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Pokémon Needs More Adult, Masculine Characters and Real Rivals
I’d really like future Pokémon games to move away from having so many very young-looking characters and put much more emphasis on adult trainers. I want more grown men with strong, intimidating, masculine designs—experienced trainers, veterans, serious competitors, older Gym Leaders, and villains who actually feel imposing.
Characters like Lt. Surge, Bruno, and Guzma had a presence that made them memorable. I’d like to see more characters who look and act like experienced adults instead of constantly introducing another childlike rival or trainer.
I’d also like rivals to actually feel like rivals again. Give us someone competitive who genuinely wants to beat you, talks some trash, gets frustrated when they lose, and pushes you to become stronger. A rival shouldn’t always feel like your supportive best friend.
More broadly, I think Pokémon’s stories could use a more mature tone, stronger conflicts, and characters who feel like they have real experience and authority. I’m not asking for Pokémon to become an adults-only franchise, but I would love to see the games stop leaning so heavily on childlike characters and give adult characters a much bigger role.
Would anyone else like to see Pokémon move more in this direction?
Comments
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Won't be that way. I mean if you want an adult themed Pokémon, the Manga is for you(Zinnia impaled by Rayquaza just as an example. How she didn't die from that I'll never understand). Yet if you want games like that, it's just not going to happen. Pokopia is a prime example and given it's success financially, is not going to change their approach going forward with respect to mainline Pokémon games.
I started with Gen 1 and miss beating (insert adjective I won't repeat here) several times over but if you want a Silver or Paul style rival, your just not going to get it. Even the Antagonist team has lost its luster over the years. Really haven't had one since Aether foundation since Lusamine was an underrated antagonist(why they had to remove her for Rainbow Rocket I'll never know).
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Hold on, who’s Guzma?
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Manga,
That’s what I say when people want more like deep story driven pokemon,
The adventures one is the best Pokémon manga, official and fan
Also if there was more of them people would say like,
“It’s not as good as the old version”
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Why shouldn't you have Actual Rivals?
Gen 1
Gen 2
That's It
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(me, responding to the op)
(hmmmm maybe that's why Unite appeals to an older more intense crowd. We make our own rivalries. Yeah, it's for all ages, but..... well, you've all seen how it gets in ranked and here in the Unite forums... 😅)
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