Pokemon

It's pretty unfabulous to have to review something you love when you know it's not very good.

Pokemon works with a re-use formula, the story is long, it is repetitive, it doesn't progress in any way because development doesn't really happen.

Art and sound is mediocre as it is a mass-produced anime. Production costs would have been sky-high if they spent any more money on it, and it shows.

The characters are pretty two-dimensional. They aren't deep, you don't go into their heads, and they're all about 11-15 years old but all act the same.

But why do I love this anime so much?? I ... was obsessed with it as a child, and it still has a warm place in my heart. I think it's a perfect anime for children because it teaches them some good lessons: try to be the best, do the right thing, and your friends and family are the most important people in your life.

Only unfabulously mean people hate on Pokemon. You know they all watched it and liked it as a child, but my, how uppity we have all become. If you're feeling nostalgic and want to go back to when anime was about adventure and friendship and silliness, then Pokemon is for you. It's also a harmless, fun anime for your kids, too. So I totally recommend it. Fabulous, it is.

Pokemon had many good qualities during its golden years (roughly 1998-2002). It became an unstoppable force in many countries, mainly the USA and Japan. It quickly became the most successful show based off a video game and it has the most episodes of any animated show ever shown in America.

The animation was great for its time, and the songs were very addictive. It was obvious that everybody that saw the show enjoyed it very much, myself included. And to this day, over 10 years after the debut of Pokemon, they are still able to sell merchandise.

But what created the downfall of the series was that ... it never ended! The show could've easily ended at the end of episode 84, with the end of the Pokemon League. They could've said "Since that day, Ash trained hard to be a master." and then show him as a master. But no, the episodes just keep coming and coming. Johto was cool because of showing new pokemon, but when they repeated the trend of "new pokemon lolz" it got old really quick. And not mention that Ash never matured. He had a birthday one episode and in the 3rd movie he exclaimed that he and Pikachu have been together for a year. But at the start of Diamond and Pearl Ash was mentioned to be 10 years old again. Inconsistency is bad if you want to keep your audience.

It still find myself rewatching the first few seasons of Pokemon and hugging my pikachu pillow. But the new episodes these days just don't have the same atmosphere as the old show and it is hard to watch it without booing the lack-luster effort that gets put into each episode. But Pokemon will always have an unforgettable place in my heart and (ignoring anything past the Johto season) for that I give it an 8/10.

Pokémon is unique. Not so much in its presentation (though it does stand out easily in a crowd), but in its reception. To date, no other franchise—game, anime, cartoon, or otherwise—has become a worldwide phenomenon as Pokémon did, except perhaps the Super Mario Bros. series. The timing was somehow just right for Pokémon to make its entrance to the world, and nearly all of the children flocked to it like moths to a flame. Adults (most of them) were left scratching their heads at how it is something so simple could become so popular and so famous in such a short amount of time. What ... was written off as a fad has become one of the best-selling video game franchises in the world, and still going strong 18 years later.

And it's because of the anime—well, the anime helped play a big part in it. We all accuse anime of being nothing more than an advertisement for what it's trying to sell, and though it is true, the Pokémon anime is the positive aspect of it. Think about it: if it hadn't been for the anime, would the games have sold as well in the States, or anywhere else outside of Japan? Or would anime in general have made it anywhere else outside of Japan?

Story (7): Pokémon is your typical shounen title: a young out-going male protagonist goes on a journey with his friends, and they have adventures together as they battle bad guys and have character development (before it slows to a halt later on), and he wants to be the very best in whatever it is he wants to be. The thing is, most of his friends are creatures that can battle and call upon the powers of nature depending on their type. And these creatures fight for and alongside him to help him become the best trainer in the world: a Pokémon master. But in order to become a Pokémon master, he must learn the secrets of Pokémon, as well as have lots of battles with other trainers, specifically gym leaders who give out badges to victors so they can enter a world-renowned tournament.

All shounen titles start out the same, but they all go their own separate paths very early on, and develop their own identity. Pokémon succeeded in that it does stand out from other shounen titles. It may not be the best one out there, the story's simple enough as it is, but it definitely is one of the most famous. The show's created in such a way that one can come in at any given time and be able to quickly understand what is going on. A lot of Pokémon fans came into the anime a little bit later into its first run on television, but re-runs and word-of-mouth were commonplace (and later on the Internet), so everyone is able to catch up at some point if they put in the time.

What helped was also its eventual downfall (to older fans, anyway) in its formulaic pattern. Pokémon has been the same since day one: our leads, Ash Ketchum and his buddy Pikachu, travel the land to battle gym leaders, catch more Pokémon, fight off Team Rocket or the evil organization of the region, and compete in the big league. However, there have been differences along the way, some new things being added to help keep it from cloning itself with each new saga, such as switching out traveling companions, new Pokémon teammates, new environments, introducing Contests, new ways to train Pokémon, the list goes on. It's more noticeable after Johto, although the Orange Islands is notable in the original series for making the attempt to play its formula differently and in a shorter amount of time. It was also a controversy in that one of the main characters was “replaced” by another, but that's small potatoes these days (meanwhile, the female companions keep getting a lot of flack), and it somehow managed to succeed anyway before Johto dragged itself through the mud.

Needless to say, the story and formula is fit for a children's show. It's why Pokémon has lasted so long, and why it is people stop watching the show only for another batch of children to come into it every new generation. But let me point out that the very first episode of Pokémon is amazing. It sets up the entirety of the show nicely, its themes, its (main) characters, and captures the spirit of adventure, wonder, and optimism. Perhaps this is why we as children became hooked onto the show from the start?

Art/Animation (7): Like all art, cel animation can either become dated or stand the test of time depending on the quality and care given to it. While it's good for its time and still holds up, Pokémon is starting to show its age, even though the animation went digital around the final episodes of Johto. Quality did improve as the episodes went on, there's no doubt about it, so thus far it's the first season that's starting to suffer in that regard. It's not bad, of course, it has a special charm to it like a lot of cel-drawn animated cartoons. But it's the character models themselves that have started to become dated, even though a lot of people will remember the characters as they looked here. Pikachu probably has the most notable change of the cast, weight loss jokes aside.

