I often get ideas for posts on this blog from the things that are being discussed around me. One of them happens to be the central theme of this post, which deals with how different franchises, universes, what-have-you can be said to "cater" multiple characters to fans, as those who enjoy them. The source of this theme was a recent discussion that I became an indirect participant of, which regarded books, media, and their content. According to the discussion, the different fandoms can be said to be clearly designed to present multiple characters for different fans, not just have everyone follow a designated character, or just a few in some cases. Obviously, this has implications, including some that are related to Pokémon.
The implications are that people have different interests, even those who are involved in the same fandom; in turn, this would mean that they can be attracted to different fandoms in different ways, even given the same fandom. Further, it takes greater and different efforts to keep those fans engaged in those fandoms, and what would be ideal and can play into this is all those different characters that are "catered" to them as such. Even though they would be following (or be engaged to) different things in the same fandom, they would still be - and rightly so - considered fans of that fandom, which is a great thing for all that is concerned.
For Pokémon, it is clear that all the species that have appeared from the past to present all have their fan segments, from the competitive kind to the ones who simply adore them. They are then "catered" in the regular ways that Pokémon offers - game, media, merchandise, and much more - and evidently all kinds of fans snap them up, even crossing over segments if need be. For example, there will always be Pikachu and all its derivatives for those who are its fans, but then those fans in turn could also be fans of other species in specific ways, and they'll enjoy all of that. And then there are many more other elements that I can't all mention.
All kinds of media - not just limited to books by way of the discussion above - will certainly do their "catering" of different characters in all kinds of ways. The most important insight, given this blog's focus on Pokémon, is that Pokémon can do (and in fact does do) the same as well with all the elements that has been offered by it throughout the years. The "catering" idea is a powerful idea that may or may not have needed that discussion above to raise awareness of it, but it may just take this post to present the case for and its applicability to Pokémon.
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Three years ago: Means of Venturing for Trainers
Four years ago: One Girl Is Company, Two Girls Are...
Five years ago: Official Representative Pokémon for Regions
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Seven years ago: My Town, Pokémon Town
Eight years ago: What's in a Name?
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