Out of all goals female leads pursued in Pokemon so far and there wasn't many(just 3 type of careers).
Pokemon showcase/performance is one which bore me the most.
It lacks that excitement and adventurous aspect other careers had. As well having less substance and variety to work with like contests for example. Which had its imperfections but still had battle rounds. Wider group of people was allowed to participate and voting system seemed more balanced and credible. In evaluating who deserves to come on top.
I tried to give chance to Pokemon performing, but they still come of as underwhelming and one dimensional; for me anyway. For start they feel like beauty pageants trying to promote real life concept of super idol on pokemon anime screen.
Everything is subjected to glamour, looks and fashion in winning over audience sympathy and support.
Concepts like baking, parading on runway like fashion model, dressing up yourself and pokemon in pretty dresses, cooking etc. All of this comes of as one big stereotype. Giving out message how girls should be good at cooking, cleaning, behaving girly and always polite making good material for housewife.
Its not particularly interesting either for me.
Although ill give them how free style performance looks visually more attractive. When girls and pokemon do act together on stage. Involving dancing, using accesories to accent on coreography developed with pokemon and sometime enjoyable mix of colors and agility.
But without some tension and actual drama, heat of competition between participants this can only work for so long.
Which is achilles heel for whole showcase itself.
Maybe they would be more satisfying to follow and endearing if there werent implemented unnecessary limitations and restrictions greatly affecting their appeal.
Such as rule of only girls being allowed to compete. This doesn't just comes of as discriminatory, but it also reduces difficulty of competition to go against. Due to smaller pool of participants entering such events in first place, not to mention takes away from diversity as well.
Due to reducing number of variants and styles inclusion of both genders in competition could offer.
Or rivalries themselves losing on importance. Because whats the point of Serena having Shauna, Nini, Miette, Jessie as rivals if whole structure of competition is set up in such way that girls cannot directly compete betwee themselves. Evaluating between themselves skill, resourcefulness and creativity in using their pokemon.
Taking away from drama, tension and impact presence of rivals could leave on main character story.
Since audience itself is your main worry and who they favor more.
Speaking of which this pulls another issue pokemon performance has; Because voting system seem flawed and encourage favoritism. Lacking objectivity or experts who could offer their professional opinion involved into it.
Backfiring on bold, original strategy and moves participants like poor Jessie tries to bring over on stage. Just to be punished instead of rewarded for her ideas and more extravagant style used with her pokemon.
Im still holding hope that Master Class might involve something else and chance to see Serena directly face her competition. But all in all im not pleased with pokemon performance all that much myself.
Feeling like just step down from treatment female leads had been receiving in previous generations.
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However im sorry to disappoint but regardless of my feelings for Pokemon performance, i wouldn't have liked if Serena became coordinator either.
Because it would be repetitive and in lot of ways stupid to objectify every main girl from now on in pokemon series in coordinator doing contests.
Killing any chance for variety,
In general as much as i appreciated contets, i feel they are abit overrated in pokemon fandom. To point of every other career being awaited with lot of prejudices and skepticism.
When there exists so many different ways through which female companion development could be illustrated and gratifying feeling of seeing all kind of different careers exploited. As we see them go through selfsearching, insecurities, learn how to overcome onbstacles and what kind of tests they have yet to povercome.
This included ever so infamous oner type pokemon master careers Misty/Iris pursued. Because contrary to common belief there exists ways and there was potential to make sensible, eventful storylines out of it. Due to its heavy ties to battling , entering tournaments(element touraments anyone?), catching lot of pokemon and meeting other elemental experts.
Delivering more than what we got .
Or in this case pokemon showcase , because while my feelings currently are not much positive. Its still something new, different and you could argue in lot of ways suitable for Serena personality. Still working and helping her character to develop and hopefully become more independent in future breaking out of Ash shadow. Having its structure, organized path through which clear cut exploration of her career and progression could be more effectively measured.
Despite not being something which comes from games, but mainly from writer minds(hence why its anime exclusive goal).
Ideally though i would preferred for Serena to be neither Pokemon performer or coordinator but; either pokemon trainer pursuing some career related to that(working in opening her gym, become poke ranger, have special mission to achieve working in improving battle abilities(like Zinnia had from games carrying big burden on her back). Or pokemon racer showing all kind of difference races thast way(she is afterrall pretty skilled at it).
But that ship sailed away.
p.s. On subject of gyms being even more reptitive than contests:
That may be true, but there exists oner big dufference and reason why i have no problems with it:
First i enjoy far more in normal, regular battles than its case with contests. Because they are often more intense and full of unexpected outcomes.
And with gyms we are talking about same, stable character doing them(Ash). Following journey and progression of one person who works on bettering itself, has chance to experience all kind of new dangers, pokemon, adventures evolving and working toward reaching ultimate destination. Having chance to achieve its dreams and be used to full potential.
Something which is significantly different with contests where main girls as it is are treated as highly expendable material. Which would only result in endless train of females who are halfway developed . Later disappearing forever with no progression or chance for further development ever happening.
Having lot of in that case same stories started, but never seeing their culmination and endings . Fading in oblivion. Even if we seen them all succeed i still dont see point in following every female developing and conquering exact same thing. Taking away from originality and something through which each girl could be associated with.
Might as well continue such practice on different careers at least offering more fresh sensation and material through which new girls would be growing and learning. Than having them do exact same thing predecessors did.
Only way i would personally accept return of contests on regular basis is if it meant May or Dawn getting sequel to their stories.
