Vote for why you think it jumped
Exit Stage Left...(Misty)
No more Brock
Day One
The Movie
Never Jumped
Shark Bytes
@previous poster:
You´ve got some points there, but what about the people who watched the show from the beginning? Pokemon may be aimed at a young audience, but older people are watching, too. And to them it´s really boring if almost every episode has the same story line. Don´t know about now, but during the Johto jouneys it was some kind of phenomenon.
I think that Pokemon didn´t really jump the shark but became worse when it turned into a complete kids´ show. Maybe it´s just me, but I find the first couple of episodes pretty much darker than the rest. I read an interesting article about how in the beginning ash´s fate was uncertain and there was some kind of evil in that happy Pokemon world. Team Rocket were real enemies and even death threads were made (in the japanese version, anyway).
If we watch Pokemon now we know that Ash´s gonna win and Team Rocket will lose. Personally I stopped caring if Ash wins his 150th badge. The gym fights used to be more exciting, as well. When Ash still was a very unexperienced trainer he had problems beating the gym leaders and often needed a second try or had to come up with a completely new strategy. Those were the days.
Regarding the Pokegirls: I choose Misty over May and Dawn because I liked the idea of Ash having friends who are probably as good trainers as him better than him being the older, more mature and more experienced one. I even liked Ash and Misty´s arguments better than him fighting with one of the other Pokegirls. It´s a matter of taste, but Misty was there from the beginning. The others were just replacements.
But you´re right in saying that the japanese version is still very good.
You´ve got some points there, but what about the people who watched the show from the beginning? Pokemon may be aimed at a young audience, but older people are watching, too. And to them it´s really boring if almost every episode has the same story line. Don´t know about now, but during the Johto jouneys it was some kind of phenomenon.
I think that Pokemon didn´t really jump the shark but became worse when it turned into a complete kids´ show. Maybe it´s just me, but I find the first couple of episodes pretty much darker than the rest. I read an interesting article about how in the beginning ash´s fate was uncertain and there was some kind of evil in that happy Pokemon world. Team Rocket were real enemies and even death threads were made (in the japanese version, anyway).
If we watch Pokemon now we know that Ash´s gonna win and Team Rocket will lose. Personally I stopped caring if Ash wins his 150th badge. The gym fights used to be more exciting, as well. When Ash still was a very unexperienced trainer he had problems beating the gym leaders and often needed a second try or had to come up with a completely new strategy. Those were the days.
Regarding the Pokegirls: I choose Misty over May and Dawn because I liked the idea of Ash having friends who are probably as good trainers as him better than him being the older, more mature and more experienced one. I even liked Ash and Misty´s arguments better than him fighting with one of the other Pokegirls. It´s a matter of taste, but Misty was there from the beginning. The others were just replacements.
But you´re right in saying that the japanese version is still very good.
Pokemon never jumped the shark. The Japanese version has always been great! Here are some of the things noted when I read through the many past entries.
1. Misty being replaced by May/Dawn.
First and foremost, several anime are just there to promote the games/manga. For the Kanto to Jhoto arc, there was no girl character playble (in the games, with the exception of Crystal but that was the last game before Pokemon shifted to GBA), so the writers could choose Ash's (he's based after the player in Pokemon Red)travelling companions. But, from Ruby and Sapphire onwards, there was playable girl character, and so that character was written into the show as well. And storyboard artist of Pokemon, Masamitsu Hidaka, states that it "gives the boys some new eye-candy once in a while." Brock was kept because...well everybody loves Brock! XD
2. Replacing Block with Tracey in Season 2
Following up on "Everybody loves Brock!", Tracey replaced Brock in Season Two because by then Pokemon had gone international and the Japanese crew felt that Brock might be viewed as racist by the American people because of his eyes, and that they were even fearful of it when Pokemon first came to America. So Tracey replaced him. However, since everyone loves Brock and he isn't viewed in a negative light anyway, they brought him back. That same reason was why Jynx got changed from black to purple.
3. Always the same storyline.
I admit, they use a lot of this trick in the show, but in Diamond and Pearl, there were slightly more twists and as an added bonus, May, Misty and Gary return for an episode or two. (May and Gary already appeared, not sure about Misty). Mr. Hidaka has stated that the show was cyclical – the audience is constantly replaced (since children get older and leave, and new children come in), so they are allowed to get away with having the same repetitive goal. So, the show would probably continue the same way – collect badges, travel through different regions, never age.
4. Change in voice actors.
That's really just a regional problem. People in Japan respect their voice actors and would never even CONSIDER switching them, unless it is really needed. (Like one of the VAs go on maternity leave or passes away =X)
5. The movies.
Well, like most animes, they will always come out with MORE than one movie. For Pokemon, it's a movie every year. And the first movie sucked only because the dub dumbed it down TERRIBLY.
