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gastlyash · 4 years ago

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Pokemon Sw/Sh Hug Headcanons

my first time actually posting headcanons, just thought of this and it made me happy

(under the cut b/c it’s pretty much all important/recurring characters minus Swordward and Shieldbert b/c,,,i don’t like them)

Hop: Quick, tight hugs. He’s hyper, and doesn’t have time to have a long hug with one person, he wants to hug everyone right NOW! Only exception to this is if he’s comforting someone, or he’s being comforted himself. In times like that, he’ll just let the hug last a bit.

Leon: TIGHT HUGS, AND BEST HUGGER IN GALAR!! Who do you think Hop gets his tight hugs from? Lee will squeeze you, pick you up in the hug, and just hold on for a moment (i just really need a hug from lee, i think we all do). Will keep an arm around you after the hug, just to keep you close.

Sonia: Gentle hugs, usually a brief side hug. Unless you’re Nessa close to her, then it’s a full on hug, tight and with a kiss on the cheek. Pulls away so she can look at you and talk, but keeps her arms around you.

Professor Magnolia: She’s a grandma! Of course she gives good hugs! Very gentle since she’s old and kinda frail, if you squeeze her she’ll probably laugh, or demand you let go. Could go either way.

Bede: Oh, this bastard. He’d act like he hates hugs, like he’s too good for them, above some stupid show of affection...But as soon as someone he can tolerate hugs him, he doesn’t want them to let go. Loose hugs, just puts his arms around the other person gently. However, if the other person squeezes him, he’ll squeeze back tighter. He’s not losing to them in this “who can hug tighter” game.

Marnie: Very gentle hugs. She’s gotten confident since she started the Gym Challenge, but is still pretty timid. Basically just a shy kid/teen that feels kinda awkward with hugs, but also kinda likes them and wishes there were more chances to hug people (totally not speaking from experience here).

Chairman Rose: Gladly gives fans hugs, and accepts hugs if he has time...Usually he’s too busy though, having Oleana pull him away from anyone that wants a hug. His hugs are quick but firm, usually patting the other person on the back.

Oleana: Not a hugger. But if she does let someone hug her, she’s very light with her hugs. Just a quick embrace, probably just uses one arm, not even a full-on hug. If she’s hugged unannounced, she just calls for security. Do not hug her if she doesn’t explicitly tell you she’s okay with it (i mean, same goes for anyone tbh).

Milo: YOU ALREADY KNOW THIS BOY GIVES 10/10 HUGS. Do you see his arms? Those arms probably feel like pure comfort and affection. He HUGS his pokeball when he Dynamaxes, so I imagine he will hug you on sight. How dare you enter his line of vision and not prepare for a bone-crushing hug. Definitely pats the other person’s back, kisses their head, and lets the hug last a while, squeezing real tight before letting go (Piers and Rai may be my big faves, but Milo gives off Amazing Hug Energy).

Nessa: Kinda like Sonia, she gives gentle hugs. A bit firmer than Sonia, though. She’ll rest her head on the other person’s if they’re shorter, or rest her head on their chest if they’re taller. Gentle as heck.

Kabu: Grandpa time. Gives quick hugs, patting the other person’s back/shoulder before letting go. If you’re close to him, he probably hugs a bit longer and tighter (guess you could call it a warm hug??).

Allister: TIMID. Do NOT try hugging this boy, he’ll get uncomfortable. If he initiates a hug, he’s very gentle, and still extremely unsure. Hug back, but GENTLY. Don’t squeeze! He WILL get upset, and Gengar WILL come out to defend his trainer! Really comfortable with the other gym leaders, though. Will occasionally run to Melony, Bea, or Raihan for a hug.

Bea: Also not the biggest fan of hugs, but if you ask her for one, prepare for a tight hug. Will make you regret hugging her, squeezes until your back cracks.

Opal: Another grandma, but different hugger. Picky with who she hugs, and when she does hug someone it’s usually light. She’s frail, but don’t underestimate her. Will trick you with a hug sometimes, gentle at first...But will squeeze the HELL out of you...Just because she can. Worst part: You never know which hug you’ll be getting. Loves keeping people guessing.

Melony: For an ice type user, she give the warmest hugs. Very snug grip, pretty much cradles the other person in the hug. Will reassure the person she’s hugging if they need it, or just ask how they’re doing. If someone needs a hug, she’ll be there right after Lee. Her battle style is brutal, but her hugs are so, so gentle.

Gordie: Oh, you want a hug? Sure, he doesn’t mind hugging a fan! Gives pretty tight hugs, pretty quick ones too, definition of “bro hug”. Pats the other person’s back, will ruffle their hair when they pull away (he has like 4 siblings, he’s pretty skilled at hugging).

Piers: Big fave time. He has a lot of fans, and a little sister, so he’s become pretty comfortable with hugs over time. Quick hugs for fans, tighter and longer hugs for Marnie. If you’re close to him, he gets pretty flustered with hugging. If someone else initiates the hug, he gets pretty shy and flustered, but hugs back gently. If HE initiates it, expect a tighter hug (nothing bone-crushing, but just very firm), a hug that’ll last a bit before he decides that it’s been long enough. He doesn’t seem like the kind to be into hugs and touching, but actually probably craves it.

Raihan: SECOND BEST HUGGER IN GALAR (since he’s Lee’s rival). Will hug you tightly, pick you up in the hug, spin you around, and not let go for a while. Also expect videos and selfies, he’ll let Rotom fly around to capture the hug. Has probably recorded himself hugging every gym leader + Lee by surprise, just hug-tackling all of them out of the blue to get a reaction. This resulted in Gengar chasing him, Opal lightly hitting his head with her cane/umbrella, a very flustered Piers, and Leon totally expecting it, and hugging even tighter.

Avery: Ew, a hug?? Fine, but only because he feels bad that you’ll never be as great as him. Another case like Bede, except he’s genuinely somewhat uncomfortable with hugs. Only seems truly comfortable with hugging Mustard and Honey. His hugs are pretty light, nothing extreme.

Klara: I know next to nothing about Klara except that she’s similar to Avery. But judging from that, I assume she’ll hug reluctantly, very light, and shove the other person away when she thinks it’s been too long. If someone asks for a hug, she’s smug about it. Why, of course you want a hug from her, she’s the best!

Mustard: For an old man, he gives stupidly tight hugs. Hugs like a Bewear, blames that on being the Dojo Master.

Honey: Quick and tight hugs, will gush over the other person like a proud mom if they’re close. Actually, even if she’s not close to someone/has just met someone she’ll hug them as a greeting.

Hyde: He’s probably more of a high-five person. Only hugs his parents, and high-fives/fist bumps everyone else. Super chill inventor kid.

#ash rambles #pokemon #pokemon swsh #pokemon headcanons #swsh headcanons

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artikgato · 5 years ago

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More Sword!

I love Opal. So much. She is old age #goals. I love that her gym is a theater and her gym challenge was an “audition”. The question that asked about the name of the previous gym trainer made me sweat because who pays attention to that stuff??

Also I love that they had Opal walk more slowly during the gym challenge, only to throw down her staff and CHARGE at Bede later on after you get the badge. Did I mention I love her??

Still not over Opal. Her entire aesthetic is amazing. I love the bright pink and blue color combination.

Meanwhile, I don’t think I could possibly care less about Gordie. He’s fine. Wish I’d gone with Shield instead for this one instance, tbh. His gym challenge was okay.

I do love the ice area! I think it’s my favorite section of the game so far, but I’m biased...

Spikemuth was just disappointing. What, Gamefreak didn’t have time to make a city with all the time they supposedly saved by cutting out 600 Pokemon from the game? #salty

Piers is well-designed, and that’s about it. Why no dynamax in his gym?

Also if this is really all there is to Team Yell then...wow. How anti-climactic. No admins? Literally all they did was be annoying for part of the game?

Also WTF is going on with the plot? So far it’s just “oh hey for some reason wild Pokemon are dynamaxing but IT’S TOTALLY FINE THE CHAMPION IS HERE DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT KIDS JUST FINISH YOUR GYM CHALLENGES

But anyway, new Pokemon impressions!

I haven’t seen the final evolution of Grookey yet, but WOW THWACKEY. Wasn’t expecting the grass starter to have the strongest middle evolution in terms of design, but then again thinking back to every other gen I guess I should’ve expecting it.

Cinderace is REALLY COOL though. I’m just going to feverishly ignore what atrocities the internet has committed to this cool rabbit. Kinda reminds me of Summer Wars...?

COALOSSAL IS SO COOL. I love its stupid looking face so much. 10/10 great design, first time I’ve really really liked a 3-stage rock type

Perrserker is so good. I do have to question why they made a Galar Meowth instead of just straight up making a new Pokemon, if they weren’t going to have it be a Galar Persion, but whatever. Perrserker more than makes up for it. 10/10

Hatterene is. Um. I like the design a lot, aside from the weird hat hand thing. I guess it’s supposed to be creepy on purpose?

Sandaconda is great. I like that it looks like a shotgun?

