What did you think of Bianca and Cheren?

[33Whimsicott33]

I liked how often you got to see them throughout your journey. You really get to see them and their team grow along with you in that regard.

I also noticed that Cheren and Bianca seem to take up two main goals of pokemon games in general. Becoming the best and filling out the dex, respectively.

 

[Charbok]

I think they're the most interesting game rivals so far. I just hated how Cheren popped out of nowhere sometimes to battle me and I wasn't prepared yet xP I really like that you get 2 rivals for this game (Even though it seems like Cheren is your main rival)

 

[Gym Leader Noob]

Cheren turned into a real douche at the end of the story. Bianca, I hated her. "UM like, ummm......" thats all she said.

 

[Zeta]

Isn't it sad that Bianca has all eight badges and she still thinks that she's weak? What does that say about the Gym Leaders?

No, I think it's a good thing. Bianca is strong but she's not cocky. She knows there's still more to learn. Many of the NPCs in Isshu say things like "Never get too cocky", "If you win, it's thanks to your Pokemon. If you lose, it's your fault". Etc. etc. etc.

That's why I liked Bianca. And that's why I hated Cheren. Bianca is open minded. Cheren is extremely close minded and blind to anyone who thinks differently. He doesn't want to learn any thing, he just wants to win. Bianca actually went on her journey to learn things and grow as a person while Cheren stagnated.

 

[Orion-Sama]

Two of the best characters and two of the best Rivals in the whole series. End of discussion.

I'm glad they finally went to lengths to give the Rivals, and not just one, but two of them, excellent showcasing and development. I especially love Bianca in every sense of the word. So far, her story and development has been one of the most touching and sweetest parts of the game, and she's become my second favorite Pokémon character of all times just like that.

I agree that Cheren is a bit too stubborn and impatient, but I'm still glad he appears a lot. He brings an interesting spin in the antagonistic Rival trend. He's not so much an antagonist to your persona, but to your ideology, and has a lot to learn.

All in all, they're one of many things that make Black and White excellent games, and one of the biggest parts, definitely.

 

[travod]

What bugged me about Bianca is that every time I beat her, I saw her turn away and like put her head down and cry for a second and then shrug it off. Blah, you suck at battling, deal with it.

 

[Chosen of Mana]

Yeah, Cheren's tendency being a whiny little kid aside ("Is winning not really everything?" CHEREN I KNOW WE'VE BEEN FRIENDS FOR 10-TO-12 YEARS BUT WHAT HAVE YOUR PARENTS BEEN TEACHING YOU?), I really liked the rivals this gen. You could actually tell they've been friends with "you" since childhood, and that even though you were apart most of the time, it felt you were traveling as a group. (If that makes sense)

However, I wish Bianca had more opportunities to be involved in the main plot. It doesn't have to be that big, maybe just going through Chargestone Cave together to help Professor Juniper, a la Cheryl in Eterna Forest. Hell, just one tag battle like what we got twice with Cheren would be nice.

 

[Charbok]

I would have really loved it if there was a part in the game where you, Cheren, and Bianca had a triple battle together. That would have been awesome =)

 

[The Outrage]

There were a lot of opportunities where you could have double battled with Cheren against TP, and in only one of them did they do it (like literally had two grunts in front of you at Dream Yard, and it was a single battle)

You mean the fact that Bianca has collected all badges? Her name appears on the sign of every Gym.


Did you mean to say that Cheren thought Bianca was strong (I don't see how his own self-esteem is relevant)? When did he ever imply that?

No, Bianca has low self-esteem, doesn't really mean the gym leaders were weak. Cheren on the other hand beat all the gym leaders, like Bianca, yet came to the conclusion he was a powerful trainer. Clearly its their subjective views at work and not the Leader's power. And even if it was because they were weak, its not in Bianca's personality to go around claiming "she's not strong enough" for beating a bunch of weaklings, that's actually more along the lines of what Cheren would say. She's viewing herself as weak in comparison to her other two friends.

