While the Pokémon anime and games are very different entities, there have been several Pokémon mini-series released over the years that help bridge the gap between the two formats, bringing life to stories from the games and giving them an anime flavor.
Pokémon Generations is one of these mini-series. It brings about unique perspectives on already existing events within the Pokémon universe that watchers of the main anime may not necessarily be aware of. However, for those who do have extensive knowledge of the games, Pokémon Generations helps fill any gaps, adding more lore and gravitas to certain events.
10 Looker Narrowly Missing Giovanni At The Viridian Gym Is Intriguing
"Episode 2: The Chase" sees Detective Looker of the International Police lead a squad to apprehend Giovanni and his Team Rocket lackeys at the Viridian Gym. This is an interesting introduction as Looker was introduced to the games and the main anime in Gen IV, making his apparent involvement in a Gen I incident an unseen and unknown occurrence.
The episode sees Looker and his men infiltrate the Viridian Gym, only to find it empty. They discover that Giovanni was the Gym Leader and had left after giving Gym Badges to two trainers, with Pokémon fans knowing these to be Red and Blue. This episode of Generations contradicts Giovanni's fleeing in Pokémon Origins. This version of him still very much sticks to his Team Rocket ideals, in contrast to his Origins counterpart disbanding the organization.
9 Eager Interviewer Gabby & Her Cameraman Ty Get Their Anime Debuts
Gabby and Ty are a co-working duo of interviewer and cameraman that appear in the Gen III games, as well as the remakes Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire. They both appear on several occasions to engage with the player in Double Battles, afterwards interviewing the player and later reporting on the events on the television.
They never appeared in the main anime, but in Pokémon Generations, they appear in "Episode 9: The Scoop", infiltrating the Mossdeep Space Center looking for a good story. They subsequently uncover a story regarding a trainer riding on a Mega Rayquaza and catching a Deoxys.
8 Looker Confronts Silver About Being Giovanni's Son
Looker appears once again in "Episode 5: The Legacy" with him encountering Silver, the player's rival in the Gen II games, outside of the Indigo Plateau. Silver is the son of Giovanni, a fact that is very rarely eluded to. A comment from a Scientist in FireRed & LeafGreen stated that Giovanni's "kid has red hair," and the Celebi encounter and event in HeartGold & SoulSilver goes back in time to see the truth.
In Generations, Looker confronts Silver regarding Giovanni's whereabouts but is left disappointed. Silver says that he doesn't involve himself with his father's affairs before heading off to take on the Elite Four.
7 Team Aqua & Magma Admins Are Given More Personality
Pokémon Generations has two episodes focusing on Admins of the two Gen III villainous organizations, with Courtney of Team Magma and Shelly of Team Aqua. While the Team Aqua "Episode 8: The Cavern" sees Shelly try to stop Archie from awakening Primal Kyogre as she does in Alpha Sapphire, Courtney of Team Magma is given a new layer to her character.
In "Episode 7: The Vision", Courtney is tasked with delaying the intruder, as she does with the player in Omega Ruby. However, her anime representation shows her having an ominous vision of Primal Groudon destroying Maxie and the rest of Team Magma, before engaging the intruder while showing off her twisted personality.
6 Cheryl & Chansey Are Deceived By The Terrors Of The Old Chateau
The Old Chateau has been given varied representations in both the games and the main anime. The version in Pokémon Generations steers it closer to the Diamond, Pearl & Platinum idea of the house but with an extra special twist.
While the main anime counterpart is situated in Canalave City, the Pokémon Generations version of the Old Chateau is deep in Eterna Forest, with Cheryl and her Chansey getting lost and having to seek refuge there. Cheryl herself is a companion to the player in the Gen IV games and is a Treasure Hunter in the main anime. In "Episode 10: The Old Chateau", Cheryl and Chansey are tricked and tormented by the ghosts of a butler and young girl, with the scary episode having no definite or happy resolution by its end.
5 AZ's Story From The X & Y Games Is Brought To Life
In "Episode 18: The Redemption", an intimidating tower of a man challenges the new Champion to a Pokémon Battle, while his backstory is briefly explained. It turns out to be AZ, an ancient man from the X & Y games and former king of the Kalos region. AZ built the Ultimate Weapon to bring his beloved Floette back from the dead before succumbing to despair and delusion.
To see the man behind the myth making an anime appearance, with the pain and emotion being able to be shown in all its glory, is what the side story deserved, even if it was only in the form of a short episode from a mini-series.
4 Buck & Looker Defeating Team Galactic & Heatran Makes For An Exciting Episode
Pokémon Platinum's introduction of Looker wasn't necessarily a vitally important part of the game. Still, it added an extra dimension to the story having the International Police looking to assist the player in hunting down and stopping Team Galactic and their plans.
In the game, Looker turns up at Stark Mountain to arrest Charon and put a stop to Team Galactic. In Pokémon Generations "Episode 12: The Magma Stone", Looker and Croagunk team up with Buck and his Claydol to not only apprehend Team Galactic but also to endure Heatran's attacks and return the Magma Stone to its rightful place. Buck's energy with his hunger for risk and adventure is showcased well in this episode, arguably doing it more justice than the games ever could.
3 The Gym Leaders' Stand Against Team Plasma Needed This Extra Exposure
While the Unova Gym Leaders standing up to Team Plasma at N's Castle occurs in the Black & White games, "Episode 13: The Uprising" of Pokémon Generations showcases the events in a more dramatic and effective manner. Despite initially opposing Team Plasma by herself, Iris is backed up by the Unova Gym Leaders.
Every Gym Leader, with the exception of Cilan, Cress, and Chili, is given time to showcase their will and various strengths, with each of their main prized Pokémon also being given time to shine against Team Plasma.
2 Team Plasma's Pursuit & Application Of DNA Splicers Makes For Dramatic Episodes In Anime Form
DNA Splicers were never really mentioned in the main anime. However, they were heavily featured in Team Plasma's plans in Pokémon Black 2 & White 2, with them being sought after and used to fuse Kyurem together with either Reshiram or Zekrom.
"Episode 14: The Frozen World" focuses on Drayden's attempts to protect the DNA Splicers but ultimately failing with Zinzolin of Team Plasma emerging with them. "Episode 15: The King Returns" then focuses on the confrontation between N and Ghetsis, with the latter making use of the DNA Splicers on Kyurem and Reshiram. The end of the episode even sees Hilbert appear with Zekrom.
1 The Elite Four Being Swept Aside By Blue Is A Perfect Precursor To The Player's Battle With Champion Blue In The Games
"Episode 3: The Challenger" shows the point that Blue challenges the Elite Four, a situation that was rather overlooked in the games. The player was simply told that Blue had beaten them to it and defeated the entire Elite Four, becoming the Champion.
The episode of Generations paints the Elite Four in a menacing and almost villainous light as they welcome their new challenger before they all fall to Blue at an alarming pace. With the nature of Generations being a series of short five-minute episodes, it is only natural that these matches were breezed through. Regardless, it also did a good job of accentuating Blue's power before waiting for the inevitable clash against Red.