pokemon HAS an anime, pokemon HAS a trading card game, but for all intents and purposes- pokemon IS a video game series.
The anime and the games do not follow the same exact canon/continuity. When people say that the anime is not canon, they mean that it is not canon TO THE GAMES, not that it isn't canon "PERIOD" as a lot of people have ignorantly thought. although, because the anime is only an offshoot of the games, that's not entirely inaccurate either.
The games are the "real" continuity people are talking about, but each piece of media still has their own separate canon. to constantly argue that the anime IS canon (to the games) is to not understand the concept of continuity or canon.
It is not a personal opinion being shared with you to be told that the anime and games follow separate continuities. This Is Fact.

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