Something about Pokemon

[karnimolly]

Rewatched a few episodes of the very first season of Pokemon. While doing this, I realized there's something that always bothered me, and I just need to get this out of my system nao Ò^Ó°

I hate how in the Pokemon series they always depicted evolution as something negative, especially when evolutionary stones were involved. 
I hope they wanted to go

Comments

[pandir]

All of the above! The Pokemon series made me afraid that my Pokemon wouldn't be the same anymore after evolving and that it wouldn't like me anymore, too. D:
(I remember that Ash said something like that about Pidgeotto when it evolved, I think...)

One shouldn't evolve Pokemon for the sake of power, right - but they were constantly bringing the whole matter up in a negative way! It's in their nature, damnit. It's what Pokemon do! ;___;

Of course, if Pokemon evolved, like Caterpie, everyone was all happy and stuff, but that didn't happen a lot in the older episodes, did it? ôo

[karnimolly]

Jessie and James said the same when they couldn't decide whether to evolve Ekans and Koffing. I remember how they were reading a guide about evolution and how trainers should consider their Pokemon would never be the same again (with which they obviously didn't mean the physical appearance) amonst a heap of more negative aspects.

IF Pokemon evolved and it was depicted as something positive, like in the case of Pidgeotto, Ekans or Koffing, it was usually out of desperation and because there was no other way. Pidgeotto became Pidgeot because otherwise it couldn't have protected the wild Pidgeys and Pidgeottos. Ekans and Koffing evolved because of the immense distress of their trainers.

The only Pokemon that evolved just because it felt like it was, indeed, Caterpie :/

[pandir]

it was usually out of desperation and because there was no other way

True that. It was mostly because of peril and a matter of life and death and such things.
All in all, there are so many negative connotation and so little positive ones O___O

I guess it changed later on, when evolution didn't seem such a big deal anymore, that they would just evolve without mortal peril and their trainers would be genuinely happy. >>""

[karnimolly]

Especially the way Charmander's evolution was played out always made be sorta afraid of letting my Pokemon evolve :C

But yeah, bit by bit more Pokemon would evolve as the show progresses, and now it's not such a big deal anymore. But I remember back in the days..

[winhall]

I like the idea of letting the pokémon decide whether or not it wants to evolve.
But you are right, especially stone evolutions were always depicted as evil, or at least the lesser of two choices.

The eevee brothers were a great example. The big brothers all tried to urge their little brother to use one stone or another, and in the end he made the "right" choice by keeping his Eevee unevolved.

But if you observe the relationship between most trainers in the show and their pokémon, the latter always seemed to agree with whatever their trainer wanted (notable exceptions notwithstanding). So unless a pokémon had completely different ideas, it would probably not mind evolving. It means to grow and be stronger (which after all is important for battles), and one can always interpret that evolution stones aren't stignatized in the rest of the pokémon world.

[karnimolly]

I seriously don't get this! I thought Pokemon are competitive creatures, whether through fights or other trials of strengths, they like to compete. And getting stronger through evolving shouldn't be something bad >__>
It sometimes really makes me wonder whether I got the whole concept of Pokemon right.

But I guess there just are Pokemon that want to evolve and Pokemon that don't feel like it, and Ash and his friends just had the luck to meet and catch a shitload of the latter 8DD

[winhall]

I think the writers of the show wanted to keep the Pokémon small and cute, because that's what they thought the audience would prefer. So they had to come up with a reason for Ash's pokémon not to evolve

[karnimolly]

Yeah, same here, and I as I said, I would have found this absolutely alright, if there had been only a few more positive depictions of evolution in the show :C

And even IF the evolution doesn't follow a natural path (giving your Onix a Metal Coat and trade it), I still think... If the Pokemon wants to grow further than its limited form permits, isn't it a good thing when a trainer helps their Pokemon, letting them evolve, thus allowing them to grow stronger beyond its former limits? :C

It's not that as soon as I get Keks, I'd evolve it. Same with Russel and Jerome. First they have to reach their full potential as Pikachu, Growlithe and Murkrow, learn to control their attacks and all, so they really are ready when suddenly given as much power as a Raichu, Arcanine or Honchcrow.
(The only exception may be Venox, because as soon as she sees a Moonstone, she's all over it 8D)

(YES I do have LOTS of Pokemon that require stones for evolution, maybe that's why the whole thing bugs me so much 8D)

[sam_cc]

The second episode of Pokemon that I ever watched was "Bulbasaur's Mysterious Garden", so right off the bat the first impression I had of this series was that evolving was bad. However, when the games came out I fell in love with the Pokedex filling aspect of the game and that continues to be my favourite part of the series, so I just had to go "sod it" to the no evolution thing. But it doesn't stop that tingly bad feeling everytime I use an evolution stone...

It's been a while since I've watched the anime, but I gather they've dropped that plot point now? Ash lets his collections of starters evolve at least. If so then good riddance. I'll stick to the manga because it's better Pokemon can evolve without a moral being thrown at you there. XD

[karnimolly]

Omg I can't believe it! So many people really did and still do have a bad feeling when using a stone!! O^O° I thought I was the only one! I am realizing just now that it's not just me, but that it really must have made an impact on at least some kids watching the show. So REALLY, what were they thinking? >__>

Well, I stopped watching Pokemon somewhere around the Johto-season, but I know that later on almost every single one of Ash's Pokemon evolved at least once. But still, he never ever used a stone :/

[sam_cc]

The thing that used to get me was that kids used to say "ZOMG IF YOU EVOLVE THEM WITH A STONE THEY'LL NOT LEARN NEW MOVES!" Is... that actually true? Like I said, I mostly play to complete the Pokedex so I've never tested it. :(

Other than Pikachu, does Ash even have any that evolve using a stone?

It always makes me think back to being a kid - I asked my cousin if he thought Pikachu should evolve and he said "No way! That'd be wrong! I like Raichu better but Pikachu suits being famous more." For some reason that always sticks with me, that most people just think Pikachu evolving specifically would be really wrong.

[karnimolly]

That is actually true with some Pokemon. Not for all, but with the first generation it was a rule that a Pokemon evolving through a stone doesn't learn any more attacks, which is why you always need to train your Pikachu until it learns Thunder before you should evolve it.
And no, except for Snorunt I think he never owned another Pokemon that'd need a stone for evolution.

And when playing the red version, I ALWAYS had a Pikachu, and I remember that once or twice, I realy didn't dare to evolve it ^^°