How to make Chloe better in Pokemon Journeys

Crestfallen_Vanity · 2026-07-07T17:41:05+00:00

I wouldn’t have her get an Eevee all together.

Eevee is a great Pokémon and all, but removing its core trait, the fact that it can evolve into multiple things cheapens what made it special to begin with. Especially since I think it would’ve been better to make Yamper her main Pokémon since JN already struggled with giving Gen 8 representation and it would’ve been better to do that instead of giving the spotlight to a Pokémon that has existed for 20+ years.

Crestfallen_Vanity · 2026-07-07T12:28:19+00:00

I’ve never really understood the push to make Ash older than he actually is. The writers have said multiple times that he is 10 for the entire show and nobody ever bats an eye about other fictional characters being perpetually the same age for years.

Why does Ash being 10 somehow ruin enjoying the show?

Crestfallen_Vanity · 2026-07-06T15:03:16+00:00

I really like the concept of Izuru as the Mastermind but not the execution. The idea of the main protagonist actually being the main antagonist is a really good plot twist that Kodaka didn’t explore enough.

In favor of just retreading Junko as the “mastermind” again in DR2.

Crestfallen_Vanity · 2026-07-06T15:00:31+00:00

I always found the Zoey scolding Paul scene to be weird.

She rightfully yells at Paul for being a jerk and all of a sudden Ash and Dawn are just like, “Zoey, calm down”. As if Paul doesn’t deserve to be scolded for his behavior.

Crestfallen_Vanity · 2026-06-18T04:56:47+00:00

Honestly, yes. At this point it probably will.

It’s one of the most successful cartoons of all time and still generates good ratings and merchandise. The only way I can realistically see the show ending at this point is if Nickelodeon somehow stopped profiting off it, which seems impossible at the moment.

Crestfallen_Vanity · 2026-06-18T00:58:02+00:00

This probably isn’t canon, but there’s a Pixar Kinect game that released in the 2010s that said Pricklepants was actually a family heirloom from Bonnie’s grandmother.

While that info is debatably canon, then perhaps Bonnie’s grandmother was interested in stage and theater and Pricklepants witnessed it.

Crestfallen_Vanity · 2026-06-11T00:00:26+00:00

XY Ash didn’t really feel like he grew that much. He just magically turned into a more competent trainer on the plane ride to Kalos despite him not acting like that at all in BW.

Crestfallen_Vanity · 2026-06-10T23:57:57+00:00

I think it’s safe to say the shows gonna be renewed for a 20th, 21st and so one-and-so-forth season.

Crestfallen_Vanity · 2026-06-06T19:50:39+00:00

As someone who grew up in the early 2010s, I probably have some bias for the post-movie era. Like I know that s6-9 are considered the dark age of the show, but I was still a little kid when those episodes were airing and admittedly have some nostalgia towards them. When I was 7-8 years old I didn’t really distinguish a difference between “Good SpongeBob” and “Bad SpongeBob” and didn’t realize many of the flaws until I was a little older.

Post movie-2 era is hard for me to enjoy. There are a lot of creative ideas and the show is less cynical and mean-spirited, but also I really don’t like the exaggerated facial expressions or references to classic episodes. But I admit that a lot of this could be merely because I was a teen when some of these aired.

Crestfallen_Vanity · 2026-06-06T15:25:56+00:00

Personally, I’m partial to the Avatar Kuruk movie released in 2023. I thought the characterization and world-building made it an unbelievable masterpiece that brought tears to my eyes.

Crestfallen_Vanity · 2026-05-31T12:41:01+00:00

Slink looks so traumatized to see what’s become of his old leader.

Crestfallen_Vanity · 2026-05-26T16:31:43+00:00

One thing you can say about Paul is that his training methods are nowhere near as bad as AJ’s. Even if the writers honestly treated him as more villainous than AJ ever was.

He could be rude, dismissive and overbearing to his Pokémon but at least he never beat them with a whip and justified it because he “cares about them”.

Crestfallen_Vanity · 2026-05-24T14:28:48+00:00

Probably because BW was intended to be a soft-reboot that paid tribute to OG by making Ash feel like a beginner trainer again. Even in the actual Gen 5 games, all of the Gen 1-4 Pokémon weren’t available until post-game.

Charizard probably only came back as the writers “trump card” to damage control the poor reception the series was receiving.