I LOVE FALINKS. It’s so cute and weird and yes, it looks like it should be in a different game than Pokemon, but honestly that’s WHY I love it so much! I wish it wasn’t a one-stage though

“Snom used Struggle Bug” “IT’S A BUG?! DO I FINALLY GET MY ICE/BUG???”

I really like Clobbopus and Grapploct. When paralysis didn’t work on them I got my hopes up thinking they were electric/fighting, but them being pure fighting works too.

ICE-TYPE DARUMAKA? ICE?????

Stonjourner, what are you? Where do you come from?? I need to know

So far I’ve only managed to get one of the fossils, but I was curious about how to get the others and spoiled myself for the typings only, not what they look like, and I’m pretty sure I got the best one - Arctozolt, the electric/ice type I never knew I needed in my life. A shame it doesn’t evolve, but I think it’s interesting that we got four different fossils this time instead of two that evolve once!

Dreepy, what are you? Where do you come from??

I’m about to take on the dragon gym leader, which is very interesting because so much of the map is still unexplored and I’m almost done with the gym challenge? Is all of that the galar equivalent of victory road? I guess I’ll find out. After two pretty lackluster gyms in a row, I’m hoping that it’s not downhill from here. I also have no idea what types the elite 4 are, so I’m looking forward to that! (If there even are elite 4...)

My current team: Inteleon, Corviknight (MVP so far), Toxtricity, Centiscorch, Grapploct, and a Snom I’m desperately trying to evolve before the gym.

#arti plays sword #sorry this was a long one #pokemon sword and shield #pokemon spoilers

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saltypepperspice · 5 years ago

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Pokemon Sword and Shield Review (Rant if I'm being honest with myself)

This is the Pokemon game that finally broke me. The one where I began to realize that pokemon is on a steady stream of "do the same fucking thing. It doesn't matter. They will consume the product". That's not to say I didn't enjoy the game. I had fun. But it just feels like I've seen it all before, and even as they have tried to mix it up, they just do the same thing, which will bring me into my first major issue with these games

Dynamaxing. I remember right before I got the game I asked my friend what it did in combat, and all he said to me was "it's basically just mega evolution and z moves". He was right and it's really stupid. Dynamaxing is such a lazy mechanic because it's just what they did the last 2 generations, and they market it as one of the big changes that was going to revolutionize the way we think about the game. It wasn't.

The wild areas were cool. For 5 minutes until all I realized there was to do was to camp (which gives you meh xp), grind dynamax fights (which grows boring after like 2) and lose track of where you are because god damn it, theres a sandstorm. In the middle of a fucking grass field.

My main issue with pokemon is it's lack of new mechanics or gameplay styles to excite, it feels like they won't spend a lot of time trying to create a game so unique from the last that it makes it feel like a whole new experience with the series we love. I'm gonna use my favorite game as an example. Team Fortress 2. If you look at Team Fortress Classic, it looks almost like a spin-off for Counter Strike. But then you look at Team Fortress 2 and now it looks completely different. Style-wise and gameplay-wise, and it's because the game stands so unique from the competition that it's fanbase has carried on so long, pushing the limits of all the techniques. But pokemon is just the same thing day in and day out.

Not to mention, for a game that was 20 more dollars then Ultra Sun, it took me 10 less hours to beat (in comparison to a play through of Ultra Sun where I also knew how to do everything already, going from arra to area quickly) and had a lot less challenge. Ultra sun didn't have much but it did have a few moments where I needed to actully think if I was gonna win the battle. Shield had that once for me. I only even got close to a loss once, and that was post game too. Whenever the gym leaders dynamaxed they did these animations that made it feel like the next part of the battle was going to get really hard. But then it didn't.

Also fuck Bede. The guy starts off with an ego and ends with an ego. My friend told me he had a good redemption ark, but.. like no. He destroys a historic monument, loses permission to do gym battles, but then the fairy gym leader yeets that chance of an actual redemption ark, by having him disappear for most of the game, so he can reflect on his actions, and he just becomes a gym leader, who still had an ego.

Team Yell sucks (like, the weren't even evil or interesting. At least Team Skull actully has a redemption arc, and when they are evil, they are evil. They may not be good at it, but their trying, and I actully got some laughs from the way these characters acted as they went for a stereotypical gangster vibe, which worked. Team Yell honestly feels like there suppose to represent the bad side of the pokemon fandom, always shouting when someone questions whether the games are stagnating.

The story is saved for like the last 5 minutes of the game, and then the game gets stupidly slow, and it kills the pacing, once you become champion, you might as well call it a game and shelf it. I've only picked it up once or twice again, and that's because my friend wanted a battle, and then I grinded raid battles with him for a little bit.

Reasons why I think pokemon is going downhill from here.

1. National Dex controversy

2. Shorter game for more money

3. The animation is fucking shit. See the legendary dogs for example

4. This game is fucking easier then Lego Star Wars (at least I had to think in Lego Star Wars)

5. Very little puzzles, which are needed in these kind of games to cause some excitement.

5. New mechanics are just the same things but just repackaged

6. Why is it that none of the cities do anything to excite? That was the best thing all the way in pokemon black, just how memorable and extremely different all the locations were.

7. The music was alright, I still think Unova has the best beats, I've even heard some gen 1'rs say Black and White has some of their favorites. I remember the main battle theme and that's all. I heard the one Toby Fox did, and all I could think was "Yea sounds like something he would make"... and yes that is a good thing

8. I thought that this game was gonna be kinda of BOTW, with a big open world, one big free area and the cities were just attacked to them. But no. What we got instead kinda sucks.

8. I like gen 7, but it was hand holdy. But in gen 8, it's so linear it doesn't need to do so.

9. Pokemon is a franchise that completely relies on us to act like mindless drones consuming the product.

Pikachu has mastered capatalism, and he's gonna watch the world burn now.

Look. All pokemon really needs to do is to switch it up. They did a pretty good job of that in gen 7, what with totem challenges and the ultra beasts. It did a lot more to excite. So with that, heres a list of how I rate the pokemon games I have played. Best to worst (note my personal bias of being a Unova stan. Take that one with a grain of salt) also if I I had played several from one generation I'm gonna only name the ones I played.

1. Pokemon Black

2. Pokemon Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon

3. Pokemon Gold

4. Pokemon Red/Yellow

5. Pokemon Shield

6. Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu

#pokemon

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tumblunni · 6 years ago

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Stuff to appreciate:

* the pokemon theme remix sounding like football/rugby/otehr sports tourney music! we’ve seen it confirmed that there’s poke-football here so i hope they do reference rugby too and maybe some hockey? we’re honestly a really sports mad nation, tho not as much as america perhaps

* All the lil touches of random normal british stuff that i just TOTALLY MISSED the first time watching cos well its fuckin normal for me lol! im just realizing this is the first time ive seen a house have a wheelbarrow out front in a pokemon game. do other countries just not have as many wheelbarrows or do you like to hide them or somethin?? HOW DO YOU GARDEN! we like wheelbarrows so much there’s several characters in old kids shows thatre just a wheelbarrow, and lots of grandmas like to keep broken wheelbarrows and turn them into plantpots just for the aesthetic of wheelbarrows. Also welly boots!! what do people even call them in other countries cos wellingtons is a very british thing right?

* other nice touches: route signs being like our traffic signs LOL IM CONSTANTLY GONNA MISTAKE THEM FOR A SPEED LIMIT, a lot of those nice pastry crust lookin turf-roof cottages even tho sadly they arent super common anymore nowadays, generally showing a LOT of different british housing architecture like even got the old london double chimney stack things!

* oh man they even got those ground staircase things what is even the name of those actually? i always like the aesthetic of country villages that are more in harmony with nature and it sucks that so much of britain is more industrialized instead nowadays

* BIG BAGS like lol i was going OMG IM SO GLAD THE PROTAGONIST FINALLY HAS A BIG BAG even before i realized it was britain like wow is that a stereotype about us that we carry giant bags everywhere cos thats fuckin true. ‘tardis purses’ are really common amoung anyone who doesnt use backpacks, like everything has to be hybridized with a backpack somehow or else u wear a cardigan just cos stupid modern clothes aint got good pockets FUCKIN HELL I COULD FIT A WHOLE HOUSE IN A CARDIGAN i still remember how in high school i cut a hole in the bottom of my pockets so i could stuff things into the entire lining of the jacket and basically wear a bag like OH i just realized this stereotype must be really old and maybe thats legit where the tardis/mary poppins/d&d’s bag of holding actually came from? you ask for literally goddamn anything on a train in britain and someone’s gonna pull it out of apparantly nowhere, being prepared is just a Thing here

* lol they cant really show how much Pub Culture we have over here in a kids game probably? like we’re one of the world’s biggest consumers of alcohol and HOO BOY, drunken riots are a frequent occurance along with the sports obsession. also over here we straight up dont have non alcoholic cider and i was REALLY CONFUSED that america ONLY has non alcoholic version like i DIDNT KNOW IT EXISTED so i just thought they gave their kids beer?? cider festivals over here are real fun, its part of how ‘pub culture’ is kinda an all ages thing even if the kids cant drink the stuff. like there’s all fun farm events and kids rides and bbq and stuff at a cider or ale brewing town festival thing. and basically the difference between pubs and more american style bars is that pubs are..like.. homey? they really are just the ‘jrpg tavern’ thats a thing of old history in america. its more of a hangout spot thats open all day and is more spacious with comfy seating and they do food and gardens and stuff. its common to bring kids to a pub during the day and its only in the evening that its adults only, which is kinda arbitrary cos i mean they still sell booze in the mornings its just that its ONLY booze in the evenings and the family meal kitchens close. also in the mornings they still have all the gambling machines turned on and lol as a kid my dad used to plonk me down on them so i could ‘play games’ while he talked with his friends. it was extra funny how the european gambling laws made them take the game corner out of pokemon cos i knew what a slot machine was even before i played pokemon and i was like 4 when it came out XD

* yay for big fancy libraries and museums!! i hope maybe they also show buses and trains? its generally a thing that we have more extensive and well funded public transport and buildings than america. like no offense but i was fuckin FLOORED when i learned that there’s whole states that have no trains! like over here buses and trains are used even more than cars! having even one single place unreachable by bus is enough to cause protests! also maybe have some hospital themed gym leader to symbolise good healthcare but honestly they could have put that in ANY of the regions so far except for unova. srsly im always so scared for my american friends cos of that...

