Board 8 > Anagram Rates the Pokemon Anime Versus XIII

(+) Yeah! (+)

Wonder if he'll catch the first ten minutes...

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You should get at least one alt in the event you get warned or put into Purgatory. - Luster
It's probably easier to just not break the rules. - SmartMuffin

I'm going to try to watch the movie tomorrow, but I make no promises.

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Started: July 6, 2005

POKEMON ZOROARK MASTER OF ILLUSIONS
"I vote to impeach the sun."
Score: 3/10

The heroes are lost in a forest, heading to the Pokemon Boccer Championship in Crown City, which (according to Bulbapedia) is based on cities in the Netherlands. I want you to know that “boccer” is never explained until the credits, and it is pronounced in a thousand different ways by the voice actors, to a point where I thought it was “macher,” “crocker,” or “docker,” but never, ever “boccer.” I had to check Bulbapedia to figure out its actual name.

In the forest, a wild Zorua attacks some Vigoroth for fun and runs off, but is soon trapped by them. The heroes appear, and Ash tells the Vigoroth that "there's nothing brave about ganging up like that" even though he - literally one episode ago - had his pokemon gang up on Meowth. The heroes rush to Zorua's aid, so the Vigoroth just kind of wander off rather than fight Infernape. Probably a good call on their part.

Zorua is a talking pokemon, and he possesses telepathy. Unlike the other talking pokemon in the past, who were legendary or psychic or Meowth, Zorua’s speech is completely unexplained, and his mother communicates in animalistic growls. I mean… I’m sorry, I can’t let this go. There’s absolutely no reason Zorua should be able to speak, it just doesn’t make sense in the context of the story. Also: the heroes make a special point of using their pokedex to scan even pokemon they’ve seen before, but no one tries to scan Zorua even after they fail to identify it on sight.

Well… whatever. Zorua is also heading to Crown City to save “Mima.” By the way, it takes the heroes forever to piece together that Mima is his mother. You see, some “bad people” captured the two of them and took them here across the sea. Zorua managed to escape (I guess, it’s never really explained very well), but Mima is still trapped. The heroes, horrified at the idea of capturing pokemon and going places with them, of course agree to help Zorua. Zorua thanks them by turning into Ash, and thus this “master of illusions” reveals to people he's known for five minutes on his most important secret - that he is a master of illusions. Zorua is either an idiot or - more likely - literally the cleverest fictional character since Jonathon Milton’s version of Satan in Paradise Lost, and merely wants me, personally, a random member of the audience watching this on his laptop, to think he’s an idiot. What incedible secrets Zorua is hiding from me I do not know…

Meanwhile, on a boat in Crown City, we meet our villains: Kodai, a businessman, Rowena, his secretary, and this guy.

The movie never says his name, but Bulbapedia says he’s named “Goone.” I’m just going to call him Hairman. Kodai is obviously the one who captured Zoroark, whom he commands to go into the city and wreck the place up by transforming into Suicune, Entei, and Raikou. He does this by threatening Zorua-- we then learn that the Zorua Kodai possesses is just a technological illusion, which means… Kodai is commanding a master of illusions by using an illusion of another master of illusions. Insert Inception joke here.

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Meanwhile, we see a Celebi wandering around the city like it’s no big deal. Celebi greets probably every single wild and domesticated pokemon in the city before finally an old woman named Tammy, and her Tangrowth, see it. She runs to her husband and tells him the good news, and… okay then. That’s that, I guess.

Just then, Zoroark does its thing and attacks the city by impersonating the Legendary Beasts, and Kodai uses flying cameras to get it all on video. Because Zoroark’s illusions can’t actually burn stuff down, Kodai has Rowena edit the footage to make it look like Zoroark destroys a bus stop. The fiend. Using this doctored footage, Kodai convinces everyone in Crown City to evacuate except Tammy and her husband, who are literally the only people who refuse to leave.

Meanwhile, a shiny Suicune, Entei, and Raikou see what's going on and head to Crown City.

Do you want to know what the significance is of their being shiny, or how they learn about what’s going on in Crown City? Funny, I do too.

Officer Jenny cuts off access to Crown City. I love how the heroes are more concerned about the Pokemon Boccer Match than the legendary pokemon destroying the city or searching for Zorua’s mother-- the status of the boccer match is legitimately the first thing they ask about. They catch a brief glimpse of Zoroark on TV, and Zorua declares that that's his "Mima," as if you couldn't already tell. He turns into Brock and tries to reach Zoroark immediately, explaining that Kodai is the villain here.


A guy, Carl, comes by, immediately seeing through Zorua's disguise and telling the heroes that Zorua is the preevolved form of Zoroark, just in case you couldn't tell on your own. Carl explains that he’s a journalist investigating Kodai and that he’s from Crown City, so he happens to know a way past Officer Jenny using the sewers. Why is Carl so into helping the heroes? Well, he’s learned that Kodai can see into the future, and he uses this amazing, unparalleled power to make correct business decisions all the time.

