From my view point, it seems like TPCi treats their dub more seriously than 4Kids did, which can be good and bad. The 4kids dub always felt really energetic and fast paced to me, while TPCi takes a more mature feel, which isn't always the most effective approach to a show aimed at children.
I've seen mature approach cartoons do well. It does depend on culture and even era the cartoons comes in though. The kids industry is a constantly changing industry. Even the more child like approach is not always effective if the era of kids don't take to it. It's why a companies job is to keep up with what kids are into and keep up to date with them as much as possible. It's amazing how many companies actually die due to not keeping up with trends.
The biggest thing that I noticed that makes a mature cartoon less effective is if it's a style following that of a style before it in the same cartoon. Thing is the first version of a cartoon style will attract a certain type of child or adult. When a company changes, the style and approach changes. That can't be stopped because every company has different styles and approaches with some being more obvious than others. When the style changes it's not really directly targeting that exact same group anymore.
For example. If you attract a group who likes puns and then remove the puns and make the comedy slang like. Not all the pun lover are going to like the slang like comedy. A light hearted and energetic approach changing to a more serious approach also can end up changing the type of group that will be attracted. Those liking a more Bugs bunny like cartoony style of acting may not like a realistic style of acting if it changes.
There is a lot of elements that changes a mood of a cartoon which in turn changes the potential group of kids or adults that may watch.
This also causes splits as well because over time you get the newer group that's getting attracted into the newer style who may not like the older style. Going into a extreme case here. Sonic the hedgehog's cartoon fanbase is split due to massive revamp of style changes in more than just voice acting and writing but also in how the cartoon is created. However to a less extreme case cartoons like DBZ and many other who had VA and writing changes also have splits due to style changes through company take overs of each show. Even a cartoon like One Piece where the ones who liked the 4kids version are drowned out by the ones who like Funimation's version are a split off group. The 4kids group is alot quieter and smaller than the Funimation group. The 4kids group while small do exist though.
TPCI's dub is a good style but it's running as the second style which means it's not going to appeal to everyone who watched the 4kids version which is probably why it comes of as not working for some. You will get some overlap where some like both but the split still exists.
People who watched the 4kids dub came in because they loved the 4kids style. So obviously a company or VA change would change the style and people who use to watch the older style are going to have a hard time if the newer style doesn't appeal to them. The newer style in some peoples case is not the reason they watched the show for.
Me personally. I love seeing new takes. I actually find the different takes exciting. However I am very big on cartoons and their styles so I'm use to adjusting from style to style. With Pokemon however I find TPCI's take just as emotion- provoking to me as any other style. I cried a few times when watching their DP dub when Gliscor was released. I like the mature approach as much as the more child like approach.
Yes TPCI's style is different from what I can tell. Though I can understand why people who prefer 4kids styles may get more out of 4kids than TPCI.
On another note I noticed you can attract people who aren't so into the style as well if the story interests the person which is also why sometimes you get some people who watched the later style suddenly go backwards and found they prefer the older style.
Styles and direction from each company is quite complex. I've been doing study on it and it's really hard to get my head around at points.
