Hey guys!
*Pictures and summary are NOT mine. Also, long rant ahead.
I’m sure y’all know the popular cartoon series, Pokemon with ash and the gang, but do you know the original manga version? The cartoon Pokemon series was created to appeal to the younger kids while the manga has a much more darker aspect to it. They’re entirely two different worlds with Ash not even being a character in the original series.
So here’s a run down from Wikipedia:
“Pokémon (ポケモン Pokemon?), abbreviated from the Japanese title of Pocket Monsters (ポケットモンスターPoketto Monsutā), is a long running Japanese children’s anime television series, which has been adapted for the international television markets. It is based on the Pokémon video game series and is a part of the franchise.
The Pokémon anime is split up into five chronologically sequential series in Japan, split up by the version of the video game series the anime takes inspiration from: the original series, theAdvanced Generation series, theDiamond & Pearl series, the Best Wishes! series, and currently the XYseries which began in October 2013. In the international broadcasts, these five series are split into 17 separate seasons.”
Since I grew up on Ash Ketchum, that’s the series I’m going to focus on this week. Bedsides, Pikachu is adorable.
Pokemon was one of the first shows I remember vividly as a kid. What drew me in was not just the cute Pokemon like Squirtle or Togepi, but the comedy and adventure.
I loved Team Rocket. They were the type of villains that not only brought the funny, but they have a solid background. Learning that they grew up with different lifestyles that may have supported them later on in life (like James being rich and having a fiancé that looked almost exactly like Jesse), only to turn to a life of crime of their own device really fascinated me as a child. But looking at them as they tried to kidnap Pikachu, I never saw them really hate what they were doing. They’re villains, but if a villain didn’t really feel their job and fulfill it as much as they can, what’s the point of a villain?
They’re suppose to be the bad guys. Team Rocket not only takes pleasure in being the bad guys, they never gave up. They truly are one of the worst villains, up until Best Wishes. Somehow the editors decided to really turn them into villains instead of the ones I grew up with. Most fans were outraged and I was too.
Team Rocket were like the villains who were okay with being villains. Their reasons weren’t for evil evil, but for fulfilling that wish they’ve had in being recognized by their boss. The moment they turned bad, was like a stab to my childhood. Good thing they changed them back.
Besides Team Rocket, the adventures Ash and his gang went on always taught me something. Whether it was that discrimating against Pokemon was wrong or helping people will always be rewarding in and of itself, the story always had a meaningful ending. Those endings not only applied to the Pokemon universe, they could’ve also applied to the real world. Pokemon taught me so much and I’m so glad I grew up with the original Kanto region.
Let’s face it guys. Pokemon has really gone a tad bit down hill. Ash keeps getting so many costume changes that it’s exhausting to keep up. And the romance! Sure we had shipped Misty with Ash to our hearts’ content, but meeting Serena?Selena?. No. Although she knew Ash as a kid, he never once mentioned her. His mom hadn’t even mentioned her. Where the heck did she come from?!
The romance always gets on my nerves, but what really grinds my gears is how they just start adding random things to the game and show then taking them away. I liked Pokemon Contests and having Pokemon follow you around in SouldSilver and HeartGold. Where did they go? And how come it’s as if Ash will stay ten years old forever and never grow up? This is not Peter Pan guys.
That’s it for today! What did you love about Pokemon as a child? Thanks for reading!
