Can I just say the new animation is superb?

[Satoshi Da Ze]

Despite there being less details in the design itself I really love how the animation is in this series now.
The actual flow isn't THAT big of a leap compared to XYZ but I think more people should be praising the animation staff for putting more attention to small but wonderful extra care to how the characters and pokemon actually move in the scenes.
On the second episode for instance, I just know if this was still pre S&M the "jump over the log" scene when Satoshi is chasing Kapu-Kokeko and everyone is following him would be much faster and less appealing on the eyes. Here though they give all these extra movements to the characters, like the professor helping people out and doing these multiple frames-worth of body gesture or another character turning around, opening her arms and catching her pokemon before going back to the chase.

This isn't even counting Satoshi's own behavior. I know for some people he just comes off as an idiot, but I think this is a big step in the right direction in terms of portraying a character's personality in this anime. We don't see their personality simply based on their design or their words. They're now expressing themselves very well in the way they move, even when they're just sitting somewhere. In the old series they'd just do (sorry I couldn't think of another word) generic stactic poses any other character will copy and express themselves through specific key moments or lines only.

I'm not saying the cast doesn't have problems. They seem to cling too much to one characteristic trait but at least the way those traits are expressed is more interesting with them being included in how they're animated.

Am I alone in this mentality?

 

[Cresselia92]

The animation may be fluid and relatively good, but the character designs of the characters from previous series is simply atrocious.

I don't get why the native SM characters are much better design-wise than the characters we have seen for two decades. I mean, the latter seem to belong to a completely different (and more exaggerated) anime. They stick out way too much and don't flow well with the rest of the anime. Heck, even their "funny" and "goofy" expressions are way more over-the-top than the SM characters' ones. At least those look much more natural, for a lack of better words.

Honestly, an animation may be as dynamic and fluid as you want, but if the designs of the characters make you want to gag, then I feel the animation is a bit wasted. I'd rather have them focus equally on design and animation, rather than sacrificing one part or another.

 

[The Amazing Popplio]

I don't get why the native SM characters are much better design-wise than the characters we have seen for two decades. I mean, the latter seem to belong to a completely different (and more exaggerated) anime. They stick out way too much and don't flow well with the rest of the anime. Heck, even their "funny" and "goofy" expressions are way more over-the-top than the SM characters' ones. At least those look much more natural, for a lack of better words.

That's because we are used to the old charachter's designs while the other ones are completely new to us. If Ash's, team rocket's etc. designs were like that from the beggining of the series we wouldn't have that kind of problem.

Now don't think that I like the new old charachter designs, I hate them too, I'm just facing the truth like everyone else should.

As for the animation I agree it's great, actually as great as xy's was. And I hope it continues to be that way.

 

[Jaye]

Honestly, an animation may be as dynamic and fluid as you want, but if the designs of the characters make you want to gag, then I feel the animation is a bit wasted. I'd rather have them focus equally on design and animation, rather than sacrificing one part or another.

They have focused on design and animation equally. The designs were changed so that they would be easier to animate. With the human characters easier to animate, they can have great animation running throughout the episode instead of just during battles. Whereas before the animation was very limited outside of battles, which was why the characters always looked good - they aren't moving, so there's greater consistency in their models. It's very difficult to have both for anything more than short bursts.

Am I alone in this mentality?

I'm definitely with you. There's still a lot of resistance to the new designs, but I think most are coming round to it.

The biggest difference is that before emotion was shown through facial expression and voice tone and not through body language. Characters smiled, frowned, and looked sad, usually while standing completely still. Now characters actually move their bodies when they talk.

Like, in EP09: when Ash is talking to Kukui, he turns around and leans back on the counter. There's a part where Hala has wood on his shoulder and swing round, so Jennie ducks out the way. When Hala is talking with Ash, he casually leans back and rests a shoulder on the back of the sofa. When Ash is thinking, he crosses his arms and slouches. In the classroom, he fidgets in this chair. When Kiawe comes over and asks what's wrong, he sits on the chair backwards and leans on the back. I could go on.

Granted, since the first two episodes I think the detail in the animation has been inconsistent. There's still a lot of stiffness during group conversations, where characters are standing completely still. The Litten episode was especially stiff. I feel like they can still do more.

But it's still early days and they should improve as time goes on.

 

[Satoshi Da Ze]

Yes this technique of toning down details to focus on the animation is common in other anime to save time and money. Some really well animated ones tone down the details dramatically during action scenes for instance.

I don't dislike Satoshi's new design and I don't see the big deal with Ookido but Kojirou does look very weird. Especially his hair. Just doesn't bother me that much since I'm pleased with the animation itself.

 

[ehh123]

When it comes to redesigns, I think Ash looks cute but that Jessie and James feel awkward.

I have mentioned the animation in general before but there is one aspect I find interesting: Ash's shirt and how loose that thing is. I love how it flaps about.

 

[Islander Princess]

I love, love, LOVE the new animation.

