Thanks so much for watching! Let me know your thoughts on the Diamond & Peaarl era of the Pokemon Anime and which Gen 4 Pokemon was your favorite? Also, today is Ash's birthday!
Jorden You know the rules and so do I. A full commitment’s what I’m thinking of, You wouldnt get this from any other guy. I just wanna tell you how I’m feeling, Gotta make you understand… Never gonna give you up, Never gonna let you down, Never gonna run around and desert you. Never gonna make you cry, Never gonna say goodbye, Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you. We’ve known each other for so long Your heart’s been aching But you’re too shy to say it. Inside we both know what’s been going on, We know the game and we’re gonna play it. Annnnnd if you ask me how I’m feeling, Don’t tell me you’re too blind to see… Never gonna give you up, Never gonna let you down, Never gonna run around and desert you. Never gonna make you cry, Never gonna say goodbye, Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you. Never gonna give you up, Never gonna let you down, Never gonna run around and desert you. Never gonna make you cry, Never gonna say goodbye, Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you. Give you up. give you up. Give you up, give you up. Never gonna give Never gonna give, give you up. Never gonna give Never gonna give, give you up. We’ve known each other for so long Your heart’s been aching But you’re too shy to say it. Inside we both know what’s been going on, We know the game and we’re gonna play it. I just wanna tell you how I’m feeling, Gotta make you understand… Never gonna give you up, Never gonna let you down, Never gonna run around and desert you. Never gonna make you cry, Never gonna say goodbye, Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you. Never gonna give you up, Never gonna let you down, Never gonna run around and desert you. Never gonna make you cry, Never gonna say goodbye, Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you. Never gonna give you up, Never gonna let you down, Never gonna run around and desert you. Never gonna make you cry, Never gonna say goodbye, Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you.
The Sinnoh arc was incredible I would say my favorite part was how they gave us Paul a rival that was not only strong but also someone Ash had to beat on a personal level because of how differently they choose to treat Pokémon.
The problem with Gary was that he really only showed up like six times in the ig series and they didn’t even battle until the end of the orange islands
I think Diamond and Pearl might be my favorite Pokemon series. First off, I adore Dawn. She's like a dual protagonist, a fleshed out character with her own goals, rivals, and character arc. I found I was even more invested in her Contest journey and struggles with self confidence than I was with a lot of Ash's gym battles. Zoe was her best rival, too. She was friendly but pushes Dawn to do her best, comforting her when she needs it. And she's the butchest ten year old I've ever seen lol. Dawn/Zoe was the first time I ever wanted two girls in a cartoon to be together. Ash's writing was stellar too, especially his dynamic with Paul. Paul is Ash's hardest rival in the entire series. He reminds me a lot of Silver from the GSC/HGSS games, treating his Pokemon harshly and only caring about strength. Ash and Paul were two sides of a coin, showing what love and compassion versus logic and strictness could be like for raising Pokemon. Chimchar being one of Paul's past Pokemon that he mistreated also gives Ash more of a reason to beat Paul in battle. Brock finally solidifying his life goals was also good to see. He's always been a practical guy, acting like the adult/big brother of the group. Making sure to care for the group's Pokemon. But seeing him create a team with baby Pokemon and having him raise them, plus the way he healed more and more Pokemon and got involved assisting Nurse Joy, it really felt like he finally found his life's work as a Pokemon Doctor. Overall, a fantastic series of the anime that I still appreciate to this day, even with all the filler.
I think i agree, I also really liked the Diamond and Pearl gen. What caught me by surprise was how enjoyable the pokemon contests were to watch. The performances to showcase pokemon moves and different forms to they can take was as much fun or even more so then the main story. While I’m not a huge fan of Dawn, I think she is a little too dull compared to some other pokemon heroines, I liked her role in the series. How her and Ash adopt some of each others techniques in their battles or contests was a very interesting dynamic. Other then this, Ash had his strongest team so far and the final tournament was epic. His battle with Paul was definitely a highlight and even his defeat against Tobias was definitely some of the most memorable battles in the franchise.
Paul was Ash's best rival and their final two battles were probably the best ones he had up to that point and both were different in good ways. That final battle really had me on edge when i was younger and i was behind him all the way. Then he gets stomped by Tobias and it infuriated me to no end like he finally beat Paul and gets stomped by a legendary hunter. It was my favourite series of the anime and it was preceded by my 3rd favourite and proceeded by my least favourite
Fellow 90s kid here as well and I gotta tell ya that’s the nostalgia talking. Gary while more iconic and memorable for being the first rival, wasn’t actually around that often. He certainly didn’t challenge Ash and his ideals or his method to raising Pokémon. Ash and Gary battled 3 times over the original series, Johto series, and the advanced series. With only one of those battles being remotely good. In comparison you have Paul who not only challenged Ash and his ideals and methods stated above, but they battled constantly throughout the Sinnoh arc. Two of those battles being anong the greatest battles in the entire anime series. It’s been stated many times in other places, but it bears repeating. Ash is how we played Pokémon as kids. Paul is how we play Pokémon as adults. I appreciate the Sinnoh arc for making this dichotomy throughout its run, as the fourth generation is where online battling and the competitive scene really took off amongst the fan base. That is of course a coincidence, with the writers having no idea that that would be the future of Pokémon.
@@bradcarver8127 I don't think one's necessarily better than the other but I prefer Gary's not because of nostalgia but because Ash and Paul's dynamic is a trope that was too common in anime of that era and even present day. Ash and Gary's dynamic isn't about clashing ideas but being an insurmountable obstacle for Ash to overcome and be there to remind him that even if he achieves something there's always someone out there better.
When it comes to Diamond and Pearl, I remember they did an entire weekend marathon from episode 1 to the newest ones. My brothers and I stood up all nights to watch em all, or at least attempt 😂
I remember that it was when the show moved from kids wb/cw4kids to cartoon network, caught me off guard because I wasn't watching CN as often at the time
I remember that! I think I had already saw the first three episodes sometime before that so I was pretty disappointed about that 😂 But I did really like the new one they showed
The last series I watched weekly until the end of SM. I grew up with gens 1-4 and I can affirm that the DP anime is the peak of the original Pokémon anime formula.