* IS THAT A FUCKIN REUSEABLE CARRIER BAG?? like what a weirdly specific thing to reference! do other countries have the carrier bag tax too?

* also LOL putting stickers on the back of the wardrobe!! thats such a brit kid thing, whenever u move to a new place and it has furniture included you’ll always turn something around and see a bunch of stickers someone left from years ago. it was alwyas funny as a kid to see which ones got wrecked in the move, i dunno why a headless bugs bunny was the height of my afternoon at age 9

* Weird notice: this house looks a lot like the Old Chateau from sinnoh? except obviously its more modern and not abandoned and all. makes me think that the dub kinda hecked up by calling the place french and it might have been intentionally meant to be british? its just called a ‘foreign style house’ in japanese, not a chateau.

* ALSO SINNOH FEELS! please bring the minigame back! i always felt an odd kinship with oreburgh town as a kid cos the town i grew up in was also a former mining town that turned from a capitol city port into absolute disrepair after the industrial boom ended. struggling to find a new identity and mostly getting by on tourism value of the mines and all. so makes me think this is actually legit a wales town and maybe even cardiff in particular? or other former mining towns of britain. cos having an extensive cave network thats completely unused and youre just allowed to walk around in it like its no big deal = honestly 100% accurate, the underground minigame would completely fit us. i wonder if japan really does have a similar case of the mines all being 100% abandoned and only repurposed into history museums and travel routes?

* this npc is cute and also i appreciate the accuracy to school uniforms over here! this is usually what its like for primary school (i think thats elementary in america?) and itd be in different colours for different schools and have the school badge on the left side there. and summer uniform is often just taking the jumper off and then the shirt underneath also has the same logo on it. but in my school as a kid they annoyingly made us buy a whole separate set of identical shirts but in a different colour to indicate summer uniform like GEEZ DUDE its already expensive enough! made more sense in high school where winter shirts are button up blouses like suit jackets and its only summer that gets a regular cotton shirt. but there you also wear blazers (kids’s suit jacket) instead of jumpers, and jumpers are optional if it gets extra cold but its more of a light cardigan style instead. also boringly every damn school’s colours are black blazers except like one or two rare exceptions. i got extra unlucky and the two high schools i went to also had red shirts so i kept getting them mixed up until i noticed the wrong logo halfway thru the day

* hey lol literally the park behind my house. we get real shitty weather here and i actually kinda hope maybe umbrellas are something we could pick in character customization?

#pokemon spoilers

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littlestartemis · 5 years ago

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I have nothing better to do so I’ve decided to ramble my opinions on all of the pokemon rivals in sequential order. Under the cut cause I intend to go into detail on these.

Blue

This kid is a mixed bag for me. Part of his problem is that he just suffers from being a generation 1 character, which means only having one character trait apparently. Yes, he’s a jerk, the first ever jerk rival, and people love that, but being a jerk without nuance just makes you... loathsome. Even some of the weaker rivals, I still had these surprised moments of joy when my gameplay was halted to duke it out with them. With Blue? He’s the only one I ever uttered a groan at. “Oh good, this fucker has to waste me time and make me backtrack to a pokemon center to patch myself up before moving on.” The most insufferable thing about him is that no matter what, no matter how many times you put him in the dirt, he’s always convinced he’s so much better than you...

Until later games. It’s never stated what happened. If he had some self reflection, if Oak sat him down and told him to grow the fuck up, or what. But the next time we see him in the generation 2 games and onward, he’s still got this aura of smug confidence about him, but he seems more matured despite it. Like yeah, he’s hot shit, but you can be too if you work hard enough, maybe even almost as good as him. And while I love all of that for his character, that all comes after the fact. So as it stands, the Rival Blue, is lackluster, annoying, a headache, and undeserving of such a good fucking champion theme. Also the bitch has no unique rival battle theme unlike literally anyone else.

I’m also going to go into their music, though not nearly as much as their character.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5s4VYC9xR4

There are so many official variations and remixes and retoolings of the Kanto Champion theme that picking the “Best One” would be a practice in futility I think, so I just picked one of the better ones. What I have to say applies to pretty much all of them. And goodness, while I think Blue is a lukewarm rival it’s no wonder why this track has stood the test of time. Normally champion themes are in one of two categories, at least for me. The buildup themes, or the 0-100 themes. Some of them take some time to get there, to make you sweat a little as you realize who you’re dealing with, and some of them just kick down the door and GO. Blue’s theme though is interesting in that it kind of does both. It’s powerful, it’s oppressive in its composition and instrumentation, but there is just the tiniest buildup right after the bombastic kick off. I love it, it’s a strong theme with no real weaknesses.

5/10 rival, 8/10 character and theme

Silver

I think there was a time where if you asked around communities who long time player’s favorite rival was, a good majority would probably say Silver, and for good reason. He was another jerk rival, but with that fun little word I used before; nuance. He was mean, but rather than very deliberately being rude to you, it seemed more like he had other plans that you just happened to keep standing in the way of. He had a goal and he was going to accomplish it. And what was that? Curb stomping anybody brave or stupid enough to traipse around in a black and red uniform. This kid had a clear cut vendetta against team rocket, but instead of making him your ally with a goal like that, it set you as his obstacle every victory for you was one less for him, one less distraught rocket face he would get to see. And we even find out later why, and it’s fascinating. Giovanni’s kid? That’s utterly unique, and it really puts his hatred of team rocket and the idea of finding strength in others into a perspective you can really understand. Not to mention, there’s a bit of storytelling through gameplay with Silver that I’m sure most veteran pokemon fans know. So, he gets a Zubat on his team. Cool, right, edgy bat fits with the edgy tween. But at the very end of the game, when he’s been beaten time and time again and forced to confront why he isn’t strong enough, he realizes it’s because he’s been thinking only of his own strength, and not how much stronger his pokemon could be if they had his genuine care and support. And lo and behold, in his postgame battles, he’s got a proud, fully evolved Crobat on his team, which can only evolve with strong friendship. That’s good shit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZAV8mJY_Qs

For some reason it was kinda tough finding a decent rip of his theme. Ah well, this is easily one of the coolest rival themes. Much like Blue’s champ theme, it has this sort of oppressive energy about it, as if Silver isn’t even looking down on you, he’s just waiting to crush you and be on his way. He’s a fucking bad dude, and he’ll snuff you out however he can if it means he can get his shit done.

9/10 rival and theme

Brendan and May

This pair of nerds. They’re... interesting. I do feel like they get a worse rap from folks since they were the first friendly rivals and the ones to start the trend, and truthfully I have nothing against the idea of having friendlier rivals. If every rival was an asshole it would get really stale really fast. These two though... Well, there’s just not much to them. In the rival role, they’re Professor Birch’s kid, which is basically their entire motivation for going on a pokemon journey to start with. A glorified favor/errand to fill out the dex cause they just happen to have easy access to one. Us being around is purely incidental, and I’m pretty sure the only reason they initially have an interest in us is because we’re Norman’s kid, a gym leader’s kid (dark shoutout to Brendan for throwing some nice 2002 sexism in his introduction with “Oh, you’re a girl? When I’d heard our neighbor was a gym leader’s kid, I was kind of hoping you’d be a boy.”) They get some extra significance in ORAS, which is much needed, having them around for a few Team Aqua/Magma encounters and even one last hurrah battle after you become champ to make up for throwing in the towel like a bitch after Lillycove. I don’t have much nice to say about them, but that’s mostly because I don’t have much to say about them, and what’s there is just... there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rP0OXxc-zk

I’m not sorry. So, with our first friendly rival is our first more chipper rival theme. And truthfully, I like it! It’s very high energy, and has this twinge of suspense partway through to remind you that they have a wailmer you son of a bitch and you will respect the shit out of it under the cycling road. It’s bouncy, it’s fun, and it still has just the edge it really needs to be a proper battle theme I think.

