Thread: If Pokemon was directed towards an older audience, what do you think it'd be like?

Now I don't necessarily mean that it would be too violent or inappropriate, but how would you view it on a more mature level? You don't have to discuss this in too much detail in terms of Ash being older, shipping so-and-so with so-and-so, etc., because there are obviously already threads for that. But in general, if it followed the same storyline and contained the same exact characters, how different would it be?

Let's see...

Characters & situations would probaly have more depth, there might be (way) better pacing, and they wouldn't have to give every damn Pokemon an episode dedicated to it whether it deserved it or not.

Originally Posted by SammyW27

Characters & situations would probaly have more depth, there might be (way) better pacing,

I doubt it. The show would still probably be ruled by the merch and games, meaning they'd have a set time limit to do each saga before the new games come out.

Uh...more mature stuff?

Yeah, I dunno. Characters can be seen dead on-screen instead off-screen, and more risqué words can be said.

I really don't know. It'll maybe be the same.

And maybe blood.

Nothing special - we'd get the exact same stuff like we got from the B2W2 promotion anime trailer. This would be the perfect "mature" pokemon anime without adult themes.

More graphic violence and romance do not a mature series make, just because something is unsuitable for a younger audience does not automatically mean that it makes the series more "mature". Romance plots also have the unfortunate side effect of shunting attention away from the titular critters and on to human characters, something I think the series should try and avoid.

I think the best way to make the anime mature without resorting to the typical "gritty" shticks seen in fanfic (which often clash horribly with the tone of the franchise) is to bring more complexity to the characters (especially the Pokemon), and the lore of the Pokemon World itself. I think a setup like that of Ash's quest is ideal for exploring themes like the role of humans in the Pokemon world, and the different ideals and worldviews people hold. Are there Pokemon that are opposed to their kind being used by people? What sacrifices do Pokemon trainers have to make to achieve their goals, and is it all worth it in the end? Are there some Pokemon that just truly detest battling and will never grow to enjoy it? Those are the types of questions I like to think a more mature series would ask.

Of course I'm perfectly content with the childish version of Pokemon. The happy idealism and whimsy make for a nice change from the real world.

It'd likely be a lot more like the Pokémon Adventures manga.

If it was directed towards an older audience, it would become more difficult for the writers to sweep the morality issue under the carpet.

The concept that Pokemon 'like' to battle (as reiterated by Ash for goodness knows how long) doesn't hold water. When we see the animation of battles, we see Pokemon wincing in pain, dragging themselves to their feet (somewhat like MMA without the blood). In fact, the least violent part of a battle is the fainting (those swirly eyes!)
So the current anime is a mixed bag - extremely childish in terms of plot and quite brutal in the battles. Little children generally do not think "Why are these Pokemon really fighting?" They accept that Pokemon voluntarily obey human beings to get hurt themselves.
A change to a bloodier style would make Pokemon battling pointless and create a PETA lawyer's fantasy. Pokemon can only be explained reasonably when its targeted at kids.

On a lighter note, more romance would actually reduce the fun hordes of shippers have in searching for hints.

So I oppose a change in target audience.

I'm not sure, but I also don't think it would do any good, either, all it needs is better writing.

Adding blood and graphic violence to Pokemon battles would not only fail to make the series more mature, it would make it just plain unwatchable in my view.

The lack of graphic violence in the anime, as it currently exists, is the critical thing that keeps the concept within the realm of light-hearted fantasy. Take that away, and you're at risk of descending into an unignorable cock-fighting allusion. Maybe there are some people who would enjoy an animated show where fuzzy creatures rip each other to bloody shreds for their owners' amusement...but I personally would loathe such a seres. :/

Ideally, a more mature anime would retain its current rating while exploring the apparent contradictions and answering the most prominent questions older fans often ask themselves.
Stuff ranging from "do all Pokemon really like to battle?" to "how do pokeballs work?". All of the main characters would have some kind of backstory and be properly developed, and have their unique issues pertaining to the world of Pokemon addressed.

There's more than enough potential for the current anime to display some real maturity without blatantly pandering to teenagers.
The writers just aren't exploiting any of it.

As for what a more "mature" anime would be, in actuality? Classless fanservice, convoluted romantic sub-plots that divert everybody's attention away from the hole-ridden main plot, and pointless bloodshed.

We don't need any blood or violence to make it mature. BW had all the elements that could appeal to adults. They simply have to stay true to the games - that's all they need to attract older fans

Just because a show is mature does'nt mean that it's good. All I think the current anime needs is better writing mostly and making the anime "mature" won't help. I don't want a romance subplot or anything like that in the show nor do I want graphic in the show either.

As for what a more "mature" anime would be, in actuality? Classless fanservice, convoluted romantic sub-plots that divert everybody's attention away from the hole-ridden main plot, and pointless bloodshed.

Pure truth! :)

I never once mentioned "bloodshed" or "graphic violence" in this, and I certainly don't think that it would make for a watchable series, either. I never even said that I think that the anime would be BETTER than how it is now. I'm just imagining what it would be like in this situation. And why would a small touch of romance be distracting to the main plotline? I could see it being tied in with Ash's quest somehow, without being too overwhelming.

I think the real amount of maturity could be demonstrated by complex character development, an aging process for every character, more backstories for both the protagonists and pokemon, and plot twists every so often to stir things up a bit. I agree that the pokemon- and their morals- should be focused on a lot more, too.

Furthermore, I'm not really asking an opinion on if you think a mature approach would benefit the fanbase or not. My main purpose for creating this thread was to discuss some ideas or possible storylines that could've been developed if the writers didn't direct it towards children/marketed the show mainly to endorse merchandise.

Originally Posted by Poliwhirl42

I never once mentioned "bloodshed" or "graphic violence" in this, and I certainly don't think that it would make for a watchable series, either. I never even said that I think that the anime would be BETTER than how it is now. I'm just imagining what it would be like in this situation. And why would a small touch of romance be distracting to the main plotline? I could see it being tied in with Ash's quest somehow, without being too overwhelming.

No, you didn't. But in any discussion of an anime directed at an adult audience, those are the things that people inevitably think the anime should have, for whatever reason. Nobody is implying that you thought any of those things, we have all just experienced our share of ravings from those sorts of fans.

If you think romance would benefit the anime, that's fine. A lot of people are into that. Personally I think it would detract more from the series than it would add, bit that's just my $0.02.

On another note, I think for the kind of series I mentioned previously to be successful, each series would have to be short. Say, with each saga being the length of a typical anime series (around 25-26 episodes). That format would really help the writers create a more coherent narrative.