Reunions!

It has been announced for the Pokémon anime that Brock and Misty will appear again and be reunited with Ash for a couple of episodes. What's more, they will appear in their classic appearance that fans of the anime recognize from the early days. Many fans have found this exciting, not the least of which are fellow fans in my area, who recognize the early days of this anime as being tantamount to "legendary". I am of the same opinion, though I'm just as excited whenever the anime offers reunions such as this one.

Reunions are not a strange concept to the Pokémon anime, as these have happened before. One of the most memorable is when Misty reunited with Ash and Brock (and met May and Max) in Hoenn, which resulted in a three-part story arc that featured Togepi as a central point. And aside from the slightly sour ending, it was a worthwhile reunion for those involved.

I like reunions as much as any other fan that does, but I also like if they're structured well. I don't like to see a lot of characters reunited unless the situation really, really warrants it. I'm also not a fan of prolonged reunions unless the story is intended to transform to something new; the couple of episodes here and the three-episode example above seems sufficient for a change from typical stories for the saga. Of course, whatever happens, I'll still appreciate any kind of reunion.

And this reunion? This one will mean a lot. It'll be a testament to the staying power of Pokémon and its anime. It straddles the old and the new - the old characters with their old appearance in a new saga and a new art style. And they are the characters that many recognize as being emblematic of the anime's legacy and legend. I like that, and I hope through reunions or otherwise this anime continues to create more of those.