I was someone who was really taken aback by the new art style at first, but only for the original characters (Ash, Team Rocket, Professor Oak, and Delia to a lesser extent.) The new characters all looked fine from the start. Now that I've been watching the series, the only ones whose designs still bug me are Team Rocket and Professor Oak. As I said in another thread, though, this art style benefits well from the new animation. When I'm watching an episode in motion, I'm really enthralled and I'm not thinking about the art style. But when I see it in screenshots, it still looks a little weird to me.

 

[Kairyu]

Now characters actually move their bodies when they talk.

Like, in EP09: when Ash is talking to Kukui, he turns around and leans back on the counter. There's a part where Hala has wood on his shoulder and swing round, so Jennie ducks out the way. When Hala is talking with Ash, he casually leans back and rests a shoulder on the back of the sofa. When Ash is thinking, he crosses his arms and slouches. In the classroom, he fidgets in this chair. When Kiawe comes over and asks what's wrong, he sits on the chair backwards and leans on the back. I could go on.

I don't see how this has anything to do with 'improved' animation due to less detailed art. You are just pointing out movement in random scenes, which is based on storyboarding. The scenes would look exactly the same if it was with XY's animation.

Honestly, an animation may be as dynamic and fluid as you want, but if the designs of the characters make you want to gag, then I feel the animation is a bit wasted. I'd rather have them focus equally on design and animation, rather than sacrificing one part or another.

Indeed. Whatever animation they now give us is simply not worth the price paid in loss of art detail. The characters go around looking like flat pancakes in every scene thanks to non existent shading.

 

[Jaye]

I don't see how this has anything to do with 'improved' animation due to less detailed art. You are just pointing out movement in random scenes, which is based on storyboarding. The scenes would look exactly the same if it was with XY's animation.

I was giving examples of improved usage of body language in scenes. It's extra movement XY didn't have. Less detailed art = more attention can be paid to movement.

I never said that they couldn't already do this in XY. Of course they could. But greater emphasis was placed on detail and being on model, hence less movement for human characters.

 

[Cookies and Creme]

I like the new anime style it aint bad

 

[Dogasu]

The new animation looks great when they have their A+ animators working on it but unfortunately looks like kind of garbage when some of the less talented ones enter the rotation. Unlike, say, XY, where even the lousy animators could turn out decent looking work thanks to the comparatively "normal" character designs.

And don't even get me started on Musashi and Kojirou...

 

[Silktree]

The designs aren't bad, but I'm glad that Movie 20 seems to use a completely different style.

 

[KrspaceT]

I don't mind the animation shuffle, and I feel the Ash so far is decently competent so I'm fine. Still waiting on Z-Ring Ash fanfics.....they are oddly absent so far on FFnet

 

[Pokefan19]

Change of art gave Pokemon a new breath of fresh air imo. Might not be for everyone, but it sure managed to capture everyone's attention mighty quickly.

 

[Gligarman]

The designs aren't bad, but I'm glad that Movie 20 seems to use a completely different style.

Couldn't agree more. I love the idea of the movies and the series being completely separate from each other in style and perhaps even in tone.

 

[Cresselia92]

The designs aren't bad

You're right. The designs aren't bad. They are terrible.

There is a very fine line between adapting a character to a new style and flanderizing said character by exaggerating some traits, which is something that tends to happen very often in crossovers. In this case, they are way closer to the latter.

Luckily, not all characters have been hurt too badly by the transition. Delia and Matori are still decent even with the new style. But still, I personally believe that the designers messed up pretty badly this time. If even the "overdesigned" legendaries will get the same treatment… well, let's just say it will be an "interesting" ride.

 

[Kairyu]

The new animation looks great when they have their A+ animators working on it but unfortunately looks like kind of garbage when some of the less talented ones enter the rotation. Unlike, say, XY, where even the lousy animators could turn out decent looking work thanks to the comparatively "normal" character designs.

Which is kind of funny and ironic... wasn't the point of the less detailed character designs SM uses to make the characters easier to draw on model for the lesser talented animators? That's what people have been claiming when arguing in favor for the new art style. Well, turns out it had the opposite effect. Now we're basically back to the characters only looking decent in Iwane and Natsume's episodes.

 

[dragon_nataku]

I don't know if it's cause I started in Pokemon with just the anime but to me the new style is just so jarring. Like... I don't like it at all. Because of this I pretty much only watched the first ep of the new series and stopped (doesn't help that because of moving to a third world country when I was younger I stopped watching somewhere in season one and only restarted near the end of XY).

 

[RetroPokeFan]

The animation's pretty darn great.... when it's an A+ animator. The less talented animators though, they just look horridly off most of the time and a bit awkard too. Can't imagine how Tamagawa's style is gonna fit in with the new style.

 

[Harryghost]

It's fourteen episodes into the SM series and I am afraid to say that I am still not used to the new atrocious designs of Ash, Jessie and James (and recurring characters like Professor Oak), which is pretty much a shame since that makes enjoying the anime a little difficult now. I hope the animators realize what they did and restore the old character's former glory.

Thankfully, characters like Delia and Matori and the Pokémon from the previous generations are still appealing to the eye.