Paul releasing all those Pokemon were clearly a call back to the games and all of us doing massive amounts of IV hunting lol. Was outta the loop during a lot of Pokemon over the years but managed to watch a few of the anime arc and loved them.
DP is easily the best Pokemon series imo, it takes everything that worked about the anime before and just does it better in almost every way - great companions, great battles, a great overarching story, and Ash's best rival by far. All the later series get more experimental in one way or another but they just don't have the same charm as the classic OS-DP era.
This was the part of Ash’s journey where I began watching and got pretty invested. I liked how they built Paul to be this rival that by the end, you were practically begging Ash to defeat him. I remember Paul’s battle with Brandon sticking out to me as well, with Paul giving detail as to why his victory over Brandon means so much to him. Great work on this series, can’t wait for the next one.
Diamond and Pearl is the best season of the anime, no contest. Great battles, great cast, great side characters, great rivials, adapts the story from the games the best great stakes etc.
Definitely invoked my imagination more for the games when I got to interact first hand with mechanics such as contests and ball capsules. Wish they had explored the Battle Frontier as well so we could meet some of the Frontier Brains from this generation.
The Diamond and Pearl era holds a special place to me. It came out during my last years in HS and was the last generation all my School friends played together. We all moved on to our adult lives. I kept up with Pokémon from a distance afterwards. This generation marked a huge stepping stone in my life, similar to how ruby and sapphire market my transition from elementary to HS. I feel lucky to have grown up with Pokémon. Hopefully my kids will like it when they are old enough to play.
As someone who had to step away from the Pokemon hobby for several years due to well, fun adulting stuff. This series is PERFECT to catch up and I can't thank you enough! Just enough detail to get all caught up without going on forever. Just finding your channel now and looking forward to binging the content!
Everytime i see a new Pokemon Journey video uploaded, im so hyped I can play it in the background getting work done. Thank you for counting this series and brining back childhood to alot of us
This was the first series that I could really watch if you don't count VSH tapes of a few episodes from the original series. Ash's battle against Paul made Monferno, the evolved form of Chimchar, my favorite Pokémon of all time! So this series means a whole lot to me!
Darkrai part was fine as it's so stupidly OP that it makes sense Tobias got so far with nothing but a Darkrai, the issue comes from him also having a Latios...
@@V-Jes The problem is its place in the story. Tobias is a character that literally came out of nowhere with absolutely no build up. He's just a wall preventing Ash from securing his well-deserved win in Sinnoh. It's basically the worst example of how infuriatingly overdone the Pokemon anime formula is: Ash having to lose just to give the series an excuse to milk his story. I know they finally gave him a break, but it took us 2 and a half decades to get there.
That Latios… I remember as a kid thinking wait- other trainers can have more than one legendary? The games for me oh yeah of course I can do but in the anime it was just so unlikely- or more off. Yeah this was a greatest example of oh yeah….. they just want Ash for the big bucks.
This series was my childhood. It's the reason why i fell in love with pokemon in the first place. Also there might be something wrong with me because i see a lot of people hating on Paul but i've liked his character since day one. Best rival
Finally, the part of the anime I actually remember watching as a kid before I turned 10! Gen 4 was really the time where I became aware of the pokemon franchise, but since I had minimal interest in the show and the games, I could only watch it whenever I was with my grandparents or whenever we had cable growing up. I distinctly remember the episode where Ash's Staravia evolves into Starraptor, which is really sweet!
The amount of tears shred through these 4 parts of wild, thanks Jordan, i know anyone on RUclips, viewer or Creator that has a spot in their heart for Pokemon watches this, and is waiting for every new part.
Thanks! I admit, this was the generation where I ended up dropping off in the series. I think I saw the first season and that was it. Nice to know I don’t actually have to go back and watch it. Thanks to you!
The Diamond and Pearl generation is one of my 2 favorite Pokemon series. It did have some pacing issues, but all the characters had such great development. To this day I say Paul is Ash's greatest rival, challenging Ash on another level more than just who's the stronger trainer, but figuring out what a strong trainer is. Paul was more than just a jerk rival, he serves as sort of an Anti-Ash having travel the same regions as him in the past. Paul's strength shown throughout the series shows his methods were affective, and most of his pokemon didn't seem to mind the intense training (no excuse for what he did to Chimchar). And as the series goes on we see Ash and Paul influence each other adopting some of the others techniques.
I’ve been wanting to go back and rewatch Pokémon to it’s ultimate conclusion, but it seems so tedious with how much content the series has put out since I stop watching after D&P. This series is helping me relive a lot of my childhood and hopefully I get to experience new adventures as these videos keep going! Keep it up man, been loving your content for the past year, and it get better every time ♥️
The Sinnoh-part of the anime has my favorite set of returning characters. I was especially thrilled whenever Zoey and Cynthia were part of the episode. Also Hunter J on the villain side.
Gen 4, really a fun one to look back on and remember where I was when each episode was airing, along with remembering how angry everybody was over the sudden appearance of Tobias. Now we just need to wait another month for the generation that would have set Pokemon on a much better path than its current one if fans didn't hate every single new pokemon, character, plot element, town, mechanic, and bit of music Unova introduced when it was new. I'm not even exaggerating: as somebody who was there, you'd think by the way fans acted for the entire 3-year generation that BW was some kind of tragic deathblow to Pokemon.
Ik this comments old but dude I feel you on this. I had gotten back into pokemon in HS a year before bw dropped and I remember everyone (even though they're playing it) shitting on pokemon so hard that gen for designs, saying pokemons dead with that gen. It never made any fucking sense, w ESPECIALLY with how the series has turned out now. It's not even my favorite gen but it is objectively the best generation for the games in terms of storytelling, and in-game content.
God i remember watching the ash vs paul battles,and was excited to see ash go all the way and win everything,but they just had to add tobias,like they knew ash was too good that the only way to defeat him was with a team full of legendaries
DP is the series I started watching the Pokémon anime religiously. Prior to it, I had only been playing the games and seeing the anime here and there. With Gen 4, I couldn't believe that Pokémon I had grown up with like Magneton, Electabuzz, Magmar and Rhydon were receiving evolutions. Not to mention the new Eeveelutions, as well as the introduction of the dieties within the Pokémon franchise. This generation holds such great memories for me.
