No matter how players choose to make their way through Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, there will always be a number of key differences between both versions of the game. It could be argued that the latest entry to the franchise's long list of generations has the most changes between them, which might pose a problem with the next Pokemon anime's adaption choices.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet take a different approach to its version differences, as which game players purchase affects not just what creatures can be found, but also what school fans go to, which professor they get to meet, and if the story deals with the distant past or the far off future. Creating an anime based on Scarlet and Violet may seem like a tall task, but there are ways both versions can be represented fairly.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Anime: Letting the Past and Future Meet
While future viewers and loyal fans may be scratching their heads over just how the Scarlet and Violet anime might try to reconcile the past and future aspects of the games, but there's an easy way to include both. When fans collect old logs written by the Professors in Area Zero, they'll find one that says "that woman (or man) left before that child was born," referring to Arven's birth. Arven only talks about the professor featured in the respective game as his parent as well.
The anime could very easily include both professors by making them serve as both mother and father to Arven, with their separation being brought on by their differing beliefs in research. By including them both, Arven's storyline could be made into something more hard-hitting for fans of the character, and it could also lead to Liko and Roy being able to discover both versions of Paradox Pokemon during their adventures.
The Role Professor Friede Might Have in the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Anime
Even though it might seem rather easy for the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet anime to include both Professor Sada and Turo, it may have decided to take a more unique approach. The show aims to introduce a new character known as Professor Friede, the leader of an adventure group called the Rising Volteccers. Not much is known about Friede and his unique partner Pokemon Captain Pikachu, but his inclusion is rather interesting.
Many fans believe that due to the fact that the Scarlet and Violet anime is going as far as including its own Pokemon Professor, Friede will serve the same purpose in their Pokemon journey to protagonists Liko and Roy as Professor Turo and Professor Sada do to the player. This might make version exclusive things like the Scarlet and Violet books possible in the anime without much effort. Area Zero is the perfect place for his team to explore as adventurers, so it may lead to some interesting plot lines.
There are still a number of version differences that both of these solutions don't answer, such as how Naranja Academy and Uva Academy will play a role in Paldea outside the games, as well as which teachers belong to which school. There's quite a lot of pressure on the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet anime to not only answer the questions that the game didn't answer, but to also fill Ash's shoes after his departure.
In the end, the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet anime is turning out to be a rather unique Pokemon adaptation that may change how future seasons adapt the franchise for years to come. There isn't much known about the anime just yet, and the additions of characters like Professor Friede and the Rising Volteccers have turned it into a wild card in terms of expectations. Luckily, fans won't have to wait much longer to see what Liko and Roy will encounter in Paldea, as the anime will begin airing in Japan on April 14.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now on Nintendo Switch.
