Is TPCI trying to replicate the 4kids days?

[Yoshi1001]

The idea that TPCI is the slightest bit interested in winning back people who would now probably be in their mid to late 20's is frankly laughable. They're just bringing back the Kanto era stuff because that's whats popular. I'm fairly certain they don't care at all about people who haven't watched the show in over a decade. Doing so would be absolutely terrible for the show.

I wouldn't say they don't care at all, but they aren't going to base their whole strategy around it.

 

[Grei]

Even in the anime the "Gen 1 fans" are being pandered...

Do you understand how companies with fanbases work? This isn't pandering. This is strategy.

 

[MetroLSD]

Even in the anime the "Gen 1 fans" are being pandered...

Do you understand how companies with fanbases work? This isn't pandering. This is strategy.

In terms of Pokemon, no it isn't, Game Freak has no chance of wining back genwunners people who haven't touch a Pokemon game since Gen I and them trying to set series back in spite of it's advancements just to ponder to Gen I fans is a dumb move on their part. But that's irrelevant to the discussion at hand which is about TPCi trying to ponder to old viewers which is doubtful, these are no more than just a few references to the first season of the anime nothing else.

 

[Norzan]

Even in the anime the "Gen 1 fans" are being pandered...

Do you understand how companies with fanbases work? This isn't pandering. This is strategy.

It would be a strategy if they were doing this to gain new fans but this is definitely pandering since they are trying to win back fans who lost complete interest in the anime years ago.

 

[Robo-Floatzel]

I do feel they are trying to get older fans back, but mostly those from the first generation, the "genwunners" as many call them, but it seems like they are ignoring the fans of the later generations outside of Pokemon from the later gens that are considered "popular" like Blaziken and Lucario. It's mainly Gen 1 and to a lesser extent Gen 3 that are being praised a lot lately, with Gen 4 and 5 being seemingly ignored for whatever reason.

 

[gritty stunfisk]

I think the 'pandering' to the first generation is maybe more of a genuine attempt at arousing fascination in newer generation kids, who would be pretty familiar with or have started from gen 4, 5 or 6, with the older generations. It's not needed as much for the second generation because of the date of their remakes, but gen 1 and especially gen 3 seem relatively untouched. Things like Mega Evolution and Kalos containing Pokemon from every region seem like a good way to 'unify' the series where some feel there might be a divide between 1 2 / 3 4 5 or 1 2 3 / 4 5. If they happen to pick up old 'genwunner' fans along the way then that's a plus. As for TPCI, somewhat unlike 4Kids, they can only mimic what the Japanese version is doing, I doubt it's any strategy they'd conceive of on their own lol.

 

[Aamir]

No I don't think so. First let me address a few things.

-The franchise as a whole is not trying to emulate the feeling of "Gen 1." If so, the games wouldn't have introduced a new type and the lot that XY bring. The subtle nods to the first gen games such as snorlax blocking the path and finding mewtwo are not "pandering to the gen 1 fans." They are simply referencing the older games. May I also say that there were numerous Gen 5 nods in the game, such as Reshiram and Zekrom statues? And even extremely subtle nods to the Hoenn region? And if the Japanese team were really interested in bringing back the excitement and nostalgia of the first generation, why didn't they put Brock and Misty back into the anime? Why didn't they make Ash bring along some of his older pokemon from the lab to go to Kalos with? I mean he has like 40 Pokemon, he couldn't even bring ONE along with him from Kanto besides Pikachu? The Japanese team, and the franchise as a whole, is not trying to induce nostalgia into the games or the anime, they want to make a fresh new region with a fresh new anime. Pokemon: The Origin was a special only, and I really think they only made it to show off that you can get Kanto starters in Kalos and mega evolve them.

-TPCi is NOT trying to bring back the so called "glory days" of the Pokemon anime. They did bring back "Gotta catch 'em all," but that's about it. Where's the Pokerap? Where's the sing alongs? None of that is there. If they really wanted to bring back the 4Kids glory days(which I completely disagree with those being the glory days), they would've brought back the Pokerap. They might have even hired back some of the old voice actors and actresses if they really were determined to. But they did NONE of these things, which really means the new region is just a blank slate for them, and they won't be trying to bring in any old nostalgia to the anime, they'll be trying to bring in some NEW nostalgia and memories for the anime.

 

[Litten]

In my opinion, yes, TPCI is trying to mimic 4Kids. It's actually really embarrassing in my opinion. Instead of making the dub better and setting up their own legacy, they're taking notes from 4Kids and it seems really desperate. They should move forward instead of looking back imo. I just dislike the apparent nostalgia pandering.

 

[Norzan]

No I don't think so. First let me address a few things.

