movies/tv Why The Old Pokemon Show Was Bad

[Arctofire 227]

Okay, so when I ask people who grew up in the 90s, what shows did you watch as a kid. A lot of them say Pokemon, and that it sucks now. Now first off to any Pokemon fans out there, that I love the Pokemon games, I love them a lot. But this show was NEVER good, even back in the first season guys with Misty, it was still crap. So basically I'm going to rant about it in sections.

 

It Didn't Follow The Games: Okay well if you have played Pokemon Red, Blue, Yellow, Fire Red, or Leaf Green. You will know how the games go, which order they take place in, and what you've got to do to beat the game. Now don't get my wrong, small changes and even major ones are fine if they help the story move forward. But this show didn't do that, and just made things up because I'm 90% sure that the writers didn't play the games; for a show based on a video game, that's essential.

 

It Was Really Boring: This show had seasons of around 50 episodes and it could have easily have covered the game in 26; but this show had ENDLESS amounts of filler episodes: episodes which contributed nothing to the story and were basically the same episode just copy and pasted however many times it needed to.  Ash finds someone, they have a battle, Ash looses, Team Rocket comes and tries to steal the other persons pokemon + Pikachu, Ash, Misty, Brock, and the COD stop them. Each episode followed the same formula with the rare exception of an episode which actually moved the story along or the rare fantastic episodes, such as Bye Bye Butterfree and Electric Shock Showdown. However these were rare and apart from L.t Surge which actually posed a threat to Ash that he could only overcome by beating him and working out strategy's. Most gym leader episodes just followed the same formula as the filler episode's and just hand him out the badge in the end.

 

Any Serious Or Subtle Scenes Were Ruined By Over the Top Comedy: Okay lets talk about MLP. MLP has its funny moments, usually good comedy although it does have some flat jokes, but it knows when to be serious. Moments between the mane 6 and the CMC have genuine weight and that's what makes that show really good. But aside from the first couple of episodes, which by the way were MUCH higher quality than the show in general, when it had its seriousness. Every serious moment, particularly between Ash and Misty, are ruined with comedy, and that brings me to my next point.

 

It Was Never Funny: The key to comedy is subtlety, and every joke in Pokemon fell flat on its face. Every comedic scene was badly placed and was too over the top. The show ran on running gags which appeared in every single episode and these were never funny even the first time. Like Brock hitting on women and Team Rocket blasting off. If you look at MLP the comedy is really diverse: you have Twilight being over the top with her anxiety, Spikes sarcastic quips, Rarity being a drama queen, and e.c.t. With Pokemon the comedy was very shallow, it was all about Ash being dumb, being hungry, and the same jokes were recycled every episode.

 

​It Was Really Repetitive. I have probably made this clear already but every single episode used the same formula, same jokes, and ended the same way.

 

Nothing Changed: One of the biggest problems was that Ash never got any stronger, most of his Pokemon never evolved, the relationship and chemistry between the characters never got any larger or even changed at all for that matter, Misty and Ash being in love is never explored, and the whole thing just felt like a limbo.

 

So there you have it, why I hated this show. Please feel free to defend it.

[Jokuc 8,174]

Look I'm just going to say that I disagree and I don't have any cool facts to back it up with, it's all just personal opinions.

 

I haven't even seen the new show so I can't compare, but I loved (and still love) the old show a lot. I don't care if the plot is excellent or not or that episodes are similar. It was Pokémon! When you were a kid you were all crazy about it, you watched that shit and loved it no matter what. The memories of watching the show are still there which means that the nostalgia boosts the value of the show for us. That the show is boring and never was funny is not how I see it at all. I think it is very entertaining and pretty funny as well, I don't see what you're talking about.

 

Either way I don't care. As long as I enjoy watching a show, that's enough for me. And I certainly enjoy watching the old Pokémon show.

 

Shocking, isn't it?

[Alex Z 848]

I liked it. It wasn't the greatest show out there but for what it was I enjoyed it. If you hate it that's fine I respect your opinion. I go back and watch it sometimes just for the nostalgia.

[ThatOneComrade 1,091]

It was made for kids. Kids couldn't care less.

[Arctofire 227]

It was made for kids. Kids couldn't care less.

 

Yeah, I think that excuse went dead when MLP FIM came out. They didn't have to try, but they actually made an effort and made it a good show. Pokemon could have done the same, but it chose not to.

Edited December 28, 2014 by Arctofire

[Castle Bleck 19,378]

Old Pokemon anime > new Pokemon anime.

 

The old one gave us the most powerful Gym Leader of all time: Sabrina:

 

 

*Shudders.*

Edited December 28, 2014 by A.V.

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,331]

This looks more fitting for a blog by the way.

