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%% Keep in mind that Administrivia/ExamplesAreNotRecent and that all entries have a 6 month waiting period until they qualify as a legitimate entry.
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Given that the anime has run for [[LongRunners over 20 years and counting]], there is bound to be some aspects of the show that people have different opinions about.
----
!Series Wide
* The series itself is very divisive among older fans, more so than other ''Pokémon'' incarnations. It's either an awesome cartoon [[FirstInstallmentWins that you]] [[NostalgiaFilter grew up with]], a GuiltyPleasure that's had its ups and downs, or an embarrassing FranchiseZombie that needs to be [[AdaptationDisplacement kept as far away from the games as possible]]. In this respect, it's considered the '90s equivalent of ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'' and ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987'', both of which have similarly divisive "were they good or was it all just nostalgia" reputations.
* A section of the fanbase is split on if the show's focus should be on highlighting and progressing CharacterDevelopment with serious arcs and a strong narrative, or rather be on entertaining episodes with little regard for the larger picture. Fans of the former usually favor entries that highlight Ash's veteran trainer status and face him and his companions with problems to overcome in terms of rivalry or internal struggles, and feel the show should focus on portraying him as a skilled trainer and progress as a character, and tend to perceive entries where his skills and/or personality hit the ResetButton back to square one as going against what the show should be about; fans of the latter tend to favor episodic storytelling, a take on Ash that highlights his more amusing and/or ButtMonkey sides, wacky plotlines and amusing interactions between the cast members over major plot beats, either being largely uninterested in development or finding the major plotlines of the show to be nothing remarkable on the whole or pointing out their futility if none of it is guaranteed to carry over to the next entry.
* Which is the better English Dub, [=TPCi=] or [=4Kids=]? Those in support of [=TPCi=] cite their more accurate translations, none of the [[{{Bowdlerise}} Bowdlerization]] that [=4Kids=] was known for, and far less of a gap between the Japanese airings and the dubs (Before [=TPCi=] picked up the dubbing, it was a near year-long gap. As of ''Sun and Moon'' the gap is just over 4 months). Those in favor of [=4Kids=] feel that they had better dialogue and a wittier script especially with Team Rocket, and they had better voice acting with a cast of voice actors that fit the characters more. Said people in favor of 4Kids point out that despite [=4Kids=] known reputation for replacing the score, it was nowhere near as bad as [=TPCi=] got post ''Best Wishes'', and their music at least carried some charm that [=TCPi=]'s dub OST lacks. Those in support of the 4Kids dub also believe that [=4Kids=] simply put more effort and love into their dub, something that [=TPCi=]'s dub has never been able to recapture, and even though they were prone to make more translation errors compared to [=TPCi=], they fixed those errors in later episodes and were still mostly accurate with their translating. This was most noticeable with the dubbing of ''Anime/PokemonIChooseYou'', which had some fans demanding that Creator/VeronicaTaylor return to voice Ash, while others argued that Sarah Natochenny, having voiced the role for over 10 years by that point, was now the definitive Ash.
* The depiction of certain legendaries as "merely" very rare species and not [[SingleSpecimenSpecies lone individuals on par with gods]]. Either it makes complete sense as Legendaries are shown to breed in the anime, or it [[UniquenessDecay cheapens the awe of seeing them]].
* The league. For over twenty years, fans and detractors of the anime have argued back and forth over this part of Ash's journey. Supporters, while annoyed at Ash's constant losses, defend its presence in the show's StoryArc and believe it is a vital part of Ash's journey, alongside a framework through which his progress can be measured, his rivalries be developed and concluded, and provide each regional adventure with a climax related to Ash's skill as a trainer. Detractors often point to how the anime's formula surrounds the league conference and thus causes the plot to feel formulaic and boring to them, alongside compounding the issues of Ash's continued role as the show's protagonist by making each new region's tournament a ShaggyDogStory that he's fated not to win. ''Sun and Moon'' brought this to a head with it's handling of the Alola League.
* Releasing Pokemon. Either it's a good way to keep the cast from having Pokemon who could become [[StoryBreakerPower too overpowered]] to make anything interesting or it [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter wastes a perfectly good member of the team]] for seemingly no reason.
* The benching of all of Ash's Pokemon (except [[SeriesMascot Pikachu]]) whenever he goes to a new region post-Johto. Those for it feel that it allows new Pokemon from other regions to get their chance to shine while also preventing Ash from becoming too strong with a team he's already built up. Those against it feel that benching them essentially [[PutOnABus writes them out of the show for good]], especially post-Sinnoh, where Ash's older Pokemon are rarely seen apart from [[WolverinePublicity Charizard]] and Bulbasaur.
* Which series is canon? Ever since ''BW'', the fanbase has debated whether a series is canon or not with the only series universally agreed upon being ''OS'' to ''DP''. Many fans who believe ''BW'' and ''SM'' are not canon point to how tonally different they are with the former series going so far as to remove some of Ash's knowledge as a trainer to give a fresh feel to him. They also believe that ''XY'' was a return to the original universe and Ash's Unova journey was just an alternate universe. While ''SM'' had mistranslated tweets about the canonicity to serve as "evidence" for its status as an alternate universe. People who argue all series are canon point to the numerous [[CallBack references to past events and cameos by old characters]], going so far as to say the people who deny events happen as [[NoTrueScotsman not real fans of the show]] or telling them that they're trying to elevate their {{Fanon}} equal to canon. Those who argue that these series aren't canon say that [[WildMassGuess similar events couldn't have happened in an alternate universe]]. ''Journeys'' established that all series are canon by displaying achievements from all series, rendering the argument moot, but the debate manages to rock the fandom.
!Seasons
* Kanto: Considered good by some due to feeling fresh (before becoming a FranchiseZombie), with some good humor and an enjoyable cast chemistry, while to others it's seen as reeking of EarlyInstallmentWeirdness that's subject to NostalgiaFilter, and riddled with inconsistencies (both in itself and to the games) that later series avoided.
* Hoenn: Misty's departure and May's introduction served as this, as to some, Misty being replaced removed a vibrant cast member who was part of Ash's early core development, while others enjoyed having a new character with a more concrete goal, making her a {{Deuteragonist}} alongside Ash, and helped turn him into a mentor.
** Ash's lack of a rival is seen as either a positive as it allowed him to grow solely on his own and embrace a mentor role, or it detracted from the series by giving him no challenge outside of the Gyms and Battle Frontier.
* Sinnoh: The finale of the region either suffered from ArcFatigue (with a 52 episode gap between the 7th and 8th badges), or was well-paced with enough interesting things that made up for the gap (6v6 between Ash and Paul, Team Galactic finale, Grand Festival).
** Dawn's Contest career was either a step up from May's, with more complex strategies and rules, or just a rehash of May's own arc that made Dawn live in her shadow. Furthered by the fact that they are the only two main characters to have the same goal in the series.
** The Grand Festival semi-final battle (Zoey vs. Nando) was considered spectacular on both sides and agreed to be one of the best moments of ''Diamond & Pearl,'' but a bit of contention exists regarding who should have won it. Some fans concur that, yes, Zoey deserved to win considering her CharacterDevelopment throughout the series and buildup of her rivalry with Dawn. Others believe that Nando should have won considering his skill at both Contests and Gym Battles, and that him facing Dawn in the finals would have been a good way to make up for his lack of screentime in the series.
** While most agree that Chimchar had a strong plot and CharacterDevelopment that tied into the rivalry between Ash and Paul, some feel this didn't justify him becoming a SpotlightStealingSquad [[note]]Chimchar takes out 2 of each Gym Leader's Pokémon from Fantina on, is one of two Pokémon to take down one of Paul's in the Lake Acuity battle, and takes out '''three''' of Paul's Pokémon at the Sinnoh league[[/note]], while others believe that Chimchar's story justifies this status.
* Unova: The series can be seen as starting off strong with Team Rocket [[TookALevelInBadass gaining newfound competence and importance]] along with a brisker pacing compared to the previous series, or is seen as the same with Ash [[TookALevelInDumbass gaining newfound ''in''competence]], replacing previous, well-liked companions with a new cast entirely, and moving so fast that it resorted to an entire FillerArc at the end.
** Team Plasma's arc was seen as either a passable villain arc that made up for the Unova League, or was a shadow of its game plot that had plenty of [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter misfires and wasted arcs when it came to Charizard, N and Team Plasma's motivations]].
* Kalos: While some see the series as strong thanks to Ash's [[TookALevelInBadass newfound maturity]], a LoveInterest for Ash in the form of Serena, and a strong villain climax rife with CharacterDevelopment, others believe that it came at the expense of making Ash into a FlatCharacter, had too much Ash CharacterShilling, and that Showcases were a poor substitution for Contests that made Serena seem like a SatelliteLoveInterest.
** The Mega Evolution Specials were either a great side series that developed Alain and Mairin into characters in their own rights, irrespective of Ash, or were the reason that Team Flare didn't enter the series for the first 2/3 and thus weakening the villain arc.
** [[spoiler:Alain beating Ash at the Kalos League. Those against it felt that after the far from insignificant amounts of buildup and the heavy hints toward Ash's possible victory that he should've lost to Ash. Those for it point out that Alain was a pretty strong trainer and that his Charizard, the one to beat Ash-Greninja, had already proven himself more than justified in his win, having gone toe to toe with many other strong opponents prior to the League (The fights with the Legendaries and the 10 consecutive Mega Evolution battles come to mind). The debate gets harsher when taking into account whether Alain's victory makes the events of the Team Flare arc and its aftermath, with those in favor feeling it makes the arcs ring stronger by hammering even further how Alain's hollow pursuit of strength led to nothing positive, and detractors claiming that such an arc was not what Ash's journey in Kalos should've led towards when winning the League was his major focus throughout every other series.]]
* Alola: The radical art style change, shift to a stationary, school-based SliceOfLife story and Ash's more expressive personality are seen as a breath of fresh air to the series to some, while to others it [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks changes the series too much and removes what made Pokémon enjoyable in the first place]] due to no traveling and a lack of battles that had become the norm, and also has an art style that is at direct odds with all of the previous series.
** The stationary setting is seen as either a positive, giving Ash the ability to return to a fixed location after his adventures while allowing more recurring characters rather than just characters of the day, or it's a negative since it strips Ash of his wanderlust and removes one of the core components of the games and anime from the series, while giving a CompressedAdaptation of all other islands but Melemele.
** The upgraded animation is a major point of contention. It's either good because it makes every movement smooth or it's wasted potential by being used for expressions and funny faces instead of the battles where it's arguably most needed.
** The idea that Ash can transform his Electrium-Z into a Pikashunium-Z. Its either an AuthorsSavingThrow for those who wanted Ash's Pikachu to have his own Bond Phenomenon with Ash or a complete AssPull.
** Finally having [[OlympusMons several mythical Pokemon officially caught by (or at least allocated to) main characters]]. Some enjoy the taboo finally being broken and rare Pokemon being allowed in as main characters utilized by the protagonists. Others complain it takes away their elusiveness and makes them more generic. Then there are others who are merely split over the execution, particularly with so many given to trainers all at once, along with some of them [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter barely doing anything afterwards in spite of their status]] [[spoiler:before being unceremoniously released.]]
** The lack of entry qualifications for the Alola League, leading to just about every recurring character in the series taking part. Some enjoyed this premise as a formula breaker from the usual arc, with both the league and its build-up development allowing for a proper final hurrah for the Alola cast. Others complained that it diminished the prestigiousness of the tournament, with half of the protagonists feeling shoehorned in due to lacking battle experience or motives (indeed Mallow and Lillie were eliminated early in), not to mention the lack of as many accomplished battlers diminishing [[spoiler: Ash's long awaited victory]].
** [[spoiler:Ash winning the Alola League. On one hand, people were just glad that after 20 years of failures, Ash Ketchum finally got a league win under his belt and that Gladion was a well enough established rival to make the victory meaningful. Others, however, felt that Ash's victory was [[AntiClimax too lackluster]] after 20 years of buildup, that he was far more deserving of it in other leagues (Sinnoh and Kalos being the top choices), and that the questionable writing choices leading up to the victory largely dampened the feeling of accomplishment from it. A large factor of the split is how the victory feels in the vacuum of the ''Sun and Moon'' series alone compared to it being the culmination of Ash trying to win a League for 20 years.]]
*** [[spoiler:As an addendum to this, whether Ash VS Kukui makes up for the lackluster victory or not. While people tend to agree on the battle being at the very least decent, fans are split on it due to its nature as an exhibition match with mostly symbolic value: supporters say that it helps finishing the Alola season on a strong note that fits the series's themes of family and fun alongside allowing Ash and Pikachu to prove themselves against Tapu Koko one last time in a suitably climatic fashion, while detractors tend to point out how being an exhibition match meant that Ash's victory in the League was never at stake even if he lost (making its 4-episode long duration feel way too long relative to its importance), and claim that stuff like Tapu Koko forcing himself in the supposed battle of family between Ash and Kukui muddles the aforementioned themes for the sake of closing everything the series had left quickly.]]