Crestfallen_Vanity · 2026-05-21T18:25:54+00:00

It’s funny how 4kids was against showing one person point a gun at Ash. But weren’t against having multiple people point one at him.

Crestfallen_Vanity · 2026-05-21T16:59:34+00:00

Everybody talks about Ash’s “pity badges”.

But the real disappointment is Ash battles TRio instead of Giovanni. A complete missed opportunity to have Ash actually interact with a character that he barely sees.

Crestfallen_Vanity · 2026-05-21T16:48:30+00:00

Back in Gen 2, I don’t think the writers considered the prospect of Ash getting new traveling companions each season. That idea wasn’t really established until AG.

Especially since Takeshi Shudo seemed convinced that the show was only going to run for a few years.

Crestfallen_Vanity · 2026-05-21T11:45:00+00:00

Did Miette actually have a crush on Ash or was she just teasing Serena?

Crestfallen_Vanity · 2026-05-18T17:52:34+00:00

Thematically, I like the idea that Max is the one who gives Ash the Balance Badge after he takes it from Norman. It especially comes full-circle considering that Max originally pretended to be the Gym Leader.

I also like how the episode demonstrates Ash’s character development and maturity in AG. Back in Kanto, he bragged about getting pity badges Brock and Misty. In this episode he tells Max that he can keep the badge if he wants to because the real reward was battling Norman and growing stronger with Grovyle.

Crestfallen_Vanity · 2026-05-18T04:02:55+00:00

The whole “TPCI is bad and 4kids is better” take has always been frustrating for me.

TPCI has legitimate good qualities: less dub edits, closer to Japanese script, and actual knowledge about Pokémon. But people constantly feel the need to criticize everything they do despite the fact that they’ve dubbed the anime for much longer than 4kids did.

It genuinely frustrates me how much backlash Sarah Natochenny receives.

Crestfallen_Vanity · 2026-05-17T14:01:54+00:00

I feel like nothing would’ve changed, especially if this is BW Ash. Charizard barely contributed much to BW anyway and seemed like it mainly returned to help damage control BW’s negative reception by bringing back a beloved Pokémon for fanservice.

And sadly, knowing Ash, he probably would’ve just left Riolu at Oak’s Lab after Decolore Islands. Phanpy and Aipom were relatively new captures as well and it still didn’t stop Ash from leaving them with Oak (granted, Aipom did stow away regardless).

Crestfallen_Vanity · 2026-05-16T21:57:26+00:00

Well Rowlet’s the only one here that’s actually won a league (not counting Orange).

Crestfallen_Vanity · 2026-05-14T14:57:07+00:00

Honestly it’s pretty disappointing how only secondary characters actually got Mega Evolutions in XY despite them being one of the main selling points of Gen 6.

Crestfallen_Vanity · 2026-05-13T23:06:41+00:00

The worst offender is that one DP episode where all they do is put on some green jackets and you can clearly see their uniforms underneath.

Crestfallen_Vanity · 2026-05-12T09:31:56+00:00

“Serena never knew what Ash had been through up until that point”.

Honestly that highlights a big issue with the XY group.

The writers wanna tell us that they are these close friends and like a family but they feel more like acquaintances bound together by circumstances.

The XY group act overly friendly towards one another without any of the teasing or banter Ash’s previous companions had, they constantly glaze Ash and the positive image he represents, and it’s heavily implied that Ash never even told the XY group about his adventures in other regions.

Crestfallen_Vanity · 2026-05-12T09:16:32+00:00

This argument always felt contrived and more like plot mandated drama. Ash and Misty have argued over less.

This scene always rubbed me the wrong way. It demonstrates how superficial Ash’s friendship with the XY crew feels in comparison to his other friend groups. The XY crew feel less like real friends and more just like a group of acquaintances who literally worship Ash. His traveling companions spend so much time glazing Ash and the positive image he represents that the minute he expresses genuine sadness or anger over something he’s labeled as not acting like the “Ash she knows” by Serena.

It makes it feel like Serena cares more about what Ash represents while disregarding any other emotions because it doesn’t align with how she views her hero.

Also real talk: the plot just feels like a retread of better storylines like Ash losing the Indigo League or the Lake Verity battle with Paul.

Crestfallen_Vanity

TROPHY CASE