Even so, while Pokémon's style reflects other anime of the time, it's certainly recognizable. The Pokémon themselves pop in having been brought to life (figuratively speaking) by the powers of animation from their sprite origins. We get to see how each Pokémon really differ from one-another instead of just being static images. Rarely do two of the same Pokémon act similar, even when sharing screen-time, and the animation reflects it. The battle animations showcase this very well, and some of the best moments in Pokémon's animation happens during the battles.

Pokémon as a whole is a colorful series, and though the cel animation gives it a slight muted look, it's not enough to take away from the color palette. The backgrounds in particular are beautiful to look at, I think most of it is either acrylic or oil painting. The Pokémon world is covered with greens and blues, and has a lot of mountains and forests regardless of region (the Orange Islands was different, but some of the islands still had some mountainous areas). Even the cities and towns can look beautiful, great detail is put into making a city look like a city, but most of the main focus in the backgrounds are nature-related.

Sound (9): The soundtrack is fantastic. Some of the songs are updated covers of music from the games, and they were done very well. Violins, flutes, various drums, horns, trumpets, piano, chimes, and xylophone (or is it the marimba?), with the occasional electric guitar, are played throughout the soundtrack. The orchestral approach gives it an enchanting feel while also being adventurous and epic. The more powerful the fanfare, the more victorious it sounds, and it fits the mood just perfectly when the scene calls for it.

That's the original Japanese soundtrack, which is kept in the 4KIDS dub. 4KIDS have made a few pieces of music for the show as well, but they're forgettable (unless you watched the first two movies or played Pokémon Puzzle League a lot—but it still varies). The album they made themselves, “2.B.A. Master”, is anything but forgettable. Cheesy, perhaps, but it's not easy to forget about the songs, though it does depend on what you think of the soundtrack as a whole. The rose-tinted glasses (...how would that work towards music?) are strong with the album, almost a guilty pleasure at times. But in the Johto saga, instrumental pieces of some of the music as well as some from “Totally Pokémon” were used, so there's at least that.

Of course, the most famous piece of the soundtrack is the English Pokémon theme, simply titled “Pokémon (Gotta Catch 'Em All!)”, with the PokéRap a close second. It may be a sign of the 90s, but 4KIDS knew how to catch the audience's attention, and what better way than to use rock 'n' roll. The other openings are excellent, but not as well-memorized (though it depends on the person's favorites). That isn't to say “Mezase Pokémon Master” as sung by Rica Matsumoto herself is bad, it is a great theme for the show, but a lot of Pokémon fans may have never heard the song before, so it slips under a lot of people's radars.

Also, the Team Rocket Motto is probably one of the most recognizable villain leitmotifs out there. Try to not recite the motto every time it plays, though I can guarantee the majority of you can't get Jessie, James, and Meowth out of your head.

Speaking of, the voices are what make this show. It is a near-unanimous agreement that the English cast of Pokémon is perfect, even though there are fans who will say the Japanese dub is better. Well, not everyone is able to watch the show subbed, though there's some people who don't want to bother with the sub. The banned episodes are the more easily-attainable subs, though if one wants to watch the entire show subbed, they have to do some digging around. While the Japanese cast is good, the English dub is well-loved regardless, and we have Veronica Taylor, Rachel Lillis, Eric Stuart, and Maddie Blaustein to thank for that (though Stuart Zagnit, Ted Lewis, and Jimmy Zoppi aren't far behind either). Is it any wonder that Pokémon is the highlight of their careers?

Special mention of course goes to Ikue Ohtani as Pikachu, for without her, who knows if Pikachu would have become as popular and loved (and hated in some circles) as he is now. Even Inuko Inuyama as the original voice of Meowth is memorable, and at times, I actually have a hard time figuring out which voice of Meowth I feel fits best.

Characters (8): Pokémon has a large cast of characters to the point it rivals The Simpsons and SpongeBob SquarePants. We typically only follow about six or seven main characters at a time, and some of them aren't even human. For starters, let's just focus on Ash Ketchum because despite all the criticism he's received over the years, he is a great role-model for children. He's energetic, he's positive, he has a goal, he never gives up, he learns quickly—yes, he's indeed like most other heroes out there, but he's a kid. He's a kid who's on an adventure away from home who, while he has people to support him, is independent and knows what he wants to be. He hasn't strayed from it to this day, he wants to be a Pokémon Master, he wants to be the very best like no one ever was. That's a big dream, and it's a long, arduous journey to accomplish that dream; and even then, someone's going to best him. But he's not afraid, he actually looks forward to those obstacles, because he knows there's a way to get over it, even though he does experience failure over and over again.

And that is an admirable trait for a protagonist to have.

The other characters are excellent in their own right. Regardless of how much they would suffer in later episodes, Misty and Brock are still well-loved to this day: Misty for her fiery (dare I say, tsundere?) temper, love for (nearly) all Water Pokémon, tomboyish nature while not estranged from her femininity—even becoming motherly later with Togepi, and her great chemistry with Ash; Brock for his sage advice, cooking, his desire to become a Pokémon Breeder, and girl-crazy attitude. Gary Oak, the grandson of Professor Oak, is Ash's rival, is always one step ahead of him, and he has a cocky attitude to go with it, but he does loosen up by the time Johto comes along, and soon he becomes friendlier and dedicated to become a researcher like his grandfather. Even Tracey Sketchit (when he's not being sneered at) has his fans for his quiet, well-reserved nature, is well-known for his quick sketching of Pokémon (and the occasional girl), and for being a Pokémon watcher. His character unfortunately doesn't get much attention and he's quickly left behind as Professor Oak's assistant—and he's content with it.

In the meantime, the Team Rocket trio, Jessie, James and Meowth, have to be some of the more popular characters of the show, at least during this time. Takeshi Shudo cared enough for these characters to give them sympathetic backstories and to show that while they do work for an evil organization that's pretty much running the world, they do have a good side to them. They are some of the more human characters of the show.

The COTDs (character-of-the-day) can range from memorable VIPs to forgettable nobodies. Each and every one of them are indeed different, and most of them have fans of their own, whether they've appeared in the show frequently or just the one time. Because it's such a large cast, and your mileage will vary with all of them, there's at least always someone to appeal to anyone.

Enjoyment (9): I made an attempt to not view Pokémon through rose-tinted glasses with various results. During my re-watch, I paid attention to the story, the writing, the artwork, the music, the dialogue, the characters, what 4KIDS did or did not edit, just about everything. And despite its flaws—and there are many of them—there are many good things about the show that I still adore to this day. It may have been 17 years since the first time I watched the first episode, and many things have happened along the way, but my love for Pokémon itself has never waned. At times I tried to let it go, but I would always return to the franchise, and it's not because it's my childhood. There's legitimately something about Pokémon that appeals to me, regardless of all that's happened that I personally am not fond of.