* Journeys: Good for continuing to try new things, fixing many problems people had with ''Sun and Moon'', allowing Ash to catch several highly requested fan favorites (especially [[spoiler:a Riolu]]), having interesting character development (particularly with Goh), and the region-hopping premise opening up several possibilities previous regional series couldn't take advantage of, or bad for [[RetCanon pulling elements from the divisive]] ''VideoGame/PokemonGo'' (Goh as a character and the egg redesigns being the most controversial), breaking several staples of the series, Goh's perceived status as a SpotlightStealingSquad, several pacing problems including a ProlongedPrologue (with Ash only getting his own goal for the season in episode ''13'') and the consequent lower attention given to Galar due to having to share screentime with the previous seven mainline regions.
** Similar to Alola's situation, whether Goh should be allowed to catch legendaries and mythicals became debated the moment his goal was established. Some believed it was only natural that his goal would lead him to start targeting legendaries sooner or later and feel it would show how he grew as a trainer. Those against it believed that, similar to Alola, Goh having legendaries/mythicals would diminish their value and that they wouldn't be used often. Detractors of Goh in particular also felt it would only add to Goh's overexposure in the series. This debate flared up considerably on multiple occasions; [[spoiler:when Goh caught Eternatus (but didn't keep it), when he narrowly failed to capture Zapdos and when he succeeded in catching Suicune.]]
%%
%%
%% Keep in mind that Administrivia/ExamplesAreNotRecent and that all entries have a 6 month waiting period until they qualify as a legitimate entry.
%%
%%
%%
Given that the anime has run for [[LongRunners over 20 years and counting]], there is bound to be some aspects of the show that people have different opinions about.
----
!Series Wide
* The series itself is very divisive among older fans, more so than other ''Pokémon'' incarnations. It's either an awesome cartoon [[FirstInstallmentWins that you]] [[NostalgiaFilter grew up with]], a GuiltyPleasure that's had its ups and downs, or an embarrassing FranchiseZombie that needs to be [[AdaptationDisplacement kept as far away from the games as possible]]. In this respect, it's considered the '90s equivalent of ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'' and ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987'', both of which have similarly divisive "were they good or was it all just nostalgia" reputations.
* A section of the fanbase is split on if the show's focus should be on highlighting and progressing CharacterDevelopment with serious arcs and a strong narrative, or rather be on entertaining episodes with little regard for the larger picture. Fans of the former usually favor entries that highlight Ash's veteran trainer status and face him and his companions with problems to overcome in terms of rivalry or internal struggles, and feel the show should focus on portraying him as a skilled trainer and progress as a character, and tend to perceive entries where his skills and/or personality hit the ResetButton back to square one as going against what the show should be about; fans of the latter tend to favor episodic storytelling, a take on Ash that highlights his more amusing and/or ButtMonkey sides, wacky plotlines and amusing interactions between the cast members over major plot beats, either being largely uninterested in development or finding the major plotlines of the show to be nothing remarkable on the whole or pointing out their futility if none of it is guaranteed to carry over to the next entry.
* Which is the better English Dub, [=TPCi=] or [=4Kids=]? Those in support of [=TPCi=] cite their more accurate translations, none of the [[{{Bowdlerise}} Bowdlerization]] that [=4Kids=] was known for, and far less of a gap between the Japanese airings and the dubs (Before [=TPCi=] picked up the dubbing, it was a near year-long gap. As of ''Sun and Moon'' the gap is just over 4 months). Those in favor of [=4Kids=] feel that they had better dialogue and a wittier script especially with Team Rocket, and they had better voice acting with a cast of voice actors that fit the characters more. Said people in favor of 4Kids point out that despite [=4Kids=] known reputation for replacing the score, it was nowhere near as bad as [=TPCi=] got post ''Best Wishes'', and their music at least carried some charm that [=TCPi=]'s dub OST lacks. Those in support of the 4Kids dub also believe that [=4Kids=] simply put more effort and love into their dub, something that [=TPCi=]'s dub has never been able to recapture, and even though they were prone to make more translation errors compared to [=TPCi=], they fixed those errors in later episodes and were still mostly accurate with their translating. This was most noticeable with the dubbing of ''Anime/PokemonIChooseYou'', which had some fans demanding that Creator/VeronicaTaylor return to voice Ash, while others argued that Sarah Natochenny, having voiced the role for over 10 years by that point, was now the definitive Ash.
* The depiction of certain legendaries as "merely" very rare species and not [[SingleSpecimenSpecies lone individuals on par with gods]]. Either it makes complete sense as Legendaries are shown to breed in the anime, or it [[UniquenessDecay cheapens the awe of seeing them]].
* The league. For over twenty years, fans and detractors of the anime have argued back and forth over this part of Ash's journey. Supporters, while annoyed at Ash's constant losses, defend its presence in the show's StoryArc and believe it is a vital part of Ash's journey, alongside a framework through which his progress can be measured, his rivalries be developed and concluded, and provide each regional adventure with a climax related to Ash's skill as a trainer. Detractors often point to how the anime's formula surrounds the league conference and thus causes the plot to feel formulaic and boring to them, alongside compounding the issues of Ash's continued role as the show's protagonist by making each new region's tournament a ShaggyDogStory that he's fated not to win. ''Sun and Moon'' brought this to a head with it's handling of the Alola League.
* Releasing Pokemon. Either it's a good way to keep the cast from having Pokemon who could become [[StoryBreakerPower too overpowered]] to make anything interesting or it [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter wastes a perfectly good member of the team]] for seemingly no reason.
* The benching of all of Ash's Pokemon (except [[SeriesMascot Pikachu]]) whenever he goes to a new region post-Johto. Those for it feel that it allows new Pokemon from other regions to get their chance to shine while also preventing Ash from becoming too strong with a team he's already built up. Those against it feel that benching them essentially [[PutOnABus writes them out of the show for good]], especially post-Sinnoh, where Ash's older Pokemon are rarely seen apart from [[WolverinePublicity Charizard]] and Bulbasaur.
* Which series is canon? Ever since ''BW'', the fanbase has debated whether a series is canon or not with the only series universally agreed upon being ''OS'' to ''DP''. Many fans who believe ''BW'' and ''SM'' are not canon point to how tonally different they are with the former series going so far as to remove some of Ash's knowledge as a trainer to give a fresh feel to him. They also believe that ''XY'' was a return to the original universe and Ash's Unova journey was just an alternate universe. While ''SM'' had mistranslated tweets about the canonicity to serve as "evidence" for its status as an alternate universe. People who argue all series are canon point to the numerous [[CallBack references to past events and cameos by old characters]], going so far as to say the people who deny events happen as [[NoTrueScotsman not real fans of the show]] or telling them that they're trying to elevate their {{Fanon}} equal to canon. Those who argue that these series aren't canon say that [[WildMassGuess similar events couldn't have happened in an alternate universe]]. ''Journeys'' established that all series are canon by displaying achievements from all series, rendering the argument moot, but the debate manages to rock the fandom.
!Seasons
* Kanto: Considered good by some due to feeling fresh (before becoming a FranchiseZombie), with some good humor and an enjoyable cast chemistry, while to others it's seen as reeking of EarlyInstallmentWeirdness that's subject to NostalgiaFilter, and riddled with inconsistencies (both in itself and to the games) that later series avoided.
* Hoenn: Misty's departure and May's introduction served as this, as to some, Misty being replaced removed a vibrant cast member who was part of Ash's early core development, while others enjoyed having a new character with a more concrete goal, making her a {{Deuteragonist}} alongside Ash, and helped turn him into a mentor.
** Ash's lack of a rival is seen as either a positive as it allowed him to grow solely on his own and embrace a mentor role, or it detracted from the series by giving him no challenge outside of the Gyms and Battle Frontier.
* Sinnoh: The finale of the region either suffered from ArcFatigue (with a 52 episode gap between the 7th and 8th badges), or was well-paced with enough interesting things that made up for the gap (6v6 between Ash and Paul, Team Galactic finale, Grand Festival).
** Dawn's Contest career was either a step up from May's, with more complex strategies and rules, or just a rehash of May's own arc that made Dawn live in her shadow. Furthered by the fact that they are the only two main characters to have the same goal in the series.
** The Grand Festival semi-final battle (Zoey vs. Nando) was considered spectacular on both sides and agreed to be one of the best moments of ''Diamond & Pearl,'' but a bit of contention exists regarding who should have won it. Some fans concur that, yes, Zoey deserved to win considering her CharacterDevelopment throughout the series and buildup of her rivalry with Dawn. Others believe that Nando should have won considering his skill at both Contests and Gym Battles, and that him facing Dawn in the finals would have been a good way to make up for his lack of screentime in the series.
** While most agree that Chimchar had a strong plot and CharacterDevelopment that tied into the rivalry between Ash and Paul, some feel this didn't justify him becoming a SpotlightStealingSquad [[note]]Chimchar takes out 2 of each Gym Leader's Pokémon from Fantina on, is one of two Pokémon to take down one of Paul's in the Lake Acuity battle, and takes out '''three''' of Paul's Pokémon at the Sinnoh league[[/note]], while others believe that Chimchar's story justifies this status.
* Unova: The series can be seen as starting off strong with Team Rocket [[TookALevelInBadass gaining newfound competence and importance]] along with a brisker pacing compared to the previous series, or is seen as the same with Ash [[TookALevelInDumbass gaining newfound ''in''competence]], replacing previous, well-liked companions with a new cast entirely, and moving so fast that it resorted to an entire FillerArc at the end.
** Team Plasma's arc was seen as either a passable villain arc that made up for the Unova League, or was a shadow of its game plot that had plenty of [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter misfires and wasted arcs when it came to Charizard, N and Team Plasma's motivations]].
* Kalos: While some see the series as strong thanks to Ash's [[TookALevelInBadass newfound maturity]], a LoveInterest for Ash in the form of Serena, and a strong villain climax rife with CharacterDevelopment, others believe that it came at the expense of making Ash into a FlatCharacter, had too much Ash CharacterShilling, and that Showcases were a poor substitution for Contests that made Serena seem like a SatelliteLoveInterest.
** The Mega Evolution Specials were either a great side series that developed Alain and Mairin into characters in their own rights, irrespective of Ash, or were the reason that Team Flare didn't enter the series for the first 2/3 and thus weakening the villain arc.
** [[spoiler:Alain beating Ash at the Kalos League. Those against it felt that after the far from insignificant amounts of buildup and the heavy hints toward Ash's possible victory that he should've lost to Ash. Those for it point out that Alain was a pretty strong trainer and that his Charizard, the one to beat Ash-Greninja, had already proven himself more than justified in his win, having gone toe to toe with many other strong opponents prior to the League (The fights with the Legendaries and the 10 consecutive Mega Evolution battles come to mind). The debate gets harsher when taking into account whether Alain's victory makes the events of the Team Flare arc and its aftermath, with those in favor feeling it makes the arcs ring stronger by hammering even further how Alain's hollow pursuit of strength led to nothing positive, and detractors claiming that such an arc was not what Ash's journey in Kalos should've led towards when winning the League was his major focus throughout every other series.]]
* Alola: The radical art style change, shift to a stationary, school-based SliceOfLife story and Ash's more expressive personality are seen as a breath of fresh air to the series to some, while to others it [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks changes the series too much and removes what made Pokémon enjoyable in the first place]] due to no traveling and a lack of battles that had become the norm, and also has an art style that is at direct odds with all of the previous series.
** The stationary setting is seen as either a positive, giving Ash the ability to return to a fixed location after his adventures while allowing more recurring characters rather than just characters of the day, or it's a negative since it strips Ash of his wanderlust and removes one of the core components of the games and anime from the series, while giving a CompressedAdaptation of all other islands but Melemele.
** The upgraded animation is a major point of contention. It's either good because it makes every movement smooth or it's wasted potential by being used for expressions and funny faces instead of the battles where it's arguably most needed.
** The idea that Ash can transform his Electrium-Z into a Pikashunium-Z. Its either an AuthorsSavingThrow for those who wanted Ash's Pikachu to have his own Bond Phenomenon with Ash or a complete AssPull.
** Finally having [[OlympusMons several mythical Pokemon officially caught by (or at least allocated to) main characters]]. Some enjoy the taboo finally being broken and rare Pokemon being allowed in as main characters utilized by the protagonists. Others complain it takes away their elusiveness and makes them more generic. Then there are others who are merely split over the execution, particularly with so many given to trainers all at once, along with some of them [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter barely doing anything afterwards in spite of their status]] [[spoiler:before being unceremoniously released.]]
** The lack of entry qualifications for the Alola League, leading to just about every recurring character in the series taking part. Some enjoyed this premise as a formula breaker from the usual arc, with both the league and its build-up development allowing for a proper final hurrah for the Alola cast. Others complained that it diminished the prestigiousness of the tournament, with half of the protagonists feeling shoehorned in due to lacking battle experience or motives (indeed Mallow and Lillie were eliminated early in), not to mention the lack of as many accomplished battlers diminishing [[spoiler: Ash's long awaited victory]].
