Recently, well, awhile ago, the showcase of Pokemon XYZ ended. I haven't watched Pokemon for a LONG time...but I was already watching stuff on the channel anyway, and decided, what the heck, might as well see the last several episodes. I came in around...sometime before the Kalos championship I believe...around the first fight for the final badge (of that region) that turned out to be ice (why?), and dealt with Ash understanding he's not always the best (wasn't this done already?).
After watching the series from that point, and learning about the new latest Pokemon Games, the weirdness of Pokemon Go, and the apparent first live-action movie featuring "Detective Pikachu"...I have no idea what's going on with the series.

Remember back when it all started? Pokemon's first season, just 151 Pokemon, simple monster-collecting and trying to "catch them all". It was a collecting frenzy. Things were simple, but entertaining.
The anime had come over, showing the beginning and developing relationship of Ash with his Pokemon (from Pikachu to the beginning three. I still remember Ash protecting Pikachu from a horde of Sparrow...THAT'S dedication...). There were just 151 Pokemon, with a couple Legendaries, a large, but deal-able amount. The TCG was addictive, and the games were so great fo collectors.

Now?

It seems like the Anime is going on for so long, that it seems like some things are getting repeated, sometimes way too often. I mean, the episode I came back in on has Ash throwing a little fit at not being at his best, but I'm pretty sure we've got that before early on in his encounters with Gary (whatever happened to that guy...). And Team Rocket's STILL blasting off away, which is disappointing. I recently heard they actually managed to beat Ash at some point...but come on. ONCE in...what? Hundreds of episodes? They get their butts (and tails) handed to them every time, and this is the group who's first appearance was attacking a Pokemon Center that gets itself blown up. And for what? Mainly a Pikachu with no real powers or special qualities (unless it came up in some earlier season, it's been far too long to give him one). Honestly...at first it would be determination...now it's just...idiotic.

And now, we've got...what? 700 or 800 so Pokemon? Well...good luck kids, catching'em all now (even Game Freak, developer of Pokemon, are unsure if they have every Pokemon miniature figure in their own hom office). In fact, that's kind of a tease line now ain't it? Not even Ash is gonna "Ketchum'all" (oui...even his name now goes for that tease...). Oh yeah, and lots of unique legendaries too, including three dealing with dimensional powers, three based on emotions, I think one who's a genie, another one who's actually a genie, and, oh yeah, the "god" of Pokemon's official now too. It's turned from fun to addiction...oooh.
I don't know what the TCG side of things is now, and I'm worried to know. I feel just fine having achieved 151 myself way back, and I'm not about to invest in about five times that amount and it's sub-cards.
The games seem to evolve a little bit. But it's got similarities. There's always the several gyms, the elites at the end, and a Team Rocket knock off you have to deal with. Things have improved, and a few side things open up...so I guess they're still on track. The direction to it's newest place, though...I dunno. And Pokemon Go? Honestly don't know how that became so popular, but kind of expected all the problems it's brought up. I guess the gimmick of "real" Pokemon thanks to AR is just...a step closer to real-world Pokemon I suppose.

I mean it's not to say Pokemon's lost it's way or something, I just don't know what to think. I guess it's a Gen1-er feeling. And maybe some things in XYZ made me wonder just what was going on...

Ok...first things first. Mega-Evolving? Really? Ok, now they're touching on Digimon. Seriously. But alright, going back...first off, Pokemon did "actual evolution", Pokemon "evolve" into stronger (typically bigger) forms. I'm not sure if De-evolution Spray (which was an item in the card game) exists in the Pokemon anime or not, but essentially, Pokemon evolution is one-way. Digimon, on the other hand, is mostly "temporary evolution" into stronger or different forms. Generally they go back to In-Training or Rookie form afterward.
So...Mega-Evolving. It's a "temporary evolution" (though some seem to maintain their stronger forms some-what permanently, but we're talking the tamed ones here), making a Pokemon into a different, stronger form, for a short time. Like Digimon, it's also dependent on something from the human (keystones and mega-stones in this case).
So....yeaaaahhh...Mega-Evolving is kind encroaching on Digimon territory. I guess the makers of Pokemon got bored making new Pokemon and just decided to make "different forms" of ones they already had. I kind of find it ironic that the sort of "iconic" Mega-Evolved Pokemon is the Gen1 king (Mewtwo/Mew aside), Charizard. That's right, Gen1 rules! Well, then again, maybe it was Mewtwo (as said, Gen1 rules!), as said, returned late into things.

