Pokemon Generations, MH Generations and also anime the same year...this two franchises seem to agree with things lots of times even if by pure casuality,with Pkmn Gen I feel we can see a new point of things we know but were not explained in detail so I guess it's nice and if they do it good enough then better so that the story build up already gets to be more solid.
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SPOILERS! General Pokémon Anime Discussion
- Thread starter Jellicent
- Start date
Well, I like the short Anime format, it gives a lot of leeway to be creative, look at all that studio TRIGGER gets to accomplish with freaking 5-12 minutes and 12 episodes.
It takes a loot of work to make the short Anime format to work, or specialized source material for it to be adapted well, (Galko and I can't understand what my husband is saying come to my mind as well as Tekyuu), but if I see crew from this SoL shorts recruited in key framing I can be at peace since I know it won't be rushed.
Honestly it is a risk to do a short and keep the pace flowing in a cohesive way.
It takes a loot of work to make the short Anime format to work, or specialized source material for it to be adapted well, (Galko and I can't understand what my husband is saying come to my mind as well as Tekyuu), but if I see crew from this SoL shorts recruited in key framing I can be at peace since I know it won't be rushed.
Honestly it is a risk to do a short and keep the pace flowing in a cohesive way.
After you become a Pokemon, you start going to a school[\hide]
These Pokemon Generations shorts are promising, I hope they actually focus on some of the backstory to the games rather than what we've already seen via gameplay. For example, Blue's path to the Kanto championship rather than Red's. The burning of the brass tower prior to the events of Johto, with a then flash-forward to the present day. The history behind Aster and Zinnia's ascent to lorekeeper of the Draconids. Things along that line.
Unfortunately, from the trailer it looks like yet another Red fanservice type thing. Seriously can GF and the fandom as a whole jump off his dick for once and focus on some of the lesser explored pokemon characters?
EDIT: In before this being the reveal method for Mega Charizard Z celestial forms.
Unfortunately, from the trailer it looks like yet another Red fanservice type thing. Seriously can GF and the fandom as a whole jump off his dick for once and focus on some of the lesser explored pokemon characters?
EDIT: In before this being the reveal method for Mega Charizard Z celestial forms.
I feel as though the hatred towards the Sun and Moon anime should wait until we've seen an actual trailer of it, or maybe even an episode. One image doesn't really say the whole anime, and I'm quite positive that they will be using the same writers as that of XY (Even though I'm not sure). Besides Ash's new design, the rest of the image seems very solid showing many characters and Pokemon that we will be seeing in the story. The story also seems to be having a change which could make the anime a lot more unique and different from that of the past series. Overall I think people should wait before they completely disclose of this anime, and who knows it might actually be pretty decent.
Also on the topic of Serena. I thought it was pretty obvious that she was getting the cut. I know many people wanted her to stay in the anime, but TBH the writers don't really care too much about the amour-shipping or the fan's opinion. Many also thought that the female protagonist for Sun and Moon would replace Serena, but I felt as if that was impossible due to the trend that the games and anime have had for the past couple of generations now. If you did not know, all female protagonist that have been characters in the anime have also appeared as rivals or friends in the actual games (May, Dawn, and Serena.) However since we have never seen the protagonist for Sun and Moon appear as a rival, friend or even have an appearance at all next to your character in the games, it looked impossible for her to get into the anime. Of course this is just something I made up, but that is just my thoughts on them.
Edit: Meant Dawn instead of Misty.
Also on the topic of Serena. I thought it was pretty obvious that she was getting the cut. I know many people wanted her to stay in the anime, but TBH the writers don't really care too much about the amour-shipping or the fan's opinion. Many also thought that the female protagonist for Sun and Moon would replace Serena, but I felt as if that was impossible due to the trend that the games and anime have had for the past couple of generations now. If you did not know, all female protagonist that have been characters in the anime have also appeared as rivals or friends in the actual games (May, Dawn, and Serena.) However since we have never seen the protagonist for Sun and Moon appear as a rival, friend or even have an appearance at all next to your character in the games, it looked impossible for her to get into the anime. Of course this is just something I made up, but that is just my thoughts on them.