** [[spoiler:Ash winning the Alola League. On one hand, people were just glad that after 20 years of failures, Ash Ketchum finally got a league win under his belt and that Gladion was a well enough established rival to make the victory meaningful. Others, however, felt that Ash's victory was [[AntiClimax too lackluster]] after 20 years of buildup, that he was far more deserving of it in other leagues (Sinnoh and Kalos being the top choices), and that the questionable writing choices leading up to the victory largely dampened the feeling of accomplishment from it. A large factor of the split is how the victory feels in the vacuum of the ''Sun and Moon'' series alone compared to it being the culmination of Ash trying to win a League for 20 years.]]
*** [[spoiler:As an addendum to this, whether Ash VS Kukui makes up for the lackluster victory or not. While people tend to agree on the battle being at the very least decent, fans are split on it due to its nature as an exhibition match with mostly symbolic value: supporters say that it helps finishing the Alola season on a strong note that fits the series's themes of family and fun alongside allowing Ash and Pikachu to prove themselves against Tapu Koko one last time in a suitably climatic fashion, while detractors tend to point out how being an exhibition match meant that Ash's victory in the League was never at stake even if he lost (making its 4-episode long duration feel way too long relative to its importance), and claim that stuff like Tapu Koko forcing himself in the supposed battle of family between Ash and Kukui muddles the aforementioned themes for the sake of closing everything the series had left quickly.]]
* Journeys: Good for continuing to try new things, fixing many problems people had with ''Sun and Moon'', allowing Ash to catch several highly requested fan favorites (especially [[spoiler:a Riolu]]), having interesting character development (particularly with Goh), and the region-hopping premise opening up several possibilities previous regional series couldn't take advantage of, or bad for [[RetCanon pulling elements from the divisive]] ''VideoGame/PokemonGo'' (Goh as a character and the egg redesigns being the most controversial), breaking several staples of the series, Goh's perceived status as a SpotlightStealingSquad, several pacing problems including a ProlongedPrologue (with Ash only getting his own goal for the season in episode ''13'') and the consequent lower attention given to Galar due to having to share screentime with the previous seven mainline regions.
** Similar to Alola's situation, whether Goh should be allowed to catch legendaries and mythicals became debated the moment his goal was established. Some believed it was only natural that his goal would lead him to start targeting legendaries sooner or later and feel it would show how he grew as a trainer. Those against it believed that, similar to Alola, Goh having legendaries/mythicals would diminish their value and that they wouldn't be used often. Detractors of Goh in particular also felt it would only add to Goh's overexposure in the series. This debate flared up considerably on multiple occasions; [[spoiler:when Goh caught Eternatus (but didn't keep it), when he narrowly failed to capture Zapdos and when he succeeded in catching Suicune.]]
to:
%%
%%
%% Keep in mind that Administrivia/ExamplesAreNotRecent and that all entries have a 6 month waiting period until they qualify as a legitimate entry.
%%
%%
%%
Given that the anime has run for [[LongRunners over 20 years and counting]], there is bound to be some aspects of the show that people have different opinions about.
----
!Series Wide
* The series itself is very divisive among older fans, more so than other ''Pokémon'' incarnations. It's either an awesome cartoon [[FirstInstallmentWins that you]] [[NostalgiaFilter grew up with]], a GuiltyPleasure that's had its ups and downs, or an embarrassing FranchiseZombie that needs to be [[AdaptationDisplacement kept as far away from the games as possible]]. In this respect, it's considered the '90s equivalent of ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'' and ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987'', both of which have similarly divisive "were they good or was it all just nostalgia" reputations.
* A section of the fanbase is split on if the show's focus should be on highlighting and progressing CharacterDevelopment with serious arcs and a strong narrative, or rather be on entertaining episodes with little regard for the larger picture. Fans of the former usually favor entries that highlight Ash's veteran trainer status and face him and his companions with problems to overcome in terms of rivalry or internal struggles, and feel the show should focus on portraying him as a skilled trainer and progress as a character, and tend to perceive entries where his skills and/or personality hit the ResetButton back to square one as going against what the show should be about; fans of the latter tend to favor episodic storytelling, a take on Ash that highlights his more amusing and/or ButtMonkey sides, wacky plotlines and amusing interactions between the cast members over major plot beats, either being largely uninterested in development or finding the major plotlines of the show to be nothing remarkable on the whole or pointing out their futility if none of it is guaranteed to carry over to the next entry.
* Which is the better English Dub, [=TPCi=] or [=4Kids=]? Those in support of [=TPCi=] cite their more accurate translations, none of the [[{{Bowdlerise}} Bowdlerization]] that [=4Kids=] was known for, and far less of a gap between the Japanese airings and the dubs (Before [=TPCi=] picked up the dubbing, it was a near year-long gap. As of ''Sun and Moon'' the gap is just over 4 months). Those in favor of [=4Kids=] feel that they had better dialogue and a wittier script especially with Team Rocket, and they had better voice acting with a cast of voice actors that fit the characters more. Said people in favor of 4Kids point out that despite [=4Kids=] known reputation for replacing the score, it was nowhere near as bad as [=TPCi=] got post ''Best Wishes'', and their music at least carried some charm that [=TCPi=]'s dub OST lacks. Those in support of the 4Kids dub also believe that [=4Kids=] simply put more effort and love into their dub, something that [=TPCi=]'s dub has never been able to recapture, and even though they were prone to make more translation errors compared to [=TPCi=], they fixed those errors in later episodes and were still mostly accurate with their translating. This was most noticeable with the dubbing of ''Anime/PokemonIChooseYou'', which had some fans demanding that Creator/VeronicaTaylor return to voice Ash, while others argued that Sarah Natochenny, having voiced the role for over 10 years by that point, was now the definitive Ash.
* The depiction of certain legendaries as "merely" very rare species and not [[SingleSpecimenSpecies lone individuals on par with gods]]. Either it makes complete sense as Legendaries are shown to breed in the anime, or it [[UniquenessDecay cheapens the awe of seeing them]].
* The league. For over twenty years, fans and detractors of the anime have argued back and forth over this part of Ash's journey. Supporters, while annoyed at Ash's constant losses, defend its presence in the show's StoryArc and believe it is a vital part of Ash's journey, alongside a framework through which his progress can be measured, his rivalries be developed and concluded, and provide each regional adventure with a climax related to Ash's skill as a trainer. Detractors often point to how the anime's formula surrounds the league conference and thus causes the plot to feel formulaic and boring to them, alongside compounding the issues of Ash's continued role as the show's protagonist by making each new region's tournament a ShaggyDogStory that he's fated not to win. ''Sun and Moon'' brought this to a head with it's handling of the Alola League.
* Releasing Pokemon. Either it's a good way to keep the cast from having Pokemon who could become [[StoryBreakerPower too overpowered]] to make anything interesting or it [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter wastes a perfectly good member of the team]] for seemingly no reason.
* The benching of all of Ash's Pokemon (except [[SeriesMascot Pikachu]]) whenever he goes to a new region post-Johto. Those for it feel that it allows new Pokemon from other regions to get their chance to shine while also preventing Ash from becoming too strong with a team he's already built up. Those against it feel that benching them essentially [[PutOnABus writes them out of the show for good]], especially post-Sinnoh, where Ash's older Pokemon are rarely seen apart from [[WolverinePublicity Charizard]] and Bulbasaur.
* Which series is canon? Ever since ''BW'', the fanbase has debated whether a series is canon or not with the only series universally agreed upon being ''OS'' to ''DP''. Many fans who believe ''BW'' and ''SM'' are not canon point to how tonally different they are with the former series going so far as to remove some of Ash's knowledge as a trainer to give a fresh feel to him. They also believe that ''XY'' was a return to the original universe and Ash's Unova journey was just an alternate universe. While ''SM'' had mistranslated tweets about the canonicity to serve as "evidence" for its status as an alternate universe. People who argue all series are canon point to the numerous [[CallBack references to past events and cameos by old characters]], going so far as to say the people who deny events happen as [[NoTrueScotsman not real fans of the show]] or telling them that they're trying to elevate their {{Fanon}} equal to canon. Those who argue that these series aren't canon say that [[WildMassGuess similar events couldn't have happened in an alternate universe]]. ''Journeys'' established that all series are canon by displaying achievements from all series, rendering the argument moot, but the debate manages to rock the fandom.
!Seasons
* Kanto: Considered good by some due to feeling fresh (before becoming a FranchiseZombie), with some good humor and an enjoyable cast chemistry, while to others it's seen as reeking of EarlyInstallmentWeirdness that's subject to NostalgiaFilter, and riddled with inconsistencies (both in itself and to the games) that later series avoided.
* Hoenn: Misty's departure and May's introduction served as this, as to some, Misty being replaced removed a vibrant cast member who was part of Ash's early core development, while others enjoyed having a new character with a more concrete goal, making her a {{Deuteragonist}} alongside Ash, and helped turn him into a mentor.
** Ash's lack of a rival is seen as either a positive as it allowed him to grow solely on his own and embrace a mentor role, or it detracted from the series by giving him no challenge outside of the Gyms and Battle Frontier.
* Sinnoh: The finale of the region either suffered from ArcFatigue (with a 52 episode gap between the 7th and 8th badges), or was well-paced with enough interesting things that made up for the gap (6v6 between Ash and Paul, Team Galactic finale, Grand Festival).
** Dawn's Contest career was either a step up from May's, with more complex strategies and rules, or just a rehash of May's own arc that made Dawn live in her shadow. Furthered by the fact that they are the only two main characters to have the same goal in the series.
** The Grand Festival semi-final battle (Zoey vs. Nando) was considered spectacular on both sides and agreed to be one of the best moments of ''Diamond & Pearl,'' but a bit of contention exists regarding who should have won it. Some fans concur that, yes, Zoey deserved to win considering her CharacterDevelopment throughout the series and buildup of her rivalry with Dawn. Others believe that Nando should have won considering his skill at both Contests and Gym Battles, and that him facing Dawn in the finals would have been a good way to make up for his lack of screentime in the series.
** While most agree that Chimchar had a strong plot and CharacterDevelopment that tied into the rivalry between Ash and Paul, some feel this didn't justify him becoming a SpotlightStealingSquad [[note]]Chimchar takes out 2 of each Gym Leader's Pokémon from Fantina on, is one of two Pokémon to take down one of Paul's in the Lake Acuity battle, and takes out '''three''' of Paul's Pokémon at the Sinnoh league[[/note]], while others believe that Chimchar's story justifies this status.
* Unova: The series can be seen as starting off strong with Team Rocket [[TookALevelInBadass gaining newfound competence and importance]] along with a brisker pacing compared to the previous series, or is seen as the same with Ash [[TookALevelInDumbass gaining newfound ''in''competence]], replacing previous, well-liked companions with a new cast entirely, and moving so fast that it resorted to an entire FillerArc at the end.
** Team Plasma's arc was seen as either a passable villain arc that made up for the Unova League, or was a shadow of its game plot that had plenty of [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter misfires and wasted arcs when it came to Charizard, N and Team Plasma's motivations]].
* Kalos: While some see the series as strong thanks to Ash's [[TookALevelInBadass newfound maturity]], a LoveInterest for Ash in the form of Serena, and a strong villain climax rife with CharacterDevelopment, others believe that it came at the expense of making Ash into a FlatCharacter, had too much Ash CharacterShilling, and that Showcases were a poor substitution for Contests that made Serena seem like a SatelliteLoveInterest.
** The Mega Evolution Specials were either a great side series that developed Alain and Mairin into characters in their own rights, irrespective of Ash, or were the reason that Team Flare didn't enter the series for the first 2/3 and thus weakening the villain arc.
** [[spoiler:Alain beating Ash at the Kalos League. Those against it felt that after the far from insignificant amounts of buildup and the heavy hints toward Ash's possible victory that he should've lost to Ash. Those for it point out that Alain was a pretty strong trainer and that his Charizard, the one to beat Ash-Greninja, had already proven himself more than justified in his win, having gone toe to toe with many other strong opponents prior to the League (The fights with the Legendaries and the 10 consecutive Mega Evolution battles come to mind). The debate gets harsher when taking into account whether Alain's victory makes the events of the Team Flare arc and its aftermath, with those in favor feeling it makes the arcs ring stronger by hammering even further how Alain's hollow pursuit of strength led to nothing positive, and detractors claiming that such an arc was not what Ash's journey in Kalos should've led towards when winning the League was his major focus throughout every other series.]]
* Alola: The radical art style change, shift to a stationary, school-based SliceOfLife story and Ash's more expressive personality are seen as a breath of fresh air to the series to some, while to others it [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks changes the series too much and removes what made Pokémon enjoyable in the first place]] due to no traveling and a lack of battles that had become the norm, and also has an art style that is at direct odds with all of the previous series.
** The stationary setting is seen as either a positive, giving Ash the ability to return to a fixed location after his adventures while allowing more recurring characters rather than just characters of the day, or it's a negative since it strips Ash of his wanderlust and removes one of the core components of the games and anime from the series, while giving a CompressedAdaptation of all other islands but Melemele.
** The upgraded animation is a major point of contention. It's either good because it makes every movement smooth or it's wasted potential by being used for expressions and funny faces instead of the battles where it's arguably most needed.
** The idea that Ash can transform his Electrium-Z into a Pikashunium-Z. Its either an AuthorsSavingThrow for those who wanted Ash's Pikachu to have his own Bond Phenomenon with Ash or a complete AssPull.
