Unveiling the Spectacular Triumph of Horizons: The Ultimate Anime Rejuvenation That Pokémon's First Reboot Could Only Dream of!
Horizons' triumphant anime reboot showcases a successful evolution for Pokémon, surpassing the shortcomings of Black and White Discover how this new series retains Ash's charm while revitalizing the franchise with a fully committed and refreshing approach
Summary
The Pokémon anime during the Black and White era fell short in its endeavor to completely revitalize the franchise, leaving fans dissatisfied with the limited growth in Ash's character.
Pokémon Horizons effectively revitalized the anime series by incorporating fresh characters, a more interconnected plot, and the inclusion of recurring adult figures. This approach created a renewed beginning and attracted diverse viewership. By relinquishing Ash, Pokémon embraced innovative concepts, resulting in a rejuvenating transformation for the franchise and enhancing the experience for its dedicated fanbase.
The Pokémon anime has undergone various eras in its 25-year history, with some being more well-received than others. Among many fans, the Black and White era, associated with the Unova region and the generation 5 Pokémon games, has sparked controversy. This era represented a reboot of the entire franchise, which didn't sit well with some anime enthusiasts. However, the new series Pokémon Horizons has shown that the problem with Black and White wasn't the attempt at a reboot, but rather the series didn't push the boundaries enough.
The fifth generation aimed to bring Pokémon back to its origins, a goal shared by both the Pokémon anime and the games. The Pokémon Black and White games achieved this by featuring only new Pokémon throughout the story and being set in a distant land where familiar Pokémon from previous generations were scarce. This lack of connection to previous generations disappointed some fans. Therefore, it was logical for the anime to attempt something similar during the same period, in order to give the entire franchise a fresh and revamped look.
An Anime Reboot Without Losing Ash
Rebooting the anime posed a bigger challenge than rebooting the games due to the established characters and their years of development. Despite the declining interest in the anime during the Ruby and Sapphire and Diamond and Pearl eras, Ash and Pikachu remained quite popular, making it essential to retain them. Additionally, the Black and White series aimed to be the first to be produced in widescreen format, marking a new era for the anime and prompting some stylistic changes.
In the context of the Black and White series, the creators sought to recreate the essence of the first season. Ash starts his journey with his mother and Professor Oak before embarking on an adventure with Pikachu. This time, he teams up with two characters who were gym leaders in the games – Misty and Brock in the original, and Iris and Cilan in Black and White. Similarly to his Kanto journey, Ash catches all three starter Pokémon, with both fire starters having been mistreated by their previous trainers before Ash rescues them. In a parallel to his encounter with Ho-Oh, Ash encounters the Legendary Pokémon Zekrom in the first episode.
How Horizons Succeeded Where Black and White Failed
Despite his extensive experience in all four previous regions, Ash's reputation as a seasoned trainer seemed to fade away in Unova. Dishearteningly, he suffered a humbling defeat at the hands of a freshly-acquired starter Pokémon, which stood as one of Pikachu's most embarrassing losses throughout the entire series. In the early episodes, it appeared as though Ash had regressed back to his initial level of knowledge, erasing all the progress he had made. This reset of character development left many fans questioning the purpose of continuing to watch the show if Ash was destined to forget everything every few years.
The Black and White era faced criticism from dedicated fans due to various reasons. As a response, the anime's producers made some adjustments to incorporate more continuity references. As an example, Ash's Charizard made a comeback at one point, establishing a link between the new and old anime. On the villainous side, Jessie and James were transformed into more competent characters who initially pursued objectives beyond catching Pikachu exclusively. To showcase their seriousness, they were even provided with new black uniforms. However, towards the end of the Black and White era, they reverted back to their usual antics and attire, which remained consistent throughout Ash's subsequent adventures in the anime.
In Pokémon Horizons, instead of keeping Ash as the protagonist, a new Pikachu was introduced in order to maintain the anime's mascot. This allowed for the introduction of new main characters, Liko and Roy, who start their own journey from scratch and learn their own lessons. Unlike Ash's anime, Horizons has a more developed overarching story with fewer standalone episodes, indicating careful pre-planning. Additionally, Horizons breaks new ground by featuring recurring adult characters like Friede and the airship crew. These adult characters not only cater to long-time fans but also provide a fresh perspective for younger viewers, as they are competent and reliable figures in dire situations, a resource that Ash never had. Horizons successfully appeals to two different audiences and deviates from the previous anime formula in order to better convey its desired story.
Black and White Didn't Fully Commit to the Reboot
In its attempt to reboot, Black and White fell short. The decision to retain Ash was made to cater to die-hard fans, but it didn't quite hit the mark. By sticking with Ash instead of introducing a new protagonist, the storytelling possibilities became limited due to his already well-developed character. Consequently, Ash remained a relatively one-dimensional character throughout the original run of the anime. This was either because the same storylines were repeated, making Ash appear repetitive in his need to learn lessons, or his character development was overlooked in favor of other characters, a problem that persisted beyond the Black and White era.
If the Black and White era had introduced a fresh hero, even with minimal changes elsewhere, it would have likely garnered a more positive response from devoted fans. Attempting to retain Ash solely due to his and Pikachu's popularity was a mistake that hindered the creative freedom of the anime's writers for far too long. Subsequent series like XY, Sun and Moon, and Journeys took much bolder steps in shaking up the formula. XY leaned towards a more typical shonen approach, while Sun and Moon focused on a specific group of characters in a fixed location. Meanwhile, Journeys built upon Ash's championship victory in Alola by sending him on a global mission.
The Pokémon franchise is experiencing a refreshing surge of new ideas and renewed vitality since the departure of Ash. Despite the bittersweet farewell, this fresh start holds great promise for both the franchise and its devoted fans.