Even though they did many questionable things, in hindsight, 4KIDS took good care of Pokémon. It makes sense, as Pokémon was one of their first dubs, and they knew how to market the show alongside Kids' WB. Honestly, would Pokémon have been as well-loved, well-quoted, and well-remembered to this day if it had been anyone else but 4KIDS? Sure, there's that chance a company may have dubbed it better, but there's also that chance it could have been dubbed terribly. Pokémon is lucky enough to fit snug in the middle and prove that kids' shows can be good.

I don't think I would be here, let alone the same person I am today if it hadn't been for Pokémon. I love the games, and the games are (almost) always going to be superior, but the anime in particular holds a special place in my heart. And I will never forget how it impacted pop culture, because I had helped play a small part with its popularity along with millions of other children in the late 90s—one of who might be you reading this. In which case I want to thank you for helping Pokémon get to where it is today. If I could engage in a friendly battle with you, I would.

Until then, gotta catch you later.

One word: Incredible. The story begins with young Ash Ketchum, who is beginning the journey that will change his life forever. He is paired up with the stubborn Pikachu, and the two get off to a rocky start, lol. They eventually form an unbreakable relationship, and travel around the world fighting battle after epic battle.

This is an incredible show, right up there with the likes of The Simpsons and Seinfeld. It will undoubtley go down in history as the greatest thing man-kind has ever made.

To even be able to watch this is an experience. The first time I ... saw this, I knew that Pokemon would be fukkin incredible. 9000/10

Pokemon gets a 10/10 for being my (and most people's) entire childhood. It was without a doubt my favorite show/game for a couple of years~

But seriously, what anime franchise (everything like games included) is as successful as Pokemon? Flashback 10 years, you'll remember that whether you were in high school, middle school, or elementary school, everybody had a gameboy to play Pokemon games - Pokemon Red, Blue and Yellow to Pokemon Silver and Gold, to Pokemon Fire-red and Leaf-green to Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire to whatever came after that up all the way to today. And they're still making new Pokemon Games and being top-sellers. ... Pokemon united kids together, because everybody wanted to trade with each other or battle each other; Pokemon had a positive effect on society itself. The original TV show itself was a mega-hit. I remember as a child having to watch it every time a new episode came out, I would have to watch it, there was no such thing as skipping new Pokemon episodes because I had to see what would happen next. Would Ash catch that Caterpie or Weedle?! What about that Pidgeotto?! WOAH is that an Onix?! Ash and Misty sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G? Will Ash ever evolve his Pikachu?! All he needs to find is a thunderstone! The show always had me drawn in, 100% attention into the Pokemon world. I was so into it that I remember my goal in life was becoming a Pokemon Master, and more than half the time I day-dreamed, I dreamed about being a Pokemon World and being the best trainer in the world with a team of Lugia, Ho-ho, Mew, Jirachi, Blissey and my favorite Pokemon ever - Squirtle! And this was all just from the show, if we include the Gameboy games of Pokemon, I was addicted. I played Pokemon every day for a couple hours, no exception. If my parents wouldn't let me I remember crying and annoying them until they finally let me play. Ah, that was the life.

The story should be obvious to everyone so... I'm not even gonna bother explaining even the basis of it, because if you don't know what Pokemon is about then I feel very bad for you. Where was your childhood? And if you're a child right now, you should probably interact with current popularity news and your other friends, because Pokemon was the hot stuff in my childhood days, and it's still one of the hot stuff in today's days. You know those awesome looking animated animal-like creatures from games? yeah those are from Pokemon (or ... YuGiOh, Digimon, and other stuff) but the cool ones are Pokemon.

The art is magnificant! Come on, who thought of all these designs for Pokemon; the classic ones that is. I've seen some newer Pokemons and they were pathetic. There was like an Ice-Cream Pokemon... Everyone know that Stunfisk Pokemon? That thing is just.. oh my goodness, the creativity in Pokemon and originality is unfortunately all gone. Well, that's not including Diamond and Pearl because although I never watched that show, there were some pretty neat loking legendaries such as Darkrai, Dialga and Palkia - I like their designs. Shaman is adorable as well. But the classic original Pokemon is better; it has the greatest designed Pokemon (creatures in general) ever. Remember Charmander - Bulbasaur - Squirtle? You have to admit those were some adorable Pokemon that evolved into some of the coolest animated "monsters" ever; Charzard - Venasaur - Blastoise. The legendary birds? Zaptos, Moltres, Articuno? And Ho-Oh & Lugia? They were some epic looking dragon-like birds. The designs of the "map", the "world" of Pokemon was somewhat similar to our reality, although not really. But nonetheless, I loved the forests, the waters, the caves, the mountains, the buildings, the streets, the haunted mansions, the skies, space - everything! I always imagined myself being in that beautiful Pokemon world... Imagine the sorrow that washed over me when I grew up to realize that going into the Pokemon world and actually physically having a Pokemon was impossible (unless you train you like train a cat to talk human language, walk like a human and scratch at command because then you'd have Meowth). The characters in Pokemon are all uniquely animated, and I believe the characters are perfect for kid's liking. But seriously how many Nurse Joys are there...? Well who cares about that, the more important matter is, why has Ash not aged a single year or matured a bit even though like 20 years went by since he started his Pokemon journey. Whatever, I firmly believe that Pokemon still is the best animated animation ever, purely because of it's entire cast of beautifully designed Pokemon.

Sound? The pesky annoying voice of Ash is just so annoying to listen to and it always rings in my head. But that's what made him so memorable and special to me. Pokemon truly was the highlight of my entire childhood, and in all honesty, it all started with the opening song; "Gotta Catch'em All". The lyrics to that song inspired me to become a Pokemon master. I'm gonna say something that some of you will understand, and haters will hate. But my favorite song ever is still the Pokemon opening song, "Gotta Catch'em All". I loved it to the point where today, I might tear up from time to time listening to the song, reminiscing about basically my entire childhood. The voicing of each character was memorable and all, I think... But a true memorable aspect of Pokemon besides my favorite song ever, the opening, is the voicing-or sound or whatever of each Pokemon. Pika-Pika = Kawaii. Each Pokemon had such a unique, and distinct sound from a different Pokemon (there are like what 1000 Pokemon?), that's an impressive feat.

