6 Unpopular Reddit Opinions About The Pokemon Anime

Since the late 90s, Pokemon has made a name for itself as a Japanese anime with over a thousand episodes spanning countless series. In the United States, Netflix has announced they will be releasing the highly-anticipated 24th season of the Pokemon anime this week as well as creating a live-action Pokemon television series.

Over the years, Pokemon fans have followed the show’s development intensely. Some have developed very specific opinions about the show’s characters, villains and story arcs. Reddit has become a breeding ground not for Pokémon, but for some entertaining, unpopular opinions about the anime series.

6 If Team Rocket is Evil, So is Goh

Goh from Pokemon Anime pointing with frown

In the world of Pokemon, there is a line between catching Pokemon with compassion and catching Pokemon out of selfishness. Pokemon-catching ethics is something some fans consider interesting. They note how heroes in the show take care to befriend their prospective Pokemon before attempting to catch them. In contrast, villains like Team Rocket, who wear some great disguises in the anime, do not take care to befriend wild Pokemon they intend to catch. In the show, this is a part of what characterizes them as “evil.”

One Reddit user Ugly_Little_Angel points out that if Team Rocket is evil because of this, then so is the character Goh, who was introduced in Pokemon Journeys: The Series. According to this Redditor, there is an “ethical inconsistency” in the show. In their argument, they explain that “Goh’s hoarding of every new Pokemon he sees is as ethical as what Team Rocket does to larger batches of wild Pokemon, except the latter is portrayed as villainous by the anime.” So following their logic, Goh is evil because his goal is to catch all Pokemon regardless of whether they like him or not.

5 The Alola League Was “a Joke”

In Season 20, also known as Pokemon The Series: Sun & Moon, Ash and his team travel to the Alola region. While this season features the beloved villains of Team Rocket and Ash’ classic sidekicks Brock and Misty, some fans were underwhelmed with the season’s storyline.

For one frustrated Reddit user Edmiseter123, the Alola league was not enough of a challenge for Ash for it to seem believable. They also felt like it didn’t make sense that Rowlet did not evolve and was kept intentionally at an unevolved state. Considering that evolved Pokemon are more powerful, it felt unrealistic that Ash was able to use Rowlet to defeat a Decidueye. The irony here, of course, is that Decidueye is Rowlet’s final evolution and should have been able to defeat Rowlet easily.

4 The Side Series Are Better Than The Main Series

Pokemon anime series family guy meme with ash and pikachu

Many fans of the Pokemon anime have commented on the difference in animation styles between the main series and the side series. While many prefer the main series, some fans on Reddit believe that the side series has better animation quality overall.

Using a Family Guy meme, one Reddit user shares their opinion that the side series such as Pokemon: Origins, Pokemon: Twilight Wings and Pokemon: Indigo League far surpass the main series in terms of overall quality.

3 All The "Pokegirls" Act The Same

Serena, Lillie and Chloe from Pokemon anime

There are many female characters in the Pokemon anime series. Some are heroes or allies, like Misty or Nurse Joy, while others are villains, like Jesse from Team Rocket. Over the years, a number of new female characters have been added to the iconic show.

But some Reddit users aren’t happy with the new additions. For example, one fan asserts that Serena, Lillie and Chloe all act the same in the show and lack distinct personalities. Serena first appears in the first episode of Pokemon: XY and has Fennekin as her main Pokemon. Lillie joins the series in Pokemon: Sun & Moon with her Alolan Vulpix. And Chloe joined the show In Pokemon Journeys: The Series with her Eevee.

2 Ash Has Been The Main Character For Too Long

Ash lying on the grass smiling with Pikachu posing happy beside him

Many Pokemon fans have noted the obvious differences between the Pokemon games compared to the anime seasons. In the games, there are often new protagonists while in the anime, Ash remains a staple hero of the series’ lore.

Some Reddit users wish a new protagonist could be brought in and Ash swapped out to better match the lore of the games. Redditor Pardusco says they’re “tired of seeing Ash every episode” and want to see the actual protagonists from the Pokemon games instead. Another Redditor seconds this on a separate thread, saying “Ash must finish his story as soon as possible and continue with another protagonist.”

1 Pokemon: XY And The Kalos League Are Overrated

Pokemon Ash with Pikachu on his shoulder with stern expressions

Pokemon: XY was released in 2013 and stars Ash as the protagonist. He is joined by Serena, Clemont and Bonnie as they explore the Kalos region. This season is beloved by most fans and has a new, updated animation style compared to previous seasons.

But some Pokemon fans do not like this season. Reddit user Icyskiess says “I liked XY but it’s not the god of the entire anime...as I grow I’m starting to appreciate the other ones more.” They also note that Clemont was a good character who wasn’t developed enough in Pokemon: XY. Instead, this Reddit user prefers the Pokemon: Sun & Moon series, whose episode "Alola, Kanto!" features the timeless trio of Ash, Brock and Misty.