Thread XXVII: Pokémon GO Recharge Your Phone!

[Red Fel]

New Japanese trailer, actual TV trailer

So there's one thing that caught my eye as it flashed through all those characters...

Spoiler: Sun/Moon

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オーキド・ユキナリ博士 Dr. Yukinari Okido

HAWAIIAN PROFESSOR OAK.

Will we be getting Kanto starters again?

Spoiler

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Holy crap, Okido-san. You've, uh, really embraced island culture, huh?

... get a haircut, hippy.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Spoiler: Sun/Moon

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If we are getting Kanto Starters, they'd better be Alolan form versions, cause I've literally gotten aaaaaaall the pokemon except for a few Mythics, I do not care for any extra charmanders, squirtles or bulbasaurs at this point. I will stone cold release any extra kanto starters they give me and just use the ones I'm transferring from previous Gens if they don't give me any twist on them that will make them worth keeping.

Spoiler: trailer

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Apparently the textbox is talking about Alolan forms, so starters or no that's got to be why he's there.

Spoiler

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Holy crap, Okido-san. You've, uh, really embraced island culture, huh?

... get a haircut, hippy.

Spoiler: trailer

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It's his Alolan form.

[Squark]

Spoiler: trailer

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It's his Alolan form.

This forum really needs a like function.

[DaOldeWolf]

Spoiler: So, basically the new trailer...

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...confirms we are getting alola form of previous characters?! First new character is Alola form Professor Oak.

[BiblioRook]

Spoiler: New trailer

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First off if feels worth mentioning that that trailer was amazing

On Kanto starters though, it seems pretty obvious that they will be in Sun and Moon considering that Charizard has been featured pretty predominately from the beginning whenever the concept of ridable Pokemon is brought up or suggested. That being the case however it's also always just normal Charizard (as far as I can tell) which doesn't suggest that we'll be seeing Alola versions of the Kanto starters. A shame really because that would have been awesome. That being said, I will never turn down an in-game opportunity to get Kanto starters. Even if there are only there for novelty or sentimental value and end up going straight to the box it's always an option I appreciate, mostly due to the fact that unlike most players in this modern age trading and whatnot seems even more of an impossibility, particularly across generations...

Spoiler: Also

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Pokemon Houseboats!


I mean...

[Lvl 2 Expert]

I've seen some theories floating around that the pokemon world might be recently post war too (to explain the relatively low population and things). I don't personally think the theory holds up especially well to scrutiny, but it could be an interesting little thought experiment for those interested in it.

Ash and other characters having single parents is not something I've really thought that hard about, but single parents also never stood out as particularly strange to me, IRL or in stories (especially in stories!)

As far as Ash's father I dunno, based on what little we have (and if the writers even care about continuity across series) I'd hazard to guess that (in no particular order)

a: Mystery Fling!
b: They're separated in some way, and either it was an amiable separation, or Ash's mom is just classy enough not to speak ill of the father in front of the son.
c: He's passed on, and Ash only has vague memories, enough that "your father would be proud" might be meaningful to him, but not especially important to his character generally speaking.

The man he thinks of as his father is a war hero, who died around the time of his birth, fighting somewhere far from home, where the war was still ongoing by then. All the long stretches of lionely nights though, the uncertainty, crying herself to sleep every evening because her husband could be dead by now, Ash's mother had a relationship with the older but handsome scientist next door.

Giovanni as Ash's father might explain a lot about his personality, but Oak as his father explains more about the story. He is treating him a lot like he does his own grandson.

That's my story, and for now I'm sticking to it.

[BiblioRook]

I always saw Oak being so nice to Ash compared to Gary down to the fact that they were both from the same small town and that Gary was, well, Gary.

[noparlpf]

New Japanese trailer, actual TV trailer

So there's one thing that caught my eye as it flashed through all those characters...

Spoiler: Sun/Moon

Show

オーキド・ユキナリ博士 Dr. Yukinari Okido

HAWAIIAN PROFESSOR OAK.

Will we be getting Kanto starters again?

Wait, since when does Pokémon use kanji? This is a kids' game, darn it. Also, I can't read kanji.

[Yuki Akuma]

Wait, since when does Pokémon use kanji? This is a kids' game, darn it. Also, I can't read kanji.

Those are very simple kanji, at least, that most of the player base would have learned in school by now.

[noparlpf]

Those are very simple kanji, at least, that most of the player base would have learned in school by now.

Still, when I played HGSS and BW in Japanese it was all kana. They must have upped the target age by like two years.

[cobaltstarfire]

The man he thinks of as his father is a war hero, who died around the time of his birth, fighting somewhere far from home, where the war was still ongoing by then. All the long stretches of lionely nights though, the uncertainty, crying herself to sleep every evening because her husband could be dead by now, Ash's mother had a relationship with the older but handsome scientist next door.

Giovanni as Ash's father might explain a lot about his personality, but Oak as his father explains more about the story. He is treating him a lot like he does his own grandson.