The characters, ah yes the characters. Every single one is quite memorable. Ash Ketchum, my idol, my hero, my childhood dream character. Misty, Brock and all those other people like Professor Oak, and Gary. And most importantly out of all of them, Team Rocket - Jesse & James. How could I ever forget any of them, I will always have a place for them in my heart-childhood memories. All the Pokemons, I guarantee I could name more than 90% of the Pokemons before Diamond and Pearl despite not having played or watched Pokemon in a couple of years (planning to watch some again though, to relive my past).

Although sometimes it's good to grow up and act maturely, sometimes it's also good to re-live your childhood and remember the good times you had in your life as a child and reminisce them. The past may not be as important as your present, but it's what makes up your present, and what will make up your future. If you're an adult, you'll understand what I mean. If you're a teen, then enjoy your youth while you can, and if you're a child then go watch Pokemon, but also do it in an appropriate manner - Parent's permission. But remember kids, it's also healthy to play it without your parent's permission and rebel. Deceiving and arguing. Playing and watching Pokemon. What beautiful experiences they are~ Looking back on my childhood, Pokemon truly was something special. It's a part of my (& others, I'm sure) life forever~

Pokemon's story is honestly not the best. They could have ended the story after just one season, but instead, they made more. At first, it was okay, but they kept adding more and more into it that viewers got bored and tired. Instead of being excited for new evolutions and new Pokemons, it became boring. Travel, get Pokemon, fight the gym leaders, and stop the Team Rocket. After about 500 episodes, the Team Rocket still hasn't gotten a single Pokemon and keep it. I stopped watching Pokemon ever since Takeshi Shudo, the original writer, passed away. I feel like Pokemon went downhill ever since he ... died. However, Pokemon was my favorite anime, is my favorite anime, and will always be my favorite anime. Pokemon always gives me a nostalgic feeling. I still know the theme song and the Team Rocket motto by heart. Pokemon is my childhood.

The show stars Ash Ketchum, a 10 year old who starts his quests to become a Pokemon master. Along the way, he goes to Professor Oak and gets Pikachu as his starting Pokemon. Then he travels with Misty and Brock, and they fight against Jesse, James, and Meowth from the Team Rocket. After the characters were replaced, I lost my interest in this show. But like what I said, Pokemon is irreplaceable.

As a child, this anime opened a door to my imagination, wanting Pokemons to be real. I wanted to be like Ash. I wanted to catch Pokemons, take care of them, challenge gym leaders, and travel the world. It's a very interesting story with easy names to remember. Like other animes, Pokemon made me learn something. I learned to believe in myself, follow my dreams, and care for others. Kanto, Indigo, Hoenn, Sinnoh, and Johto will always be my favorite regions. Charmander will always be my favorite Pokemon. Ash, Misty, and Brock's relationship with each other and with each of their main Pokemon will always be my favorite. I remember waking up early every morning just to watch Pokemon. I also remember always being sad everytime Ash decides to leave his Pokemon behind. (Especially Lapras and Charizard). I remember staying up playing Firered, Sapphire, etc. on the Gameboy SD. I remember the difficulty of catching Moltres with 1 HP after 10 or more ultra balls. I remember collecting cards, although I did not really know how to play them. I remember collecting Pokemon stuffed toys. I got caught on the franchise, and I played the games.

A lot of people are complaining about how Ash never grew up, but to me, I think that is one of the best and most important things about Pokemon. Pokemon represents mine, and a lot of other people's childhood. I believe that Pokemon's writer did not make Ash grow up on purpose. Him being forever 10 years old represents our innocence and youth while we watched it.

It might be pretty silly of me to be THIS attached to the show. To me, Pokemon is my childhood and it is irreplaceable. Pokemon touches my heary very deeply, just as Ash thinks back how much he has traveled to come this far.

To make things simple and why the first series of Pokemon have so many critical issues I will just divide the first series to its three main arcs:

The Kanto\Indigo League arc
The Kanto arc is notable as the best arcs in the Pokemon Long-series, for some points that makes this arc so much fantastic and memorable: the ep-format created in the Johto arc not yet to be introduced and even the filling episodes between the gyms battles more enjoyable than any Pokemon season, Ash (or Satoshi in the Japanese ver.) maybe stupid and clumsy but present every first Pokemon trainer to get out to the world ... so you will forgive his lack of knowledge and stupidity about Pokemon for his love for Pokemon, and that is actually the good thing about him, makes you want cheers for him.
Maybe the most boring parts of the show are the episodes between Ash's 6th gym battle and his 7th gym battle, which is the shortest filling-episodes between gym battles in the Pokemon long-series contains only but sure more enjoyable than the most episodes of the Johto arc, part of it is that Team Rocket can be endurable at those parts and even changes parts from time to time from evil to supporters in some episodes, and can be the comedy brakes from time to time.
Besides Team Rocket, Brock's is not that annoying like he is in the next arcs and seasons, his "sick of love" is appearing only late in the series and Misty is... well, she always a good character in the Pokemon anime.
The rivals of Ash though, except for the last one showing in the latest episodes, is only Gary and is shown for rarest times and his attitude is worst than Ash though since he is based on Green from the games it's not surprising, but the rivalry-friendship of Ash and Richi is much better and developed.

Story - 8
Character - 8

Orange Islands League arc
This arc is known as the "filler arc" of the Pokemon long-series, which means that this 40+ episodes arc is not based about the Pokemon games at all, and in some ways might be boring at times, especially since this season is existed only to take the time until the Johto games will be released, and in this arc even the "gym battles" episodes might be boring and not original and even kind of annoying.
But still, there are good parts of it that worth watching, one is that Ash Finally shows his knowledge from the Pokemon league in his pretty good Pokemon battles and 2 that this arc solves some issues that opened in the Kanto arc and not to talk about the GS ball that connecting between this arc to Johto arc that is necessary for whom who want to watch the Johto arc.
Tracy, the new mate-traveler of Ash, is the most annoying replacement for Brock, his "knowledge" seen too much hard to be like Brock. Team Rocket is still in their "Kanto annoyance" which is fine by me and the Gym Leaders of the Orange League is really not that interesting.
Story - 7
Character - 5

