Will it Ever End?

[JacobYBM]

The sun's going to blow eventually. But relistically we'll have to wait a few decades to see if the declining but still GIGANTIC sales of the main series games ever get to a point where the franchise can't coast on it's success and actually have to do something. Also people aren't immortal who's going to replace Pikachu's VA unless they just use old recording forever.

I'd say at least Ash and Pikachu's voice actors have another 10+ years or so in them before any big changes happen but we'll see. Both are close to approaching 50.

Nozawa Masako has voiced Son Gokuu since she was fifty. She has voiced Kitarou from Gegege no Kitarou and other male roles since the 1960s, too. Matsumoto and Ootani are going nowhere for a very long time.

 

[ii kanji]

Well touch wood none of them are going anywhere any time soon, but let's please talk about the Gods of Illness and Death with a little respect and not tempt fate!

 

[Nicolas721]

The problem is that se don't have many franchises to compare it to. Yes, there are many long runners in Japan, but most of them don't recieve a new name or a new plot every four years and pretty much can wrap up in one episode due to their episodic nature. Additionaly, a franchise may end any day, but it can recieve a continuation 10 or 15 years in the future, like Dragon Ball or Digimon Aventure. So, the Pokemon anime can run "forever".

However, I'm sure that at the very least we will see the end of Ash's journey during our lifespan, due to the next possible reasons:
a)Rica Matusmoto going of retirement.
b)Nintendo or whatever company deciding that either Ash or Pikachu don't fit with the new customer tastes, for example Ash being too old/young or Pikachu being too cute.

 

[Alola]

No

 

[froakiefroak]

I don't really see Pikachu lasting another 10 years honestly. This new Yokai Watch show/game is serious competition for Pokemon in Japan and soon in the U.S.

 

[Perpetual_Phoenix]

I don't really see Pikachu lasting another 10 years honestly. This new Yokai Watch show/game is serious competition for Pokemon in Japan and soon in the U.S.

Oh God. It looks like some sort of weird spin-off parody thing for Pokemon.

I rather not to be honest.

 

[froakiefroak]

I don't really see Pikachu lasting another 10 years honestly. This new Yokai Watch show/game is serious competition for Pokemon in Japan and soon in the U.S.

Oh God. It looks like some sort of weird spin-off parody thing for Pokemon.

I rather not to be honest.

I'm interested in it but look how huge it is in Japan, I mean really big.

 

[DasManiac]

I have no doubt the show will end by the end of the decade. I can't see it going past Gen VII. Nobody watches as is let alone five years from now.

 

[froakiefroak]

I have no doubt the show will end by the end of the decade. I can't see it going past Gen VII. Nobody watches as is let alone five years from now.

It used to be on the Top 10 list via ratings in Japan every week until that Yokai Watch show came about. I check the ratings weekly on ANN.

 

[Jersey Jimmy]

What they should do is have Ash become Champion, then hand things over to a new protagonist with ties to existing characters (for example, Max starting his journey).

 

[Natu? Natu!]

Although there are many examples of franchises having ended after having lasted for a long time, there are other examples of successful, long-running franchises that are still going strong (Mickey Mouse, for example, was introduced in 1928, and has survived his creator by maybe 50 years). I think that the Pokémon anime will go on as long as people watch it and are introduced to the games through it. That may mean one more season, ten more seasons or fifty more seasons for all I know. Regarding the concern that episodes and themes repeat themselves, basically that is what happens in all long-running media franchises. After all, most sitcoms are quite predictable as well. The most imminent potential threat, as I see it, is if Nintendo fails to adapt to smartphone gaming in a good way, as I think that the market for hand-held gaming devices will be over in a few years. I am quite convinced, however, that both Ash and Mickey Mouse will end their adventures long before the sun turns into a red giant.

 

[R!ck]

I have no doubt the show will end by the end of the decade. I can't see it going past Gen VII. Nobody watches as is let alone five years from now.

It used to be on the Top 10 list via ratings in Japan every week until that Yokai Watch show came about. I check the ratings weekly on ANN.

Yep, it used to enter the top 10 every week but Yokai Watch has messed up a bit for Pokémon I guess? Pokémon now gets every 2-3 weeks, the ratings still are good for the anime, we'll see how if it will crash or keep doing well over upcoming years.

 

[froakiefroak]

Yep, it used to enter the top 10 every week but Yokai Watch has messed up a bit for Pokémon I guess? Pokémon now gets every 2-3 weeks, the ratings still are good for the anime, we'll see how if it will crash or keep doing well over upcoming years.

