What requirements need to be met in order for Chloe to be considered a main character?

[Macromind101]

It seems pretty clear at this point that Chloe was intended to be the third main character for JN, just not from the very beginning as she needed some development. But Bulbapedia is still labeling her as a supportive character. What guidelines does Bulbapedia follow that decides whether to grant Chloe the status of main character? Is it something that the directors of the anime explicitly state/publish, or is it simply up to the staff of Bulbapedia to decide? If it's the latter, then would it even be possible to sway the staff's mind at this point? Chloe appears alongside Ash and Goh on promotional images (which wasn't the case at first but that changed with the start of season 24), which, at least to me, strongly implies that the producers of the anime see her as a main character and the third member of the protagonist trio.

 

[Eitarou]

She's labled supporting because no official source has said otherwise. And even with her increased screentime since she got Eevee, her overall relevancy still pales in comparison to the boys. For example, notice how Ash and Goh are alllowed to participate in Chloe-focused eps, but when it's a PWC or PM ep? Chloe's either barely there or gone entirely. She's important, but not Ash-Goh important, sadly. Major supporting at best.

 

[Kurolegacy]

I still say it’s sad that when it comes to the only female representative in this series that she gets breadcrumbs as far as billing and overall activity goes. While it somewhat makes sense that she can’t be in the Project Mew episodes given the dangers they face, you’d think that, given that her story is finding a path, they’d let her see some PWC matches, especially with the different trainers presented. Just seems so odd that they’ve now promoted her to the point that she’s in most of the current opening with the boys yet the series doesn’t reflect it with her official status.

 

[PikachuSmasher]

She needs a lot more development. It was because Journeys in its early days neglected Chloe, didn’t give her development until JN049 when she got Eevee. They’ve turned the series around from there. I think Chloe Needs more focused episodes, more interactions and more travelling with Ash and Goh for fillers, PWC and Project Mew. They still have something like 60 episodes to go, so I hope Chloe can get some development there

 

[R1ke]

I’d say she needs to show up as much as Goh. So for PWC matches, project mew, even the opening portrait, stuff like that. Basically in every episode, like how past female characters appeared. She’s appeared a lot in fillers nowadays which is great though.

It would also help to see her interact more with Ash and have her dynamic with him. She’s already all good with Goh but to really make it a trio you need relationships with all 3 characters.

 

[Sai]

Because the show itself said she's not a main character. She's a recurring character.

 

[P_S_B]

I recall reading somewhere that Daiki Tomiyasu said in an interview that he had planned for Chloe to become the third main character but he liked the Ash and Goh bros dynamic so much that he backpeddled on that and Chloe got diddly-squat. There may have been some pushing in recent months behind the scenes to make him give her more development and screentime, but it does seem as though she has been used far less than they originally intended when planning the series.

 

[DankOverlord]

I recall reading somewhere that Daiki Tomiyasu said in an interview that he had planned for Chloe to become the third main character but he liked the Ash and Goh bros dynamic so much that he backpeddled on that and Chloe got diddly-squat. There may have been some pushing in recent months behind the scenes to make him give her more development and screentime, but it does seem as though she has been used far less than they originally intended when planning the series.

I don't wanna say "sexism" but that really reeks of laziness and sexism in the staff.

 

[Sai]

The previous series gave us 3 female leads for the first time too which is unheard of before. So they went from the most female representation to the least.

 

[SammyW27]

Heck, she feels more like an honorary member of Ash-tachii than an actual member...
(and not even a good one at that! )

I recall reading somewhere that Daiki Tomiyasu said in an interview that he had planned for Chloe to become the third main character but he liked the Ash and Goh bros dynamic so much that he backpeddled on that and Chloe got diddly-squat. There may have been some pushing in recent months behind the scenes to make him give her more development and screentime, but it does seem as though she has been used far less than they originally intended when planning the series.

Eh, wouldn't be the first time their long term plans got messed up or thrown out the window.
...though that sounds like one of the lamer excuses

The previous series gave us 3 female leads for the first time too which is unheard of before. So they went from the most female representation to the least.

IKR? I think SM might've spoiled us rotten in some areas that make PM2019's flaws even worse...
Another issue I have about it is that in SM the overall cast was the biggest it had EVER been while here it's the smallest.

 

[Kurolegacy]

I don't wanna say "sexism" but that really reeks of laziness and sexism in the staff.

