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PokeAni Missed Opportunities

I was hoping for Elite 4 trainer strength level Kahili in the anime, but hey I still liked her debut episode at least as a laid back thing, plus this moment happened.

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GS Ball was full-on executive meddling, so you could blame the executives on that one. Not sure about Ho-Oh, but considering the anime started airing the same month GS were revealed it might have been a marketing thing, one that only Japanese people got.

I knew about the GS Ball one. And although we didn't get a Celebi arc like we were supposed to I have my theory that the Meloetta arc in BW was based on that one, I can picture the latter ending with a two-parter, Rocket-dan battle.

For Houou you might be right, but I can't really say. It had some importance in Kanto until slowly fading, with Satoshi mentioning his meeting more often than he does nowadays, so I wouldn't doubt the writers were planning something that never happened. Maybe what happened in I Choose You was a rewrite of their original plan?
 
It's relatively minor, but I think not having Misty and Brock react to Ash winning the Alola League was a missed opportunity. They didn't have to be in the stadium or anything. They could have just given them a quick silent cameo, similar to what happened with Misty during the Hoenn League. It might have helped to make winning the Alola League feel like a bigger deal than it actually was if it was being broadcasted to different regions, or at least Kanto.
 
It's relatively minor, but I think not having Misty and Brock react to Ash winning the Alola League was a missed opportunity. They didn't have to be in the stadium or anything. They could have just given them a quick silent cameo, similar to what happened with Misty during the Hoenn League. It might have helped to make winning the Alola League feel like a bigger deal than it actually was if it was being broadcasted to different regions, or at least Kanto.

Wny limit it to just them? They should've shown ALL of his former companions and rivals' reactions!

Do we know how much air this league got? I'd imagine it had some international coverage given that it's Alola's first league; that's bound to make some waves.
 
It's relatively minor, but I think not having Misty and Brock react to Ash winning the Alola League was a missed opportunity. They didn't have to be in the stadium or anything. They could have just given them a quick silent cameo, similar to what happened with Misty during the Hoenn League. It might have helped to make winning the Alola League feel like a bigger deal than it actually was if it was being broadcasted to different regions, or at least Kanto.
Aside from Ash's lengthy stunned reaction the League win felt a bit more muted in reaction (in universe, it was big in the real world) than I'd expect. Delia and Professor Oak didn't really react much, and I thought Pikachu felt off when they received the trophy (maybe it's just me but Pikachu sounded a bit confused after sniffing it, though the way it was drawn with his eyes watering felt like he was supposed to consider it important? I'm not sure what they were aiming for).
It also felt like we really, really should have seen the reserves at some point after--I understand they had things to do and maybe didn't have time for a Pallet Town episode, but even just a scene of his Pokémon seeing it on a TV Tracey set up outside or similar would have been great.

Possibly they want to save really big reactions for the World Championship, but that's just a guess.
 
Aside from Ash's lengthy stunned reaction the League win felt a bit more muted in reaction (in universe, it was big in the real world) than I'd expect. Delia and Professor Oak didn't really react much, and I thought Pikachu felt off when they received the trophy (maybe it's just me but Pikachu sounded a bit confused after sniffing it, though the way it was drawn with his eyes watering felt like he was supposed to consider it important? I'm not sure what they were aiming for).
It also felt like we really, really should have seen the reserves at some point after--I understand they had things to do and maybe didn't have time for a Pallet Town episode, but even just a scene of his Pokémon seeing it on a TV Tracey set up outside or similar would have been great.

Possibly they want to save really big reactions for the World Championship, but that's just a guess.

The poor dude and pokemon just didn't know what it felt like to win a regional league before, cut them some slack!
 
Wny limit it to just them? They should've shown ALL of his former companions and rivals' reactions!

Do we know how much air this league got? I'd imagine it had some international coverage given that it's Alola's first league; that's bound to make some waves.

As nice as that would have been, I don't think that they would have given so many characters redesigns if they were just going to appear for a moment. It would have been too much work. They already had new designs for Misty and Brock and they appeared multiple times in SM, so having them watch and react to Ash's victory would have made sense in and out of universe.
 
Here's some changes I would make to the Alola league. First of all, getting rid of redundant matches like Faba and Samson Oak and bringing in Kahili and Molayne.

I feel like Kiawe should have won, he was the only one who was consistent about training throughout the years and they mentioned his grandfather being Island King on so many occasions. Having a fight between Kiawe and Ash would be really interesting since they did have some kind of rivalry throughout.
 

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Here's some changes I would make to the Alola league. First of all, getting rid of redundant matches like Faba and Samson Oak and bringing in Kahili and Molayne.

