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- Seen Jan 15, 2018
To begin with, for full disclosure: the phrase "the pacing was bad" and all its variants is one of my top pet peeves as a writer. The reason being that few really know what pacing is and its function in a story, and that its become something of a stock phrase used when critiquing something.
So unsurprisingly, when I saw the latest episode of Sun and Moon berated for its allegedly rapid pacing (I've not seen the episode yet, so can't confirm either way), I was inspired to make this thread. The issue of pacing in Pokemon has been debated several times, most recently in the Controversial Opinions thread over in the Anime Polls section, where people discussed the pacing of the recent Aether arc.
I'll just get to the point: the pacing in Pokemon is not as bad as you think it is. It's probably not as good as you think it is, either, but like any show, it has peaks and valleys. Here's the thing: it's like that on purpose, because varying up the pacing has different effects on the audience.
Think of it like going on a walk. If you run, you'll get there quicker, and feel the thrill of moving quickly from one place to the next, but chances are you won't see anything around you on the way. If you walk, it'll take longer, but you get a chance to take in the sights.
That's why no show is ever consistently paced. You don't want your story moving at the same pace all of the time otherwise it becomes monotonous - people will get bored. I saw Sun and Moon's pacing described as "wonky" because Melemele Island had about 30 episodes, Akala Island had 10 and the recent Aether arc had 11, but let's stop and look why that was the case.
Why did they spend so much time on Melemele Island? In my view, it was to introduce the audience that every facet of the world and characters within it. This was the "getting to know you" period of the show, where they took the time to give each key member of its cast an episode or two (or three) so that the audience could become familiar with them. At the same time, they were also showing us various bits of the world (key locations, the Trials, etc.). This is best done with slow pacing because the aim is to become familiar with the show - it's not speed dating.
Why was Akala Island so short? Because we don't need to spend time getting to know our characters anymore, so we can put them into action. Action is best done with quick pacing. Quick pacing creates momentum and excitement, but can only be used for short bursts, otherwise the audience will be exhausted. Hence, this part of the show is short, but productive. Two more Totem Pokemon are shown, Kiawe catches a Marowak, Lana gets a Z-Crystal, and Ash wins his second Grand Trial AND gets Lycanroc.
There's a brief respite with the two-part special in Kanto before the Aether arc. They use about four or five episodes to build-up the story, before switching gears about the halfway point and really racing to the finish line. There may have been moments that could have done with slower pacing, but if the aim was to create momentum, quicker pacing was the way to go. Momentum is crucial when reaching the climax of a story.
What will likely happen now is that show will slow down again. This will be the cooldown period after an intense period of action, and a chance to reflect on what's happened. It'll then pick up again going into the next arc. How long this coolddown period is depends on how long the show will go on for. If there's a new generation in 2018, then Sun and Moon will have just a year left to run - that's about 50 episodes when you factor in the odd week off. Enough time, perhaps, to fit in one or two big arcs.
I want to conclude this by saying that it doesn't just apply to Sun and Moon. I think every series of Pokemon is decently paced, bar a couple of outstanding periods (the end of Johto was the worst time to slow things down, for example).
So unsurprisingly, when I saw the latest episode of Sun and Moon berated for its allegedly rapid pacing (I've not seen the episode yet, so can't confirm either way), I was inspired to make this thread. The issue of pacing in Pokemon has been debated several times, most recently in the Controversial Opinions thread over in the Anime Polls section, where people discussed the pacing of the recent Aether arc.
I'll just get to the point: the pacing in Pokemon is not as bad as you think it is. It's probably not as good as you think it is, either, but like any show, it has peaks and valleys. Here's the thing: it's like that on purpose, because varying up the pacing has different effects on the audience.
Think of it like going on a walk. If you run, you'll get there quicker, and feel the thrill of moving quickly from one place to the next, but chances are you won't see anything around you on the way. If you walk, it'll take longer, but you get a chance to take in the sights.
That's why no show is ever consistently paced. You don't want your story moving at the same pace all of the time otherwise it becomes monotonous - people will get bored. I saw Sun and Moon's pacing described as "wonky" because Melemele Island had about 30 episodes, Akala Island had 10 and the recent Aether arc had 11, but let's stop and look why that was the case.
Why did they spend so much time on Melemele Island? In my view, it was to introduce the audience that every facet of the world and characters within it. This was the "getting to know you" period of the show, where they took the time to give each key member of its cast an episode or two (or three) so that the audience could become familiar with them. At the same time, they were also showing us various bits of the world (key locations, the Trials, etc.). This is best done with slow pacing because the aim is to become familiar with the show - it's not speed dating.
Why was Akala Island so short? Because we don't need to spend time getting to know our characters anymore, so we can put them into action. Action is best done with quick pacing. Quick pacing creates momentum and excitement, but can only be used for short bursts, otherwise the audience will be exhausted. Hence, this part of the show is short, but productive. Two more Totem Pokemon are shown, Kiawe catches a Marowak, Lana gets a Z-Crystal, and Ash wins his second Grand Trial AND gets Lycanroc.
There's a brief respite with the two-part special in Kanto before the Aether arc. They use about four or five episodes to build-up the story, before switching gears about the halfway point and really racing to the finish line. There may have been moments that could have done with slower pacing, but if the aim was to create momentum, quicker pacing was the way to go. Momentum is crucial when reaching the climax of a story.
What will likely happen now is that show will slow down again. This will be the cooldown period after an intense period of action, and a chance to reflect on what's happened. It'll then pick up again going into the next arc. How long this coolddown period is depends on how long the show will go on for. If there's a new generation in 2018, then Sun and Moon will have just a year left to run - that's about 50 episodes when you factor in the odd week off. Enough time, perhaps, to fit in one or two big arcs.
I want to conclude this by saying that it doesn't just apply to Sun and Moon. I think every series of Pokemon is decently paced, bar a couple of outstanding periods (the end of Johto was the worst time to slow things down, for example).
