ThePokémonanime has evolved quite a lot over the years. The series which fans knew back in 1999 is a far sight different from the one that finished its run in 2023, even if it’s still ultimately the same series.
While many of the changes have been for the better, such as higher-quality animation and voice acting, others haven’t been quite so lucky. That’s not say that the newer seasons ofPokémonare bad, but the original series has a unique atmosphere to it which many of the later installments seem to lack. This is partly down to the lines being less clear when the series first started, and thePokémonformula had not yet been properly established. Here are 10 elements of the original series ofPokémonthat fans sometimes say they miss in later seasons.
10The Use of Real Animals in Pokémon
Real Animals Would Be Quickly Phased Out
The originalPokémonanime would frequently reference real world animalsin its episodes, both in dialog and by having them physically appear. Fish are the most commonly seen, as there were relatively few fish-like Pokémon in the first generation, so real fish were used to fill out ocean and aquarium shots. Animals are also referenced by characters, both in the form of food and as living creatures, suggesting thePokémonworld has regular animals in abundance in addition to Pokémon.
Seeing real animals in thePokémonanime made the Pokémon themselves feel more fantastical, as if they were more than just that world’s equivalent of wildlife. Pokémon were treated as very mysterious creatures during the early days, and that’s something that waned in the anime as both Ash and fans got to know the Pokémon world more thoroughly.
9Long-Term Pokémon Mysteries
The Anime Often Didn’t Explain Things
The GS Ball was set up in the early seasons ofPokémonas a mysterious object which Ash needed to transport to an expert, who could hopefully determine what it was. This was an exciting development, as it provided one of the first long-term story arcs in the anime. Unfortunately,the GS Ball arc was ultimately abandoned, leaving the ball with Kurt without any real resolution as to what it is or why it’s so strange. Still, the attempt was admirable.
Even up to the end, thePokémonanime didn’t have many long-term story arcs that developed slowly in the background the way the GS ball did. Arcs were either slow and season-spanning (Ash’s quests for badges) or took over the series for a few episodes (The N arc ofBlack and White, for example).The anime could perhaps have benefited from having more of these, although preferably they’d amount to more than the GS Ball did.
8Giant Pokémon
The Giant-sized Pokémon Added an Air of Mystery
One thing that shows up oddly frequently in the original series ofPokémonis giant-sized Pokémon. These Pokémon were far larger than standard members of their species, and were often proportionally more powerful as a result. These giant Pokémon were even immortalized in the opening credits, with a giant Tentacruel shown destroying a building. This proved to be a good way to add some variation when there were still relatively few species of Pokémon.
These giant Pokémon often added to the mysterious flair that Pokémon in general had, leading fans to wonder how they grew so big. Giant Pokémon never really went away entirely, but they did become far less common as the series progressed. Since many Pokémon are inspired by kaiju, pumping them up to giant size also just felt appropriate, and gave them a new way to pose a danger to the heroes.
7Pokémon Battles Didn’t Have Judges
In later seasons ofPokémon, all official matches have a judge, and even many unofficial matches will have Brock or another character act as a referee. However, in the original series, judges are nowhere to be found. This gave battles a far more unregulated feel to them, as if they were actually just random fights. This is even true of gym leader matches, such asLt. Surge’s infamous beatdown of Pikachu,which sent Ash’s buddy straight to the intensive care unit.
The inclusion of judges in later seasons helped make Pokémon battling feel more like a sport, with rules and guidelines that must be followed. There’s some benefit to that, but adding these referees made battles decidedly less dynamic than they were originally, and meant that some of the crazier strategies that Ash employed early on would largely fade away.
6Ash’s Hotheaded Behavior
Ash Himself Changed Greatly Over the Years
One of the most notable changes is Ash himself. In early seasons, Ash is very hotheaded, and can easily be goaded into doing foolish things. This led to some classic moments, such as Ash’s attempt to fist-fight Mewtwo with his bare hands, and was a key part of his character. These moments were often learning experiences for Ash, and it makes sense to some extent that he’d eventually grow out of this, but his impulsiveness felt very authentic.
