COMING FULL FESTIVAL CIRCLE! "All I need to do is believe in my pokemon!" Score: 8/10
We have, by this point, reached the semifinals. Dwuh? You're just going to skip all of the other other rounds? But... it's a perfect excuse for filler that's not technically filler, just have Dawn fight, like, uh... Lars... with his... Luxray and Muk? Maybe? I mean, why not, this way you can avoid having to make another filler episode later! Well, whatever. The semifinals will be Nando/Zoey and Dawn/Jessie. At night, Dawn, Nando, and Zoey all get together and talk about... You know, I just watched it and I'm still not sure what they were talking about.
The next day: Zoey versus Nando. Mismagius/Leafeon versus Kricketune/Lopunny. Nando scores some points by having Lopunny act like a ballerina with Kricketune playing music. However, Nando's gimmick of being a bard works against him: Zoey knew he'd use sing, so she brought Mismagius solely to use lucky chant to counter it. Both begin working by countering the other, and they each perform amazingly, and Dawn realizes that both are better than her... but at the end of the day, only one can win, and that's the one who uses psywave to create psychic wings for Leafeon to fly on. Zoey wins, of course, by running Nando out of time.
With five minutes left in the episode, we have Dawn versus Jessie. Buneary/Cyndaquil versus Seviper/Carnivine. We actually get a significant part of this episode from Joanna's perspective as she watches TV... a TV that's just out of the audience's view. We get like forty-five seconds of actual battling, after which Dawn runs Jessie out of time again. Jessie threatens Dawn, telling her that she better win or by God, shell spend the rest of her life harassing Ash for his Pikachu, and stomps off.
This was actually a really good episode primarily because 60% of it was not about the main characters. Its all about Zoey and Nando showing that theyre great, which is a nice change of pace-- we're frequently told how good a character is rather than shown, and not only are we shown this time, but were actually shown at the expense of the main characters: Nando and Zoey dont show up often, so they get the majority of the episode, while Dawn and Jessie, who show up every episode (I think Jessie has been in literally every single episode except the first, actually), get only a bit of time to wrap things up. Its clear they put a lot of effort into the Zoey/Nando battle, which is actually really cool and really compelling (even if its obviously twice as long as the five minute timer should allow). If I have one complaint, its that Nando kind of needs more characterization to care about-- he shows up so rarely that when he matches Zoey move for move, despite clearly being competent, its like okay, great.
Also: a Lopunny and Kricketune? For real?
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Piplup/Togekiss versus Glameow/Gallade. Logical choices for each of them: Piplup/Glameow as their signature pokemon and Togekiss/Gallade as their new, unknown factor pokemon. Also of interest: Joanna finally deigns to come to the contest that her daughter has been in the entire time. Too good to appear for anything except the finals, lady?
Dawn starts with an aura sphere/bubblebeam combination, but Zoey handles it and then handles Piplup. Zoey tries a signal beam/iron tail combination to send an extra-powerful attack Dawn's way, but whirlpool/aura sphere meet it halfway. Unfortunately for Dawn, Glameow catches onto Togekiss' back by forcing Dawn to focus on the otherwise pointless Gallade. Piplup knocks it off with hydro pump, and we get Togekiss/Piplup flying.
With only a few seconds left on the clock, Puplup and Togekiss combine peck and sky attack, which puts Dawn and Zoey at the same points... but Gallade counters with an electric psycho cut as the clock runs out, so Zoey wins with a tiny, nearly insignificant number of points over Dawn.
Zoey gets the top coordinator trophy, and Dawn gives Joanna back her good luck ribbon. Dawn declares that she has her own ribbons, and her friends, and Joanna is proud of her. Nurse Joy tells Ash that Volkner put in a call to tell him that he's ready for another battle, and I cant think of any jokes.
Overall: a decent final battle for Dawn halfway through the season. I'm glad that, unlike May and Ash, Dawn at least got to get to the finals, and her rival was the winner, unlike Ash's and May's. Still, it would be nice if a main character actually won a major event for once... and not the Orange Islands or Battle Frontier.
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FOR THE LOVE OF MEOWTH! "Give it up while the giving is good!" Score: 7/10
We open with a Seviper/Torterra battle, and the latter is happy to blast Team Rocket off again. When they land, they're short one Meowth.
