Pokemon Sun & Moon was Shigeru Ohmori's first time as the director of a new generation of Pokemon games. Because the game commemorates the 20th Anniversary of Pokemon, he wanted to go back and look at what he thought Pokemon games should be and create his own take on the series. He came up with the idea of Trials & Totem Pokemon as a replacement for Pokemon gyms to tie in with the Alola region's theme of powerful and abundant nature. He thought it would be an interesting concept and a way to make the game feel fresh for both veterans of the series and newcomers alike.