Old Characters in Pocket Monster 2019

[Hidden Mew]

I agree with everything you said here except the last bit; I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you on that one. As a devoted Amourshipper ever since "Battling on Thin Ice!", I really do desire to see Ash and Serena end up together. I refuse to believe it's impossible.

There's nothing wrong with wanting Ash and Serena to be together. That's perfectly fine. I just don't agree that the show itself was setting up Serena as Ash's future wife. Wanting them to become a couple is different than saying that XY confirmed that they'll end up together or anything along those lines.

 

[Sai]

I think they'll probably just have Lisia debut Sylveon. Since Drasna is using Altaria they'll probably have Lisia focus on something else. If Serena was appearing soon she would have been in the opening, they wouldn't keep her return a secret whole spoiling other character returns in the op.

The writers never said every single old companion would appear this series, it's seeming like even Cilan is not appearing either. So besides May there's no guarantee we'll see Serena either.

 

[FelipePR]

The worst-performing Pokemon season, discounting JN and SM (for reasons I'll get to in a bit), is actually Pokemon AG, which had a 41.3% appearance rate in the Weekly Top 10 anime ranking.

Using this metric, the best to worst performing Pokemon anime is as follows:
Pokemon DP - 92.8%
Pokemon SM (Pre-Timeslot Change) - 85.1%
Pokemon BW - 83.8%
Pokemon OS - 77.6%
Pokemon XY - 63.0%
Pokemon SM (Overall) - 57.3%
Pokemon AG - 41.3%

Can you provide source for this data? Since AG's minimum and maximum ratings are also higher than that of DP, such data can only be explained in light of a rapid decline in the visibility of animes on Japanese television. Well I know that the audience and importance of TV is decreasing every year, but I don't expect such a sudden change, especially in this period. But you know, technological changes in Brazil have always taken longer to happen than in most parts of the world, especially 15 years ago.

 

[Sai]

The original fad of the Pokémon franchise cooled down around mid-Johto into AG, which explains the initial decline in viewership around that time.

 

[90'sPokéfan]

Ash still has Greninja's Poké Ball, as we saw in SM001, so it can't be caught by someone else.

This is something I wondered for years. I will not include Pokémon like Butterfree, Pidgeot and Lapras, since they left pretty early on in the show, before more modern depictions of releasing a pokémon was shown.

However, trainers like Paul and Dawn showed us there is a real proces in releasing a Pokémon and if you want it back you need to recapture it.

Pokémon like Goodra, Greninja and Naganadel weren't shown to be realy released in the same way. Ash and the pokémon just parted ways. 2 of those pokémon even were reunited with Ash already and Ash was able to just recall them to their pokéballs, or at least Naganadal I remember seeing onscreen.

Aren't those Pokémon more like roaming Pokémon instead of released Pokémon, in the same way Goh's Suicune is a roaming Pokémon?

And the other way around. Since some people destroyed the pokéball to release a Pokémon, was Ash's Snorlax a wild Pokémon again when it's Pokéball got cracked and Ash couldn't return it? I think not since Ash didn't have to recatch it after Nurse Joy fixed the pokéball. And in the same breath, if a Nurse Joy would be able to fix the completely destroyed pokéball of Dustox, could Jessie just recall it again.

What if a Nurse Joy does fix Grookey's Team Rocket style Pokéball?

Best to think a crack in the pokéball doesn't release the Pokémon, but when it is damaged too badly, it is released.

Not important questions, but fun to think about it.

 

[JinksChow]

Can you provide source for this data? Since AG's minimum and maximum ratings are also higher than that of DP, such data can only be explained in light of a rapid decline in the visibility of animes on Japanese television. Well I know that the audience and importance of TV is decreasing every year, but I don't expect such a sudden change, especially in this period. But you know, technological changes in Brazil have always taken longer to happen than in most parts of the world, especially 15 years ago.