** Finally having [[OlympusMons several mythical Pokemon officially caught by (or at least allocated to) main characters]]. Some enjoy the taboo finally being broken and rare Pokemon being allowed in as main characters utilized by the protagonists. Others complain it takes away their elusiveness and makes them more generic. Then there are others who are merely split over the execution, particularly with so many given to trainers all at once, along with some of them [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter barely doing anything afterwards in spite of their status]] [[spoiler:before being unceremoniously released.]]
** The lack of entry qualifications for the Alola League, leading to just about every recurring character in the series taking part. Some enjoyed this premise as a formula breaker from the usual arc, with both the league and its build-up development allowing for a proper final hurrah for the Alola cast. Others complained that it diminished the prestigiousness of the tournament, with half of the protagonists feeling shoehorned in due to lacking battle experience or motives (indeed Mallow and Lillie were eliminated early in), not to mention the lack of as many accomplished battlers diminishing [[spoiler: Ash's long awaited victory]].
** [[spoiler:Ash winning the Alola League. On one hand, people were just glad that after 20 years of failures, Ash Ketchum finally got a league win under his belt and that Gladion was a well enough established rival to make the victory meaningful. Others, however, felt that Ash's victory was [[AntiClimax too lackluster]] after 20 years of buildup, that he was far more deserving of it in other leagues (Sinnoh and Kalos being the top choices), and that the questionable writing choices leading up to the victory largely dampened the feeling of accomplishment from it. A large factor of the split is how the victory feels in the vacuum of the ''Sun and Moon'' series alone compared to it being the culmination of Ash trying to win a League for 20 years.]]
*** [[spoiler:As an addendum to this, whether Ash VS Kukui makes up for the lackluster victory or not. While people tend to agree on the battle being at the very least decent, fans are split on it due to its nature as an exhibition match with mostly symbolic value: supporters say that it helps finishing the Alola season on a strong note that fits the series's themes of family and fun alongside allowing Ash and Pikachu to prove themselves against Tapu Koko one last time in a suitably climatic fashion, while detractors tend to point out how being an exhibition match meant that Ash's victory in the League was never at stake even if he lost (making its 4-episode long duration feel way too long relative to its importance), and claim that stuff like Tapu Koko forcing himself in the supposed battle of family between Ash and Kukui muddles the aforementioned themes for the sake of closing everything the series had left quickly.]]
* Journeys: Good for continuing to try new things, fixing many problems people had with ''Sun and Moon'', allowing Ash to catch several highly requested fan favorites (especially [[spoiler:a Riolu]]), having interesting character development (particularly with Goh), and the region-hopping premise opening up several possibilities previous regional series couldn't take advantage of, or bad for [[RetCanon pulling elements from the divisive]] ''VideoGame/PokemonGo'' (Goh as a character and the egg redesigns being the most controversial), breaking several staples of the series, Goh's perceived status as a SpotlightStealingSquad, several pacing problems including a ProlongedPrologue (with Ash only getting his own goal for the season in episode ''13'') and the consequent lower attention given to Galar due to having to share screentime with the previous seven mainline regions.
** Similar to Alola's situation, whether Goh should be allowed to catch legendaries and mythicals became debated the moment his goal was established. Some believed it was only natural that his goal would lead him to start targeting legendaries sooner or later and feel it would show how he grew as a trainer. Those against it believed that, similar to Alola, Goh having legendaries/mythicals would diminish their value and that they wouldn't be used often. Detractors of Goh in particular also felt it would only add to Goh's overexposure in the series. This debate flared up considerably on multiple occasions; [[spoiler:when Goh caught Eternatus (but didn't keep it), when he narrowly failed to capture Zapdos and when he succeeded in catching Suicune.]]
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Sub v dub already on ymmv
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* The SubbingVersusDubbing debate exists and is a persistent debate. Originally, the fanbase was strictly on the side of the dubs; however, as the Japanese version became more popular due to it becoming easier to access for overseas audiences, the launch of Dogasu's Backpack and the change in dubbing companies, the quality of the English voices, music, and scripts became debated compared to the subs.
* Which is the better English Dub, [=TPCi=] or [=4Kids=]? Those in support of [=TPCi=] cite their more accurate translations, none of the [[{{Bowdlerise}} Bowdlerization]] that [=4Kids=] was known for, and far less of a gap between the Japanese airings and the dubs (Before [=TPCi=] picked up the dubbing, it was a near year-long gap. As of ''Sun and Moon'' the gap is just over 4 months). Those in favor of [=4Kids=] feel that they had better dialogue and a wittier script especially with Team Rocket, and they had better voice acting with a cast of voice actors that fit the characters more. Said people in favor of 4Kids point out that despite [=4Kids=] known reputation for replacing the score, it was nowhere near as bad as [=TPCi=] got post ''Best Wishes'', and their music at least carried some charm that [=TCPi=]'s dub OST lacks. Those in support of the 4Kids dub also believe that [=4Kids=] simply put more effort and love into their dub, something that [=TPCi=]'s dub has never been able to recapture, and even though they were prone to make more translation errors compared to [=TPCi=], they fixed those errors in later episodes and were still mostly accurate with their translating.
** This was most noticeable with the dubbing of ''Anime/PokemonIChooseYou'', which had some fans demanding that Creator/VeronicaTaylor return to voice Ash, while others argued that Sarah Natochenny, having voiced the role for over 10 years by that point, was now the definitive Ash.
* The depiction of certain legendaries as "merely" very rare species and not [[SingleSpecimenSpecies lone individuals on par with gods]]. Either it makes complete sense as Legendaries are shown to breed, or it [[UniquenessDecay cheapens the awe of seeing them]].
* The league. For over twenty years, fans and detractors of the anime have argued back and forth over this part of Ash's journey. Supporters, while annoyed at Ash's constant losses, defend its presence in the show's StoryArc and believe it is a vital part of Ash's journey, alongside a framework through which his progress can be measured, his rivalries be developed and concluded, and provide each regional adventure with a climax related to Ash's skill as a trainer. Detractors often point to how the anime's formula surrounds the league conference and thus causes the plot to feel formulaic and boring to them, alongside compounding the issues of Ash's continued role as the show's protagonist by making each new region's tournament a ShaggyDogStory that he's fated not to win. ''Sun and Moon'' brought this to a head by either proving that the show would be better off removing this part of its formula, or displaying that it needs it to give the series direction and development, furthering the divide when the Alola League was announced and led to every character getting power-ups in the thirteen episodes preceding the League.
* Releasing Pokemon. Either it's a good way to keep the main cast from having Pokemon who could become [[StoryBreakerPower too overpowered]] to make anything interesting or it [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter wastes a perfectly good member of the team]] for seemingly no reason.
* The benching of all of Ash's Pokemon (except [[SeriesMascot Pikachu]]) whenever he goes to a new region post-Johto. Those for it feel that it allows new Pokemon from other regions to get their chance to shine while also preventing Ash from becoming too strong with a team he's already built up. Those against it feel that benching them essentially [[PutOnABus writes them out of the show for good]], especially post Battle Frontier, where Ash's older Pokemon are rarely seen apart from [[WolverinePublicity Charizard]] and Bulbasaur.
* Which series is canon? Ever since the ''BW'' series, the fanbase has debated whether a series is canon or not with the only series universally agreed upon being the ''OS'' to ''DP'' series. Many fans who believe ''BW'' and ''SM'' are not canon point to how tonally different they are with the former series going so far as to remove some of Ash's knowledge as a trainer to give a fresh feel to him. They also believe that ''XY'' was a return to the original universe and Ash's Unova journey was just an alternate universe. While ''SM'' had mistranslated tweets about the canonicity to serve as "evidence" for its status as an alternate universe. People who argue all series are canon point to the numerous [[CallBack references to past events and cameos by old characters]], going so far as to say the people who deny events happen as [[NoTrueScotsman not real fans of the show]] or telling them that they're trying to elevate their {{Fanon}} equal to canon. Those who argue that these series aren't canon say that [[WildMassGuess similar events couldn't have happened in an alternate universe]]. ''Journeys'' established that all series are canon by displaying achievements from all series, rendering the argument moot, but the debate manages to rock the fandom.
* Which is the better English Dub, [=TPCi=] or [=4Kids=]? Those in support of [=TPCi=] cite their more accurate translations, none of the [[{{Bowdlerise}} Bowdlerization]] that [=4Kids=] was known for, and far less of a gap between the Japanese airings and the dubs (Before [=TPCi=] picked up the dubbing, it was a near year-long gap. As of ''Sun and Moon'' the gap is just over 4 months). Those in favor of [=4Kids=] feel that they had better dialogue and a wittier script especially with Team Rocket, and they had better voice acting with a cast of voice actors that fit the characters more. Said people in favor of 4Kids point out that despite [=4Kids=] known reputation for replacing the score, it was nowhere near as bad as [=TPCi=] got post ''Best Wishes'', and their music at least carried some charm that [=TCPi=]'s dub OST lacks. Those in support of the 4Kids dub also believe that [=4Kids=] simply put more effort and love into their dub, something that [=TPCi=]'s dub has never been able to recapture, and even though they were prone to make more translation errors compared to [=TPCi=], they fixed those errors in later episodes and were still mostly accurate with their translating.
** This was most noticeable with the dubbing of ''Anime/PokemonIChooseYou'', which had some fans demanding that Creator/VeronicaTaylor return to voice Ash, while others argued that Sarah Natochenny, having voiced the role for over 10 years by that point, was now the definitive Ash.
* The depiction of certain legendaries as "merely" very rare species and not [[SingleSpecimenSpecies lone individuals on par with gods]]. Either it makes complete sense as Legendaries are shown to breed, or it [[UniquenessDecay cheapens the awe of seeing them]].
* The league. For over twenty years, fans and detractors of the anime have argued back and forth over this part of Ash's journey. Supporters, while annoyed at Ash's constant losses, defend its presence in the show's StoryArc and believe it is a vital part of Ash's journey, alongside a framework through which his progress can be measured, his rivalries be developed and concluded, and provide each regional adventure with a climax related to Ash's skill as a trainer. Detractors often point to how the anime's formula surrounds the league conference and thus causes the plot to feel formulaic and boring to them, alongside compounding the issues of Ash's continued role as the show's protagonist by making each new region's tournament a ShaggyDogStory that he's fated not to win. ''Sun and Moon'' brought this to a head by either proving that the show would be better off removing this part of its formula, or displaying that it needs it to give the series direction and development, furthering the divide when the Alola League was announced and led to every character getting power-ups in the thirteen episodes preceding the League.
* Releasing Pokemon. Either it's a good way to keep the main cast from having Pokemon who could become [[StoryBreakerPower too overpowered]] to make anything interesting or it [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter wastes a perfectly good member of the team]] for seemingly no reason.
* The benching of all of Ash's Pokemon (except [[SeriesMascot Pikachu]]) whenever he goes to a new region post-Johto. Those for it feel that it allows new Pokemon from other regions to get their chance to shine while also preventing Ash from becoming too strong with a team he's already built up. Those against it feel that benching them essentially [[PutOnABus writes them out of the show for good]], especially post Battle Frontier, where Ash's older Pokemon are rarely seen apart from [[WolverinePublicity Charizard]] and Bulbasaur.
* Which series is canon? Ever since the ''BW'' series, the fanbase has debated whether a series is canon or not with the only series universally agreed upon being the ''OS'' to ''DP'' series. Many fans who believe ''BW'' and ''SM'' are not canon point to how tonally different they are with the former series going so far as to remove some of Ash's knowledge as a trainer to give a fresh feel to him. They also believe that ''XY'' was a return to the original universe and Ash's Unova journey was just an alternate universe. While ''SM'' had mistranslated tweets about the canonicity to serve as "evidence" for its status as an alternate universe. People who argue all series are canon point to the numerous [[CallBack references to past events and cameos by old characters]], going so far as to say the people who deny events happen as [[NoTrueScotsman not real fans of the show]] or telling them that they're trying to elevate their {{Fanon}} equal to canon. Those who argue that these series aren't canon say that [[WildMassGuess similar events couldn't have happened in an alternate universe]]. ''Journeys'' established that all series are canon by displaying achievements from all series, rendering the argument moot, but the debate manages to rock the fandom.
