#sm champion ash

[gods-of-kanto]

Ash, before you start destroying the camera, we have been warning you guys for a while now. And YOU, Ash, decided not to listen. Why should you be mad at us when we have every damn right to be mad at you for not listening to us?!?

I tried to stay silent about this but I can't stay silent no longer. Haven't you noticed how King has been acting different? How he felt scared of something? Did you?

DID YOU?!?

Peach: And for your information, you fucking cocksucker, Ash has been draining himself sick checking on King and Red and all of us. Go fuck yourself

The Ketchums are now refusing to talk to you.

((Congratulations! You have officially begun the end of the arc. The SM!Crew will end once this is over unless you find a way to regain their trust!))

[certifiedproblemcauser]

on one of my last wonder trades for pokemon x before the 3ds shutdown someone sent me a level 100 garchomp hatched in 2014

that was someones baby. he's in a luxury ball. he's ev trained. he's had pokerus. they loved this thing. i was traded a level 1 gible named JetPiranha. that's his brother now. i'm going to lose my mind.

[shima-draws]

ASH IS RETIRING?? Thank god let that boy REST

[soulsilversprings]

saw a headcanon ask and now you get one too. favorite blorbo headcanons?

ooh yay thank you!! i'm just gonna do the first 10 i can think of, here we go:

drew stans weezer unironically. he has a reddit account solely for debating whether the blue album or pinkerton is better. i stand by this

in my timeline of events for my fics, zoey's done contests before DP. her first circuit was actually in johto, because she wanted to challenge herself by going somewhere entirely new. that's where she got misdreavus from! daisy oak was her mentor figure, and she also competed alongside marina and became good friends with them both

another zoey hc - i think it would be really funny if her type was extroverted blue-haired coordinators. dawn, obviously but also marina and lisia

ash has synesthesia. and perfect pitch, even though he's never played an instrument. cilan is jealous and outraged at the latter

gary had a poetry/journaling phase when he was around 15 in sinnoh. he was inspired by his grandpa's poetry and proverbs he heard around the region like "when every life meets another, something will be born." so he kept a journal of original poems for a bit, but he abandoned it after a year or so, and nowadays he cringes at his cliches when he looks back. there's probably a few poems unraveling his feelings for ash in there

goh does 80% of his shopping at uniqlo. look at him and tell me he doesn't

chloe pushed herself to be social when she was young, especially because she saw how goh got treated for being antisocial, but as she grows up she comes to realize that she has a lower social battery than she would like. if she has two (2) packed social days in a row she will lose her mind

serena and chloe were obsessed with cimorelli's youtube covers when they were in their early teens. they grow out of it but it comes up as a big "wait, what? you actually know what i'm talking about?" moment when they become friends in their 20s

social media hcs: misty was a myspace girlie, gary knows that twitter is now (regrettably) X but he draws the line at knowing what tiktok is, dawn and may thrived during the vine era but only dawn actively uses tiktok, serena was all about that 2014 instagram christian girl autumn aesthetic, lana streams on twitch, brock was the first of his friends to join facebook and that's where he peaked, iris only created her social media accounts once she became unova champion, zoey's accounts are managed by a PR specialist so that she can just relax and play words with friends, ash plays among us but forgets his actual SM accounts exist, and paul is ride or die with his nokia flip phone

ash is the shortest among shigesatogou, but he can still sling both goh and gary over his shoulder no problem (we stan a short athletic king)

[juliamex3]

headcanons of what I think the anipoke cast is up to in the future

Ash - Still traveling the world, on a journey to become a Pokemon Master, cuz ofc he is. He's changed his approach and focuses more on learning about Pokemon, but will still never say no to a good battle. Fights hard to stay World Champion. Occasionally still works for Cerise

Misty - She's still the leader of the Cerulean City Gym but she's slowly working up her way to becoming a Kanto Elite Four Member

Brock - Pokemon Doctor! Has been all over the place helping out at different Pokemon Centers over the years

Gary - He's a Pokemon Professor! Well known for all kinds of insane discoveries. He works under his Grandpa and eventually takes over the Lab. Still has a rivalry with Goh.