Johto League arc
This arc is known as the arc that created the formula of the Pokemon long-series annoying episodes, which in short is: "the gang finds a Pokemon and it's trainer, the trainer tells his story of him and his pokemon, Team Rocket wants that Pokemon, Team Rocket steal that Pokemon, Ash's Pikachu zapping Team Rocket and gets that Pokemon back", and this format is not only for one two or ten episodes but for almost 160 episodes.
If the Kanto arc was 82 episodes and Orange arc was 40+ episodes, the rest of the episodes is only the Johto arc, and it really-really-really long and annoying, in the Johto arc the seasons are divided by 4 long seasons, which the most epic episodes - the gym battles episodes - is only in the start and the end of the season, when Ash gets the last one is the start of Season 4, between them only episodes filled by the above format.
Here and there Ash gets to failing the real Team Rocket, by the Lake of Rage or by saving Lugia baby and hears the legend of Oh-Ho and the Legendary Beasts, though those episodes are interesting and worth watching, they are scattered all over the seasoned and can be count on one hand, few more episodes of Ash catching Pokemon, but the rest of the episodes are totally the same formula and useless.
Team Rocket is making records by their annoyance and the new-introduced characters every episode not that they even no interesting but reaching the same conclusion as every other character the gang meets.
And to make things worse, some of Ash's gym battles not even interesting and worth the watch of the filling eps, the only worthy battles are the league battles.
Though all that been said, one thing good about this arc is that as a child I really liked it, both the 2nd generation and the impression of the big world of Pokemon, but even though I'm adult now, I will say this - after watching the later series of Diamond and Pearl and XY, even if I was a kid this arc maybe was the worst for me, if so the only things good about Johto arc is the 2nd generation I considering one of the best generations.
Story - 5
Character - 5

Art - 7
Though the art is really ... lame, you can excuse the year and stuff, but even now the art of the first arc is enjoyable memorable and nostalgy, the problem is that though you will say "it will get better" in the Johto league the improvement is stuck 'till the art style is replaced.

Sound - 7
Though the score may be old school and reused, in the Pokemon series that adapted from the game not only I didn't expect much but also enjoying it.

Enjoyment + Overall 7/8
Though the Johto arc is maybe the worst arc in the Pokemon long-series and Orange might be slice better than it, the Kanto arc is what makes me so love the Pokemon anime and although the Johto series is filled with episodes of the same format. in times they are still enjoyable

R.I.P. 1997-2001

Pokemon was my life as a kid. I know that's sad to say, but its true, and I know a lot of you were like me when this thing came to America in 1997. It hit like a nuclear bomb, the aftermath was huge. Pokemon had everything in terms of marketing. A show, games, action figures, shampoo! It was really a marketing genius.

But it was also more than that, now that I'm older and I've moved on to other things. As a kid, the concept of Pokemon was tangible. Imagine, leaving your home to go on an adventure with you're friends, growing up ... with them, learning new things, visiting new places. Pokemon wasn't just about the monsters, it was about the journey.
And following someones journey can always be an experience too. Watching Ash get Pikachu, then meet up with Misty, then Brock. Win his gym badges, its all a journey that we can be apart of.

Its sad to look at what Pokemon has become. I just watched an episode from the new series on cartoon network the other day. It seems all the fun of the franchise has been sucked out of it. The games rules are incorporated with the show. The feel of adventure is gone, its really upsetting. Younger audience should be able to experience the greatness that Pokemon was, but no longer is, and probably never will be.

The original Pokemon anime was an amazing, wholesome show with tons of charm and soul that paired perfectly with the video games, movies, and trading card game. It's hard to name any other single franchise that had as much reach as Pokemon did during its peak, and being a part of it at the time felt more like a major experience than just watching another cable TV show.

The show's characters are inspiring and their adventure was fun to watch. The progress that the main characters make throughout the series isn't always linear or predictable, meaning that there's always a reason to keep watching to see ... how things pan out. Additionally, their progress often comes with realistic moments of failure or other heartwrenching events that really drive home the idea of it being a proper adventure.

Pokemon. A show I am sure we all have heard about. And it is still going on.
Pokemon is anime about a boy named Ash who wants to be a Pokemon master and therefore he travels with this Pokemon and then meets a lot of differents people etc.

I gave the story itself 7, because I think it is pretty good. It tends to be the same and the same over and over agian, but especially the first season has some very touching episodes and some good lessons about life.

Art and sound:

I have always liked the Art in Pokemon. Especially the Pokemon itself are very ... cute. Sound: There are some good soungs in it.

Characters: The characters not really devolpment through the series if you ask me, however the main characters are different from each other and believabe.

Enjoyment: Pokemon series are fun too watch. I enjoyed it very much, but the first season was the most excting one.

Overall. I have found it kind of hard to review anime I have seen since it started. If you asked me when I 7 I would have give it a10 to all things. However, now when I have got older I have started to ask myself how good an amime Pokemon is. I see it is as a very good anime, which is funny, maybe not has the best story in the word, but has a good moral and children will enjoy this anime. So a 7 from me.

Has anyone never watched this series?
The Series is probably the best example of Nostalgia. Even though now most of us review the bad dubbing, the bad art, and repetitive story with distaste, We still hide in closests watching the DVD Box set of the first season.
I like the series because it introduced me to the basic ideas of Anime, made me play the video game series(as it was intended to be used) and old pictures I drew as a Kid show early attempts at drawing pikachu, showing that Pokemon influenced me to become a artist.
The bad thing about the Anime is that ... I, not the series, grew up. I still cringe at some of the bad dubbing and the theme song.
I still secretly watched the series (yes, even the later seasons) and still try to guess on 'whos that pokemon' in the first season.
Its one of my favorite Animes I ever watched no matter what anyone says, And yet I still watch Pokemon abridged by Master WGS to laugh at the crappyness.
Best of both worlds right?

