So why didn't they make a 15th anniversary Pokemon special?

[CyberCubed]

6 years ago back in 2006, there was a 10th anniversary special made for the anime, "Mastermind of Mirage Pokemon."

The special which was initially intended to be a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the anime, instead became more infamously known as the first aspect of the anime to be dubbed by the new PUSA voice actors at the time.

Since it took place during AG, it of course featured the AG cast and brought in Prof. Oak and Misty as part of the 10th anniversary celebration. Even Tracey got a small silent scene. And of course it featured heavily on Mewtwo and Mew who were the big legendaries everyone remembered from Kanto.

This year was the 15th anniversary of the anime back in April, and this time around there was no new special. Why do you think they chose not to create a new anime special reuniting most of the main cast? Do you think its because there are too many older main characters now, as opposed to last time when only Misty and Tracey were the, "retired old main characters."

What do you think about this situation at hand?

[Kutie Pie]

Well, ten years is a pretty good milestone, so it makes sense to have a tenth anniversary special. Fifteen years is still a bit "too soon" for a special, and even then, it's impressive, but a twenty-year celebration would be more impressive. So I can see one happening for the 20th anniversary if Ash makes it that far.

Now I'm sure the 10th anniversary special is much better in the Japanese version, though I think it'd be just as ridiculous. Really, the whole thing felt hashed in, and from what I do remember, the plot didn't really make sense. It had a good set-up, but it lost momentum later on. The villain could've been much cooler than he was, and the fight between Mewtwo and Mew was unsatisfying for me, honestly, since they were both mirages and not the real thing. I felt a bit cheated, especially with the... weirdness of it all.

And of course, the awful dub is really so bad, it's hilarious. When it was included with Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, it was redubbed so I guess it's better, but I haven't seen that version. But hey, someone somewhere out there saved a copy of the original clip on a VHS tape (*cough*), so if a person really hates themselves so much, or if someone wanted a really good laugh, they could pop it in and watch. Actually, I think it's still floating around on the web somewhere, so there's always that.

*COUGH*

So yeah. We got a few more years. They're probably planning out the 20th anniversary special as we speak. And this had better be good.

[pokemonsquared]

Probably the

    Spoiler:

Show Spoiler

 
BW2 arc and the junior cup was the 15th anniversery special, I mean it starts off with a POKEMON ANNIVERSARY in gratuitus english before every episode
 

[PokeRhymeBeat]

I don't think people really think of 15 being a big year compared to like the 10th 20th or 25th. Why I don't know but yeah it is what I have noticed tbh.

[Dephender]

They did make a 15th anniversary special. Heck, they made two: one for the TV series and one for the movies.

Probably the

    Spoiler:

Show Spoiler

 
BW2 arc and the junior cup was the 15th anniversery special, I mean it starts off with a POKEMON ANNIVERSARY in gratuitus english before every episode
 

Nah, they did the same for every episode back during the 10th anniversary. It has nothing to do with the content of the episodes themselves.

Now I'm sure the 10th anniversary special is much better in the Japanese version, though I think it'd be just as ridiculous.

It was pretty much the same. The special was supposedly partially plotted by 4Kids, explaining all the various "appeals to American audiences" aspects of it (Misty returns, Oak is a great battler with super powerful Pokemon, lots of legendaries with Mewtwo and Mew taking center stage, etc) and why it feels so different.

Also, remember this special celebrated the 10th anniversary of the franchise, not the anime.

[CyberCubed]

It was pretty much the same. The special was supposedly partially plotted by 4Kids, explaining all the various "appeals to American audiences" aspects of it (Misty returns, Oak is a great battler with super powerful Pokemon, lots of legendaries with Mewtwo and Mew taking center stage, etc) and why it feels so different.

The mere fact that Misty was there should tell you it was aimed at American audiences, because otherwise her last appearance would have been AG134 and that has remained her last appearance for the next 7 years.

[ChaosMage]

Strange how Misty's popularity with the fandom compared to her regard from the writers edged into this thread... you'd almost think that pesky Cybercubed was up to his old tricks...

Anyway, wasn't the Meloetta special with the 15th movie an anniversary special of sorts?

[BlueDragonfangirl]

Cuz that Pokemon special was hated so much by the fandom it ended all specials and Pokemon never wanted to do some thing like that again. In the end English dubbed special ruined any chance of any character getting another special, hurray for English dubbed and its adding things like this and Pokeshipping hints that never happened in the Japan version.