Agreed. That is a seriously bad look for the anime especially when you take the aspect that the series has had since day 1 with female representation in the main cast and turn it into a boy’s only club especially when for multiple series they had a girl that was just as important as Ash. Plus, I know that people love Ash and Go’s dynamic but they just feel too similar most of the time aside from when the anime wants to use what was originally their differences as a plot point in focus episodes. Koharu at least alleviates that.

 

[Unireon]

Satoshi and Gou had actual differences back when the series was on set-up phase.

Then, unexpectedly, the staff decide to strip Gou from most of its unique traits. Becoming Satoshi Nigou/#2.
I am still baffled at that turn of events, wondering why someone would do that....
Uniforming characters gets boring very quickly, and robs them of possible dynamics/clashes.

I actually consider Koharu a Main Character.
She is the Tritagonist, as the thrid character with most input and her own plot.

The staff just loves Gou more than what they should, or deemed healthy.....
Tomiyasu in particular, now that you mention it..... But that backpedaling is disgusting.

 

[PaperSplash]

Depends on your definition of "main character". She's definitely not treated with the same importance Ash and Goh are, though.

 

[R1ke]

Satoshi and Gou had actual differences back when the series was on set-up phase.

Then, unexpectedly, the staff decide to strip Gou from most of its unique traits. Becoming Satoshi Nigou/#2.
I am still baffled at that turn of events, wondering why someone would do that....
Uniforming characters gets boring very quickly, and robs them of possible dynamics/clashes.

Tbh I wish they explored Goh’s darker side more, like his comment in ep 3. We haven’t had companions with actual conflict/differing ideologies like that. Like it doesn’t need to be full blown arguments, but at least show him shift more gradually (via his relationship with Ash and his mons) to match Ash’s personality. I think they toned him down too quickly, which takes away from his individuality. He developed too fast.

 

[Rainbow-Rain]

Depends on your definition of "main character". She's definitely not treated with the same importance Ash and Goh are, though.

Chloe is the Sakura of Journeys

Considered a Main Character but not treated with the same importance Naruto and Sasu- erm I mean Ash and Goh are

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

The previous series gave us 3 female leads for the first time too which is unheard of before. So they went from the most female representation to the least.

Honestly, I didn’t like how SM gradually handled its female companions at times. Notice how each female companion gradually became a plot pro to just stand and hold [insert cute Pokémon here]. I did like the occasional bits of development Mallow and Lillie got, but they REALLY need to do away with “A female companion is a waste of space if she isn’t holding a cute Pokémon 24/7” mandate they seem to have.

I think in recent history Serena is pretty much the only companion to be spared from that fate; but then it’s the same series that had Bonnie. I however; did like how they kind of subverted it with Squishy turning out to be what it actually was.

SM is by far the worst offendor imo, specially since nothing of value really happened with Sandy and Shaymin. Snowy could’ve used a move that isn’t powder snow to show it’s development against Gladion, too. I guess JN might outshine SM in this flaw via Chloe, but I’m not sure at this stage.

 

[Sai]

That's been a mandate forever. Misty's Togepi and Dawn's Piplup are the earliest examples of this even if they battled regularly. They were still relegated to holding a cute pokemon on the sidelines when they weren't being focused on. Same with Axew and Iris.

May and Serena are actually the only main girls who didn't have a cute pokemon out of their ball in every episode and that's probably because the writers felt none of their pokemon were marketable enough.

 

[Rainbow-Rain]

That's been a mandate forever. Misty's Togepi and Dawn's Piplup are the earliest examples of this even if they battled regularly. They were still relegated to holding a cute pokemon on the sidelines when they weren't being focused on. Same with Axew and Iris.

May and Serena are actually the only main girls who didn't have a cute pokemon out of their ball in every episode and that's probably because the writers felt none of their pokemon were marketable enough.

Sylveon and Braxien seem hella marketable tho

Yeah May is the only one with no cutesy marketable Pokémon besides maybe Skitty but it's not all that popular

 

[Kurolegacy]

Sylveon and Braxien seem hella marketable tho

Yeah May is the only one with no cutesy marketable Pokémon besides maybe Skitty but it's not all that popular

Given how they dropped Skitty half way through the Advanced Gen, I wonder if they had been trying to make it the marketable cute Pokémon but gave up when it didn’t catch on.

 

[Eitarou]

May had Eevee and Squirtle.