Alright so when I tell you I was obsessed with Pokemon as a kid, I’m not kidding. I discovered the Pokemon anime when I was eight and it became my personality for the next year or so. I watched every single episode of the anime that was out at the time, though I kinda stopped at sun and moon, I didn’t grow up with a game boy so I only got to play the ds games with diamond and pearl still being one of my favorite games of all time, I used to to torture everyone I knew with my Pokemon knowledge. The anime was ... my favorite show for a while and since I finally got a gba sp recently and how I almost beat fire red, I thought I could revisit the anime with my mom bevause she also loves Pokemon. She’s never seen the anime but has played the games and plays Pokemon go anything we go somewhere. But is Pokemon good? Well…

Despite me giving it a 7/10, I honestly think it’s a great show (the first season that is, everything else I didn’t care for)

Yeah, Pokemon has problems. The animation is mediocre and reuses animation a lot (which I guess is the case for a lot of retro anime, but it is really noticeable in Pokemon), the characters are ok and can get pretty annoying, it’s repetitive and even though I don’t mind when shows are repetitive but in Pokemon, while the episodes are enjoyable, aren’t really interesting and are only really good when you want to watch the show out of boredom.
Despite that, it has a lot of pros
The characters are incredibly memorable and team rocket is easily the best and while I don’t think ash is a great character, his entire existence gives me so much nostalgia to when I would watch the show and think ash was the coolest thing ever. The soundtrack is great and I get the music stuck in my head a lot, and the Japanese version of the first opening goes hard and my god, anytime I hear the English opening, I basically die of nostalgia. Some episodes and arcs are great and my favorite episode is definitely the one where ash leaves pikachu, it did make my eyes feel watery, but I cry at everything so I don’t know if it’s a problem with me.


Is Pokemon a great masterpiece? No. But is it a good show that I hope kids love as time goes on? Yes. I rewatch Pokemon anytime I want to relive the days of when I wasn’t stressed out about anything and it’s one of the few shows I watched as a kid that really impacted my life. I do honestly recommend Pokemon if you haven’t seen it so you can get a taste of what true nostalgia is like. Not an amazing show, but a good one and it will always have a special place in my heart

We all know that Pokemon isn't a good anime, the storyline and mainly the characters are very shallow. We still love it, because it is nostalgic. I think this is a perfect anime for children and teens who feel nostalgic. Even though we now consider the later seasons anoying and repetitive, children all over the world still love them. It's just that they can't please elder generations who seek more adventure and excitement. We've just fallen out of the target group. In itself, the series are still enjoyable and the art is well attempting to follow the upcoming trends of IT. There is not really ... a season better than another one, our opinion changes because we grow older.

Oh Pokemon, oh Pokemon.
Let's just face it, most of us have watched at least one episode of Pokemon. Pokemon definitely holds a place in my heart. Nostalgia hits me when I think of it. So let's just start, I hate the fact that this is such a special show to me but I know it isn't exactly great.
Story: 6
The story is kind of boring and repetitive, full of fillers and wasteful episodes. But if you watched it as a kid, you know you got inspired by it, to be kind, loving and good to others. It had it's funny scenes that do make you ... laugh plus some of the Pokemon (like pikachu) are cute.
Art:7
While it wasn't exactly great, it was pretty good for something that released in the last century. The characters were pretty 2D but the Pokemon designs are quite adorable and I really do appreciate them for coming up with so many Pokemon designs.
Sound:6
The BGM was pretty okay. Not too bad. I do admit that i did sing the Intro theme quite a few times as a kid.
Character:5
Most of them were pretty meh. Ash, the ever smiling and loving protagonist. Misty, the typical girl afraid of bug-type pokemon were both mediocre. I liked Brock, not all the time though.
Enjoyment: 7
It was definitely a one-of-a-kind thing during it's time. It wasn't exactly "Japanese" though and I felt it has been quite Americanized. But it does teach a few morals of kindness and being a good person and is definitely a starter/beginner type of anime for kids. The games were pretty good. I used to play them until recently. They gave a whole new meaning to the world of RPGs.
Overall:7
You watch it as a a kid. Then you watch it when you're older and you begin to see the difference but you just can't help being attached to it because it brings back old memories. The whole idea of pocket monsters, catching them, training them and battling them is quite an awesome concept. Overall, its a pretty Okay show to watch but it's definitely not for the people who don't enjoy too many filler episodes.

Every possible critique of this kid's show has already been said. I originally gave it a 7/10 because it's honestly too episodic to be great, but I bumped it up to an 8/10 because of its sheer cultural impact and it basically being my entire childhood from ages 7-11. I have no desire to rewatch it as an adult, but at the time, this was the greatest thing that ever captured my imagination. I was so obsessed with the show that I put up a Pokemon poster next to my bed which I would spend time looking at before I fell asleep. At one point ... I could memorize all 150 in numeric order which in hindsight is just crazy. Honestly I'm surprised my parents didn't take me to see a shrink after that. This show was the reason for THAT level of obsession, so it must have done something right.

Pokemon, most of have already heard of it, but surely they can't be that great right?
Wrong!!

These funny episodes follow our hero Ash as he battles to become the 'Pokemon Master.' When I first saw an episode of Pokemon I was very young so I don't recall it, but all I will say is that the originals are kind of so much better then the new ones.
On Ash' adventures you meet, Brock, Misty (and to all you pokemon fans out there, of course, pikachu) and lots of gym leaders.

It is quite funny (thanks to miaowths not so funny jokes) and also thanks to team ... rockets vain attempts. It's quite easy to understand, but sadly the new pokemon adventures get a bit boring for all the people who have watched the old ones.

I definitely reccomend pokemon.

This Review is for the first 81 Episodes of Pokemon: "Pokemon! Indigo League"

We all have watched Pokemon, whether it was a couple episodes here or a movie or two there. Maybe you were the person who got into the card games or perhaps into the vast array of pokemon video games. Well whoever you are chances are you came across them at one point in time.

When you were younger most of us loved pokemon for whatever reason. I, as the reviewer, also had this experience. I loved the pokemon show and card game, looking back, but I don't remember why I liked it at ... all. So for the last couple weeks i spent hours watching the first season of pokemon.

I hoped by rewatching every episode in order, i could possibly gain an idea of if it was just our young ignorance at what was really being said or if pokemon really is as good as what millions of people make it out to be.

The show started off like any other adventure story, slow and full of hardships. But as always the main character pulls through. The main character in this story, Ash, seems to defy the odds and make his way to be a Pokemon Master.

Once i got on a roll of watching the episodes I started to remember why I liked the series. Even if the episode was boring there was always this brief moment in every episode when it recaught my attention. TEAM ROCKET!

There was something about those idiots that always made me laugh. It didn't matter how good it was looking for Team Rocket, they would always screw up. It was that, that made the series all the better. That... and the motto.

