how rebooting the anime would really benefit it for a few reasons and I don't think it makes as much sense as to do that compared to making AU movies.

They don't have to, but it is a decent happy medium if they want to appeal to both older fans and newer fans.

I'm not sure if it would really appeal to older fans. I guess it would depend on what they did for a potential reboot, but I imagine most older fans would prefer seeing their favorite characters returning for a few episodes like what they did with Misty and Brock instead of just getting to see new versions of the characters.

 

[RileyXY1]

I'm not sure if it would really appeal to older fans. I guess it would depend on what they did for a potential reboot, but I imagine most older fans would prefer seeing their favorite characters returning for a few episodes like what they did with Misty and Brock instead of just getting to see new versions of the characters.

Especially considering they may not have the same experiences and Pokemon as the original versions, as this is an AU we're talking about here.

 

[game3524]

No, I don't think that I Choose You was rendered moot because Ash was still the lead. However, I do think that's a different situation compared to a potential reboot of the anime series. Both I Choose You and The Power of Us were able to tell different stories as a result of being set in an alternate universe from the anime. That gave the writers more creative freedom than if they had to figure out how to fit in the SM cast in the plots and it helped to make both movies feel refreshing as a result. Wanting to do something different for the 20th movie in particular with making it an alternate telling of Ash's first journey made sense.

Unlike with the movies, I don't think that the anime needs to have reboot to become more refreshing or give the writers more creative freedom. They've been able to explore different ideas and concepts over the years and each series feels pretty distinct from each other as well. AU movie Ash is still pretty much the same as Ash has always been, but it still allows for the writers to do something different with the movies. Since most of the movies tend to focus primarily on Ash, his friends are lucky to do anything significant and they're rarely referenced in the series, they might as well focus on an AU version of Ash. I'm not saying that the idea of a reboot is random. I can see why that is a common theory based on what little information we have and the logo being used for two AU movies also stands out. I just don't see how rebooting the anime would really benefit it for a few reasons and I don't think it makes as much sense as to do that compared to making AU movies.



I'm not sure if it would really appeal to older fans. I guess it would depend on what they did for a potential reboot, but I imagine most older fans would prefer seeing their favorite characters returning for a few episodes like what they did with Misty and Brock instead of just getting to see new versions of the characters.

Movie 20 kind of disapproves this.

I mean just look how many older fans complained about Brock, Misty, Gary etc. not being in the film, even though they would have been the AU versions of themselves. As long as the characters have similar personalities, looks, traits, and utilized some of the old Pokemon they had. I don't think and AU version of them would have a hard time appealing to older fans.

 

[RileyXY1]

Movie 20 kind of disapproves this.

Not really, considering that it didn't have any old characters aside from Ash and Trio. There were brief cameos of all the old companions in the credits, but that's not really significant. Having older characters will actually make it more appealing to older fans because of nostalgia.

 

[Silktree]

I'm in favor of it at this point. It might be easy for me since Brock and Misty got to come back recently, but the whole "maybe your favorites will return one day and maybe they won't" isn't a very satisfying mentality. I have no interest in just seeing Ash's old powerhouses be relevant (which they haven't been since that one Charizard episode in BW) when he has so many more Pokemon. It's easier to just let go already.

Plus, Ash having companions from different regions sounds cool. No need to force anything with so many options.

 

[game3524]

Not really, considering that it didn't have any old characters aside from Ash and Trio. There were brief cameos of all the old companions in the credits, but that's not really significant. Having older characters will actually make it more appealing to older fans because of nostalgia.

It actually did.

A lot of older fans complained that Brock, Misty etc. weren't in the film even though if they were they wouldn't appear as they did in the OS.

 

[RileyXY1]

I think that we might see old companions return anyways.

 

[ValorSugarcakes]

I’m pretty sure that Ash will have a terrible design in this series because it’s the same animation that SM had

 

[Hidden Mew]

Movie 20 kind of disapproves this.

I mean just look how many older fans complained about Brock, Misty, Gary etc. not being in the film, even though they would have been the AU versions of them. As long as the characters have similar personalities, looks, traits, and utilized some of the old Pokemon they had. I don't think and AU version of them would have a hard time appealing to older fans.

That is a good point, but I think that it was also a bit of a different situation. Misty and Brock hadn't shown up in the anime for ages and even the anime didn't have any cameos for XY, so for a lot of fans, they thought that I Choose You would be the only chance to see Misty and Brock in a new story. I imagine that was one reason why revealing that they wouldn't be in the movie resulted in pretty intense backlash. It might still be enough to appeal to older fans, but if the AU version of the characters are that similar to how they are in the current series, then it still makes the change feel kind of questionable to me. I just don't see the need to make a reboot when they could use the characters they already have to appeal to long time fans. SM showcasing how Misty and Brock had progressed since leaving the cast made their appearances more meaningful than if they were just AU versions of the characters.

I'm in favor of it at this point. It might be easy for me since Brock and Misty got to come back recently, but the whole "maybe your favorites will return one day and maybe they won't" isn't a very satisfying mentality. I have no interest in just seeing Ash's old powerhouses be relevant (which they haven't been since that one Charizard episode in BW) when he has so many more Pokemon. It's easier to just let go already.

Plus, Ash having companions from different regions sounds cool. No need to force anything with so many options.

Honestly, I can kind of understand that notion. Aside from Misty and Brock, they really haven't made use of the large number of former traveling companions and Ash's reserved Pokemon haven't been featured in ages. I still don't see the need for them to go on a complete reboot. Erasing all of the history of the anime after over twenty years just feels a bit much to me. It also sounds a bit sad to me with the thought of never getting a chance to see characters that I like again, but I'm also sentimental like that. Yeah, they don't have older characters show up or being referenced that often anyway, but at least it would be possible for that to happen. I still don't think that they'll go that far with the new series and I wouldn't be surprised if the changes they're making are as huge or game changing as fans think that they're going to be, but I can also understand why a lot of people get the reboot impression from this tease of an announcement.

