Pokemon season one a case of nostalgia goggles?

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Whenever I read topics in forums and ask people I know which is better the consensus is that season one is the creme da la creme. I usually hear stuff like
 
I dont know why I like the first three seasons better. I agree that the characters and stories are better written and there is more continuity, but I just dont find it as entertaining as season one. I liked the characters best during Hoenn, but Sinnoh has a better story arc. Maybe I'm just nostalgic. I think it has to do with most episodes forgettable, and how I find the characters are annoying. But that's just me
 
Original works are always going to be the most popular because everything was fresh then and so everything that comes after will be seen as a derivative. I know alot of folks dropped the show because of the seeming lack of character progression and plot reuse (how many 'a Pokemon is acting out of character' plots have there been?). Nostalgia and growing up probably does play a hefty part but I think the show's one note nature is just as much to blame. It does get a bit boring when everything in the show seems to revolve around Pokemon in some way and everyone adores them.
 
I would have to agree that since Advanced Battle, Pokemon really became a better show but thats the thing, it took em almost four years to finally do it right. And by that time, many who had been watching Pokemon since the first season had said screw it. Thats why most will argue that Season One is the creme da la creme, because compared to Johto (and some of Advanced Generation) those nostalgia goggles fit rather nicely.
 
It's just the novelty wore off a long time ago.

Yes, the show has technically improved, but it's still basically the same shtick, and the fact that the show hasn't really gone very far especially considering there are over 600 episodes is your problem.

In the early seasons it was exciting, because you could imagine what it would be like when Ash won the League, what kind of Pokemon he'd catch, and what Giovanni of Team Rocket will be like, and so on.

Now, your hopes have been beaten down so much by the series' repetitive nature that you can guess the structure of his team almost perfectly and you know that he'll lose in the end, because otheriwse the show would actually have to try something new.
 
What goals? In the episodes of seen in recent times, I've never once heard anyone make the slightest reference to say, Ash wanting to become a Pokemon Master, or Brock wanting to become a Pokemon Breeder. Only Dawn seems to have something of a goal, but she never seems to be any good at pursuing it at all.

Really, their goal is to just do whatever the episodes dictate they do and drag the show out further.



.....The villains are more villainous. What, you mean like Team Aqua? Team Magma? Team Galactic? That Hunter J chick? Sure, they're villainous, but they're so insignificantly portrayed that it doesn't matter. If they're that big a threat (which they should be), then alot of non-gym and non-contest episodes should center around them. Instead, who do we get? Freaking Team Rocket! I'm sorry, but no matter how evil the villains are showcased to be, their lack of screentime makes me unable to care about them or their plans.



Hellcat pretty much nailed in, IMHO. Yes, nostalgia does factor in here, but even without the goggles the show's repetitive, boring nature stanRAB out. Back in Season 1, the show looked like it would actually be going places in terms of story, mainly because the makers of the show didn't yet realize just how big a cash cow they had on their hanRAB. Once they did realize it, they decided to milk it for all it's worth, and to make that easier, they stuck to a formula and never moved beyond it (this is why the big GS Ball plotline they originally had in mind got canned.) Ajax is correct in, around the time Harley was introduced, things got better, but it was too little too late for that and while a new audience was attracted, the old one just didn't care anymore.

So yeah, even without nostalgia goggles, I'd say Season 1 is the best.
 
Ash's goal is the same goal as every other trainer who challenges gyms. In an episode of Diamond and Pearl he stated that first he wants to acquire 8 badges, secondly he wants to win the Sinnoh League, and finally he wants to enter the Champions League and defeat the Elite Four. If he loses he'll just go from region to region until he wins. Its as simple as that. He doesn't need to say this every episode, its unnecessary. And for people to think he should be a Pokemon master by now is ridiculous. None of the Elite Four and Champions are Ash's age. He neeRAB years more training before he can reach their level of experience.

Brock doesn't need to state his goal either. He wants to eventually find find a girlfriend and settle down, but that wont happen any time soon so its mostly serves as a comedic purpose But his true goal is to be a great Breeder. To prep himself he wants to travel the world and learn as much about caring for all the different kinRAB of Pokemon. He's still a teenager/young adult so there's no rush to immediately open up a daycare and start his career. He'll gain more expertise by traveling the world instead of staying in one place.