Tracey - He's Garys assistant now, make sthe lab very chaotic. Started taking art commissions on the side

May - Well known Top Coordinator who has won multiple Grand Festivals! But she still comepetes in contests and travels with the hoen coordinator gang

Max - Gymleader, he's taken over the Petalburg City gym! Dunno what his type though is, he can mix em if he wants to

Dawn - Also a well known Top Coordinator with multiple wins, and she still occasionally competes in contests. I like the idea of her getting into fashion and designing.

Paul - Either a Gym Leader or an Elite Four member, maybe even Sinnoh Champion, but definitely still battles

Iris - Contiunes to be Unovas champion, trying to snatch Ashs world champ title and learning about dragon types on the way

Cilan - S class connoisseur! Still likes traveling but also stays in Striaton a lot to help out in the café, though he doesn't act as gym leader anymore

Serena - Reining Kalos Queen and Pokevision influencer! Also her and Lisia are a pop star duo

Clemont - Not a gym leader anymore either, he's focused more on his inventions and becomes pretty well known for it

Bonnie - New Lumiose Gym Leader! I like to think she tried out both gym battles and showcases when she was old enough to go on her own journey, but ended up being drawn towards batrling a lot more. I also like the idea of her beconing Kalos champion eventually

Mallow - Pretty much took over Ainas Kitchen and started branding out their name to other Alola Islands

Lana - I kinda like the idea of her getting interested in acting after the gig she and the other sm girls had, still fishes with her dad for fun

Kiawe - Akala Islands newest Kahuna! Contributes to keeping the Alola league tournament alive as well. He doesn't have much time to help with the farm anymore but still delivers milk every morning

Sophocles - Works at Pokemon NASA, far off from going to space but he'll get there

Lillie - I am very attached to Lillie being a teacher at the Pokemon school, but I also like the idea of her writing books. Either way she does something booksmart tm

Gladion - Works at the AF, got sucked into the family buisness and researching UBs after Lillie the Nihilego

Goh - Cerises assistant still working for his own Professor title and more than mildly upset at the fact Gary managed to get there before him, he specialices researching species that were discovered more recently and has an always increasing of his own Pokemon to look after

Koharu - Since she doesn't have a canon long term goal, her story line was moreso about figuring out what she wants to do, that kind of makes her a catch all character. I can see her do anything really she works with whatever. Ik she helps out her dad as a research fellow at the end of the series and I also like her getting more into contests but I don't really think she does either of those forever? I like the idea of her doing photography, it's artistic in the opposite direction of what her mom does

[fiannalover]

Pokémon Fic Recs

Because I read a lot of fics and am always on the prowl, so I felt like sharing a non exhaustive rec list under read more. Feel free to add recs on reblog if you want!

Savoir-Faire: To Know and To Do -  This is the one. If there is a fic I beg everyone to read it's this. multi-chapter but not that long PLEASE do it. MC of an alternate XY was cursed by rampaging Legendaries with immortality. 10 years later, jaded Marguerite Linden du Bois is finishing her paper on Pokémon World Sociology, taking a newbie trainer for the road. Read for Humanities Things, Ghost-Types, the apathetic weight of immortality, worldbuilding, the workings of Pokémon League, Research Assistant Darkray, Royalty and more. I am begging you to read it.

Ashes of the Past - Peggy Sue fic where Cyrus destroyed the world and Arceus decided the best way to deal with that was send Ash back to the start of his journey (after some Aura training). Saphroneth writes fights *amazingly*, specially around Orange Island, where he took a break and came back with a glow-up. Fic is dead now, but consider reading, if nothing else, the Suicune or the Tobias Fight.

