Proof Journeys Isn't Canon

[Rainbow-Rain]

It would be pretty hard to make that argument given the number of times Korrina has shown up in Journeys. She wasn't a main character, but she did travel with Ash for a few episodes, had the most attention out of any of the Kalos Gym Leaders and was clearly already familiar with Ash when she first appeared in Journeys.

True.

I wasn't saying that XY wasnt canon tho.

Just that there's more of an argument to be made there than with Journeys lol

 

[Sai]

Troll threads are allowed now? I'm surprised this thread wasn't closed from the first post

 

[HiroHunter]

True.

I wasn't saying that XY wasnt canon tho.

Just that there's more of an argument to be made there than with Journeys lol

And even so I still had more fun with XY then with JN

 

[Islander Princess]

This is such a pet peeve of mine. It's fine to criticize a series or even flat out dislike it, but that doesn't make it non-canon. People loved trying to force that in SM just because they didn't personally like it, and it was so tiring. And honestly, just like others before me have pointed out, Journeys actually has more proof of continuity than a lot of the series that came before it (Ash's old Pokémon, former companions, gym leaders he's already met, mention of him being the Alolan champion, etc.) Just because it isn't always well written or constructed doesn't mean it's not canon.

 

[Audino1008]

had the most attention out of any of the Kalos Gym Leaders

Damn.
Was Clemont really that forgettable? I really liked him.

 

[Hidden Mew]

Damn.
Was Clemont really that forgettable? I really liked him.

Honestly, I was just thinking of the amount of attention Korrina got compared to typical Gym Leaders, who usually show up for just an episode or two, so I wasn't factoring in Clemont being a Gym Leader when I made that statement. I really like Clemont too. He's still my favorite male companion, so he definitely isn't forgettable. I just didn't factor him as a Gym Leader when he's more well known as part of the XY cast.

 

[Lightning Flame Blast]

If lack of inner consistence were proof against canonicity, OS itself wouldn’t be canon. That’s the side effect of constant shifts in staff, tone and advertisement methods and very much expected with a show that’s been around for as long as it has.

 

[Lucifer Morningstar]

I echo the collective that although I concur with some of these points being unfavorable such as Goh catching legendaries even if he releases them right after getting the Pokedex entry, none are evidence of the series existing outside of the canon.
There might be inconsistencies but one has to factor in different teams of writers and the different premise of this series and there is an abundance of continuity with all of the prior series such as reunions with past characters and Ash's old Pokemon.

1. Pikachu would never try to run away because another Pokémon is getting more attention than him.

Pikachu wasn't running away per se, he was running after Ash's mom and got lost though I did feel it a regression of Ash's character to ignore him and accuse him of being lazy just because Riolu wouldn't take a break. I was honestly disappointed that we don't actually see Chloe rip him a new one.

3. Dawn not only didn't get a single new Pokémon, she also hasn't had a single evolution since Quilava. This is pretty unrealistic for a person who's travelled 3 regions on her own. Keep in mind she's been travelling on her own longer than Iris too (at least since Ash left), who is now a champion and fully evolved Axew.

Granted I have not watched DPPt, in her appearance on Journeys Dawn established herself as a contest coordinator wanting to continue her mother's legacy, not a trainer and her Bulbapedia entry confirms this. Right in the first paragraph.

Dawn (anime) - Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokémon encyclopedia

bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net

Coordinating Pokemon for contests is vastly different from training them for battle. Contest battles are about the presentation of moves, not power. A KO isn't even required to win.

UPDATE: I'm almost caught up with the entire anime and Piplup pulled a Pikachu and chose not to evolve.

Even so, it has been established several times including through the main protagonist that in the anime vs. the games Pokemon don't need to be evolved to reach their full battle potential.

5. Team Rocket barely even appear and when they do, they don't even use their own Pokémon anymore. Pretty unrealistic for people so caring about Mimikyu and Mareanie that they refused to let them go to Team Rocket HQ.

Team Rocket's involvement in this series is definitely one of the bigger flaws.
Their actual attempts to steal Pokemon are fewer and farther between while the rest of their time is spent attempting to secure a meal from this Morpeko.

I concur that the Pokemon ball machine is rather thoughtless, an afterthought and while I am unfamiliar with Team Rocket sending their own Pokemon to HQ (as I've established earlier, I haven't seen every series from start to finish) they've definitely released their Pokemon before. Including their very first Pokemon Arbok and Weezing and despite being starved by the Morpeko James was emotional about even attempting to let it go to the point that he ended up officially catching it.

