I've tried to start writing comments for these posts several times now, but I keep getting stuck trying to figure out what to write. So, I'm setting a timer for 30 minutes and whatever I write in that time is what I'm going to post. I don't think I'm ever going to get started otherwise...
My background: Played the Gen 1 games (a lot!) and Gen 2 (less, but still a fair amount) back when they were new. I was into some of the tie-in stuff (e.g. the anime, the TCG) back in the Gen 1~2 era as well, but haven't really kept up with much of anything from Pokemon since then. Never played Ruby/Sapphire or most of the games after that. I did a quick playthrough of Black over a couple of days at some point years ago -- basically main story only, but little to no postgame. I didn't know the game had changing seasons when I started, and was surprised by it right as I was wrapping up my playthrough... if that gives those of you who've played it any idea how quickly I went through it. So, I know some things from that generation of games, but don't remember them very well. I watched part of a Let's Play of one of the other games at some point out of curiosity -- Y, maybe? -- but barely remember anything except that mega-evolutions were introduced.
TLDR: I remember Gen1 decently from playing the hell out of it back in the day, but have no idea what most of the Pokemon from newer games in this story are.
I found this list on Bulbapedia helpful for looking up names I didn't know.
I've read all the chapters posted up to (and including) chapter 134 once. 135 just came out, I think, and I will read it soon. On my first read, I went at my own pace (i.e. somewhat quickly), and I'm going back and re-reading it more slowly now as I write these comments.
I did not really like the first chapter when I read it, and I still don't particularly like it on re-read -- but intro chapters are hard and I know sometimes you have to give a story a few chapters. This story does pick up dramatically, and reminded me of Worm -- both in good ways and bad ways. (The other obvious influence, HPMoR, of course, jumps out from the first sentence...)
I guess what I want to say is, if the premise sounds interesting but the first chapter didn't hook you, keep going a bit longer.