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**
* The depiction of certain legendaries as "merely" very rare species and not [[SingleSpecimenSpecies lone individuals on par with gods]]. Either it makes complete sense as Legendaries are shown to
* The league. For over twenty years, fans and detractors of the anime have argued back and forth over this part of Ash's journey. Supporters, while annoyed at Ash's constant losses, defend its presence in the show's StoryArc and believe it is a vital part of Ash's journey, alongside a framework through which his progress can be measured, his rivalries be developed and concluded, and provide each regional adventure with a climax related to Ash's skill as a trainer. Detractors often point to how the anime's formula surrounds the league conference and thus causes the plot to feel formulaic and boring to them, alongside compounding the issues of Ash's continued role as the show's protagonist by making each new region's tournament a ShaggyDogStory that he's fated not to win. ''Sun and Moon'' brought this to a head
* Releasing Pokemon. Either it's a good way to keep the
* The benching of all of Ash's Pokemon (except [[SeriesMascot Pikachu]]) whenever he goes to a new region post-Johto. Those for it feel that it allows new Pokemon from other regions to get their chance to shine while also preventing Ash from becoming too strong with a team he's already built up. Those against it feel that benching them essentially [[PutOnABus writes them out of the show for good]], especially
* Which series is canon? Ever since
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* Journeys: Good for continuing to try new things, fixing many problems people had with ''Sun and Moon'', allowing Ash to catch several highly requested fan favorites (especially [[spoiler:a Riolu]]), having interesting character development (particularly with Goh), and the region-hopping premise opening up several possibilities previous regional series couldn't take advantage of, or bad for [[RetCanon pulling elements from the divisive]] ''VideoGame/PokemonGo'' (Goh as a character and the egg redesigns being the most controversial), breaking several staples of the series, Goh's perceived status as a SpotlightStealingSquad, several pacing problems including a ProlongedPrologue (with Ash only getting his own goal for the season in episode ''13'') and the consequent lower attention given to Galar due to having to share screentime with the previous seven mainline regions.
to:
* Journeys: Good for continuing to try new things, fixing many problems people had with ''Sun and Moon'', allowing Ash to catch several highly requested fan favorites (especially [[spoiler:a Riolu]]), having interesting character development (particularly with Goh), and the region-hopping premise opening up several possibilities previous regional series couldn't take advantage of, or bad for [[RetCanon pulling elements from the divisive]] ''VideoGame/PokemonGo'' (Goh as a character and the egg redesigns being the most controversial), breaking several staples of the series, Goh's perceived status as a SpotlightStealingSquad, several pacing problems including a ProlongedPrologue (with Ash only getting his own goal for the season in episode ''13'') and the consequent lower attention given to Galar due to having to share screentime with the previous seven mainline regions.regions.
** Similar to Alola's situation, whether Goh should be allowed to catch legendaries and mythicals became debated the moment his goal was established. Some believed it was only natural that his goal would lead him to start targeting legendaries sooner or later and feel it would show how he grew as a trainer. Those against it believed that, similar to Alola, Goh having legendaries/mythicals would diminish their value and that they wouldn't be used often. Detractors of Goh in particular also felt it would only add to Goh's overexposure in the series. This debate flared up considerably on multiple occasions; [[spoiler:when Goh caught Eternatus (but didn't keep it), when he narrowly failed to capture Zapdos and when he succeeded in catching Suicune.]]
** Similar to Alola's situation, whether Goh should be allowed to catch legendaries and mythicals became debated the moment his goal was established. Some believed it was only natural that his goal would lead him to start targeting legendaries sooner or later and feel it would show how he grew as a trainer. Those against it believed that, similar to Alola, Goh having legendaries/mythicals would diminish their value and that they wouldn't be used often. Detractors of Goh in particular also felt it would only add to Goh's overexposure in the series. This debate flared up considerably on multiple occasions; [[spoiler:when Goh caught Eternatus (but didn't keep it), when he narrowly failed to capture Zapdos and when he succeeded in catching Suicune.]]
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** The Grand Festival semi-final battle (Zoey vs. Nando) was considered spectacular on both sides and agreed to be one of the best moments of the last season, but a bit of contention exists regarding who should have won it. Some fans concur that, yes, Zoey deserved to win considering her CharacterDevelopment throughout the series and buildup of her rivalry with Dawn. Others believe that Nando should have won considering his skill at both Contests and Gym Battles, and that him facing Dawn in the finals would have been a good way to make up for his lack of screentime in the series.
to:
** The Grand Festival semi-final battle (Zoey vs. Nando) was considered spectacular on both sides and agreed to be one of the best moments of the last season, ''Diamond & Pearl,'' but a bit of contention exists regarding who should have won it. Some fans concur that, yes, Zoey deserved to win considering her CharacterDevelopment throughout the series and buildup of her rivalry with Dawn. Others believe that Nando should have won considering his skill at both Contests and Gym Battles, and that him facing Dawn in the finals would have been a good way to make up for his lack of screentime in the series.
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** The Grand Festival semi-final battle (Zoey vs. Nando) was considered spectacular on both sides and agreed to be one of the best moments of the last season, but a bit of contention exists regarding who should have won it. Some fans concur that, yes, Zoey deserved to win considering her CharacterDevelopment throughout the series and buildup of her rivalry with Dawn. Others believe that Nando should have won considering his skill at both Contests and Gym Battles, and that him facing Dawn in the finals would have been a good way to make up for his lack of screentime in the series.
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* The DubbingVersusSubbing debate exists and is a persistent debate. Originally, the fanbase was strictly on the side of the dubs; however, as the Japanese version became more popular due to it becoming easier to access for overseas audiences, the launch of Dogasu's Backpack and the change in dubbing companies, the quality of the English voices, music, and scripts became debated compared to the subs.
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* The DubbingVersusSubbing SubbingVersusDubbing debate exists and is a persistent debate. Originally, the fanbase was strictly on the side of the dubs; however, as the Japanese version became more popular due to it becoming easier to access for overseas audiences, the launch of Dogasu's Backpack and the change in dubbing companies, the quality of the English voices, music, and scripts became debated compared to the subs.
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** The lack of entry qualifications for the Alola League, leading to just about every recurring character in the series taking part. Some enjoyed this premise as a formula breaker from the usual arc, with both the league and its build-up development allowing for a proper final hurrah for the Alola cast. Others complained that it diminished the prestigiousness of the tournament, with half of the protagonists feeling shoehorned in due to lacking battle experience or motives (indeed Mallow and Lillie were eliminated early in), not to mention the lack of as many accomplished battlers diminishing [[spoiler: Ash's long awaited victory]].
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Cleaned up some things (Including switching 'Galar' for Journeys as the Anime has repeatedly proved not to be a Galar series by now), plus correcting some now blatantly untrue claims (as the Visquez battle and the Korrina episode more or less showed continuity is in play directly).
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* Galar: Good for continuing to try new things, fixing many problems people had with ''Sun and Moon'', having interesting character development (particularly with Goh), and the region-hopping premise opening up the floodgates for old characters to finally return, or bad for [[RetCanon pulling]] elements from the divisive ''VideoGame/PokemonGo'' (Goh as a character and the egg redesigns being the most controversial), changing even more than ''Sun and Moon'' did, and still largely refusing to acknowledge the past in spite of the premise giving a good opening for it (the first episode alone had Pikachu's origin story).
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* Galar: Journeys: Good for continuing to try new things, fixing many problems people had with ''Sun and Moon'', allowing Ash to catch several highly requested fan favorites (especially [[spoiler:a Riolu]]), having interesting character development (particularly with Goh), and the region-hopping premise opening up the floodgates for old characters to finally return, several possibilities previous regional series couldn't take advantage of, or bad for [[RetCanon pulling]] pulling elements from the divisive divisive]] ''VideoGame/PokemonGo'' (Goh as a character and the egg redesigns being the most controversial), changing even more than ''Sun and Moon'' did, and still largely refusing to acknowledge the past in spite breaking several staples of the premise giving series, Goh's perceived status as a good opening SpotlightStealingSquad, several pacing problems including a ProlongedPrologue (with Ash only getting his own goal for it (the first the season in episode alone had Pikachu's origin story).''13'') and the consequent lower attention given to Galar due to having to share screentime with the previous seven mainline regions.
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* Galar: Good for continuing to try new things, fixing many problems people had with ''Sun and Moon'', having interesting character development (particularly with Goh), and the region-hopping premise opening up the floodgates for old characters to finally return, or bad for [[RetCanon pulling]] elements from the divisive ''VideoGame/PokemonGo'' (Goh as a character and the egg redesigns being the most controversial), changing even more than ''Sun and Moon'' did, and still largely refusing to acknowledge the past in spite of the premise giving a good opening for it.
to:
* Galar: Good for continuing to try new things, fixing many problems people had with ''Sun and Moon'', having interesting character development (particularly with Goh), and the region-hopping premise opening up the floodgates for old characters to finally return, or bad for [[RetCanon pulling]] elements from the divisive ''VideoGame/PokemonGo'' (Goh as a character and the egg redesigns being the most controversial), changing even more than ''Sun and Moon'' did, and still largely refusing to acknowledge the past in spite of the premise giving a good opening for it.it (the first episode alone had Pikachu's origin story).
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* Which is the better English Dub, [=TCPi=] or [=4Kids=]? Those in support of [=TCPi=] cite their more accurate translations, none of the [[{{Bowdlerise}} Bowdlerization]] that [=4Kids=] was known for, and far less of a gap between the Japanese airings and the dubs (Before [=TCPi=] picked up the dubbing, it was a near year-long gap. As of ''Sun and Moon'' the gap is just over 4 months). Those in favor of [=4Kids=] feel that they had better dialogue and a wittier script especially with Team Rocket, and they had better voice acting with a cast of voice actors that fit the characters more. Said people in favor of 4Kids point out that despite [=4Kids=] known reputation for replacing the score, it was nowhere near as bad as [=TCPi=] got post ''Best Wishes'', and their music at least carried some charm that [=TCPi=]'s dub OST lacks. Those in support of the 4Kids dub also believe that [=4Kids=] simply put more effort and love into their dub, something that [=TCPi=]'s dub has never been able to recapture, and even though they were prone to make more translation errors compared to the TPCI dub, they do fix those errors in later episodes and were still mostly accurate with their translating.
to:
* Which is the better English Dub, [=TCPi=] [=TPCi=] or [=4Kids=]? Those in support of [=TCPi=] [=TPCi=] cite their more accurate translations, none of the [[{{Bowdlerise}} Bowdlerization]] that [=4Kids=] was known for, and far less of a gap between the Japanese airings and the dubs (Before [=TCPi=] [=TPCi=] picked up the dubbing, it was a near year-long gap. As of ''Sun and Moon'' the gap is just over 4 months). Those in favor of [=4Kids=] feel that they had better dialogue and a wittier script especially with Team Rocket, and they had better voice acting with a cast of voice actors that fit the characters more. Said people in favor of 4Kids point out that despite [=4Kids=] known reputation for replacing the score, it was nowhere near as bad as [=TCPi=] [=TPCi=] got post ''Best Wishes'', and their music at least carried some charm that [=TCPi=]'s dub OST lacks. Those in support of the 4Kids dub also believe that [=4Kids=] simply put more effort and love into their dub, something that [=TCPi=]'s [=TPCi=]'s dub has never been able to recapture, and even though they were prone to make more translation errors compared to the TPCI dub, [=TPCi=], they do fix fixed those errors in later episodes and were still mostly accurate with their translating.
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* Which series is canon? Ever since the ''BW'' series, the fanbase has debated whether a series is canon or not with the only series universally agreed upon being the ''OS'' to ''DP'' series. Many fans who believe ''BW'' and ''SM'' are not canon point to how tonally different they are with the former series going so far as to remove some of Ash's knowledge as a trainer to give a fresh feel to him. They also believe that ''XY'' was a return to the original universe and Ash's Unova journey was just an alternate universe. While ''SM'' had mistranslated tweets about the canonicity to serve as "evidence" for its status as an alternate universe. People who argue all series are canon point to the numerous [[CallBack references to past events and cameos by old characters]], going so far as to say the people who deny events happen as [[NoTrueScotsman not real fans of the show]] or telling them that they're trying to elevate their {{Fanon}} equal to canon. Those who argue that these series aren't canon say that [[WildMassGuess similar events couldn't have happened in an alternate universe]]. ''Pokemon (2019)'' established that all series are canon by displaying achievements from all series, rendering the argument moot, but the debate manages to rock the fandom.
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* Which series is canon? Ever since the ''BW'' series, the fanbase has debated whether a series is canon or not with the only series universally agreed upon being the ''OS'' to ''DP'' series. Many fans who believe ''BW'' and ''SM'' are not canon point to how tonally different they are with the former series going so far as to remove some of Ash's knowledge as a trainer to give a fresh feel to him. They also believe that ''XY'' was a return to the original universe and Ash's Unova journey was just an alternate universe. While ''SM'' had mistranslated tweets about the canonicity to serve as "evidence" for its status as an alternate universe. People who argue all series are canon point to the numerous [[CallBack references to past events and cameos by old characters]], going so far as to say the people who deny events happen as [[NoTrueScotsman not real fans of the show]] or telling them that they're trying to elevate their {{Fanon}} equal to canon. Those who argue that these series aren't canon say that [[WildMassGuess similar events couldn't have happened in an alternate universe]]. ''Pokemon (2019)'' ''Journeys'' established that all series are canon by displaying achievements from all series, rendering the argument moot, but the debate manages to rock the fandom.
