How has Ash/the anime evolved over the past 10 years to fit a wider audience?

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impactkhtennis_thewind

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I believe the show has always been more than a childrens' adventure series. However, with the show's increasingly frequent references and drama, the anime has obviously become more than just a children's anime.

Similarly, Ash has defintely become more mature as a trainer and as a person. In my opinion, his greatest influence socially was Misty, and his greatest influence battling was Gary. During Hoenn and Sinnoh, Ash is rarely seen being corrected for behavior by May, Max, Dawn... Brock still offers a few pointers...which makes sense. Instead, Ash becomes a mentor like figure for his latter traveling companions.

(btw, im not sure if theres a similar thread, im sure there is....if so, please point me to it thanks!)
 
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If it is more than a children's show, I want to know who the target audience is and kill them.
 
It's still a kids show.

What changed is its become more action/battle oriented then it used to be. The show used to be about Ash going on adventures and exploring the world, now its all about training/battling and growing stronger as a trainer.

That and the roles for female characters increased. The female companion now has a story arc of her own where Contests get almost the same screentime as Gyms, whereas originally the show was primarily only about Ash.
 
hmm, yes i agree it is a children's show. However, many of the lines TR says have many references to them, and i dont think children would be likely to pick up the references.

Also, I'm curious what other people think about in what ways has Ash matured?
 
No.

If you ask me, he only appeals to kids now. I'd think an older audience would enjoy the spunky and dedicated kid Ash used to be. Now Ash is dull and has a --- Oh snaps, that'd be a VA comment.
 
impactkhtennis_thewind said:
hmm, yes i agree it is a children's show. However, many of the lines TR says have many references to them, and i dont think children would be likely to pick up the references.
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Not to mention the titles of the episodes. Some of them even we're confused on. So in these ways, the dub is aimed at a more general audience.

I agree it's still a kids show and has become more battle oriented and girl focused and all that, but DP does feel slightly darker than previous seasons. So I guess I'll say that it appeals to a wider range of kids than it used to.
 
Mooites said:
No.

If you ask me, he only appeals to kids now. I'd think an older audience would enjoy the spunky and dedicated kid Ash used to be. Now Ash is dull and has a --- Oh snaps, that'd be a VA comment.
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Haha, good one!! XD

At any rate, I've gotta say that I agree with everything you just said. Cause that happens to be my thoughts as well. =P

When you think about it, it's all too true. And by the way, Mooites, your post is sig-worthy! I love it! =D
 
Mooites said:
No.

If you ask me, he only appeals to kids now. I'd think an older audience would enjoy the spunky and dedicated kid Ash used to be. Now Ash is dull and has a --- Oh snaps, that'd be a VA comment.
Click to expand...

Like Lisa, I have to agree with you too.
 
I think Ash has evolved, but all the other characters mostly stay the same. I wish they had something to do now. In the first and second series, he and his friends were always lost in a forest finding cool Pokemon or in another city fighting an awesome gym leader. Now they are just competing in silly contests or ping-pong tournaments.
 
It's always been a kids show though I believe it maybe attracting a few new adults to the scene for some really odd reason I cannot explain. Seriously I have no idea what's going on at the moment in my area.

I find it hard to say it's for kids only now since my mum started watching it full time. She won't watch 1st season though and even my dad thinks first seasons a little too childish to say the least. They don't hate them but it seems to weird them out a little from what I see when they did view them. The early epsiodes don't interest them. It was aimed at us when we were kids though and did it well.

My dad says the movies are the good side of Pokemon and the episodes are not as good. He hasn't seen the later episodes however.

My mum doesn't say anything but she'll watch all the movies fine.
She gets weirded out by the early episodes so when I watch them she walks out of the room. However she'll sit through a DP episode without a worry and even enjoy it. Now she knows what I'm talking about now when ever I talk about DP. Maybe a little too much since she can actually debate with me on them like every other fan on here.^-^;;;;;


She's not a fan of piplup and would like pachirisu to be the second mascot over piplup. She's disappointed pachirisu isn't used much.
She doesn't really want to see dawn leave but who knows what's to come.=/

Either way she knows all the story of DP and some of battle fronteir.

Actually it's kind of weird she's watching PUSA stuff over 4kids.=/

Oh well I can't work her out and sometimes she starts watching when I'm engrossed in it only to notice her make mention of something during it. Kind of weird but she just kind of started watching on her own.

Battle fronteir is an odd series. Not so noticeable in other countries but in Australia our wacko rating system actually gave it a slightly higher rating than every other season. Most pokemon season get a G rating with is pretty much the same as E. Season 9 got a PG which is in Australia meaning parental guidance.

I don't think anyone listens to it now but it's kind of funny to think season 9 was considered for a slightly higher rating here. Our rating system is weird.

My brother claims that some of the people at work have started watching some episodes aswell just because paul is in the series. It's actually kind of weird seeing other adults picking it up again to tell the truth.