A professor and student + The 48 - I have this unproved feeling there is an overkill amount of “Ash is traumatized after Kalos" but this is The one about it. Kukui takes care of Ash in Alola and helping the boy set some boundaries and stuff. This and the wider “The 48” series are amazing Ash, and you can find great longer fics and one-shots alike here. Adults but not grown-ups (Alola Supporting Cast one-shots) and Left Behind (Ash and a Future Ash end up swapping time places during XY while brock is visiting) are real stand-outs. 

You Thought - Aliens invaded and took over the Pokémon World, but actual Pokémons still give them trouble. The premise may seem weird, but it is a means for amazing descriptions of how even the common Meowth could be terrifying and disruptive for an outside-context watcher.

A home can be found - Lillie during and after OG SM, finding a new family with Kukui, Bunet and her friends.

What the Sun Leaves Behind - Hau is inheriting Hala’s spot as kahuna after the latter died, and Gladion shows up to give him a pep talk when Hau runs off into the woods from nerves. It is tagged as Hau/Gladion but it is really a platonic deal.

A Little Bit of Maschiff - Juliana decides that getting a Maschiff of her own is the perfect thing for her friendship with Arven. She gets more than she bargained for, with Arven helping her tame the wretched beast.

The Clues - isshushipping. 5+1 One-Shot Fic of N being In Denial about Team Plasma during BW.

colder in the summertime - One-shot. Morty is cursed. Read for pretty boys in cold fever, nosebleeds, exhaustion, the whole shish-kebab.

Read It Now.

Collateral - Faller!Touya, and the International Police helping him, while his friends try to find him. Sad. Great.

Pinky Promise - Gloria/Hop One-Shot. Hop fighting for dear life to get Gloria a Christmas Gift.

Massive “The Kids Are Doing Fine” energy. Adorable.

The Earth, the Sky and the Sea - An enigmatic narrator retells and expands the Hoenn Weather Trio story. Excellent atmosphere. 

HIS2435: Sinnohan Myths and Legends - Cynthia giving a College-level History Class. Chaos Mayhem Etc. Lots of author touches and headcanons and references but can be comfily (and hilariously) read on its own.

Masahop/Train shipping section (I may have a problem)

Do you believe in love at first sight? - Hop getting a crush on Gloria, slowly realizing over the years he’s actually in Love with Victor. Vic is the MC/Champion. The fic has a charmingly unique Victor (chronically ill/frail immune system - Hop gets to care for his health a Lot it’s cute), and feels very Earnestly Adorable in Hop’s bisexual crisis. writer is requesting feedback so please give them some love!

Kiss Your Neo Champion - Hop got his Neo Champion clothes. He has a boyfriend. What is not clicking

Sunshine Riptide - Instead of Words, I’ll put these excerpts here:

[tervaneula]

I read the spinoff chapter and am greatful you didn't put deep flashbacks of usagi getting destroyed & F!leo suffering (because let's be honest he suffered enough).

In the preparation to get the portal open my ADHD thoughts went " wait, what about donnie or raph? " then i remembered i saw their ghosts and i was like " bruh i forgot ", the sentence where the ancestors didn't approve Usagi as a hamato kinda ashed my heart💔

I was in awe for Barry when he just glared daggers into F!leo saying " cause any more pain to my favorite child and you'll suffer more.

In the portal when i saw the red light i remembered that moment in the movie where leo got blasted by the prime Kraang which caused me to bite my lips remembering how i hated that.

They finally pulled Usagi back & am like " yes yes yes! " then i hear about him almost getting heart attack while bleeding fountain and am like " no no no! ", until the little champion medic leo & his twin/sidekick donnie save usagi!!🤩🤩

Finally reaching the sweet sweet BEAUTIFUL moment where the 2 idiots are finally together, tears falling, words get told (sweet words) and my heart goes " JUST KISS ALREADY!! " 🥺🥺

The extra end left my jaw a gap AND laughing like, you acknowledge of the " samurai rabbit " show!!🤩🤩🤩 and F!mikey not allowing little leo to date is just 😂 i can tell leo will suffer greatly if he dared to cross F!mikey after all that an older, much scarier Dr. D.T here

