The Pokémon anime has changed immensely over its long run, but one change in particular stands out: the transition from Diamond & Pearl to Black & White. Not only did Unova serve as a soft reset of the show, but it allowed each following series more room for equally drastic changes.
For better or worse, the anime can now reinterpret itself in any way it deems fit, regardless of how different it is from the original feel of the show. The modern era of Pokémon has many advantages and disadvantages over the classic era, but it's hard to deny that things haven't quite been the same since.
10 The Art Style Now Shifts Every Series
One of the most easily noticeable changes from the modern series is simply the appearance of each new Pokémon anime. Like many other shows, the anime's art style has slowly evolved over time, but the original character designs were usually kept as similar as possible until the end of Diamond & Pearl.
From Black & White onward, all returning characters are redesigned to fit the current style. It's most noticeable in Ash himself, whose modern designs consistently show his brown eyes along with various changes to his hair and facial proportions. XY, Sun & Moon, and Journeys continue to change the art style in their own ways.
9 Ash Doesn't Use His Reserve Pokémon Anymore
A staple tradition from Kanto to Sinnoh was for Ash to bring back his other Pokémon for major battles. In most of the Pokémon Leagues as well as the Battle Frontier, Ash's reserves got to share the spotlight with his current team, ensuring they weren't forgotten amidst Ash's ever-expanding roster.
Ash still visits his Pokémon every once in a while in the modern series, but their days of serious battling with him effectively ended after the Sinnoh League. This approach ensures his reserves don't overshadow his new Pokémon, but it also leads to a load of missed opportunities.
8 Brock Is No Longer Ash's Companion
Brock is one of Ash's most popular and iconic companions, and it's easy to see why. This fan-favorite Pokémon Breeder traveled with Ash across every one of the first four regions and formed an unshakable brotherly bond with him.
At the end of Diamond & Pearl, Brock realizes his true calling as a Pokémon Doctor, but his studies finally require him and Ash to go their separate ways. His history with Ash is one of a kind, though his departure has allowed the anime to experiment with new dynamics with new male companions.
7 The Team Rocket Trio's Role Has Been Reduced
The Team Rocket trio dominated the formula of Pokémon's early years. Except for the very first episode and a recap in Advanced Generation, they appeared in every single episode of the classic era, always defined by their goofy personalities and large pool of running gags.
Team Rocket received an extreme overhaul to their role in Black & White and took on serious, focused personalities with little humor and fewer appearances. The trio eventually returned to their original lighthearted fare, though they continue to appear less frequently and test new gimmicks to increase their threat level.
6 The Series Are More Self-Contained
The original series, Advanced Generation, and Diamond & Pearl were heavily connected as an ongoing story. Each series adapts its own characters and plotlines, but the classic ones would always transition directly into the next with a consistent world and sense of tone.
In contrast, the modern series tend to be more self-contained and focus more on their own conclusions rather than building up to the next adventure. Even Journeys, which features the most past references of any series, carries a very different vibe to the world and tends to focus more on new stories over continuing past ones.
5 Champions Have Become Touchable
Classic Pokémon Champions were shown to simply be on another level that typical Trainers couldn't hope to reach. This is most prominently shown with Cynthia, who completely dominated every battle she took part in, including an effortless victory against a veteran Trainer like Paul.
In the modern series, while still very powerful, Champions are now portrayed as people who can be outplayed and even surpassed in power. This has allowed Ash to properly challenge almost all of them, and by Journeys, is able to stand among them as equals.
4 Ash's Relationship With The Team Rocket Trio Is Less Personal
Ash's dynamic with the Team Rocket trio has been complicated over the years. Though they're typically enemies, Ash and Team Rocket formed more of a love-hate relationship as their stories developed, and would even help each other out in times of need.
This still occasionally happens, but much less often and usually with a more distant feel to it. The lack of focus on Team Rocket's past, as well as the shifts in the characters' personalities, has led to their relationship becoming more of a standard hero-villain one.
3 The Sense Of Continuity Is Looser Than Before
The modern era's more experimental writing means the overall continuity of the series is broader. The newer series are more willing to try out new concepts and styles, but the more controversial changes are often tucked away with little explanation.
Ash very rarely mentions his past adventures unless they directly relate to the plot, and mentions of any big character changes are completely avoided, such as with Team Rocket's serious era or even Ash's past arrogance. This is in contrast to the classic era, where past events flowed more naturally without the need to write around them.
2 Ash's Personality Changes To Fit The Tone
Simply put, Ash's character was a lot more consistent in the classic series. He changed a great deal as both a Trainer and a person, but these changes largely stayed consistent with his character arc without overhauling his personality or competence.
Ash's modern self retains a few defining traits, but each series tends to exaggerate specific parts about him to suit the plot's needs. Black & White resets his skills and maturity as a Trainer, XY plays up his heroic, inspiring attitude, and Sun & Moon and Journeys emphasize his childlike energy and naïveté.
1 The Characters Can Achieve Their Goals
While the classic series were more consistent, they were also predictable to a fault, as a staple aspect of the old formula was that Ash and his friends were not allowed to achieve their goals. As close as some of them came to it, they could never quite reach the top.
The modern series have finally overturned this status quo, allowing the characters to move up in the world and even attain true closure in some cases. Most notably, Ash himself has finally become a Pokémon Champion, and many of his friends have accomplished similarly great things in their recent returns.