Support NeoGAF

[theusedversion]

I've seen several episodes years ago whenever they would come on tv and enjoyed it enough but haven't followed it all since then. I'm not really into the whole Pokemon scene like some people. I don't play the games. I just want people's opinion of the tv series as it is. When looking up info about the series, I shockingly realized that there are now 17 seasons worth of shows.

• So which ones should I watch?

• Are there any that I should avoid?

• Do they get boring after a while?

 

[Shaanyboi]

Skip it. It's academically fascinating as a piece of advertising, but it's the same dull trite shit.

 

[theusedversion]

Skip it. It's academically fascinating as a piece of advertising, but it's the same dull trite shit.

Is it seriously that bad? I admit that I don't remember the shows too well because it's probably been at least a decade since I watched any.

 

[Chuck Norris]

First season or two were enjoyable enough as a kid, but I'm sure it's pretty much below average as an adult. And it pretty much devolved into season after season of Ash being terrible at what he does

 

[MikeBreezy92]

If you have to watch hoenn and sinnoh

 

[MMarston]

Unless you watched them as a kid and thus find nostalgic value to the show, there really is nothing of value for you now.

 

[Windam]

Just watch Kanto and Johto parts.

If you have to watch hoenn and sinnoh

But Hoenn was the worst region and midway through it 4Kids lost the license to it and all the voice actors switched and everything became terribad.

 

[Bitanator]

Terrible now even as nostalgia tries to look past its faults, but even still, better than the shit that was Digimon

 

[Windam]

Terrible now even as nostalgia tries to look past its faults, but even still, better than the shit that was Digimon

You shut your whore mouth

 

[Kite]

The new Pokemon X Y anime (2013) is actually pretty decent from what I've heard and seen, we showed the first ep at my anime club. I'm not a pokemon expert by any means, only seen random episodes of the original show on american tv and played Pokemon Blue on the gameboy, but it seems like a reboot where Ash and Pikachu are starting off on their adventure and there are a bunch of these new pokemon that I've never seen or heard of before.

 

[MMarston]

Terrible now even as nostalgia tries to look past its faults, but even still, better than the shit that was Digimon

OH NO YOU DIDN'T.

 

[Shaanyboi]

Is it seriously that bad? I admit that I don't remember the shows too well because it's probably been at least a decade since I watched any.

I mean it's not like total dogshit. It's for really little kids. First season is alright I guess. But it's incredibly basic. See the first couple episodes and you're set. After that, it's about as repetitive as Power Rangers.

It's not 17 seasons because the plot has taken complex interesting directions all this time. It may as well be CSI.

 

[JordanN]

Every episode is the same.

-Villain shows up and does something
-They enter a Pokemon contest
-Ash beats someone
-Some character of the day shows up and does something

Oh, and Pikachu is overpowered.

Spoiler

I use to watch the series up untill Best Wishes. Couldn't do anymore after that.

 

[Zeyphersan]

No, Ash is the goddamn fucking worst

WHY WOULD YOU SEND A SQUIRTLE AGAINST A KINGLER IN THE ELITE FOUR DUDE? WHY?

Fuck Ash

Every episode is the same

-Villain shows up and does something
-Enter a Pokemon contest
-Ash beats someone
-Some character of the day shows up and does something

Oh, and Pikachu is overpowered.

Except where at the beginning of every new show Pikachu gets his ass handed to him by one of the new starters

 

[harmonize]

Watch the first three seasons. If you're not pokemon'd out by that point (and you will be), continue on through the next two seasons, then go straight to the XY series. Every series is essentially a reboot, you don't need to watch any in between those two to understand what's going on.

Terrible now even as nostalgia tries to look past its faults, but even still, better than the shit that was Digimon

god no.

 

[DonMigs85]

Did Charizard Mega Evolve yet?

 

[LycanXIII]

17 seasons and Ash is still age 10.

 

[Etrian Oddity]

Charizard vs Magmar

Infernape vs Electivire

 

[Bitanator]

OH NO YOU DIDN'T.

If you like sitting through that shitty digimon song 5 times a show and half of it wasted on digivolve animations only to end in disappointment by lackluster fights that end in seconds, be my guest. At least Pokemon brought us This

 

[Zeyphersan]

17 seasons and Ash is still age 10.