4/10 rivals, 6/10 theme

Wally

And possibly the reason Brendand and May are so Just There. Wally. Now, I’ll say up front, I have a massive Gardevoir/Gallade bias, they’re my absolute favorite pokemon of all time, so having a rival character themed entirely around the pokemon family? Yeah that gets some free points from me. But earnestly, even without that, for as little as he appears he really is the true rival of the game. It’s a short story, but one you can rally behind. This sickly kid who isn’t even capable of catching his first pokemon without supervision and has to move to a small town with clean air just to like, function properly. But with dreams of becoming a pokemon trainer. He has the knowhow, he downloads apps he can use and study, he’s done the research beforehand for what all he needs to know, and after we set him straight in Mauville, he goes on his own journey separate from our’s. And when we see him again... what a god damn transformation (how do you become a badass by just unbuttoning your shirt). He really did it, he worked his ass off, and he made it to the pokemon league, he got a fucking mega stone - two mega stones actually since he gives you one - and he isn’t that same weak kid from the start of the game. He’s your equal, and you will respect him, if not for his power, then by the effort he had to put in to get to where he is now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_CiTJJg5_s

Why is this song so short. Powerful, resolute, triumphant, and 40 seconds long what the fuck. Length aside, this is the song Wally absolutely deserves, without question. I can’t express it anymore than in those few words. It’s the theme of perseverance, and the strength you can attain by never giving up.

8/10 rival, 9/10 theme

Barry

What a perfect bundle of energy. Barry is another friendly rival, but not just because he’s nice or something. No, he’s your friend, your childhood friend, and he treats you like it. He’s nice and is clearly happy to go on this adventure with you, but he also slams into you without saying sorry or feeling like he really needs to, and threatens to fine you billions of dollars if you’re late for your super important meeting on the outskirts of town. He is fucking chaotic dumbass personified, with such brilliant strategies as “run through the grass so fast the wild pokemon can’t catch us”, “let’s say thanks to the professor for giving us these novice pokemon by catching a legendary pokemon”, and “here’s the perfect foolproof winning strategy: never miss and never get hit, you’ll win every battle gauranteed”. And god dammit if he isn’t endearing for it. He’s your best friend, and has your best interests at heart, going so far as to take the fall with Rowan when he thinks his dumbass plan might lose you both the chance to get your first pokemon. But, he also wants you to be damn sure that the next time you see him he will be stronger, and he will beat you, and he will be the champion first, and is that one of those walls you put your face in to take a funny picture holy shit check it out I’m a croagunk haha. If you don’t like Barry, you’re taking the games too seriously, and I suggest you get in touch with your inner child because they’re probably starved for fun characters in your media.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hv8g5u55QFA

Did I say high energy because I meant high energy. A battle theme for the sugar high in all of us, he’s just so fucking excited to battle you again. Much like Brendan and May, there’s the tiniest hint of suspense later in the song, but it’s much shorter and less pronounced here. Because it’s not so much a battle with much at stake so much as two best friends having a good old fashioned round against one another for shits and giggles.

9/10 rival, 7/10 theme

Cheren and Bianca

If you had asked me a month ago what I thought of these two I don’t think I’d have had much good to say. Or... much to say at all, for that matter. For reasons that are very unclear to me now, generation 5 didn’t stick with me like others, and that’s actually kind of upsetting since I just recently finished playing through White version again. And boy, do these two have character in spades.

I’ll start with Cheren. Cheren is great, because he’s actually almost a jerk rival, and I get the feeling if you weren’t supposed to be prior long time friends he actually would be. He’s very cool and calculating, and not too shy about getting pissy with each loss. He’s happy to lend you a hand, giving you tips, items he’s found that might be helpful, and fighting beside you against Team Plasma at a few turns. Something that stuck out to me was how nearly every rival battle was punctuated by “We both have the same number of badges now, so we should be on equal footing. Let’s put that to the test.” And each time, he’s not just being mad that he lost and then storming off, he’s very outwardly trying to deconstruct why he’s losing. You could almost picture him with charts and tables out, nose buried in his X-Transceiver screen between destinations, absolutely sure he missed some key strategy you used or that he simply overlooked. He’s very much the “power for the sake of power” rival at the start of the game, until the champion and the events with Team Plasma force him to confront his own flawed, short sighted goals. He can’t just Be Strong, he needs a reason for that, and that reason is ultimately protecting not just people important to him, but everyone. And that is just. So god damn cool. It extends to his eventual teaching role. Not only will he get stronger on his own, but he’ll teach others to be stronger, and in turn they’ll protect others too, and so on. And I think that’s perfect character motivation through and through.

Now Bianca. Oh man, do I love Bianca. She’s somehow the living version of if you perfectly spliced an introvert and an extrovert. She’s charming, outgoing, friendly, encouraging, and... also very shy, humble, not one to speak up most of the time. At least at first. And it’s such a tiny, blink and you miss it character trait, but every time she looses she needs like a full five seconds to hide her face under her hat before speaking again. Losing to you time and again does get to her, but she’ll be damned if she lets that deter you and your progress. It’s not your fault she lost, it’s her’s for not being stronger, and she ultimately realizes it’s because while she’s enjoyed raising pokemon and going on this journey, battling just isn’t where her heart is. But she still went on the journey, and fought to go on it, arguing against her father’s wishes for her to return home, and fighting by your side however she can through the debacle spreading over the region. She learns to stand up for herself and what she wants when she actually wants it, and even though in the end she might have been good enough to challenge the league if she kept at it, she realized it wasn’t for her, and that’s still ok.

I don’t have much to add on regarding Cheren and Bianca’s roles in B2W2, beyond that it’s such a delight seeing them both realize their true purpose and being really happy with where they’ve wound up. Also I love their new looks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Yr5Taoyalo

Their theme invokes the same sort of feeling as Barry’s in the sense that this is less about beating the other person and more about two friends having a good time with some friendly competition. Any sense of suspense is almost nonexistent, and the fun factor has been cranked up. It’s bubbly, it’s cheery, and it never really lets up, and while I do think that makes it kind of weak as a theme representing both of them, it makes for a fun song.

9/10 rivals, 6/10 theme

So like, I know BW/B2W2 are older games, but, spoilers for plot stuff.

I’ve heard a lot of arguments regarding whether N even counts as a rival instead of an antagonist outright, but I personally think he’s meant to be the rivalry edge to make up for Cheren and Bianca being so buddy buddy, like they were trying to address the friendly rival complaints after the last two games. And N is certainly a fascinating beast (hah), being very intentionally directly designed to be the dark antithesis to the standard pokemon protagonist character. The protagonist doesn’t speak at all, he speaks too quickly. The protagonist’s goal is very vague and broad, simply being “the best”, while N’s is powerfully stubborn and full of conviction. And of course it’s right there in the design, he’s even got the hat. N is also a very tragic character, intentionally raised and taught from childhood all for the purpose of being Ghetsis’ perfect tool towards world domination. He can literally speak with pokemon, he doesn’t get people, and interestingly up until the final battle in the game, he exclusively catches and uses local pokemon when you meet him, presumably releasing them once his friends have helped him test your own resolve. Team Plasma eventually splits into two factions in B2W2, those who truly believed in their ideals, that what they were trying to do was create a better world for people and pokemon alike, and those who were just using it as an excuse to be cruel dickbags and steal pokemon. If Ghetsis is the later, N is the former. This isn’t an evil plot for him, he isn’t some wicked mastermind working behind the shadows, he’s very clear cut and up front with you about what he’s doing, why he’s doing it, he even basically says “hey I could be wrong, I’m like 90% sure you’re also a hero so prove it and show me who’s intentions are more pure.” I love this guy, and I’m genuinely happy he ends up just living a happy life with his pet dragon wolf friend by the end of B2W2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0ajBL15Knk

N’s theme is a weird one for me. I genuinely don’t enjoy the composition, but I can’t deny that it’s pretty perfect for him. This intentionally twisted idealist seeking all of the best things in all the wrong ways. It’s dark, fast paced, foreboding, and the ticking clock in this final version really sells that he won’t back down on creating what he truly believes to be a perfect world if you don’t get him to listen to reason. In short, wonderfully thematic, just not for me.

9/10 rival 5/10 theme

Hugh

I’ll be up front, I’m very overdo for a replaying of B2W2, so my recollection of Hugh is a bit foggy. That said, I do recall liking him. He’s high energy, but he also has a better handle on knowing how to direct said energy. Much like Silver before him, he’s very goal oriented and with a vendetta to work through, but rather than seeing your presence as an obstacle, you’re a trusted friend and ally, anything to make stomping out Plasma that much easier, and what better way to fight crime than with a friend at your side. I recall he had a habit of lashing out at strangers for being inattentive of their pokemon since his little sister’s purrloin got stolen (irony) by Plasma, but it comes from a place of good, so you can kinda get it. He’s well meaning, head strong, and a bit of a hot head, and while I need to reacquaint myself with him, I remember liking him alright if nothing else.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZDEr6_xzsM

Shockingly, his theme is a bit more subdued in terms of your average battle theme. It’s got a bit of an edge to it, and I love the shit out of those drums, but it still has that friendly ring to it. Oddly, it gives me more of a megaman vibe than anything pokemon. And trust me, that’s not a bad thing. Just a very strange song altogether though.

