Do you like the greater emphasis on the rival characters in D/P?

[Cybersai]

One thing that's been noted with Paul, and maybe even Zoey, is that both of them are appearing a lot more in the show and more frequently than the rivals did in the past.

With Paul, its understandable, he's the only character who has Chimchar and he was heavily promoted on the D/P adverts. He seems far closer to a "major" character as a rival than Gary used to feel. Likewise, Zoey is appearing quite a bit more than Drew did in retrospect.

Does anyone else think they're having these characters appear more frequently is because now they set the standard to only use them for a respective saga? I really do think the pacing in the past was somewhat messed up because the writers had no clue how long they would keep certain characters in the anime, and as a result long gaps went between their appearances, (or others were neglected as background characters altogether), and it just looks odd compared to the modern anime. Nowadays, it seems like they want to use characters to their full potential while they're around.

It really makes me think the writers already have the entire 4th gen of the anime planned out already and know exactly what they're doing as they went into it, unlike how they approached the sagas in the past.

What are your thoughts on this greater emphasis of control on the recurring characters?

 

[anonymous920314]

I think it's a great idea that they're making the rivals appear so often and really developing their characters. I love Shinji and I think it's great to see him often so that's a plus.

But Nozomi is too boring for me. I wish she would have some other quirk instead of just being this predatory who has some weird misconception that she can only give Hikari good advice (or something like that).

 

[Yamato-san]

wasn't it confirmed that they originally only planned for 80+ episodes and would end the series after the Sekiei Tournament? If that's the case, where the fuck was Shigeru all the time?

 

[Cybersai]

If that's the case, where the fuck was Shigeru all the time?

It also kind of makes you wonder why the two didn't even have a battle together until the last episode of Orange. BTW, they never did explain where Gary went during Orange either, remember how he came back with a cloak over his face? They never explained that.

Not to mention it boggles the mind why Gary was only in 3 episodes of Johto prior to the league tournament. They sorta built up Casey as a secondary rival in Johto but then they pretty much gave up on her too and didn't have her enter the Johto league for some bizarre reason.

Seriously, what the hell was that about?

 

[DalekMan]

I'm probably not the first to say something like this, but I kinda wish that during the Johto arc, Silver had gotten a harsher version of the role Paul's getting now. Could have made things a lot more interesting, providing a rival who was actually reasonably antagonistic...

Of course, I'm also a katana-and-shuriken-loving geek who wishes Samurai and Koga had shown up again and that Janine had showed up at all, so who cares what I think? =P

 

[Yamato-san]

it's alright Dalek, I'm sure everyone wished Anzu had gotten an appearance over that crappy one-shot Aya (one of the least-deserving reappearances I'd say, probably only next to the Pokemon Mystery Club). God, were the writers on crack during Jouto or what?

 

[Ashfangirl17]

I like Paul and how he's getting treated. Also he's not boring and is a very different rival. Zoey to me is no different than any other minor girl character rival May has faced, and that to me is how bleh she is.