-The franchise as a whole is not trying to emulate the feeling of "Gen 1." If so, the games wouldn't have introduced a new type and the lot that XY bring. The subtle nods to the first gen games such as snorlax blocking the path and finding mewtwo are not "pandering to the gen 1 fans." They are simply referencing the older games. May I also say that there were numerous Gen 5 nods in the game, such as Reshiram and Zekrom statues? And even extremely subtle nods to the Hoenn region? And if the Japanese team were really interested in bringing back the excitement and nostalgia of the first generation, why didn't they put Brock and Misty back into the anime? Why didn't they make Ash bring along some of his older pokemon from the lab to go to Kalos with? I mean he has like 40 Pokemon, he couldn't even bring ONE along with him from Kanto besides Pikachu? The Japanese team, and the franchise as a whole, is not trying to induce nostalgia into the games or the anime, they want to make a fresh new region with a fresh new anime. Pokemon: The Origin was a special only, and I really think they only made it to show off that you can get Kanto starters in Kalos and mega evolve them.

Charizard and Mewtwo getting two Mega evos while a single Gen 5 pokemon gets none, getting a Kanto Starter early in the game, most of the mega evos are Gen 1 pokemon, the Kanto birds being roaming legendaries and Mewtwo being in the post game, if this is not pandering to the Gen 1 fans i don't know what it is.

 

[Team Gaara]

I feel like we're trying too much to make this into a "TPCI VS 4Kids", "TPCI needs to be like 4kids to be good" or "4kids is better than TPCI" scenario.

They brought the slogan back and used the original theme in the trailer for XY, yes. But trying to "copy" 4kids? I don't think so. So they may be replicating the beginnings of Pokemon and bringing back some nostalgic elements, but I don't see how this is in any way suggesting that TPCI is trying to "replicate the 4kids days" as it has NOTHING to do with 4kids.

Now, if they start putting Pokeraps at the ends of the episode, turning riceballs into jelly doughnuts, or changing any text to English/whiting it out completely, then maybe I'll believe they're "replicating the 4kids days". But all I see now is just a general use of nostalgia in the franchise, nothing to do with 4kids or writing in the show or anything like that.

 

[Bluelatios]

I guess it really depends on what your definition of replicating is. There's a difference between trying to straight up copy past success in hopes it will have a similar effect or building off of it; looking at both past and present to figure out what works and what doesn't. It's not pandering for them to say "hey guys... remember this thing(s) we did back then? Well it was awesome, fans loved it, how about we do it again in addition to all these other (hopefully) good new ideas?" Pandering is when one throws their efforts into attracting a specific group or minority and frankly, we seem to be using it in a negative sense to yet again rag on these mythical "blind and biased" nostalgia fans. I honestly don't think that's the case, and with any luck they're figuring their show ought to just be fun and enjoyable to everyone. Which if you think about it, is really what defines the franchise.

 

[Kit Chan]

They want to be the very best, like 4Kids previously was.
To catch viewers is their real test, to entertain them is their cause!

 

[Hidden Mew]

They want to be the very best, like 4Kids previously was.
To catch viewers is their real test, to entertain them is their cause!

I know that this was done in a joking manner, but let's try to avoid turning this into a 4Kids vs. TPCI thread.

 

[LuxrayOfTheWild]

If they're going back to the 4kids days, will we be hearing characters call riceballs jelly donuts?

 

[Misty Calls Masquerain]

I don't know about "replicate", but they do seem to be trying to cash in on the success of 4Kids.

 

[pokemon fan 132]

It seem pretty obvious to me how TPCI is just following trend whole pokemon franchise in general has begun, doing throwbacks to generation 1 game wise but in anime aspect as well. Whole gen 6 and second half of BW seem like things starting to go back to its roots doing call backs to Kanto and days when pokemon was at peak of its popularity.

Its not just TPCI which is reusing elements from older generations. Snorlax blocking road, Charizard rejoining Ash through whole Decolora giving rich flashback of his young days , pokemon Origins which were mainly created for older fans to try to attract them back into franchise, presence of Kanto starters and whole XY game theme being about bonding and friendship, along with directing attention toward previous generations and older pokemon a lot more than it was case befor is in many ways call back to Kanto days trying to reach to big amount of fans which left show and franchise during course of OS and after Johto.

So im pretty sure dub company is simply going within flow of what all other branches of pokemon franchise seem to be doing using proven and popular slogans from 4kids era such as "Gotta Catch em All", reusing lyrics from pokerap, using original music from pokemon theme in XY trailers etc. I wouldn't be surprised if they try to alter dialogue in somewhat similar manner like 4kids did too through use of more puns and jokes to fully evoke return to older days of pokemon era playing on nostalgia and fond memories older generations may had about anime back than.

Though im not sure how lucrative and effective current initiative in alluring older fans back may be given how many lost complete interest, and many of those which still play games or follow only news want older things back in anime to my knowledge, which don't seem to be among writers plans.