I'm not talking about the games themselves or their mechanics.

But rather the fictional universe shown in them. What things do you wish were different?

Here are my two wishes:

1. You can only become an official Pokemon Trainer once you're 18, not 10.

Of course, pet Pokemon are an exception since they aren't meant to battle and travel with you "in the wild".

This is pretty easy to understand, kids shouldn't have to deal with with supernatural killer monsters.

I understand why this isn't the case as this is a series for kids, but we aren't talking about our world's media here.


2. Trade evolutions either shouldn't exist or should not be considered natural.

Machamp looks like a version of Machoke that was born in Chernobyl, with four arms.

You can't have Machamp exist in the wild while having them be the effect of Trade Evolution. This makes no sense, Pokemon can't trade themselves when they're wild.

So either you don't have wild Machamp and their existence is due to some radiation caused by trading or wild Machamp exist and don't require trading to exist.

Same goes with Gengar, Golem, Alakazam and others.

 

I feel like you're conflating game mechanics and the underlying universe when talking about trade mechanics.

Could be wrong, haven't watched the anime in years, but I think it's implied that pokemon evolution is a bit less restrictive outside the games and we see evolved forms in the wild away from the triggers like trades or elemental stones.

 

They try not to address it often in the expanded universe like the anime. It's been vaguely mentioned occasionally I think but I can't bring any examples to mind.

 

I wish Pokemon battles played out more like football matches with two managers. Instead of trainers micromanaging their pokemon, majority of the work is done in training and they're much more autonomous, like a football team. Trainers would then have to focus more on... training, nutrition etc etc. Super nerdy, I know.

For a world that has the wilds filled with super powerful monsters... humanity seems too comfortable. Travel seems too easy.

Pokemon types being more fluid and affected by their environment. They started this with variants in Sun and Moon, take that to the next level.

Gyms in the game/show seem to just be mini tests of strength through battles. I haven't watched in a while, but I kinda wish they were actually places of learning that prepared trainers for whatever their path with Pokemon should entail (not just battling).

Honestly, age is the biggest one.

 

A single trainer with untrained and unevolved Pokemon would be torn apart by wild mons within days of leaving his town.

I like to think that Pokemon like Abra and Ralts are trained to teleport important people between cities, while other people use flying Pokemon.

Those that travel on foot would need to be protected by strong Pokemon just to survive.