Dawn was good, it was consistent, but "the best"? It was bloated, terrible finalé, horrible thing with the toge-line, Ash achieved nothing. There was better.
@@AmityvilleFan I don’t understand the hatred for the finale. Ash was able to defeat 2 legendary pokémon for really the first time in the anime, which is much more significant and memorable than him losing to a Meowth
Always loved the irony of Paul being the stand in for the competitive Pokemon scene when it comes to some Pokemon just being inherently better than others.
Jordan after having only watched part 3 and 4 i think its my place to say . Thank you for giving me back my childhood. I didnt know so much abojt the cartoon amd youve taught me so much.
D & p was the real back to back pokemon series i watched. Managing it before school started . I did see a bit of hoenn when i was younger but d&p hits in my nostalgic feels
I never understood how diamond and pearl had such a deep fanbase, because it’s those games where I fell off Pokémon for almost a full gen (except heartgold/soul silver - best remakes ever). I was also a senior in high school when this gen of the anime started airing. You have shown me at least one major key reason as to why this generation is so beloved by the younger kiddos of that day. I’m sad I missed it because the growth of Ash here and the storytelling on display really shows off how much stronger the writing team was for this series. Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl were very weak remakes but I now plan to give Platinum my attention (I made sure my copy is legit).
This series has been so great to watch considering how I loved pokemon as a kid but never was able to follow the series the way I wanted. Thank ya all you've done to make these videos happen!
I just wanted to say thank you. This was the Generation that I became a pokemon fan and words cannot describe how happy I am to finally see you talk about Gen4, thank you.
This was the gen where i tapped out of the franchise as a kid, mostly because i was growing older and felt i was 'too cool' to play with 'children games' anymore. But i do remember my younger cousin was deeply invested in this era. During a family Thanksgiving dinner one year around 2007, my cousin showed me his new DS and him playing Pokemon Diamond, he was so proud to show off his stylus. He was explaining to me the lore of Team Galactic and the villain Cyrus, how he loved that the Pokemon series was actually telling stories that explored space and the cosmic universe. As a dumb Gen-Oner teenager I asked him whether the story about space tied in to Mew & Mewtwo, because I remembered the beginning of every Indigo League episode started with Mew & Mewtwo flying across planets in space, and I always felt that was an unresolved plot thread from the series, assuming there was a connection between Mew & space... my little cousin rolled his eyes at me saying "No" LOL so nowadays I'm just playing catch-up on all the gens I've missed since I was a kid. BDSP & PLA were my first true introduction to Sinnoh (borderline blasphemous, i know, lol)
I'd love to give you a longer comment for this amazing series, but I'm feeling VERY under the weather today. What I do want to say is that though I've never really liked the Chimchar line, Ash's is freakin adorable and it's growth through this series is amazing. Somehow, getting to see Infernape giving Ash was absolutely heart-warming, and I'm so glad that Infernape was able to partner up with Ash who showed him love and compassion. Perhaps it's because I'm an animal rescuer, myself, but those relationships that Ash builds when taking over from a crappy trainer are the ones I think are the most impactful.
You are such a great narrator for Pokemon. Thank you for making this! I have been working on listening to all of Ash's Journey. I've always been a huge fan of Pokemon and grew up with the Kanto and Johto regions and I will forever love them the most.
I was able to watch reruns of the first seasons, but I remember keeping up with Diamond and Pearl as a kid. Loved Ash, Brock, and Dawn, the latter being my fav companion. I just loved the contests so much, such style! Rampardos is one of my fav pokemon
HAD NOTIFS ON FOR THIS I grew up on this saga. Ash’s growth here is phenomenal and I love his team so, so much. Love this retrospective because it’s like I get to see my own childhood be documented all over again
This should have a million plus views and it will. This is an absolute treasure of a series and we thank you for your hard work and dedication. You have a life long fan.
The GOATed pokemon gen series. After casually watching the earlier gens of the show whenever re-runs came on, this was the first full gen of the pokemon anime I decided to religiously watch week-to-week from beginning to end. Kept up with the show in some fashion from then all the way to season 25 (for better and worse 😅😬). The filler was definitely getting heavy-handed at times 😅, but the character development was the strongest it had ever been; especially with those actual great filler episodes. Paul will always remain his greatest rival, and the one we love to hate. Chimchar became my favorite Pokemon and naturally my starter when I got Diamond Version (my first time playing one of the games, due to how great the anime was). Ash may have eventually got bigger Ws, but his Sinnoh League finale is still one of the rawest moments he's ever had (cherry-topped with the fact it's the only time in the DP series he does the iconic hat flip; felt like it would never come back, but what a calculated way to save it). He took that L in the most stylish way possible.
Lucario is beyond iconic nowadays. I didn’t realise Marlene’s gym battle or that little arc was the first time we saw him in the anime. Definitely wouldn’t be the last time we’d see of it either.
Paul is a reflection on how we play the game as an adult. Especially speedrunners. If my starter was shit, I'd reset. If my pidgey is a low level I catch a different one. Paul is our emotionless gaming personified.
I am loving this retrospective on Ash's journey, and I hope you cover Ash's companions (and Team Rocket) in more depth down the road. They add so much to the story and play a major role in shaping Ash through his adventures that they deserve their chance in the spotlight too.
Incredible arc with incredible characters, even I can feel the extreme tension between the rivalry between Ash and Paul, battles of team galactic and pokemon hunter j
Great coverage of the Sinnoh region era! Totally agree that Dawn could have a whole video to herself. In our review of the series I got to gain better appreciation of her rival Zoey who has some great parallels to Paul.
I’m not really a fan of anything past gen 3 but I’ve been waiting for this video!! Just started watching it, but I do want to thank you for making this series! You’re a legend Jordan!