I feel like Kiawe should have won, he was the only one who was consistent about training throughout the years and they mentioned his grandfather being Island King on so many occasions. Having a fight between Kiawe and Ash would be really interesting since they did have some kind of rivalry throughout.
Why demote Ash down so much from his canon outcome, though? He got runner up in Kalos, why do another BW drop?
 
Here's some changes I would make to the Alola league. First of all, getting rid of redundant matches like Faba and Samson Oak and bringing in Kahili and Molayne.

I'm not sure how Ash vs. Faba was redundant since they didn't have a proper battle before, but I wouldn't have been against giving Ash a different first opponent. Not only was the victory less satisfying because of Faba's attempted cheating backfiring on him, but I just think that Faba should have been written out of the series. I've been rewatching SM and I'm near the end of the Nebby arc. I forgot just how terrible Faba's actions were during the arc. He was responsible for Lillie's traumatic experience, made her forget what happened to cover his own tail, attempted to do so again when he thought that her memories resurfaced, kidnapped Nebby in order to force open an Ultra Wormhole and was responsible for Lusamine being kidnapped as a result. He was completely selfish and endangered multiple people, but he gets off with virtually no punishment after giving one apology. This basically happens in the games too, but it's even worse here considering he clearly hasn't really changed despite how he is used more so for comedy relief for the rest of SM. I still dislike how they handle Lillie's storyline and Lusamine in general more from that arc, but I forgot just how much I hated Faba too. He should have been removed from Aether Paradise at least instead of becoming more of a comedy relief character.

I would have been fine with Kahili taking part in the League, but Molayne wasn't particularly memorable or interesting enough to me. I also didn't have much of an issue with Samson, mainly because he didn't last that long and he barely is memorable to begin with.

SerenaToAlola said:
I feel like Kiawe should have won, he was the only one who was consistent about training throughout the years and they mentioned his grandfather being Island King on so many occasions. Having a fight between Kiawe and Ash would be really interesting since they did have some kind of rivalry throughout.

Ash was often seen training with Kiawe though. Out of all of the classmates, Kiawe was easily the best battler, but I don't think it would have made sense for him to win. He was good, but I don't know if he could have lasted against Gladion's Lycanroc with his all Fire type team and getting to the Top 4 was a pretty fitting position for him. I also really don't think that Ash and Kiawe had a rivalry throughout SM. I thought that they would be rivals at the start of the series, but once Kiawe was friendlier towards Ash, that rivalry kind of disappeared. I don't think that they had Ash vs. Kiawe in the Alola League because we already saw them having practice matches throughout the series. It would have been more obvious that Ash would defeat Kiawe. It wasn't as obvious with Gladion, which contributed to all of the excitement when the episode first aired, and there was actual buildup for it. Ash never defeated Gladion and there was a bit of a rivalry between their two Lycanroc. Even if their match happened earlier, it would have felt too anticlimactic, especially when Gladion was one of the few trainers that could have believably made it to the final round. Unless they were going to have Ash vs. Guzma in the finals instead, I don't think that any other final round match up besides Ash vs. Gladion would have worked.

All things considered, I think Kiawe training under Olivia made more sense for his character and was more meaningful. If he wanted to become an Island Kahuna, he'd need to work on training his Pokemon and learning directly from another Kahuna worked. It also would make it easier for him to train and still help his family. Despite Olivia talking about the importance of traveling to gain new experiences, I couldn't really see Kiawe leaving Alola anytime soon due to how much he helps his family. Kiawe didn't need to win the Alola League in order to gain Olivia's attention and learn from her either.
 
This basically happens in the games too, but it's even worse here considering he clearly hasn't really changed despite how he is used more so for comedy relief for the rest of SM.
Not exactly. While technically he got a light punishment for his actions in SM and for causing the Team Rainbow Rocket incident in USUM, I think demoting him to the bottom was a worse fate from his point of view, seeing how he borderline considered himself the most important member of the organization and now he's reorganizing boxes in the warehouse.
 
Why demote Ash down so much from his canon outcome, though? He got runner up in Kalos, why do another BW drop?

Uh, if we go by this logic then it just means that he has to win all the time from now on which is kind of ridiculous. Instead of thinking of it as a reset, it's just an acknowledgement of how there were trainers better than him. Tbh, the whole series really irritated me cause he was posited as some kind of infallible god sent sacred cow throughout and juxtaposed with how unthinking he was throughout, it was really really grating.