One could easily attributeAsh’s chiller attitude in later seasons to character development, and that’s fair enough to say. It doesn’t change the fact that Ash’s calmer approach really altered the feeling of the show, however, and whether that was ultimately for the best is still up for debate. Ash does remain a bit rash throughout (the boy jumps off so many cliffs), but in modern episodes, it tends to only be when a Pokémon is in trouble.
5Everyone Was Wittier
Pokémon’s original series featured a surprising number of quips and comebacks, not only from Ash, but also Misty, Brock, and even Team Rocket on occasion. This led to many hilarious moments, such as when Brock hallucinates seeing a beautiful woman. Misty says all Ash needs to do to see one is turn around, but Ash retorts, “Misty, please, only one of us can hallucinate at a time.” The characters are generally much more likely to crack jokes about one another, which makes them more likable and helps the show’s humor level.
While many of these quips were added to the dub and weren’t quite as much of a burn in Japanese, they still enhanced the series, and for that reason the early episodes ofPokémonremain quite funny to this day. Ash’s later companions don’t tend to joke around like this very much, making more recent episodes far less humorous, on average, than the original series.
4Creating Original Designs
Early in thePokémonanime’s original run, the anime was allowed a lot more leeway with Pokémon and their designs than modern series are. This led to the anime creating some “original” variations on Pokémon, such as the Pink Butterfree,the Crystal Onix, and the various Orange Islands alternate forms seen in that arc. This freedom to create led to some very interesting storylines, and predicted the development of regional variants by almost two decades.
While these original designs were logical variations, the way animals vary from place to place in real life, they added a new sense of realism and excitement to Ash’s journey. It helped underline that the Orange Islands really were a different place from Kanto, and to this day, many fans hope that such Pokémon will eventually see a release in some game or another.
3An Element of Danger
The Original Pokémon World Was a Dangerous Place
Nowadays, thePokémonworld feels like a pretty safe and happy place, but that can’t be said about the original series. Early episodes had a real sense of danger, like whenPikachu nearly burned to death in a volcano thanks to Blaine, or when Ash got lost in a snowstorm and only barely survived thanks to his Pokémon. Traveling the world, even a relatively safe one, would be an inherently dangerous thing to do, especially with wild Pokémon out there.
The sense of potential danger in the series faded rather slowly as the feel of what aPokémonanime should be like came together. In modern episodes, there can still be danger, but it’s often so over the top (such as Ash jumping off Lumiose Tower) that it feels more like an action scene than a real risk to Ash’s safety.
2The Anime Was More Fantastical
As a consequence ofPokémonbeing so new and unfamiliar, the original series had a far more fantastical bent to it than some of the later series. Real ghosts, for example, appear in some stories, andAsh himself even becomes a ghostat one point. There was a sense that Ash and friends never knew what was around the next corner, and the mysterious nature of Pokémon lent itself well to that fantasy element.
Ghosts, psychic powers, and other supernatural elements made the original series stand out, and gave the world itself a magical feel, which helped to enhance the Pokémon.It led to some surreal moments that became extremely memorable, and that helped set the tone for the series. Modern series haven’t dispensed with this entirely, but these moments have become few and far between.
1Pokémon Was Far More Violent
One of the things that sets the original series apart is just how surprisingly violent it is compared to later seasons. Misty doesn’t hesitate to slap or hit Ash, for example, when he does something to deserve it, and that’s not something you’ll catch any of Ash’s other companions doing. Even Team Rocket were more violent, often employing rockets and bombs, andin one bannedPokémonepisode, actual guns. Pokémon battles could also be more brutal, such as the aforementioned battle with Lt. Surge.
While toning down the violence, particularly the slapstick violence, was probably for the best for young children watching, it definitely makes the series a bit more… bland, in general. Few would claim the original series is inappropriate for children today, after all. The originalPokémonanime found a great balance between violence and child-appropriateness, which probably makes this the one element older fans miss most in modern episodes.
