Debate: Have Contests been too cemented in the series to be removed in future gens?

[Cybersai]

A lot of people seem to be talking about this lately, and I want to see what everyone thinks.

On one hand, Contests have now been in the anime for 7 years. Its honestly hard to imagine, but since AG and DP combined have more eps than Kanto-Johto did, Contests are now in more arcs than they are not. Since DP is still going to go on for awhile yet, Contests will probably be in the anime for at least 9 years before the end of the generation.

In addition to this, 2 of the 3 main girls did Contests, in addition to Jessie who has done them in every region. 4 ongoing rivals of the series (Drew/Harley/Zoey/Kenny), were coordinators, in addition to some extra coordinator rivals we see a few times.

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Now my question is, despite all this, are Contests really a permanent staple of the anime? I always figured the lack of new secondary quest in the 4th gen is why Dawn became another coordinator, but assuming the Pokethlon or a 5th gen idea is good to be integrated in the anime, do you see Contests being phased out?

The other problem is assuming Dawn has to leave by 5th gen time, we'll just be sitting through a third female coordinator who will be doing the same thing yet again.

Do you think Contests would be phased out for a new sidequest, or would the writers give the new sidequest just a few fillers and instead keep Contests as the main secondary goal forever?

In all seriousness, what is your take on this?

 

[Mitchman]

Re: Debate: Have Contests been too cemented in the series to be removed in future ge

I have to repeat the word again?Jeez. Pokethlon. I swear that is going to be the new in.

 

[Aestivate]

Re: Debate: Have Contests been too cemented in the series to be removed in future ge

In all seriousness, I can no longer imagine the anime without contests. They've clearly been a big staple of the AGDP heroines.

But in the light of things, contests are still forever going to be underneath the gym series in terms of importance. It's like that in the games and it's (arguably) like that in the anime.

And because contests are considered not as importnt, who's to say another sidequest isn't going to be given the same kind of treatment?

Contests have become a staple of the anime, at least.

 

[Trainer'sInsomnia]

Re: Debate: Have Contests been too cemented in the series to be removed in future ge

I can see contests being replaced, yeah. Unlike the League, Contests are still only an optional sidequest in the games. The show is an advertisement of games. If they have some bigger, better (or simply "newer") event that has to be advertised, contests can be replaced.

 

[ii kanji]

Re: Debate: Have Contests been too cemented in the series to be removed in future ge

the writers give the new sidequest just a few fillers and instead keep Contests as the main secondary goal forever?

I actually think this is likely to happen. Obviously if the games scrap contests altogether and replace them with another equally/more "girly" quest, admittedly I think it would be the end for contests. But I think the popularity of contests in the anime could affect their place in the games. I think it's impossible to deny that contests have reached out to a girlier sector of the market (note: I'm not saying all girls like them, but they are undoubtedly girlier) so they are a good thing in a business sense.

 

[Ampharos King]

Re: Debate: Have Contests been too cemented in the series to be removed in future ge

Frankly, Contests are just a boring sidequest to me, but I don't think they will be replaced.

 

[Insanish Danish]

Re: Debate: Have Contests been too cemented in the series to be removed in future ge

Honestly, I really don't know. Contests have become a huge part of the show, but the writers could get rid of them for Pokethlon, idk. I'm just going to wait and see.

 

[Shinx3000]

Re: Debate: Have Contests been too cemented in the series to be removed in future ge

I have to repeat the word again?Jeez. Pokethlon. I swear that is going to be the new in.

So? Does not mean contests will be out. There was a pokeathlon in Kanto anime remember....maybe it was not exactly the same as now, but it was a bit similar.

