Half of the main cast remains, as Ash tackles the Hoenn league with a new team (and Pikachu), and his old pal Brock returns to cook the munchies and explain the bs of Ash's pokemon battles to us watching. But they are joined by two compadres who bring opposite value to series: May and Max. There isn't much good to say about Max. He's too young to have any pokemon, so he just causes problems for the crew and whines a bunch about how his older sister isn't a pokemon master immediately. That sister, May, however, is the brightest spot in the entire Pokemon franchise. While she has her struggles at first, her talent as a trainer and coordinator is undeniable. May brings renewed life to the series with her energy and hunger for coordinating. Despite being the trainer with the least experience in the series, she quickly becomes a focal point in helping the team overcome Team Rocket and any other obstacles that the crew faces in each episode. While she (unfortunately) takes a secondary role in some episodes (most notably the gym battles), May is frequently the star of the entire series. Her charm and wit provide the series with moment-to-moment energy to help flesh out each episode, while her food craving and frequent nervousness provide comedic relief as necessary during more intense moments. May grows to love her travel mates and creates multiple rivals in her coordinator contests, giving the show a much needed "oomph" and pizzaz that the series was previously lacking. It is impossible to understate May's importance to the Advanced Generation. Whether it is bravely battling Team Aqua to rescue her friends, or attempting to conquer a mighty pokemon contest, every single highlight in the series exists because of her incredible actions. She is also at the center of the most heartwarming moments of the series, as she shows her compassion for her brother Max (despite him not deserving it!).
The story is the one area of Pokemon Advanced Gen where the series stands on shaky ground. May joins Ash's adventure with the intention of winning pokemon contests to compete in the Hoenn Grand Festival. Episodes that focus on May and these contests are easily the best chunk of the series. Seeing her training with her Pokemon is a joy given how much she loves all of her Pokemon, and watching the training pay off in the contests is beyond tense as you find yourself rooting for May's victory. Unfortunately, the writers frequently push May aside to focus on Ash's attempt to conquer the Hoenn League. Ash lacks the interesting and fun that May possesses, and he's already had multiple shots at taking league titles, so why the writers decided to focus so heavily on Ash again is a conundrum I may never understand. That doesn't stop May from shining through, however. Her spirit is too strong and she is too wonderful a character for the writers to ignore completely. While she might not get her due every episode, May is still in the limelight frequently.
The art style is largely the same as the series before it. It ain't the prettiest thing on a whole, but they nail the shots when it counts. Newcomer Max's outfit puts the (pig) sty in style. Both Ash and Brock get a new snazzy get up, but May again takes the cake when it comes to character design. Easily the best in the Pokemon series and certainly a contender for the best in all of anime, May's standard outfit is beyond genius. The top is sporty red short-sleeved shirt with a navy accent, and a popped collar gives it the true flare that only she could make work. A white skirt and biker shorts make up the bottom half, with color-coordinated shoes, pouch, and gloves to give this ten year old the look of a pro. Her hair and bandana push her look into the "legendary" status, as no one else in anime - NO ONE - can look half as good wearing a bandana while combing their hair to resemble motorcycle handlebars. It may sound absurd, but it works so incredibly well that you'll be wishing for fewer pokemon battles and more shots of May doing anything.
The sound design also largely stays standard in Pokemon with two notable exceptions. Max's voice actor tries his heart out, but Max is such a one-note blob that he can't save Max despite his efforts. May (voiced by Kathleen McInerney) is on the opposite side of the spectrum, and makes sure May comes across as cool as she looks. Kathleen takes the road less traveled when voicing May, giving it her all for every single sound and helping May look like a star. Whether it is a scream of terror or a simple hum, Kathleen clearly worked hard to give May the performance she has earned.
Despite the story focusing too much on the Pokemon League over the Grand Festival, Pokemon Advanced is still far and away the best portion of the Pokemon series and among the best anime ever. Pokemon struck gold with May as she shines even when the story attempts to push her aside. May single-handily pulls the franchise to amazing new heights not just with her solid battling skills and incredible coordinating abilities, but with her bubbly personality, intense passion, and her beautiful smile. May is so unbelievably well written that Pokemon Advanced Generation is an absolute must watch for all anime fans. It will be a long, long time before anime sees someone half as MAYgnificant as her, so be sure to give this portion of the Pokemon franchise a watch.