It was especially disappointing because the B&W episodes very rarely made it onto the list and then once X/Y started it was on nearly every week with pretty nice ratings.. until Yokai Watch. The ratings aren't "bad" but they aren't what they were towards the beginning.

 

[Darthbane2007]

All things must come to an end. I give the anime between 5-10 years...

 

[Lillie]

It'll end but it'll be a very long time before that happens imo.

 

[Madame Pika]

If XY turns out to be the last saga, I think I'll be pretty happy. I've always feared that pokemon will end on a bad note and XY would be a good one to end on.

How likely this is, is harder to say. I'd say that with Tokai Watch, yes, this show isn't going to last till the end of the decade. However, that just says either this gen or the next gen. We don't know what the next gen is going to be like, but it wouldn't surprise me if they tried taking leaves out of Tokai Watch's book, which may not be such a good idea. Story wise, too, pokeani has shown signs of struggling already (outlandish changes to the forumla that do nothing to assist the show for example).

 

[pokemon fan 132]

When will it end?

There are two possible ways:
-either when new pokemon games stop coming out with anime losing its primary source of supply and reason behind existence,

Or more unpleasant scenario:
-if ratings drop too low to the point of not many people having any interest in it anymore with production expenses exceeding amount of money income. Not being profitable to air show anymore and ending prematurely despite games still going strong.

In other words if in market where many show already struggle for viewer attention in this day and age pokemon lose batle in managing to attract new generations interest and get into it. Because it cant count on older generations since it gives little to none to them.

So far Pokemon isnt in danger of this happening, but its worth noting how its reputation and popularity dropped significantly compared to old glory days.
Due to various factors.

No one really knows when will pokemo show receive ending, it passed 18 years still going relatively strong. But just like nothing lasts forever sooner or later this anime will stop airing too.

And when that day comes i only have one wish ;I would like to see writers paying respect to pokemon roots dedicating very last season of pokemon anime to reuniting original trio with Brock and Misty locating Ash and joining on last new adventure.
With Brock becoming famous pokemon doctor opening his own healthcare center, Misty becoming water pokemon master renowned and respected wordwide becoming first E4 female speciaizing in water, while Ash becomes chamoion, competes in final big event gathering champions from every other region acclaiming title of pokemon master.

I think it would be nice way to wrap up long lasting pokemon this way with gathering of very first cast representing things coming full circle.

And it would be amazing to see their such spontaneous and natural chemisty being took to next level deepening on their friendships as they travel meeting other Ash friends he made on his long voyage(May, Dawn, Cilan, Clemont etc) discovering new secrets and wonders of pokeworld as they encourage themselves in reaching their dreams and final destinations.

Afterrwards if pokemon company decide to make complete reboot introducing new main star and new pokemon anime i probably wont watch it.

Im basically 30 years old(i feel old already for this show) and while pokemon anime defined my childhood growing up with it and appreciating both good and bad things steeming from it.

I would like to see grand finale and conclusion occuring during my life time with every character i grew to like, all those past adventures, events, dangers and mysteries leading toward eventful, satisfying and spectacular closure.

Not having any interest for completely new pokemon show with no characters from this timeline and continuity or connections to history. Nor i believe that replacing Ash who became synonym for pokemon show after more than 20 years with someone else would be successful strategy .

 

[Galactic_V]

If the anime begins to decline in popularity and proves to not be worth the money yes, it'll end. I imagine it ending in the most horrible way like "The regional league ends and Satoshi loses it again, then he goes back to Masara Town like every other series... Someone happens to appear and tell him about a new place he's got to go (made up or not, depends if the games're still running) and he leaves Kanto to go to this place... It ends with a long ending and instead of appearing 'Next time... A new Adventure' tt'll appear 'The End'". The term Pokemon Master'll never be explained, Satoshi's dad'll never show up nor will be mentioned again, etc...

There're other long running series who also seems endless since they're also very profitable, however neither're based on game series: One Piece and Meitantei Conan. The latter even more since it's been serialized for over 20 years if I'm not mistaken... And it's like Pocket Monsters, none of the characters age.

 

[Darthbane2007]

Hey, if Mario can outlive it's cartoon series and still sell games, then pokemon can too...

 

[CrystaI]

Hey, if Mario can outlive it's cartoon series and still sell games, then pokemon can too...

That means in order to end Ash's adventure, profitability is the only concerning factor. Oh great then, the anime is already on its way to the worst possible ending.