When did Pokémon lose its way?

I would not say that the franchise is hopelessly lost but somehow it seems like it is not where it is supposed to be.

The Pokémon games are still (mostly) good but there have also been several terrible games released that drag the average way down.

The Pokémon anime is still alive but almost every episode of the latest season pales in comparison to almost ANY episode in the early seasons. I think the ratio is something like, 1 good episode out every 25 or something. Just watching them side by side is painful because the level of quality and consistency is so one sided. (Not that I am saying that Best wishes is 100% awful either)

Pokémon cards. These things used to be everywhere but now are barely ever seen. Although you could say that the cards were simply part of a fad, they had an insane amount of popularity for a time and I cannot help but wonder if more could have been done to improve the game.


Where did it all go wrong? When did it happen?
 
everyone knows pokemon never changes, youve probably just changed


btw sinnoh league is the best league in the anime
 
It's not that the series is bad, I think it's just that we are growing. Keep in mind, Pokemon (especially the anime) is targeted for a younger audience. I have an 8 year old brother who loves the anime whereas I now detest it. The old shows I will still watch simply for the nostalgia. As for the games, I still enjoy them and actually think they're better than the old ones.
 

internet

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I honestly don't think pokemon is getting worse, though it's definitely changing

I'm a child tho
 
Yeah, this is sort of the same logic that makes Genwunners so annoying. It's not like the franchise is getting worse, it's just that you're not part of the target demographic anymore, and you're starting to notice how silly the whole thing is.
 
''The Pokémon games are still (mostly) good but there have also been several terrible games released that drag the average way down.''
The focus of pokemon is on the portable games of the main series. The fact that ''x random spin-off'' was shit doesnt affect the franchise at all.
''The Pokémon anime is still alive but almost every episode of the latest season pales in comparison to almost ANY episode in the early seasons''
The anime has always been bad. Its only a marketing tool for kids and nothing else.

Pokemon still follows the same formula. Its still a collect-battle-trade rpg and its still mainly targeted at kids. Pokemon has not changed. We changed.
 
All main series pokemon games are very similar. Everyone has a favorite, but if you like one, you'll like all of them.
The anime and card games were a fad, and died off like all fads do by definition. While I loved the anime when I was little, I would encourage you to watch an actual anime (example: Full metal Alchemist, One Piece, etc.) and compare them. The Pokemon "anime" is a children's show, by watching any episode you can see how it shares many characteristics with other childrens' shows (the extremely slow pace of the story, stating things multiple times to ensure the audience understands, etc.)
Pokemon actually hasn't changed a whole lot, but the fads have died down.
 
Yeah, this is sort of the same logic that makes Genwunners so annoying. It's not like the franchise is getting worse, it's just that you're not part of the target demographic anymore, and you're starting to notice how silly the whole thing is.
Nah, it's definitely different -- I'm not saying for better or worse mind you, but it's most definitely different; the catching all the Pokemon element is definitely diminished now and the games have really become more cut down versions of the overall story (which kind of makes sense, because making a game that could span all the anime series would be colossal).

One thing to keep in mind is that the first set of games were created before the TV show (the original games were released in 1996, while the show didn't come along until 1997), and I remain unconvinced anyone could've foreseen that the TV would be an extended run (especially given the quality of the actual animation in the early series -- one could pretty easily argue the TV only ever existed to build interest in the games), so really it just reboots every season to get the next generation of kids into the games and cards.
 
i don't believe the anime was ever any good. i just think we're all blinded by nostalgia and find comfort in believing that it got worse over time, even though we all just grew out of it. it still follows the same formula as it did from the start.

regarding the games, there is not one mainline game i dislike. i have a favorite, sure, but they are all good. people that apply the "if it's not broke don't fix it" formula in regards to the games are wearing nostalgia glasses or like the idea of disliking what the majority like. every change that has been made since gen 1 to gen 5 bar random mechanics like sleep and the explosion nerf have ultimately made the games better, even if you don't particularly agree with them.
 

mattj

blatant Nintendo fanboy
I haven't watched the Anime since I was 14, but my daughter likes it a bit so it's on every once in a while. Other than that it's drawn much better and stretched out longer, I don't see much of a difference. But I guess I don't really pay attention.

I also don't play the card game. But as far as I can tell it's doing great. There are TCG groups in every big town around here (St. Louis Missouri). Also, Battle Roads, States, Nationals, Worlds is pretty huge on the TCG side.

But I can speak to the video game part. It has not gotten worse in any aspect at all. It has only expanded and upgraded in every aspect, while maintaining the original, core gameplay idea (8 badges, exploration, E4, exploration, catch them all, exploration). If you think the video games aren't as good as they were, respectfully, the problem is with you, not the games.
 

Laga

Forever Grande
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The anime only ever was good for 2 things:

- Laughing at how much of an idiot Ash is
- Actually, that's it

Other than that, the pokemon anime is only fun to watch for small kids, and since the majority of smogon are >13, It's not going to be a place where pokemon anime is popular outside of people that get nostalgia boners from watching it.
 
Gen 5 sucked in almost every way for me. game was average, dream world ruined OU, no evolutions from previous generations and more useless Pokemon then ever. I could name every Pokemon but there are about 20 Pokemon I could not tell you the name of this gen.

It is well known that the anime is childish. I watched the first 3 generations on TV before school (say age 5-13). Every episode feels like a filler, wish they scrapped Ash and his gay friends and started from scratch with a more mature approach (not too mature but at around the level of One Piece or Naruto, anything too violent may hurt the brand). No one wants to see him go though a series with starter Pokemon.
 

Honus

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yeah id have to agree with jcpdragonx, i think the franchise fell off a bit after gen 5 because they had a solid formula going up until then and changed stuff to meet popular demands [like a better story and more resemblance to the first gen] but didnt execute it too well with ugly graphics and pokemon; a waste of my prestigious 35 bucks lol, faint is probably right about the anime. the new games look really good though, maybe the best we've seen yet...
 
The point about useless Gen 5 team is true. I'm looking at all my teams in this gen, I barely used one pokemon from gen 5, now yes I use HO exclusively but I'm sure many will agree with me that in most teams, gen 5 isn't there period.
 

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