DUN DUN DUN

(Seriously, this is our villain, folks. A guy who wants to be able to make logical business decisions)

Meanwhile, Kodai's cameras catch Celebi, still in the city, and Kodai says that it's all like in his visions, and that a time ripple is in the city. He has a vision of the future in which the heroes, Carl, and Rowena (his secretary) try to stop him. He orders Hairman to recapture Zoroark and does literally nothing with the knowledge that Rowena will betray him.

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Not changing this sig until I decide to change this sig.
Started: July 6, 2005

The heroes infiltrate the city,

(That first line is really in the movie, unedited), and Carl explains that twenty years ago, almost all of the trees and flowers in the city died off. No one knows the cause, but it’s likely to be explained in the movie at some point. Fortunately, despite this setback, everyone worked together and returned the city to normal.

They soon find proof that Kodai doctored the footage to show Zoroark destroying the city in the guise of the legendary pokemon, but don’t worry, this literally will not come up again and has no significance to the plot. Zorua manages to find Mima’s scent, and the heroes follow it.

Kodai has a flashback to when he met Rowena for the first time, during which he had a vision of the future showing him the time ripple in Crown City... but not its precise location, only that it’s next to a countdown clock (the countdown clocks are scattered throughout the city to show when the boccer match begins), and that the Legendary Beasts are somehow involved. This is the first future vision he's had in some time, and he realizes that he's losing his power. I love how, in the present, Kodai is thinking back to the past, where he thinks about the future, which is now the present, during which he’s thinking about the past.

Knowing that the time ripple is near a countdown clock, Kodai finds a map of them (because… apparently someone needed to make a map of all of the countdown clocks in the city?) and begins examining them with his Shuppet’s foresight one-by-one. He has twenty more spots to examine when he learns that Ash and the others are here. He is somehow surprised to learn that the people he saw in his vision are where he saw they would be in his vision.

The heroes meet up with Carl's grandparents, Tammy and her husband. I’m going to condense like twenty minutes now: Zorua, Piplup, and Pikachu get split up from the humans while Tammy and her husband also get split up from the heroes. The pokemon meet Celebi, who joins them. Celebi is very impressed by Zorua’s ability to turn into another Celebi, and Zorua very specifically informs everyone that it can’t fly when it turns into a Celebi. Remember this point: Zorua cannot fly when it pretends to be a Celebi. Celebi takes the pokemon to the highest tree in the city (did you know penguins can climb?) and has Zorua howl, but though Zoroark hears, it can't escape its cage.

Kodai has Hairman trap the heroes in another cage, and then needlessly explains that he must remove the heroes from his path even though he could just not introduce himself, and then goes off to continue examining the countdown clocks.

Meanwhile, Rowena goes through Kodai’s computer databases, and is surprised to learn that "his most important files are locked." She breaks the password (VISION, she gets it in literally one try) and finds books of ancient prophecies, which apparently “explains everything.”

She learns about the trapped heroes, and for some reason, when she introduces herself as Kodai's secretary, the heroes don't believe her even though there is literally no reason at all to doubt her… I mean… Come on, right? She admits that she's actaully an undercover journalist "like Carl" who is investigating Kodai, and she proves it by letting down her hair. No, seriously, that is her evidence. She's apparently finished her investigation, and frees the heroes.

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Rowena explains that Kodai is trying to locate the time ripple: it appears when Celebi travels from the future, and it's a focal point that collects "time energy." It only lasts for about a day, and it provides the energy for Celebi to time travel - but Kodai wants to steal the power for himself to see into the future. He deciphered ancient texts that told him how to steal the energy and use it for himself, so twenty years ago, he came here with a mechanical claw thingy, where Celebi is known to occur. He used his Shuppet (which apparently he didn't evolve in twenty years) to find it, and stole the time ripple's energy for himself, but the effect of doing so destroyed all of the trees and flowers in the city, as the time ripple closing creates a wave of… anti-flora, I guess. Kodai then used that power of seeing into the future to make logicaly business decisions, but over the decades, his power began to fade, and has now almost entirely left him.

Meanwhile, Kodai finishes with the countdown clocks, and none of them had the time ripple. He gets another vision of himself grabbing Celelbi by the neck and-- having another vision. Somehow, Kodai tracks down Zorua and Celebi (it is never explained how). Zorua turns into a Tangela and uses vine whip to-- that's not how illusion works, writers. Kodai reveals that he has a bracelet that can pierce illusions, and while it’s active, Zorua’s and Zoroark’s illusions are useless against him, so he breaks the fake vine whip, and Zorua falls unconscious as he loses. Meanwhile, Zoroark hears Zorua in trouble and breaks out of its cage. The Legendary Beasts show up as well. Kodai grabs Celebi by the neck and has another vision: himself absorbing the time ripple… but again, we don’t know where the time ripple actually is.

