Thread: Takeshi Shudo's Anime Novelization books

They were discussed in the past, but I just discovered Tumblr posts with translations made by Cindysuke that reveal some interesting facts that I don't think had been known before.

#1New Old School

#2New Old School

Misty’s sisters’ hairs are wigs and they actually have black hairs.

This is probably my favorite tidbit. I always thought their hair was natural, and they just had weird genetics.

I would so love to read these books....Makes you wonder how the series would be today if Takeshi Shudo continued to be the scriptwriter

Would these books count as canon to the anime? If so, then Ash should've gotten a love interest by now if being 10 years old is the mark of doing things an adult can do.

Originally Posted by Ghetsis-Dennis

Would these books count as canon to the anime? If so, then Ash should've gotten a love interest by now if being 10 years old is the mark of doing things an adult can do.

Just because he's around the age he could get a love interest, doesn't mean he should. He can be treated like an adult, but he doesn't have to have a love interest. Especially since he has no interest in that stuff.

Originally Posted by panikos0

I would so love to read these books....Makes you wonder how the series would be today if Takeshi Shudo continued to be the scriptwriter

We would hive solid proof no one coughmisty is coming back.

The part about most of the Pokémon world's workers (as in Junsa and Joi) being women because of men being incompetent losers due to their Pokémon journeys was both fascinating and somewhat insulting.

Sakura's, Ayame's, and Botan's true hair color was surprising though.

I found the part about how being a gym leader is actually a terrible job amusing, given the amount of prestige the position attracts in the anime.

That’s why Satoshi’s grandfather and father is missing. They went to Pokemon journey and disappeared, achieving nothing.

Ash isn't going to fare any better, is he?

And the search to see if that "all the workers are women" thing is true. It is interesting, however, that he paints the pokemon world in such a harsh light. I never expected such a thing. But Ash's mom having an inn, and that being how she met Ash's dad, I know I heard that somewhere, but I forget where. I didn't think it was true, whatever it was. The most interesting part, the origin of pokemon, still makes a lot of theories possible, but that real animals existed alongside them, I think will change perceptions for years to come. It may even be reason to believe that pokemon aren't that different from real animals. (even though he emphasized they can't be classed with them) I find this fascinating, and I wonder how much of it was his own musings and how much was given as official fact. Finally, my thoughts on this is that it sounds very much like Shudo wasn't intending to make the crazy show that we experienced. There was more to it. True, some elements of what he refers to here are seen in the show, but they are treated as a joke instead of with the reverence I see here. That could've been their intention, I don't know, but I can't help but think there was a greater story here. Training pokemon isn't supposed to be glamorous, it's difficult like any other profession. I now see what Shudo meant when he said the anime had become different than what he originally envisioned. I also can't help but wonder...did they intend Ash to win or to lose? Then again, if I were to take everything I see here, then someone like Ash shouldn't even be alive, much less win the league. The Japanese must have something for irony, as that is the only thing I can garner from this.

These are pretty interesting reads. The part about running a Gym being a terrible job made me laugh a bit too considering how it's treated like such a high honored position in the anime. Being disqualified after three defeats also seems rather harsh. Brock's mother marrying over and over again to keep the Gym running also feels kind of weird, especially when they all looked so alike, even the girls. Even the part about Ash's father and grandfather disappearing because of not accomplishing anything sounds kind of funny to me, but I think that's because of how the fanbase tends to make a big deal about Ash's Dad anyway.

The part about most of the workers being female because of how so many male trainers become incompetent adult as a result of failing in their journey is interesting, as well as a bit insulting in a way. Even if they aren't able to accomplish much in their journeys, they could find some other kind of profession that involves Pokemon. That also makes me wonder if, according to this setup at least, if girls aren't as interested in becoming trainers like boys are given how they make up most of the workers. Pokemon appearing out of nowhere along with real world animals is pretty interesting. I understand why they haven't really appeared outside of the first couple of seasons, especially when there are plenty of Pokemon for them to use in the background, but seeing Pokemon interact with non-Pokemon animals in the series might have been kind of interesting to see.

I think that this one surprised me the most.

'That’s why Takeshi’s stepfathers kept running away. To keep the gym, Takeshi’s mother got married again and again and had dozens of kids. Finally she ran away too, leaving Takeshi alone with his half siblings.' When Takeshi's dad looks more like the kids than their mother does. It wouldn't have surprised me so much but with the fact that Kasumi's family was now making a bit more sense genetically.

Originally Posted by Ghetsis-Dennis

Would these books count as canon to the anime? If so, then Ash should've gotten a love interest by now if being 10 years old is the mark of doing things an adult can do.

I don't think he would have had one since shudo if I can recall correctly was'nt really interested in giving ash a girl friend even back then.

A lot of things made me chuckle, like Misty's sisters wearing wigs.

When kids turn 10, they are legally treated as an adult. They have to pay tax, get arrested when they commit crime, can marry, can get a job, etc, etc.

...

Okay, then.

There's so much interesting info in this! Gotta admit, it changed my view of Pokemon just a tiny bit, though in a positive way haha. I really like the bits about Brock especially, though I'd also never have guessed Misty's sisters were wearing wigs. v v