[Pokémon] Pokemon Anime Marathon Club

[PoryKid575]

Season 2 Episode 26 - "A Scare in the Air"

I'm unsure how the gang would've traveled to Valencia Island by foot considering it's, well, an island, but luckily they win a trip in a death-trap instead. TR were pretty funny this time around, I enjoyed watching their attempts to pilot the blimp, though the whole ghost subplot felt pointless and annoying, as did Togepi getting lost (wish they would've focused more on Giovanni instead). Overall, it's a fine EP, not awful by any means, but it's not amazing either. I'd give it a 7.5/10.

 

[Astinus]

Episode 82

Ash quote: "I didn't see you out there winning any matches!"

Maybe because Misty wasn't in the competition???

Knowing what I know about future League episodes, I really enjoyed this one. Minus Team Rocket.

This episode made the Indigo League a big deal, which it's supposed to be for Ash. The whole season has been building up to this point. And from the start of the opening ceremony with running Moltres's flame in to the stadium right up to Ash and Richie chilling in the empty stands, it really feels like the Indigo League is important.

And I think that's my favorite part of the episode. Ash and Richie, sitting in the empty stands, the whole big tournament done for the year. It's weird, but that's the part of everything big that sticks in my memory the most. When it's all over, and you're quietly reflecting on what just happened. Kind of makes it have more of an impact.

Well, okay, that fight with the Ivysaur was rather bad. Sparky couldn't even get off more than one attack, and Ivysaur just kept charging. It wasn't a fair fight, and that's kind of why I get tired of Team Rocket in every episode, because I just feel like there's other ways to fill up the run time that could be better. Like make Richie's last fight in the League less...crap.

Episode 2.1

Kind of weird that Ash gets this party and the other two trainers from Pallet are never shown. It would have been great to finally learn who they are. Would have also helped in the battle against Team Rocket so that Charizard didn't have to save the day before ruining everything.

But it was also good to see everyone's Pokémon. (I kind of wanted Onix to squish someone.)

The whole thing with having to get rid of Pidgeot... It feels bad. Only because the bird didn't get a lot of good screen time. It never even got to battle in the League because the writers forced it out. And there was that long stretch of episodes where it just didn't appear. So while on one hand, it's sad to see Pidgeot go, especially after Ash rides it... It's also just kind of whatever, because there wasn't a lot of opportunity to get attached to Pidgeotto before it evolved and left.

But... What's that? The Orange Islands? Exciting!

Episode 2.2

I have so many questions about that blimp.

So if Team Rocket owns it, why is the store(?) able to give away a free ride on it? Why do those two workers know about the blimp's condition? Why is there no regulations for blimps, so that Giovanni can't let it fall into disrepair? Who cleared it for takeoff if everyone at the port knew it was that badly kept? Why is a blimp the main way to get to an archipelago?

Speaking of them getting to the Orange Islands... Ash thought that they would be walking to the islands. Boy's not too bright.

Misty needs to put Togepi on a leash.

(Disclaimer: I realize that my questions about the blimp are answered in the Japanese version, but I'm watching the dub, and that's what I'm basing my comments on.)

 

[PoryKid575]

Season 2 Episode 27 - "Poke Ball Peril"

We finally get to take a proper look at the Orange Islands, and they're pretty neat! You can definitely see how the concepts introduced here influenced Alola down the road, with a more hands-on professor and regional variations being depicted. Brock leaving the group felt a bit sudden, but I think changing up the gang a bit helps this arc create a different atmosphere from Indigo League. Overall, it's a solid time without any huge flaws. I'd give it a 7/10.

 

[PoryKid575]

Season 2 Episode 28 - "The Lost Lapras"

This is a very eventful episode, with both Tracey and Lapras joining the party. Starting with Tracey, I have pretty mixed feelings about him; his gimmick of drawing everything he sees is fine enough in my book, Brock was all about cooking, so I can't blame the guy for having his own hobby (it also reminds me of Todd Snap from a while ago). I also like how he has a fairly different personality compared to Brock instead of just being a discount version of him. What I don't like is that an interview with Masamitsu Hidaka revealed that he was only introduced to be a white looking dude to replace Brock since the Pokemon Company was worried about receiving complaints about his eyes, despite not having actually gotten any 80+ episodes into the series, which is a completely silly reason to boot Brock from the show, especially considering Pokemon is a Japanese show produced by Japanese animators in Japan; and it just makes Tracey's character feel pointless. I don't mind Lapras as much, its more tropical theming makes sense for the Orange Islands, and the gang needed some way to get around. I also really liked the action with the truck near the end. Overall, it's pretty entertaining, and I do like having Tracey around in spite of his questionable origins. I'd give it a 7.5/10.

