There's no doubt that the Pokémon franchise has been an important part pop culture for the last 20 years, and(unfortunately) the anime has influenced how people think of that franchise.
What if the anime had been drastically different? What if the original anime was similar to Pokémon Origins(but with enough episodes for a decent series)?
Basically the protagonist is Red, and his first Pokémon is Charmander. He journeys through Kanto, beats the gyms, Elite 4 and champion, then fills up the original Pokedex.
Also, Pokémon make normal animal sounds, rather than saying their own name.
How much would this affect the franchise's rise in popularity? Negatively, positively, or not at all?
How else would the franchise, if it still reaches at least OTL popularity? What would Game Freak do for a mascot?
What about future installments? Do you see new protagonists for each new generation? How would that affect the success of the series?