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*** [[spoiler:As an addendum to this, whether Ash VS Kukui makes up for the lackluster victory or not. While people tend to agree on the battle being at the very least decent, fans are split on it due to its nature as an exhibition match with mostly symbolic value: supporters say that it helps finishing the Alola season on a strong note that fits the series's themes of family and fun alongside allowing Ash and Pikachu to prove themselves against Tapu Koko one last time in a suitably climatic fashion, while detractors tend to point out how being an exhibition match meant that Ash's victory in the League was never at stake even if he lost (making its 4-episode long duration feel way too long relative to its importance), and claim that stuff like Tapu Koko forcing himself in the supposed battle of family between Ash and Kukui muddles the aforementioned themes for the sake of closing everything the series had left quickly.]]
to:
*** [[spoiler:As an addendum to this, whether Ash VS Kukui makes up for the lackluster victory or not. While people tend to agree on the battle being at the very least decent, fans are split on it due to its nature as an exhibition match with mostly symbolic value: supporters say that it helps finishing the Alola season on a strong note that fits the series's themes of family and fun alongside allowing Ash and Pikachu to prove themselves against Tapu Koko one last time in a suitably climatic fashion, while detractors tend to point out how being an exhibition match meant that Ash's victory in the League was never at stake even if he lost (making its 4-episode long duration feel way too long relative to its importance), and claim that stuff like Tapu Koko forcing himself in the supposed battle of family between Ash and Kukui muddles the aforementioned themes for the sake of closing everything the series had left quickly.]]]]
* Galar: Good for continuing to try new things, fixing many problems people had with ''Sun and Moon'', having interesting character development (particularly with Goh), and the region-hopping premise opening up the floodgates for old characters to finally return, or bad for [[RetCanon pulling]] elements from the divisive ''VideoGame/PokemonGo'' (Goh as a character and the egg redesigns being the most controversial), changing even more than ''Sun and Moon'' did, and still largely refusing to acknowledge the past in spite of the premise giving a good opening for it.
* Galar: Good for continuing to try new things, fixing many problems people had with ''Sun and Moon'', having interesting character development (particularly with Goh), and the region-hopping premise opening up the floodgates for old characters to finally return, or bad for [[RetCanon pulling]] elements from the divisive ''VideoGame/PokemonGo'' (Goh as a character and the egg redesigns being the most controversial), changing even more than ''Sun and Moon'' did, and still largely refusing to acknowledge the past in spite of the premise giving a good opening for it.
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* Which is the better English Dub, [=TCPi=] or [=4Kids=]? Those in support of [=TCPi=] cite their more accurate translations, none of the [[{{Bowdlerise}} Bolderization]] that [=4Kids=] was known for, and far less of a gap between the Japanese airings and the dubs (Before [=TCPi=] picked up the dubbing, it was a near year-long gap. As of ''Sun and Moon'' the gap is just over 4 months). Those in favor of [=4Kids=] feel that they had better dialogue and a wittier script especially with Team Rocket, and they had better voice acting with a cast of voice actors that fit the characters more. Said people in favor of 4Kids point out that despite [=4Kids=] known reputation for replacing the score, it was nowhere near as bad as [=TCPi=] got post ''Best Wishes'', and their music at least carried some charm that [=TCPi=]'s dub OST lacks. Those in support of the 4Kids dub also believe that [=4Kids=] simply put more effort and love into their dub, something that [=TCPi=]'s dub has never been able to recapture, and even though they were prone to make more translation errors compared to the TPCI dub, they do fix those errors in later episodes and were still mostly accurate with their translating.
to:
* Which is the better English Dub, [=TCPi=] or [=4Kids=]? Those in support of [=TCPi=] cite their more accurate translations, none of the [[{{Bowdlerise}} Bolderization]] Bowdlerization]] that [=4Kids=] was known for, and far less of a gap between the Japanese airings and the dubs (Before [=TCPi=] picked up the dubbing, it was a near year-long gap. As of ''Sun and Moon'' the gap is just over 4 months). Those in favor of [=4Kids=] feel that they had better dialogue and a wittier script especially with Team Rocket, and they had better voice acting with a cast of voice actors that fit the characters more. Said people in favor of 4Kids point out that despite [=4Kids=] known reputation for replacing the score, it was nowhere near as bad as [=TCPi=] got post ''Best Wishes'', and their music at least carried some charm that [=TCPi=]'s dub OST lacks. Those in support of the 4Kids dub also believe that [=4Kids=] simply put more effort and love into their dub, something that [=TCPi=]'s dub has never been able to recapture, and even though they were prone to make more translation errors compared to the TPCI dub, they do fix those errors in later episodes and were still mostly accurate with their translating.
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Added a bit about an extra wrinkle of the Alola League debate.
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** [[spoiler:Ash winning the Alola League. On one hand, people were just glad that after 20 years of failures, Ash Ketchum finally got a league win under his belt and that Gladion was a well enough established rival to make the victory meaningful. Others, however, felt that Ash's victory was [[AntiClimax too lackluster]] after 20 years of buildup, that he was far more deserving of it in other leagues (Sinnoh and Kalos being the top choices), and that the questionable writing choices leading up to the victory largely dampened the feeling of accomplishment from it. A large factor of the split is how the victory feels in the vacuum of the ''Sun and Moon'' series alone compared to it being the culmination of Ash trying to win a League for 20 years.]]
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** [[spoiler:Ash winning the Alola League. On one hand, people were just glad that after 20 years of failures, Ash Ketchum finally got a league win under his belt and that Gladion was a well enough established rival to make the victory meaningful. Others, however, felt that Ash's victory was [[AntiClimax too lackluster]] after 20 years of buildup, that he was far more deserving of it in other leagues (Sinnoh and Kalos being the top choices), and that the questionable writing choices leading up to the victory largely dampened the feeling of accomplishment from it. A large factor of the split is how the victory feels in the vacuum of the ''Sun and Moon'' series alone compared to it being the culmination of Ash trying to win a League for 20 years.]]
*** [[spoiler:As an addendum to this, whether Ash VS Kukui makes up for the lackluster victory or not. While people tend to agree on the battle being at the very least decent, fans are split on it due to its nature as an exhibition match with mostly symbolic value: supporters say that it helps finishing the Alola season on a strong note that fits the series's themes of family and fun alongside allowing Ash and Pikachu to prove themselves against Tapu Koko one last time in a suitably climatic fashion, while detractors tend to point out how being an exhibition match meant that Ash's victory in the League was never at stake even if he lost (making its 4-episode long duration feel way too long relative to its importance), and claim that stuff like Tapu Koko forcing himself in the supposed battle of family between Ash and Kukui muddles the aforementioned themes for the sake of closing everything the series had left quickly.]]
*** [[spoiler:As an addendum to this, whether Ash VS Kukui makes up for the lackluster victory or not. While people tend to agree on the battle being at the very least decent, fans are split on it due to its nature as an exhibition match with mostly symbolic value: supporters say that it helps finishing the Alola season on a strong note that fits the series's themes of family and fun alongside allowing Ash and Pikachu to prove themselves against Tapu Koko one last time in a suitably climatic fashion, while detractors tend to point out how being an exhibition match meant that Ash's victory in the League was never at stake even if he lost (making its 4-episode long duration feel way too long relative to its importance), and claim that stuff like Tapu Koko forcing himself in the supposed battle of family between Ash and Kukui muddles the aforementioned themes for the sake of closing everything the series had left quickly.]]
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The title of 'Kalos League Champion' does not exist, even after Alain's victory Diantha didn't lose her Champion title. The only region based on a game region where such a title exists is Alola (and whether it's more akin to a League Conference winner or a Champion like Lance and the rest was not clarified). Also added a bit more information on why the win is controversial beyond the mere matter of power VS writing.
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** [[spoiler:Alain beating Ash at the Kalos League to become the Kalos League Champion. Those against it felt that after the far from insignificant amounts of buildup and the heavy hints toward Ash's possible victory that he should've lost to Ash. Those for it point out that Alain was a pretty strong trainer and that his Charizard, the one to beat Ash-Greninja, had already proven himself more than justified in his win, having gone toe to toe with many other strong opponents prior to the League (The fights with the Legendaries and the 10 consecutive Mega Evolution battles come to mind).]]
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** [[spoiler:Alain beating Ash at the Kalos League to become the Kalos League Champion.League. Those against it felt that after the far from insignificant amounts of buildup and the heavy hints toward Ash's possible victory that he should've lost to Ash. Those for it point out that Alain was a pretty strong trainer and that his Charizard, the one to beat Ash-Greninja, had already proven himself more than justified in his win, having gone toe to toe with many other strong opponents prior to the League (The fights with the Legendaries and the 10 consecutive Mega Evolution battles come to mind). The debate gets harsher when taking into account whether Alain's victory makes the events of the Team Flare arc and its aftermath, with those in favor feeling it makes the arcs ring stronger by hammering even further how Alain's hollow pursuit of strength led to nothing positive, and detractors claiming that such an arc was not what Ash's journey in Kalos should've led towards when winning the League was his major focus throughout every other series.]]
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* Which is the better English Dub, [=TCPi=] or [=4Kids=]? Those in support of [=TCPi=] cite their more accurate translations, none of the [[{{Bowdlerise}} Bolderization]] that [=4Kids=] was known for, and far less of a gap between the Japanese airings and the dubs (Before [=TCPi=] picked up the dubbing, it was a near year-long gap. As of ''Sun and Moon'' the gap is just over 4 months). Those in favor of [=4Kids=] feel that they had better dialogue and a wittier script, especially with Team Rocket. Others point out that despite [=4Kids=] known reputation for replacing the score, it was nowhere near as bad as [=TCPi=] got post ''Best Wishes'', and their music at least carried some charm that [=TCPi=]'s dub OST lacks. Then there are others who believe that [=4Kids=] simply put more effort and love into their dub, something that [=TCPi=]'s dub has never been able to recapture.
to:
* Which is the better English Dub, [=TCPi=] or [=4Kids=]? Those in support of [=TCPi=] cite their more accurate translations, none of the [[{{Bowdlerise}} Bolderization]] that [=4Kids=] was known for, and far less of a gap between the Japanese airings and the dubs (Before [=TCPi=] picked up the dubbing, it was a near year-long gap. As of ''Sun and Moon'' the gap is just over 4 months). Those in favor of [=4Kids=] feel that they had better dialogue and a wittier script, script especially with Team Rocket. Others Rocket, and they had better voice acting with a cast of voice actors that fit the characters more. Said people in favor of 4Kids point out that despite [=4Kids=] known reputation for replacing the score, it was nowhere near as bad as [=TCPi=] got post ''Best Wishes'', and their music at least carried some charm that [=TCPi=]'s dub OST lacks. Then there are others who Those in support of the 4Kids dub also believe that [=4Kids=] simply put more effort and love into their dub, something that [=TCPi=]'s dub has never been able to recapture.recapture, and even though they were prone to make more translation errors compared to the TPCI dub, they do fix those errors in later episodes and were still mostly accurate with their translating.
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* Which is the better English Dub, [=TCPi=] or [=4Kids=]? Those in support of [=TCPi=] cite their more accurate translations, none of the [[{{Bowdlerise}} Bolderization]] that [=4Kids=] was known for, and far less of a gap between the Japanese airings and the dubs (Before [=TCPi=] picked up the dubbing, it was a near year-long gap. As of ''Sun and Moon'' the gap is just over 4 months). Those in favor of [=4Kids=] feel that they had better dialogue and a wittier script, especially with Team Rocket. Others point out that despite [=4Kids=] known reputation for replacing the score, it was nowhere near as bad as [=TCPi=] got post ''Best Wishes'', and their music at least carried some charm that [=TCPi=]'s dub OST lacks. Then there are others who believe that [=4Kids=] simply put more effort and love into their dub, something that [=TCPi=]'s dub has never been able to recapture.
** This was most noticeable with the dubbing of ''Anime/PokemonIChooseYou'', which had some fans demanding that Creator/VeronicaTaylor return to voice Ash, while others argued that Sarah Natochenny, having voiced the role for over 10 years by that point, was now the definitive Ash.
* The depiction of certain legendaries as "merely" very rare species and not [[SingleSpecimenSpecies lone individuals on par with gods]]. Either it makes complete sense as Legendaries are shown to breed, or it [[UniquenessDecay cheapens the awe of seeing them]].
** This was most noticeable with the dubbing of ''Anime/PokemonIChooseYou'', which had some fans demanding that Creator/VeronicaTaylor return to voice Ash, while others argued that Sarah Natochenny, having voiced the role for over 10 years by that point, was now the definitive Ash.
* The depiction of certain legendaries as "merely" very rare species and not [[SingleSpecimenSpecies lone individuals on par with gods]]. Either it makes complete sense as Legendaries are shown to breed, or it [[UniquenessDecay cheapens the awe of seeing them]].
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** [[spoiler:Alain beating Ash at the Kalos League to become the Kalos League Champion. Those against it felt that after the far from insignificant amounts of buildup and the heavy hints toward Ash's possible victory that he should've lost to Ash. Those for it point out that Alain was a pretty strong trainer and that his Charizard, the one to beat Ash-Greninja, had already proven himself more than justified in his win, having gone toe to toe with many other strong opponents prior to the League (The fights with the Legendaries and the 10 consecutive Mega Evolution battles come to mind).]]
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!Specific/Other
* [[spoiler:Alain beating Ash at the Kalos League to become the Kalos League Champion. Those against it felt that after the far from insignificant amounts of buildup and the heavy hints toward Ash's possible victory that he should've lost to Ash. Those for it point out that Alain was a pretty strong trainer and that his Charizard, the one to beat Ash-Greninja, had already proven himself more than justified in his win, having gone toe to toe with many other strong opponents prior to the League (The fights with the Legendaries and the 10 consecutive Mega Evolution battles come to mind).]]