He even had a "One Year Anniversary" with Pikachu in the beginning of Pokemon the Movie 2000 and the dude is still 10 years old

 

[The Silver]

Terrible, Ash is the biggest scrub of all time.

 

[Winterfang]

Is repetitive and Mediocre and aimed a young kids. Is not bad by any means but is not for all ages.

 

[ReiGun]

Depends on where your standards are. If you want some deep, smartly written, "good for adults too" shiz, look elsewhere. If you just want to check out a competently made kids show made to sell merch, you'll have some fun.

 

[MMarston]

If you like sitting through that shitty digimon song 5 times a show and half of it wasted on digivolve animations only to end in disappointment by lackluster fights that end in seconds, be my guest. At least Pokemon brought us This

First of all, I watched the original ver. therefore did not have to be subject to US dub or soundtrack in anyway.

Second, for me, Digimon (the first 2 series at least) had much better character development and emotional payoff than Pokemon. I personally take that over battles any day.

 

[GK86]

Watch the gym battles and Orange Island episodes.

 

[HypnoDarkrai]

Watch Advanced and DP.

 

[Bitanator]

First of all, I watched the original ver. therefore did not have to be subject to US dub or soundtrack in anyway.

Second, for me, Digimon (the first 2 series at least) had much better character development and emotional payoff than Pokemon. I personally take that over battles any day.

Thank goodness then. I sat through it last year and could not believe how bad it aged since I was a kid

 

[bobawesome]

Don't put yourself through this, OP.

 

[Shining Sunshine]

It's good if you are a kid. Not a teen or adult.

 

[Aselith]

Skip it. It's academically fascinating as a piece of advertising, but it's the same dull trite shit.

Advertising alternative lifestyles!

 

[Aureon]

Watch the Red OVA, and call it a day.
Red is awesome.

 

[Ivan A Nguyen]

Been watching it with my 4 year old son. It's not a good show and it's kinda bad at teaching pokemon strategies.

 

[Grexeno]

Look up the episodes about your favorite Pokemon and watch only those.

 

[Hieberrr]

Nah, but that that one special they did earlier this year based around Red was amazing.

 

[tcrunch]

No point in watching unless you're an 8 year old shortly after the release of Red/Blue.

 

[Rynocirator]

They get pretty boring, I suggest just watching the Pokemon League episodes. That is when animation is at it's peak.

 

[the chris]

Advertising alternative lifestyles!

 

[Hindl]

Up to the Orange Island are good, Johto's alright too. Stopped after that cuz it started to get weird. I like the artstyle of the Kanto and Orange Islands seasons too. Also, Pokemon Origins was great and only 4 episodes

 

[TomShoe]

Just watch the original and XY. The animation improved so much going from Best Wishes to XY. I was actually enjoying many of the gym battles,

Spoiler

especially Pikachu vs. Lucario before the music change spoiled the ending

and

Spoiler

Tierno's Squirtle during the triple battle.

 

[Aaron Strife]

Sinnoh is the show at its best, everyone got decent character development (well, relatively speaking) that was reset with the beginning of Best Wishes

Watch the Japanese version if you can. The soundtrack in the dub episodes is terribad. It keeps some of the original music (which is mostly based on the video game music) but fills in the gaps with bland shit

 

[ohlawd]

Go watch the seasons with Dawn and Serena

 

[Verelios]

Ash is a professional jobber for 17 seasons so make of that what you will.

 

[TheVampire]

I found a guide a while back which told you all the filler episodes you could skip because there are alot of episodes now.

 

[mrjohill]

Just watch pokemon origins

 

[-duskdoll-]

I used to love Pokemon as a child but i tried to watch it again recently and couldn't go through with it. Watch the first couple of seasons but don't expect too much.

 

[Darryl]

Look up the episodes about your favorite Pokemon and watch only those.

this is the way to do it

 

[Zoned]

Team Rocket appearance in like every episode is annoying as fuck. Still a better series than that Digimon crap though.

 

[Vidpixel]

I would only watch the first few seasons for a crazy nostalgic trip, but I could never ever, ever see myself trying to get invested in the deep fiction of Ash Ketchum and his prolonged affliction of never aging.

 

[Mortemis]

Just watch the first couple movies. *

*Haven't watched these in forever, but I loved them as a kid. Cept that one with Entei and the unknown.

 

[The Giant]

Pokemon Origins is the only one you will need to watch.