Meowth lands next far away, and is found by Mimi, a girl and her Glameow. They nurse him back to health, and when he wakes up, she is only moderately surprised by Meowth's ability to speak, which is better than all of the Officer Jennies who are never surprised despite believing that pokemon cant understand human speech. She invites him to lunch, and Meowth is instantly smitten by Glameow. Jessie and James track down Meowth and thank Mimi for helping him. Later, he can't stop thinking about Glameow, so convinces Jessie and James to steal it, ostensibly for Giovanni.
Mimi meets up with the heroes, and mentions that she's on a gym battle journey, but has thus far won no badges and only even challenged Crasher Wake. Team Rocket attacks and captures Glameow with an extendohand, so Mimi recalls it-- huh. No one ever uses strategic recalling like that, it's... kind of suprising, actually. Still, Team Rocket does succeed in stealing Glameow by stealing its pokeball and escaping.
At night, Meowth steals Glameow's pokeball from Jessie and sends it out (I really can't remember Meowth actually operating a pokeball before, is this the first time?), and tells it that Jessie and James forced him to help them steal it. He claims to be Glameow's knight in shining armor,
And eventually convinces it to team up with him and run away, making promises to handle everything for it and how it will never have to lift a paw ever again. He leaves a message to Jessie and James telling them that he's going off with Glameow and not to look for them.
In the morning, the heroes find Jessie and James, who inform them of the situation. Sadly for Meowth, both the heroes and Team Rocket find Glameow and him in like ten seconds. Meowth defeats Seviper, Infernape, Staraptor, Togekiss, and Yanmega, all in a row, with Fury Swipes of Love, Double Fury Swipes of Love, and Multipoint Fury Swipes of Love. Meowth had won like two battles in the past, his win:loss ratio just jumped way the hell up. Insanely, it's Carnivine that defeats Meowth, but its bullet seed accidentally hits Glameow a few times, causing it to evolve.
Purugly is ugly, and immediately demands Meowth make good on his word to never make it lift a paw by doing all of the work for it. I especially like how Meowth isn't concerned with Purugly being annoying, just that it's ugly. Annoyed at Meowth, Glameow returns to Mimi. She orders it to use hyper beam to blast Team Rocket off, and the episode ends.
This is an okay episode. Team Rocket-centric episodes are generally some of the best, but this one just didnt quite do for me, Im sorry. Its still above average, but it somehow focused on Meowth but didnt have enough of him, though what it did have was good.
Next up: the movie
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The judges are Mr. Contesta, Mr. Sukizo, three Nurse Joys, and mother****ing Fantina. So I guess someone really liked Fantina and insisted on putting her in as many episodes as possible, because, like, Wattson? Didnt get this much attention by the writers.
Fantina in the japanese version of the final grand festival match is f***ing hilarious. You know how she speaks French? In Japanese she speaks English, and oh good lord when Piplup/Togekiss launch their final attack she does this absolutely hilarious and amazing Engrish "OH MY GODDd!!"
Team Rocket attacks and captures Glameow with an extendohand, so Mimi recalls it-- huh. No one ever uses strategic recalling like that, it's... kind of suprising, actually.
Don't worry Anna, that caught me by surprise too!
At night, Meowth steals Glameow's pokeball from Jessie and sends it out (I really can't remember Meowth actually operating a pokeball before, is this the first time?)
I believe it is. He tried to borrow Jessie's Arbok once for the purpose of winning Togepi, but she refused so he commanded himself instead.
Meowth defeats Seviper, Infernape, Staraptor, Togekiss, and Yanmega, all in a row, with Fury Swipes of Love, Double Fury Swipes of Love, and Multipoint Fury Swipes of Love. Meowth had won like two battles in the past, his win:loss ratio just jumped way the hell up.
FURY SWIPES OF LOVE is OP. Could be the next Stealth Rock tbqh.
This is an okay episode. Team Rocket-centric episodes are generally some of the best, but this one just didnt quite do for me, Im sorry. Its still above average, but it somehow focused on Meowth but didnt have enough of him, though what it did have was good.
Well that's quite a shame, Anna. That's like my second favorite pokémon filler ep ever after the evil Togepi one.
Next up: the movie
Next up: the best movie (if the Zoroark movie is next that is)
Be sure to pay attention to Dawn's Piplup being a fathead at the beginning.
