Hello there. Today I want to discuss (and rant about) the treatment of Sabrina in the new Let's GO games. In my opinion, this has been one of the most overlooked points from the new games amid all the hype. Today, I'm going to explain some of the many things done wrong with the Saffron Gym in the games, and suggest reasons why Sabrina should be embraced, not villainised.
(For those of you who don't want to read a lot, I've put everything in spoilers)
What's the difference between these two images? I prefer the first one, but anyway... Whereas the first image (HG/SS sprite) has Sabrina's normal pink eyes (obviously different in the anime), the second image (Let's GO! image) has evil red eyes that appear reminiscent of her anime character.
When you look at a map of the Kanto region, one place sticks out-Saffron City. The place at the junction of four major cities, the place where Team Rocket chooses to take control, the industrial capital of the Kanto region. But yet TPCI chooses to be so negative about the Gym Leader of this great city, when it has been so positive about Leaders of other capital cities, such as Whitney in Goldenrod or Clemont in Lumiose.
In conclusion, I hope you have understood the reasons why I am angry with the Pokemon Company right now for the changes they have made to Sabrina, her Gym and her Team in the new Let's GO! games, and my reasons for why this should change. This is an issue very close to my heart, and I do hope that one day my wishes will be fulfilled and Sabrina will be made great again.
Yours sincerely,
@RisingRaichuu
PS: Apologies if this post appeared like a rant, I was just trying to get my point across.
(For those of you who don't want to read a lot, I've put everything in spoilers)
My first and biggest issue with the new Let's GO! games is that Sabrina's Kadabra has been removed from her team. I find this offensive and insulting. Imagine Brock without his Onix, Whitney without her Miltank, Elesa without her Emolga. It just isn't the same person. Then why is it OK to remove Sabrina's Kadabra, the Pokemon that perhaps most identifies with her? (Think Anime episode 24).
I imagine this was to do with the Uri Geller case, but quite frankly this happened a long time ago and that didn't stop Kadabra being in Sabrina's team for FR/LG. So why remove it now?
I imagine this was to do with the Uri Geller case, but quite frankly this happened a long time ago and that didn't stop Kadabra being in Sabrina's team for FR/LG. So why remove it now?
What's the difference between these two images? I prefer the first one, but anyway... Whereas the first image (HG/SS sprite) has Sabrina's normal pink eyes (obviously different in the anime), the second image (Let's GO! image) has evil red eyes that appear reminiscent of her anime character.
While I don't particularly mind this as much due to the new Gym design, I don't agree with the decision to reduce the number of warp panels in some rooms to 3 instead of 4. OK, this is intended to make the game easier for new players. But seriously, it removes one of the most iconic Gym designs in Pokemon history. Pokemon games were never intended to be easy, so there's no reason why they shouldn't make it too easy.
The Let's GO! games were intended to bring new players from Pokemon GO into the main videogames and bring them back to the region where the games started. Yet Sabrina (especially in the anime) was an iconic character from the start of the Pokemon franchise, and so, especially when they have embraced other characters such as Brock and Misty, why should they portray Sabrina in such a negative light?
Some of the most famous Pokemon of all time have been Psychic types-Mew, Mewtwo, Abra, Alakazam, even Tapu Lele in recent times, are just some examples. The Psychic type is one of the most relevant and famous types in Pokemon right now, so why shouldn't Pokemon emphasise the original "Master of Psychic-type Pokemon"?
When you look at a map of the Kanto region, one place sticks out-Saffron City. The place at the junction of four major cities, the place where Team Rocket chooses to take control, the industrial capital of the Kanto region. But yet TPCI chooses to be so negative about the Gym Leader of this great city, when it has been so positive about Leaders of other capital cities, such as Whitney in Goldenrod or Clemont in Lumiose.
It is 20 years ago now that Uri Geller sued Nintendo for the Kadabra case. 20 years is long enough. Pokemon should forgive and forget, and give Kadabra a chance to be redeemed in the Pokeverse. With a new Kanto game being released to appeal to newer audiences, this would have been the perfect time to do that. But instead Kadabra is sealed away and discriminated against further-surely 20 years is too long?
This is my final argument, and it is one of my strongest. Since the first Pokemon games were published just over 20 years ago, society has changed a lot. At least where I live in the UK, but also across the world, there has been a renewed focus on mental health and wellbeing. While it is not literally possible to teleport and read the minds of others, the Psychic type can also refer to the mental health and wellbeing of individuals in society. But no, Pokemon still focuses on fighting, winner-takes-all and an anime hero who loses at the highest level in almost every region. Pokemon should embrace this change by putting more focus on the Psychic type and its most iconic Trainer.
Yours sincerely,
@RisingRaichuu
PS: Apologies if this post appeared like a rant, I was just trying to get my point across.