Sure, the data is taken from 52Poké, which like Bulbapedia is part of Encyclopædiæ Pokémonis. You can find viewership ratings for each series in the following links:

OS	宝可梦动画收视率列表 - 神奇宝贝百科，关于宝可梦的百科全书 wiki.52poke.com
AG	宝可梦 超世代动画收视率列表 - 神奇宝贝百科，关于宝可梦的百科全书 wiki.52poke.com
DP	宝可梦 钻石＆珍珠动画收视率列表 - 神奇宝贝百科，关于宝可梦的百科全书 wiki.52poke.com
BW	宝可梦 超级愿望动画收视率列表 - 神奇宝贝百科，关于宝可梦的百科全书 wiki.52poke.com
XY	宝可梦 XY动画收视率列表 - 神奇宝贝百科，关于宝可梦的百科全书 wiki.52poke.com
SM	宝可梦 太阳＆月亮动画收视率列表 - 神奇宝贝百科，关于宝可梦的百科全书 wiki.52poke.com
JN	宝可梦 旅途动画收视率列表 - 神奇宝贝百科，关于宝可梦的百科全书 wiki.52poke.com

As for the original source of data itself, that would be Video Research Ltd. (週間高世帯視聴率番組10) However, since they purge their old data every few years, you have to use Internet Archive to look at the original source data for anything before 2015.

So anyways, in the links above, you can see viewership ratings and ranking for each series, which is complete for each series outside of OS, SM and JN. I was in the process of adding ranking data to the OS page, but since it is such a tedious process, I've put that on hold for a while now.

 

[Hidden Mew]

I think they'll probably just have Lisia debut Sylveon. Since Drasna is using Altaria they'll probably have Lisia focus on something else. If Serena was appearing soon she would have been in the opening, they wouldn't keep her return a secret whole spoiling other character returns in the op.

The writers never said every single old companion would appear this series, it's seeming like even Cilan is not appearing either. So besides May there's no guarantee we'll see Serena either.

It is possible that they'll still update the opening down the road to feature Serena. They've done this before with other versions of the opening theme. Lisia showcasing Sylveon instead wouldn't be a stretch, especially when it's extremely likely that she'll give Chloe that Contest outfit, but it would be kind of weird to not feature her Altaria. Drasna using an Altaria wouldn't mean that they couldn't have Lisia using her signature Pokemon, especially when I assume Lisia would be doing something related to Contests instead of a more traditional battle.

Like I said before, I didn't say that Serena is guaranteed to appear. I just think she still has a pretty good chance to appear all things considered. Even if Journeys does end in November, there would be plenty of time left to feature Serena in an episode or two.

 

[Die-Hard Dragon Devotee]

There's nothing wrong with wanting Ash and Serena to be together. That's perfectly fine. I just don't agree that the show itself was setting up Serena as Ash's future wife. Wanting them to become a couple is different than saying that XY confirmed that they'll end up together or anything along those lines.

Well, if that's what you're saying, then I agree. I wouldn't say the XY series was making Serena out to be his future wife or even confirming they would definitely end up together, but they sure as hell made Serena's feelings about Ash pretty damn clear. (And teased the hell out of all us Amourshippers with all of those baiting moments.) If Ash does end up settling down with any girl though it'll most likely be her.

 

[Schemer99]

I God. I might be a crackpot, but I think that Lt Surge might be part of the Master 8. Think about it, from the silhouettes on JN065, one of them looks suspiciously like Lt Surge. Also, all of Ash's first battles in a new class were with Electric-type trainers. We also know that Lt Surge left the gym to get stronger too. This all adds up to Lt Surge possibly being part of the Master 8.

 

[Alola]

I doubt Surge is a Master's 8 member, namely because that would be three Electric specialists Ash will have fought in Journeys; it also would undermine the purpose of Visquez.

 

[RetroPokeFan]

I feel like there is one HUGE problem that will essentially be the biggest roadblock for Serena returning at all.

Her Japanese VA hasn't been seen in anything since 2018 (aside from one episode of Drifting Dragons in 2020 where she voiced a waitress). In fact if you go to her Wikipedia page Puzzle & Dragons is the last thing that is mentioned on her page and IMDB wise an episode of Naruto: Shippuden so I have a feeling that unless Mayuki was willing to return, Serena will either get a silent cameo or most likely won't be seen or mentioned at all.

 

[JinksChow]

I feel like there is one HUGE problem that will essentially be the biggest roadblock for Serena returning at all.

