Pokemon SM is NOT continuation of XY(&Z)

[CrystaI]

Tweeted by Mima Masafumi, the Sound Director of Pokemon Anime:

View: https://twitter.com/Sunma47/status/799013157435883520
Translation:

I'm trying many different challenges (That will be surprise until watched ♬). I'll just introduce one thing. This photo mail is the front cover of Pocket Monster Sun & Moon for this time. Yes! every time, a screen shot that leaves an impression is decorated on the front cover.
This is not continuation of Pocket Monster XY&Z, a completely new Satoshi and Pikachu

Therefore he suggested:

View: https://twitter.com/Sunma47/status/799013201702580227
Translation:

I feel happy from the heart when having everyone feel the discovery, adventure, and friendship in Alola, and full of gratitude for that.
Speaking too much is, a bit senseless LOL.
Without preconception, I wish one can feel the new world of Pocket Monster in full force.
Thank you very much for your cooperation!

......I see ............OK.

So, Pokemon Anime must now be view like Mickey Mouse or Transformer, where there truly exist continuity reboot somewhere along the line, with the only difference that the reboot is not officially announced to the audience.

 

[dman_dustin]

Two problems with this.

1. What was the point of Ash giving 5 Poke balls to Oak?

2. Why? Why create a non canon series involving Ash? Why?

 

[Blockhead Pippi]

So, it's a spin-off series now, in essence?

Well, I guess that's one way of approaching the anime differently after almost twenty years of reusing the exact same formula. Might explain why the anime's art direction is so different. I think I'd rather them introduce a whole new character if they're going this route, but not my decision.

 

[NeoMiniTails]

Tweeted by Mima Masafumi, the Sound Director of Pokemon Anime:

View: https://twitter.com/Sunma47/status/799013157435883520
Translation:


Therefore he suggested:

View: https://twitter.com/Sunma47/status/799013201702580227
Translation:


......I see ............OK.

So, Pokemon Anime must now be view like Mickey Mouse or Transformer, where there truly exist continuity reboot somewhere along the line, with the only difference that the reboot is not officially announced to the audience.

I'm wondering if we can take her literally. I think she's referring to the storytelling style and general direction is not the same. Gyms and all the stuff we're used to will be gone... no more even travelling and getting lost. It's more like what I thought the new season/show would be: action and somewhat slice of life feel...

 

[CrystaI]

Please go ask whoever know Japanese, what does this mean?:
『ポケットモンスター XY&Z』の続きではない、全く新しいサトシとピカチュウの

I wished he (Mima Masafumi is Mr.) is not meant to be that literal, but unfortunately the above sentence is just sound to be that literal, that kind of declamatory statement without second meaning.
If you think there may exist any hidden or alternative meaning, then only he and God will knows.

And, although it sounds absolutely awful if looking at it from overall, but nonetheless IMO it will be more acceptable for me to look at SM as an AU spin-off with no timeline connection with any previous series, rather than looking at it as a sequel of XY&Z saga with accumulation of so many previous experience.

 

[NeoMiniTails]

Please go ask whoever know Japanese, what does this mean?:
『ポケットモンスター XY&Z』の続きではない、全く新しいサトシとピカチュウの

I wished he (Mima Masafumi is Mr.) is not meant to be that literal, but unfortunately the above sentence is just sound to be that literal, that kind of declamatory statement without second meaning.
If you think there may exist any hidden or alternative meaning, then only he and God will knows.

And, although it sounds absolutely awful if looking at it from overall, but nonetheless IMO it will be more acceptable for me to look at SM as an AU spin-off with no timeline connection with any previous series, rather than looking at it as a sequel of XY&Z saga with accumulation of so many previous experience.

I wonder if that means Red and other game characters can show up then... with them doing so much animation for the game characters, it feels like I know them now. Lol

 

[Hidden Mew]

I don't know. I have a bit of a hard time taking this at face value. This is coming from a sound director. While they are obviously part of the creative team, that position is a lot different than if a writer said something like this. Saying that this is a new Ash and Pikachu can also be taken as how Ash is usually pretty different in each series. XY Ash is different from OS Ash, but the series are still set within the same continuity. It also sounds like the kind of logic that people who didn't like the look for SM would like to hear, which is another reason I'm not so willing to take it at face value. Unless the show states otherwise, I'll still see this as another series set within the continuity of the previous series.

