[SPOILERS] Silhouettes in JN065

[Hidden Mew]

Or it could be that the Ultra Class proves more troublesome and slow than the previous two classes.

It's possible, but I don't see it. Not only because of how fast Ash went through the first two classes, but he's already defeated a Champion in the Great Class. Admittedly, I'm not sure how much weight Iris' Champion status has in the PWC when everyone starts at the same level and I don't like Iris becoming a Champion in the anime to begin with, but Ash struggling against Gym Leaders after defeating a Champion does sound odd on paper at least. Plus, aside from Bea and maybe Sabrina, Ash has already defeated the trainers that are seen/speculated in this group shot. I'm just not sure how believable it would be to make the Ultra Class more difficult when Ash breezed through the first two ranks through mostly off-screen/brief one-on-one battles and his one losing streak was barely a bump on the road. The better choice would have been to make the PWC look difficult from the start, not wait until Ash gets through the first two classes with relative ease.

I have a feeling we'll be getting some of the former in the Ultra Class, and some Full Battles in the Master Class.

If we couldn't get a three-on-three battle for Ash vs. Iris, then I'm less sure about that for the Ultra Class against Gym Leaders. They could have been doing three-on-three battles more regularly, or at least for his battles against Gym Leaders, but those are still only two-on-two battles too. The only full battle that sounds possible to me would be Ash vs. Leon, but even then, having it just be Gigantamax Charizard vs. Gigatamax Pikachu does not sound that unlikely to me.

 

[Daren]

I wonder why the PWC has been paced this way. I confess it's sapped pretty much all my anticipation out when the tournament to determine the strongest trainer in the world feels easier than a generic badge quest.

 

[RileyXY1]

I wonder why the PWC has been paced this way. I confess it's sapped pretty much all my anticipation out when the tournament to determine the strongest trainer in the world feels easier than a generic badge quest.

It's because of their obession with Gou.

 

[Hidden Mew]

I wonder why the PWC has been paced this way. I confess it's sapped pretty much all my anticipation out when the tournament to determine the strongest trainer in the world feels easier than a generic badge quest.

My best guess is that they wanted to go through the battles as fast as possible. I think that's a big reason why the matches haven't been more than two-on-two at this point. It allows for the battles to be shorter so that they can possibly have more going on in an episode than just Ash's battles. Some of Ash's earlier matches were basically footnotes in an episode or allowed for them to lead into the episode's main plot. The Riolu capture episode is probably a good example of the later. This would also fit with how Journeys' pace is too fast for its own good.

It's because of their obession with Gou.

I strongly disagree. That just comes off as using Goh as a scapegoat more than anything else. Goh isn't the reason why they structured the PWC in this manner, why most of the battles are short or off-screen or why they had Ash breeze through the first two classes. It especially doesn't work when the fast pace of the series affects both of their goals and progress, not just Ash or the PWC. Blaming Goh, or the writers' "obsession" with Goh as you put it, for the PWC just seems both harsh on Goh and irrelevant to the PWC problems. I don't think that the PWC would be completely perfect if it wasn't for Goh or if he had less focused episodes.

 

[Sobblelelle]

I don't think the writers would have Ash battle someone and not have it be part of the PWC unless it is training like with Wikstrom.

Between the Galar gym leaders and trainers from other regions, I figure Ash at the very least has 10 opponents before the master class.

We currently get a PWC (related) match every 5-ish episodes.

At 10 opponents, the same pace, no loses needing rematches, or training episodes in the place of matches, that is already a full year of content.

Given we've seen hardly any gym leaders, I doubt Ash will only have 10 HC opponents. I also think it is still quite possible for him to lose if he comes across a champion/ a bad type matchup/ is blindsided.

Then you have other potential arcs involving project Mew and the coming Sinnoh games/ other legendaries/ Rose/ Lillie, on top of the regular filler, Koharu episodes, and Goh episodes (assuming they don't all become PM related). This all breaks the PWC up even further, even with the current pace. The writers will still be trying to show off every Pokémon. We don't know how much focus 'show' entails; Feebas, Tauro, Ho-oh, Entei from the OP?

They could speed the pace up or do things off screen, but between the above points and the masters class, I figure there is easily enough content for more than a year.

 

[nickdt]

More than a year places us exactly around August 2022 (Don't forget we would have been at the Project Mew arc around February/March if we didn't have the hiatus due to the pandemic last year).

 

[Hey You Pikachu!]

looks like...

-Bea
-Volkner
-Harrison
-Lucy(?)
-Bruno

 

[KrspaceT]

Stretching depends on if the generation is going to be made longer than the three year cycles as of late: 2019 2020 2021 and 2022....the question is Legends.

...I am unsure Game Freak even can release two games in a single year. Shining is not made by them for a reason after all. I'll admit if they do more battle episodes I could take an additional Journeys year. Gohified Filler episodes I cannot.

 

[Nicolas721]

I have to say I'd be pleasantly surprised if Sabrina had her Original Series design instead of FRLG/LGPE or HGSS one. The later ones aren't bad but...nostalgia! Also if she comes back they'd better acknowledge poor Haunter and have it react to Ash's Gengar.

Anyway, my predictions for Ash's roster would be the following:

Volkner: Lucario, Pikachu
Sabrina: Reserve (maybe a Kanto starter?),Lucario,Gengar
Nabu: Infernape, Sirfetch'd, Dracovish

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Nabu

*Kabu

 

[nickdt]

*Kabu

Nah, haven't you heard: Nabu is Kabu's brother and specializes in Ground types.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Found this on twitter

Spoiler

View attachment 148233

Seems like the silhouette next to Volkner is Raihan.

 

[nickdt]

Seems like the silhouette next to Volkner is Raihan.

I doubt it, since that means either Raihan fell back into Hyper Class or those 5 battles are the only ones we get before Ash enters Master Class.

 

[PokeFan2005]

Raihan may have lost to someone else and was relegated to Hyper Class. We will have 5 battles which means after each win Ash's position will increase by 18 places in the ranking.

 

[nickdt]

Raihan may have lost to someone else and was relegated to Hyper Class. We will have 5 battles which means after each win Ash's position will increase by 18 places in the ranking.

Which is kinda a problem with the way they set up Raihan as the next hotshot next to Leon.

 

[KrspaceT]

Which is kinda a problem with the way they set up Raihan as the next hotshot next to Leon.

Hey if they reveal that he was bumped out by Cynthia joining the WCS I don't think anyone complains.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Hey if they reveal that he was bumped out by Cynthia joinr the WCS I don't think anyone complains.

Or maybe Raihan is the first Master Class opponent Ash will face? Cynthia can be in the top class without her having to "bump out" Raihan.

 

[nickdt]

Or maybe Raihan is the first Master Class opponent Ash will face? Cynthia can be in the top class without her having to "bump out" Raihan.

Master Class already. Unlikely.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Master Class already. Unlikely.

Not already. It could be foreshadowing way ahead. And maybe Ash will just meet Raihan and not battle him yet.

 

[nickdt]

Not already. It could be foreshadowing way ahead. And maybe Ash will just meet Raihan and not battle him yet.

I mean. Yes technically. But why would they hide Raihan if its just a meet and greet, especially considering we already met him. If i also don't think they would foreshadow something so early in advance for something that most likely won't happen until June 2021 or June 2022 if its a Master Class battle(Depending on when gen 9 is announced).