6/10 rival and theme, subject to change

Serena and Calem

I don’t recall how much of this is true for Serena, but I do seem to recall the two actually having somewhat different personalities. And Calem borrows a bit from what I liked about Cheren. He’s still being buddy buddy with you, but as each loss piles on, he starts to get more and more outwardly frustrated with himself over them. What’s he doing wrong? You’re supposed to be at the same level as one another, why can’t he pull out just one win? And he’s slightly less apologetic about it, so he is a bit of what I described with “what if Cheren was still your rival but not your childhood friend”. I want to say that Sarena is much the same, but it’s simply been far too long, and for what good points they’ve got even after two full playthroughs, they just... don’t bring much to the table, much like similar rivals before them Brendan and May. And man, speaking of not bringing much to the table...

The Friend Gang

Mmmm... let’s start with what I like about them. Because earnestly, there is an aspect about Tierno, Trevor, and Shauna (respectively) that I like. For all of our rivals up until now, you’ve had roughly the same goal. To conquer all 8 gyms, defeat the elite four and champion, become the champion yourself, and maybe save the world if you happen to be in the area at the time. And you know, world of pokemon, that makes sense it’s all well and good. But like, some people run businesses. Some people drive taxis, some are singers, some are artists, some are scientists, not everybody wants to be a world class ace trainer. And, neither do these three. Tierno is interested in dance, and seems to want to go out there just to see new moves and techniques to incorporate them into dance moves. Trevor is actually interested in and invested in filling out every shred of information in the pokedex, which is refreshing since you know, we usually get as far as like maybe 50 pokemon tops before just calling it quits. And Shauna, I’ll admit I don’t recall much of her, but I seem to remember her going out on her journey much for the same reason Bianca did. Do figure out what she actually wants to do in the first place. Unlike Bianca though, she never really finds it I don’t think. So, they’re trainers, but with their own unique goals in mind. That’s cool! ... and it’s also all there is to them. They’re extremely one note most of the time, and regrettably very forgettable. Calling them rivals at all honestly feels kinda generous.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73UoF45hBVQ

Imma be real with you chiefs, I’ve been listening to like every other Gen 6 song except this one while writing this. This could have easily just been the generic trainer battle theme in any other region, which... after my analysis, I’ll admit, kinda makes sense. These aren’t ace trainers or anything, they’re just... some friendly peeps doing their own shit who happen to know how to battle too. But, thematics doesn’t save a song on it’s own.

3/10 rivals and song

Hau

Hau is just... god damned precious. He’s loose, he’s chill, he’s excitable, but not always excited, and happy to go with the flow on things. He’s not your childhood friend, but he acts like that just means he’s got lost time to make up for once he gets to know you, more than happy to offer you up snacks and whatnot. He’s a fast and loyal friend, and surprisingly one with his own goal in mind that actually kind of weighs on him in the background. He’s the grandson of the island Kahuna, Hala, which means he’s eventually supposed to take that role from the old man. And that’s a huge responsibility for a kid who just wants to enjoy the sun and malasadas. But, it’s one he wants to live up to earnestly, and he’s willing to work towards. He just has a little trouble working past that initial fear of “how can I possibly be as good a kahuna as my grandpa”. Plus, once he makes a friend, he’ll fight for em, eagerly and happily going along with you to the Aether Resort when he finds out Lillie’s in trouble. Rain or shine, Hau’s got your back, and is easily one of the best friendly rivals to date if you asked me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BYcMPXxJrg

This one reminds me a lot of Cheren and Bianca’s theme but this time it’s a lot more fitting. It’s a fun and silly time, whoever loses doesn’t matter, so long as everyone’s having a good time! A bit of a boring song, but perfectly befitting the character, so it gets a bit of a pass.

8/10 rival, 6/10 theme

Gladion

I would say “who hurt you”, but we have the answer to that question, and it really helps propel Gladion and indeed the entire Aether family to the heights of “well written pokemon characters”. But, we’ll stick with just Gladion here. When we first meet him he’s just another skull flunky, but even then not really. For as pathetic as the skull grunts are (I love all of you but you’re so bad), even they make fun of him. He’s a nothing to nobody who has nobody, nobody but him and his weird dog. He is so much the rebellious tween but dammit if he doesn’t have a good reason with how horrible and abusive Lusamine became after her awry experiments with ultra space. He took their experimental pokemon for his own, ran away, and never looked back, just trying to live a happy life as best he can with Type: Null. He’s very hardened, and clearly not looking to go make any relationships, but eventually he does warm up to you at minimum as someone he can trust in battle, and by the end of the game someone he can see as an equal and maybe even friend. Really, calling him a rival is a bit off. He has no real beef with you or your journey, most of the time it seems like he’s just fighting you because he’s in a bad mood. But he’s a young man who’s been hurt badly, and wants to keep others from feeling that same kind of hurt, and obviously if he’s nice and strong then nobody can ever stop him from keeping himself and the people he cares about safe. The friendliest of jerk rivals who deserves the utmost care and protection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDLj143lxVk

How to make a good battle theme: Step 1, slap bass. Step 2, there is no step 2. Jokes aside, I love this shit. It is utterly not in line with what you normally expect from a pokemon theme, and that kinda makes it work really well. It’s wild, it’s strong, and it denotes a kind of complexity to its energy. Not jaw dropping, but just a great slap.

8/10 rival and theme

#pokemon #rivals #mason says things #god that took longer than I thought I wish I knew when I started this

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cbcanime · 6 years ago

Text

Cause I’m bored :D

Britt: Hello everybody. For no particular reason, I decided to make a list of Ash's traveling companions ranked from favorite to least favorite. These are just my personal opinions, and I’m bored. So here ya go!~

I’m also putting this on Tumblr instead of DeviantART because I talk about Pokemon characters waaaay too much over there haha....^-^”

ALSO, I respect anyone’s opinion who’s different than my own as long as you respect my opinions as well :D

1. Dawn-

I loved how Dawn was a co-star to Ash and got entire episodes dedicated to her and only her. I also found her contests more realistic and exciting to watch than May's.

2. May-

Other than May's contests, I'd say she was a pretty relatable character. She just wanted to travel the world, and she didn't care for Pokemon at first (like how people in real life don't really like animals.) I also liked her relationship with her brother (despite me not liking Max.)

3. Iris-

Oh, the horror! Iris is a favorite of mine! But in all seriousness, I loved Iris. Tomboy characters are usually the ones I favor over the more girly characters, but Dawn stood out to me more and that's why she's my #1 and not Iris. I also thought Iris was bad-ass. Her calling Ash a kid got old and annoying fast but that's the ONLY reason I see for why people don't like her, and I think outside of that she was a pretty unique Pokemon character.

4. Clemont-

I liked Clemont the most out of Ash's male companions, because he was the first one who felt like a best buddy/bro to Ash. Brock and Cilan felt more like mentors or older siblings he couldn't really relate to, but Ash and Clemont I'd say, bonded well and felt like they were closer to equals (even if Ash was worshiped by damn near everybody in XY.) His gag got old, but pretty much any character who has a gag got old super quickly.

5. Lillie-

I think Lillie has had some good character development. She got over her fear of Pokemon and stood up to her mother. Plus she seems like the only female in Sun/Moon that the writers are bothering to put any effort into. I also like her character design. I haven't played very many Pokemon games, but when Sun/Moon first came out, Lillie looked like a spoiled rich girl. I'm glad she didn't turn out to be that way.

6. Bonnie-

Honestly, I just thought Bonnie was a less annoying and more competent version of Max. Her gag got old (just like everyone else's), but she didn't piss me off like Max did, plus she seemed a lot more mature than him despite Max acting like he was "mature" when he clearly wasn't. She also had her own Pokemon, which gave her the responsibility of raising her own. Plus, she's adorable :)

7. Lana-

Again, the Sun/Moon girls don't have a lot going for them, but I like Lana. She's cute and I like her personality and her quiet voice.

8. Brock-

Tbh, Brock doesn't have a lot going for him (to me) other than nostalgia. Just like everyone else's running gag, his got old suuuuuuper quickly. And the fact that he was with Ash in 4 different regions made it worse and annoying. He's still better than Cilan, though. And he could be funny, and he was like Ash's older brother.

9. Kiawe-

I dunno how to feel about the Sun/Moon guys, either. Honestly, it feels like Ash is taking the majority of the screentime like he did in XY, so I don't really care for anyone else besides Lillie and Lana. Kiawe's pretty alright I guess, though.

10. Sophocles-

Same for Sophocles. I dunno how to feel about him. I thought he was similar to Clemont by a lot, but Clemont has a charm to him that Sophocles doesn't. Idk :/

11. Mallow-

Mallow is just kinda boring to me. She doesn't do much of anything at all in the show. Even Lana does more than her, and Lana hardly does anything, too! It's really sad. I hope the writers pay more attention to her eventually.