 

[LuxrayOfTheWild]

I just don't know how to take this. After seeing Ash deliver his Pokeballs to Oak, I just don't understand how they can say this is not a continuation. Plus, we have actual continuity being referenced, well one bit at least. Ash did reference the Tauros he caught after Mallow ran him over with one.

 

[Syrinaris]

I certainly hope that this is just a "lost in translation" scenario.

Because I agree that it would make no sense for them to make a specific point of showing us that he dropped off those 5 Pokeballs with Prof. Oak before they left for vacay. Unless, we're just supposed to believe that those Pokeballs belong to some of his older Pokes that he was tooling around with.

And for that matter, what becomes of the back history, then, with Pikachu? I'm probably overthinking here. But *if* this is a new Ash & Pikachu, then how did this Ash meet this Pikachu? If the back story is something other than Ash-is-late-and-the-starters-are-gone-so-he-gets-Pikachu then what is it?

 

[Johtohfiller]

If literal it doesn't make sense considering the references in the first episode, I'm guessing it's more about the new art style, new head writer, etc.

 

[Cresselia92]

I, for one, wouldn't mind this at all.

The ending of XY(& Z) was beautiful and "symbolic", and I wouldn't have problems considering "this" Ash a parallel Ash, in a way not too different from Mirror Ash.

And for people who say "Why we got an AU Ash and not a different character?"… well, it could be more or less for the same reason in which we have different "Links" in The Legend of Zelda series. Who knows, we could get in the future yet another version of Ash with another eerily similar background or something.

Ideally speaking, it would be better to just have the same Ash grow up (metaphorically speaking) and becoming a better Trainer than have different Ash clones, but I would take different clones than having the "original" Ash butchered up in terms of development, personality and skills.

 

[Necrozma]

Yeah, the 'this is not a continuation of XY' makes zero sense given how the first episode explicitly shows Ash handing over 5 pokeballs to Oak.

Not buying it lmao.

Also let me just add, the whole thing sounds like Mima trying to appease XY/Z fans who persistently keep claiming it was the final series and how it had a perfect ending. Mima's talk is pretty hard to believe since the first episode directly contradicts their statement.

And, although it sounds absolutely awful if looking at it from overall, but nonetheless IMO it will be more acceptable for me to look at SM as an AU spin-off with no timeline connection with any previous series, rather than looking at it as a sequel of XY&Z saga with accumulation of so many previous experience.

OH MY GOD.

Did you even watch the first two episodes of Sun and Moon? ASH MENTIONS HIS TAUROS FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. The flashbacks shows Ash dropping off FIVE POKEBALLS at Oak's before going with his mother for Alola.

Episode 1 of SM had more continuity than the whole of XY and people have the decency to call THIS series a reboot? Yeah no.

I would appreciate if you did not spread what is most likely a mistranslation because fans are looking for excuses to hate on Sun and Moon already.

 

[Keshav]

Wow! My theory is becoming a reality, this isn't the XY Ash. Since Taurus, was mentioned, the series is set in a timeline before XY series. We will have to wait for more references to the past so that we can get the exact timeline. Also, Ash giving oak those poke balls isn't a surprise. Ash always keep Pikachu so the other 5 pokemon on his party get oaked. This is probably set between BW and DP. DP's end wasn't connected with BW's start so it is a possibility. Btw, that confirms.....NO GRENINJA! NO SERENA!
They should have better started with a new character. I hope we get to see the XY Ash again in gen 8.
Oh wait, UBs are present over here, alternate dimensions, this Ash may explore them and for saving the world he has to make a choice, he has to choose an Ash and he chooses XY Ash and he saves everyone with his GRENINJA!
But...not gonna happen. I think I'm done with this show. Might just see the first 2 eps on Sunday to see if it is actually good.

 

[Necrozma]

Wow! My theory is becoming a reality, this isn't the XY Ash. Since Taurus, was mentioned, the series is set in a timeline before XY series. We will have to wait for more references to the past so that we can get the exact timeline. Also, Ash giving oak those poke balls isn't a surprise. Ash always keep Pikachu so the other 5 pokemon on his party get oaked. This is probably set between BW and DP. DP's end wasn't connected with BW's start so it is a possibility. Btw, that confirms.....NO GRENINJA! NO SERENA!.

Sadly for you, BW is tightly connected with XY due to Alexa's presence.