All an' all, THANK YOU A MILLION FOR MAKING THIS CHAPTER ❤🩷🧡💛💚🩵💙💜 The moment i read " Leo's heart doesn't feel whole... But it's full " made me feel giddy, warm & happy inside 💓 NQK strikes again to make my whole week beautiful 🩷✨

Thank you very very VERY MUCH

Oooooohhh my goodness DUDE WHGH. THIS COMMENT. OH MY GOD I LOVE YOU SM holy shit I've been just sitting here and reading this and giggling like an absolute dang fool

I'm so happy to hear all of this and yesss YESSSSS YOU GOT THE REFERENCE TO THE SAMURAI RABBIT SHOW I'M SO HAPPY I COULD HUG YOU!!! I'd love to reply in depth to each paragraph you wrote but I'm just here nodding enthusiastically at everything you said so it wouldn't be very coherent lmao. Just know that I'm holding every sentence close to my heart, your thoughts are very important to me!!

Gosh anyway THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!! I'm so grateful that you enjoyed the fic so much and I'm especially glad that it made you feel warm and happy<333 In its core NQK is exactly about that (spinoffs and AUs of the spinoffs included, obviously) so I feel accomplished and thankful and

[epicspheal]

Suppose DeNA ultimately incorporates the Let’s Go kids into Masters (Chase, Elaine, Trace, and maybe even Green). How would you go about incorporating them to exist alongside the FRLG Pallet trio?

Hi there @ether-gearhead!

Oooh this is a good and tough question! I feel like DeNA is going to likely pull a Johto where they just sort of combine FRLG and Let's Go together like they did with Crystal and HGSS. By that I mean Kris just exist alongside Ethan and Lyra's in the same universe and kind of having her own thing I will say it's a much easier task to do this with Kris because she has the benefeit of the Pokespe manga being able to inform some of her character since in Pokespe she works with Oak and we see her conversing with him a lot in Pokemas and she was searching for Suicune in the manga which again informed her partner for her Sygna Suit. Let's go isn't going to be as seamless of an addition because they truly exist in a different timeline as: 1) The first Kantrio female protagonist is named Green and not Leaf 2) The first Kantrio have a different starter and team composition 3) Chase/Elaine take the place of Red's role in Let's Go being the one to defeat Team Rocket and capture Mewtwo (if we add Origins into this) 4) Trace takes the place of Blue as the surprise champion who gets defeated soon after While Pokemon Masters is definitely a multiverse crossover (especially with the addition of Ash from the anime) I feel like Let's Go's cast is a little harder to integrate since from the PML league, various smaller stories, and the Kanto Villain arc they really hyped up Red as this living legend who defeated Team Rocket and became champion by taking down his true rival Blue. It gets referenced so much that I don't know if they'd be that eager to try a mulitversal counterpart for that scenario, especially when the reception of the Let's Go cast isn't as great unfortunately. And while I can see them adding Green to the mix, I feel like with Leaf already being shafted (she needs another alt I'm hoping she gets a Neo Champion one or something) it would just further hurt Leaf. All this to say (as a long aside)...this is Gamefreak's fault for being too chicken to just go all in on making Let's Go a true sequel and not this halfway reimagining/halfway sequel thing. Because the idea of Red, Blue and Green/Leaf being mentors to a younger squad of Pallet Town kids is fantastic. With a younger Mina appearing in Let's Go and Adult versions of Red and Blue appearing in SM/USUM I think it would've been wiser to just have had Adult Red and Blue with an adult female protagonist (doesn't matter if they name her Leaf or Green) appear in Let's Go as mentors and have Chase/Elaine and Trace take on a new story set in Kanto. Like center it on Meltan/Melmetal and Shadow Pokemon from remnants of Team Rocket (to tie in with Pokemon Go). Maybe since Trace shows that he's easily frightened, make him already a champion (like how they did Nemona) but his lack of courage and at times unwillingness to push his Pokemon in situations be the reason why Chase/Elaine have to step in...which ultimately ends in him losing the title. But since Red and Blue would be adults here, perhaps at some point they run into Kukui and learn about his dream for Alola and we see them decide to go be facility heads for the Battle Tree. And then in the post-game we see Blue handing the reigns of the Viridian City gym to Trace (who I think could be a good successor). They could even with this add more of a plot to the female protagonist. Maybe she decides to stay in Kanto to help the kids out...or maybe she teases traveling to some other region.

