>>58100624
>even though the games still require battles
battles have been considered some sort of "ritual of approval" for a long time - and it's more evident with legendaries, all the way since Platinum even. To be fair bonding by battle IS a common shonen trope

often the anime skips the battle because the trainer earned the pokémon's approval by other means. At least most of the six heroes had to be battled. Still it wouldn't hurt a proper capture battle once in a while.