 

[Piplup]

Re: Debate: Have Contests been too cemented in the series to be removed in future ge

It's ridiculous to think Contests won't stay
In the anime - Contests are now as important as Gyms
We have a double plot with two starring charactets - one "for boys" and one "for girls"
They clearly did this change to follow the games change: letting us be able to play as a girl since they got it a lot of girls like Pokémon and a lot more would join if it became more appealing to them... now there's also the fact Pokémon's main console isn't gameboy anymore but "DS" which is gender neutral

For these who say Contests have been for "too long" and are now "boring" - the same could be said about Gyms
And actually, there's much more variation in the Contests than there is with the Gyms

Why would they replace something they intentually did to get more girls and proved to work? why would half the plot would suddenly change to something else while the other half stay the same?
What could be at least as girly as Contests? I still didn't get any good example of such a journey that they could use

Either Dawn or new girl(s) - Contests are here to stay, no matter how some of you might hate them
"Pokéthlon" isn't girly at all, if anything it seems more of a "boyish" thing... also, even without the whole girly thing - I doubt they'd use such a thing as the main plot like Gyms/Contests... they'd probably prefer to give it a few episodes where one of the main cast or even all of them participate (just like any of these other random competitions like bug catching, Seaking, orienteering, dress up...)

Sure it may seem "stupid" to give us a third girly Coordinator in a row... but people said that about Dawn and she turned out pretty different than May and I even like her now more than I liked May
So while it is kind of stupid to continue replace the girl, it's not so impossible to get a third Coordinator like some think

Of course I still have hope Dawn and Pip become as permament as Ash and Pika... they should just throw Brock and add every gen the boy+girl of the games as the sidekicks
This way we'll also both get a permament heroine (just like we have our permament hero) AND balance the amount of boys and girls in the cast - both seem to be logical steps in the "appeal equally to girls" thing

So yeah, Contests are here to stay - just like Gyms are

 

[wy the f naut]

Re: Debate: Have Contests been too cemented in the series to be removed in future ge

For the games, probably yes, it'll stay... at least for the Gen 5 game. If they do create a totally new sidequest I can still see them keeping contests in the games so there'll be two sidequests along with gyms. But if this happens, I can see them replacing contests with the new sidequests in the anime. And I highly doubt Pokethlon would be that new sidequest as to me I don't think unlike Contests, Pokethlon itself has enough to be implemented to be a completely new quest to last an entire generation or more. I think the most we'll see of Pokethlon is in HGSS and in the anime probably just a few episodes or just a saga long goal.

If they have another new girl (or boy) coming in for the next gen, then she'll probably do the new quest that'll replace contests as I cannot picture them having a 3rd straight new coordinator and don't know what much different they can do with her. If Dawn stays, then Contest will likely stay or very less likely she does the new quest. Or another less likelihood is writers showcase gyms, contests and new quest in the anime. But 3 goals at once seems like a stretch writers wouldn't want to go through trouble with.

As popular I think Contests has been, at least in Japan, unlike gyms/battling, I think writers will be willing to replace it believing that fans and especially newer fans will forget it easily as they will overlook it and drool for the new quest after awhile.

 

[Aladar]

Re: Debate: Have Contests been too cemented in the series to be removed in future ge

Contests will always be in the anime. Or at least for a long time. Even if they have Pokethlon or something else as a third sideqest, contests were (and are) shown as a prominent feature of the anime. They are nearly on par with the gyms, right?


About what goal what new or old main character would do, no matter what gender they are- I`ve already said that in other threads:

If the show is gender neutral, they don`t have to show only girls doing contests or boys doing gyms.

 

[Luxio2k8]

Re: Debate: Have Contests been too cemented in the series to be removed in future ge

While Contests have always been a big part of the anime it always felt like a minor optional side-quest in the games. The anime is the reason I even care about Contests and if they left the show someday it would be sad, but if the Gen V games is able to create a new side quest that the female heroine can do instead of Contests for the anime, then Contests could leave.

It’s really wait and see at this point.

 

[Phoenicks]

Re: Debate: Have Contests been too cemented in the series to be removed in future ge

Is there any reason for them to take Contests out? Why would they take them out for no good reason? Contests will stay in unless there's a good reason for their removal.