That, in my opinion, would've been a way better use of the new kids while giving the first Kantrio some time to shine. And most importantly, it would've made adding the Let's Go kids to Pokemon Masters way more seamless. And more lucrative for DeNA since a more original story would've enhanced the popularities of Trace, Elaine and Chase. But unfortunately that didn't happen I think if DeNA does add them, given what's actually canon for them, I think they may just focus more on Alolan/Kanto variants of Pokemon. Like an event where Alola and Kanto characters (mainly Let's Go) compare variants. Trace has the Marowak so they could have a battle with him and Kiawe and his Alolan Marowak. I could see them just combining Green's character into Leaf and giving her a Ninetales and then giving Lillie an Alola Ninetales (as a nod to the anime) and have them face off. They could then give Chase/Elaine Kantonian Golem and Dugtrio against Alolan Dugtrio (Molayne) and Alolan Golem (Sophocles). They could also use Meltan/Melmetal for a Let's Go event, but I could honestly see them doing an Ash Alt for that since he has Melmetal (if Ash does get more Alts, a Melmetal and Greninja alt are the most likely ones in my opinion). If they were to give it to the let's go kids I can see them doing it for any one of them honestly.

[turboacek-blog]

I wonder when they knew journeys would be the last Ash series

Just something I thought about when I remember everyone arguing/going back and forth about if this was Ash’s last series

And since it is his last series I wonder if this was always the plan or was it a decision that came later?

As in, when journeys first started some saw the traveling to every region/world traveling aspect as a sign it was the last series for Ash

Some saw the PWC/WCS as a sign

Some saw it when Ash was seeing so many of his old companions

And others by the time it was the Masters 8 and most were sure Ash would win they felt there was nowhere else to go

Nothing has come out yet officially

But my thoughts are that they didn’t know when Journeys first started

Maybe they thought about it since it would be after SM and Ash won the league but they didn’t make journeys in mind that this would be Ash’s finale series

I don't know how legit you can take it

But I saw something that implied that as the games got more and more nonlinear the anime team had a harder time making the series

This could explain the school idea for Sun and Moon and the world journey for Journeys since the gen 7 games broke the badge formula and Galar put a different approach to it

So if they think it’s too hard to make a series with Ash as the games get less linear then maybe Gen9/ Scarlet and Violet was the straw

As SV is very open world and not linear

So when they started to brainstorm for Gen 9 maybe they truly got stuck on what to do with Ash

As for the other “signs” like companions

Maybe by the time of Serena's appearance we can perhaps think they thought about it

But Korinna was probably just a nice cameo from a gym leader people would have a connection to and does make it seem more like a world tournament as it went from mostly Kanto trainers to Kalos Gym leader

And then afterward with Iris, Dawn, etc it was mostly just ideas and other stuff and didn't play too much into a final series

Like Iris being champion probably wasn’t because Ash was leaving but maybe they just wanted her in the M8 over Alder as the we’re going to do all champions and take advantage of the character they actually developed already that became champion in the games over Alder who had the occasional episode in BW

Dawn was because of Gen 4 remakes clearly but maybe her final appearance to watch the finals was a finale thing

All in all I don't know and no one truly does unless they explain why

But just from how I perceived the process of Journeys from beginning to end

If anything they might have thought of passing the torch from Ash to Goh due to Goh being a co-lead but since Goh was a co-lead they still wanted Ash to be there which might say that even if no ideas they still wanted Ash there

Then as it went on, and maybe some of the complaints and critiques of how they were handling JN in the beginning really took a hold that

When they were doing the near complete rework of JN, that Goh got Project Mew, Chloe had her Eevee storyline, etc they maybe had a clearer vision for the series

So they had a clearer plan and was doing well for a good stretch of episodes, people were excited by Iris and Gary and that kept up for Sophocles, Clemont and Bonnie, Serena and etc

Then what happened?