It's still mainly a kids show but something is attracting few of the adults in at the moment in my home and in my area at the very least.

Though then again I still to this day have no idea why I'm still watching this show despite being 22 years old.lol
 
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It's still shonen.

It seems a bit darker then before, it lacks the humor of before. Dawn always being depressed with her self esteem problems, Paul, Chimchar, J, the lack of humor, Ash being more mature..

I'd say it's somewhat more mature.
 
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haha i wish my parents watched the show

in my opinion, the first season was pretty dark as well, and it had the most cultural references (japanese). The BGM also affected the show back then too, especially music that was played...there was more suspenseful music. Take episodes like the SSAnne underwater one, and the episodes from Maiden's Peak one to Sabrina....those were particularly dark. Also if you look at the overall colors used during the 1st season, yes its not the high-tech digital cell graphics, but it made the show appear less bright/cheerful and kid-oriented.

TR became more silly in Hoenn Region...and i think Aqua/Magma were not portrayed menacingly enough.

As for DP, the plot revolving around Team Galactic is pretty menacing as well. However, Pokemon contests, and its apparent feministic appeal (may, dawn) have really made Pokemon more....cute, kid-oriented.

I agree that the movies are actually pretty well rounded audience.

Once again, yes it is still a kids show, but i would like to see deeper plots between characters...like to make it more evident Ash and Brock have known each other forever, Ash and various rivals...
 
I wonder if it has to do with the fact that people watch the Japanese episodes now, whereas when the show first started...we just watched the dub and there was no way to see what Pokemon was like in Japan. Of course many of us were also kids when Pokemon started, whereas now we look on the series with an older viewpoint.

I notice when I watch the Japanese version Pokemon really does feel like a different show. A lot of the people who watch the original version feel the same.
 
The Power of Pika said:
It's always been a kids show though I believe it maybe attracting a few new adults to the scene for some really odd reason I cannot explain. Seriously I have no idea what's going on at the moment in my area.

I find it hard to say it's for kids only now since my mum started watching it full time. She won't watch 1st season though and even my dad thinks first seasons a little too childish to say the least. They don't hate them but it seems to weird them out a little from what I see when they did view them. The early epsiodes don't interest them. It was aimed at us when we were kids though and did it well.

My dad says the movies are the good side of Pokemon and the episodes are not as good. He hasn't seen the later episodes however.

My mum doesn't say anything but she'll watch all the movies fine.
She gets weirded out by the early episodes so when I watch them she walks out of the room. However she'll sit through a DP episode without a worry and even enjoy it. Now she knows what I'm talking about now when ever I talk about DP. Maybe a little too much since she can actually debate with me on them like every other fan on here.^-^;;;;;


She's not a fan of piplup and would like pachirisu to be the second mascot over piplup. She's disappointed pachirisu isn't used much.
She doesn't really want to see dawn leave but who knows what's to come.=/

Either way she knows all the story of DP and some of battle fronteir.

Actually it's kind of weird she's watching PUSA stuff over 4kids.=/

Oh well I can't work her out and sometimes she starts watching when I'm engrossed in it only to notice her make mention of something during it. Kind of weird but she just kind of started watching on her own.

Battle fronteir is an odd series. Not so noticeable in other countries but in Australia our wacko rating system actually gave it a slightly higher rating than every other season. Most pokemon season get a G rating with is pretty much the same as E. Season 9 got a PG which is in Australia meaning parental guidance.

I don't think anyone listens to it now but it's kind of funny to think season 9 was considered for a slightly higher rating here. Our rating system is weird.

My brother claims that some of the people at work have started watching some episodes aswell just because paul is in the series. It's actually kind of weird seeing other adults picking it up again to tell the truth.

It's still mainly a kids show but something is attracting few of the adults in at the moment in my home and in my area at the very least.

Though then again I still to this day have no idea why I'm still watching this show despite being 22 years old.lol
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Lol thats funny, my mum likes watching season 1 with me, and she asks me questions where is ash going next, what gym and whatnot .. its just ..I don't know how to say it.. weird. But at least I can have someone to watch with :). My mum doesn't like the new ones, she said, the Kanto ones are better and she likes Veronica Taylors dub for Ash. And we are the only country to have Pokemon Diamond/Pearl/Platinum rated PG because of the gambling slots and online gameplay.
 
カースティ said:
My mum doesn't like the new ones, she said, the Kanto ones are better and she likes Veronica Taylors dub for Ash.
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Hehe, my mom feels the same way. XD

She doesn't watch the series much. But, she watches the movies with me and agrees with my thoughts on Ash and the other characters (personality-wise and everything).
 
Watching Pokemon is utterly non-existant in my town.I kinda want to watch it again but. . .Well, I'd be instantly classified as a 'goof' and 'imature'. I've seen some newer episodes, and I think honestly the kanto region series was more widely apealing. The newer episodes seem to get on peoples nerves more, for the few that watch it here.
 
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