Pokemon: Boon or Bane?

[Dark Lord]

With the recent popularity of pokemon in my area, what exactly in it makes its fans so crazy about it?
Less than a decade ago, the pokemon craze emerged... and like wildfire, it became a hit, making thousands, or even a million fans... Even today, or maybe especially today, its franchise makes millions every year... But with 400+ episodes, hundreds being fillers, does it truly deserve its popularity? Is it truly worth a person's time? However many people may love it, there will always be people who hate it... but what is truly the answer?

[loner]

Some people like Pokemon a lot. They get entertainment out of watching/playing/collecting Pokemon. They willingly pay money for that entertainment, and think they are getting their money's worth. They think it is worth their time.

This may seem unfair, but I don't think anything "deserves its popularity." It is popular because a lot of people like it. That's that. Different people have different standards and get kicks out of different stuff. The creator of Pokemon hit a jackpot and produced something that appealed to the masses. That's all there is.

[Dark Lord]

Really now? I watch pokemon as a guilty pleasure... hehe...
As long as it appeals to the masses, huh?
I guess little children shouldn't really care about all the technical stuff involved *shrug*...
My guess would be that it would be the same case as Yu-gi-oh and Beyblade then...

[Manga_Creator]

I must say Im a bit of a Pokémon fan I have thousands of cards and all the games but i hate the cartoons.

Andy

[Kuzu Ryu Sen]

But that's part of its universal appeal. Kids like the simplicity of the design, teens and older people will enjoy the different statistical configurations possible, different move combinations, strategies, team lineups, etc. etc.

The card game though was just a simplified version of Magic: The Gathering though.

[Dirty Harry]

I like da Pokemonz. It's fun. I invest time in creatures and like fighting and kicking ass and stuff. And I collected the cards for a long time. It was the first CCG that really got me addicted to shit like that. I'm glad I've since kicked that addiction. But I still enjoy the games and the first season of the show. That was so good.

[Mamimi]

I like da Pokemonz. It's fun. I invest time in creatures and like fighting and kicking ass and stuff. And I collected the cards for a long time. It was the first CCG that really got me addicted to shit like that. I'm glad I've since kicked that addiction. But I still enjoy the games and the first season of the show. That was so good.

I completely agree. I had fun while I was addicted, but I'm glad I'm not still spending money on those cards. It really did spark my little sister's and my creativity. We came up with really fun games based on pokemon that no other show could have inspired.

[Angi]

I guess little children shouldn't really care about all the technical stuff involved *shrug*...
My guess would be that it would be the same case as Yu-gi-oh and Beyblade then...

Yeah, it is kinda like Yu-gi-oh and Beyblade. If your a kid, you like Pokemon because it has fighting with monsters and alot of action. You really don't care much about the plot. You can't care about the character design or any of the other elements that form a good anime. When you get older, you start realizing it's not such a big deal,but you still may be hooked to it.
As for its terms in popularity, I agree with Loner. It is popular because masses like it. And as to it "deserving popularity," it does because masses like it and there is really no judge to that, but it doesn't, in my opinion, deserve any title proclaming it as "quality."

[Tyrdium]

Pokemon Snap >> *

[kLaUS]

Well, the anime its really for children, with a very superficial story adn plain characters like the good hero and his companions, and i think thats the main appeal and why it has that many fans. And well, the game its pretty good and complete, with so many options and a fun story, is one of the best rpg for me, im a big fan and im waiting for the new game for a long time now...

[jetfire]

I could never get into Pokemon at the time it got popular. All of the other kids loved it but I just found it very lame. It's a good thing that I didn't have a Gameboy or buyed into the whole card game or I may have been sucked into the Pokemon craze. I mean, I thought Pog was incredibly lame when I first saw it, but then I caved in and got addicted to it. I collected around 3000 of those things, only to put them in a storage box somewhere. I think the whole reason that I hated Pokemon so much was because of the anime itself. I've always loved cartoons (and I found anime interesting), but the whole thing just seemed cheesy.

[Angi]

I really rhink Klaus explains it nicely though. Little kids like to be able to figure out quick and easy who is the good guy and who is the bad guy. It goes along wtih the morales they are taught about good and bad and share and stuff.

[AlterGenesis-X]

I watched Pokemon as a kid because, I simply didn't know any better. It was one of my first times watching "anime" for instance, and of course, unqiue as it is, I was enticed to watch it.

[LadyYuina]

I used to watch poke'mon when I was younger and I'll admit I still like it, although I hardly watch the episodes anymore. Isn't the majority of people who like it now are kids though?

[7Raven7]

I have very little tollerance for this type of anime, I am not sure what you would call it. Usually it is a "my monster vs. your monster" anime like in pokemon or sometimes they actually play the game, like in Yugioh. Whatever you call it, it seems like a hyped up, over-extended, poor-excuse-for-an-anime way to promote the sale of kids' card games.

[kyubichan]

Pokemon
GameBoy: I loved it. I still play Red and Silver (and their alter-egos) once in a while. The rest, I played only once though.
Cardgame: Hell no. I don't like Magic, and I sure don't like Pokemon. Yu-Gi-Oh was what got me playing cards. (I would like to make a special mention of Duel Masters as the most migraine-inducing videogame/card game I ever, ever tried.)
Anime: Interesting to say, Pokemon didn't become so popular here because "poke" isn't child-friendly in Tagalog, thus 'concerned' parents made a ruckus. But kids do watch it and play some of the games and collect stuff. I watched the anime back when I was 15, and I only could bear about 20 episodes. I still watch it from time to time just to see what happens, and I was disappointed that Brock was back in Johto Journeys >_<
Merchandise: I like stuffed toys, and Pikachu is much cuter than Agumon and Mocchi. Keychains are fine too, but I'd never shell out more than half my allowance for one item.

Overall Pokemon likability (for me): 6/10, because it's fun, Cyndaquil, Furret and Charmander are cute, and Suiicune and Articuno roxxorz. Haha ^^

[laborpilot86]

As much as dislike Pokemon, I have to say that introduced many kids to the Anime medium who otherwise would not have been exposed to it. If even half the kids who like Pokemon get deep into Anime later in life, that's a good thing.

[So Panic.]

I never really cared either way for Poke'mon myself but my younger siblings were infatuated with it in the 90's. Today I just buy the occasional pack of cards for some kids I know that enjoy the show. I think it's cute :)

[kobi666]

i still have a warm place in my heart for pikachu togapi and the others (even team rocket...)
(non anime related) has anyone seen the pikachu parody on drawn togather?
the funniest thing in the world