6. Team Rocket
Erm...I'll give it to you guys there. But Jessie wins a contest! XD
[Some information were obtained from pokebeach.com]
1. Misty being replaced by May/Dawn.
First and foremost, several anime are just there to promote the games/manga. For the Kanto to Jhoto arc, there was no girl character playble (in the games, with the exception of Crystal but that was the last game before Pokemon shifted to GBA), so the writers could choose Ash's (he's based after the player in Pokemon Red)travelling companions. But, from Ruby and Sapphire onwards, there was playable girl character, and so that character was written into the show as well. And storyboard artist of Pokemon, Masamitsu Hidaka, states that it "gives the boys some new eye-candy once in a while." Brock was kept because...well everybody loves Brock! XD
2. Replacing Block with Tracey in Season 2
Following up on "Everybody loves Brock!", Tracey replaced Brock in Season Two because by then Pokemon had gone international and the Japanese crew felt that Brock might be viewed as racist by the American people because of his eyes, and that they were even fearful of it when Pokemon first came to America. So Tracey replaced him. However, since everyone loves Brock and he isn't viewed in a negative light anyway, they brought him back. That same reason was why Jynx got changed from black to purple.
3. Always the same storyline.
I admit, they use a lot of this trick in the show, but in Diamond and Pearl, there were slightly more twists and as an added bonus, May, Misty and Gary return for an episode or two. (May and Gary already appeared, not sure about Misty). Mr. Hidaka has stated that the show was cyclical – the audience is constantly replaced (since children get older and leave, and new children come in), so they are allowed to get away with having the same repetitive goal. So, the show would probably continue the same way – collect badges, travel through different regions, never age.
4. Change in voice actors.
That's really just a regional problem. People in Japan respect their voice actors and would never even CONSIDER switching them, unless it is really needed. (Like one of the VAs go on maternity leave or passes away =X)
5. The movies.
Well, like most animes, they will always come out with MORE than one movie. For Pokemon, it's a movie every year. And the first movie sucked only because the dub dumbed it down TERRIBLY.
6. Team Rocket
Erm...I'll give it to you guys there. But Jessie wins a contest! XD
[Some information were obtained from pokebeach.com]
First of all I´ve got to say that I kind of stopped watching the show after the 3rd season, because I live in Germany and there Ash´s voice actress was replaced by the most talentless woman in the world. I couldn´t bear watching the show that way and always hoped for Ash to shut up. Unfortunately he wouldn´t. Anyway, I started watching english episodes of the 4th and 5th season and was kind of disappointed.
I´m gonna make a list of all the things and changes that really annoy me about this show:
1. In the first 3 seasons Ash was a bit of a loser. Gary made fun of him, Ash lost many battles and whenever he was overconfident the next moment something would happen that would make him look like a twat. He also had fears and when things got too dangerous he either decided to run or had to get up the nerve to face the challenge.
Nowadays Ash seems kind of robotic. Maybe I just happened to watch the worst episodes in existence and the rest is ok, but in the ones I saw almost every sentence Ash said was either "I´ve got to do something" or
"I can´t let them get away"
While in the first season there is an episode where Ash and his friends try to sneak away from Butch and Cassidy, in the 5th season none of the real bad guys (let alone like 20 Team Rocket members who attack Ash & Co) seem to be a match for him. He´s also able to break metal bars by now.
If I want to see stuff like this I watch Superman. This kind of character development is definitely a reason why the show jumped the shark in my opinion.
2. Team Rocket. Do they really have to be in EVERY episode when we all know that they will never ever win a battle?
3. Misty leaving. I don´t really know the new characters, but from what I saw I don´t think I´ll ever get a fan of May or Dawn. Plus many things seem just like a lame copy. The writers obviously thought it was a hilarious idea to make Ash destroy the bikes of his future travelling companions a running gag.
Even Ash´s mother changed in a negative way. She used to be a caring mother, who wouldn´t show her affection too much and make Ash believe that she doesn´t even miss him too much when he´s gone. Call me coldhearted, but I liked that a lot better than the audience being able to hear her cheesy inner monolouges throughout the whole episode.
The storylines are pretty repetitive, too. They always were a bit, but when the characters, especially Ash, were still likeable I didn´t mind that too much. Now the whole show just seems like a bore.
I´m gonna make a list of all the things and changes that really annoy me about this show:
1. In the first 3 seasons Ash was a bit of a loser. Gary made fun of him, Ash lost many battles and whenever he was overconfident the next moment something would happen that would make him look like a twat. He also had fears and when things got too dangerous he either decided to run or had to get up the nerve to face the challenge.
