Pokémon games have always delivered their narratives and dialogues through text, yet many fans have called for the series to take a step up and add voice actors into the mix. Some were disappointed to hear that Pokémon Scarlet and Violet would once again include silent characters, but a group of voice actors have taken matters into their own hands to prove why the games would benefit from voiced characters.
While there are several distinctive voices that Pokémon fans can recognise from the anime or the movies, the same can’t be said for the games. Sure, plenty of memorable characters have been created in the games (and often portrayed in other mediums, like the anime), but we don’t get to hear their witty remarks during cutscenes or their rallying cries as they battle us with some of the best Pokémon Scarlet and best Pokémon Violet teams.
Now though, YouTuber and voice actor ‘Dr. Bonehead’, along with some colleagues in the voice acting space, have dubbed some of the biggest moments in Scarlet and Violet’s story, and it makes for an intriguing watch.
Note that if you haven’t completed the three main storylines yet, there may be some spoilers in the video below.
Scarlet and Violet has some of the best story beats and characters of any Pokémon game, and with Dr. Bonehead and co. lending their talents to voice the likes of Arven, Nemona, and the Team Star bosses, it certainly adds something new to the experience. It’s quite surreal to see these scenes voiced, and while plenty will love to see this, it could also be something that Pokémon purists don’t enjoy quite as much. Take a watch and decide for yourself.
It would certainly make for an interesting experience if key characters, such as the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Gym leaders, did get voice actors to portray them in future games. However, aside from fan-made projects like this one, it’s not something we can see happening in the future – for the main-line releases anyway.