What if all Pokemon in the anime could talk?

[Greninjaman]

We all know that very few Pokemon in the anime talk. One notable one is Team Rocket's Meowth. Would the show be affected in anyway if every Pokemon could talk? In my mind, it would help with understanding what they are saying. Especially when the Pokemon are not near any humans.

 

[BraixenFennekin]

Ash's Froakie (Frogadier), Serena's Delphox (Braixen), Clemont's Diggersby (Bunnelby), Serena's Pancham, and Clemont's Chespin also talked back on 5th episode of Pokemon the series XY&Z

 

[Almonds]

Aside from more personal expressions, I don't see much of a difference. Except for some episodes about interpreting pokemon speech being useless, but they were mostly filler anyways.

 

[0cerge]

There were talking Pokemon in Mystery Dungeon specials.

 

[Greninjaman]

There were talking Pokemon in Mystery Dungeon specials.

But that's only because there are no humans other than the protag. The Pokemon are not actually talking. The player can understand them being a Pokemon themselves. I'm talking about more Pokemon like Meowth talking.

 

[Nicolas721]

The series would feel closer to Digimon than anything. The Pokemon would have more chances to show their real personality, and would have more meaningful interactions with their trainers and other Pokemon. They would have the chance to voice their insecurities and could get more personal plots.

However, battles would have to be written differently, as hearing Pokemon say things like "Right" "Sure" "I'll do my best" every time they receive an order would get old quickly.

Also, all dubs would have to spend a lot of money on actresses with cute voices.

 

[Greninjaman]

The series would feel closer to Digimon than anything. The Pokemon would have more chances to show their real personality, and would have more meaningful interactions with their trainers and other Pokemon. They would have the chance to voice their insecurities and could get more personal plots.

However, battles would have to be written differently, as hearing Pokemon say things like "Right" "Sure" "I'll do my best" every time they receive an order would get old quickly.

Also, all dubs would have to spend a lot of money on actresses with cute voices.

That is true. For the battles, they don't have to say anything.

 

[Gligarman]

If Pikachu could talk then all I would hear is TonyTony Chopper from One Piece. Therefore Pikachu would by default be the greatest mascot of all time and the entire industry would shut down.

 

[Greninjaman]

If Pikachu could talk then all I would hear is TonyTony Chopper from One Piece. Therefore Pikachu would by default be the greatest mascot of all time and the entire industry would shut down.

Why would it shut down?

 

[Gligarman]

Why would it shut down?

Because TonyTony Chopper is already the most adorable mascot in the history of anime so if Pikachu talked on a regular basis the cute factor would create a singularity therefore causing the industry's inevitable downfall. So everything would have to shut down to prevent an apocalypse.

But worst of all, it would make Pikachu less charming.

 

[Greninjaman]

But worst of all, it would make Pikachu less charming.

How so?

 

[Gligarman]

How so?

One of the things that makes the Pokemon stand out is that they can't talk so they rely on gestures and facial expressions. But hey, he got to talk in the Pikachu movie episode in XY. In the Japanese version it was Ikue Otani doing the speaking while all of the other Pikachu were played by the rest of the cast.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

How so?

It would take away the animal-like appeal of Pokemon.

 

[JFrombaugh]

However, battles would have to be written differently, as hearing Pokemon say things like "Right" "Sure" "I'll do my best" every time they receive an order would get old quickly.

Going by Mystery Dungeon, I’ve always interpreted it more as the Pokémon call out their attacks or just scream a battle yell in their native Pokémon speech. So basically it’s more like this from the Pokémon’s perspective:

Ash: “Pikachu, Thunderbolt!”
Pikachu: “Thunder...BOLLLLLT!!!” (“Piikaaa....CHUUUUUUU!!!”)

Trainer: “Go Eevee! Use Quick Attack!”
Eevee: “Hiii-YAH!” (“Eeee-VEE!”)

I seem to remember Erica Schroeder or Haven Paschall saying in an interview I saw on YouTube awhile back that in the script the voice actors use for the anime, there are similar “translations” of the PokeSpeak so that they know how to read it with the proper emotions even though they’re only saying the Pokémon’s name.

 

[TheScorbunnyFan]

It would end up making it more filler than anything else.