The first episode of the ongoing YouTube series has debuted!
We reported last week that the upcoming Pokemon Generations series would be getting its first episode sooner than you know it. Well, that time is finally here. The first episode is only 3m46s long, and we could not help but feel a little rushed and let down. The episode, which we have included below straight from the official Pokemon YouTube Channel, has a relatively long intro/build-up taking directly from Pokemon Red Version from the original GameBoy game franchise.
Taking a quick moment to recognize the animation style, and the more serious tone of the series, which focuses on Trainer Red rather than the dopey Ash Ketchum, it should be noted that the highly popular and hugely successful Pokemon Origins had a large impact on the anime series. Keeping in line with the style and tone, Pokemon Generations follows in the prominent foot steps of its predecessor, but rushes as quickly as possible from start to finish through all of the regions Red has been through. Although I enjoyed the stroll down memory lane (Pokemon Red Version was the first game I had in the franchise), I could not help but feel a little jipped.
I was under the impression that each episode, which will all be under 5 minutes in length, would touch base on key moments throughout the series. Yes, the first episode does that, but instead of focusing on a single key battle or moment from the game series, it visits multiple for a handful of seconds, speeding past important battles and stages from your journey.
Take a few minutes and checkout the first episode for yourself to see what I mean.
“Pokémon Generations revisits each generation of the Pokémon video game series to shed new light on some timeless moments. From the earliest days in the Kanto region to the splendor of the Kalos region, go behind the scenes and witness Pokémon history with new eyes! These bite-sized adventures, about 3 to 5 minutes long, will be released every week through December 23, 2016.”
Look, I am eternally grateful to see that the Pokemon Company is pushing out new content, especially with animation. Ash Ketchum is hardly a character to look up to (he can’t even catch all the Kanto region Pokemon, lol), with Red being the hero we deserve in the Pokemon Anime and Origins gave us that. However, Generations barely focuses on Red at all, only leaving him in the background to focus more on Pikachu and battles with Legendary Pokemon across Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, etc. Heck, you don’t even see Red’s face in the first episode.
DON’T LOOK AT ME!!
We are excited to revisit Red and his adventures; they are far more interesting and infinitely more exciting than anything Ash has ever done (seriously, screw you, Ketchum!). But we really, really need a show that gives Red his due and lets us follow him throughout his journey to become a Pokemon master. And if this is all we are going to get, let’s do it right by focusing a little more on him than his Lightning Mickey companion.
Pokemon Generations will debut a new episode next week, with new episodes coming each and every week to follow all the way through December 23.