[pokemon fan 132]

Probably because writers didn't find 15th anniversary significant enough to warrant doing long special with all older characters in it. Such thing requires time, money, effort, return of older VA's along with several other things.

When your marking existence of long lived franchise like pokemon, it usually gets recognition after every 10 years to signalize its long and successful existence. Doing such thing every 5 years is probably too short period of time in their perception to warrant doing something particularly special for it.

And im not sure what makes people think that 10th anniversary special was "so much infamous among fandom". There was criticism, but people complain pretty much about anything in this show.

I think lot of complaints about Mastermind special are not legit at all . Special had innovative plot, characters were fun and natural and it was nice for a change seeing something original and never tried before.

Only real complaint which i really had were terrible portrayal of Ash, May or Brock voices.

The mere fact that Misty was there should tell you it was aimed at American audiences, because otherwise her last appearance would have been AG134 and that has remained her last appearance for the next 7 years.

What was exactly wrong in bringing Misty there?
Gathering all past and current traveling companions for 10th anniversary special made perfect sense. Each of them represented certain generation being important part of pokemon history on cast,so it was logical to have them receive some sort of recognition.

What you expected? To include pretty much every main character at that point there, except Misty?

Cuz that Pokemon special was hated so much by the fandom it ended all specials and Pokemon never wanted to do some thing like that again.

I highly doubt writers pay attention to fans and their outcry. If that was case Misty would return to cast again, Ash would age and win league, Brock would leave sooner etc.

In the end English dubbed special ruined any chance of any character getting another special, hurray for English dubbed and its adding things like this and Pokeshipping hints that never happened in the Japan version.

Actually it wasn't dub which started whole pokeshipping idea in first place, but writers. Considering how Japanese (original)version had hints as well, just in smaller amount than dub had.

4kids only decided to expand on something writers started in first place.

[Born Better]

Because 15th isn't that big of a deal unlike 10 or 20.I'd rather see Pokemon get an orcestra at E3 or whatever like Mario and Legend of Zelda anyway.

[wobbanut]

Well, 15 is a big deal, because very few series last that long. Several lucky shows make it to at least ten (Cheers, Frasier, Friends, Two and a Half Men, etc.), but much fewer make it to 15 and beyond (The Simpsons, Saturday Night Live, Gunsmoke), so Pokemon is in rare company.

Plus, it's not quite 15 years here in the States or other areas yet, just Japan right now. We'll hit 15 years next September. It'd be nice if they have something then.

[Ash Ketchum!]

Well we have Ash's old Pokes, Oak, Delia, and Tracey appearing in the theme song.

[DawnBoy]

6 years ago back in 2006, there was a 10th anniversary special made for the anime, "Mastermind of Mirage Pokemon."

The special which was initially intended to be a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the anime, instead became more infamously known as the first aspect of the anime to be dubbed by the new PUSA voice actors at the time.

Since it took place during AG, it of course featured the AG cast and brought in Prof. Oak and Misty as part of the 10th anniversary celebration. Even Tracey got a small silent scene. And of course it featured heavily on Mewtwo and Mew who were the big legendaries everyone remembered from Kanto.

This year was the 15th anniversary of the anime back in April, and this time around there was no new special. Why do you think they chose not to create a new anime special reuniting most of the main cast? Do you think its because there are too many older main characters now, as opposed to last time when only Misty and Tracey were the, "retired old main characters."

What do you think about this situation at hand?

A 15th year anniversary isn't as big as a 10th or 20th anniversay imo, so that may be why they didn't have any specials or anything, that I know of of course.

[Dwail8023]

UGH...MoMP...that was a train-wreck. At least the dubbing now is league's better than...THAT. -_-

It was so bad it wasn't funny.

The special itself was...weird. The dubbing was...truly awful. Truly a terrible, terrible 10th "Anniversary" Special.

The only saving grace of the redub is that Sarah Natochenny spared us from Kayzie Rogers' rendition of Ash. It still wasn't any good at all. Bill and Michele only redubbed two lines with new lines, Sarah maybe one, and the voices sounded exactly the same to me (except Ash- a tad better).

After that, I'm not expecting a good one if it airs.

[gliscor&yanmega]

Thread was bumped, so closing this now.