>>57948338
I'm not saying it was the entire picture as to the 'decline of Pokemania', but Shudo was an underrated storyteller and genuinely breathed soul and life into the franchise. I wish they had entertained some of his edgier ideas; his passing was a hugely overlooked factor of the franchise losing momentum. Without him you're right, the anime became far more of a commercial, and the downstream effects were lowered quality in the anime which really reduced hype for the games and toys.