Now, I do like the Pokeathelon idea, and I'm thinking that both the pokeathelon and the contests will be in the future games. It's an easy and simple way to add more value to the games besides the standard battling.

 

[Cybersai]

Re: Debate: Have Contests been too cemented in the series to be removed in future ge

Is there any reason for them to take Contests out? Why would they take them out for no good reason?

We're just speaking hypothetically if in the 5th gen they come up with a new secondary sidequest that the writers would have to advertise in the anime.

 

[Maze]

Re: Debate: Have Contests been too cemented in the series to be removed in future ge

The contests could be easily removed if Dawn was removed and replaced by a Pokeathelon-girl/boy. We still have Jessie doing contests then though...

I do hope the Pokeathelon is going to be in the anime, it sounds much more fun than contests and it's both a boy and a girl thing in my opinion. So maybe Brock and James can do something then too

 

[Sleet]

Re: Debate: Have Contests been too cemented in the series to be removed in future ge

I think they could drop the contests easily if they wanted to, but I don't think they'll choose to any time soon.

 

[Phoenicks]

Re: Debate: Have Contests been too cemented in the series to be removed in future ge

We're just speaking hypothetically if in the 5th gen they come up with a new secondary sidequest that the writers would have to advertise in the anime.

Well, I can't imagine why they would want to eliminate contests. I just don't see any reason to do it. They could always advertise the Pokeathelon and the contests together. They could always have the main characters enter it, they don't need to make a special character for the pokeathelons.

 

[V Faction]

Re: Debate: Have Contests been too cemented in the series to be removed in future ge

They could drop Contests tomorrow if they felt like it.

And it's entirely plausible to do so. Just get rid of Dawn with some plot point and she (along with Contests) is outta there. It goes without saying that the characters make the story, and if they felt that Dawn wasn't do her job of keeping the story interesting, or if they saw a better opportunity to go with a newer character that had been introduced, or they simply felt that a cast change was needed, then they'll go ahead and cut what is needed.

Another thing, there does not have to be a secondary side quest or mini-game or special new feature in a future generation for this to occur. So having Pokethalon on the rise has no bearring, negative or positive. Personally, I see Pokethalon warranting nothing more than a fill-in arc or side story; it will not be on the scale of a whole conquest for a new youth to tackle.

 

[Watermarx]

Re: Debate: Have Contests been too cemented in the series to be removed in future ge

Well, I haven't really followed what's been going on in the anime for quite some time now, but I feel like a lot of other people that have posted in here do, and that is the fact that contests are a great way to appeal to the female audience. I, too, don't see the Pokethlon replacing contests at all. How would a race appeal to girls? First, we have to ask ourselves this. D: Sure, maybe you could get your Pokemon all dolled up and what not but...then again, why would you dress a Pokemon up nicely for a race anyways?

See, the way I feel, contests are girly enough to attract a girl's attention to the show, while gyms are there to attract boys to the show, as we all know. Basically, yes, I feel like contests have been too cemented to leave but if they can come up with something that is just as good/can appeal to both genders somehow, then I'm all for it, I guess.

 

[Cybersai]

Re: Debate: Have Contests been too cemented in the series to be removed in future ge

They could drop Contests tomorrow if they felt like it.

And it's entirely plausible to do so.

I agree, but the thing is there generally has to be some sort of sidequest big enough to warrant replacing Contests in the anime. Meaning something where you collect tokens, have rivals, and compete in a tournament at the end of a region.

Why do you think Contests in the anime were adapted to mirror the Gym plot? If they kept Contests like they were in the games, there'd be little way to showcase progression with a main character. Besides, the lack of battles would have killed interest in contests altogether.

It would have to be some new sidequest the newest game has, and it would probably get the same level of screentime Contests get now. I don't think it has to be overly girly for a girl to do them, its not like the girls always have to be shoehorned into only girly activities. A third female coordinator in Gen 5 will be ridiculous, so I really hope there's something new planned.