This was the era of the anime where all the main cast had an iconic companion Pokémon; Ash and Pikachu (obviously), Dawn and Piplup and best of all imho, Brock and Groagunk. This was my main generation of the anime, with DP being my first Pokémon games, so excited to watch this!
The villain rival dude is less bad by comparison when you consider how many people take part in casual Pokemon eugenics when they try to breed an ideal pokemon with perfect IVs, egg moves, nature, ability, etc
I was never super into the pokemon anime altho I did watch it whenever it was on. This is the one I remember seeing on the mist when i was quite little so this did bring some nostalgia. Also had that feeling a bit with part 3
Damn, Jordan really reviewed the darkrai movie and didn't mention the absolute banger that is the darkrai theme. Definitely one of the better soundtracks of the pokemon movies
I loved Paul, best rival honestly. He directly challenged Ash’s values like the perfect yin Yang. Afterwards you get to see him grow more. Also, he had the best Pokémon
Pual is one of my favorite characters from the anime. He was the perfect rival for Ash, with their ideas on how to raise their teams, they took time to establish him! You see him often enough to see his progression in tandem with Ash.
I still remember to this day watching this saga air the first time on Cartoon Network. I actually hated Dawn at first cause I was crushing hard on May, (and her beating her in a contest didn't help lol) but that was literally the only reason and i quickly got over it and I think its safe to say she's probably the best written of all of Ash's companions to this day. Like you said, she truly felt like a second main character herself and they nailed it, unlike a certain someone who's a mixed bag that will be covered much much much later. DP now that I'm being reminded through this video really did the most with the usual boss characters in gym leaders and e4 members and even its champion of course. Gym leaders always had some focus in the past, but here they show up even when not about to be battled and sometimes feel like companions themselves, like Candice for a little bit is an example I remember the most. And of course they really kicked ass with the rivals this gen. All are great abd provide unique battling methods and character conflicts and then Paul's dynamic with Ash and Infernape (which contributes to Infernape being my favorite pokemon to this day), all beautiful stuff. With Ash himself being at the peak of his natural character trajectory that started day 1 while still having his sass and not feeling too much like the standard anime good boi I feel he kinda settles into going forward. ALSO HER NAME IS CLAUDINA, AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING HER TO MY ATTENTION I CAN'T BELIEVE I FORGOT HER WHY'D THEY MAKE SUCH A BADDIE FOR JUST A ONE OFF JOKE, POKEMON HOW COULD YOU NOT BRING HER BACK
I swear Riley HAD to be a descendant or something of Sir Aaron. The hat, his Lucario doing many of the movie Lucario’s gestures and poses, the hair. He was totally supposed to be way more important than he ended up being.
Thanks so much for watching! Let me know your thoughts on the Diamond & Peaarl era of the Pokemon Anime and which Gen 4 Pokemon was your favorite? Also, today is Ash's birthday!
It was a great series
Jorden You know the rules and so do I.
A full commitment’s what I’m thinking of,
You wouldnt get this from any other guy.
I just wanna tell you how I’m feeling,
Gotta make you understand…
Never gonna give you up,
Never gonna let you down,
Never gonna run around and desert you.
Never gonna make you cry,
Never gonna say goodbye,
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you.
We’ve known each other for so long
Your heart’s been aching
But you’re too shy to say it.
Inside we both know what’s been going on,
We know the game and we’re gonna play it.
Annnnnd if you ask me how I’m feeling,
Don’t tell me you’re too blind to see…
Never gonna give you up,
Never gonna let you down,
Never gonna run around and desert you.
Never gonna make you cry,
Never gonna say goodbye,
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you.
Never gonna give you up,
Never gonna let you down,
Never gonna run around and desert you.
Never gonna make you cry,
Never gonna say goodbye,
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you.
Give you up. give you up.
Give you up, give you up.
Never gonna give
Never gonna give, give you up.
Never gonna give
Never gonna give, give you up.
We’ve known each other for so long
Your heart’s been aching
But you’re too shy to say it.
Inside we both know what’s been going on,
We know the game and we’re gonna play it.
I just wanna tell you how I’m feeling,
Gotta make you understand…
Never gonna give you up,
Never gonna let you down,
Never gonna run around and desert you.
Never gonna make you cry,
Never gonna say goodbye,
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you.
Never gonna give you up,
Never gonna let you down,
Never gonna run around and desert you.
Never gonna make you cry,
Never gonna say goodbye,
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you.
Never gonna give you up,
Never gonna let you down,
Never gonna run around and desert you.
Never gonna make you cry,
Never gonna say goodbye,
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you.
I've been looking for this for a week! 😁
It's a great series but I think this video series is better
My introduction to the series as a fresh start even though i wasn’t into pokemon yet
Jordan, I just want to mention that I absolutely ADORE this series, and I'm so glad you're doing this all of this! Keep up the good work!
Thanks so much for the kind words and support!
@@JordanFringe94I love your videos so much keep up the good work man
second This Sentiment
@@JordanFringe94whens the 5th part planned to come out? i love this series and can’t wait for the next one
The diamond and pearl era was my childhood. Pokemon nostalgia is a special kind of nostalgia
Shiiiiiii I am old
Same I grew up with the tail end of Hoenn but I distinctally remember this coming out especially since it was my first generation of games ad well
Same
@@callmemabie7281 Don't worry. I realized i became ancient too 😢
same!
The Sinnoh arc was incredible I would say my favorite part was how they gave us Paul a rival that was not only strong but also someone Ash had to beat on a personal level because of how differently they choose to treat Pokémon.
Ash's biggest enemy: a mean-spirited power builder. And Ash still tries to show him some kindness
The problem with Gary was that he really only showed up like six times in the ig series and they didn’t even battle until the end of the orange islands
Well, yea, that tends to be what makes a good antagonist, being a foil to the hero. It just took pokemon like 7 seasons to get with the program lol.
I think Diamond and Pearl might be my favorite Pokemon series.
First off, I adore Dawn. She's like a dual protagonist, a fleshed out character with her own goals, rivals, and character arc. I found I was even more invested in her Contest journey and struggles with self confidence than I was with a lot of Ash's gym battles. Zoe was her best rival, too. She was friendly but pushes Dawn to do her best, comforting her when she needs it. And she's the butchest ten year old I've ever seen lol. Dawn/Zoe was the first time I ever wanted two girls in a cartoon to be together.