"Prepare for trouble!, Make it Double!, To protect the world from devastation!, To Unite all peoples within our nation!, To denounce the evils of truth and love!, To extend our reach to the stars above!, Jessie!, James!, Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!, Surrender Now, or prepare to fight!, Meowth! That's Right!"

I even now, at the age of nearly 20, I still find myself quoting that stupid motto every time they begin saying it. Every episode, without fail, you will hear the motto in some way shape or form. To me, I loved it. It is cleaver and keeps people interested, especially when they mix it up with a few different words here and there.

When I finished the first Season "The Indigo League". I realized that perhaps there is a reason why millions of Pokemon Fans love the pokemon shows and games. It wasn't fully apparent at episode 110 (episode 30 of Season 2), but perhaps with more episodes maybe it will come to me.

There is one thing, as of right now, I do know. Pokemon The Indigo League is worth watching, at least once. If you weren't totally revolted and bored out of your mind by the first 81 episodes, Season 2: "Adventures on the Orange Islands" may also be for you.

Notes: The show was good, the story was decent, and the art was okay. There was always a reason to continue watching to the next episode. The suspense was used often and made, at least me, want to continue to the next episode. To see if Ash's goal would truly come true. - - -

For Season one: The Indigo League
Overall Rating: 7 / 10.
Rewatch Value: Low-Medium

Let me grab your antension attention and let's talk about the Pokemon series.

In the late 90's Pokemon was one of the first anime series introdused to America and other countries and was marketed more to the youngest audience so I won't be so harsh with it.

Let's talk about...

STORY: 5/10
The anime's main story is all about the character Ash Ketchum trying to make his dream to become a Pokemon master come true. He encounters many friends in his way, some just show once and vanish forever and some continue to follow him trying to make their dreams come true too as well. Well.. as a anime ... marketed to the youngest audience it doesn't have much of a serious plot, Half of the episodes are just wondering around, some of them feeling like mini-stories. The actual reason that makes the story bad is because it keeps repeating itself over and over. Not to mention it's censored about the Japanese culture and the show is completely Americanised, example: (Riceballs replaced with Sandwitch).

ART: 8/10
Even someone who never seen the Pokemon series once in his life he could easily judge it's a 90's anime by the art, when judging the art you should judge when it was made too, you cant compare it to any current anime's art. The backgrounds and the environment are well detailed and by the way they're drawed you could simply recognise to which anime the art belongs.

SOUND: 10/10
Except that Pokemon was one of the first anime series introdused to America and other countries it the dubbed version by 4Kids has the most recognizable opening theme in the world, really makes you to overflow with the passion of adventure... Once you hear it one it get's edged into your brain forever..! I have to mention that Pokemon have 9 album disks (English) talking about the series, some are shipping songs.

CHARACTERS: 8/10
The main character is Ash Ketchum, he's a kid who's willing to risk even his life in some situations to save his friends, he's stuborn and doesn't give up easiliy to his believes. He has many rivals but I will talk just about Gary Oak. He's the character type who's making of others like Ash but he actually deeply respects their talents, he's a pure troll and a womanizer for a 10 year old... Misty's dream is to become a master at water Pokemons, her character is a tsundere. She actually likes Ash Ketchum and that can be see in some episodes. And lastly Brock is a about 14-16Yo in the series, he's a gymleader specialiced at rock type Pokemon, he's a sucker for any breathing been with a hole Ehm.. I mean a woman and he fails everytime to get a lady like him back, how many times he's turned down he's still trying ^_^ (My life...)

ENJOYMENT 9/10
This is my personal experience, except that isn't much going on in the story section I really enjoyed watching this show as a child and even today I would still enjoy it, it all comes back to the nostalgia thing. The show is kinda slice of life too if you look it from my perspective we just sit back having our meal and watching them trying their best to because what they wanna be... I would recommend giving this series a chance :D

Hell yeah, Pokemon. If you were a kid back in the Late '90's to the late 2000's, you can remember that feeling whenever you watched an episode of Pokemon. Joy, Excitement and ready to see if Ash will Catch ém all. You wake up at 7 in the morning, flip it to network 10, grab a bowl of Froot Loops and Enjoy yourself. Or, if you were a Power Rangers fan, you'd do the same thing, except an Hour later. Well, that's just how it was for me, because I live in Australia.

Truly, a masterpiece for Children and teens alike. ..... But is it ... as good as I can remember? *Dodges Flaming arrow*Alright, Alright, I'm not saying this is a bad anime by any standards, in fact it's probably one of the more popular ones, being parodied in South Park and The Simpsons, but if you can remember your childhood, you know you weren't the smartest kid (And if you were, I kinda doubt you would've watched Pokemon) and just because it brings back Nostalgia, doesn't mean it's the absolute Pinnacle of Existence. So let's Revisit this Seizure-filled Goodness in this Review (I swear, I'll keep the Seizure jokes at a minimum)

Story:
Ash is a 10 Year old boy who sets out on a Journey to become a Pokemon master. Joined by his two friends, Misty and Brock, they travel Kanto to...uh....Catch Ém all?
Honestly, Ash's Goal isn't explained too well. Does he want to catch All 150+ Pokemon? Does he want to beat the Pokemon League? Does he want to prove to his Rivals that he's the greatest in a Competition? I really don't know. And each Episode takes a different story to tell and Introduce a Pokemon.
Though, I'm being harsh, as these stories were definitely a lot of fun as a kid, which is their Target audience, so it makes sense.
I'll never forget the Sabrina Mini-Arc. Should I start therapy after the Arc, or when the nightmares come back?
And who can forget the Pokemon League? Oh, Charizard, will you ever listen to anyone?
There's even 4 Episodes pulled out of rotation which I didn't even know about or viewed until 2 years ago. to give you a run down:
Beauty and the Beach: The Anime beach episode with Fanservice(?), Old women (Luckily not linked) and.....James with Boobs?!? Surprisingly, after all that, this eventually got an English dub. Though, with the obvious cut of James'gender Confusion
Legend of Dratini: Guns, Hitler and Ash suddenly has 30 Tauros
The Ice Path: Racism and Piloswines
Electric Soldier Porygon: STROBE LIGHTS INTENSIFY
But all in all, it's a tonne of fun to see what lengths our heroes will get through in these Zany adventures to reach their Ultimate goal, as misguided as it may be.
Story: 7/10