 

Can I say well the anime is pretty bad in hindsight, it doesn't actually hurt to watch. It's so cheesy it's funny. Also, I joke that the Pokemon have more personality than the main characters.

[Jokuc 8,174]

Yeah, I think that excuse went dead when MLP FIM came out. They didn't have to try, but they actually made an effort and made it a good show. Pokemon could have done the same, but it chose not to.

 

I don't know a lot about the subject but I don't think that the creators of the show knew that it would become so popular. If they knew it was something the whole world eventually would watch, I bet they'd put a lot more effort into making it.

 

 

 

This looks more fitting for a blog by the way.

 

Nah, I'd say there's plenty of room for discussion in this topic

Edited December 28, 2014 by Jokuc

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,331]

Also this joke right here.

 

[Chacobos 160]

Let's be honest here, if it wasn't made to cater towards kids who could care less about context and everything, it would easily be rated PG-13. Anyone who has read the manga knows what I am talking about. 

[Arctofire 227]

Old Pokemon anime > new Pokemon anime.

 

The old one gave us the most powerful Gym Leader of all time: Sabrina:

 

Yeah it was a little bit better. But Sabrina was in the end a fake obstacle because Ash didn't even have to fight her. They made this really menacing villain which would pose a huge threat, but then got Ash to get the badge by a Haunter licking her. WTF?

Edited December 28, 2014 by Arctofire

[Ryzu 984]

 

Now don't get my wrong, small changes and even major ones are fine if they help the story move forward. But this show didn't do that, and just made things up because I'm 90% sure that the writers didn't play the games; for a show based on a video game, that's essential.

 

Lol actually it's the other way around. Video game is based off the show, and so is the merchandise. Look at mlp for example. Same concept. The toys aren't a bit accurate though.

[Arctofire 227]

Lol actually it's the other way around. Video game is based off the show, and so is the merchandise. Look at mlp for example. Same concept. The toys aren't a bit accurate though.

 

I'm sorry but that's wrong. The games came out in Japan in 1996, then the show came out. AMERICANS AND BRITS got the show first, but the games were made first.

Edited December 28, 2014 by Arctofire

[CC_Maud_Pie 6,431]

I personally didn't like the show. I never really liked any of the characters to be honest. There were some descent moments but overall, it was average in my opinion.

[Castle Bleck 19,378]

but then got Ash to get the badge by a Haunter licking her. WTF?

 

 

Everything else, though, was High Octane Nightmare Fuel.

[Fractured 2,684]

I'd rather agree with you. As far as comprehension levels goes, the original Pokemon was lower than shows like MLP, and those were aimed at kids. With so much mindless repetition of plots, lack of character growth, lack of any worthy stakes... 4 year olds would have the ability to understand Pokemon.

 

And yet, they continued to get better. The Johto Arc was pretty decent, and Ruby/Sapphire Arc fixed the the problem with a lack of a focused plot. By the time Diamond/ Pearl showed up, they started giving actual personality and backstory to the characters; it was easily anime quality at that point

 

And then the Black/White arc crossed the line completely. They ran along a tight plot where there was no filler, they had even non-main characters with complex personalities, real stakes, continuity, strategy instead of Ash blindly running into every victory, and Team Rocket with an actual purpose(and they took a whole new level in badass, to boot). To be honest, when I last left, it was starting to look a little like the Avatar series. Don't know where they've gone with X/Y, haven't seen it yet.

 

But the point is, it couldn't have got there without a few mistakes. You should focus less on the fact that it was sub-quality, and more on the fact that they tried to improve themselves. The first season was bad, but it wouldn't become better if they had just given up when it was garbage, same as every show. Everything, actually.

[Frostgage 7,976]

Was it really necessary to make a topic to tell everyone how much you hate something?

 

Anyhow, I don't really agree but I'm not gonna spend half an hour typing out why.  

[Castle Bleck 19,378]

While Team Rocket was awesome in the Black & White anime, Team Plasma was just a rushed, generic pile of buffalo diarrhea.

[TheJLeeTeam 914]

I think the Pokémon anime should just be seperate from the actual games like more of a spin off. But check out the manga if you want more interesting stories.

While Team Rocket was awesome in the Black & White anime, Team Plasma was just a rushed, generic pile of buffalo diarrhea.

And the earthquake in Japan didn't help either.

[Unikitty 1,212]

Yeah it was a little bit better. But Sabrina was in the end a fake obstacle because Ash didn't even have to fight her. They made this really menacing villain which would pose a huge threat, but then got Ash to get the badge by a Haunter licking her. WTF?

I'm gonna have to stop you right there. You're picking imaginary problems out of one of the best episodes of the season. You're wondering why the episode didn't end in a big and generic boss fight, whilst ignoring the actual plot of the story.