* The depiction of certain legendaries as "merely" very rare species and not [[SingleSpecimenSpecies lone individuals on par with gods]]. Either it makes complete sense as Legendaries are shown to breed, or it [[UniquenessDecay cheapens the awe of seeing them]].
* ''Sun and Moon's'' approach of finally having [[OlympusMons several mythical Pokemon officially caught by (or at least allocated to) main characters]]. Some enjoy the taboo finally being broken and rare Pokemon being allowed in as main characters utilized by the protagonists. Others complain it takes away their elusiveness and makes them more generic. Then there are others who are merely split over the execution, particularly with so many given to trainers all at once, along with some of them [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter barely doing anything afterwards in spite of their status]] (in particular Ash's Poipole [[spoiler:until after the Alola League]] and Mallow's Shaymin though Ash's Melmetal was well received).
* Which is the better English Dub, [=TCPi=] or [=4Kids=]? Those in support of [=TCPi=] cite their more accurate translations, none of the [[{{Bowdlerise}} Bolderization]] that [=4Kids=] was known for, and far less of a gap between the Japanese airings and the dubs (Before [=TCPi=] picked up the dubbing, it was a near year-long gap. As of ''Sun and Moon'' the gap is just over 4 months). Those in favor of [=4Kids=] feel that they had better dialogue and a wittier script, especially with Team Rocket. Others point out that despite [=4Kids=] known reputation for replacing the score, it was nowhere near as bad as [=TCPi=] got post ''Best Wishes'', and their music at least carried some charm that [=TCPi=]'s dub OST lacks. Then there are others who believe that [=4Kids=] simply put more effort and love into their dub, something that [=TCPi=]'s dub has never been able to recapture.
** This was most noticeable with the dubbing of ''Anime/PokemonIChooseYou'', which had some fans demanding that Creator/VeronicaTaylor return to voice Ash, while others argued that Sarah Natochenny, having voiced the role for over 10 years by that point, was now the definitive Ash.
to:
** [[spoiler:Ash winning the Alola League. On one hand, people were just glad that after 20 years of failures, Ash Ketchum finally got a league win under his belt and that Gladion was a well enough established rival to make the victory meaningful. Others, however, felt that Ash's
* Which is the better English Dub, [=TCPi=] or [=4Kids=]? Those in support of [=TCPi=] cite their
** This was most noticeable with the dubbing of ''Anime/PokemonIChooseYou'', which had some fans demanding that Creator/VeronicaTaylor return to voice Ash, while others argued that Sarah Natochenny, having voiced the role for over 10 years by that point, was now the definitive Ash.
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* ''Sun and Moon's'' approach of finally having [[OlympusMons several mythical Pokemon officially caught by (or at least allocated to) main characters]]. Some enjoy the taboo finally being broken and rare Pokemon being allowed in as main characters utilized by the protagonists. Others complain it takes away their elusiveness and makes them more generic. Then there are others who are merely split over the execution, particularly with so many given to trainers all at once, along with some of them [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter barely getting to do anything afterwards in spite of their status]] (in particular Ash's Poipole [[spoiler:until after the Alola League]] and Mallow's Shaymin though Ash's Melmetal was well recieved).
* The English dub once [=TPCi=] took over the dubbing from Season 9 onward. To some, there's an intense dislike that [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks all of the voice actors were replaced]], while others enjoyed [=TPCi=]'s more accurate translations. This was most noticeable with the dubbing of ''Anime/PokemonIChooseYou'', which had some fans demanding that Creator/VeronicaTaylor return to voice Ash, while others argued that Sarah Natochenny, having voiced the role for over 10 years by that point, was now the definitive Ash.
* The English dub once [=TPCi=] took over the dubbing from Season 9 onward. To some, there's an intense dislike that [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks all of the voice actors were replaced]], while others enjoyed [=TPCi=]'s more accurate translations. This was most noticeable with the dubbing of ''Anime/PokemonIChooseYou'', which had some fans demanding that Creator/VeronicaTaylor return to voice Ash, while others argued that Sarah Natochenny, having voiced the role for over 10 years by that point, was now the definitive Ash.
to:
* ''Sun and Moon's'' approach of finally having [[OlympusMons several mythical Pokemon officially caught by (or at least allocated to) main characters]]. Some enjoy the taboo finally being broken and rare Pokemon being allowed in as main characters utilized by the protagonists. Others complain it takes away their elusiveness and makes them more generic. Then there are others who are merely split over the execution, particularly with so many given to trainers all at once, along with some of them [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter barely getting to do doing anything afterwards in spite of their status]] (in particular Ash's Poipole [[spoiler:until after the Alola League]] and Mallow's Shaymin though Ash's Melmetal was well recieved).
received).
*The Which is the better English dub once [=TPCi=] took over the dubbing from Season 9 onward. To some, there's an intense dislike that [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks all Dub, [=TCPi=] or [=4Kids=]? Those in support of the voice actors were replaced]], while others enjoyed [=TPCi=]'s [=TCPi=] cite their more accurate translations. translations, none of the [[{{Bowdlerise}} Bolderization]] that [=4Kids=] was known for, and far less of a gap between the Japanese airings and the dubs (Before [=TCPi=] picked up the dubbing, it was a near year-long gap. As of ''Sun and Moon'' the gap is just over 4 months). Those in favor of [=4Kids=] feel that they had better dialogue and a wittier script, especially with Team Rocket. Others point out that despite [=4Kids=] known reputation for replacing the score, it was nowhere near as bad as [=TCPi=] got post ''Best Wishes'', and their music at least carried some charm that [=TCPi=]'s dub OST lacks. Then there are others who believe that [=4Kids=] simply put more effort and love into their dub, something that [=TCPi=]'s dub has never been able to recapture.
** This was most noticeable with the dubbing of ''Anime/PokemonIChooseYou'', which had some fans demanding that Creator/VeronicaTaylor return to voice Ash, while others argued that Sarah Natochenny, having voiced the role for over 10 years by that point, was now the definitive Ash.
*
** This was most noticeable with the dubbing of ''Anime/PokemonIChooseYou'', which had some fans demanding that Creator/VeronicaTaylor return to voice Ash, while others argued that Sarah Natochenny, having voiced the role for over 10 years by that point, was now the definitive Ash.
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* ''Sun and Moon's'' approach of finally having [[OlympusMons several mythical Pokemon officially caught by (or at least allocated to) main characters]]. Some enjoy the taboo finally being broken and rare Pokemon being allowed in as main characters utilized by the protagonists. Others complain it takes away their elusiveness and makes them more generic. Then there are others who are merely split over the execution, particularly with so many given to trainers all at once, along with some of them [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter barely getting to do anything afterwards in spite of their status]] (in particular Ash's Poipole [[spoiler:until after the Alola League]] and Mallow's Shaymin).
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* ''Sun and Moon's'' approach of finally having [[OlympusMons several mythical Pokemon officially caught by (or at least allocated to) main characters]]. Some enjoy the taboo finally being broken and rare Pokemon being allowed in as main characters utilized by the protagonists. Others complain it takes away their elusiveness and makes them more generic. Then there are others who are merely split over the execution, particularly with so many given to trainers all at once, along with some of them [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter barely getting to do anything afterwards in spite of their status]] (in particular Ash's Poipole [[spoiler:until after the Alola League]] and Mallow's Shaymin).Shaymin though Ash's Melmetal was well recieved).
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Changed line(s) 43 (click to see context) from:
** ''Sun and Moon's'' approach of finally having [[OlympusMons several mythical Pokemon officially caught by (or at least allocated to) main characters]]. Some enjoy the taboo finally being broken and rare Pokemon being allowed in as main characters utilized by the protagonists. Others complain it takes away their elusiveness and makes them more generic. Then there are others who are merely split over the execution, particularly with so many given to trainers all at once, along with some of them [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter barely getting to do anything afterwards in spite of their status]] (in particular Ash's Poipole [[spoiler:until after the Alola League]] and Mallow's Shaymin).
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%% Keep in mind that Administrivia/ExamplesAreNotRecent and that all entries have a 6 month waiting period until they qualify as a legitimate entry.
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Given that the anime has run for [[LongRunners over 20 years and counting]], there is bound to be some aspects of the show that people have different opinions about.
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!Series Wide
* The series itself is very divisive among older fans, more so than other ''Pokémon'' incarnations. It's either an awesome cartoon [[FirstInstallmentWins that you]] [[NostalgiaFilter grew up with]], a GuiltyPleasure that's had its ups and downs, or an embarrassing FranchiseZombie that needs to be [[AdaptationDisplacement kept as far away from the games as possible]]. In this respect, it's considered the '90s equivalent of ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'' and ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987'', both of which have similarly divisive "were they good or was it all just nostalgia" reputations.
* A section of the fanbase is split on if the show's focus should be on highlighting and progressing CharacterDevelopment with serious arcs and a strong narrative, or rather be on entertaining episodes with little regard for the larger picture. Fans of the former usually favor entries that highlight Ash's veteran trainer status and face him and his companions with problems to overcome in terms of rivalry or internal struggles, and feel the show should focus on portraying him as a skilled trainer and progress as a character, and tend to perceive entries where his skills and/or personality hit the ResetButton back to square one as going against what the show should be about; fans of the latter tend to favor episodic storytelling, a take on Ash that highlights his more amusing and/or ButtMonkey sides, wacky plotlines and amusing interactions between the cast members over major plot beats, either being largely uninterested in development or finding the major plotlines of the show to be nothing remarkable on the whole or pointing out their futility if none of it is guaranteed to carry over to the next entry.
* The DubbingVersusSubbing debate exists and is a persistent debate. Originally, the fanbase was strictly on the side of the dubs; however, as the Japanese version became more popular due to it becoming easier to access for overseas audiences, the launch of Dogasu's Backpack and the change in dubbing companies, the quality of the English voices, music, and scripts became debated compared to the subs.
* The league. For over twenty years, fans and detractors of the anime have argued back and forth over this part of Ash's journey. Supporters, while annoyed at Ash's constant losses, defend its presence in the show's StoryArc and believe it is a vital part of Ash's journey, alongside a framework through which his progress can be measured, his rivalries be developed and concluded, and provide each regional adventure with a climax related to Ash's skill as a trainer. Detractors often point to how the anime's formula surrounds the league conference and thus causes the plot to feel formulaic and boring to them, alongside compounding the issues of Ash's continued role as the show's protagonist by making each new region's tournament a ShaggyDogStory that he's fated not to win. ''Sun and Moon'' brought this to a head by either proving that the show would be better off removing this part of its formula, or displaying that it needs it to give the series direction and development, furthering the divide when the Alola League was announced and led to every character getting power-ups in the thirteen episodes preceding the League.
* Releasing Pokemon. Either it's a good way to keep the main cast from having Pokemon who could become [[StoryBreakerPower too overpowered]] to make anything interesting or it [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter wastes a perfectly good member of the team]] for seemingly no reason.
* The benching of all of Ash's Pokemon (except [[SeriesMascot Pikachu]]) whenever he goes to a new region post-Johto. Those for it feel that it allows new Pokemon from other regions to get their chance to shine while also preventing Ash from becoming too strong with a team he's already built up. Those against it feel that benching them essentially [[PutOnABus writes them out of the show for good]], especially post Battle Frontier, where Ash's older Pokemon are rarely seen apart from [[WolverinePublicity Charizard]] and Bulbasaur.
!Seasons
* Kanto: Considered good by some due to feeling fresh (before becoming a FranchiseZombie), with some good humor and an enjoyable cast chemistry, while to others it's seen as reeking of EarlyInstallmentWeirdness that's subject to NostalgiaFilter, and riddled with inconsistencies (both in itself and to the games) that later series avoided.
* Hoenn: Misty's departure and May's introduction served as this, as to some, Misty being replaced removed a vibrant cast member who was part of Ash's early core development, while others enjoyed having a new character with a more concrete goal, making her a {{Deuteragonist}} alongside Ash, and helped turn him into a mentor.
** Ash's lack of a rival is seen as either a positive as it allowed him to grow solely on his own and embrace a mentor role, or it detracted from the series by giving him no challenge outside of the Gyms and Battle Frontier.
* Sinnoh: The finale of the region either suffered from ArcFatigue (with a 52 episode gap between the 7th and 8th badges), or was well-paced with enough interesting things that made up for the gap (6v6 between Ash and Paul, Team Galactic finale, Grand Festival).
** Dawn's Contest career was either a step up from May's, with more complex strategies and rules, or just a rehash of May's own arc that made Dawn live in her shadow. Furthered by the fact that they are the only two main characters to have the same goal in the series.
** While most agree that Chimchar had a strong plot and CharacterDevelopment that tied into the rivalry between Ash and Paul, some feel this didn't justify him becoming a SpotlightStealingSquad [[note]]Chimchar takes out 2 of each Gym Leader's Pokémon from Fantina on, is one of two Pokémon to take down one of Paul's in the Lake Acuity battle, and takes out '''three''' of Paul's Pokémon at the Sinnoh league[[/note]], while others believe that Chimchar's story justifies this status.