Her Japanese VA hasn't been seen in anything since 2018 (aside from one episode of Drifting Dragons in 2020 where she voiced a waitress). In fact if you go to her Wikipedia page Puzzle & Dragons is the last thing that is mentioned on her page and IMDB wise an episode of Naruto: Shippuden so I have a feeling that unless Mayuki was willing to return, Serena will either get a silent cameo or most likely won't be seen or mentioned at all.

She actually also voiced a supporting character in Episode 1006 of Case Closed (which aired in 2021), but you are correct that she is not the most active VA in the anime industry.

 

[RetroPokeFan]

She actually also voiced a supporting character in Episode 1006 of Case Closed (which aired in 2021), but you are correct that she is not the most active VA in the anime industry.

Thanks for the heads up Jinx.

 

[Sai]

Any reason why her VA has so little roles? Unlike Kaori her VA has no health problems. Unless she's just not looking for work you'd think voicing a main female character on Pokemon for 140 episodes would look impressive on a resume. Especially in Japan where voice actors are taken as serious acting roles unlike the west.

 

[cricketlaxwolvesbandy]

I feel like there is one HUGE problem that will essentially be the biggest roadblock for Serena returning at all.

Her Japanese VA hasn't been seen in anything since 2018 (aside from one episode of Drifting Dragons in 2020 where she voiced a waitress). In fact if you go to her Wikipedia page Puzzle & Dragons is the last thing that is mentioned on her page and IMDB wise an episode of Naruto: Shippuden so I have a feeling that unless Mayuki was willing to return, Serena will either get a silent cameo or most likely won't be seen or mentioned at all.

That sucks. Hard. Like I think Serena deserves to return but I’m afraid of how they’ll handle her.

 

[XavierAnime]

Let us sadly remember Max, May's brother, who never appeared for long. Sadly when Max heard his sister and his friends about him leaving his house but Max sits on a swing over the other side of the park, Ash follows close behind and starts to offer comforting words to Max. He knows Max is upset that he will be missing his friends from him and Max explains that when he was watching Ash and May battle in the Contest he wanted so much to be doing it too; all he wants to do is grow up quick so he can be a Trainer too and get to do all the things they do. Suddenly from the distance a large horn goes off, the boat which Max and May are supposed to be leaving on is due to depart in five minutes! Our heroes run off down the lane to the harbor and luckily make it in time. Max, May, and her Pokémon all wave goodbye to Ash, Brock and their Pokémon as they sail off into the sunset.

While May visits Ash, Dawn and Brock in Sinnoh without her Max company why have he arrived home in Petalburg City where he took lessons from his father and helped to look after the Gym Pokémon.

Fans have long tried to figure out the relationship of Max and Bonnie who are the same ages but it never worked out and it appears back in Pokemon the series XYZ.

When they decide, the opening scenes of Pokémon Journeys: The Series will change if Max's return can appear, include other episodes in the future or if he does not return again, they will be forgotten and I think Max will keep his house in Petalburg City forever.

 

[cricketlaxwolvesbandy]

Max.... he got done so dirty

 

[Sai]

They were never going to bring Max back alone either way. His character really only existed as an extension of May, and unlike Bonnie who can stand on her own from Clemont. I do find it a little sad his Japanese VA who voiced him for 189 episodes and 4 movies doesn't get any recognition though.

Also here's a fun fact: Max has a higher episode count and lasted longer on the main cast than Iris, Cilan, Serena, Bonnie, Clemont, the entire SM cast, and Go/Koharu so far. It really doesn't feel like it but Max was a main character for 189 episodes missing only the first two Hoenn eps. That means he was on the show longer than every single character post-DP and one of the longest lasting main characters in general

 

[SammyW27]

Yeah, it's too bad Max can't appear without May for some reason. I'd like to see the little guy FINALLY get some kind of redemption for being the Most Useless Member of Ash-tachii and be his own kid...

 

[Alola]

Honestly, the whole Max, and Bonnie by extension, not being allowed to have Pokémon (and thus individual agency and relevancy) makes little sense given the young COTDs we meet that have Pokémon of their own.

While I'm not a fan of Max at all, it is unfortunate that it appears we won't have him, nor May (who may or not may not influence the return of her brother), back in any voiced capacity. If Bonnie can reappear, and more than once at that, then Max deserves to come back too.