Two-Sided Stories

I've occasionally mentioned on some of the posts on this blog that there are two sides to every story, and now I feel that I have to expound on that, as well as what it means for me and Pokémon. In general, this means that stories have good and bad sides, but these sides are also relative in some cases. It has to do with how things are seen, even from multiple sides within those sides.

Many stories that involve Pokémon also involve the raising of them, and this certainly provides for the two sides of a story, and perhaps even more. This was something that I illustrated previously with the case of Charizard, but the same really applies to any Pokémon. Pokémon are beings that have their own feelings as well, so they would be seeing things in their own way, as much as the Trainers that raise them see things in their own way. The Pokémon would expect that things go one way while the Trainers expect another. If these are more or less in line, then there's not much to say about the two sides, but if these are not, then that's when the two sides become more pronounced. With interactions between the two sides, the stories become told.

The villains of the Pokémon world also facilitate the two sides of a story. In their case, they could become their own side of the story. I've noted a certain sympathy for them, and this leads to the interest of knowing what they had expected. Recently, anti-hero movies have come into vogue, and these are essentially the stories of villains; the ones in the Pokémon world could go through a similar course. Here, it is their expectations that run the course and become their story. Though some of their actions may be cruel and unforgivable, there might be a chance to see more of their humane side and less of that other side.

What seems to be important is that no matter from which side, there are stories to be told. All the characters involved have their own expectations, which may be innocent and well-intended or radical and forced. None are to be discounted; personally, it seems to be as valid to see from one side as it is from another, though in the end the most appropriate one has to win out. This applies for Pokémon as it does anywhere else.

Perhaps it may be more than two sides, but that seems to be OK. It would serve well to still know that this is the case before being able to find out the respective stories and relating them.

One year ago: Pronouncing Pokémon