The Legendary Beasts, thinking Zoroark is behind everything (somehow), attack it and Kodai's ship, destroying the ship. Guess all of the nameless minions on board are just kind of dead now, sucks to be them. They fight, and Zoroark escapes. I love how at one point, they have it surrounded, but Zoroark uses some nearby water to make an illusion of ice that somehow fools them into thinking they're frozen.

The heroes arrive at Kodai's position now, Rowena having joined them officially. They rescue Celebi and Zorua and run away. However, having known Rowena would betray him, Kodai made preparations: a flying camera that can follow the heroes. Really. He made preparations of things he already owned. This is our villain, folks.

The heroes go to Tammy and her husband, and learn that the Legendary Beasts are here attacking Zoroark. They decide the best option is to find the time ripple, and when the heroes mention that Kodai already checked all of the countdown clocks and found no time ripple by them (Rowena learned this through Kodai’s computers), Tammy's husband reveals that he made the countdown clocks and that there's a final one unlisted on any map: in the stadium. Why is it not on the map? Because... because. Kodai's camera hears everything, and the heroes destroy it-- it's now a race. Celebi, injured during the confrontation with Kodai, is too weak to fly, so Ash immediately puts it on Staraptor's back and sends them to no of course he doesn't.

The heroes take a sewer route to the stadium, while Rowena, Carl, and his grandparents go to Zoroark and the Legendary Beasts and explain what's up. They succeed.

Brock and Dawn stall Hairman while Kodai and Ash go on ahead. Of course, they get there at about the same time despite Kodai having a car and Ash being on foot. Though Hairman does well at first, Zoroark appears and rescues Dawn and Brock. Where are the Legendary Beasts? I honestly do not know.

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Ash sends Celebi to fly on ahead with Carl’s Bronzor to find the time ripple, but Kodai stops it-- only to learn it's actually Celebi! Hey, do you remember when in this movie we were specifically told Zorua can't fly when it takes Celebi's form? Neither do the writers! Neither. Do. The. Writers. Well, Zorua gets into trouble, so Zoroark rushes off to find it. Zorua does his best to fight Kodai, but only succeeds in slightly biting his wrist. Sucks, bro.

Kodai stops Ash and the real Celebi just before they reach the time ripple, but Zoroark appears. Kodai threatens the unconscious Zorua to stop it from stopping him, and puts his extendoclaw thing into the time ripple to drain its power, obviously feeling it flow through him. Ash tells him that the trees will die if he does this, and Kodai admits that he was the one who killed the trees twenty years ago, but who can stop him now that he has the time energy again?

However, the trees-wall-die ripple effects rewinds, and Kodai realizes it's all an elaborate illusion by Zoroark: his anti-illuision bracelet was bit and destroyed when Zorua bit him. Carl shows up and reveals that he used a camcorder to record Kodai's insane speech, so Kodai has Shuppet attack-- Zorua? Well, Zoroark jumps and takes the attack, so Kodai starts electrically torturing Zoroark before it breaks free. Pikachu and Zoroark defeat Kodai's pokemon, but Kodai still almost makes it to the time ripple before the Legendary Beasts appear and protect it. That's their entire contribution to the plot, by the way: they stand in Kodai's way for three seconds before he runs off in another direction. Kodai runs away into a stadium and seems to reach an airship, but it's obviously an illusion by Zoroark to trick him into falling off a ledge and onto an empty field, where he falls unconscious. Why does it bother with this elaborate trick? I don't know. I do not know.

Zoroark dies of its Shuppet-and-Kodai inflicted wounds for some reason, and it creates an illusion of where it lived: a vibrant meadow that would be horrible for a large, black animal that relies on trickery to survive. Everyone just kind of remembers the time ripple is still there, so Celebi enters it and, reinvigorated with life energy or something, flies back out and heals Zoroark. Now that it's alive, its illusion disappears (???). Celebi time travels away, the Legendary Beasts disappear, and a choir starts singing "Ba-ba-ba-ba-bam!" for no reason. Kodai wakes to Carl's video being played on every TV in the city, and is arrested by Officer Jenny for the crime of… deforestation, I guess.

Jesus Hell this movie is awful. The way Kodai’s visions work is never explained, he just kind of gets random glimpses of the future that may or may not come true, and his entire motive is “make my company do well,” which isn’t even that evil, let’s just be honest here. His plan to use Zoroark to evacuate the city only makes sense because his vision told him that, somehow, the Legendary Beasts needed to be involved, and otherwise, his plan would be needlessly elaborate and frankly idiotic. It’s also never explained how he found the first time ripple twenty years ago or why Celebi falls for the exact same man’s tricks involving the time ripple twice. Rowena and Carl literally only exist to give constant exposition on things the heroes otherwise can’t learn, and Zorua’s and Zoroark’s illusions make no sense if you give them any thought.

