Serena, the female main character of Pokémon X and Y, has appeared in several Pokémon games with the same design; however, she looks completely different in the animated Pokémon TV series. Playable main characters in the Pokémon games have always been given a base design and backstory. While recent games like Sword and Shield include character customization, there are still default characters representing the game. However, these characters often change if they make appearances in the Pokémon anime, creating two completely different personalities.
In Pokémon X and Y, players have the option to select hair color and skin tone for their main character before setting out on their journey. However, the default main character options of Calem and Serena both have preset looks. Calem has dark hair and a slightly tan skin tone, while Serena has light brown hair and a slightly tan skin tone. Both trainers set out on a journey with the goal to capture Pokémon, complete the Pokédex, and become a Champion of the Kalos region. The X and Y main characters also appear this way in Pokémon Masters EX, with their base images matching their default appearances from the Gen 6 games.
In the Pokémon XY series of the anime, Ash travels to Kalos, where he meets the Lumiose Gym Leader Clemont, his sister Bonnie, and the Kalos protagonist Serena. However, the Serena of the anime is completely different from the female main character of the X and Y games, choosing to skip the Kalos Championship and join the Contest performance circuit instead. While the Serena of the anime has an amazing story and builds a special relationship with Ash, she does not unravel Pokémon’s Mega Evolution with Professor Sycamore, take on Team Flare, or save the Kalos region. Because of this, Serena becomes two separate people, creating confusion for those who expect her to be the same both on TV and during gameplay.
Pokémon Games Should Add More Depth To Main Character Backstories
However, the dissonance between the anime’s Serena and the game’s Serena shows that the Pokémon game series should consider adding deeper levels of backstory to the main characters players choose between. Most games start with the player at home, but following a series of unusual incidents, they obtain a Pokémon and head out on their journey as a trainer. While this background allows players to project themselves into the shoes of the main character, it has also become repetitive and bland. The Pokémon anime’s version of Serena shows what is possible with the characters, and the popularity of Serena and others existing between both worlds indicates fans may enjoy deeper stories.
While past main characters in the Pokémon series have lacked the depth seen in the animated series, there is a chance the newly announced Gen 9 games Pokémon Scarlet and Violet could change things. The game has been announced as a true open-world, and will likely need a more complex narrative than past Pokémon titles to fill out the world. This could mean that unlike Pokémon X and Y, and many other entries in the main series, the new games could give players a main character with a rich and compelling backstory that might translate into animated series adaptions.