Ash's writing was stellar too, especially his dynamic with Paul. Paul is Ash's hardest rival in the entire series. He reminds me a lot of Silver from the GSC/HGSS games, treating his Pokemon harshly and only caring about strength. Ash and Paul were two sides of a coin, showing what love and compassion versus logic and strictness could be like for raising Pokemon. Chimchar being one of Paul's past Pokemon that he mistreated also gives Ash more of a reason to beat Paul in battle.
Brock finally solidifying his life goals was also good to see. He's always been a practical guy, acting like the adult/big brother of the group. Making sure to care for the group's Pokemon. But seeing him create a team with baby Pokemon and having him raise them, plus the way he healed more and more Pokemon and got involved assisting Nurse Joy, it really felt like he finally found his life's work as a Pokemon Doctor.
Overall, a fantastic series of the anime that I still appreciate to this day, even with all the filler.
I think i agree, I also really liked the Diamond and Pearl gen.
What caught me by surprise was how enjoyable the pokemon contests were to watch. The performances to showcase pokemon moves and different forms to they can take was as much fun or even more so then the main story. While I’m not a huge fan of Dawn, I think she is a little too dull compared to some other pokemon heroines, I liked her role in the series. How her and Ash adopt some of each others techniques in their battles or contests was a very interesting dynamic. Other then this, Ash had his strongest team so far and the final tournament was epic. His battle with Paul was definitely a highlight and even his defeat against Tobias was definitely some of the most memorable battles in the franchise.
I liked the xy since ash looks so different and also way mature
Paul was Ash's best rival and their final two battles were probably the best ones he had up to that point and both were different in good ways. That final battle really had me on edge when i was younger and i was behind him all the way. Then he gets stomped by Tobias and it infuriated me to no end like he finally beat Paul and gets stomped by a legendary hunter. It was my favourite series of the anime and it was preceded by my 3rd favourite and proceeded by my least favourite
I liked their fight at the lake more. Lot more switching, and strats. Plus I like Paul’s team better there
That Drapion was nightmare fuel. Probably why I love it so much to this day.
Fellow 90s kid here as well and I gotta tell ya that’s the nostalgia talking. Gary while more iconic and memorable for being the first rival, wasn’t actually around that often. He certainly didn’t challenge Ash and his ideals or his method to raising Pokémon. Ash and Gary battled 3 times over the original series, Johto series, and the advanced series. With only one of those battles being remotely good. In comparison you have Paul who not only challenged Ash and his ideals and methods stated above, but they battled constantly throughout the Sinnoh arc. Two of those battles being anong the greatest battles in the entire anime series.
It’s been stated many times in other places, but it bears repeating. Ash is how we played Pokémon as kids. Paul is how we play Pokémon as adults. I appreciate the Sinnoh arc for making this dichotomy throughout its run, as the fourth generation is where online battling and the competitive scene really took off amongst the fan base. That is of course a coincidence, with the writers having no idea that that would be the future of Pokémon.
@@bradcarver8127 I don't think one's necessarily better than the other but I prefer Gary's not because of nostalgia but because Ash and Paul's dynamic is a trope that was too common in anime of that era and even present day. Ash and Gary's dynamic isn't about clashing ideas but being an insurmountable obstacle for Ash to overcome and be there to remind him that even if he achieves something there's always someone out there better.
When it comes to Diamond and Pearl, I remember they did an entire weekend marathon from episode 1 to the newest ones. My brothers and I stood up all nights to watch em all, or at least attempt 😂
It was awesome
I remember that it was when the show moved from kids wb/cw4kids to cartoon network, caught me off guard because I wasn't watching CN as often at the time
I remember that! I think I had already saw the first three episodes sometime before that so I was pretty disappointed about that 😂 But I did really like the new one they showed
It was epic.
I remember that I loved it
The last series I watched weekly until the end of SM. I grew up with gens 1-4 and I can affirm that the DP anime is the peak of the original Pokémon anime formula.
it's a sad moment but I was actually relieved when Paul released Chimchar He was abusing that poor thing
Paul gave Chimchar the big boot due to thinking he was too weak to handle the battle. Ash can raise Chimchar way better than what Paul did.
Paul releasing all those Pokemon were clearly a call back to the games and all of us doing massive amounts of IV hunting lol. Was outta the loop during a lot of Pokemon over the years but managed to watch a few of the anime arc and loved them.
What's more sad is seeing Ash's strong Tertwig turn into a Torterra who did absolutely nothing
Gardenia having a Turtwig was cool even in game and wish more gym leaders had starter Pokémon
Technically, Lt. Surge had a fully evolved starter in Pokémon Yellow
Flint also had an infernape. And didnt Roark have an Empoleon? :0 may have just been the remake tho sorry.
DP is easily the best Pokemon series imo, it takes everything that worked about the anime before and just does it better in almost every way - great companions, great battles, a great overarching story, and Ash's best rival by far. All the later series get more experimental in one way or another but they just don't have the same charm as the classic OS-DP era.
This was the part of Ash’s journey where I began watching and got pretty invested. I liked how they built Paul to be this rival that by the end, you were practically begging Ash to defeat him. I remember Paul’s battle with Brandon sticking out to me as well, with Paul giving detail as to why his victory over Brandon means so much to him.
Great work on this series, can’t wait for the next one.
I loved in Ash and Paul's battle when Electabuzz saw Monferno had evolved and gave it a smirk.
electabuzz and its line always felt like the perfect rival pokemon for Ash's teams, like if you combined pikachu with infernape
Diamond and Pearl is the best season of the anime, no contest. Great battles, great cast, great side characters, great rivials, adapts the story from the games the best great stakes etc.
Definitely invoked my imagination more for the games when I got to interact first hand with mechanics such as contests and ball capsules. Wish they had explored the Battle Frontier as well so we could meet some of the Frontier Brains from this generation.
