Do you think Ash's JN Team is the Worst Team he's ever had?

[Kurolegacy]

This is a genuine question I just want your honest opinions

When watching journeys when did you realize or notice that Ash’s Pokemon weren't getting that much development?

For reference
Ash got Dragonite in JN10
Gengar JN16
Riolu JN21
Farfetch’d JN27
Dracovish JN50
currently JN101 about to be JN102

As I noticed that I didn't seen this stance when he caught Dragonite, Gengar, or even Riolu

And imo the more recent episodes are doing development better but for several people it's too late

Can’t really give specific episodes but the point when you notice that Ash seems to only ever really have or use Pikachu in most episode, never once making use of his other Pokémon even when the situation would be perfect. You also see both onscreen PWC battles in which Pikachu is getting used in spite of other Pokémon having gotten shafted on battles or even appearances and quite a few PWC battle, which would be perfect for the Pokémon to be used, getting skipped entirely. Finally, there’s how a Pokémon will noticeably disappear from usage the second that its development episode has happened.

 

[HiroHunter]

Can’t really give specific episodes but the point when you notice that Ash seems to only ever really have or use Pikachu in most episode, never once making use of his other Pokémon even when the situation would be perfect. You also see both onscreen PWC battles in which Pikachu is getting used in spite of other Pokémon having gotten shafted on battles or even appearances and quite a few PWC battle, which would be perfect for the Pokémon to be used, getting skipped entirely. Finally, there’s how a Pokémon will noticeably disappear from usage the second that its development episode has happened.

Or your Sirfetch'd who jobbed right after its development episode.

 

[Turbo]

Barring JN101 and JN102, your references are the episodes when they were caught... Naturally, they would get focus in those episodes, especially if it's their first time being animated.

I'm pretty sure by "development" people are referring to episodes that substantially characterize them outside of the episode they were caught. That your last two references have a 50 episode gap regarding significant character development should tell you something. Granted, there have been episodes inbetween that gap (like Farfetch'd training to be a knight and its battle with Gurdurr)…but they are quite few and far in-between for any new team member not named Lucario relative to the amount of episodes we have.

When's the last time Ash's entire JN party interacted with each other for more than a minute? More than several stills?

By the way I just gave their episode catches just to give an idea of how long they've been with Ash like Dragonite is 91 episodes and Dracovish is 51 episodes right now
Nothing more nothing less

I know what people mean by “development”

 

[Alola]

By the way I just gave their episode catches just to give an idea of how long they've been with Ash like Dragonite is 91 episodes and Dracovish is 51 episodes right now
Nothing more nothing less

I know what people mean by “development”

My mistake then, I'm sorry.

As I noticed that I didn't seen this stance when he caught Dragonite, Gengar, or even Riolu

I do want to mention that, at least here in this section, people were often concerned (and quite upset) though about the development of the former two, though. For example, one point of ire was/is after Gengar's catch and immediate battle with Visquez, it jobbed very hard against Korrina and didn't get to do anything for nearly 50 episodes until Ash called on it again for Volkner. Inbetween, if it did appear in an episode (which would actually be a highlight for some), it was often a several second cameo; Dragonite had a similar experience.

 

[jbmasta]

They replaced it because the specials never did all that well because Japanese fans really didn't care about seeing Richie, Casey, Misty and Tracey all that much. Japanese kids want to see new Pokemon which back then was new Hoenn pokemon. That's actually why we barely saw anything of Misty after Hoenn all the way till Sun/Moon. Special episodes have never actually been popular.

The fact we have seven generations worth of characters the anime has introduced prior to Journeys, followed and developed in conjunction with Ash's journey makes the revival of Chronicles all the better. A handful of specials did follow Ash's friends after they'd parted with him, but these didn't get dubbed. There could be a storyline of Lily, Gladion and Lusamine looking for Mohn, which was only alluded to through voiced over letter in an episode that aired in September 2020. So many possibilities ignored because apparently shiny and new is more appealing. I've just remembered the Orange Islands had island specific variants of Pokemon species, just like the regional versions introduced with Alola and then Galar versions, so that could be an angle. Finally get payoff for the GS Ball that was left with Kurt is another option.

 

[JinksChow]

They replaced it because the specials never did all that well because Japanese fans really didn't care about seeing Richie, Casey, Misty and Tracey all that much. Japanese kids want to see new Pokemon which back then was new Hoenn pokemon. That's actually why we barely saw anything of Misty after Hoenn all the way till Sun/Moon. Special episodes have never actually been popular.

Except... that's not really the case?

Pokemon Chronicles (otherwise known as Weekly Pokemon Broadcasting Station side stories) aired sparodically from 3 December 2002 to 28 September 2004, during which it got weekly ratings ranging from 5.0% to 9.3%.

Across the same time period, Pokemon AG got weekly ratings of 5.1% to 10.8%. So there is not a huge discrepancy in viewership between Pokemon Chronicles and Pokemon AG. You're right in that episodes which focused on side characters (e.g. Casey, that kid who is Pallet Town's Mayor's son) got lower viewership, but the episode that features past companions, rivals, or generally more important characters (e.g. Brock, Misty, Bluff and Cassidy, Team Rocket, Gary, Ritchie) all got quite favorable ratings.

In fact, for weeks where both Pokemon Chronicles and Pokemon AG both aired, there have been cases where Pokemon Chronicles outperformed Pokemon AG. (HS09-10 got 9.3%, while AG030 got 8.9%; HS013 got 8.3%, while AG045 got 7.4%; HS016 got 6.6%, while AG094 got 6.2%; HS018 got 7.5%, while AG096 got 6.7%).