Disregard what Genny said about paying attention to Fathead's obnoxiousness. Instead, count all the times that Piplup looks up Dawn's skirt or ends up in a questionable position for various reasons.
-- he used to be i guy who fights guys when the government payed kids to fight guys but he doesnt anymore. - EMOSEWASISHR on his bestie
Meowth defeats Seviper, Infernape, Staraptor, Togekiss, and Yanmega, all in a row, with Fury Swipes of Love, Double Fury Swipes of Love, and Multipoint Fury Swipes of Love. Meowth had won like two battles in the past, his win:loss ratio just jumped way the hell up. Insanely, it's Carnivine that defeats Meowth,
What the what? So...is Meowth Roll the Dice tier now?
Also, anytime someone brings up Infernape being Prepare your Anus tier I am going to bring up ths loss.
-- (Maniac64 at work) All the proteins, vitamins, and carbs of your grandma's best turkey dinner, plus 15% alcohol.
Meowth defeats Seviper, Infernape, Staraptor, Togekiss, and Yanmega, all in a row, with Fury Swipes of Love, Double Fury Swipes of Love, and Multipoint Fury Swipes of Love. Meowth had won like two battles in the past, his win:loss ratio just jumped way the hell up. Insanely, it's Carnivine that defeats Meowth,
What the what? So...is Meowth Roll the Dice tier now?
Also, anytime someone brings up Infernape being Prepare your Anus tier I am going to bring up ths loss.
Well, in fairness, Meowth does specify that love gives him increased power.
-- Not changing this sig until I decide to change this sig. Started: July 6, 2005
I might. Excadrill has shown almost nothing but competency since it stopped brooding, and when it does lose, it's always a sign that the foe is seriously powerful.
Anagram posted...
LOL.
have it use an electric take down
So...Wild Charge? >_>
Yeah, pretty much can't find too much to disagree with in these write-ups, except that Gible's Draco Meteor hitting Piplup is always funny and Meowth-centric episodes are always awesome.
--
"Everyone has a dick although it may not be physical. You just have to learn to access it within your mind." - blindhobo13
also Infernape is possibly better than Snorlax going purely on winning record, tbh. Snorlax is awesome but Infernape builds up a quality record over the space of just one saga.
Meowth defeats Seviper, Infernape, Staraptor, Togekiss, and Yanmega, all in a row, with Fury Swipes of Love, Double Fury Swipes of Love, and Multipoint Fury Swipes of Love. Meowth had won like two battles in the past, his win:loss ratio just jumped way the hell up. Insanely, it's Carnivine that defeats Meowth,
What the what? So...is Meowth Roll the Dice tier now?
Also, anytime someone brings up Infernape being Prepare your Anus tier I am going to bring up ths loss.
Charizard tied against Chikorita.
-- SomeC - sheer explosives since meeting that crazy hobo. SuperNiceDog. Best friend.
Meowth defeats Seviper, Infernape, Staraptor, Togekiss, and Yanmega, all in a row, with Fury Swipes of Love, Double Fury Swipes of Love, and Multipoint Fury Swipes of Love. Meowth had won like two battles in the past, his win:loss ratio just jumped way the hell up. Insanely, it's Carnivine that defeats Meowth,
What the what? So...is Meowth Roll the Dice tier now?
Also, anytime someone brings up Infernape being Prepare your Anus tier I am going to bring up ths loss.
Charizard tied against Chikorita.
In fairness, Charizard wasn't taking that fight seriously and was surprised by how strong Chikorita was. If you discount that, the "loss" against Richie, and the losses against those wild Charizard in the Charicific Valley, I think the only fights Charizard out-and-out lost are that one guy's Blaziken, Drake's Dragonite, and I forget which of Brandon's pokemon.
-- Not changing this sig until I decide to change this sig. Started: July 6, 2005
He's currently talking to me on AIM as I rant about how I wish the writers stopped with the "Team Rocket creates the episode's driving conflict" concept some 300 episodes ago.
-- K | H | A | Q | Q | A | H | K "we're about 50 years behind the rest of western society." -icon on B8
can't wait for anagram to get to Pikachu vs. Latios
nah im looking forward to darkrai more, that was ridiculous. Once it was beaten i wasnt very surprised by a latios showing up as well. That whole thing was bull **** though
--
"I am the best in the world at everything I do, and I don't have to write it on the back of a T-Shirt to prove it, because I AM it." - Chris Jericho