Nowadays Ash seems kind of robotic. Maybe I just happened to watch the worst episodes in existence and the rest is ok, but in the ones I saw almost every sentence Ash said was either "I´ve got to do something" or
"I can´t let them get away"
While in the first season there is an episode where Ash and his friends try to sneak away from Butch and Cassidy, in the 5th season none of the real bad guys (let alone like 20 Team Rocket members who attack Ash & Co) seem to be a match for him. He´s also able to break metal bars by now.
If I want to see stuff like this I watch Superman. This kind of character development is definitely a reason why the show jumped the shark in my opinion.
2. Team Rocket. Do they really have to be in EVERY episode when we all know that they will never ever win a battle?
3. Misty leaving. I don´t really know the new characters, but from what I saw I don´t think I´ll ever get a fan of May or Dawn. Plus many things seem just like a lame copy. The writers obviously thought it was a hilarious idea to make Ash destroy the bikes of his future travelling companions a running gag.
Even Ash´s mother changed in a negative way. She used to be a caring mother, who wouldn´t show her affection too much and make Ash believe that she doesn´t even miss him too much when he´s gone. Call me coldhearted, but I liked that a lot better than the audience being able to hear her cheesy inner monolouges throughout the whole episode.
The storylines are pretty repetitive, too. They always were a bit, but when the characters, especially Ash, were still likeable I didn´t mind that too much. Now the whole show just seems like a bore.
Jumped day one. Go into the woods, take a random animal out of it's habitat and everything, put the poor creature in a 1/2' ball, force it to get beaten up in a cartoon cockfight everyday.... How do the things live through getting buried in rocks, drown then being electrocuted anyway? Are Pokemon immortal or something? If I was a Pokemon, I would have used my "Hyper Beam" on my trainer and gotten the hell out of there a long time ago... What does it teach... Let your Rabbit get mauled by a Dog and expect it to automatically love you? At least bug catching, fishing and hunting put the things out of their misery, and animal trapping is usually only temporary... I know it makes me sound like a hippy, but seriously, stupid crap, making kids think they can solve problems with violence. Then they wonder why this generation is so 'effed up.
Hello world. One of them forwarded the link to your site and having read it I had to write to tell you how much I admire your bravery, not only in how you've got through the tragic event in your life but also in how you have told the world your story ****** What can I say? I've just be
Looking at your dates I think the only event we're both planning to be at is the BTCC at Thruxton on 25/26 may,
Hi! I like it and the background and colors make it easy to read. I don't care. So it goes. , Please More updates
Hello world. He is my inspiration and having read part of your story ( I will read the rest when time permits) Not much on my mind these days. , Well done..
I don't personally think the show jumped with the departure of any character, though it was lacking a bit without the rather important Misty (Brock, on the other hand, only left for less than 35 episodes. His short departure was to short for it to really do anything. Besides, Tracey wasn't that bad to have around for a year.)
I also don't think the increasing annoyingness/stupidity of the characters even exists, let alone made it jump. The show is designed with small children in mind, you shouldn't be outraged when your above-the-age-of- eleven self figures out it's Team Rocket in a costume again. I started re-watching all the old episodes (season one: nostalgia overload), Team Rocket always had really obvious disguises.
What I do think made it jump, however, is the recent change in voice actors. I babysat my cousins and watched an episode with them, the voices are dreadful. They have the acting ability of kids in a high school play. Stiff as a board. In fact, think of the voice you make when you want to badly imitate and make fun of someone ("Hi, my name's Mr. soandso and I'm gay"), that voice. That's what all of the voice actors sound like. It killed me and my childhood.
I also don't think the increasing annoyingness/stupidity of the characters even exists, let alone made it jump. The show is designed with small children in mind, you shouldn't be outraged when your above-the-age-of- eleven self figures out it's Team Rocket in a costume again. I started re-watching all the old episodes (season one: nostalgia overload), Team Rocket always had really obvious disguises.
What I do think made it jump, however, is the recent change in voice actors. I babysat my cousins and watched an episode with them, the voices are dreadful. They have the acting ability of kids in a high school play. Stiff as a board. In fact, think of the voice you make when you want to badly imitate and make fun of someone ("Hi, my name's Mr. soandso and I'm gay"), that voice. That's what all of the voice actors sound like. It killed me and my childhood.
the first is definitely the best because of the three main characters(Ash, Misty and Brock). The Orange islnds were annoying as well because Tracy was useless. The Johto league was a relief because the original trio came back. I was appalled by May and Max because they were so annoying. most episodes by now focused on contests istead of battles. The same goes for dawn, although she is a little better because Max isn't there. Team Rocket was at first entertaining until i realized it was really repetitive, but the show wouldn't be same without them.
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