Shadow Triad - A case of Adaptational Villainy or elaborate Red Herring?

[lolipiece]

According to what Yamamoto-sensei said on Twitter, this is what they look like unmasked.

[matt0044]

According to what Yamamoto-sensei said on Twitter, this is what they look like unmasked.

LOL. I can tell he's joking since they look like a Dugtrio.

[Rex Kamex]

You know what? I think that Kusaka himself doesn't know if it's a red herring and not. It's probably just his guess of those guys' identity. But he may waiting for Grey to reveal their identities.

If Grey indeed reveals them and it turns out that they AREN'T Striaton Brothers, then we'll just be supposed to act like we've never seen any "hints" at all (and their look will probably get slightly altered for tankobon version, to remove these false hints).

But if the game DOES reveal them as the Brothers or doesn't reveal/hint their identity at all, then those will indeed end up being Striaton Brothers in PokeSpe.

Kusaka probably just want to stay on the safe side.

That's what I most likely think too. Have that plotline potentially ready.

[matt0044]

^Or he can reveal the Traid to be the Striaton Brothers in his own canon even if it's not from the games.

[Ememew]

^Or he can reveal the Traid to be the Striaton Brothers in his own canon even if it's not from the games.

The problem with that is that if the games actually confirm them to be separate people (through a Triad vs Triplets battle or something), then that would be awkward for a manga adaptation that explicitly made them one in the same.

If the game confirms that they are the triad or, as I suspect, leaves their identities ambiguous, then he has nothing to worry about in making the Striaton Triplets and the Shadow Triad the same people. It's just the possibility that the games could confirm that they aren't that he has to dance around at the moment. Not that he couldn't still make them the Triad even if the games confirm otherwise, as they are two separate canons, though.

I still think it's weird that even authors of official, licensed manga have as much to go on for the Triad's identity in the games as the average fan does.

[matt0044]

^Still, it wouldn't surprise me at all if Kusaka the Triad and the triplets one in the same. He made Lt. Surge, Koga, Sabrina and Pryce villains, Sird a member of Team Galactic before Sinnoh was revealed at all and more. Even if Grey reveals the two groups not to one in the same, Kusaka will do as he pleases with them.

[Leety]

you are all forgetting kusaka can see the future

given the small touches on everything to make the Shadow Triad be the three gym leaders, and yet still not be something I have noticed much (although I haven't been keeping up with this arc) makes me really think that yeah, they are the shadow triad.

AND APPARENTLY, I AM NOT DEAD ANYMORE

[Tomato-kun]

These two cover images are similar in style, with those guys in front and people on the background. Do I hear Kusaka and Yamamoto laughing or are they serious?
    Spoiler:- "[IMG139:

Show Spoiler

 

 

..This is getting too obvious. I can't see it as being a big reveal.

As said, this manga doesn't really care much for canon. Last time I checked many of the early villains are neutral characters - even good guys - in the games.

[1dbad]

Anyone else think it's a little odd that even real manga authors have about as much to go on for their stories as the average fan-fic author? You'd think that those with real, licensed manga would get a little advanced info or something.

I don't. Because if they knew things in advanced the manga would spoil things. Plus they would have to do it for any other current Pokemon mangas as well, and it wouldn't be a good idea to tell them something in advance if they ended up changing their minds or not using it later on. It works best the way it is. Plus I think it makes Special more impressive that its done everything it has without knowing anymore than we do.

According to what Yamamoto-sensei said on Twitter, this is what they look like unmasked.

Looks like Yamamoto decided to join in on the trolling too.

As said, this manga doesn't really care much for canon. Last time I checked many of the early villains are neutral characters - even good guys - in the games.

That's true, but there haven't been any good/neutral-game-characters-becoming-villians-in-Special since the Gold/Silver/Crystal arc. So I don't think Kusaka will go through with this unless it is confirmed in game canon. He might still go through with it if they're still left ambiguous in Gray too, but that's only a possibility, not a guarantee. As for the early manga villains, you have to remember at the time we didn't really know much about them or the Pokemon world, so I don't think it's really the same situation.

[Rex Kamex]

I don't. Because if they knew things in advanced the manga would spoil things.

You sure? The manga writers don't have to let readers know. They could set things up without making future plot reveals obvious to... well, its target audience anyway.

If Kusaka does know stuff in advance, he'd probably be told what he can and cannot put in the manga he's writing.

Plus they would have to do it for any other current Pokemon mangas as well,

Or at least any who ask (maybe even ask specific things)- not necessarily all of them.

and it wouldn't be a good idea to tell them something in advance if they ended up changing their minds or not using it later on.

Well, the game designers don't have to say everything they're planning, if they are indeed letting Kusaka know.