Man, I have never forgotten the sheer hatred I had for Paul, but you brought it all to the forefront
Paul appears
*Kill Bill sirens start*
Everyone did, because Paul is literally the embodiment of competitive players 🤣
This was the series that got me back into Pokémon. Between this and Platinum the fourth generation was a damn good time.
The Diamond and Pearl era holds a special place to me. It came out during my last years in HS and was the last generation all my School friends played together. We all moved on to our adult lives. I kept up with Pokémon from a distance afterwards. This generation marked a huge stepping stone in my life, similar to how ruby and sapphire market my transition from elementary to HS. I feel lucky to have grown up with Pokémon. Hopefully my kids will like it when they are old enough to play.
The movies for diamond and pearl to me were the most memorable I don't know what it was just the emotions and grandure made me enjoy them more
As someone who had to step away from the Pokemon hobby for several years due to well, fun adulting stuff. This series is PERFECT to catch up and I can't thank you enough! Just enough detail to get all caught up without going on forever. Just finding your channel now and looking forward to binging the content!
I've been waiting for this one. Diamond and Pearl is the best season of the anime, no contest.
"This is everyone's garden" IDK why but that line delivery was dope. Loved Rise of Darkrai
Everytime i see a new Pokemon Journey video uploaded, im so hyped I can play it in the background getting work done. Thank you for counting this series and brining back childhood to alot of us
This was the first series that I could really watch if you don't count VSH tapes of a few episodes from the original series. Ash's battle against Paul made Monferno, the evolved form of Chimchar, my favorite Pokémon of all time! So this series means a whole lot to me!
He should have won this region. That darkrai was an asspull from the writers
Darkrai part was fine as it's so stupidly OP that it makes sense Tobias got so far with nothing but a Darkrai, the issue comes from him also having a Latios...
@@V-Jes The problem is its place in the story. Tobias is a character that literally came out of nowhere with absolutely no build up. He's just a wall preventing Ash from securing his well-deserved win in Sinnoh. It's basically the worst example of how infuriatingly overdone the Pokemon anime formula is: Ash having to lose just to give the series an excuse to milk his story. I know they finally gave him a break, but it took us 2 and a half decades to get there.
That Latios… I remember as a kid thinking wait- other trainers can have more than one legendary? The games for me oh yeah of course I can do but in the anime it was just so unlikely- or more off. Yeah this was a greatest example of oh yeah….. they just want Ash for the big bucks.
I agree but the fight itself was cool as hell. It gave us Sceptile's best scene of all time
I still maintain Ash's DP team was S tier. Gen 4 (Platinum I should say) is my favourite era to this day
His Buizel should've evolved
This series was my childhood. It's the reason why i fell in love with pokemon in the first place. Also there might be something wrong with me because i see a lot of people hating on Paul but i've liked his character since day one. Best rival
I binged this series like a week ago, and I am excited for each new part.
It’s a great series
Finally, the part of the anime I actually remember watching as a kid before I turned 10!
Gen 4 was really the time where I became aware of the pokemon franchise, but since I had minimal interest in the show and the games, I could only watch it whenever I was with my grandparents or whenever we had cable growing up. I distinctly remember the episode where Ash's Staravia evolves into Starraptor, which is really sweet!
The amount of tears shred through these 4 parts of wild, thanks Jordan, i know anyone on RUclips, viewer or Creator that has a spot in their heart for Pokemon watches this, and is waiting for every new part.
Thanks! I admit, this was the generation where I ended up dropping off in the series. I think I saw the first season and that was it. Nice to know I don’t actually have to go back and watch it. Thanks to you!
The show is worth the watch as I really only talk about Ash and not everything beyond that. Thanks for the support, I truly appreciate it!
The Diamond and Pearl generation is one of my 2 favorite Pokemon series. It did have some pacing issues, but all the characters had such great development.
To this day I say Paul is Ash's greatest rival, challenging Ash on another level more than just who's the stronger trainer, but figuring out what a strong trainer is. Paul was more than just a jerk rival, he serves as sort of an Anti-Ash having travel the same regions as him in the past. Paul's strength shown throughout the series shows his methods were affective, and most of his pokemon didn't seem to mind the intense training (no excuse for what he did to Chimchar). And as the series goes on we see Ash and Paul influence each other adopting some of the others techniques.
And when the world needed him most… he appeared with a BANGER video
I’ve been wanting to go back and rewatch Pokémon to it’s ultimate conclusion, but it seems so tedious with how much content the series has put out since I stop watching after D&P. This series is helping me relive a lot of my childhood and hopefully I get to experience new adventures as these videos keep going! Keep it up man, been loving your content for the past year, and it get better every time ♥️
Hype, keep up the amazing series, Jordan! Excited for the rollercoaster that is Unova
The Sinnoh-part of the anime has my favorite set of returning characters.
I was especially thrilled whenever Zoey and Cynthia were part of the episode.
Also Hunter J on the villain side.
Gen 4, really a fun one to look back on and remember where I was when each episode was airing, along with remembering how angry everybody was over the sudden appearance of Tobias. Now we just need to wait another month for the generation that would have set Pokemon on a much better path than its current one if fans didn't hate every single new pokemon, character, plot element, town, mechanic, and bit of music Unova introduced when it was new. I'm not even exaggerating: as somebody who was there, you'd think by the way fans acted for the entire 3-year generation that BW was some kind of tragic deathblow to Pokemon.
Ik this comments old but dude I feel you on this. I had gotten back into pokemon in HS a year before bw dropped and I remember everyone (even though they're playing it) shitting on pokemon so hard that gen for designs, saying pokemons dead with that gen. It never made any fucking sense, w
ESPECIALLY with how the series has turned out now. It's not even my favorite gen but it is objectively the best generation for the games in terms of storytelling, and in-game content.
Really the only bad bit is the anime
God i remember watching the ash vs paul battles,and was excited to see ash go all the way and win everything,but they just had to add tobias,like they knew ash was too good that the only way to defeat him was with a team full of legendaries
DP is the series I started watching the Pokémon anime religiously. Prior to it, I had only been playing the games and seeing the anime here and there. With Gen 4, I couldn't believe that Pokémon I had grown up with like Magneton, Electabuzz, Magmar and Rhydon were receiving evolutions. Not to mention the new Eeveelutions, as well as the introduction of the dieties within the Pokémon franchise.