As opposed to their challengers who had four battles without healing their Pokémon? The point is that everyone knew from the get-go that N and the player would have no problem facing the Elite Four (or Alder in N's case), and Cheren didn't even need to help the player, so his presence in N's castle only added insult to the Elite Four's injury.

The difference is that they had to battle a legendary. Considering that you were forced to catch Reshiram/Zekrom (aside from the off chance you went to the trouble of filling up all the boxes), it was made a plot point that you needed to catch it to win.

 

[Thalath]

I loved both of them, but Bianca moreso. Cheren was too much of a jerk, and not a cool jerk either. Still, I liked him anyway.

I felt really bad for beating Bianca at one point in the game, because of what she says ("... Every time I watch my Pokemon fight, it ends like this..." or something like that).

 

[Zeta]

I felt really bad for beating Bianca at one point in the game, because of what she says ("... Every time I watch my Pokemon fight, it ends like this..." or something like that).

Which was obvious exaggeration if she beat all the Gym Leaders.

 

[offkilter06]

I enjoyed how their story progressed as well.

I didn't realize Cheren was a dude until I picked up on someone else (N maybe?) using a masculine noun. Could have spit out my cereal!

 

[The Outrage]

I just found Cheren post-game west of Nimbassa City.

Seems like the song Bianca played when she talked to her dad (and essentially the moment she became an awesome character) plays here as well. Looking at Youtube, it seems to be called Emotion.

The theme seems to play whenever a character comes to a conclusion. Basically Cheren mentions how he no longer views winning as the only thing important in life.

Respect +10

He also thanks Bianca for this realization, when throughout the whole game he's been looking down at her, and wishes that N could understand this as well.

While Cheren was such an ass throughout the adventure, he actually goes through more character development that Blue did. All we got was Oak talking about his faults at the end, and in FrLg, we just get to see a scene with him contemplating. This one is much more satisfying and makes me hate him less.

 

[Saloma]

He also thanks Bianca for this realization, when throughout the whole game he's been looking down at her, and wishes that N could understand this as well.

While Cheren was such an ass throughout the adventure, he actually goes through more character development that Blue did. All we got was Oak talking about his faults at the end, and in FrLg, we just get to see a scene with him contemplating. This one is much more satisfying and makes me hate him less.

He was never an ass to you or Bianca, the three of you were pals.

 

[Lazyboy0337]

They're both ok. Cheren is the first powercrazed one, which wins respect from me. Bianca has a cool team (Musharna <3) so she's ok too. The one flaw (or gain) in the player/rival relationship is that you essetionally send them into midlife crisis' by beating them.

 

[El_]

I never ever got the impression that most people are coming to about Cheren. He is definitely not a jerk A.K.A Gary you know what Oak. He is actually a very good person, but he believes that power is key. Its not like hes Silver either lol

When you really think about it, Cheren represents the old pokemon trainer. The kind that is success driven.

Bianca on the other hand takes a completely different approach. I've liked her development through the story, as she tries to find her own path.

Its not surprising as Cheren = Black and Bianca = White

Overall, two very nice rivals that are neither jerks and show very good development in themselves over time.

 

[Pcnerdjack]

What I like about them is that there is a sense of comradery and friendship you get from them that you didn't get from your rival in the other games.

I agree with El that Cheren represents the old Pokemon trainer, in that strength and power is the key to success for them. Bianca always struck me as the trainer who doesn't really care for being the best, she just enjoys being with her pokemon and seeing the world. But that's my two cents.

 

[P N N K]

Cheren is more or less not 'evil' like the rivals in other games.

All i can say about Bianca is that she fails at life, but has that sort of happy-go-lucky careless attitude that May\Brendan had in RSE.

 

[Red G]

I liked the fact that they had pesonality. Finally, its a rival who just doesn't challenge you. They had emotion and were actually helpful. They made the game for me, along with the addition of gym leader personalities.

 

[CrackFox]

I really like them. Especially Cheren, he's like a hot version of Conway. I'm glad to see Bel in the anime, I wish Cheren would be incorporated in somewhere too.