Side note: This series has somewhat ruined Morpeko for me by making it so obnoxious.

8. Ash used Mega Evolution even though at one point they said Ash would never get a Pokémon that would Mega Evolve.

In Journeys? When? I do not remember this.
I don't know who said Ash would never get a Pokemon capable of Mega Evolution but if we're talking about the writers or showrunners that would have been an inconsistent claim from the moment it was made as Ash has had Charizard for some time even if hasn't traveled with him for ages and he now has Lucario.
Writers/Showrunners can change their minds too or as suggested before it could be a different team.

That Leon was surprised to see Ash's Pikachu Gigantamax without a Dynamax band would be a more valid complaint since that is justified as having been a region-wide crisis caused by Eternatus and there was a wild G-max Dradnaw right freaking there.
Even better, Ash was able to G-max with a band but without using a Pokeball.

9. Barely any advertisement towards the new region, we haven't even seen most Gym Leaders...

See #10 below.

10. Ash suddenly sucks at training more than he did in BW. He doesn't even bring a full team with him anymore and instead leaves all of his team minus Pikachu in offscreen land.

You have to remember, this is not a gym challenge series. Ash spends half the time in this series on research missions for professor Cerise during which Goh or on occasion Chloe are more at the forefront than he is and all-tournament battles are 3-on-3.

If I were to call any part of the franchise non-canon it would be the Genosect movie for how it entirely erases Ash's encounters with the original Mewtwo.

 

[nickdt]

Like other people already have said, this is just nitpicking because you don't like a series. Heck, its already proven Journeys is canon.

Mimey is a thing. Stuff in Ash's room: Pokemon Indigo League Participation badge, Orange Islands Winners Trophy, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova and Kalos badges, Frontier Brain Symbols, Z-Power Ring, Alola Champion Trophy, Exhibition match vs Kukui Trophy. The only saga not represented is Johto.
Returning characters. Returning Pokemon.

 

[DarkEslariate]

"It's not canon because I don't like it" is not a valid argument besides it has many MANY callbacks to previous series


Pretty much this


If anything I could make more of an argument for XY/XYZ not being canon because of how self-contained it was with little to no continuity to the past series (other than one off-hand comment about remembering a certain Piplup)

Not helped by the fact that Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie are some of the few Ash companions that haven't shown up in Journeys yet

Another thing to add about the XY/XYZ not being canon (although it is)
Greninja was never shown in JN in the episode where ash meets his old pokemon, however it isnt much of a statement cause really the only pokemon from past series that have been shown are Pikachu (duh) and Infernape.
Ash never acknowledged anything about greninja when that blue pokemon fanatic tells him about that ad of Frogadier and Alcremie, which really surprised me, or rather disappointed me, considering the deep bond that Ash had with his Greninja back in XYZ.

 

[Rainbow-Rain]

Another thing to add about the XY/XYZ not being canon (although it is)
Greninja was never shown in JN in the episode where ash meets his old pokemon, however it isnt much of a statement cause really the only pokemon from past series that have been shown are Pikachu (duh) and Infernape.
Ash never acknowledged anything about greninja when that blue pokemon fanatic tells him about that ad of Frogadier and Alcremie, which really surprised me, or rather disappointed me, considering the deep bond that Ash had with his Greninja back in XYZ.

Well Bonnie, Clemont, Serena and Greninja have all shown up in Journeys now so my post has aged horribly now lol

Tho it does seemingly appear that they've retconned Ash-Greninja out of existence

 

[Nichole the Otter]

Wasn’t all of Ash’s trophies from previous achievements acknowledged in the first episode? Journeys is canon, just littered with poor writing decisions.

 

[Max1996]

Wasn’t all of Ash’s trophies from previous achievements acknowledged in the first episode? Journeys is canon, just littered with poor writing decisions.

I don't know if Blob didn't see that, or just doesn't acknowledge that.

 

[Blob]

I don't know if Blob didn't see that, or just doesn't acknowledge that.

I didn't see it.

 

[Vengeful Ghost]

“I don’t like the writing decisions and through no authority of my own I will declare things not canon because I have a sense of self-importance.”

You can dislike any series you want, but acting like contradictions in writing and art direction renders things non-canon is a shameless display of self-importance. It’s a cheap copout of any serious discussion on anything within a series.

 

[Gengarzilla]

Although I've long since reached the point where I actively wish this atrocious series wasn't canon, that doesn't mean I'd smoke enough copium to convince myself it isn't canon. Bitter acceptance is preferable to joyous delusion if you ask me.