Dawn's and May's goals are the same as other coordinators. They'll go from region to region competing in contests until they eventually win the Grand Festival. What happens after that is unclear but I'm going to assume they'll want to win a few more tournaments.

Ash and co aren't police officers or superheroes. If they meet a bad guy along the way they'll try and thwart their plots, otherwise they'll just go on with their lives and wont give them a second thought. Their just kiRAB, their goal isn't to fight crime and stop evil. More screen time would feel forced because this show doesn't revolve around stopping villains and making the world a safer place. Team Aqua, Magma, Glactic, and PokeHunter J's purpose is occasionally spice things up. Their not significant plot points but they do make the show feel less stale and more realistic.

Also, Team Rocket are just semi-villains who's sole purpose is to be a plot device, add more emotional drama, and be comedic relief. They were never suppose to be taken serious as bad guys because they always fail.

The show isn't adapted from a ongoing manga nor does it take season breaks. How many light-hearted children shows churn out a new episode every week for 11 years and still remain fresh? Its sole purpose from day one was to promote the games and sell merchandise.

Season one showed no signs of "going places" AT ALL. The show was a lot more episodic back then and the secondary characters weren't as significant to the plot. Ash wasn't even a competent trainer.

Season one:Ash won most of his badges not because of skill but because the writer wanted to advance the story.

Now: Ash wins each badge because of hard work and dedication.

Season one:Ash was rarely if ever seen training his Pokemon.

Now:Ash helps his Pokemon learn new attacks and prepares new battle strategies to win rematches.

Season one:Ash was a joke. He had a lot of heart but most of time his character was played for laughs.

Now:Ash acts less like an idiot and he can be taken more seriously as a trainer because hes more of a man of action.

Season One: Ash and Gary's rivalry went no where and Gary did prtaically nothing but boast in all his appearances. They don't face off even once.

Now: Every time Ash and Paul meet we get an intense battle, we know more about Paul and his Pokemon than Gary or any other non main character in the show, their Pokemon receive character development, we see new captures and evolutions, the Gym leaders and other secondary characters get more screen time and purpose in the story. Each encounter increases the anticipation for their eventual big showdown in the Sinnoh League.
Season One:Ash had three disobedient Pokemon. The reason given was that he was a weak and unskilled trainer.

Now:None of Ash's Pokemon disobey him.

Season One: Ash made the top 16 in the Indigo League. Many of his victories felt cheap and the writers didn't seem like they were taking his battles as seriously as they should have been.

Now:Ash made the top 8 in the Hoen League. Most of his victories don't feel as cheap. His current team in Sinnoh looks like it could potentially be his best yet.

Season one:Brock and Misty barely did anything, all their their Pokemon have zero personality, they only had a handful of focus episodes.

Now: Dawn, May, and Brock actually do stuff, most of their Pokemon have personality's, they have a lot more focus episodes.
 
For longer "stories" I do agree the later seasons are probably better. But then, if you were watching Pokemon for the stories, surely there were better shows out there?

To me, season 1 simply was funnier, naughtier, and had better visual gags. It was cheaper in budget but the animators had fun with what they had to work with. Now it's become just another run of the mill "genki" shounen show. To see Brock stripped down to the non-personaliy character he's become is heartbreaking also.
 
In my opinion Kanto, Orange islanRAB, and Johto were the only real Pokemon series. Once we got to the advance gen I just could not take it so seriously anymore and I felt we needed a new main character.

Ash defeated Gary and that to me was a good end.
 
Yeah you kinda just proved his point of the story never going anywhere. I first watched Pokemon back when I was 12, im now 23 and he stills in the same position he was back when season 1 ended. Point is, he'll only reach those goals when the games finally end. It didnt feel like that when we were watching season 1.


The way season one was going, I dont think anyone ever imagined at the time that Pokemon would span almost 600 episodes. Season one did show signs of going places as Ash went from an incompetent trainer to a league winner (winning the Orange League). He built an incredible team and finally got Charizard to listen to him, only for the writers to hit the reset button and have Ash start all over....and over....and over again.