Also, Piplup is particularly annoying in this movie, but I made a point of not mentioning it.

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Started: July 6, 2005

what the

i liked the zoroark movie

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ph33r teh masta~!

Oh

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XIII_rocks, the cream of XIII fanboyism.

3/10 for the best movie???

Horrible opinions.

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Fennec... :3
http://fennecfox.biz/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Fennec-Fox-Having-Fun.jpg

No, this really was a terrible movie.

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and his entire motive is “make my company do well,” which isn’t even that evil, let’s just be honest here.

Monopolistic capitalist pig-like behavior like that will not be tolerated in Japan. This is clearly an anti-monopoly film, straight down to the deforestation techniques that companies like Walmart cause when they use uncouth business tactics to get ahead. In Japan, you abide by an incredibly strict code as you tear down mom-and-pop shops for your future financial success. You do not. Under any circumstances. Use visions in an effort to bypass that code.

8/10 movie for sure; it reinforced a very important belief system in the Eastern World. I guess you're just too Western to get it, Anagram.

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"we're about 50 years behind the rest of western society." -icon on B8

For the record, and to explain my comment at the top of the page, the TV-broadcasted version actually managed to lose ten minutes of the plot at the beginning before the credits.

Things covered include:
* The importance of that "boccer" thing everyone was interested in, and the reveal that Entei, Raikou and Suicune are the guest team (I kinda like the concept of legendaries being the Pokemon equivalent of celebrities)
* Brock doing his flirt with Nurse Joy and get stabbed by Croagunk routine
* Team Rocket in elaborate disguises
* Zorua getting separated from his mother and winding up with those Hop/Skip/Jump/whatevers.

I refer to Goone as Goon because he's a goon.

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You should get at least one alt in the event you get warned or put into Purgatory. - Luster
It's probably easier to just not break the rules. - SmartMuffin

For some reason I like the name "Grings Kodai".

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"oh my god oh my god a spider just crawled INTO MY KEYBOARD" -pxlated
"It just wants some web access." - Ness26

Genny: Sorry, no. It's a bad movie. It's not the worst Pokemon movie out there, but it's just not good. The best Pokemon movie is the Lati@s one.

FalconPain: Yeah, I checked it out, but I didn't realize that much of the plot was removed. That's hilarious... though it doesn't cover anything except the boccer, so I stand by what I said.

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Started: July 6, 2005

Anagram, however, admits my logic is flawless and thus concedes that while it is indeed an awful movie, it is still worthy of an 8.

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"we're about 50 years behind the rest of western society." -icon on B8

Yep.

8/10 pokémon movie.

Anna just wants me to kick him in his desensitized nuts. >=(

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Fennec... :3
http://fennecfox.biz/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Fennec-Fox-Having-Fun.jpg

Jeff Zero posted...

Anagram, however, admits my logic is flawless and thus concedes that while it is indeed an awful movie, it is still worthy of an 8.

Why would I argue with the truth?

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Started: July 6, 2005

yesss

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"we're about 50 years behind the rest of western society." -icon on B8

The heroes are lost in a forest, heading to the Pokemon Boccer Championship in Crown City, which (according to Bulbapedia) is based on cities in the Netherlands.

huh

*checks*

I suppose it does look similar
reminds me more of Germany tho

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FC 1849 0634 8041
Boring sig is boring

also Ash never does well with Electric gyms, does he?
(he had a bit of stupidity against Elesa too)

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In fairness, he had a reason to lose to Lt. Surge.

FOUR ROADS DIVERGED IN A POKEMON PORT!
"Glorp"
Score: 5/10

The heroes have to wait until the next day for a ferry, but at the port, they meet Kenny and Jasmine (from the GSC days)! Jasmine is hoping to learn more about contest battles because she wants to learn enough about different styles of battle to become stronger-- and soon everyone is joined by Flint. Jasmine challenges Flint to a battle, but amazingly, her Steelix's strategy of "headbutt something that can use flare blitz" fails. I mean… why bring back Jasmine if you want someone to fight a fire user? It just… doesn’t make much sense, y’know?

Kenny tells Dawn that he wants to battle Ash, and that if he wins, he wants Dawn to go on a journey with her, and the shipping is obvious.

After the battle, Flint explains his strategy is to let his opponent have the first attack and learn to counter, because defense is his way of doing things... with fire pokemon, one of the worst defensive types out there. Funnily enough, Flint admits the strategy has issues against very powerful opponents like Cynthia, so… against opponents who are actually in his league, his strategy is crap.