I think it's a mix of things one of the more glaring ones is the animating problems they were having as with all the recaps and such they had

I think the first real hint in hindsight is the two kids calling him champion in Alola, as before it wouldn't have been mentioned as it wasn't brought up in the previous Alola episode with his classmates but it was brought up here and I think that was the writers saying ‘ok were not trying to minimize it anymore Ash had a major accomplishment and he's a champion and has battled champions (Iris) and will work his way up to be amongst the champions like Lance and Leon

But I do just generally think while doing the planning and etc for the Masters 8 they thought that this is a nice climax for Ash and to end it here

Not necessarily that they couldn't move past this point as SV has a set up to justify Ash’s strength and still have him lose and learn and etc

Him beating all the champions including the best in the world and then going back to gyms would be a little weird sure

Plus if you already kinda believed they thought about it for Gen 5 since it was soft reboot, and Gen 7 with the different formula then this is a better ending than if they ended him in Gen 4 or 6

And just other factors that probably had a small percentages in the grand scheme but could add up to a decent chunk, like Ash’s Japanese voice actress is getting older, the time window from game announcement to the anime having to “adapt” it, the general viewership not as high, older fans and younger fans wants clashing at times, series direction etx

I do just think this is a high to go out on

[pokemon-fangirl-myth]

An Old AU that’s been living in my brain for almost 10 years.

(Putting it under the line because last time I made a post of this mild length and type someone got really salty)

Ash comes to Alola for a Training Arc™ and gets dragged into the plot of SM (Games)

Other details include

Ash being around 16-17. Hau being like 11-13. Lillie being ~12. Gladion being ~14.

Ash helps Kukui construct the Pokemon League for Alola because Ash has connections & Kukui wants to make Alola’s first League an absolute banger. So he’s aiming for it to be an Island Challenge Champion + Pokemon League Vet Tournament. Only people who have simply participated in previous Leagues can attend, not winners.

generic-ass tags would include something along the lines of BAMF!Ash, Aura!Ash, Smarter!Ash, etc etc because I was fuckin basic man

Also Ash’s Pidgeot is back, she’s there and she’s lovely. Ash also gets a Rockruff. #MiddayDogSupremacy

Speaking of dogs, Gladion gets Midnight and Hau gets Dusk because he deserves the special good boy.

Ash is Tired yet Chooses Violence.

Oh and near the end of Akala/Around the time he’s in Ula’Ula, a Bunch™ of old friends and rivals alike Appear for vacation or other reasons. Its the Crossover Event of Ash’s history, this man is going to get so roasted by all of his friends.

Expanded teams for said friends!

it also included OCs that Ash basically had to babysit to further his requirement of being the Adult of the group lol

[sage-nebula]

The Pokeani really has gone downhill after finishing XYZ. The change in art style, the change from a continuous Gym League journey to just going wherever the plot of the episode demands, catching Legendaries, Mythicals, and Ultra Beasts. It's sad, really.

I don't think that's really true . . . while I didn't like Ash's design in SM and while the slice of life format wasn't really for me, SM did have some really stellar episodes, such as the one where Mallow reunited with her mom's spirit. I also really liked the fact that all of the characters were able to build upon their interactions with each other. While some didn't get as much focus as others, they also had a pretty large cast so that was at least a little understandable. Journeys has less of an excuse with how Koharu has been neglected, but Journeys also has some standout episodes and arcs, not the least of which has been the sheer number of returns from past companions. Even Tracey got to come back from the very nice farm that Oak had apparently sent him to in past series. So that was really nice.