It works best the way it is. Plus I think it makes Special more impressive that its done everything it has without knowing anymore than we do.

Wait... do we know this for sure? I haven't heard anything confirmed as true or false for that.

..This is getting too obvious. I can't see it as being a big reveal.

Well, this is a series aimed at kids around ten years old or so. Getting a monthly magazine (Coro Coro Ichiban) over time. The "Welcome to Striation City" chapter came out in April 2011 and this recent chapter with the Shadow Triad's come out in February 2012.

Meh... my point is I don't know how much people in the target audience are seriously looking into these hints.

I never cared about the Shadow Triad=Striaton Brothers, I always considered it the fanbase over thinking a situation. The games never mention Cilan, Cress, and Chili as the Shadow Triad, they are always a mystery,

If the trios are the same, the games never mention the Striation Gym trio as the Shadow Triad because the Shadow Triad is a mystery.

and why would the Gym Leaders help N and Team Plasma in the first place? Perhaps Grey will shed some light on this if they do confirm it to be true.

That's just it- if those trios are the same, we're not supposed to know about it now. In fact, I don't even know how much the game makers expect people to even be speculating about this.

Still Adventures is making it look very convincing so if it's confirmed true I would simply like to know why? That is all.

We'd find out when we find out.

[Kaiserin]

..This is getting too obvious. I can't see it as being a big reveal.

As said, this manga doesn't really care much for canon. Last time I checked many of the early villains are neutral characters - even good guys - in the games.

Well, it'd be a big reveal for the characters in context, since they obviously have no idea. That's probably the draw of it, as opposed to confirming the obvious.

And it's PokeSpecial, so inevitably they will find a way to make it a big deal. I agree that the Shadow Triad are more neutral in the sense that they are on the side of anyone they're loyal to -- which is Ghetsis, which makes them bad, but if they were to ever shift their loyalty, that could change.

Just a thought, I guess.

[Rex Kamex]

If in the manga those trios aren't the same, I think it'd be nice to see the comic make a gag of it and have Black think the trios are the same at some instance where he runs into the Shadow Triad, only to have the Striaton Trio come from behind and say "Whaddup" and such.

[1dbad]

You sure? The manga writers don't have to let readers know. They could set things up without making future plot reveals obvious to... well, its target audience anyway.

If Kusaka does know stuff in advance, he'd probably be told what he can and cannot put in the manga he's writing.

Nope, as with everything, its just speculation. But all of that is true. I thought of that today before I was able to get on. Guess that's what I get for posting something late at night before I go to bed to where I'm tired and unable to think of how I might need to edit it 'til the next day.

Or at least any who ask (maybe even ask specific things)- not necessarily all of them.

Thought of that as well. Only the ones that wanted/needed could get them, and they'd just have to ask.

Well, the game designers don't have to say everything they're planning, if they are indeed letting Kusaka know.

Also true.

Wait... do we know this for sure? I haven't heard anything confirmed as true or false for that.

Nah, we don't. It never has been.

Sorry, I could have saved you this whole post had I been able to edit or delete it. xD

[uberheracross]

I like this, Im pretty sure they will turn out to be the triad, it's gonna make the storyline very interesting ^^

[SoulSilverMstr411]

With the anoucment of BW2, I'm inclined to belive they're the former after all.

[Spider-Phoenix]

That's a really interesting theory.

However I have mixed feelings. It may be just a BIG coincidence or Kusaka trying to work in something the games hinted (like what he did with Silver).

[Jash Thor]

The similarities between the Shadow Triad and Gym Leaders are dead obvious. There's too many little details to write it off as a coincidence. It's a very intentional association. The real question is whether it's foreshadowing or a red herring.

Personally, I hope it's foreshadowing. Gym Leaders turned bad guys has always been some of the best parts of "Pokemon Adventures." When I first started reading the series, way back during the R/B days, I thought it was beyond cool that people like Koga, Surge, and Sabrina had secretly been plotting with Team Rocket. This tactic keeps the reader guessing, since you can't assume that characters' roles in the game were their roles in the manga, and it adds an extra level of depth to an otherwise routine adaptation process.

So, please let the Shadow Triad turn out to be our favorite culinary kings. It would be a wonderful and unique twist for the story.

[lolipiece]

I just remembered.

Black and White is supposed to be a fresh start. Maybe this is Pokespes way of doing that? By having Gym Leaders as villains again? We haven't had that in years.

[Porygandrew]

If it turns out to be the Striaton Trio..... why? What do they have to gain from Ghetsis' schemes?

[00poke_maniac]

If it turns out to be the Striaton Trio..... why? What do they have to gain from Ghetsis' schemes?

Nothing. Ghetsis saved their lives once so they are working under their "master" because they are in his debt.