So May is probably going to be the only female companion not to appear this series, and she hasn't appeared for 14 years since 2008

[jbmasta]

Gen 3 is going to be 20 years old in November... NOOOOO
Also I’m convinced the writers have completely forgotten about Brock’s Marshtomp which depresses me

It got forgotten during the period it was on Brock's team. He gets it in season six and it evolves to its middle stage in season nine, by which point Ash and May's Hoenn starters had spent over a season and a half in their middles stages (and would evolve to their final stage in the second half of season nine) as well as getting regular use in gym battles and contests.

 

[Vengeful Ghost]

Why do they often tend to either recast, retire, or even kill off characters in Western-produced movies or TV shows if the actor portraying them were to either leave the show or perhaps even die in real life?

It used to not be this way. Eva Garbor died and thus canceled any plans for a third Rescuers film. In addition, as recent as 2011 we had characters die with their actors like Doc Hudson in Cars 2.

It’s just a socio-cultural shift on how people see actors and actresses in the industry.

 

[Emmy]

No actor is bigger than their role, that is all I have to say on the subject.

 

[jjliang]

And of course, Mr. Hooper from Sesame Street. How often do they either retire or kill off anime characters if the actor portraying them died in real life in Japan, compared to how often it occurs in the West?

 

[PaperSplash]

And of course, Mr. Hooper from Sesame Street. How often do they either retire or kill off anime characters if the actor portraying them died in real life in Japan, compared to how often it occurs in the West?

There have been a handful of notable instances where characters have been "retired" due to their Japanese VA dying, but it seems to happen more often with video games rather than anime. It was officially announced that the Metal Gear character Colonel Roy Campbell would no longer be appearing in the series after his Japanese VA passed away, and this even affected Snake's codec easter egg in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate where no new conversations were recorded. Atlus refused to recast Igor in the Persona series for quite some time after his Japanese VA's passing, preferring to instead use archive recordings when they could and have other characters fill his role when they couldn't. And Philoctetes was reduced to silent cameos in Kingdom Hearts III due to the death of his Japanese VA (despite the fact that his original English VA from the Hercules movie was already recast for the series).

 

[FelipePR]

Badump........Badump, the drums of our hearts roar........................ May has reappeared. As expected, her cameo lacked any lines, but the producers were careful to still cast her in a good light. I wish they had taken the same care with Max, who was portrayed in body, but not in soul. But unfortunately, you can't have everything.

At long last, happy for the appearances and the episode itself, and that the anime can continue to provide us with such pleasures.