 

[game3524]

That is a good point, but I think that it was also a bit of a different situation. Misty and Brock hadn't shown up in the anime for ages and even the anime didn't have any cameos for XY, so for a lot of fans, they thought that I Choose You would be the only chance to see Misty and Brock in a new story. I imagine that was one reason why revealing that they wouldn't be in the movie resulted in pretty intense backlash. It might still be enough to appeal to older fans, but if the AU version of the characters are that similar to how they are in the current series, then it still makes the change feel kind of questionable to me. I just don't see the need to make a reboot when they could use the characters they already have to appeal to long time fans. SM showcasing how Misty and Brock had progressed since leaving the cast made their appearances more meaningful than if they were just AU versions of the characters.



Honestly, I can kind of understand that notion. Aside from Misty and Brock, they really haven't made use of the large number of former traveling companions and Ash's reserved Pokemon haven't been featured in ages. I still don't see the need for them to go on a complete reboot. Erasing all of the history of the anime after over twenty years just feels a bit much to me. It also sounds a bit sad to me with the thought of never getting a chance to see characters that I like again, but I'm also sentimental like that. Yeah, they don't have older characters show up or being referenced that often anyway, but at least it would be possible for that to happen. I still don't think that they'll go that far with the new series and I wouldn't be surprised if the changes they're making are as huge or game changing as fans think that they're going to be, but I can also understand why a lot of people get the reboot impression from this tease of an announcement.

That is fair.

I think when it comes to AU/reboots, you have to find the right balance of keeping things familiar, but also freshen things up. It can be a hard thing to do, which is my biggest fear if they actually do a reboot.

 

[Alola]

Call me old-fashioned, but I was really looking forward to Ash going through the region per norm with the female player character and whomever. I know we have nothing conclusive yet, but after Sun & Moon's shake-up of the formula, I'm not confident in a second attempt so soon.

 

[Almonds]

Well, I've been around since OS aired on TV and I loved Movie 20. Then again, I'm probably one of the few people who didn't really like Misty, and I was pretty glad when they had Brock leave to go on his doctoral training at the end of DP since he was getting stale. Even though I have my complaints, I prefer the rotation of the characters. I wish they could have done more with Tracey, the younger cast Bonnie and Max shows how young children connects with pokemon through different ways even though they are not trainers, and all the female characters have their own story arcs. Gary is still my favorite rival, but I prefer that Ash has different rivals instead of squeezing the rivalry essence out of Gary to the last drop just because he's the "original" rival and "must" be kept around. I enjoyed the new trio chemistry between Ash and Makoto and Souji. It was a fresh dynamic, perhaps especially more with a down-to-earth, calm character like Souji who has no particular gimmicks or gags in the group, a character trait that we haven't seen before.

Maybe a reboot at this point isn't a really plausible move, but I wouldn't be opposed to one if they went that route. If anything, I'd like it.

 

[EmpoleonProd]

Will this be similar to Pokémon Generations and follow multiple protagonists and not just one? That would be very cool, though it likely spells the end for Ash, at least in a recurring role.

Hmmm didn't you all just kinda shit on me like three days ago on a post I made about something just like this?

I literally said that an anime in the style of Origins/Generations would likely be more popular than "Ash & Friends" and more or less took a lot of heat from a lot of you about it, not a day later and they announce this lol, I hope this is Origins/Generations just so maybe I can get a few of you to eat crow

That being said, I didn't make my post on a whim, or for no reason. I genuinely feel that there are more people who dislike the current anime than there are those who do, particularly among the veteran/older crowd of the fanbase. That being said, the anime certainly had it's high points and I'm not trying to shit on the entire anime and say 20 years was for nothing, but the fact is it all got too repetitive, every episode is predictable, Ash's whole journey is predictable, when we finally thought he'd win a League he lost to a Charizard when Ash's Greninja had a type advantage, there's a lot of miscues on the writer's end with the current anime, and when you look at the statistics on YouTube of Generations or Origins and the reception of the two, virtually everybody adores those two. If the anime was Generations in 20 minute, storyline-focused episode style, it'd be a total hit, and it would likely align itself with game and/or manga canon so in a way we'd be living through our own journeys but animated.

Anyways, I hope this is what I've wanted, I'd actually give the anime a chance again for a change like this.

Also, this doesn't mean Ash has to die out either, Ash can live on in the retelling of his adventures through movies, so if they want a movie of him going through Kalos, they can release that, and them maybe a follow-up movie is him attempting the Pokemon League Conference, but make the mainstream anime the one with an alternating roster of protagonists to follow like Red, Ethan, May, Dawn, etc. If they want to go the manga route and use Gold, Sapphire, and Platinum for names, they can, but I feel like more of us identify through game or anime canon than those who do manga canon.

 

[SinnohBoi]

Garuntee you this will end up being a bigger flop than Sun and Moon. OLM are clearly too incompetent to realise that what people want is the traditional formula. Stop changing up the show! Seriously, if the games can remain relatively the same, why does the anime need to undergo so many makeup changes. You could tell there was a progression from OS all the way to XY, but it's all fucked up now. There is no way Kalos or Sinnoh ash would have entertained the idea of Pokemon school.

Honestly, I don't even care anymore'. This trash will flop anyways and OLM has only themselves to blame.

Also, not seeing ash's reserves anymore is an even greater injustice. If this is seriously Ash's last league in this timeline, why didn't we see all of his past Pokemon again? Holy shit, this show is so mismanaged and garbage