Would BW benefit from being a genuine reboot of the series?

[MarshiyanMisutaa]

Not really. I don't feel like a "different" Ash would work, I could only tolerate a reboot if Ash is gone. It'd be like, "Ok this is Ash, but its not the Ash you know, its a NEW Ash," like what would be the point?

Without Ash, it's not a reboot, just a new series.

 

[SolgaleoGX]

It would benifit and show the writers actually, somehow, care about the continuity. Which with their current decision, points they don't.

And how far they stretch things this way will only last so long. It will eventually bite them in the butt. Be it Gen VI or Gen X, they can only drag it like this for so long.

Making the decision to reboot isn't something out of this world or some really complex math equation N could solve. As the OP stated, just cut a few things here and there and the outcome of how things have turned out in Best Wishes wouldn't be any different.

It all boils down to actually giving a damn about this having continuity. Decide writers, either you respect it, or just openly drop it and stop pretending we fans forget. Because we don't, fans in America or fans in Japan, we don't easily forget. And the kids aren't as stupid as many people make them out to be, they take notice.

So yes, Best Wishes would've benifited from being a reboot. It would show some sense of respect to everyone, the people involved in the show (because they'd care about making a solid story), the characters that have graced, and will grace the screen (they wouldn't necesarily be left in the endless void the GS ball caused) and the fans (because they wouldn't be thinking so little of us and we'd find a sense of closure from this show, like it has always pretended to point to).

 

[Pokémon Master Ash]

Yeah, I think it would have.

I hate to say it, but I feel Ash and Team Rocket's gags have gotten really old and stale over time. I don't even think Ash is himself anymore, or at least not the same character from EP001.

The writers can't even decide what they want Team Rocket to be (they tried serious TRio- the seiyus didn't like that and a majority of the fans didn't- now they are trying goofy TRio again, but even then, they are incredibly stale by now).

All I can say is I hope X and Y series is one if the writers and dubbers continue to ignore the outcries of the fandom about why they are doing a poor job handling them atm.

 

[Winterdaze]

Hmm, after thinking this over again I'd have to say I still think that BW would have benefited from being a genuine reboot, but not for the same reasons as before. A reboot would have been good not because I'm disappointed with BW's output or that I consider it an affront to the series' admittedly weak continuity (and I don't), but because it would have been an opportunity for a complete overhaul of the show from the bottom up.

I'm not dissatisfied with the safe, samey fluff the anime has been airing for the last decade and half, but I can't deny part of me craves a real shake up. A genuine reboot gives you a clean slate for characterisation, certainly. But the real benefit is the opportunity for fresh world building and tone setting. You get to redefine the nature of the relationship between people and Pokemon, how and why battles are fought, the physical and social structures in the world, the extent of autonomy and intelligence that Pokemon have etc. Even with the constraints of the source material, there's a lot of room for exploration. Of course, the realist in me knows better than to expect any drastic changes at this point.

 

[Almonds]

Maybe it would've had a good chance if they "renovated" the writers instead of rebooting it with the same writers in charge.