This generation holds such great memories for me.
This was the objectively best series of the anime. By pure coincidence it is also when I got into Pokémon
Naw
Dawn was good, it was consistent, but "the best"? It was bloated, terrible finalé, horrible thing with the toge-line, Ash achieved nothing.
There was better.
@@AmityvilleFan I don’t understand the hatred for the finale. Ash was able to defeat 2 legendary pokémon for really the first time in the anime, which is much more significant and memorable than him losing to a Meowth
from a anime and battling perspective thats a fair argument but the humor in gen 1 stands up best and I appreciate the sillier tone.
Always loved the irony of Paul being the stand in for the competitive Pokemon scene when it comes to some Pokemon just being inherently better than others.
At some point we need a “Who’s that Pokémon” intermission that not matter what Pokémon it is it’s Pikachu.
I’ve been hoping for that 😂
Thats somewhere on RUclips
Jordan after having only watched part 3 and 4 i think its my place to say . Thank you for giving me back my childhood. I didnt know so much abojt the cartoon amd youve taught me so much.
D & p was the real back to back pokemon series i watched. Managing it before school started . I did see a bit of hoenn when i was younger but d&p hits in my nostalgic feels
i love that they changed the trees for diamond and pearl, tiny detail but looks so good and different
I never understood how diamond and pearl had such a deep fanbase, because it’s those games where I fell off Pokémon for almost a full gen (except heartgold/soul silver - best remakes ever). I was also a senior in high school when this gen of the anime started airing. You have shown me at least one major key reason as to why this generation is so beloved by the younger kiddos of that day. I’m sad I missed it because the growth of Ash here and the storytelling on display really shows off how much stronger the writing team was for this series. Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl were very weak remakes but I now plan to give Platinum my attention (I made sure my copy is legit).
Platinum is such and amazing experience
This series has been so great to watch considering how I loved pokemon as a kid but never was able to follow the series the way I wanted. Thank ya all you've done to make these videos happen!
I look forward to this series every episode. LETS GOOOOO
So excited, it’s been so great re-living this journey.
I just wanted to say thank you. This was the Generation that I became a pokemon fan and words cannot describe how happy I am to finally see you talk about Gen4, thank you.
I cannot wait for the next video. This one is my favorite though, I love Gen 4 so much, Dawn, the contests, and everything just felt so amazing.
This was the gen where i tapped out of the franchise as a kid, mostly because i was growing older and felt i was 'too cool' to play with 'children games' anymore. But i do remember my younger cousin was deeply invested in this era. During a family Thanksgiving dinner one year around 2007, my cousin showed me his new DS and him playing Pokemon Diamond, he was so proud to show off his stylus. He was explaining to me the lore of Team Galactic and the villain Cyrus, how he loved that the Pokemon series was actually telling stories that explored space and the cosmic universe. As a dumb Gen-Oner teenager I asked him whether the story about space tied in to Mew & Mewtwo, because I remembered the beginning of every Indigo League episode started with Mew & Mewtwo flying across planets in space, and I always felt that was an unresolved plot thread from the series, assuming there was a connection between Mew & space... my little cousin rolled his eyes at me saying "No" LOL so nowadays I'm just playing catch-up on all the gens I've missed since I was a kid. BDSP & PLA were my first true introduction to Sinnoh (borderline blasphemous, i know, lol)
Dawn getting mad at Paul always makes me laugh
Yes finally this era of the show was my childhood.
I'd love to give you a longer comment for this amazing series, but I'm feeling VERY under the weather today. What I do want to say is that though I've never really liked the Chimchar line, Ash's is freakin adorable and it's growth through this series is amazing. Somehow, getting to see Infernape giving Ash was absolutely heart-warming, and I'm so glad that Infernape was able to partner up with Ash who showed him love and compassion. Perhaps it's because I'm an animal rescuer, myself, but those relationships that Ash builds when taking over from a crappy trainer are the ones I think are the most impactful.
After this is where I gave up on watching Pokemon whether I was too old, or too busy. Im so glad you made these thank you so much.
Man, after the first video on this topic you immediately got a new subscriber!
Thank you for your work!
i’m 22 and this was the era that i really remember the fondest. this and gen 3 were really peak pokémon for me.
How, weren't you 2 years old when Gen 3 came out?
I really loved The Rise of Darkrai! I remember I got the DVD and my first TV in my room for one of my birthdays
This was the last generation before I gave up Pokémon for a while. It’s nice too see all of these videos in one go.
You are such a great narrator for Pokemon. Thank you for making this! I have been working on listening to all of Ash's Journey. I've always been a huge fan of Pokemon and grew up with the Kanto and Johto regions and I will forever love them the most.
I remember that tag battle marathon! I loved how they hyped it up like it was a little tv movie
I was able to watch reruns of the first seasons, but I remember keeping up with Diamond and Pearl as a kid. Loved Ash, Brock, and Dawn, the latter being my fav companion. I just loved the contests so much, such style!
Rampardos is one of my fav pokemon
HAD NOTIFS ON FOR THIS
I grew up on this saga. Ash’s growth here is phenomenal and I love his team so, so much. Love this retrospective because it’s like I get to see my own childhood be documented all over again
Paul's existence is just so funny. Like he's just there to be a hater 😭
This should have a million plus views and it will. This is an absolute treasure of a series and we thank you for your hard work and dedication. You have a life long fan.
The GOATed pokemon gen series. After casually watching the earlier gens of the show whenever re-runs came on, this was the first full gen of the pokemon anime I decided to religiously watch week-to-week from beginning to end. Kept up with the show in some fashion from then all the way to season 25 (for better and worse 😅😬). The filler was definitely getting heavy-handed at times 😅, but the character development was the strongest it had ever been; especially with those actual great filler episodes.
Paul will always remain his greatest rival, and the one we love to hate. Chimchar became my favorite Pokemon and naturally my starter when I got Diamond Version (my first time playing one of the games, due to how great the anime was).