Art:
Though Simplistic compared to other Anime, you can't really see these characters as much more then with these designs. And if they were to get a Normal Realistic look, it would ruin it for the Kiddies. The Backgrounds are Neatly painted, the Cartoon-ish Character designs are always a laugh after Re-watching, and the Pokemon look better than their Gen I Sprites (Shudder)
Even though I viewed these aspects via my Old Pokemon VHS tapes I recorded from 2002 (Grainier than a Grain harvest) and some SD Episodes on the internet, I can still say it Delivers fun, even if it is a 2-Dimensional Drawing.
Art: 9/10

Sound:
Who doesn't get that feeling when they hear the opening chords to the Pokemon theme? Power Rangers fans, I guess. Oh, and Digimon fans. Come to think of it, not a whole lot. But it still stands that this was the song to my Childhood. I spent Classes playing Game Boy Advance, Trading holographic Cards and reading the-Then Confusing Manga, while having the Pokemon Theme on Loop on my MP3 Player. It's just the song that goes with Pokemon.
Screw the Newer themes in seasons 2-5 and onwards, this is my Youth Song.
Oh yeah, and the Background music is decent.
The Voices sound like Kids to an extent, and the villains sound like the Cliched "Doctor Evil Guy with a Top Hat, Cape and Mustache" which sounds cool, and meowth and Pikachu sound adorable. Only in this review will you hear someone say that Meowth is adorable. It all blends well with what we're given. Overall, Child like fun and wonder reigns supreme.
Music: 8/10

Characters:
I remember in classes, someone would ask me, "Who would you like to be in the Pokemon Show?" I'd always say I don't know, because I couldn't relate to them. But now I can see why I said I don't know all those times. they're just...Boring. They've barely got any personalities to distinguish themselves from another's Character trait. Ash is like Oatmeal, Misty is like Wheat Toast and Brock is like Styrofoam. In other words, TOO PLAIN! Gary was a douche for the first 5th of the show, The Characters of the Day weren't too well thought out, Psyduck went from annoyingly-Funny to Annoying in a Nanosecond and good God, I dislike Charizard for being such an ass to Ash. In fact, unlike other Pokemon fans, i actually don't see what's so special about Charizards.
*Blinkalink Phone Meassages*
Wow, 5,000 Hate messages in a meer 20 Seconds due to an opinion. A new record. I just don't see him as overly-Great. I'd always get Arcanine, Ninetails or Magmar if I wanted a strong OBEDIENT pokemon.
If I dislike these characters so much, why did I even put this section on the review? I'll tell you why: Jessie and James!
They brought an awesome element to the show. They only wanted Ash's Pikachu for a quick Buck to help them out while they're starving. Ash could easily get it back after they sold it. Okay, I digress.
Jessie is a girl who wanted to become a Nurse Joy and help Pokemon. but, I guess, every Nurse Joy had to look alike, and she was expelled from more teachings. Her life eventually got Crappier until she decided to join the Other side of crime.
James is a Guy who was born in a rich family, but never wanted all the Luxuries. He ran away after a fight, and decided with Jessie, to join the other side. This Guy is my Favourite, due to his British Accent, his Awesome Hair, his less Sexualised Outfit, his love of Roses and his Charm.
But most of all, he loves all of his Pokemon. Weezing always got love from James and he tried his absolute hardest to love a Magikarp. And when Victreebel got released, it brought a tear to my eye. Several in fact. I've even heard that he's loved even more Pokemon in future series, like Cacnea, Mime Jr. and even a Chimecho!
And Meowth, the wise Cracking Cat. I'll never tire of him.
But my main concern is how they treat Jessie and James. they treat them like Garbage! Why is it that Ash, a loser who abandons a Muk as soon as possible, get's all the luxuries, and James, a Person with a love for Cute Pokemon, gets Tortured every day for trying to live a normal everyday life and trying to have a conversation with people? Yes, he did a Bad thing in the past, but you can forgive him. Don't attack them everytime they try to have a stroll.
All in all, they were Neat for the Late 90's, but goddamnit, they piss me off nowadays.
Characters: 5/10

Enjoyment:
Did I enjoy the Pokemon craze as a kid? That's like asking Monkey D. luffy from one piece if he Enjoys food. Hell Yeah! Even to this day, if I blank out CERTAIN CHARACTER TRAITS, then I can feel that Nostalgia kick in. I think that's the keyword here: Nostalgia. It comes back to you and you enjoy it more than ever like you would if you were a little kid.
Enjoyment: 10/10

Overall:
It's sort of a mixed bag for me. I love how the Nostalgia Kicks in, but i ahte some of the Character's treatments in the show. I love seeing old faces come back, but i dislike their bland Personalities. But I loved the craze as a kid, and if you watch it like a kid in the 90's (Not analyzing every minute detail in an episode) then you'll know why kids loved it so much. It was addicting. Though you can definetely skip the Filler episodes if you haven't got too much time on your hands. I couldn't stop playing Pokemon Emerald until I caught them all, which I did.....last year.
Hey, 386 Pokemon is a difficult task. i loved the Cards, the Novels, the Board Games, the Manga in a sort of odd way, but I would awaken every Saturday morning at a Specific time, just to see if Ash would do something remarkable in the episode. Now that's Dedication! If you like Digimon, don't be too shy of Pokemon, and embrace what their magical world of Neon Colored 90's clothes had.
Overall: 8/10

Truly this was a great show. Huh? What? It's still running? What the Hell is Unova? Meh, I'll give it a shot! (1 Episode Later...) [Complete Awkward Silence Silence]....WHAAA--

Coming Soon: Pokemon Best Wishes Review
Thank you, Farewell, Good Luck, Amen, Have a safe trip home, and Goodnight

Everyone is crazy for hating on this show for being the exact same thing Marvel movies are praised for these days!

It's simple, clean fun, but also clear cut.
It's main purpose is to make the world of the video game alive and it manages that perfectly. It deconstructs concepts from the video game every other episode, and thus gives them more meaning.

Characters are simple, but not stereotypes. They have clear motivations and goals, and their connections become more and more meaningful as the time goes by. Bonus points for having non talking characters and gag villains actually developed.

The animation is extremely limited, but the ... art is very expressive, well directed and captures atmosphere perfectly.

Still one of the most enjoyable adventure shows in anime, later seasons went off the rails without the guidance of Takeshi Shudo, but what is here is as good as ever.