Edit: Meant Dawn instead of Misty.
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The answer to all questions is 'pandering', because to a portion of the fandom Red is the so badass, badass does not describe him, even though he was practically a joke in GSC and especially HG/SS.
Well at least there looks to be a story involving Looker and... *GASP* police! And not any police, SWAT who uses a Machamp as wall breaker! But it doesn't look like any story from the games where Looker was working solo, what story with Looker could they tell that isn't part of the games... oh...
EDIT: BTW here is the poster for Generations:
Apparently Pokemon Company hates Maxie, Archie, and the Rocket Admins.
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Norne: Even a long-running show can move on at a brisk pace and offer quality material if the writing is paced well - If there's some breaks between seasons or arcs for the writers to plan out the progression of the next 20-30 or so episodes, it'll be easier to have continuity and less padding. If they absolutely need to continue the anime without breaks, they could fill the breaks between major plot arcs with mini-series featuring either a sideplot Ash didn't encounter or a spinoff game that lasts for like 5-6 episodes. The Mystery Dungeon specials were one episode for Red/Blue, Time/Darkness and Sky respectively, Ranger only got a short cameo and the Genius Sonority games never got a special or cameo ever (Channel, Colosseum, XD, Battle Revolution) - plenty of material to draw from.
I've lost all hope to try to defend this.
It's really just disappointing in my opinion. The way they portray Ash is as if they rebooted him completely. And they could have done it right too. Keep the art of XY and maybe keep this story. I'm sure that the animation will be fine for this anime, but the art style is too much of a difference in order for me to accept. I don't even know anymore. Unless the story is really good, I don't plan on watching this anime. Opinions? I'm guessing a lot of people feel somewhat the same as me.
It's really just disappointing in my opinion. The way they portray Ash is as if they rebooted him completely. And they could have done it right too. Keep the art of XY and maybe keep this story. I'm sure that the animation will be fine for this anime, but the art style is too much of a difference in order for me to accept. I don't even know anymore. Unless the story is really good, I don't plan on watching this anime. Opinions? I'm guessing a lot of people feel somewhat the same as me.
That is the feeling I got ever since the anime went to Sinnoh. Ash feels always like a complete different character with each new series since then.
The 1 hr finale to the Team Flare arc is one of the best anime productions that the Pokemon anime has done, if not *the* best. I loved how they made literally every significant character from this generation relevant in the final showdown (even Shota and co get some screentime as spectators!) The entrance from Diantha and the Kalos Gym Leaders was magnificent, as was the initial action with Mega Metagross, Mega Garchomp, and Braixen all fighting against the Zygarde abomination. Team Rocket's role as newscasters broadcasting the entire action to the world was gravy on top.
The character montage scenes were so epic for Pokemon that I just had to turn them into GIFs:
I also loved how the writers forwent the usual kid-friendly-Pokemon-plot and added scenes like Lysander's "suicide," the Kalos Leaders "sacrificing" themselves for Ash and Alain, and of course, killing Lysander off in an epic nuclear blast:
Some may say that the writers tried too hard to be "edgy," but I think this is what a lot of us longtime Pokemon fans have always hoped / imagined the anime to become: a montage of kickass action as both trainers and Pokemon go all in during a world crisis (just like the Pokemon Adventures manga)
Unfortunately, the Sun / Moon anime looks like it'll be crap... or at the very least, all the development that Ash and Team Rocket went through during this hell of a ride in Kalos is gonna get reset.
The character montage scenes were so epic for Pokemon that I just had to turn them into GIFs:
Unfortunately, the Sun / Moon anime looks like it'll be crap... or at the very least, all the development that Ash and Team Rocket went through during this hell of a ride in Kalos is gonna get reset.
That's going on in the finale? Feels like the death throes of the anime in a last-ditch effort to appease to the fans they pissed off by having Ash lose again.
I'm not going to say the animation quality is bad or that the special itself is unneeded - just be reminded that the specials are a level of quality the anime in general will never live up to (the Pichu special and the Mirage Pokémon are my favourite specials).