Yeah your right, but in hinRABight, the way Ash won badges in season 1 makes that particular season all the more interesting imo. The way Ash wins badges nowadays is repetive and predictable.
Ash has always used strategty to win his matches. Rewatch the Indigo League and his single match in the Winner's Cup.

Thats not really a point to be honest with you. Its called character development and as funny as that is to say when talking about Pokemon, its only natural for Ash to be a joke in the beginning and its only natural that after almost 10 years the writers would finally have him be less of an idiot. Like I said, this isnt much of a point.


They did in the last episode of season 1, though you are right that there rivialry went no where.

Once again, not much of a point. If anything this is one of the main reasons why season one is so beloved. Ash had to earn his pokemon's trust and to go thru trial after trial to finally have his pokemon listen to him. This made for more compelling episodes, as opposed to nowadays. But once again, its only natural for his pokemon to listen to him now, as after 10 years and 600 episodes, you would hope him to be a much stronger and more skilled trainer.

Im liking the theme of useless points here. This is simply just opinion on your part my friend. Cant really prove this at all.
 
I felt the first season was more true to the games than the current seasons. It also wasn't as stretched out as the latter story arcs. (70+ vs. 150+) I wish they just make the anime as retelling of the games like (I believe) the manga is.
 
I come to post this & only this....Pokemon is sub-par at best.

But MEWTWO IS AWSOME! (He should get his own game series! lol)

Honestly i only watched seasons 1-4 of the show. moved on to Yugioh after that now im not big on either, although i'll still watch ol Yugi ever now & then.
 
A. To voice what's been said before, at the time of Season 1 when it was a new/recent show, the standard formula hasn't been repeated prior to "Pokemon I Choose You".

B. Another factor is that in the later seasons, the filler (anything that doesn't bring a new character/element into the story or lack background on the characters episodic nature follow the same formula (Ash and crew run into an insecure trainer/person and helps out said individual while Team Rocket tries to catch the Pokemon of the day and blast off again).

Season 1 had several fillers, but weren't too reliant on the formula :

1. The Path To The Pokemon League- AJ was far from insecure, and certainly was resourceful in strengthening up is Pokemon. Only formula was Team Rocket.

2. The Ghost of Maiden's Peak- No insecure individuals or the blasting off of Team Rocket. Plus we see another Pokemon who actually talks. And you can't beat Venustoise (fact).

3. Wake Up Snorlax- While it does consist of Ash and company helping somebody, that's pretty much where it's formula since Team Rocket actually help out (or at least try anyway).

4. Showdown at Dark City- While again it does have a bit of the formula mentioned above, the idea of two potential Pokemon Gyms feuding was an interesting concept.


But the lack of redundancy could also be factored into the fact that a good portion of Season 1 also had a lot of introductions, Gym Battles and other storylines, thus limiting the filler. Those include (I'm counting the Lost Episodes for the reference):

1-7. Pokemon, I Choose You up to The Water Flowers Of Cerulean City: Sets up Ash's Journey, introduces Brock and Misty, has several evolutions and introduces several supporting characters. Team Rocket, Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny also debut.

9-14. The School of Hard Knocks up to Electric Shock Showdown: Get some background on Jessie and James, Ash's Pokemon team is expanded to it's full six lineup, and we even see what happens when a trainer with 6 Pokemon catches another Pokemon. This set of episodes enRAB with Ash getting another Badge, and for the first time, one that he gets through fighting rather than technicallity.

15-19. Battle Aboard The St Anne up to Tentacool and Tentacruel: Introduces the Magikarp Salesman, Misty catches Horsea and we see the first return appearance by Gary and Delia. Plus we get a glimpse of Team Rocket's Boss.

21-30. Bye Bye Butterfree up to Sparks Fly For Magnemite: We have the departure of Butterfree, The Sabrina Trilogy, Ash catching and later giving Primeape to another trainer, as well as getting The Rainbow Badge, Misty getting Psyduck, Brock getting Vulpix and Ash catching a Muk.

32-36. The Ninja Poke-Showdown up to The Bridge Bike Gang: Ash gets the Soul Badge, as well as the next episodes leading into the Safari Zone where Ash catches all of those Tauros. We get some more background on Jesse and James.

43-46. March of the Exeggutor up to Attack of the Prehistoric Pokemon: We see Charmander's evolution up to Charmeleon and Charizard as well as the beginning of it's disobedients. We also get the introduction of Jigglypuff and the egg which will hatch into Togepi.