So no, special episodes have pretty much done on par with mainline episodes.

 

[Turbo]

My mistake then, I'm sorry.



I do want to mention that, at least here in this section, people were often concerned (and quite upset) though about the development of the former two, though. For example, one point of ire was/is after Gengar's catch and immediate battle with Visquez, it jobbed very hard against Korrina and didn't get to do anything for nearly 50 episodes until Ash called on it again for Volkner. Inbetween, if it did appear in an episode (which would actually be a highlight for some), it was often a several second cameo; Dragonite had a similar experience.

Lol you're fine just wanted to clarify

 

[Kurolegacy]

My mistake then, I'm sorry.



I do want to mention that, at least here in this section, people were often concerned (and quite upset) though about the development of the former two, though. For example, one point of ire was/is after Gengar's catch and immediate battle with Visquez, it jobbed very hard against Korrina and didn't get to do anything for nearly 50 episodes until Ash called on it again for Volkner. Inbetween, if it did appear in an episode (which would actually be a highlight for some), it was often a several second cameo; Dragonite had a similar experience.

What’s even worse is that the writers actually acknowledged that Gengar hadn’t gotten much usage in the show itself, thus showing that they were completely aware of the fact…only to still do nothing with it.

 

[Kingsusiepen]

If I had to change Ash's Team, I would replace Dracovish with Inteleon and Sirfetch'd with Thwackey. Along with Snivy evolving twice into Serperior, Oshawott evolving into Dewott (maybe twice to Hisuian Samurott), and maybe Bayleef evolving into Meganium.

 

[Nichole the Otter]

Definitely. They suffered from rushed development, lack of character interaction, appearing only for battles and nothing else, full of fanservice (especially you, Lucario), lack of starter and Galar representation, and they just look so OP for being such mostly inexperienced Pokémon.

Johto and Unova were bad teams too, but at least they interacted with each other and made appearances for purposes other than battles.

 

[Blob]

Definitely. They suffered from rushed development, lack of character interaction, appearing only for battles and nothing else, full of fanservice (especially you, Lucario), lack of starter and Galar representation, and they just look so OP for being such mostly inexperienced Pokémon.

Johto and Unova were bad teams too, but at least they interacted with each other and made appearances for purposes other than battles.

Yeah, remember when we saw Pokémon eating? The show kind of made a big deal about nutrition... so now not only do Ash's Pokémon only fight, they don't eat either.

 

[Mrnothing]

they don't eat either.

hey that's not entirely true, we saw dragonite eating in episode 47...

 

[Eitarou]

We literally JUST had an ep where we saw them eat.

 

[HiroHunter]

Ok now I got to ask how many time have the pokemon eaten together in JN?

 

[SonansuMan]

Ok now I got to ask how many time have the pokemon eaten together in JN?

From the time that Ash has caught his most recent Pokémon (Dracovish) to now, literally twice lol

 

[Weddingbells]

We literally JUST had an ep where we saw them eat.

It's the fact that it's rare to see them do that. Even the , there interactions with each other is desperately low. The only ones that seem to have a bond, outside of Pikachu, is sirfetch and the fossil Pokemon (forgot his name). I don't even think Gengar and Dragonite spoke one word to each other.

There more like coworkers than a family or friends. The fact that the aura scene in the raihan fight had to use off screen shots of showing them training and bonding, instead.of actual scenes in the shows says alot about the team

 

[Ghost Diplocaulus]

Yeah, the Spirit Bomb Aura Sphere scene, cool as it was, does ring a bit hollow because the way it's framed suggests that it was being fueled by all the bonds Lucario had made with Ash, Greninja, and the rest of the Journeys team.

Problem is, Lucario has barely been seen interacting with any of his teammates (except Pikachu) onscreen aside from a few short sparring sessions, so it does make the scene a lot less meaningful and impactful than it would have otherwise been if we'd actually seen these guys hang out more. The only one I could believably see a genuine bond with is Sirfetch'd, if only because of the very short-lived rivalry they had as Farfetch'd and Riolu.

 

[Weddingbells]

Yeah, the Spirit Bomb Aura Sphere scene, cool as it was, does ring a bit hollow because the way it's framed suggests that it was being fueled by all the bonds Lucario had made with Ash, Greninja, and the rest of the Journeys team.

Problem is, Lucario has barely been seen interacting with any of his teammates (except Pikachu) onscreen aside from a few short sparring sessions, so it does make the scene a lot less meaningful and impactful than it would have otherwise been if we'd actually seen these guys hang out more. The only one I could believably see a genuine bond with is Sirfetch'd, if only because of the very short-lived rivalry they had as Farfetch'd and Riolu.

Yeah they tried to somehow show how all his training with them med to that moment, but it didn't lol

The only one that should be in the flashback is ash, Pikachu, greninja. Heck even goh has a better bond with Lucario than dracovish.

 

[cricketlaxwolvesbandy]

Ash’s JN team is my favorite because it is the only one of Ash’s team that is going up against (and beating) champion level opponents constantly

 

[HiroHunter]

Ash’s JN team is my favorite because it is the only one of Ash’s team that is going up against (and beating) champion level opponents constantly

And thats the reason I hate this team because they didn't even work half as hard as older teams and i'm supposed to believe that they're champion level.