Plus, while I did of course LOVE LOVE LOVE TSME and Alan's episodes in the main series, it's not as if XY(Z) didn't have its own problems. From how Ash was put on a pedestal by practically everyone and wasn't allowed to have noticeable flaws to the sheer downgrade of Performance Showcases from Contests, XY(Z) had a lot of issues too that didn't make it the best series ever.

I think every saga of the PokéAni has its strengths and weaknesses. The real problem, imo, is that Ash has continued to be the protagonist, which has hampered the types of stories they're able to tell. For instance, imagine if Ash had stayed in Alola as its Champion at the end of SM, Journeys focused on Gou and Koharu equally as they traveled around a region (preferably Galar), and then Ash came back specifically for the Masters 8. Everyone would have been so hyped to see him again, and it would have been great. Instead we had to watch him have an uber team handed to him, have a lot of his battles off-screen, etc because "Ash trains to be the strongest trainer" is something that's been done over and over again for the past 25 years. It's old and tired. If they have him beat Leon at the end of this, then I hope it's because they're retiring him (and the TRio along with him since he's the only reason they're there). It'd be what's best for the anime, I think.

But regardless, like I said at the top of that paragraph, every saga of the PokéAni has its good points and its bad. It's not a perfect show and it never has been. Doesn't mean we can't criticize it when need-be, but I think holding any one saga of the anime up as a gold standard to trash on the others is always a mistake, just as it's a mistake to do that with the game generations.

[gods-of-kanto]

Maybe try pulsing our messages in Morse Code.

SM!all: -•• •- -• --• • •-•

[snarkylinda]

So ...when did Ash made decision of travelling again? Lmao I don't mean to where, I mean the choice itself.

Back in SM *throws confetti* he had this lil period of following his routine before being hit by the fact that he is a champion now, so what is next.

[shima-draws]

Shima I will literally cry if the next episode is actually Ash's last. I will sob. I will die. Shima that episode is going to make EVERYONE cry bc it'll be emotional oh no. I'm so proud of him tho like omg it took 25 years but Ash Ketchum is finally a Pokemon master and I'm so proud of him

Also genuinely curious what the hell will happen for the scarlet/violet anime then, if Ash isn't there

I don’t think it’s the NEXT one bc that’s the Project Mew episode focusing on Goh but I believe the one after that might be the Journeys series finale;;

Idk I mean. I wasn’t ready to let Ash go when SM ended because I felt like there was still more for him to do. But Journeys kinda tackled everything? This entire time it’s really felt like the final chapter in Ash’s adventure, where he gets to go around to every region he’s traveled through and revisit all of the people he’s met there and really show how much he’s grown since he left Pallet Town all that time ago. Journeys is really just a love letter to all of Ash’s adventures over the past 25 years, and with his recent win at the World Championships I really think this might be it. But it’ll be ending on a really good note, you know?

The only thing I really really hope they don’t do is a cheesy time skip where they show him grown up and married with kids or whatever. I’d really rather have that sort of ending left ambiguous?? Ash has always been a kid and I’d like it to stay that way. Have him celebrate his win as he is now and don’t skip ahead 10 years or whatever to see what he’s up to. Just leave it open ended with the idea that yeah he’s gonna go on more adventures and meet more people but we’re done telling his story for now. I’d love to see one last hurrah with all of his friends and rivals and just have the series end there. That’d be SUCH a good ending 🤧

But I dunno! They might keep going from here. I’m not sure how much higher Ash can aim than World Champion lol which is why I don’t really see them bringing him back for another season but I could be wrong. I know a lot of people have really been gunning for a new protagonist so that’s the direction I could see them going in for a Gen 9 anime. AND as a special bonus they could probably bring Ash back for an episode or two as a guest appearance and he could help out the main character with something :’)

We’ll have to see what happens next week when that episode premiers!! But either way I will probably cry when it’s over bc I always get emotional when a Pokemon series ends

[monstersummongenre]

Why There Wasn’t More Galar in Journeys Theory pt 1: Intro & Ash

So, something I've been thinking about a lot is the decision to not make Journeys take place solely in Galar and as it's a point of frustration for some I thought I'd share my thoughts on it. My thoughts consist of three main points, the fanbase, Ash, and Goh & Chloe. Through these points I will discuss why they might not have centered the season in Galar despite it  being the "Sword & Shield" anime (spoiler, it's because it's not).