12. Cilan-

Cilan annoyed me more than Iris did, yet people still found Iris to be unbearable while giving Cilan a free pass. My favorite thing about Cilan was his voice, cause I really like Jason Griffith. Otherwise, didn't care for him that much.

13. Tracey-

Imma be honest, I almost forgot he existed lmao (like most people do.) Tracey was alright. I didn't hate his guts for replacing Brock like most others did, and I liked that he was an artist (like me) but he was kinda just...there. He didn't do much of anything. He was boring and plain.

14. Verity-

She's ok. Felt like a mixture of Misty and Dawn. Didn’t get a lot of time to know much about her or Sorrel.

15. Sorrel-

Meh. His Luxray died cause of him. Kinda sucky.

16. Misty-

Probably not gonna make many friends putting Misty so low on the list, but eh....I don't really like her. Same with Brock, she doesn't have much that makes her "better" than the others other than nostalgia. She used to be my most hated companion of Ash's till Serena came along, though. I don't hate her anymore, and I don't even dislike her as much as I used to. But I don't think she's all that great, either. People harp on Iris for teasing Ash and calling out his stupidity when he SHOULD'VE been a lot smarter than he was, but then they'll let Misty get away with hitting both Ash AND Brock, and yelling at Ash for being a complete noob. I personally don't think that's fair, but hey. What do I know? Plus, once she got Togepi, she was boring and lifeless.

17. Max-

Max was annoying and he did a lot of things that I hate about kids. He acts like a know-it-all, treats Ash and May like they're retarded, and whines all the time. I hated it. He made fun of Ash for losing the Johto League, and then cries and steal's Ash's badge from him when he beats his GYM LEADER DAD at a gym battle! I just couldn't stand this kid. He had a more realistic relationship with May than Clemont did with Bonnie, but that's probably another reason I didn't care for him. Younger siblings suck. I thought he was OK in the Jirachi movie, though.

18. Serena-

Aaaaaaand lastly, Serena. Along time ago, Misty would've been here instead of Serena, but Serena's fans have made me borderline despise her. I already didn't care for her character, and her worshipers put her in an even worse light for me. But I thought Serena was a boring, girly, passive stereotype who's only "unique" quality is her crush on Ash, anyway. I didn't dislike her immediately, though. In fact, I went the first couple episodes actually liking her and I thought she had great potential. But, that went away. Fast. Plus, her goal...was not that great. Felt like a sexist rip-off of contests. And her "rivals" were incompetent. She beat them every time (not including Aria.) Plus from what I hear, showcases are based off of Japanese idol culture. If that's true, Serena wouldn't get to date Ash anyway. Too bad :/ At least she’s the prettiest I suppose.

I'll add the characters from the 21st movie once I've watched it :)

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bluberripi · 7 years ago

Text

imagine haikyuu characters in the pokemon universe for a sec

like holy shit this thought just came to me

YOUR RIVAL Game rivals would be Hinata/Kageyama, doing the whole dual rivalry like what happened with Cheren and Bianca in B/W. Sometimes, one might act like a psuedo-rival and give the main player stuff (ie. Hinata: “Hey, [f/n]! Uh, I wanted to thank you for helpin’ me out there... so... here! Have this!” [Obtained a max revive]” or alt. Kageyama: “Are you an idiot?! Going into the forest with your Pokemon in that shape will only have you heading to the Pokecenter! Here, I’ll heal them up.”)

both are super proud of each other’s progress low-key and they both high-key really wanna beat ushijima.

THE PROFESSOR Coach Ukai, because there’s always been something between the mom of the game and the professor i know it he inherited the title after his old man, the genius professor, retired.

Professor Assistants Shimizu Kiyoko and Yachi Hitoka. Shimizu’s about to go out and become a proper trainer, so she gets Yachi to fill in her spot while she’s gone.

THE EIGHT GYM LEADERS (in order!)

Tanaka - the fighting type gym leader. wANTS TO SHOW YOU ALL HOW TO RESPECT A REAL GYM LEADER, DAMMIT. when you’re beat he’s just like “wow not bad i didn’t expect that from you but pssht don’t get cocky” (also knows you’re good and have potential and thinks you may become champion). PERSONALLY LEADS YOU TO THE NEXT CITY, all just so he can see noya-san, the returning gym leader.

Nishinoya - the FIRE TYPE GYM LEADER BECAUSE LOOK RYUU!! FIRE!!! HAHAHAHAH. these two definitely make the strongest start to a video game. like, ever. very loud, and energetic.

Tsukishima - the poison-type gym leader, actually? i dunno i just can't see him trying too hard, so he’s only the third. still, he has lots of potential (that half of the elite 4, kuroo and bokuto respectively, recognize--which leads to constant pestering from their part), and despite only being the third gym leader, if unprepared, his poison affects are devastating to newcomers.

Asahi - the game’s lovely high-strung steel type, with nerves that DO NOT MATCH. gets super nervous before a match, and although he does very well and is very strong and gets more motivated as the match goes on (and holy crap if this guy had a legendary pokemon it’d be regigigas or something because of the slow start ability RESONATING from this guy). visited often by nishinoya, who often complains about asahi’s nervous demeanor. also want one point where they have to fight the enemy team of the game and they buddy up and defeat them because hey who doesn’t want a sprinkle of asanoya in their life

Iwaizumi - the rock type gym leader. sorry, it didn’t even take me long to decide on this. His last name literally comes with the word rock in the first character pls. Combined with his steadfast personality, it works perfectly. When you beat him he just asks for you to kick shittykawa’s ass. Even tells you his pokemon type and starts telling you his pokemon and their dreadful moves until he’s cut off by some random plot device.

Akaashi - i honestly can’t help but say he’d be the ghost-type gym leader. he doesn’t put his gym in a freaking cemetery or have ghosts wander around, but he’s actually rather nice about it all and takes pity on the ghosts because seriously have you read some of their pokedex entries yeesh. his signature pokemon would be a drifblim, because of the dual flying/ghost nature. it’s his favourite, and it’s bokuto’s favourite, too. loved by many, and goes out of his way to help out even the most dramatic pokemon. maybe you’d meet him if there were a rogue ghost in the city, causing damage, and akaashi walks up and helps it calm down (almost the same way he does with bokuto)

Sugawara - i really wanted to make sugawara the nurse, but in the end i feel like he’d be a really strong grass-type gym leader. the healing thing still came to me though, so i’d see it as a strong type with annoying healing abilities. right when you’re about to defeat his pokemon, he hits you up with ingrain or synthesis and saves by a sliver, making the battle that much harder. another thought was that at the end of the game he’s actually offered to become an elite 4 but so is kageyama. he’s been a gym leader for a long time, but steps down so kageyama can have it.

Kenma - surprisingly, (or maybe unsurprisingly) the psychic-type gym leader. as the final gym leader before the elite 4, he’s really strong and definitely has a good grasp on all the types of moves there are (stats, inflicting damage, reducing, as well as extra effects) and even accounts for the type weaknesses. often hangs out with kuroo and grows to be friends with your rival hinata. although kuroo never lets him explicitly state that he’s the dark type elite 4, it’s implied. refuses to become an elite 4 personally, because it’s already too much effort being a gym leader.

THE ELITE FOUR

Daichi - the grounded leader is now the ground-type elite 4! has really strong and nice pokemon. hangs with suga. i don’t know why, but i’d imagine that they garden, since he’s the ground-type elite 4 and suga’s the grass-type gym leader. at the very least, his area has flowers growing somewhere in homage to their friendship. idea was that he steps down from being an elite 4 to go focus on other things and become stronger, allowing suga to become one. read suga’s section for more.

Kuroo - dark-type elite four! debated on fire vs dark for a loooong time, but couldn’t help but see dark as the strongest feature. plus they’re badass, so kuroo would def brag about that to bokuto. First seen talking to Kenma at his gym, saying that he should hurry up and become an Elite 4 member already, since he already knows he’s qualified enough.

Oikawa - water-type elite 4. probably the most well-rounded elite 4 in terms of stats, with pokemon that can heal and attack strong and defend well and everything. wants to become champion (beat ushiwaka), but realizes he has to get stronger before doing that. really playful. his identity is not kept secret at ALL the entire game, as he has his own radio channel about him with water pokemon (looking cute while using cute pokemon to gain fans) and iwaizumi namedrops him earlier on during his battle. (lowkey inspired by ao3 superpower haikyuu fanfic, “baby, i can give you wings” by Metis_Ink, which is wonderful and can be read here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2185851)

Bokuto - THE FLYING-TYPE ELITE 4. I don’t know why but i can’t imagine him taking the battle completely seriously and just doing some dumbass strategy that proves to be super broken. Something like Drayden from BW2, with some stupid dialogue like “AAARGH JUST WAIT FOR THE FINAL ATTACK!!! IT’LL BE AWESOME!” while doing 2-3 stat-raising moves or charging moves and then one broken ability that does a shit ton of damage. Kinda like the papyrus we never got in undertale. Alternately, a one-hit K.O. move. Gets super depressed when defeated, and can be seen after at a cafe with Akaashi, complaining.