Kenny challenges Ash to a battle, and he accepts-- for tomorrow. Everyone goes to the pokemon center, and Jasmine and Dawn talk about Dawn's goal of becoming a top coordinator, but she's not sure what to do after Ash's league quest is over. Oh God we’re already foreshadowing Dawn leaving the show? But the season is only two-thirds over!

Brock tries to tell Kenny that the secret of love is to put your heart on the line and let it get broken again and again and again. Kenny thinks this is good advice. Japan.

Ash asks Flint about what winning the Sinnoh League was like, and Flint tells him about how his then-Monferno got its ass kicked by a Snorlax. Flint only won because "I'm a genius," and it has nothing to do with "theory or strategy," only believing you can win will let you win. Really? Because I’m pretty sure… You know, this isn’t worth it, I’m just going to call Flint a dumbass. I base this statement not on his beliefs but instead on his afro.

At night, both Kenny and Ash go out to train for a bit, and their Empoleon and Buizel strike up a rivalry. They agree to Empoleon versus Buizel the next day. Buizel gets is ass kicked and lands all of zero hits. Kenny goes to Dawn and tells her to come to him at the lighthouse if she's interested. Dawn instead leaves Kenny a note (somehow, it's not really explained how she gives it to him without him seeing her) saying that she's going to cheer on Ash at the Sinnoh League, and makes absolutely no promises about traveling with him in the future. Also, "you look kind of handsome." Really? I mean… Really? Kenny?

After the battle, Flint tells Ash that he's challenging Cynthia soon, because he feels he's ready to go and believes in himself. It’s not said explicitly, but it’s implied seeing Ash battle and having those discussions with him helped him decide to stop training and just go for it.

Good luck, Flint! I’m sure your Infernape is a real challenge for Garchomp and not just lunch.

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Started: July 6, 2005

That's completely unfair and Ash should be disqualified.

/MegaWentEvil

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"we're about 50 years behind the rest of western society." -icon on B8

Er, that was in response to the previous episode...

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"we're about 50 years behind the rest of western society." -icon on B8

Oh God we’re already foreshadowing Dawn leaving the show? But the season is only two-thirds over!

When exactly did the season start from your perspective...? According to Serebii's episode list, you only have eleven more episodes to go this season, so...

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"we're about 50 years behind the rest of western society." -icon on B8

The heroes have to wait until the next day for a ferry, but at the port, they meet Kenny and Jasmine (from the GSC days)! Jasmine is hoping to learn more about contest battles because she wants to learn enough about different styles of battle to become stronger-- and soon everyone is joined by Flint. Jasmine challenges Flint to a battle, but amazingly, her Steelix's strategy of "headbutt something that can use flare blitz" fails. I mean… why bring back Jasmine if you want someone to fight a fire user? It just… doesn’t make much sense, y’know?

yeah its not like her Steelix has been using Dig in previous episodes
oh wait

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htaeD posted...

yeah its not like her Steelix has been using Dig in previous episodes
oh wait

To be fair, that happened like seven or eight years ago.


BUCKING THE TREASURE TREND!
"Eeniee, meeniee, minee, mo, catch a Turtwig by the toe..."
Score: 3/10

The heroes meet a guy named Buck. Buck uses his Baltoy to capture a Claydol. They go on a treasure hunt, and find ancient pottery-- which disappoints the heroes because they're not gold and silver. Dumbasses.

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THE ROAD TO EL DERPHERPDERP
"XMFD derp!" -James
Score: 3/10

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"we're about 50 years behind the rest of western society." -icon on B8

Jeff Zero posted...

THE ROAD TO EL DERPHERPDERP
"XMFD derp!" -James
Score: 3/10

>_________________________________________________>

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well that was the last filler episode in a while

also Buck is the most boring of all Stat trainers
even moreso than Mira

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AN OLD FAMILY BLEND!
"Something spelled spicey? Sounds like one of my pokemon!"
Score: 5/10

The heroes finally reach Lily of the Valley Island, site of the Sinnoh League. Ash goes to the pokemon center to register himself, and while there, asks Professor Oak to send him some of his pokemon so he can assemble the ultimate team, because it’s not like part of his reason for coming to Sinnoh was to only use pokemon he catches in Sinnoh.

I’ll skip the requisite Team Rocket plot, and just tell you that Cyndaquil evolves while fighting a giant robot. Even though Bayleef couldn’t defeat the robot, Quilava does so with a single attack.

The Sinnoh League finally begins for real,

And we learn the named characters besides Ash for this league: Paul, Barry, Nando, and Conway. I've, uh, I’ve got to admit, I don't remember Conway ever saying he was entering the Sinnoh League, and he’s shown up even fewer times than Nando, and his main connection to the protagonists was through Dawn, but okay. The first round match-ups are put on the display immediately: Ash will be up against Nando in the first round.

