The Original Ending For The Pokémon Anime Was Incredibly Depressing

The original writer of Pokémon wanted to end Ash’s story a lot sooner and it would have depressed kids all around the world if it had aired.

You Are Reading :The Original Ending For The Pokémon Anime Was Incredibly Depressing

Category : Pokemon

The current direction of the Pokémon anime suggests that Ash Ketchum’s journey could be coming to an end and it’s likely that it will be a happy one. The original chief writer of the Pokémon anime had wanted to end Ash’s story a lot sooner and it would have depressed kids all around the world if it had made it to air.

Takeshi Shudo was the chief writer of the Pokémon anime from 1997-2002. He also wrote/co-wrote the first three Pokémon movies and the Mewtwo Returns TV special. Shudo’s vision for the Pokémon anime was a lot different than what the heads of the franchise wanted and many of his darker story ideas went unused. Shudo passed away in 2010, but he left behind a blog that contained his musings on writing and his thoughts on the Pokémon anime.

Shudo’s blog describes his original plan for the ending, which has been translated by Dr. Lava on the Lava Cut Content website. The Pokémon anime’s run was extended, due to a mixture of the show being put on hiatus following the “Electric Soldier Porygon” incident, as well as the delays of Pokémon Gold & Silver requiring the need for the Orange Islands filler season. Shudo had originally wanted to end the series with Pokémon: The First Movie, in a way that wouldn’t look out of a place in a grimdark fan theory.

Shudo’s original plan was to show Ash as an old man looking back at his past. He remembers the adventures he had as a child and thinks back on the friendship and coexistence he had with other people, something he never experienced as an adult. Ash suddenly hears his mother’s voice waking him up and he becomes a young boy again, who is about to go on an adventure. Ash’s adventure isn’t about catching Pokémon or becoming a Pokémon Master, but it’s to discover the meaning of existence itself and how to coexist with others again.

The “Elderly Ash is reincarnated as his younger self to learn the meaning of life” at least had a hopeful element to it, but Shudo also had another idea in mind for the ending of the anime that came later, though he never finished it. This is also the idea that Shudo would have used for the fourth movie. The second idea involves a Pokémon revolt, as they realize that they are being used as slaves. Pikachu would have been the leader of the revolt and would have turned on Ash. The task of restoring the relationship between humans and Pokémon would have fallen to Team Rocket, as Meowth would have been able to mediate between the two sides, but they would have messed it up.

Shudo’s vision for the Pokémon franchise was darker than what appeared on the screen, as can be seen in the novel that he wrote about the series, which has some sad subject matter (like Gym leaders struggling to pay the bills and Ash’s mother hating his father for walking out on them). It’s possible that Shudo’s vision could have made its way to the screen, but the numerous delays, coupled with the exploding popularity of the franchise meant that his dark ending for Pokémon was never meant to be. Shudo passed away in 2010, but he left behind his vision for fans to read and wonder at the Pokémon world that could have been.

See more : PokemonWe