Ash may have eventually got bigger Ws, but his Sinnoh League finale is still one of the rawest moments he's ever had (cherry-topped with the fact it's the only time in the DP series he does the iconic hat flip; felt like it would never come back, but what a calculated way to save it). He took that L in the most stylish way possible.
Lucario is beyond iconic nowadays. I didn’t realise Marlene’s gym battle or that little arc was the first time we saw him in the anime. Definitely wouldn’t be the last time we’d see of it either.
You saw it in a Gen 3 era movie first when it comes to the anime.
@@V-Jes oh yeah when you take the movies into account lol
21:13 Did anyone else notice this god-like strength of Ash just ripping an apple cleanly in half?
So much work and love goes into these. I can’t wait to see what part 5 has in store
you are the hero everyone desperately needed-i have been looking for a series like this for so long, tysmmm :D
I've been playing a Pokémon fan game that lets you go through ash's whole journey and I've been watching these as I've done it.
Paul is a reflection on how we play the game as an adult. Especially speedrunners. If my starter was shit, I'd reset. If my pidgey is a low level I catch a different one. Paul is our emotionless gaming personified.
I am loving this retrospective on Ash's journey, and I hope you cover Ash's companions (and Team Rocket) in more depth down the road. They add so much to the story and play a major role in shaping Ash through his adventures that they deserve their chance in the spotlight too.
Incredible arc with incredible characters, even I can feel the extreme tension between the rivalry between Ash and Paul, battles of team galactic and pokemon hunter j
How appropriate that this came out on Ash’s birthday
Great coverage of the Sinnoh region era!
Totally agree that Dawn could have a whole video to herself. In our review of the series I got to gain better appreciation of her rival Zoey who has some great parallels to Paul.
I’m not really a fan of anything past gen 3 but I’ve been waiting for this video!! Just started watching it, but I do want to thank you for making this series! You’re a legend Jordan!
This was the era of the anime where all the main cast had an iconic companion Pokémon; Ash and Pikachu (obviously), Dawn and Piplup and best of all imho, Brock and Groagunk. This was my main generation of the anime, with DP being my first Pokémon games, so excited to watch this!
The villain rival dude is less bad by comparison when you consider how many people take part in casual Pokemon eugenics when they try to breed an ideal pokemon with perfect IVs, egg moves, nature, ability, etc
Maybe one day we’ll get such a character on a story. Though it’d probably be a FF7 Hojo like character
In real life that would be bad indeed.
Probably partly why they completely negated that with the introduction of hyper training.
Paul out here nuzlocke-ing D&P in universe 😂
I was never super into the pokemon anime altho I did watch it whenever it was on. This is the one I remember seeing on the mist when i was quite little so this did bring some nostalgia. Also had that feeling a bit with part 3
Damn, Jordan really reviewed the darkrai movie and didn't mention the absolute banger that is the darkrai theme. Definitely one of the better soundtracks of the pokemon movies
I like that Jessie actually starts to win contests
Jordan Fringe video after my longest day ever at work😢 I’m crying I’m so happy
Gen 4 is what really got me into pokemon especially the anime and the trading cards
Oooooooooh what a treat. Dawn was always my favorite travel companion aside brock. And this gen had both!
I loved Paul, best rival honestly. He directly challenged Ash’s values like the perfect yin Yang. Afterwards you get to see him grow more. Also, he had the best Pokémon
The best era of ash's journey. Paul was the best rival. Infernape's bond with ash is cooler than the one he later has with Greninja/Lucario
Looking forward to part 5, take your time ❤
Pual is one of my favorite characters from the anime. He was the perfect rival for Ash, with their ideas on how to raise their teams, they took time to establish him! You see him often enough to see his progression in tandem with Ash.
Probably still my favourite series, doing a great job on the videos! Keep it up!
I still remember to this day watching this saga air the first time on Cartoon Network. I actually hated Dawn at first cause I was crushing hard on May, (and her beating her in a contest didn't help lol) but that was literally the only reason and i quickly got over it and I think its safe to say she's probably the best written of all of Ash's companions to this day. Like you said, she truly felt like a second main character herself and they nailed it, unlike a certain someone who's a mixed bag that will be covered much much much later.
DP now that I'm being reminded through this video really did the most with the usual boss characters in gym leaders and e4 members and even its champion of course. Gym leaders always had some focus in the past, but here they show up even when not about to be battled and sometimes feel like companions themselves, like Candice for a little bit is an example I remember the most. And of course they really kicked ass with the rivals this gen. All are great abd provide unique battling methods and character conflicts and then Paul's dynamic with Ash and Infernape (which contributes to Infernape being my favorite pokemon to this day), all beautiful stuff. With Ash himself being at the peak of his natural character trajectory that started day 1 while still having his sass and not feeling too much like the standard anime good boi I feel he kinda settles into going forward.
ALSO HER NAME IS CLAUDINA, AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING HER TO MY ATTENTION I CAN'T BELIEVE I FORGOT HER WHY'D THEY MAKE SUCH A BADDIE FOR JUST A ONE OFF JOKE, POKEMON HOW COULD YOU NOT BRING HER BACK
I been waitin for this to drop.
I swear Riley HAD to be a descendant or something of Sir Aaron. The hat, his Lucario doing many of the movie Lucario’s gestures and poses, the hair. He was totally supposed to be way more important than he ended up being.
I love how good this series has been!! Sad that I can’t just binge it all but the wait is so worth it, thanks Jordan!!
Oh my God let's go! I've been waiting for this episode so eagerly
This series has been incredible. Thank you so much for putting all this together. What a watch!
I just started this guide this a couple of days ago and was so excited to see the newest episode drop today!
Thank you for all your hard work
Dp more or less capped off my childhood and it kicked ass...this and Gen 2 are hands down the best
Gen 4 was what I grew up with. It will always win in my heart.
Love this series man. Helps me reconnect with my childhood. Honestly can't wait for the the next one. I stopped watching after the Hoenn region
Yes!!! part 4 is here! Thank you so much for making this ❤