The Fanbase

Now I don't know how much fan reaction plays a part in the crafting of the seasons but if it plays any part in it, I seem to remember that fans weren't exactly excited about the look of the Galar region when the game came out. If fan reaction does play a part I could see why they might not want to show too much Galar. If people don't even like how it looks, why spend so much time there? 

This point is more of a speculation, and even a bit of a "why are people mad when they didn't like it anyway" kind of point(not fully though because I get the frustration) so I started with it to get it out of the way. I can't actually say whether the fan reaction to the game had any part in this but I did think it was worth mentioning. My next point however I think plays a much bigger role in this decision to just visit Galar sometimes.

Ash

In Pokémon Sword & Shield, one of the biggest components as you go through it is the Gym Challenge. It's literally so big in the Galar region, one has to be endorsed to join it.

And while I'm sure Ash easily could've stumbled into Galar, met Hop & or Leon and get endorsed for the Gym Challenge, why would he want to? Correction, why would the writers want to write that again? 

Ash leaving Alola has won a Championship. He has in the past also won the Orange Island League but I know less about that so I'll do what most others do and ignore that for a moment. Now Ash has spent the previous 22 seasons, doing gym battles, or as I'm assuming in Alola(sorry haven't finished SM yet)  the Island challenges. He's spent series after series challenging Gyms, taking on the regions' leagues and after many losses, has become a champion in a region.

Why would the next season be him taking on another Gym Challenge? He's been there and done that so many times. If they want to do a fresh season, with something new, the Gym Challenge isn't gonna offer much new for Ash. And that being said what else would Ash do in Galar if not the Gym Challenge? There's not much to spend his time on if not the Gym Challenges, sure there's Dynamaxing, the whole thing with Chairman Rose and getting to battle Leon but like? That's a gimmick to learn and a or two climax. There's not much to hold onto with Ash for three whole seasons in Galar.

Of course they could spend some of the time on whoever Ash's new cast would be. Oh wait, even if not in Galar, they did do that.

Part 2: Goh & Chloe | Part 3: SwSh Anime?/Conclusion

[pacikiara]

I feel like the Pokemon Journeys Masters 8 is falling kinda flat

in terms of hype, the animation and writing doesn't live up to it.

Iris should've interacted with Lance, she's a dragon master who looks for other dragon users to learn more from their experience and grow as a character and champion. why didn't she talk to Lance?? the mfer has THREE dragonites in his champion team it would've been great to see some interactions

Ash should've fought Alain, instead of him losing so horribly to Leon and Ash winning so.. ridiculously against Steven Stone. Like why Steven, there is nothing at stake to make us feel for either of them while Alain and Ash actually have history.

Hop does nothing, he is nothing in the anime so far, and is sidelined and added so.. suddenly? near the endgame? I really wish he got more instead of just being a spectator in the stands

not to mention the fights, it feels so.. slow. Compared to XY and SM, people may not like Sun and Moon's art style but their animation is very good. While Journeys feels really static and takes a nosedive down in entertainment, Ash has not been creative with any of his strategies and that's a damn shame because that's what I look forward to when he battles. Not to mention that all of their pokemon go down in like max 3 moves

I don't fully blame the writers and animators for this because it's the higher-ups' fault. Animators and Writers aren't lazy, they can do very very well when they're not rushed for time, or underpaid.

so what I'm saying is that I think Pokemon is rushing and underpaying the people working on the anime. and they all deserve better so we can get a better show