48. Holy Matrimony: We find out where James came from before joining Team Rocket.

Princess VS Princess: I know the episode is somewhere inbetween 46 and 50, but am unsure of the nuraber. But Jessie does get Lickitung.

50. Who Gets to Keep Togepi: Introduces well, Togepi.

55-59. Pokemon Paparazzi up to Volcanic Panic: Todd makes his first appearance and travels with Ash and Company for a couple more episodes, we discover James getting a Weepinbel (which became a Victrebel) and Ash gets the Volcano Badge.

61. Misty leaves Horsea and Starmie at Cerulean Gym.

63-64 and 67. Battle of the Badge, It's Mr. Mime Time and Showdown At The Poke Corral: I'm listing these episodes together since the inbetween episodes were delayed Holiday Specials. Ash gets his final Badge for the season, we see Giovanni stepping out of the shadows, We see some of Gary's Pokemon, Delia enRAB up with a Mr. Mime, Ash and crew begin their stay at Pallet Town for the majority of the season, Ash learns where the Pokemon League is held and we get a glimpse of Mewtwo (and teasers for the first Pokemon Movie).

71-72. Lights, Camera, Quack-tion and Go West Young Meowth: Two part episode unofficially, so not really standard filler. Plus the second episode delves into Meowth's background and why he speaks like a human.

75-82. Bad to the Bone up to FrienRAB to the End: Pretty much a given that these are story oriented since it covers the group's arrivial to the Indigo Plateau and Ash's participation in the Pokemon League. Richie and his Pokemon are introduced, plus we have Ash getting 16..

So we have 59 episodes that give contribution to the story, while the rest being 23 episodes is filler.




Exactly. To be fair it still is merely opinion that the first season outranks the rest or vice versa, but fact is at the time when Indigo episodes were the current season there wasn't many people stating that the show got redundant.



In addition to that, it made it all the more satisfying when he actually did win by skill, whereas with the current gym battles you expect him to win the traditional way.





Agreed on both counts. Having a personality flaw made Ash a more interesting character without compromising his simplicity and the disobedient Pokemon gave the show excitement without removing the marketability of the show.



To put it simple the following I think explains why some favor this season more than others:

- Redundant elements (Ash getting the three starters, Pikachu trashing the bike of a future companion and Ash getting 8 Badges to participate in a Pokemon League) weren't overdone at the time.

- The fact that we had more story arc/contribution over single episode fillers.

- Filler episodes not always following the formula to the T.

- Ash having his personality flaw and having to deal with disobedient Pokemon contributes to his struggle and provides substance without removing simplicity which attract the viewers in the first place.


Now I'll give the other seasons credit for the following:

- Giving the female cast merabers more to do than being eye candy (which I find odd that they feel the need for eye candy when the assumption is that kiRAB only care about the Pokemon on the show).
- Ash having a more dignified loss, than well a disobedient powerhouse.
- Giving a starter to the other two characters, though it would be nice to go back to the old format every now and then.
 
True, Ash probably wont reach his goal until the games finally end but the anime is about the journey not the destination. Were not watching to see him become a champion as fast as possible where watching his journey as a kid. With each season Ash gains more experience and his victories pile up. In season one he Ash was a lucky novice. Now he actually has numerous strong Pokemon, over 30 badges, and various other completion wins. He was even offered a position as a Frontier Brain. People seem to think the anime should be like games where the protagonists can become a champion in a little amount of time. Having his journey take place over a long period of time makes his eventually rise to being a Master much more realistic and believable.