But honestly, it's nothing new to throw in a generic villain who wants to destroy/conquer the world in a kid's show - after all, they never do anything 'too' evil.
I'm not going to say the animation quality is bad or that the special itself is unneeded - just be reminded that the specials are a level of quality the anime in general will never live up to (the Pichu special and the Mirage Pokémon are my favourite specials).
But honestly, it's nothing new to throw in a generic villain who wants to destroy/conquer the world in a kid's show - after all, they never do anything 'too' evil.
I personally don't mind a change in tone in the Sun and Moon anime - this is the 20th anniversary of the whole series, and a homage of sorts would be dialing back to the light-hearted and more comical Original Anime Series, right? Not going to talk about Ash being noobified again because it's nothing new at this point.
Though that drawing quality is kind of worrisome.
Though that drawing quality is kind of worrisome.
The original series weren't really more light-hearted or comical than any subsequent seasons, though. They're all largely the same. Pokemon, both: the games and the anime, is know as formulaic for a reason.
On the other hand, I am loving the new art direction. It's really reminiscent of old-school anime and looks a lot like the art style used by Studio Ghibli. Love it. I personally think that's how pokemon should've been animated since the very beginning instead of the westernized rollercoaster we've had thus far. My one concern is if they'll dumb down the anime even more...
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Whoa... what's going on with the art style? on the poster, aside from Ash's goofy face (or what I thought it was at the time) looked fine. But this trailer is showing a completely different art style than from previous seasons (while the quality improved I could easily go from season to season without much trouble as things remained consistent. This is completely different). It almost looks like they wanted/tried to do the art style the Digimon Movie used but still use the digital painting program they have so it comes out as a mishmash that doesn't look right. Also looking at Ash I notice a few changes that are making him look odd: his nose is a dot (to match Pikachu's?) when it was also drawn as a small triangle bump, his eyes and pupils are smaller, and overall his face has been rounded so he doesn't have a sharp chin nor the hair sticking out in front of his face is spiky.
As for what I see, not impressed. I am glad they're bringing Team Skull in right away, but that was the only highlight of the trailer. The rest is Ash in class or doing stuff on the beach. They didn't even introduce us to Ash's classmates, you know, the Trial Captains (and Lillie who got one speaking line).
The trailer does confirm Kiawe is also a student, which means I think the volcanic island is missing two Trial Captains now (him and Mallow who is in the jungle part of the island). Are they not going to have the Island Trials? If so, its official: the writer do not care anymore. The writers, or at least the one in charge, doesn't want to do Pokemon anymore, they want to other anime. However the problem is their idea is too generic or they don't want to leave an easy paycheck so instead they try changing Pokemon into what they want to write about. Last saga was an idol anime, this saga will be a slice of life/school days anime. Okay, writers, come close, this is what I want you to do: I want you to play the games, take notes about your adventure, and then turn your notes into the anime. THAT'S WHAT I WANT FROM MY POKEMON ANIME! I don't want popstar idols, I don't want slice of life, what I want to see is STUFF IN THE GAMES. I want to see Ash (if we're going to have to stick with him) go to island to island, visiting & exploring the interesting locations within them, meeting the characters who populate them, taking the Island Challenge and following the story that unfolds from doing so. Ash's adventures should reflect a modified version of the player's journey, not taking the setting of the Pokemon world and doing something else with it. That's for a different spinoff series, not the MAIN series.
Seriously Pokemon Company, why haven't you replaced these guys already?
To be fair friend, who's to say that's not how the games will begin? You in a school learning about stuff to only then set out challenging and completing the island trials, basically an tutorial chapter of sorts?
Do you really think that's what the whole season will be about? I for one severely doubt it. It's probably an introduction and even if it isn't, at least it's not the same thing we've been fed for the past 20 years—they're trying something new which I can certainly appreciate. Time changes and so does your anime, it was bound to happen sooner or later.
