Now that I’ve had time to let it sit (and as someone who’s almost finished with the subs of Journeys); I give you further thoughts on the “Aim to Be a Pokémon Master” miniseries and the 2023 anime.
Having seen the first two episodes (with a third out this Friday), my early impressions of the OVA are quite positive. I think it does a good job at honoring the vast legacy of the anime while also putting its own spin on it. Even that match over a Clauncher was a neat homage to “The Totodile Duel.” With the miniseries bringing in both monsters and characters from across the 25-year history of the series; it should definitely prove a good way to close out Pokémon Journeys.
On that note, let’s talk a bit more about the 2023 series. I still have my reservations about that one, especially in regards to new leads Roy and Riko. The theory that the latter was Ash’s daughter (and the idea of Ash marrying and having children at all) was effectively debunked by Rica Matsumoto in an interview. Now, there are some who claim she’s connected to the Orbeetle line; given how her hair clip resembles one of its antennae. Honestly continue to be amazed at how much speculation there can be over minute details like that; since I tend to prefer to only talk about concrete details. At this stage, there still aren’t a whole lot of those other than the facts that the anime will be based on “Pokémon Scarlet and Violet” and will be focusing on new characters (though ones from past series are said to show up).
As I have mentioned before, this is the first time in decades I don’t have any clear idea of what to expect from the next generation. If it works, it certainly is a fictional universe that can support more than one “anchor” to have as a franchise lead. However, if audiences don’t respond to Riko and Roy, that could raise questions about what’s next (if they had to find a new lead, still would have preferred Florian and Juliana; with Nemona, Arven and Penny in supporting roles).
To use analogies from another franchise I have immense enjoyment of, let's go with Transformers this time. Though Beast Wars was the first version of the franchise I ever experienced and enjoyed (with its writing, voice acting and groundbreaking CG being key reasons); the reaction from many longtime fans was divided to say the least. Yet, the crew and writers still proved that they could make a compelling and worthwhile addition to the franchise; and one that continues to influence subsequent fiction to this day (Rise of the Beasts is a movie I'm low-key excited for this summer). Beast Machines may be a bit dicy in some areas of the fandom; but I have appreciation for it (especially as an anime fan). That one even introduced the idea of the Spark to the franchise; which became a fixture of its canon ever since. Though Energon may have been a mess, the storylines in Armada got quite good in the later episodes; and Cybertron was also a worthwhile end to the Unicron Trilogy.
On the other side of the coin, there's Hot Rod. He might be my favorite Autobot (definitely would not object to Judd Nelson voicing him in future live-action projects); but he got blowback like you wouldn't believe when he was first introduced, to say nothing of other characters introduced in the 1986 movie. Nightscream is also a divisive character among many; but he actually might be my favorite Maximal (though I do admit I'm still astonished that his McDonald's premium was more show-accurate than the Ultra Class figurine). The less I say about Drift, the better (not even Ken Watanabe could save the character on film).
That said; I think it's good to come back to the Star Wars analogy I brought up about a year ago. That is is a textbook example of how a franchise can explore different aspects of its universe while still retaining what made it great to begin with. Obi-Wan Kenobi managed to strike a balance between the wonder of A New Hope with the dark times of Revenge of the Sith (including opening on a new perspective of the Jedi Temple attack). Jedi Fallen Order showed how a Padawan survived Order 66 and went into hiding; with it being the ideal take on the saga's own version of Uncharted and Dark Souls (definitely interested in the upcoming sequel when I get a PS5). Andor was both a compelling spy caper and a haunting parable for the dangers of extremist leadership (and a very timely one at that). I am eager to see what Skeleton Crew, the Ahsoka event series and the third season of The Mandalorian bring to the table. Bottom line- the skeptic in me is concerned about the 2023 anime, but the optimist in me is hoping they'll make it work (especially as heavy hints have been dropped about legacy characters showing up as well).
Overall, it’s nice to know that the series is still resonating with people nearly 25 years after it first came stateside. It’s a textbook counterargument to the idea that every video game adaptation is a disaster (a mindset which is thankfully becoming less common now, with Pokémon Detective Pikachu and the Sonic films being two key examples). I will most likely continue analyzing it going forward; since I still find new ways to talk about its past and new material for the future. I think “The Distant Blue Sky” special would be good to address further on February 27th.
As mentioned before, I don’t plan on formally reviewing the miniseries or addressing the 2023 reboot until I have more details; especially not before they receive English dubs. That will be all for now, take care.
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