This is a concern I have as well, because I believed in a false rumour that SM only followed on from OS and pretending that AG, DP, BW and XY never happened. If we're only getting OS flashbacks, then I'm worried that the writers are only caring about Kanto fanservice and ignoring other generations. And I wouldn't blame them because the drastic change to formula in SM almost implies that it would be a reboot.
We know the games shoved loads of Kanto fanservice, such as where the player character used to be from and the Alola Forms all being Kanto Pokemon. If the SM anime also only cares about acknowledging Kanto and no other region, this will definitely sour my opinion on 7th Gen as a whole and will likely hurt 7th Gen's place on my overall favourite generations ranking.
I know it's the 20th anniversary, but stop with the Kanto fanservice!
Ehh, to be fair, it IS set in Kanto, and I'm pretty sure the other Pokémon from past generations will cameo anyways. Besides, at least they're focusing on some elements of the past. At least it's better than M20 where they outright did away with the past entirely save for Pikachu and Ash's first meeting. Heck, it's actually getting far better with continuity than Battle Frontier did the last time we had a major revisit with Kanto, especially considering Ash barely even called back to any of his old Kanto adventures despite it being within that region.
And I take it the "false rumor" is referring to something Ash's Japanese VA said about how in her head Ash went directly to Alola after Kanto. Considering it had clips from Johto, I'm pretty sure we don't need to worry about that rumor being true, or at least the specific rumor about Ash going to Alola directly from Kanto. And if it is indeed true that that Japanese poll played at least some role in Misty and Brock returning, we shouldn't rule out an appearance from Serena either, meaning they're definitely going to confirm that XY's canon as well.
So TR goes back to Kanto after all(was wrong about that), Misty has another freak out over Bugs(that I did predict) but Jigglypuff being there is a new one. Maybe one of the companions will catch it(Lillie perhaps?). The lack of post-Kanto Pokemon is a bit troubling but the class trip is about Kanto Pokemon and seeing the differences between Kanto and Alola versions(just like Ash's report back in Episode 24). Instead of a report, they're doing a hands on or visual study of Kanto Pokemon at Professor Oak's lab. It doesn't mean, however, that Ash won't meet up with his old Pokemon like he has done every time he visits.
Yeah, agreed. I'm pretty sure his AG, DP, BW, and XY Pokémon will at least cameo. After all, a large part of it is set in Oak's Lab.
I'd love to see Lana's reaction towards Oshawott, the rambunctious little Water Pokemon(if that even happens at all). Also wonder if Squirtle will make a surprise appearance.
We'll see, and I'm pretty sure Oshawott will make some cameo at least. As far as Squirtle, I also hope that Squirtle, similar to Charizard back in BW, also gets a permanent return as well. Heck, I'm hoping that Pidgeot gets an actual reappearance/return. They've gone FAR too long with Ash not meeting up with Pidgeot as he had promised him. With Johto, I can forgive Ash failing to meet up with Pidgeot since Oak sent him out the door post-haste and immediately sent him over to Johto before he could get a chance to revisit Pidgeot. AG, however, Ash had plenty of time to revisit Pidgeot, yet he doesn't even make any attempt to do so. As it is, he actually is coming across as being as bad as Damian when the latter "promised" to come back for Charmander.
Strangely enough they're only showing events up to Johto's conclusion.
Probably a nostalgia trip but I hope we see Pokemon from ADV, DP, BW and XY so we can have an answer once and for all whether SM is set after XY.
Otherwise I think those SM is not following on from XY arguments are going to continue to happen.
To be fair, at least it refutes Ash's VA's claim that Ash went to Alola directly after Kanto, so there's that to be said. Besides, this definitely beats M20's rather stupid attempts at retconning practically everything in the series.
I do hope the writers make use of acknowledging how long it's been since Ash actually saw Misty, but I can agree that this hype being release may suggest it's more than just two episodes. I also often headcanon that Ash is younger than both Misty and Brock.
Weedle protesting tho hahahaha
Well, I don't know about personally protesting Japan. I don't have enough money to afford a plane ticket to Japan, and even if I did, I'm not that skilled in Japanese (not to mention I need a LOT more than just knowing Japanese to even get in their doors, let alone get my message across to the writers. I once asked a friend to go over to the Japanese Pokemon headquarters when she was briefly staying in Japan with her college group. She wasn't even let into the door, let alone able to make her case.). But I may have to double down, ultimately. Though going by her brief bio in the Televi-kun scan, there's the likelihood that Misty's actually going back to her Water Pokemon Master goal since there's zero mention of her being the Cerulean Gym Leader, despite that essentially being where she is at.