Well, I won't judge the new season before I get to actually watch it. We know nothing about it and it could very well end up being the greatest thing ever... or be yet another mistake like Best Wishes... Like I've said, my concern is whether the storyline will be dumbed down to cater to an even younger audience still or not. If it is, then welp... I might drop it.
As for the new drawing style... I guess that is subjective. I really dig it but I can see why other people wouldn't.
Do you really think that's what the whole season will be about? I for one severely doubt it. It's probably an introduction and even if it isn't, at least it's not the same thing we've been fed for the past 20 years—they're trying something new which I can certainly appreciate. Time changes and so does your anime, it was bound to happen sooner or later.
Well, I won't judge the new season before I get to actually watch it. We know nothing about it and it could very well end up being the greatest thing ever... or be yet another mistake like Best Wishes... Like I've said, my concern is whether the storyline will be dumbed down to cater to an even younger audience still or not. If it is, then welp... I might drop it.
As for the new drawing style... I guess that is subjective. I really dig it but I can see why other people wouldn't.
Ho. Ly. Shit this arc finale was like the best hour of pokemon anime ever. Everyone got their time to shine. TR got their revenge on Team Flare and a crucial save toward the end there. The gym leader lineup with the old theme and their contributions. True to form, champions Steven and Diantha never fell (and had a badass back to back shot with their mega psychic-types). And in the end, Puni-chan x2 saved Kalos in an epic smackdown. Could not have asked for more.
Also what the hell is the megalith? Some kind of sentient being hellbent on destruction and only capable of being felled by a legendary pokemon (M-Ray, Zygarde100)? It would explain why Rayquaza was so angry that it was unearthed back in Mega Evolution special 2, at least.
Alola anime looks absurd. What the hell are the writers thinking?
Also what the hell is the megalith? Some kind of sentient being hellbent on destruction and only capable of being felled by a legendary pokemon (M-Ray, Zygarde100)? It would explain why Rayquaza was so angry that it was unearthed back in Mega Evolution special 2, at least.
Alola anime looks absurd. What the hell are the writers thinking?
The real question is "Why haven't you taken the rights from the studio", since, as I said, the executives, producers and directors are way more at fault for a shitty anime than the writers, who are heavily constrained by those.
But regarding changes, there's three levels of changes from canon - good, okay and bad. I'll be using examples from the 1st season since I can be certain people know what I refer to.
Good changes address something that was weak in the source material and improved upon in the adaptation. An improvement would be, for instance, developing Pokémon as characters since you can't do anything with them in the original games other than trading and battling; the battling itself has more dynamic in the way of positioning and mobility, which the games can only minimally provide. Another was deepening some characters based on actual canon hints - Blaine's love for riddles was inspired by his gym puzzle and Misty's tendency for all-out offense is background for her tomboyish attitude.
Okay changes generally involve side things that have little to no grounding in the source material, but are generally unobstrusive or well-written. The Team Rocket that is Jesse, James and Meowth may have a bit too much screentime, but having some recurring minor villains do give some nice content for lighter plots. Same goes for the wide range of side characters that are often interesting to see, though them coming and going can be a little sad.
Bad changes mess with the plot, clash with the tone of the source material or are generally unpleasant to see. The most notable canon break is the Sabrina plotline, where you have a gratitious psychotic personality, a very bad depiction of Psychic-Types the anime still refuses to stop doing and the probably worst gym battle ever portrayed in the anime. Plus, there are many egregious examples of breaking how combat works, specifically the involvement of type matchups.
So while you can make sensible changes, don't change up things just because or because you try to shoehorn in a plot that is completely out of place.
But regarding changes, there's three levels of changes from canon - good, okay and bad. I'll be using examples from the 1st season since I can be certain people know what I refer to.
Good changes address something that was weak in the source material and improved upon in the adaptation. An improvement would be, for instance, developing Pokémon as characters since you can't do anything with them in the original games other than trading and battling; the battling itself has more dynamic in the way of positioning and mobility, which the games can only minimally provide. Another was deepening some characters based on actual canon hints - Blaine's love for riddles was inspired by his gym puzzle and Misty's tendency for all-out offense is background for her tomboyish attitude.
