Pokémon Sword and Shield anime speculation thread

[marshiyanmisuta]

Winner will be the champion of the league, not the region. Literally no one said anything about establishing a permanent champion and Elite Four for Alola region.

 

[RileyXY1]

I think that the current Champion (the league winner) will be the opponent in the exhibition match of the next Alola League Conference.

 

[ii kanji]

I think that the current Champion (the league winner) will be the opponent in the exhibition match of the next Alola League Conference.

Think what you want, but if Satoshi wins the Alola League (which he may very well do), he is going to Galar regardless of previously established 'rules'.

 

[Hidden Mew]

Well, while you aren't wrong about the past instances, what makes this case different is the fact that Kukui straight up said that the winner of the Alola League will automatically become the Champion of Alola when he announced the league (and I'm pretty sure that either him or the narator (or both) reiterated this multiple times after that). Meaning that, if Ash were to win this "league", he would become the Pokémon Champion of the Alola Region, meaning that he won't be able to participate in the Galar League. And even if he lost his battle against the Masked Royal (if he wins the league, that is), that won't change anything, since that's an exhibition match, meaning that the outcome of that match won't change the outcome of the league.

I still don't see how becoming the Alola League Champion would really be an issue. This isn't even a League full of powerful trainers. Any random person in Alola could take part in it, which I think would make Ash's victory much less impressive if it does come down to that. They haven't even mentioned anything about establishing an Elite 4 group, so I don't see how the Alola League winner would be considered the Champion of the Alola region itself.

It still might be a moot point considering Ash's chances of winning the Alola League, but I don't think winning this League would make it impossible for Ash to go to Galar.

 

[NinjutsuSen]

I can see Rose having sponsored the Alola league and together with Kukui planned the tournament. Then before the final match start, Rose advertises the Galar league, Ash gets excited after the league is done and travels to Galar.

 

[Grass Type Gardenia]

I can see Rose having sponsored the Alola league and together with Kukui planned the tournament. Then before the final match start, Rose advertises the Galar league, Ash gets excited after the league is done and travels to Galar.

I can see Chairman Rose being one of the runners of many of the world Pokemon Leagues.

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

Didn't Lusamine sponsored the whole event?

 

[Grass Type Gardenia]

Didn't Lusamine sponsored the whole event?

Rose is a Chairman who could represent as a Pokemon League inspector or someone in that field, observing first hand the first Alola League.

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

Rose is a Chairman who could represent as a Pokemon League inspector or someone in that field, observing first hand the first Alola League.

Wouldn't we already seen him in the league, if that's the case?

 

[Grass Type Gardenia]

Wouldn't we already seen him in the league, if that's the case?

Not until near the end I should think. For now, he is kept in the background observing the whole scene.

 

[Daenerys]

Not until near the end I should think. For now, he is kept in the background observing the whole scene.

I don't see it. Even Tobias had foreshadowing before he showed up at the Sinnoh league, so I would think that a character (Rose) who would have more impact on the plot than him would've been foreshadowed by now too.

 

[Grass Type Gardenia]

I don't see it. Even Tobias had foreshadowing before he showed up at the Sinnoh league, so I would think that a character (Rose) who would have more impact on the plot than him would've been foreshadowed by now too.

Perhaps it'll be a surprise.

But then, when you think of the Pokemon anime now, it has started to run their course as it is starting to run out of ideas and steam. If the series ends with Ash returns to Pallet Town, I suppose they are trying to make the series self containing rather than a continuing cliffhanger that has since become tiresome and outdated. No wonder XY didn't do well in Japan, despite it being a great series as I've heard some say.

 

[nickdt]

I don't see it. Even Tobias had foreshadowing before he showed up at the Sinnoh league, so I would think that a character (Rose) who would have more impact on the plot than him would've been foreshadowed by now too.

Tobias was a participant, Rose is not. Big difference.

 

[Diamond & Pearl]

Rose could scout for talents like Scott, although I don't think he'll appear in SM. He could briefly reference Satoshi's past achievements in SwSh which is why he'll keep an eye on our hero.

 

[ii kanji]

He could briefly reference Satoshi's past achievements in SwSh which is why he'll keep an eye on our hero.

Ooooh yes please! An open acknowledgement of his past successes would be a wonderful bone to throw us elderly fans and also immediately staunch the inevitable ‘new canon’ arguments!

 

[agent3xq]

UNPOPULAR OPINION WARNING!
Honestly, I want a new protagonist for Sword and Shield. I feel like Ash has run his course and that it's time for some fresh blood. He hasn't had real character development since XYZ, and that was centered around figuring out Ash-Greninja. A new protagonist would breath new life into the series, I think. Perhaps a studious girl who relies too much on what she's read and her plans, and who collapses under the pressure of an unplanned situation.

Unfortunately, such an idea will realistically never happen, as Ash and his Pikachu are too much of an icon, but mostly Pikachu. Giving a new protagonist a Pikachu would be boring and repetitive, and there's no way they'd lose the face of the franchise. So, sadly, my hope is reduced to a pipe dream.

 

[RileyXY1]

I think that they will still have Pikachu on the show in some form if Ash is replaced.

 

[agent3xq]

I think that they will still have Pikachu on the show in some form if Ash is replaced.

But, sadly, I doubt that he ever will be.

 

[KyseL]

UNPOPULAR OPINION WARNING!
Honestly, I want a new protagonist for Sword and Shield. I feel like Ash has run his course and that it's time for some fresh blood. He hasn't had real character development since XYZ, and that was centered around figuring out Ash-Greninja. A new protagonist would breath new life into the series, I think. Perhaps a studious girl who relies too much on what she's read and her plans, and who collapses under the pressure of an unplanned situation.

Unfortunately, such an idea will realistically never happen, as Ash and his Pikachu are too much of an icon, but mostly Pikachu. Giving a new protagonist a Pikachu would be boring and repetitive, and there's no way they'd lose the face of the franchise. So, sadly, my hope is reduced to a pipe dream.

I wouldn't call mastering a gimmicky power-up "character development".

 

[Hidden Mew]

UNPOPULAR OPINION WARNING!
Honestly, I want a new protagonist for Sword and Shield. I feel like Ash has run his course and that it's time for some fresh blood. He hasn't had real character development since XYZ, and that was centered around figuring out Ash-Greninja. A new protagonist would breath new life into the series, I think. Perhaps a studious girl who relies too much on what she's read and her plans, and who collapses under the pressure of an unplanned situation.

Unfortunately, such an idea will realistically never happen, as Ash and his Pikachu are too much of an icon, but mostly Pikachu. Giving a new protagonist a Pikachu would be boring and repetitive, and there's no way they'd lose the face of the franchise. So, sadly, my hope is reduced to a pipe dream.

I'm pretty sure that isn't an unpopular opinion. A lot of people want Ash to be replaced and I see the same arguments over and over again every time a new generation is about to come out. There's just no way Ash can be replaced. He's been the lead for over twenty years. Ash and Pikachu are too well established and iconic for the anime to get rid of them. We're long past the point where replacing Ash would even be remotely possible.

Besides all that, I really think people put too much faith in a brand new lead would automatically be better. It would give the writers a clean slate, but that doesn't necessarily mean that a new lead would be handled well or significantly different from Ash. They can basically do a relatively clean slate with Ash, but also have access to other characters/Pokemon if they ever want or need to showcase them for a future game.