I'm not sure how Ash vs. Faba was redundant since they didn't have a proper battle before, but I wouldn't have been against giving Ash a different first opponent. Not only was the victory less satisfying because of Faba's attempted cheating backfiring on him, but I just think that Faba should have been written out of the series. I've been rewatching SM and I'm near the end of the Nebby arc. I forgot just how terrible Faba's actions were during the arc. He was responsible for Lillie's traumatic experience, made her forget what happened to cover his own tail, attempted to do so again when he thought that her memories resurfaced, kidnapped Nebby in order to force open an Ultra Wormhole and was responsible for Lusamine being kidnapped as a result. He was completely selfish and endangered multiple people, but he gets off with virtually no punishment after giving one apology. This basically happens in the games too, but it's even worse here considering he clearly hasn't really changed despite how he is used more so for comedy relief for the rest of SM. I still dislike how they handle Lillie's storyline and Lusamine in general more from that arc, but I forgot just how much I hated Faba too. He should have been removed from Aether Paradise at least instead of becoming more of a comedy relief character.

I think that's exactly why I didn't think he should even make it to the top 16. It's just an unfunny joke to me. Well the kids probably do like seeing him lose though.

I would have been fine with Kahili taking part in the League, but Molayne wasn't particularly memorable or interesting enough to me. I also didn't have much of an issue with Samson, mainly because he didn't last that long and he barely is memorable to begin with.

I brought in Molayne cause I thought it was an opportunity for him to do something memorable or interesting. Hence pairing him up with Sophocles in hopes of some character development. Actually I wouldn't have minded if Sophocles won against him. And maybe Sophocles could take over some of his pokemon or use his ride pokemon in the next round. My main issue with Sophocles making it as far as he did was that he only had Vikavolt which was boring.

As for Samson, I just didn't think he would have been interested in the league. Besides, his character had been sufficiently fleshed out already so I think adding him into the league didn't add much to the anything.

He was good, but I don't know if he could have lasted against Gladion's Lycanroc with his all Fire type team

True but I thought having someone with a deeper connection to Alola would be a lot more satisfying. Type matchups ain't everything anyway.

I thought that they would be rivals at the start of the series, but once Kiawe was friendlier towards Ash, that rivalry kind of disappeared.

Their rivalry never disappeared. They were always challenging each other, over many different things.

I don't think that they had Ash vs. Kiawe in the Alola League because we already saw them having practice matches throughout the series. It would have been more obvious that Ash would defeat Kiawe.

There's always room for a twist.

It wasn't as obvious with Gladion, which contributed to all of the excitement when the episode first aired, and there was actual buildup for it. Ash never defeated Gladion and there was a bit of a rivalry between their two Lycanroc. Even if their match happened earlier, it would have felt too anticlimactic, especially when Gladion was one of the few trainers that could have believably made it to the final round.

I kind of agree and I do want Ash v Gladion to happen but I think maybe a post league battle would work too?

Unless they were going to have Ash vs. Guzma in the finals instead, I don't think that any other final round match up besides Ash vs. Gladion would have worked.

What I think is Ash shouldn't have made it that far in the league, simple as that. His strategies were stupid and unrealistic but then again, we're watching a kids show. Aha.
 
On the other hand, you're exactly doing the same thing that they have done for more than twenty years, to the point it's a borderline running gag. Hell, it was one of the reason Pokémon is the one non-dramatic series where I'm starting to feel darkness-induced audience apathy. Seriously, I would not even look back and even pretend the anime doesn't exist at all. The first times it was alright, but after Tobias, Cameron and Alain where they pulled different Diabolus ex Machinas it was sincerely getting ridiculous.
 
Uh, if we go by this logic then it just means that he has to win all the time from now on which is kind of ridiculous. Instead of thinking of it as a reset, it's just an acknowledgement of how there were trainers better than him.
Nope, but he should lose to worthy opponents.

Ash has done the following as of the start of Sun and Moon:
*Entered seven different Pokémon leagues (I'm including the Orange Islands in that count).
*Participated in the Battle Frontier and won
*Defeated several Legendary Pokémon--Articuno, Darkrai, Regice, maybe others I'm forgetting.
*Entered various smaller competitions, winning some of them (ringer competitions, the tournament in Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, etc.)
*In XY we see he can hold his own against Elite Four tier opponents like Alain.
What does Kiawe have in his resume to make him a better trainer than Ash? Kiawe showing better strategies in the league feels like a choreography problem more than anything, possibly because of it was more of a comedy series.

Really, though, the biggest issue is that Ash losing a league is the single most boring outcome at this point. Letting him win has allowed them to give him a new, higher level goal. There's actual, genuine excitement for Ash's story arc because he's finally actually advanced his arc and it even seems to be a permanent step.
 
Please note: The thread is from 3 years ago.
Please take the age of this thread into consideration in writing your reply. Depending on what exactly you wanted to say, you may want to consider if it would be better to post a new thread instead.
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