Okay changes generally involve side things that have little to no grounding in the source material, but are generally unobstrusive or well-written. The Team Rocket that is Jesse, James and Meowth may have a bit too much screentime, but having some recurring minor villains do give some nice content for lighter plots. Same goes for the wide range of side characters that are often interesting to see, though them coming and going can be a little sad.
Bad changes mess with the plot, clash with the tone of the source material or are generally unpleasant to see. The most notable canon break is the Sabrina plotline, where you have a gratitious psychotic personality, a very bad depiction of Psychic-Types the anime still refuses to stop doing and the probably worst gym battle ever portrayed in the anime. Plus, there are many egregious examples of breaking how combat works, specifically the involvement of type matchups.
So while you can make sensible changes, don't change up things just because or because you try to shoehorn in a plot that is completely out of place.
It's interesting to go on Serebii and see how people's opinions of the new season are already all over the place.
Speaking of, somebody over there made a really good point about how Ash is probably being shoehorned into a premise that does not make sense for his character, especially coming off the heels of XYZ. Why would he ever need to go to school at this point? Replacing him would have legitimately made sense here if the "go to Pokémon(?) school and graduate" goal is what they're actually going with.
EDIT: Pikachu315111 I actually think Slice-Of-Life could work pretty well for a Pokémon show, but it would need a different cast that rotated kind of like what they did with the old Chronicles specials.
Speaking of, somebody over there made a really good point about how Ash is probably being shoehorned into a premise that does not make sense for his character, especially coming off the heels of XYZ. Why would he ever need to go to school at this point? Replacing him would have legitimately made sense here if the "go to Pokémon(?) school and graduate" goal is what they're actually going with.
EDIT: Pikachu315111 I actually think Slice-Of-Life could work pretty well for a Pokémon show, but it would need a different cast that rotated kind of like what they did with the old Chronicles specials.
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As I said, as a spinoff it could work. Heck, a spinoff with Pokemon Contests could be made into an idol anime as well. I was talking about the main anime, the one which is supposed to be an adaption of the games and the exploration of things from it. Would I watch a Pokemon anime about, say, a youngster's daily life and seeing how Pokemon have changed this world different from ours? Sure, sounds interesting. But for the main series I want Ash (since we're not getting rid of him*) going through the Island Challenge, dealing with Team Skull, and whatever the plot goes with the Ultra Beasts and the Aether Foundation.
* Since we're not getting rid of him... or maybe we could have. Since we have Alolan Professor Oak, why not have Alolan Ash? Maybe introduce us to Ash's cousin, we'll call him Soot, and how he's preparing to take the Island Challenge. You can have him catching a Pikachu to keep it as a mascot, though maybe give it a gimmick like it surfs on its tail (and though it won't evolve it'll have an Alolan Raichu surfing rival). We could even have an Alolan version of the Rocket trio except their from Team Skull (they could even have an Alolan Meowth, though instead of talking it just keeps quiet). Man, thinking about it they could have totally did an Alolan reset! But no, that would take too much caring to do.
The stills of the SM anime do look incredibly goofy looking but that trailer makes it look a lot better. Everything's a lot more loose and in motion, with more actual animation instead of the lazy "3/4 view of character from the torso upwards, bobbing up and down while a few different images animate their mouth". I mean it's still at like 2 frames per second but at least it's more interesting to look at than the same copy paste garbage.
OMFG they literally had to pull the big guns for damage control.
Rica is telling the fans she is also surprised by the change but tells the fans to enjoy Ash regardless as she will try her best on him.
Japanese kids actually hate this! My hope for mankind got boosted hard!!!
This is a good day for "Good taste"!
Rica is telling the fans she is also surprised by the change but tells the fans to enjoy Ash regardless as she will try her best on him.
Japanese kids actually hate this! My hope for mankind got boosted hard!!!
This is a good day for "Good taste"!
Because kids don't want a Pokemon anime where Ash goes to school, they want a Pokemon anime where Ash is taking on the Island Challenge.