 

Sabrina was a child who has an exceptional power, but was consumed by it, causing her to become cold and callous and lose connection with her emotional "human" side.

This had turned her into and unfeeling psychic machine that had ruined her relationship with her family. It was only when Ash came along with Haunter that events unfolded to fix the issue.

 

When Haunter revealed his playful side(he didn't simply go up and lick her - and this also shows that the series had real depth as Haunter was a recurring character), it helped Sabrina recall the side of her that she'd lost to her powers, and thus she was able to control herself and change back into her once cheerful personality.

 

Everything doesn't need to end up with x-trainer beating down y-trainer in a battle to have the strongest Pokemon. This showed that there is more to success than just defeating an opponent in battle.

[Castle Bleck 19,378]

I'm gonna have to stop you right there. You're picking imaginary problems out of one of the best episodes of the season. You're wondering why the episode didn't end in a big and generic boss fight, whilst ignoring the actual plot of the story.

 

Sabrina was a child who has an exceptional power, but was consumed by it, causing her to become cold and callous and lose connection with her emotional "human" side.

This had turned her into and unfeeling psychic machine that had ruined her relationship with her family. It was only when Ash came along with Haunter that events unfolded to fix the issue.

 

When Haunter revealed his playful side(he didn't simply go up and lick her - and this also shows that the series had real depth as Haunter was a recurring character), it helped Sabrina recall the side of her that she'd lost to her powers, and thus she was able to control herself and change back into her once cheerful personality.

 

Everything doesn't need to end up with x-trainer beating down y-trainer in a battle to have the strongest Pokemon. This showed that there is more to success than just defeating an opponent in battle.

 

Indeed; it was arguably Ash's most psychological Gym Battle.

[Arctofire 227]

I'm gonna have to stop you right there. You're picking imaginary problems out of one of the best episodes of the season. You're wondering why the episode didn't end in a big and generic boss fight, whilst ignoring the actual plot of the story. 

Sabrina was a child who has an exceptional power, but was consumed by it, causing her to become cold and callous and lose connection with her emotional "human" side. 

This had turned her into and unfeeling psychic machine that had ruined her relationship with her family. It was only when Ash came along with Haunter that events unfolded to fix the issue. 

 

When Haunter revealed his playful side(he didn't simply go up and lick her - and this also shows that the series had real depth as Haunter was a recurring character), it helped Sabrina recall the side of her that she'd lost to her powers, and thus she was able to control herself and change back into her once cheerful personality. 

 

Everything doesn't need to end up with x-trainer beating down y-trainer in a battle to have the strongest Pokemon. This showed that there is more to success than just defeating an opponent in battle. 

 

Okay, maybe your right, but that was more of a problem with the whole show than just that episode. What if it had been that she had relearned her playful side by being with Ash, and also we don't see her being playful at the end. Another problem with the episode is that it used Ash being an idiot as a running joke and it wan't funny AGAIN as it made the character we were suppose to be routing for unlikable, and also if the gym is that hard why are there hundreds of trainers at the league (although the latter is just a nitpick, it just always really bothered me).

Edited December 28, 2014 by Arctofire

[Castle Bleck 19,378]

and also if the gym is that hard why are there hundreds of trainers at the league

 

Maybe they just used forged Marsh Badges or something.

 

Risky, but still much safer than taking chances with a human Mewtwo.

Edited December 28, 2014 by A.V.

[Unikitty 1,212]

Okay, maybe your right, but that was more of a problem with the whole show than just that episode. What if it had been that she had relearned her playful side by being with Ash, and also that we don't see her being playful at the end. Another problem with the episode is that it used Ash being an idiot as a running joke, and also if the gym is that hard why are there hundreds of trainers at the league (although the latter is just a nitpick, it just always really bothered me).

All of these are nitpicking.

 

We don't NEED to be shown how playful Sabrina is being. We already saw that Haunter's actions worked, and we can assume everythin stayed okay as Haunter remained with Sabrina.

 

Having a headstrong and comically dim protagonist was a popular trope for the time(as seen in many series ranging from Dragon Ball Z to Naruto), so it was sensible for him to be that kind of character.

 

It is clearly inferred that there are more than eight gyms in each region. Multiple times, trainers have been seen with unknown badges, and choices for different gyms have sometimes been given in the series episodes.

Eight badges just happen to be the minimum number required to sign up for each league.

[Fractured 2,684]

Maybe they just used forged Marsh Badges or something.

Actually, there's more than 8 Gyms. There's a load of unofficial ones like the one in Dark City. It explains how trainers got past Sabrina, and how anyone (including Gary) got past Giovanni, especially after the Gym would have technically been closed after he left during the Mewtwo fiasco.