THE CHAMPION This would undoubtedly be the prodigy we all know and love, Ushijima Wakatoshi. Trained since a kid, and worked really hard. A good champion, and definitely worthy of the title.

OTHER APPEARANCES Takeda-sensei - the ‘mom’ of the game. Not an actual Pokemon trainer, but wishes the best for the main character when they go off, making sure they’re well-prepared and researching enough to send them off with a smile. (also dropping by with occasional “hey, hope you’re doing okay!”s) while you’re on your journey.

Lev - while you’re with kenma’s gym (with a visiting kuroo), there’s a little unskippable side-quest where Lev begs kenma to teach him how to catch pokemon, much to kenma’s annoyance. kuroo eventually defeats all his pokemon (doing something like beating a level 6 pidgey with a level 60 hydreigon, or trolling him by pulling out a lvl 60 zoroark that’s disguised as a small grass-type), but teaches lev good lessons in the process. is also trying to be taught by Yaku, an actual experienced ace trainer who just can’t help but be annoyed at Lev.

Yamaguchi - some guy at the beginning of the game who shows you how to use pokemon and stuff. he’s either a normal-type trainer or a fairy-type trainer, or at least has an affinity with those two.

#haikyuu #pokemon #haikyuu imagines #implied relationships #kuroken?#iwaoi?#bokuaka?#pokemon AU #alternate universe #kagehina?#asanoya?#kurotsuki??#daisuga?#i mean it's pretty generic but it's there

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isaacathom · 7 years ago

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I should be thinking about Zeke and his deal but instead im thinking about how i can fuck with all the gym leaders and have a bunch of them be my other characters.

for instance, all my ggs characters?? perfectly equipped to exist in Urica. considering Urica is victoria and ggs literally takes place in victoria. its a match made in heaven. i can also totally include Black, in an aesthetic sense - i can absolutely take her black with green highlight aesthetic and put it on like, a Dark type gym leader. i can imagine it

only issue is i diiid want the gym leaders to have some impact, to have some INPUT on the story as a whole. something like the ending of bw1 when all the gym leaders (except the triplets cause fuck em i guess?) showed up at the castle to help. but a lil more? include the e4 in on the scheme. the champion herself is 100% present and is even personally responsible for arresting Dante at the end. yknow. so having the gym leaders be a bunch of characters who shouldnt /really/ be there is sorta weird for that, a little counter intuitive. at least with the Black thing, its just her look, not actually her. mostly because Black is a straight up shadow monster. though, if its her aesthetic, shoooulllld the gym leader use a wheelchair too? that would complete the look. i feel like if there is a gym leader with a wheelchair, either they should have psychic pokemon (because that makes sense in a practical way) or theyre gym needs to be placed very precisely. if i want that gym leader to actually participate, their gym either needs to be the City gym (yknow, the one you can skip by fighting Rhia, though you’ll need to come back for it eventually) or one of the very close ones, orrrr they can be placed further away and removed from the story climax by saying ‘well, how did you really EXPECT them to get here???’. since, like.... if they need their wheelchair, they HAVE to travel manually. unless their pokemon, like a big fuck off bird, can have the leader on their back and the wheelchair in their claws?? but then how does the leader get on the back. also it has to be a Big Fucking Bird, like a gigantic bird, the biggest bird, the strongest bird. uh, one idea would be for the leader to actually stay in the chair and have them like, locked into a seat on the back? if that makes sense? but thats also logistically a pain. guess thats what a psychic pokemon would be for, huh? but if the bird wouldnt work, theres no other real way to get around beyond travelling by car or plane or whatever. so if their gym is aways, they cant get to the city on short notice.

it would actually kind of work if theyre the Eastern gym leader, from that town where Jun is from, where Rhia lives. it sorta fits the idea of that place being badly removed and poorly accessible due to a lack of like, provisions made to help it. so this gym leader is restricted solely to their community, helping with local problems, and can only really leave their town with a LOT of planning. a lot of effort has to go into them travelling a long distance. they cant just go west without help, its a goddamn mountain. 0/10 travel safety.

im not sure which of the options i prefer. having all 8 gym leaders + zeke + elliot + the elite 4 (possibly including that guy who is leaving???) + the champion is a lot of fucking people. so having a few of the gym leaders sit out makes sense? just to reduce clutter. so if a characters situation means it would make sense for them to not be present, why not capitalise? so having a wheelchair bound gym leader live on the other side of the mountain and thus have difficulty accessing the City works for that purpose. admittedly gym leaders can also be removed from the proceedings through the actions of the Team, by having a bunch of team members head to a few specific gyms and distract them.

thatd be fun. ok, so we can totally have a Black themed gym leader, wherever they might end up being in terms of the regions layout. they’d be one of 4 types - Dark, Ghost, Psychic, or Flying. the first two are thematic, the latter two are practical.

for others.... well. there has to be a water gym leader, who runs the gym out of the remains of the ‘Kingslake’ town. i dont really have a character who fits this, except for Ash from EC. which could work, but i dont think his design really fits. uh.... we could include one of the GGS characters, due to the urica/vic thing. of course, which one? by general ages, the only character who really fits is Katja, who would be..... uh..... uhm. hmm...... normal??? she’d essentially be whitney, if i think about it, which is also kinda boring. also i hate whitney and i wouldnt do that to anyone. steel COULD also work? which would place her later on, which works fine, since she doesnt live in the same suburb as the other ggs characters. being an Adult and all. she definitely lived close to melbourne, but for game balancing itd be totally acceptable to place her further away, like Geelong. the alternative is to have one of the younger ggs characters (Read: fucking all of them, theyre all like 16-18) be a really early on gym leader, like... Roxanne? or Cheren. definitely roxanne, at least. but for that, which one, and what type?? i feel like most of their types arent like, super good first gym material? Vivian would be fighting, Kay would be Ice, Sonya would bee... hold on. either electric or water, i suppose. and Isaac would be Psychic. Sonya could work, though i feel like if she is included, then Isaac should be as well?? theyre a duo??? which... hmm... actually, wait, fuck, Isaac and Sonya are both straight up adults, arent they. yea, fuck, theyre uni students. oh theyre totally golden, then. have Sonya be Electric or Water (or Flying, i guess?? or grass??? her power set is very.... broad) and have Isaac be the Psychic gym leader from the next town over. and also not be called Isaac because i already decided i wanted to change that??? besides i wanna have a fire type elite 4 named Isaac with a Ninetales because this is my game and im allowed to have myself be a goddamn elite 4, suckers.

if Sonya is water, that makes her the King Lake gym leader. which... yea, that works. isnt exact to her position in ggs, but it fits. making [Isaac] either the City gym leader (which si also like.... the 2nd or 3rd gym??? which feels too early for a psychic gym, but ill check) orr shes further north. beechworth might be too far north but theres plenty of space between kinglake and beechworth for a gym, i think. well... hmm. fantina is a ghost gym and she was third in platinum, which means its totally feasible to have a psychic gym be right up front. plus, hmmn, hold on. does the player go clockwise or counter clockwise? the region as i have it really roughly in my head is that its a rough loop, with some connecting points back to the city (think kalos but not shit cheers, no stupid black outs in this bitch). so when the player gets to the city, do they go north along the west side of the mountains? or south west down the coast towards geelong? i guess the issue is how you get across the mountains - you almost definitely need strength and rock smash to get through. but why would you get those hms in the west? suurely the towns closest to the mountains would have this stuff? you could maybe justify Strength being elsewhere? that could be interesting. you could also have the Beechworth town be later, despite being a clockwise progression. maybe you need a specific hm to get that far north, you get there, then you get strength? idk. sorta complex. but if i had both Sonya and [Isaac], id want them to be right after each other? though i suppose separating them by games progression but having them be physically close makes sense... and since the Kinglake town is ‘dangerous’ in Urica due to the bushfires, it makes sense to prevent you going directly to it from melbourne? so counter clockwise down the coast makes more sense then? sure. yea aight.

anybody else? thats 3 gym leaders. boi. boi fuck. well, there IS the EC crew, who are also perfectly open for these positions. the kids from RS, well, not so much, unless they were a gimmick trio like striaton. triple battles? fuck me dude imagine a triple battle gym battle, god, dude, holy shit, thatd be sick. /i/ wouldnt, but damn, imagine. god i wish the 3ds was powerful enough to handle triple battles without having a seizure. (in 3d anyway. iirc it ran fine with 2d? admit i didnt triple battle TOO much). so, no RS. EC can. uh... well.... Violet is available as a Fire leader, she’d be fun. Crystal could easily be there too, as aaaaa.... Grass? Grass gym? yea. which you’d want to be fairly early? well, 4th works too. would that make sense based on their surroundings, though. also, these are a lot of girls. i can include Skye as a flying type, but i cant include Will because he’s a dark type (unless i make the Black one a Ghost type, which is acceptable, certainly) but then thats an overwhelming number of character. thatd be 7, if i included 4 of the ec cast + two ggs + black. thats uh... thats too many? 3 might work better. maybe 5? like have it be black, [isaac], sonya, skye, and will? w/ skye probably changing his name to Not Be Shit, thanks, fuck. that leaves 3 original ocs. and Black can be any gender, and would essentially BE a new character, jsut with Black’s aesthetic. purely because i should stop trying to put Black in my stories. so, 4? two ggs and two ec? yea. Isaac as Psychic, and the 2nd gym (again, the skippable one). Sonya as Water, and the new guardian of [Kinglake]. [Skye] as Flying, likely further down the coast, maybe geelong? warnambool? any coastal city works if its got high enough cliffs, my guy. Will as Dark works fine for basically anywhere, but i think after Skye in progression. i like that.