 

[Keshav]

Sadly for you, BW is tightly connected with XY due to Alexa's presence.

I said between DP and BW. This Ash hasn't visited Unova yet.

 

[Jaye]

I'm with the others who say this is quite clearly a continuation.

The first episodes references a new adventure, implying the existence of older adventures.
Ash hands over five Pokeballs to Oak with no explanation attached, so we can only assume it's his Kalos team.
None of the older characters are formally reintroduced to us. The show assumes the audience already knows who Ash, Delia and Prof. Oak are.
Ash clearly identifies Pokemon he's seen before, including Sharpedo, Charizard and Tauros. He outright states he owns a Tauros.

If their intention was to make this an AU or spin-off or whatever than they're doing a very poor job of it.

 

[Iteru]

What happens in the show > Sound Director proven wrong in the first episode.

 

[Keshav]

The new anime director was also working for dragon ball GT, a spinoff series which had references to earlier series. So, she is trying the same with pokemon anime?

 

[Shadao]

Though many would note about the little continuity details here and there in Sun & Moon, there needs to be an overall continuity bridge in order for this Twitter statement from Mima Masafumi to be disproven. Best Wishes, for example, has a continuity bridge from the previous series to the XY&Z series, and that series ended on a sequel hook with Ash dressing up his new clothes at the last episode and departing with Alexa to a brand-new region that was heavily hyped prior to release. No one can say that XY&Z is not a continuation of Best Wishes because that series picked off where Best Wishes left off.

Same cannot be said about XY&Z and Sun & Moon. Unlike the other series (except Diamond and Pearl, which would have ended on a conclusive note if it weren't Team Rocket's sudden promotion), XY&Z pretty much wrapped up all the major plot points and character arcs with little to no hints of a sequel series save for Team Rocket's easter egg souvenirs. It didn't end with a "Next Time - A New Beginning!" but instead a stylistic "And to our own way." It sounds a lot more conclusive than usual. No mentioning of the Alola region and no mentioning of Giovanni's new mission. Nothing to actually hook audiences to Sun & Moon in the series itself. Combined with an art shift and new premise (Ash is no longer pursuing Leagues any time soon), it almost feel like XY&Z is the swan song of the old era while Sun & Moon is the beginning of the new era.

Now you can argue about Ash retaining his badass skills as well as Pikachu's OP status as a sign of continuity for Ash (at least better than Best Wishes), and I can agree on that point. But I feel that if Alola Ash wants to prove that he is indeed the very same Ash that left Pallet Town in the first episode, the very same Ash who faced 20 years worth of challenges and the very same Ash that inspired an entire region of Kalos, he's going to need direct continuity from the previous series. And not simply a Professor Oak cameo or an off-hand mention of his Pokémon. I mean actually talking about his old Pokémon and bringing them on-screen for veterans to enjoy.

The perfect test of continuity is to bring back Ash-Greninja. It's a popular Pokémon on par with Charizard and it's the most recent one yet, meaning that you don't have to go to an elaborate history that spans for 17 years to get new children up to speed about this fan-favorite. It's either Greninja or Charizard again.

 

[Jaye]

Though many would note about the little continuity details here and there in Sun & Moon, there needs to be an overall continuity bridge in order for this Twitter statement from Mima Masafumi to be disproven.

There was, though. Firstly, XY&Z ended with Ash returning home. SM001 showed us that at some point between his return home and his arrival in Alola, Mimey won them a family vacation and that Oak, once he found out they were going there, gave them an egg to deliver to his cousin.

The only difference between this one and previous transitions was that this was delivered in a flashback and not tagged on to the end of XY&Z. Nonetheless, it still exists. If they didn't want SM to be a continuation of anything then why bother showing this?

And not simply a Professor Oak cameo or an off-hand mention of his Pokémon. I mean actually talking about his old Pokémon and bringing them on-screen for veterans to enjoy.

I don't recall this ever happening in XY or XY&Z. Seems an unreasonable standard to hold the show to, given it just acknowledged its own history and already proven that SM doesn't exist in some sort of vacuum.


I mean, think about it like this. Sun and Moon already acknowledged things that had happened in the show in the past, so we know it takes place in the same universe. And as we know for a fact Ash adventure went Kanto > Orange Islands > Johto > Hoenn > Kanto > Sinnoh > Unova > Kalos, Sun and Moon can only take place after XY, otherwise it'd be a retcon.