By hitting the reset button their showing that no matter how great you think you are at something there
 
Yes Yes They were go back to the very beginning they were shifty conniving SOB's KiRAB looked at them and said there mean and nasty I hate them now their no better than repetitive filler at least in the old episodes we had them steal other Pokemon instead of the main teams now have a kid look at them now and say their funny are they always on here?
Yes it did I couldn't wait for different events to show up couldn't wait for the team to show up at another festival and the island they got lost on and started talking in 4th grade we were talking about that for weeks see how they flintstonized the Pokemon they had plenty of things to play off of but anime writers were lazy back then hence proof of the lazy repetitive plots we see each episode
So your telling me kiRAB should spend 2 to 4 episodes watching Pokemon doing the same move and then appreciate that he won a battle after so much consideration and they have to do this song and dance 8 more times?
Uh-uh KiRAB want variety and they got it in the first season filler where at least they got to see different pokemon fight off new threats not the same Team Rocket crap barrage. I agree with this but I also say they could hint at the little idiot inside of him sometimes after ten years yeah he should be could but he's not perfect we all slip up. So Yes Terror Death your "Facts" are useless if more than one person including a low level meraber (Covering come-back bases) can pop holes in it to bring it to an opinion but, I'm not going to rob you of your opinion.
but to answer the above question yes initially if we watch it and the nostalgia wears off and you say "what were we huffing?" then you might need to give the new season a try but, if were really and watching and still getting Goosebumps from old scenes or still have a reason to watch one old episode then your opinions set and Advance sucks and this rules and if most people agree maybe it'll be fact
 
Thats incredibly silly to say. As I said before, those of us who watched season one back in 2001 never dreamed that Pokemon would last another 10 years. People didnt start watching Pokemon because they wanted Ash to take 20 years to become a pokemon master. You seem to not comprehend the fact that Pokemon was simply a filler show after season one ended and it took em all the way until Battle Frontier to finally make it less about filler and more about pokemon battles.


No...by hitting the reset button, they were simply promoting Gold and Sliver, which they continued to do so with each new generation.

......Uh the same could of been said about the Orange IslanRAB but im starting to feel silly arguing this. The Gym Battles are repetivite because Ash will always win no matter what. Season one had the advantage of being the first season and therefore not subject to the repetivite agruement. Actually, Ash lost a couple of gym battles iirc. Im not totally caught up in the anime as I stopped following after Battle Frontier but I dont ever recall Ash losing his gym battles in Johto and beyond...


This I will agree with because the battles have vastly improved but thats the thing, its still the same thing over and over again. He still wins every battle, he still loses in the League Champions and he still dissovles his team after ever new generation. So what has really changed, its still the same old story as it was in season one. While the battles are more clever and Ash isnt as big an idiot, in the end its the same result. So how can you really argue that Pokemon now is better then Pokemon back then when absouletly nothing has changed save for some aesthetic features.


Once again, it was the first season. why would they focus on Ash training and battling when he was barely starting out on his adventure. Your points are small and obvious and dont do anything to prove season one as simply being good because of nostalgia. As for his pokemon, Bulbsaur's trust had to be earned, same with Squritle, and it took until the end of Orange IslanRAB for Charizard to listen to Ash. And to say Ash didnt make much of an effort to befriend Charizard is a lie, as anyone rememebers how he accquired Charmander and what he did in that episode when Charizard lost to Poliwrath to finally gain his trust.


Its opinion my friend, as are my points. Theres are no facts in what ur saying, just simply what you think and what you interpret. This all just simple banter.
 
That's true. I think that it also helps that they've never actually made it clear as to what a Pokemon Master is in the series. Whenever Ash or someone else mentions it, it's like they all know what it means exactly, but the audience doesn't. In the games, it's all about completing your Pokedex. I doubt that it's like that in the series considering when the main characters capture Pokemon, they try to form a bond between them, instead of just mindlessly catching them.



I think another reason why the writers hit the reset button for Ash and his team is so that they can showcase the most recent generation of Pokemon on his team. He did lose to Drake, one of the Hoenn Elite Four merabers, back in Advance Battle as well. As for the Orange League win, I think it was still impressive since no one defeated him with Dragonite before and we don't know how long he had remained undefeated.



Back in season one, I think about half of the badges he won were out of his skills as a trainer, the Thunder, Soul, Volcano and Earth Badges respectively, and the other half were basically given to him. I prefer the current gym battles too. The only way I see those battles being repetitive is that Ash almost always win, except for the occasional loss once or twice a region, but even so, he pretty much always uses a different set of Pokemon for each of his Gym matches.

I also think you bring up a good point about the Indigo League. While I find it enjoyable to watch after not seeing it for a long time, I wouldn't consider Ash using strategy in those matches for the reasons you mentioned. While Ash used his skills in those matches, he was still kind of a rookie and I thought most of his victories were really weird, especially his first match with his Kingler suddenly knowing Hyper Beam. I'd honestly take Ash's Hoenn and Johto matches over his matches in the Indigo League.