Now, Greninja. This Pokemon seemed to take Pikachu's place as "the important one" in this arc. Design-wise, I guess he looks ok...does look like a ninja, that's for sure. Though a water type? Sounds like would be more of a dark type...but oh well. But the thing about Greninja is the weird thing he does with Ash. I don't know if these came up anywhere earlier in the series, but this sort of "deep connection" thing kind of threw me off. You'd THINK that whatever this was, he'd have done it with Pikachu already. But nope, he does it with a random water Pokemon he befriended when he first got to Kalos (I did see the first XY episode on chance). Apparently this becomes a point of interest for several people, but it doesn't seem like it really goes too far, ending with Greninja leaving Ash for it's own destiny.
A slight thing some people may not have liked, Greninja versus a certain Charizard and losing. While I understand there are things learned from losses compared to wins...but the most basic premise for wins in Pokemon battles is three words..."It's Super Effective!". And water beats fire. Apparently not in the anime now for some reason...those Mega-Evolutions must change weaknesses or something...

Currently Pokemon games are taking a vacation. No, seriously. Apparently Surfing Pikachu finally arrived at it's destination. Hawaii...!...er...I mean...Aloa! Umm....why? I mean...I don't guess it's a bad direction...or...the best one...but uhh....it's something you just gotta question. And turns out this set of Islands have new Pokemon! Wait...no...they don't...they're...kind of like...a little better than color swaps of some of the Pokemon already known. Just what...what is going ON in the Pokemon world??
---
Well, today, Pokemon did something that can be a fan's greatest slap in the face. Re-Telling! Yep, Ash's original beginning is coming to the big screen, retelling the story of how he and Pikachu first met and how they started on their journey together to be Pokemon Masters (still ongoing Ash, you're never going to make it).
Remember all your favorites! Marshadow! The Gloomdweller Pokemon! Or how about good ole' Sorrel, wanting to become a Pokemon Prof like Oak? Or Verity, daughter of Shinnoh Leauge Champion, Cynthia! Or the Pokemon like Lucario, Piplup and.....
....wait...you say you've never heard of these people? And that these Pokemon shouldn't be around near the start of Ash's journey? Wait...you're saying there were two OTHER people who Ash met? Brock and Misty? Who's that? And Gary? No no, Ash's rival is actually---

.....ok, I get it. Cry foul over the film. I get it. Brock and Misty were Gym leaders (well Misty was a sister group but...), and had been with Ash in his first leg of the journey. And adding in new Pokemon just to showcase new ones (Gloomdweller), and favorites (Lucario), is pandering...

Personally, I'm going to see this movie as just a reminder that Pokemon actually had a start somewhere, as far as Ash is concerned...and that it's now so mixed up, it'll revamp stuff just like everybody else.

If you think of it as a sorta alternate-one-shot, though, it actually looks pretty good. Ho-oh (or rather just a orangish flying bird at the time), has had some minor anime appearances....but there's actually never been a real story to go along with it. It seems like, while this is a re-telling of Ash's beginning, it may also be more of his aim to finally confront Ho-oh with, I guess, the feather thing to guide him. So give it some credit...there are a LOT of powerful Pokemon that got their own films...and lets face it, Ho-oh was technically the first legendary Ash ever saw, and now, it seems, we'll get to see what happens when the two meet.
---
As said, I'm feeling kind of the Gen1-er and haven't been in the Pokemon craze for a long while and probably won't be in the future. I'm quite happy with my past achievements in the early times, and the simple decision you had from the start of the game...
Let's face it, WHO got picked the most in Pokemon Red/Blue? Who's final-evolution card did most Gen1ers wanted (aside from Mewtwo)? The first critical decision you ever made (aside from your name and that of your rival) starting the series. Fire, Water, Earth.
FIIIIIRREEE!
That's right, it's Charmander! I'm not going with the big nosed seel or the fire monkey, I wanted the fellow reptile that spewed FIRE! The one that turns into a DRAGON (ok, technically, you'd say "Fire/Flying", but if you're a reptile with wings, your a dragon in my book). Even the anime acknowledges that Charmader (by way of it's evolution), is still desirable. (Heck, even the anime had a great story with how Ash got a Charmader, and that dealt with the worrying concept of a Pokemon DYING)
If I want to return to the world of Pokemon, I will do so with my trusty fire Pokemon to catch the first 151 and be happy with that.

And I know what some are thinking. My team's not going to be sporting the same attire as yours truly. Just because berries are grown with...and that it proves some Pokemon do....ugh...just never eat berries in that world and don't think about it.