Pokemon Scarlet & Violet - 18th Nov 2022! **OFFICIAL INFO ONLY**

I think Iono's... uh, everything would work better in a game with better visuals for its human characters. I find that the humans we've seen so far look really... plasticy, so a dynamic character like Iono just doesn't work here - as opposed to a game like SWSH, which had much more dynamic and lifelike character models.

Of course, I think the vtuber inspiration, along with the tease of info, meant that this character's reveal was going to be divisive no matter what, but I think the game's art choices hurt Iono here more than it helps.
 

bdt2002

Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs superfan
is a Pre-Contributor
Had a chance to watch Iono’s trailer, and… uh… it was interesting. That’s the most I can say about this. I’m all for characters in Pokémon helping people feel represented. Something about this doesn’t feel right, though. Maybe it’s my personal biases speaking, but it’s almost like the inclusion of characters as little more than social media icons just feels… it doesn’t feel like Pokémon, if that makes sense.
 
Proof that Gamefreak is as familiar with streamers as 70 year olds are
she doesn't look as a vtuber so much as some sort some of strange amalgamation of a 90's Shibuya teen and your japanese-word-stand-in-for-nerd

the eyes still look wrong
but heavens to murgatroyd the eyes of the main characters are so bad words literally fail me
 
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why did they give a heads up for 3 and a half minutes of a streamer girl who you will never hear the voice of in-game but Wiglett gets dropped with zero warning lol
Why do they keep creating characters and scenarios such as this where voice acting is common sense yet still not a single word will be spoken in game, except possibly "Pikachu".

Like if you aren't going to pay for voice actors stop making characters who's voice is their defining trait. Some of the kids playing these games aren't even able to read but this cheap ass company won't even do the bare minimum for accessibility.
 
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I'm not entirely sure what to make of this. For one thing, ignoring my opinion of the character herself, there was nothing in that segment that a Twitter post and 30 second video clip on it would fail to encompass.

That aside, call me a cynic, but I feel like this is kind of jumping into the character type or image without a lot of context for how she's utilized. Most people I associate with the idea of streaming Pokemon, or almost any subject, don't quite go this hard on their appearance for representing the elements, compared to things like Emotes or Stream Layout being an amalgamation of elements that make up their own brand or identity. Despite the influencer approach, so far the most I get is "Peppy Anime girl with Bubble Gum Electric Pokemon Color Outfit" out of this. If you told me this was a generic Trainer class like "Super Fan" or "Idol Star" I'd just as soon believe that.

She doesn't feel like she has a particularly distinct identity, good or bad, to be influential of anything. In a large-cast game like Pokemon where they typically want many discernible individuals to sell merch for, the character who's supposed to be an eye-catching social media presence just kind of being "there" isn't the best introduction.

Maybe this is expecting a bit much but I would have projected something like this to have been a framing device for the Overview Trailer we got a few days prior. Like, attach something like these parts to the beginning and end as an intro and "Like, Comment, Subscribe" bits, then maybe the recap trailer is framed as a React video where she chimes in with explanations or conjecture about the new info.
 
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I'm not entirely sure what to make of this. For one thing, ignoring my opinion of the character herself, there was nothing in that segment that a Twitter post and 30 second video clip on it would fail to encompass.

That aside, call me a cynic, but I feel like this is kind of jumping into the character type or image without a lot of context for how she's utilized. Most people I associate with the idea of streaming Pokemon, or almost any subject, don't quite go this hard on their appearance for representing the elements, compared to things like Emotes or Stream Layout being an amalgamation of elements that make up their own brand or identity. Despite the influencer approach, so far the most I get is "Peppy Anime girl with Bubble Gum Electric Pokemon Color Outfit" out of this. If you told me this was a generic Trainer class like "Super Fan" or "Idol Star" I'd just as soon believe that.

She doesn't feel like she has a particularly distinct identity, good or bad, to be influential of anything. In a large-cast game like Pokemon where they typically want many discernible individuals to sell merch for, the character who's supposed to be an eye-catching social media presence just kind of being "there" isn't the best introduction.

Maybe this is expecting a bit much but I would have projected something like this to have been a framing device for the Overview Trailer we got a few days prior. Like, attach something like these parts to the beginning and end as an intro and "Like, Comment, Subscribe" bits, then maybe the recap trailer is framed as a React video where she chimes in with explanations or conjecture about the new info.
she's basically an amalgamation of various streaming & performing concepts

aesthetically she's definitely meant to evoke vtubers (which definitely do go in on a theme and she's an electric leader so yeah she's gonna make it her whole Shtick), but also probably idols like kyary pamyu pamyu (especially in appearance, there's plenty that use this kind of aesthetic), and her streaming show definitely cares more off variety shows and "viewing party" type deals. & relevantly to Pokemon in particular, Shokotan doesn't go quite this har, but she's also definitely in this wheel house (influencer, performer, host, etc). I dunno how much the "like & subscribe" stuff is present in Japan, anyway...though they do at least kind of allude to it on the end card.
 
seeing a lot of "kawaii" qrts on japanese twitter so maybe its hitting better domestically or something
I've seen a fair number of western fans enjoy her too, lot of streamer and vtuber jokes (affectionately)

I think this is a case where if you're meh on her or like her you get a pretty normal reaction out of it but if you do not like it as a concept you go straight to hate it. Not helped by anyone who, say, woke up early in the morning to watch the new trailer and got hit in the face by an aggressively performative personality that revealed absolutely nothing for almost 4 minutes.
 
I'm indifferent but I really hope they don't overplay her personality within the game. Like Raihan was a decent character, but he really did not have to have a Rotom Phone in every animation, or say something about selfies or comments every other line.


But realistically that's exactly what they're going to do.
The actual dialog on display here is less mentioning her stream/viewers every line so I'm guessing this is in line with how she is in the game: very Perky (genki~), excitable, playing it up, talking about her pokemon being cute, etc. She'll probably have a few lines about her viewers watching the match and stuff like that but at the end of the day a perky character is, yeah, gonna be pretty perky. There'll also probably be a few "earnest" lines thrown in too, as you do.
 
Feels like a missed opportunity* to not have the streamer character be used more during the promo cycle, presenting mini trailers, recaps etc.

From a world and character building perspective, I mean. I don’t find this character trope particularly endearing.
They could've opened up a Twitter page and yt channel for this girl and have her do promo shit today. Like have her stream the game for an hour or something. That could've tied up a lot of things
 

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