Things you wish that did NOT happen in the anime

[ShonenPlus]

Ash losing leagues and the series not having an ongoing story after DP
The first three series had a nice flow into each other but DP to BW and XY to SM felt so out of place. Luckily BW to XY did well with Alexa and showing of some Kalos Pokemon. I'm curious how SM to SwSh will go.

 

[KrspaceT]

Ash losing leagues and the series not having an ongoing story after DP
The first three series had a nice flow into each other but DP to BW and XY to SM felt so out of place. Luckily BW to XY did well with Alexa and showing of some Kalos Pokemon. I'm curious how SM to SwSh will go.

There's an old rumor that Ash was going to be retired after DP, the idea being that Tobias was a last minute addition and what not. Theoretically Paul was probably going to be the final match in the league, at least if I theorize on the idea.

Also I recall that there was a noticeable gap in revealing Ash during the Gen 5 anime build up I didn't feel with Kalos and Alola.

 

[sunsstone]

I going to be salty about this but I want to forget that Misty lost to an IRRELEVANT Trinity in the Quarter Finals of the Whirlpool Cup during the Johto Saga.

 

[SerenaToAlola]

I wish Litten didn't evolve. Seeing Ash with that bara is just... Wrong.. I thought Decidueye was more his type...

 

[KrspaceT]

I wish Litten didn't evolve. Seeing Ash with that bara is just... Wrong.. I thought Decidueye was more his type...

My understanding is that Incineroar is much more popular in Japan than out here, and similarly Decidueye is more popular in the west than in Japan. That is probably playing into things.

 

[SerenaToAlola]

My understanding is that Incineroar is much more popular in Japan than out here, and similarly Decidueye is more popular in the west than in Japan. That is probably playing into things.

Indeed but Litten's story totally fits that whole I-don't-need-to-evolve-to-prove-i'm-strong thing that's quite a thing in the anime.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

Indeed but Litten's story totally fits that whole I-don't-need-to-evolve-to-prove-i'm-strong thing that's quite a thing in the anime.

That happened to Rowlet though...

Litten’s was just “I want to get stronger” and was ready to do whatever made Stoutland proud, and I don’t think Litten’s personality would hesitate to evolve to become stronger. It didn’t really have any incentive to remain in the same evolution stage- it didn’t have issues with becoming mature (Bulbasaur) or any experience with Pokemon becoming disobedient upon evolution (Piplup).

It also makes sense from marketing standpoint since Rowlet in base stage seems to be popular everywhere.

 

[DarkraiKnight]

That happened to Rowlet though...

Litten’s was just “I want to get stronger” and was ready to do whatever made Stoutland proud, and I don’t think Litten’s personality would hesitate to evolve to become stronger. It didn’t really have any incentive to remain in the same evolution stage- it didn’t have issues with becoming mature (Bulbasaur) or any experience with Pokemon becoming disobedient upon evolution (Piplup).

It also makes sense from marketing standpoint since Rowlet in base stage seems to be popular everywhere.

Except the West, probably. Remember when Incineroar was revealed to be in Smash over Decidueye?

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

Except the West, probably. Remember when Incineroar was revealed to be in Smash over Decidueye?

Incineroar has very, very mixed reactions from what I saw. I saw salty people, people loving Incineroar, heartfelt Incineroar comics and others.

Rowlet’s the most popular base stage though, and since Incineroar is popular in Japan (and the anime cares about Japan first and foremost) this is how things are.

I’m beginning to have my doubts on Torracat fully evolving these days though. The writers have forgotten that it even exists.

 

[SerenaToAlola]

Litten’s was just “I want to get stronger” and was ready to do whatever made Stoutland proud, and I don’t think Litten’s personality would hesitate to evolve to become stronger. It didn’t really have any incentive to remain in the same evolution stage- it didn’t have issues with becoming mature (Bulbasaur) or any experience with Pokemon becoming disobedient upon evolution (Piplup).

True but they could easily have Litten lose to a Torracat and subsequently decide that it doesn't want to evolve ever again. It seems like that kind of stubborn pokemon.

Rowlet's definitely more popular but Decidueye is still more in brand imo.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

True but they could easily have Litten lose to a Torracat and subsequently decide that it doesn't want to evolve ever again. It seems like that kind of stubborn pokemon.