That's my story, and for now I'm sticking to it.

Aww that's a somewhat sad headcanon.

and its not just lack one parent, I've watched the anime and observed that some families have no parents at all and are just plain a bunch of sisters or brothers living together. Almost none of them fit a nuclear family.

I can see that sticking out as rather strange to most people. Though it's still the cornerstone of a lot of stories and backstories in fiction.

But even that isn't really odd (well probably depending on what country you live in, I live in the US), when I was student teaching there were several kindergartners living out of their cubbies, because they had no home to really go to. It was heart breaking to learn about. I know some people who used to work in the childcare system in various states, and there are far more homeless or parentless children out there than is probably comfortable for anyone to actually think about.

At least in the case of the anime, everything is so utopian that kids with no parents still probably have something resembling a good support system unlike in the real world. (Though I'd argue that a nuclear family in particular is not really required)

[Hunter Noventa]

Still, when I played HGSS and BW in Japanese it was all kana. They must have upped the target age by like two years.

I think one of the earlier announcements mentioned them adding a partial-kanji language option.

[Red Fel]

Wait, since when does Pokémon use kanji? This is a kids' game, darn it. Also, I can't read kanji.

To be fair, as mentioned, there are certain kanji you're just expected to know. Particularly when they come up in a lot of names, seeing as, even if you know no other kanji, you need to know any kanji that appear in your own name, for formal documents.

I mean, I studied the language, and I'm an adult, and I only know a handful of kanji, but there are some you have to know, people.

I assume that 博士, which translates to "Ph.D." would qualify as need-to-know. Because you need to know if somebody who calls himself a "Pokemon Professor" is an actual professor, or just a whackjob into dogfighting and small children.

Still, when I played HGSS and BW in Japanese it was all kana. They must have upped the target age by like two years.

Or upped their expectations of the kids playing. Hooray for standards!

[noparlpf]

I think one of the earlier announcements mentioned them adding a partial-kanji language option.

I wonder whether the resolution on the New 3DS is good enough to render furigana clearly. I would totally use that setting to learn kanji.

"But sensei, I was studying kanji."
"I don't care. You can get your game back after class."

[Red Fel]

I wonder whether the resolution on the New 3DS is good enough to render furigana clearly. I would totally use that setting to learn kanji.

"But sensei, I was studying kanji."
"I don't care. You can get your game back after class."

Hey, if they declare a school holiday when a new Final Fantasy is released, I wouldn't be surprised if some teachers allowed Pokemon Teaches Kanji in class.

[noparlpf]

Hey, if they declare a school holiday when a new Final Fantasy is released, I wouldn't be surprised if some teachers allowed Pokemon Teaches Kanji in class.

The Louvre actually had a 3DS tour guide app made and rent 3DSs at the lobby instead of the old-school dial-in-the-number audio guides.

[Flickerdart]

I thought Giovanni was supposed to be Gary/Blue's father, not Ash/Red's?

[Woodzyowl]

I thought Giovanni was supposed to be Gary/Blue's father, not Ash/Red's?

Silver's, if I recall. If Giovanni was Blue's father, that would make him Oak's son. Which is just weird.

[Yuki Akuma]

To be fair, as mentioned, there are certain kanji you're just expected to know. Particularly when they come up in a lot of names, seeing as, even if you know no other kanji, you need to know any kanji that appear in your own name, for formal documents.

Even learning the write the days of the week, you learn the characters for Sun, Moon, Fire, Water, Wood, Gold and Earth. (And a kanji that is completely useless unless you're writing a day of the week.) Which are surprisingly useful to know in Pokemon...

[Flickerdart]

Silver's, if I recall. If Giovanni was Blue's father, that would make him Oak's son. Which is just weird.

In this hypothesis, Silver and Blue are (half-)brothers. And why is it weird for Giovanni to be Oak's son?

[Lvl 2 Expert]

In this hypothesis, Silver and Blue are (half-)brothers. And why is it weird for Giovanni to be Oak's son?

Well, it would make Silver (who is indeed supposed to be Giovanni's sun) and Ash (not sure if this theory would apply to Red, much less story material to go on) (half-)brothers. Gary/Blue would probably be their nephew, unless of course he was Giovanni's son as well, or if he shared a mother with Silver (because I'm reasonably sure he doesn't share one with Ash). In that last case Gary/Blue and Silver would be half-brothers through their mothers side as well as nephews through Oak, Silver and Ash would be half-brothers through Giovanni, and Ash and Gary/Blue would be nephews, again through Oak.

It's a small world. Also, that's kind of weird.

In any case, if Giovanni is Oak's sun he pretty much has to be Ash's father, because otherwise Oak probably would have mentioned it. Old people story time. You know that evil boss you're up against? I once knew a little boy... He's kept that a secret because Ash's mother has asked him not to bring up Giovanni with Ash, as he might find out it's his father. Giovanni doesn't bring it up because he either doesn't care or isn't heartless enough to destroy a hopeful young lad like that.