I thought that Ash did try a bit more during the Orange Island saga to get Charizard to listen to him. Though, that was mostly out of force/begging rather than befriending it. At least until the episode where it did listen to Ash. I'm not sure if I would count catching Primeape like he did as saving its life. It did show Primeape how Ash cared about it, but it wasn't much since he gave it away during that same episode.



One could argue that Team Rocket looked and acted more like serious villains in their very first appearance and their character designs did make them look more intense as well. However, I don't think that they were meant to be taken as a serious threat. It's kind of hard to do that since they lost to a Caterpie in episode three, chased and stung by Beedrill in episode four and then kept on digging holes throughout episode five. Plus, if they were really suppose to be intimidating, I don't think that they would almost always say their motto before trying to get Pikachu. I also believe that there have been times in the recent seasons where Team Rocket tries to steal Pokemon that don't belong to the main characters.

As how I feel, I like the first season and I have the three Indigo League box sets. The season is enjoyable to rewatch since I remeraber watching it back in the day on KiRAB' WB. However, I don't think that it's the best season out there. It was a nice first season, but I felt like aspects of Pokemon, mainly how the group of trainers and Pokemon are handled with their different personalities, have gotten better with age. Back in season one, Ash only used Pikachu and the three starters. Pidgeotto didn't really have much screen time, which is too bad since I like the Pidgey line. Nowadays, more of his Pokemon have fairly equal or close to equal screentime with some personality and maybe even a good background story. One of my favorite parts about the Sinnoh Saga is Chimchar's story. It's so good, yet so sad.

Outside of Charizard vs. Magmar and Pikachu vs. Raichu, I didn't think that there were that many memorable battles in season one. I've enjoyed watching more of Ash's Johto, Advance and Sinnoh matches since he actually uses his skills as a trainer, as apposed to getting a badge for free. In fact, I enjoyed his Gym match against Lucario more than the Indigo Gyms, though I'm probably biased since I love Lucario.

As for Gary, I didn't think he was much of a rival. All he would do would show up every now and then, insult Ash's skills as trainer and then leave. Back then, it felt like a rivalry, but now, it feels more like he was just being mean to Ash. We didn't even see any of Gary's Pokemon until The Battle of the Badge episode and we didn't see a battle between Ash and Gary until the end of the Orange Island saga. That doesn't feel like much of a rivalry to me. I liked their battle in the Johto League, one of its highlights in my opinion, but I feel that Paul is a better rival than Gary ever was. At least when Paul shows up, he does more than just insult Ash. We've seen his skills as a trainer and they have battled like three time already. I think that it also helps that Paul is pretty much the polar opposite of Ash, which makes really intense interactions when they meet up.

I like how more of the characters have more screentime/action than they did back in season one. Even though Misty was more active back in Kanto than she was in Johto, I feel like she could have done more than she actually did for some reason. Plus, the only remeraberable Pokemon that she had back then was Psyduck. As cool as Brock was back then, I don't think that he had an active role either and he didn't really have much a remeraberable team either. At least in Hoenn and Sinnoh, I feel like Brock has gotten better screentime, even when he's more like the side story within an episode. Even Max had a nice bit of focused every now and then.

I also loved how May developed from a girl who didn't even like Pokemon to one of the best Coordinators around. It felt like a realistic kind of development for a Pokemon trainer. Even though I don't like Dawn anywhere near as much as I like May, I do admit that she at least tries in her efforts to develop a bond with her Pokemon, which worked to get her Mamoswine to listen to her.

I love Pokemon and I've watched the show for over ten years. As much as I enjoy watching the Indigo League season, I believe that Pokemon's writing and focusing has improved over by age. Of course, that's just how I feel and it's understandable and expected that others feel differently about this matter.
 
At least he sent it out often enough to remeraber that it existed. Zubat was used so rarely that it was easy to forget he even had it, leading to a real "what the heck?" moment whenever it was onscreen.
 
I think they were but they use to treat others as pions I just felt they were bark and no bite which is with alot of Anime villians alot of things were changed later episodes
 
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