Why is there such an emphasis on water pokemon in the show?

[Cybersai]

In the early seasons, there of course was Misty. While she didn't battle that often and there weren't many water-centric competitions, (read: like two or three), we still had lots of focus on in fillers.

Then in AG, Brock gets two water types, apparently to make up for Misty being gone. Mudkip and Lotad.

In DP, there's of course Dawn and Piplup. We then had Piplup spamming Bubblebeam and Whirlpool in almost every other episode.


Why do you think there's such an emphasis on water pokemon in the show over other types?

 

[Falconwing]

The question is, why is there so much emphasis on water types in the games?

 

[Cybersai]

The question is, why is there so much emphasis on water types in the games?

Appareantly GameFreak thinks we need more generic fish every generation. And give us like two or three measly fire types. lol.

 

[Iteru]

The question is, why is there so much emphasis on water types in the games?

This. It unfortunately spirals off the games into the animé. If water wasn't as abundant in real life, there would be less of it to represent as Pokémon. Then the others types would get some much needed love.

Here's hoping to no Mijumaru mascot. Bring on Pokabu!

Edit: Anyway more to the topic. Water is versatile, apparantly. You can base an entire battlfield off of it to use in a trainer battle as well as a grand festival competition.

 

[Garren]

On the other hand, a lot of Water Pokemon who are non-amphibious are often relegated to one filler and will never appear in a major role again. See Relicanth, Gorebyss and Huntail, Goldeen, Finneon, etc.

 

[GreatLiver]

In the games it does make sense as far as making like a viable ecosystem in the pokemon world. Marine life is quite prevalent, so it adds up. Same reason there are a considerably decent number of bug types compared to some other types. That just transfers to the anime.

 

[The Outrage]

Because the world is 70% water, so it makes it really easy for Game Freak to just base the majority of their Pokemon on cool fish and the anime is based off of the games.

 

[Daxdiv]

Water Pokemon get more focus because, there are more water types in the game than any other type, and water is an abundant element on not only our Earth, but Pokearth as well.

 

[Sushi-X]

Because water pokemon are awesome plus the most awesome pokemon ever is a water type.....LUDICOLO.Case closed.

 

[Mijumaru]

Here's hoping to no Mijumaru mascot. Bring on Pokabu!

Oh, bleah!

From what I see, the purpose of Water Pokemon in the DP anime is to wash Dawn's hair when she has a bedhead.

 

[Piplup]

I don't think water gets more than all other types... grass types are getting a lot of love in the anime too:
- Ash ALWAYS gets the grass starter
- Ash had Chikorita/Bayleef and Bulbasaur at the same time for like 100+ eps
- James ALWAYS gets a grass starter that hurts him as his main battler
- James kept had both Cacnea and Carnivine with him for a whole year (about 50 eps)
- Bulbasaur was owned by both Ash and May and a few random ones appeared too (that Orange Islands ep, the Chronicles Gilbert ep, etc)
- Drew and Harley, the only two recurring rivals of the AG series, had grass type as their main Poké (Roselia and Cacturn)
- Roserade was seen with various different characters: Gardenia, Nando, Barry, Drew in cameo, Forsythia... Roselia also got some appearances other than Drew's during AG

So no, I don't think water types got the most in the anime... they're one of the more emphasized types, but not the only one... as said, it's also got to do with the how many of each type the games provide the writers to use...

 

[PDL]

There are alot of water types to choose from. There's also the water type starters. Grass types have a similar situation.

 

[Mijzelffan]

Maybe because there are so much water types? I mean, if you want to showcase them all...

 

[Grave-E]

70% of pokemon world is covered in water pokemon. Water pokemon are often used for leisure activities. ie. pools are filled with chlorinated Tentacool in which people swim, for example.
Bottled water pokemon are also sold and purchased by millions, despite the fact that tap water pokemon are available in every home. Just turn the faucet and out comes a stream of Huntail.

In short, water pokemon are a vital part of human life. Humans themselves are compossed of 55-78% water pokemon. Piplup is under everyone's skin!

 

[Dorothy LaRouge]

Appareantly GameFreak thinks we need more generic fish every generation. And give us like two or three measly fire types. lol.

This. As big a Water-type fan I am, they need to downplay it a bit more.

But yeah, the focus Water-types get in the anime probably has something to do with the glut of them we have in the games.

 

[Sith Droideka]

Sorry if Earth is 75% water. As much as we all love Fire-types, that doesn't change the fact that the seas are the most diverse area on the planet.

 

[Miar]

Of all seventeen types, the Water type is the most abundant, with 92 Pokémon species being Water-type, nearly 19% of the entire known National Pokédex. This may be a reference to how water is the most abundant substance on Earth.

Source

Yeah, it makes up 75-80% of our world (less than 1% is drinkable), but at least be thankful that it doesn't make up 75-80% of our Pokédex (and 0% is drinkable)

Referring to the above joke, I believe there's one episode where Jessie imagined her and James catching Tentacool and selling them in bottles.

 

[Cybersai]

I really wish there was more emphasis on fire in the show.

Ash's Charizard, Infernape and May's Combusken/Blaziken were really the only majorly focused fire types in the show.

For some reason Ash's grass types always get the most screentime each arc, or the water pokemon.

 

[A Concerned Solomon]

At least the Stealth Rock metagame never found its way into the anime; otherwise, the entire type could kiss its ass goodbye.

 

[Masurao]

Ash's Charizard, Infernape and May's Combusken/Blaziken were really the only majorly focused fire types in the show.

For some reason Ash's grass types always get the most screentime each arc, or the water pokemon.

Ash's grass Pokemon, and fire are seemingly better treated than his water. Totodile was kinda pathetic development wise, and Corpish was okay-ish. I still find Squirtle his best handled water Pokemon.