I think my previous story was less traumatic.

EDIT: Oh crap, there's another option.

With the weird way aging works in Pokémon, Ash's father could potentially be...

Brock.

(Ash's mother claims she didn't recognize him when she first met him during the series, but then again it was a long time ago, and maybe it was dark?)

[cobaltstarfire]

Sometimes I forget that pokemon is really ripe for interesting crack theories.

[Lord Raziere]

Sometimes I forget that pokemon is really ripe for interesting crack theories.

Well yeah. There are just so many questions that are left unanswered. All throughout the series. I'm surprised that there isn't a bigger fan-fic following, since there is so much you could do with just all the little things left hanging. Pokemon is a universe full of things mentioned once then never used again or maybe twice if that.

like the Snag Machines, or the Dark Balls, or the cloning technology that Movie Mewtwo uses, or many of the ancient contraptions that they come across, that are just weird pokemon-based superweapons made by some ancient civilization clearly through some form of magic. So many things that people don't even bring up in fan-fics. that could be used more widely, or be explored a bit more in some manner. or heck, just what is up with Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny. or heck, remember Richie? got an appearance in Kanto, then Johto, then in Chronicles then......never again!

I just hope Mega-Evolution doesn't prove to be one of them. especially given all the 7-gen stuff that might be just as one-shot as all the other strange concepts.

[Lethologica]

The fanfic community is kinda absorbed into the nuzlocke community, is probably why.

[cobaltstarfire]

It'd be especially fun to explore what the deal is with pokemon that are rather explicitly "created" in some way or another.

You know the ones that just started to appear one day like voltorb, or the bronze mirror/bell pokemon, or porygon. I could see an entire side shoot of pokemon professors who are specifically interested in studying the appearance and inner workings/minds of those sorts of monsters.


I haven't looked at the OCT scene in a long time, but those were good places to find people exploring some of the elements that were weird or simply left hanging in anime or games. Though some people take too many liberties in my opinion (ex sigilyphs that are redesigned to be anthropomorphic birds, rather than sticking more closely to the weird things that they actually are)

[BiblioRook]

...or many of the ancient contraptions that they come across, that are just weird pokemon-based superweapons made by some ancient civilization clearly through some form of magic.

One thing I always found amusing that is never addressed is the obvious and apparently not-uncommon display of legitimate psychic powers, not just with Pokemon (which is a given) but even with some humans.

[DiscipleofBob]

In this hypothesis, Silver and Blue are (half-)brothers. And why is it weird for Giovanni to be Oak's son?

At least one version of the canon I've read has Giovanni and Oak as childhood rivals, so that would make it implausible.

I don't know about Ash or Red's father, but I always had a theory of Lance being Gary's father and (possibly) Oak's son. Though the role of Blackthorn complicates that headcanon up a bit.

[Aotrs Commander]

One thing I always found amusing that is never addressed is the obvious and apparently not-uncommon display of legitimate psychic powers, not just with Pokemon (which is a given) but even with some humans.

Well, considering Ghosts are Real and there are people who can actually use Dragonball Z supepowers in the form of aura - never mind the actual Pokémon themselves - that psychic powers exist is kinda unremarkable.

[Squark]

Spoiler: Sun/Moon

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If we are getting Kanto Starters, they'd better be Alolan form versions, cause I've literally gotten aaaaaaall the pokemon except for a few Mythics, I do not care for any extra charmanders, squirtles or bulbasaurs at this point. I will stone cold release any extra kanto starters they give me and just use the ones I'm transferring from previous Gens if they don't give me any twist on them that will make them worth keeping.

Spoiler

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While I can certainly understand the sentiment, providing Kanto starters is mostly for returning genwunners. With X and Y being the first time I'd done anything pokemon related since the TCG, just seeing Sycamore use the three Kanto starters so early in the game was a delight, and when I found out I'd get to keep one, I was positively giddy. And while I know a portion of the fandom resents hardcore genwunners, attracting people who'd lost interest in the games is a solid move, and giving a returning player back their best buddy from their favorite childhood game is a good way to do that.

[Aotrs Commander]

Pahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

[Expletive] you, Hunter J! [Expletive] you and the handbag you rode in on!

Two Future Sights and you and your mottley crew go down, crash and - as far as I can tell at this moment and hope to Lichemaster is so - drown then explode! Out like a little female poochyena!

Priceless!

I haven't laughed that hard in AGES.



Edit: *One Team Galactic finale later*

Oh hell yes! that is it! She DEAD! (And Cyrus too, of "dead" isn't putting it mildly!) Damn! This may be the frackin' arc of the anime I've seen yet!

Wow.

Y'know, it's REALLY cathartic to actually see those fraggers get completely fracking HOSED for once - no redemption, no arrest, no last minute change of heart, just a "see you in hell [female canine]!" and not even THAT for you Cyrus! Pokémon, I am SO proud of you right now! You make an old Lich truly happy!