Rowlet's definitely more popular but Decidueye is still more in brand imo.

Rowlet has ranked higher (Top 10) in an as-official-as-you-can-get Japanese popularity poll though.

 

[Hidden Mew]

I wish Litten didn't evolve. Seeing Ash with that bara is just... Wrong.. I thought Decidueye was more his type...

Torracat fits with Ash pretty nicely. Its desire to keep fighting and getting stronger works with Ash. As cool as it would have been to have Ash get a Decidueye, I don't think it was too likely to happen even before Rowlet ate that Everstone. Rowlet spent most of its screentime sleeping and couldn't do some of the simplest tasks without falling asleep. It would have been a miracle if it became a Dartrix. So now they're just trying to make up for Rowlet's lack of screentime by making it learn new moves. I didn't mind Seed Bomb, but I don't know how well learning Brave Bird will work for me. I've only heard of that development, so I can't judge it too much until the dub gets to that episode, but it did remind me of how Iris' Axew learned overpowered moves to give the illusion that it was stronger than it actually was. It probably won't be that bad, but I don't know if Rowlet learning such a powerful move will feel that natural or believable to me when I get to that episode.

 

[Macsen]

I myself wish we didn't have Ash as the eternal protagonist. Or at bare minimum, that he wasn't always 10 years old.

(And regardless of speculation that he's "finally" 11 in Alola, you know if enough people make that assumption, they'll announce he's 10 again at the beginning of the Galar anime.)

But the one thing I dislike most is the lack of greater companion continuity after Sinnoh. We got the one-off series with Dawn in Unova, then no continuity going into Kalos, and no direct continuity going into Alola. If Ash is still going to be the protagonist going forward, I would love to see one of the other Pokemon School students go to Galar with him.

Lillie makes the most sense, since her family has the resources. Personally I'd prefer Mallow, as that's my preferred ship, and she does have a personality that really pines for independence beyond her current situation. But really any of them.

I agree with some here that mons refusing to evolve besides Pikachu is kinda dumb.

 

[SerenaToAlola]

Its desire to keep fighting and getting stronger works with Ash.

That was Litten as well though.

 

[Hidden Mew]

That was Litten as well though.

That's true, but there's no reason why Litten wouldn't want to evolve in order to get stronger. It didn't have any signs of not wanting to evolve, even with its rivalry against Incineroar. I don't know if it's too likely for Ash to get his own Incineroar, but that's mainly because they have Professor Kukui to feature that Pokemon instead.

 

[SerenaToAlola]

That's true, but there's no reason why Litten wouldn't want to evolve in order to get stronger.

Which is why I had suggested they give Litten a reason.

 

[Hidden Mew]

Which is why I had suggested they give Litten a reason.

I'm not sure how that would have been a better option. Most fans tend to hate it when Pokemon refuse to evolve regardless of whether or not it has a reason. Litten is cute, but Torracat kind of works. It's still has a bit of marketable cuteness going for it, while also looking a bit more powerful/intimidating. Ash only having one evolved Pokemon up to this point probably would have also been pretty bad. Granted, his SM team isn't that great, but I think Lycanroc and Torracat have more consistent power compared to Rowlet.

 

[sunsstone]

I wish Litten didn't evolve. Seeing Ash with that bara is just... Wrong.. I thought Decidueye was more his type...

Remember that Chinese leak of the Final Evolution of the Alola Starter where there's Ash and Mallow with a sleeping Incineroar? I think it's a foreshadowing in the anime that Ash's Litten will evolve into Incineroar.

 

[SerenaToAlola]

Remember that Chinese leak of the Final Evolution of the Alola Starter where there's Ash and Mallow with a sleeping Incineroar? I think it's a foreshadowing in the anime that Ash's Litten will evolve into Incineroar.
View attachment 118070

You are right, and it's the only one of the three that featured any of the human characters. Yikes.

 

[Lightning Flame Blast]

Remember that Chinese leak of the Final Evolution of the Alola Starter where there's Ash and Mallow with a sleeping Incineroar? I think it's a foreshadowing in the anime that Ash's Litten will evolve into Incineroar.
View attachment 118070

There is also a Popplio in that image, and the only Popplio in the main cast is now a Brionne. Their plans might have changed.