Dun

Dun

Dunnnnnnnnnnnn

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to be fair, Ash only using his Hoenn pokemon in the Hoenn League was rather boring

also lol Quilava
only room for one cute Cyndaquil in this world

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While the episode was glossed over, don't you love the idea of using Baltoy to capture a Claydol?
Way to make your Pokemon make itself obsolete and deny it the chance to fill the exact same position by simply evolving.

And yes, it's hilarious that in a Fire vs Steel battle, Steel is offensive and Fire is defensive. Byron does not love this battle.

I'm surprised there weren't people complaining in this topic about Ash beating the eighth gym leader and making the tournament, followed by immediately losing to the supporting cast's sole contest washout. (Kenny evolved his Prinplup? Barry's is still better.)

On a more serious note, between this and the Grand Festival, the creators are finally realizing the appeal of having a large cast of tournament rivals that viewers have a chance to care about before the tournament arc ever begins. (Even if the winner...) This is a trend that happily continues into Unova, and more often.

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htaeD posted...

to be fair, Ash only using his Hoenn pokemon in the Hoenn League was rather boring

also lol Quilava
only room for one cute Cyndaquil in this world

Then again Cyndaquil should've evolved a long time ago.

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SuperNiceDog. Best friend.

Oh finally the good stuff begins!

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SuperNiceDog won the Guru contest super nicely!

Great stretch of episodes, yes.

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FalconPain posted...

While the episode was glossed over, don't you love the idea of using Baltoy to capture a Claydol?
Way to make your Pokemon make itself obsolete and deny it the chance to fill the exact same position by simply evolving.

Good point, I hadn't considered this.

On a more serious note, between this and the Grand Festival, the creators are finally realizing the appeal of having a large cast of tournament rivals that viewers have a chance to care about before the tournament arc ever begins. (Even if the winner...) This is a trend that happily continues into Unova, and more often.

It is an improvement, but they were kind of doing this as far back as Johto, we had Gary, that red-haired guy, and the Blaziken guy back then... though, admittedly, Blaziken guy was only introduced just before the tournament.

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I think he means
rivals that are more than ploys to defeat Ash in the end and/or were established well before the tournament

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htaeD posted...

I think he means
rivals that are more than ploys to defeat Ash in the end and/or were established well before the tournament

Hey, red-haired guy was a very well-established character with a truly personal arc revolving around rolling rice balls/sandwiches. Don't insult him.

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But okay, thanks for clarifying that.

Is BW better about this? I know Ash has new rivals in Trip and Bianca.

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Started: July 6, 2005

Red-haired guy was in Hoenn, along with Meowth-in-Boots guy, and both were introduced after the 8th gym. Johto only had Gary and Blaziken guy.

BW also has Stephan. Iris and Cilan get rivals as well. No news on Cheren, N, and Team Plasma, though.

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Hey, its that SuperNiceDog! Congrats to the Guru 2011 winner

BK_Sheikah00 posted...

Red-haired guy was in Hoenn, along with Meowth-in-Boots guy, and both were introduced after the 8th gym. Johto only had Gary and Blaziken guy.

Really??? Holy crap I must have been just completely wrong.

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Not changing this sig until I decide to change this sig.
Started: July 6, 2005

after 8th gym counts as 'just before the league' to me

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Boring sig is boring

THE EIGHTH WONDER OF THE SINNOH WORLD!
"The more buttons pressed, the better the chances of success!"
Score: 6/10

The heroes have finally returned to Sunnyshore City, where they are joined by Flint. Ash is up against Volkner, and our battle begins with Electivire versus Torterra. Torterra uses "Run Into an Ice Punch," one of the cleverest ways to ensure it stays on the low end of my power ranking. Ash sends out Pikachu, only to find that Electivire is immune to electric attacks. Instead of recalling Pikachu, he tells it to use iron tail, a steel move. Electrivire's overuse of punch attacks gets it paralyzed from Pikachu's static, and Volkner counters this information with "Run Into an Iron Tail.”

Volkner sends out Jolteon, and Ash Infernape. I like how Infernape is able to use mach punch to destroy shadow balls, which makes no sense for at least two reasons. Anyway, Infernape just kind of tackles Jolteon into the ceiling and that’s that.

Volkner sends out his final pokemon, Luxray, so Ash sends out Pikachu again. Pikachu uses iron tail, so Volkner decides to counter stupid move choices with stupid move choices, and has Luxray use shock wave and thunder fang, which, of course, work perfectly and knock Pikachu out. I especially like how Brock specifically mentions how shock wave shouldn’t work on Pikachu very well, but it does anyway.