* Unova: The series can be seen as starting off strong with Team Rocket [[TookALevelInBadass gaining newfound competence and importance]] along with a brisker pacing compared to the previous series, or is seen as the same with Ash [[TookALevelInDumbass gaining newfound ''in''competence]], replacing previous, well-liked companions with a new cast entirely, and moving so fast that it resorted to an entire FillerArc at the end.
** Team Plasma's arc was seen as either a passable villain arc that made up for the Unova League, or was a shadow of its game plot that had plenty of [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter misfires and wasted arcs when it came to Charizard, N and Team Plasma's motivations]].
* Kalos: While some see the series as strong thanks to Ash's [[TookALevelInBadass newfound maturity]], a LoveInterest for Ash in the form of Serena, and a strong villain climax rife with CharacterDevelopment, others believe that it came at the expense of making Ash into a FlatCharacter, had too much Ash CharacterShilling, and that Showcases were a poor substitution for Contests that made Serena seem like a SatelliteLoveInterest.
** The Mega Evolution Specials were either a great side series that developed Alain and Mairin into characters in their own rights, irrespective of Ash, or were the reason that Team Flare didn't enter the series for the first 2/3 and thus weakening the villain arc.
* Alola: The radical art style change, shift to a stationary, school-based SliceOfLife story and Ash's more expressive personality are seen as a breath of fresh air to the series to some, while to others it [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks changes the series too much and removes what made Pokémon enjoyable in the first place]] due to no traveling and a lack of battles that had become the norm, and also has an art style that is at direct odds with all of the previous series.
** The stationary setting is seen as either a positive, giving Ash the ability to return to a fixed location after his adventures while allowing more recurring characters rather than just characters of the day, or it's a negative since it strips Ash of his wanderlust and removes one of the core components of the games and anime from the series, while giving a CompressedAdaptation of all other islands but Melemele.
** The upgraded animation is a major point of contention. It's either good because it makes every movement smooth or it's wasted potential by being used for expressions and funny faces instead of the battles where it's arguably most needed.
** The idea that Ash can transform his Electrium-Z into a Pikashunium-Z. Its either an AuthorsSavingThrow for those who wanted Ash's Pikachu to have his own Bond Phenomenon with Ash or a complete AssPull.
!Specific/Other
* [[spoiler:Alain beating Ash at the Kalos League to become the Kalos League Champion. Those against it felt that after the far from insignificant amounts of buildup and the heavy hints toward Ash's possible victory that he should've lost to Ash. Those for it point out that Alain was a pretty strong trainer and that his Charizard, the one to beat Ash-Greninja, had already proven himself more than justified in his win, having gone toe to toe with many other strong opponents prior to the League (The fights with the Legendaries and the 10 consecutive Mega Evolution battles come to mind).]]
* The depiction of certain legendaries as "merely" very rare species and not [[SingleSpecimenSpecies lone individuals on par with gods]]. Either it makes complete sense as Legendaries are shown to breed, or it [[UniquenessDecay cheapens the awe of seeing them]].
** ''Sun and Moon's'' approach of finally having [[OlympusMons several mythical Pokemon officially caught by (or at least allocated to) main characters]]. Some enjoy the taboo finally being broken and rare Pokemon being allowed in as main characters utilized by the protagonists. Others complain it takes away their elusiveness and makes them more generic. Then there are others who are merely split over the execution, particularly with so many given to trainers all at once, along with some of them [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter barely getting to do anything afterwards in spite of their status]] (in particular Ash's Poipole [[spoiler:until after the Alola League]] and Mallow's Shaymin).
* The English dub once [=TPCi=] took over the dubbing from Season 9 onward. To some, there's an intense dislike that [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks all of the voice actors were replaced]], while others enjoyed [=TPCi=]'s more accurate translations. This was most noticeable with the dubbing of ''Anime/PokemonIChooseYou'', which had some fans demanding that Creator/VeronicaTaylor return to voice Ash, while others argued that Sarah Natochenny, having voiced the role for over 10 years by that point, was now the definitive Ash.
%%
%%
%% Keep in mind that Administrivia/ExamplesAreNotRecent and that all entries have a 6 month waiting period until they qualify as a legitimate entry.
%%
%%
%%
Given that the anime has run for [[LongRunners over 20 years and counting]], there is bound to be some aspects of the show that people have different opinions about.
----
!Series Wide
* The series itself is very divisive among older fans, more so than other ''Pokémon'' incarnations. It's either an awesome cartoon [[FirstInstallmentWins that you]] [[NostalgiaFilter grew up with]], a GuiltyPleasure that's had its ups and downs, or an embarrassing FranchiseZombie that needs to be [[AdaptationDisplacement kept as far away from the games as possible]]. In this respect, it's considered the '90s equivalent of ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'' and ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987'', both of which have similarly divisive "were they good or was it all just nostalgia" reputations.
* A section of the fanbase is split on if the show's focus should be on highlighting and progressing CharacterDevelopment with serious arcs and a strong narrative, or rather be on entertaining episodes with little regard for the larger picture. Fans of the former usually favor entries that highlight Ash's veteran trainer status and face him and his companions with problems to overcome in terms of rivalry or internal struggles, and feel the show should focus on portraying him as a skilled trainer and progress as a character, and tend to perceive entries where his skills and/or personality hit the ResetButton back to square one as going against what the show should be about; fans of the latter tend to favor episodic storytelling, a take on Ash that highlights his more amusing and/or ButtMonkey sides, wacky plotlines and amusing interactions between the cast members over major plot beats, either being largely uninterested in development or finding the major plotlines of the show to be nothing remarkable on the whole or pointing out their futility if none of it is guaranteed to carry over to the next entry.
* The DubbingVersusSubbing debate exists and is a persistent debate. Originally, the fanbase was strictly on the side of the dubs; however, as the Japanese version became more popular due to it becoming easier to access for overseas audiences, the launch of Dogasu's Backpack and the change in dubbing companies, the quality of the English voices, music, and scripts became debated compared to the subs.
* The league. For over twenty years, fans and detractors of the anime have argued back and forth over this part of Ash's journey. Supporters, while annoyed at Ash's constant losses, defend its presence in the show's StoryArc and believe it is a vital part of Ash's journey, alongside a framework through which his progress can be measured, his rivalries be developed and concluded, and provide each regional adventure with a climax related to Ash's skill as a trainer. Detractors often point to how the anime's formula surrounds the league conference and thus causes the plot to feel formulaic and boring to them, alongside compounding the issues of Ash's continued role as the show's protagonist by making each new region's tournament a ShaggyDogStory that he's fated not to win. ''Sun and Moon'' brought this to a head by either proving that the show would be better off removing this part of its formula, or displaying that it needs it to give the series direction and development, furthering the divide when the Alola League was announced and led to every character getting power-ups in the thirteen episodes preceding the League.
* Releasing Pokemon. Either it's a good way to keep the main cast from having Pokemon who could become [[StoryBreakerPower too overpowered]] to make anything interesting or it [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter wastes a perfectly good member of the team]] for seemingly no reason.
* The benching of all of Ash's Pokemon (except [[SeriesMascot Pikachu]]) whenever he goes to a new region post-Johto. Those for it feel that it allows new Pokemon from other regions to get their chance to shine while also preventing Ash from becoming too strong with a team he's already built up. Those against it feel that benching them essentially [[PutOnABus writes them out of the show for good]], especially post Battle Frontier, where Ash's older Pokemon are rarely seen apart from [[WolverinePublicity Charizard]] and Bulbasaur.
!Seasons
* Kanto: Considered good by some due to feeling fresh (before becoming a FranchiseZombie), with some good humor and an enjoyable cast chemistry, while to others it's seen as reeking of EarlyInstallmentWeirdness that's subject to NostalgiaFilter, and riddled with inconsistencies (both in itself and to the games) that later series avoided.
* Hoenn: Misty's departure and May's introduction served as this, as to some, Misty being replaced removed a vibrant cast member who was part of Ash's early core development, while others enjoyed having a new character with a more concrete goal, making her a {{Deuteragonist}} alongside Ash, and helped turn him into a mentor.
** Ash's lack of a rival is seen as either a positive as it allowed him to grow solely on his own and embrace a mentor role, or it detracted from the series by giving him no challenge outside of the Gyms and Battle Frontier.
* Sinnoh: The finale of the region either suffered from ArcFatigue (with a 52 episode gap between the 7th and 8th badges), or was well-paced with enough interesting things that made up for the gap (6v6 between Ash and Paul, Team Galactic finale, Grand Festival).
** Dawn's Contest career was either a step up from May's, with more complex strategies and rules, or just a rehash of May's own arc that made Dawn live in her shadow. Furthered by the fact that they are the only two main characters to have the same goal in the series.
** While most agree that Chimchar had a strong plot and CharacterDevelopment that tied into the rivalry between Ash and Paul, some feel this didn't justify him becoming a SpotlightStealingSquad [[note]]Chimchar takes out 2 of each Gym Leader's Pokémon from Fantina on, is one of two Pokémon to take down one of Paul's in the Lake Acuity battle, and takes out '''three''' of Paul's Pokémon at the Sinnoh league[[/note]], while others believe that Chimchar's story justifies this status.
* Unova: The series can be seen as starting off strong with Team Rocket [[TookALevelInBadass gaining newfound competence and importance]] along with a brisker pacing compared to the previous series, or is seen as the same with Ash [[TookALevelInDumbass gaining newfound ''in''competence]], replacing previous, well-liked companions with a new cast entirely, and moving so fast that it resorted to an entire FillerArc at the end.
** Team Plasma's arc was seen as either a passable villain arc that made up for the Unova League, or was a shadow of its game plot that had plenty of [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter misfires and wasted arcs when it came to Charizard, N and Team Plasma's motivations]].
* Kalos: While some see the series as strong thanks to Ash's [[TookALevelInBadass newfound maturity]], a LoveInterest for Ash in the form of Serena, and a strong villain climax rife with CharacterDevelopment, others believe that it came at the expense of making Ash into a FlatCharacter, had too much Ash CharacterShilling, and that Showcases were a poor substitution for Contests that made Serena seem like a SatelliteLoveInterest.
** The Mega Evolution Specials were either a great side series that developed Alain and Mairin into characters in their own rights, irrespective of Ash, or were the reason that Team Flare didn't enter the series for the first 2/3 and thus weakening the villain arc.
* Alola: The radical art style change, shift to a stationary, school-based SliceOfLife story and Ash's more expressive personality are seen as a breath of fresh air to the series to some, while to others it [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks changes the series too much and removes what made Pokémon enjoyable in the first place]] due to no traveling and a lack of battles that had become the norm, and also has an art style that is at direct odds with all of the previous series.
** The stationary setting is seen as either a positive, giving Ash the ability to return to a fixed location after his adventures while allowing more recurring characters rather than just characters of the day, or it's a negative since it strips Ash of his wanderlust and removes one of the core components of the games and anime from the series, while giving a CompressedAdaptation of all other islands but Melemele.
** The upgraded animation is a major point of contention. It's either good because it makes every movement smooth or it's wasted potential by being used for expressions and funny faces instead of the battles where it's arguably most needed.
** The idea that Ash can transform his Electrium-Z into a Pikashunium-Z. Its either an AuthorsSavingThrow for those who wanted Ash's Pikachu to have his own Bond Phenomenon with Ash or a complete AssPull.
!Specific/Other
* [[spoiler:Alain beating Ash at the Kalos League to become the Kalos League Champion. Those against it felt that after the far from insignificant amounts of buildup and the heavy hints toward Ash's possible victory that he should've lost to Ash. Those for it point out that Alain was a pretty strong trainer and that his Charizard, the one to beat Ash-Greninja, had already proven himself more than justified in his win, having gone toe to toe with many other strong opponents prior to the League (The fights with the Legendaries and the 10 consecutive Mega Evolution battles come to mind).]]
* The depiction of certain legendaries as "merely" very rare species and not [[SingleSpecimenSpecies lone individuals on par with gods]]. Either it makes complete sense as Legendaries are shown to breed, or it [[UniquenessDecay cheapens the awe of seeing them]].
** ''Sun and Moon's'' approach of finally having [[OlympusMons several mythical Pokemon officially caught by (or at least allocated to) main characters]]. Some enjoy the taboo finally being broken and rare Pokemon being allowed in as main characters utilized by the protagonists. Others complain it takes away their elusiveness and makes them more generic. Then there are others who are merely split over the execution, particularly with so many given to trainers all at once, along with some of them [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter barely getting to do anything afterwards in spite of their status]] (in particular Ash's Poipole [[spoiler:until after the Alola League]] and Mallow's Shaymin).
* The English dub once [=TPCi=] took over the dubbing from Season 9 onward. To some, there's an intense dislike that [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks all of the voice actors were replaced]], while others enjoyed [=TPCi=]'s more accurate translations. This was most noticeable with the dubbing of ''Anime/PokemonIChooseYou'', which had some fans demanding that Creator/VeronicaTaylor return to voice Ash, while others argued that Sarah Natochenny, having voiced the role for over 10 years by that point, was now the definitive Ash.