then this Ghosty Fan who probably shouldnt be the last gym leader...... hmm.... but then where?? they could be up near the desert, where the old team base is??? someone has to be that gym leader. why would they be dressed in black in the desert? thats a good goddamn question. maybe not. man, it depends on where the gym towns are as to where the ghost goes. the desert is not the place, though. 0/10 not a good place. certainly not with that outfit. like, ghost would ALMOST make sense for that location due to the team base, and it being tied to this idea of it being the Ghost of the team, or where Seren’s ‘ghost’ is located. notably, Elliot will not come with you to the desert town. he just wont. he wont do it, dude. he’ll meet you at the entrance and say ‘yea good luck’ and he wont come in with you. so ghost might be fitting for that alone? but with the physical design? nah. but they shouldnt be TOO far back, right? though, since Acerola is like.... uh.... 5-6th gym leader equivalent in terms of when her trial occurs, i dont see any reason i couldnt have a ghost gym appear later on. its just that those that exist so far are all far more forward, i guess. im down for that??? maybe beechworth, or, again, the eastern thingo. idk. im gonna have to like, plannnn the region out some more. OOH, fuck, i was gonna include phillip island/pseudo tasmania too, fuck, where the fuck does THAT slot into progression. fuuuuck. uuuuuuuh. shit. where DOES that fit. after skye???? like, you fight Skye over in Geelong or whatever, , you get surf, you go on a big surfing adventure? why would.... the flying gym leader..... give you surf.... like, ok, the Water gym leader cant give you surf, because shes busy and thatd be REALLY late in the game to get Surf. considering most gens are like, badge 3-5 for surf (as an out of battle move) which would place it at a gym betweeeeeen Isaac and Skye? since there likely is one??? hmm..... hmmmmmmm.........

im thinking either the island or the east should be post game. OR, OH FUCK, the elite 4 could be on the island, fuck, we solved it, fuckers we’ve done it, the island is the champions village. there are probably some other spots though. kinglake, for one. ooh, that’ll be neat. you start on the other side of the lake and you have to surf over and its all nice and then BAM everythings burnt to shit my guy. nice. i like it. see that works. means i can introduce Surf as a usable hm whenevvvver. or just attach it to Skye because who cares, honestly, and attach Fly to the desert one. ooh, and that could be fun. like, you fight that gym leader, they go ‘now you have my badge, you can use fly! do you have fly? oh, you dont? hmm. You’re hanging with Elliot, right? maybe ask him. I’d have asked him in advance but he doesn’t like coming to this town. bad memories, I’ve heard’ and thatd be like, your first really blatant hint that Elliots got a past. you could even ask him about it next time you see him, alongside asking if he knows where you can get the Fly Hm (he MIGHT have it, idk). and hed go ‘huh? oh, haha, you know, sometimes small events happen, and theyre nothing major, of course, but they stick in your head and they taint a place, huh?’ or something really obviously dodging. then later Rhia spills the juice. nice.

i feel like there should be other places to use surf, though. perhaps surf is required in the mountain to get to the East? i can see that. that basically works.

ok i gotta fuckign wrap up ive had this post opn for like 3.5 hours jesus fuck

#story blogging #codename seren #long post #i got VERY uh. distracted? invested? all of them above and more #just went on a few thought trains. my ultimate conclusion is i really need to rough about the actual laout of Urica #so i can place gyms and hms n shit. so i know the structure

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crystalelemental · 4 years ago

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If you would have to rank every pokemon generation, in what order would you put them?

Oh man, that’s easy.

Gen 4 is the best one, with Platinum standing at the very top. I really like the mythology, and how legendary Pokemon all feel super significant. I like the balance of the games, and how difficult gym leaders can be in Platinum, while never making it a matter of it being hard to keep up in terms of level. And HGSS are fantastic remakes in their own right, so like...it’s the best generation.

Gen 5 is next. I actually think I like Black/White 1 more than 2. I like the idea of the region having a lot of new Pokemon, but that’s all you get the main campaign. I think that’s way better than modern gens giving like 50 actually new Pokemon, pretending regional variants are important, and mostly filling the region with old faces.

Gen 3 is next. I’m torn between Emerald or FRLG at the top. I play FRLG more often, but Emerald’s a really great third game overall, so they’re both winners. I like the open feeling of exploration, and that there’s basically no plot. It’s probably the best generation for a pure gameplay experience, because it lacks the flaws of earlier generations, but hadn’t shifted into frequent, lengthy scenes as a focus yet. Also I think Gen 3 had the best roster of new Pokemon. There are so many winners.

Gen 2 gets the next slot, but I am willing to admit that’s mostly nostalgia. Crystal reigns above the other two. Crystal is the best third game in a generation. You got all the legends of the region in one, it took away one of the roaming Pokemon as a new scene, added a ton of new Pokemon you can get early on, and...honestly I just have the best memories for Gen 2 stuff. I’d also say that, for just the main game, stat experience was better than EVs. One issue of the remakes of the first two gens is that the original gens were based on stat experience, so you could beat Red with like level 60 Pokemon no problem because of how much higher your stats could be. Without that system, the remakes do demand a bit more grinding to keep pace, which is a mild problem. Plus, EVs can be unwiedly, and you can train stats that you wind up never using in later generations.

Gen 7. Despite ragging on modern gens really hard, I do like Gen 7 as a story. And that’s pretty much what does it. I don’t particularly love the new Pokemon, and certain evolutions drive me absolutely insane (why does Morelull become an alien baby in a diaper? Why is Toucannon the final form of the adorable Pikipek?). The boss battles also suck. 2v1 is a stupid idea to artificially create difficulty; Gens 3-5 did it so much better. The Z-moves are stupid and have no real place here at all. They’re the most trivial thing ever for the main game. Also, USUM does drag it down super hard. God those games were a ruination.

Gen 1. Despite being incredibly dated, buggy, and kind of a disaster, I have a hard time hating on Gen 1. Sometimes it’s nice to go back, and just not worry at all about natures, or gender of Pokemon, or anything. It’s the purest experience, in that there’s nothing but the Pokemon and their moves. Granted, it’s obnoxious that nothing learn anything ever, and because of how a counter to each gym is placed right near that gym it’s pretty much a solved game, but it’s not so bad.

Gen 6. The first generation I’d say I dislike. Your friends are the worst. The new roster was pathetically small, and it started that awful trend. Despite having the best gimmick of modern gens with Mega Evolution, it didn’t show up until post-game, except for the Gen 1 starters and Lucario. It was by far the biggest culprit of Gen 1 pandering, offered almost nothing novel despite having some great designs in the new Pokemon, and made zero use of its new gimmick for the actual game and instead expected people to focus on it for post-game, which doesn’t exist and is just “Get into competitive,” which was made minimally easier. I don’t like this game. At all.

Gen 8. But god I hate Gen 8. Now, I do admit, the characters are not that bad. I also admit that Dynamax is the best integrated mechanical gimmick for any of the modern games. It actually matters. Though Gigantamax is a fucking joke. But honestly? It’s boring. Forced EXP Share means the game’s over in like 10 hours of play with no resistance. The game gives wild Pokemon at your same level so you never have to invest anything to keep up. The main game’s levels scale like shit, right up until the League, where they start rapidly inflating. The Wild Area is a complete disaster, being open but completely empty, and having the myriad Pokemon you can find be completely randomized in like 12 different ways, with no player control. Daily events are locked in hard, and you’re forced to save before everything, so soft resetting for something you want is outright impossible without mechanical exploitation on the level of manipulating the system’s sense of time. The aesthetic of the region is awful, I hate the fact that everything is based in corporate sports jerseys, or the gross-looking counter-culture that is Team Yell, who’s a pathetic rip-off of Team Skull. Honestly, that’s my biggest issue with characters here too. Hop is just Hau but less interesting, with a hint of Bianca’s uncertainty about what he wants to do sprinkled in but for dumber reasons. Hop sucks. He’s a few traits from different rivals throughout the series but done worse. Gen 8 is the first time I would say that a Pokemon game is outright unfun to play. I’ve tried three times. The first time was kinda boring, so I tried a second time hoping it would feel different. It didn’t, but after a while I decided to try with Pokemon I liked from the region, but couldn’t make it past the first three gyms. Gen 8 sucks, it’s absolutely the worst of the bunch. Because as much as Gen 1 can feel painfully dated, and as much as Gen 6 can be obnoxious with its cast, at least they can still be fun to play. Gen 8 has never once felt fun to play, which is the biggest condemnation of it I can imagine. More than any graphical issue or complaint levied against it, the fact that it’s just not fun is way, way worse.

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