Flint is still impressed by Ash's determination, and Ash follows up with Infernape. Infernape does its best, but Luxray continually counters with thunder fang. Even Infernape's dig is countered when Luxray's iron tail knocks it out of the ground... somehow. Infernape is down and Luxray is about to finish it off when the lights go down (because of unrelated Team Rocket shenanigans). Luxray pauses while Volkner and Ash discuss things and agree to continue, which gives Infernape time to recover (how completely fair) and use blaze. Flint is at first impressed, but Dawn and Brock explain that Infernape is prone to "freak out" when this happens.

Infernape does indeed freak out, and after destroying part of the ceiling, starts marching toward Ash slowly. Ash stops everyone from interfering and simply tells Infernape that he believes in it, and it reveals that it's fine, I guess, and was just screwing with everyone because it’s more dramatic this way. With its new massive power, Infernape destroys Luxray like Doctor Doom destroying a Regirock.

Ash receives the Beacon Badge, and Pikachu and Infernape pose with him as he holds it to the sky, because **** you, Torterra.

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Not changing this sig until I decide to change this sig.
Started: July 6, 2005

But... knowing who all the rivals are in advance spoils part of the fun.
At least, I was amused when Pokemopolis ended the Stephan episode recap by pointing out that we'll never hear from him again.

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You should get at least one alt in the event you get warned or put into Purgatory. - Luster
It's probably easier to just not break the rules. - SmartMuffin

rivals are more fun if they have a better build-up
especially like Paul, Gary's build-up was not half as good
I am just annoyed with characters that are obviously introduced only for the league's sake

though at least none were as bad at it as Ritchie
and the Sinnoh League has a hilariously cruel spin on it

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Boring sig is boring

It would be hard to be worse than Richie, yes.

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Not changing this sig until I decide to change this sig.
Started: July 6, 2005

LEAGUE UNLEASHED!
"There's no use crying over failed capitalism."
Score: 6.5/10

The first round is three-on-three, and since the heroes know Nando favors bug and grass pokemon, Dawn and Brock suggest some flying, fire, and ice types. They meet up with Paul, and Dawn proudly says that she knows how Paul chose his three pokemon. "On your opponent's strategy and type advantage." Good, uh, good work there, Dawn.


At night, Ash considers that he needs both a strategy and a counterstrategy to his opponent's strategy, but since Nando knows Ash, he might need a countercounterstrategy, and it soon reaches Inception levels. In any event, Ash gets his pokemon from Professor Oak, and of course, he refuses to tell Dawn and the audience because he wants it to be a surprise for no reason.

Now, I know that theoretically, the focus of this episode is Nando versus Ash, but let’s be honest here, we all know who the star of this episode is. It’s the woman sitting behind Dawn.

Look at her, with that completely blank stare into nothingness that never changes even slightly. That is our real champion, folks.

We begin with Roserade versus Staraptor. A sweet scent and magical leaf land on Staraptor, but it recovers and soon defeats Nando’s first pokemon. However, it takes an enormous amount of damage, so Ash, worried that Staraptor is too weak to continue against Nando’s Armaldo, has it continue. Well, I'm sure that will work out well for him.


Ash sends out Quilava... and most of the fight is off screen, as the scene switches to Team Rocket shenanigans. We return just in time to watch Quilava and Armaldo knock each other out. That’s… kind of lame, writers. That’s kind of lame.

Finally, we come to Kricketune versus Heracross. Heracross falls asleep from sing, and as we all know from Squirtle versus Richie in season 1, being put to sleep is the same as being knocked out, so Ash is out of the Sinnoh League in round 1.

Or maybe not, because Ash taught Heracross sleep talk, which allows it to keep attacking while asleep. Clever countercounterstrategy, but this leaves the question of how Ash taught Heracross sleep talk in like... an hour. The battle turns into blunt head-to-head duel, but Nando has Kricketune use sing anyway-- only for Heracross to use megahorn on the ground and horn attack in the air, throwing Kricketune into the air, and when it lands, it’s knocked out.

Additionally, Barry, Paul, and Conway all do well in their matches (all off screen, of course), but Barry catches sight of a trainer with a Darkrai. Huh. Well, I’m sure that won’t be important later.

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Not changing this sig until I decide to change this sig.
Started: July 6, 2005

CASTING A PAUL ON BARRY!
"Selling the customers what they want is an idea whose time has truly come."
Score: 7.5/10

Before the opening credits even begin, Ash wins his round 2 match against Girl in Sweater and her mighty Grumpig. We then get the match-ups for round 3, and given that the title of this episode implies that Paul will battle yeah.

Really? We aren't going to get another Ash versus Barry fight? Really? I mean, I guess I can get over it, but still, Barry shows up all the damn time and we’re not going to have a follow-up on it? Well, whatever, Barry tells the heroes that he's going to introduce himself to Paul, and they tell him not to because Paul’s a douche. He does so anyway, and finds Paul looking up data on him; Barry takes this as evidence that he's a top contender, but Paul just tells Barry not to overestimate himself. Unfortunately, Paul's data is out of date and Conway's data just says he's unpredictable, leaving the mostly sympathetic characters out of luck for their next match. Conway also shows up and tells everyone about Tobias defeating eight gyms and his first two League enemies with only his Darkrai. Wow, huh, I’m sure this Tobias guy won’t be coming up later.

Finally, we come to Paul versus Barry. Barry's Skarmory versus Paul's Magmortar. Ouch. Skarmory may be in OU, but fire still ruins its day. Barry starts with spikes-- and Skarmory is knocked out with one flamethrower.

Barry sends out Empoleon, one of the only water types not strong against fire types. Despite its hydro cannon scoring a direct hit, Magmortar stands strong. Barry expects Paul to not recall pokemon with spikes on the field, but Paul does so anyway. So... Ash could have recalled Staraptor earlier, but didn't because... he didn't. Well, seeing Paul's Ursaring, Barry recalls his Empoleon, sending out a Hitmonlee. Ursaring uses bulk up, but Hitmonlee's speed allows it to dodge Ursaring's attacks. Barry brags about Hitmonlee's speed, but Ursaring still manages to land two attacks out of like eighteen. Hitmonlee lands multiple attacks,

But a blaze kick burns Ursaring, activating its guts ability and allowing it to finish Hitmonlee off with a hammer arm.

Barry sends out his last pokemon, Empoleon, but after Empoleon proves stronger than Paul expects, he withdraws Ursaring and sends out Electivire. Empoleon does its best and even activates torrent, but at the end of the day, it can’t even hit Electivire once.

After the battle, Barry tells Paul that he regrets nothing since he did his best, and Paul agrees that it was a good battle. Barry tells Ash that he'll root for both him and Paul in their match, but Brock reminds Ash that "before that, you'll have to get past round 3, first." This is what dropping out at fourth grade does to you, people, it causes obvious grammatical redunancies like this to happen. Also Conway appears and brags about his secret strategy for beating Ash.

Yeah, a pretty good episode, even if comes down to “Paul sweeps Barry lol.”

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Not changing this sig until I decide to change this sig.
Started: July 6, 2005

WORKING ON A RIGHT MOVE!
"Lickilicky's versatile tongue is not your average tongue, for sure!"
Score: 6/10

Ash practices with Brock to prepare for Conway, even though Brock got out of competitive battling literally over a decade ago. While battling Sudowoodo, Infernape learns flare blitz, which Conway sees. The battle gets underway: Conway's Shuckle versus Ash's Noctowl. This greatly surprises Conway, who thought Ash would use a pokemon that had recently learned a new move.

Shuckle's strategy? Withdraw all day erry day. Noctowl's attempted sky attack only succeeds in hurting itself. Shuckle then uses power trick (switches attack and defense), and becomes an attack god. It hits Noctowl, who still gets up, so Ash recalls it and sends out Donphan. Donphan fights Shuckle for ten seconds before Ash recalls it. He then sends out Gible, who catches Shuckle in its mouth when it uses gyro ball to spin toward it. It uses draco meteor to pop out Shuckle, and the move finally works perfectly, defeating Shuckle with literal fireworks.

Conway sends out Lickilicky, also known as the third worst pokemon in the series (nothing beats Luvdisc and Alomorola). Gible gets its ass kicked for a bit, so Ash recalls it and sends out Noctowl, which can stay out of the range of Lickilicky's tongue. Noctowl picks it up with extrasensory and throws it to the ground, finishing it off easily.

Last up for Conway is Dusknoir, and it starts off with trick room. With trick room turning it into a fast pokemon, Dusknoir's speed allows it to defeat Noctowl easily. Since all of Ash's pokemon are faster than Dusknoir, it has the advantage. Brock claims that everything so far has gone according to Conway's plan… including, presumably, Noctowl defeating Lickilicky without it accomplishing anything. Ash sends out Donphan, and as he tries to recall it, Dusknoir uses mean look. Then, while it's still down and recovering on the ground, Dusknoir finishes Donphan off. Wow, good work, Donphan, you literally did nothing this entire battle.

Ash sends out Gible, who tries to use dig on a pokemon with levitate. It succeeds in getting close enough to bite Dusknoir's hand, and the victory music starts playing, meaning Ash automatically wins. The parts where Gible use draco meteor and draco pulse are just formalities.

The jumbotron reveals that round 4 will be Ash versus Paul and Tobias versus Sunglasses Girl. At the end of the episode, we learn that Ash recalled a special pokemon for this next battle, and it’s still flying in. Awwww yeaah, time for Chariza-- Gliscor. Well, okay. I guess.

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Not changing this sig until I decide to change this sig.
Started: July 6, 2005