 

[Astinus]

Episode 2.3

Ash quote: "The food was bad and they didn't show a movie."

Knowing what we know now, this episode is rather interesting.

For one thing, all the little hints of future game mechanics. There is of course the GS Ball, to promote Johto (which wouldn't be around for a while). But there's other stuff too. Tinier hints like Brock talking about how Pokémon all have different preferences for food, and berries flavoring the food for each preference. Or the differences in appearances based on the regions that the Pokémon are from.

And then there's Brock's good-bye.

Technically, he was not supposed to be coming back to the show, so this was supposed to be his final episode. And yet it's written exactly like he's taking a little break from the show. He didn't get a montage like Butterfree. He didn't get a "I'll be back some day..." like Pidgeot. He just decided to stay at Ivy's place and the other two didn't even get sad about it.

My favorite part of this episode will always be Zubat's brief little appearance.

Episode 2.4

This episode had a lot going on, and it looked good doing it.

First note: I like the new theme song! We'll see if I ever feel like skipping it (as I've done for the first season), but for now, I'll watch it.

Second note: I never noticed that Tracey tends to be smiling no matter what. Boy's oblivious to everything. Even when Lapras is captured and he's pedaling a bike on a rescue mission, Tracey is going ":)"

There was a lot in this episode. Tracey's introduction. Finding out about the Orange Crew, and Ash starting on his quest to battle them. And Lapras gets added to the team for a handy mode of transportation. Though a lot happened, it's also a basic plot to the episode. Team Rocket showed up to cause trouble, but at least through them capturing Lapras, Ash had a chance to show that he could be trusted.

Though how did they get Lapras to the Center if it doesn't like humans? Like it wouldn't get on the truck to go back to the ocean, but did it get on the truck to go to the Center? Did Nurse Joy have to use a tranquilizer gun? Did Lapras fall unconscious and somehow they lifted it onto a truck?

What I don't like is that an interview with Masamitsu Hidaka revealed that he was only introduced to be a white looking dude to replace Brock since the Pokemon Company was worried about receiving complaints about his eyes, despite not having actually gotten any 80+ episodes into the series

They were worried about complaints from the Western audience when the show wouldn't premier in America until a week after they designed Tracey. So Tracey was just a preemptive precaution against something that wouldn't even happen. Wish there was some record of the company's reactions when they realized that Western audiences did not mind Brock at all.

 

[PoryKid575]

Season 2 Episode 29 - "Fit To Be Tide"

Ash reaches his first Orange Crew battle, and it's handled very well! I'm a big fan of how straightforward everything is, the gym isn't hidden in a volcano, you don't need to like perfume to get in, the gym leader doesn't have a tragic life story that's dumped onto a 10yo boy for unknown reasons, nothing. Aside from a minor TR subplot that's genuinely hilarious (felt bad for James lol), Ash pretty much just walks in and beats Cissy fair and square with no fuss. I also really like the more hands-on format. I feel like the more outdoorsy style suits a tropical place like the Orange Islands, and it helps differentiate the "region" in spite of the showrunners still having to work with the same 150 Pokemon. The precision shooting is fun to watch, the Lapras race is enjoyable, even the ride to Mikan island was super chill. Overall, it's just a really nice episode. I'd give it a 9.5/10.

First note: I like the new theme song! We'll see if I ever feel like skipping it (as I've done for the first season), but for now, I'll watch it.

I agree! It doesn't quite top the first intro for me, but it's not far behind at all in my book.

 

[PoryKid575]

Season 2 Episode 30 - "Pikachu Re-Volts"

Butch & Cassidy make their return! I enjoyed their first appearance, and they're quite good this time around as well. Combined with the recent Giovanni appearance, it seems like they're building up Team Rocket for something, although I'm unsure if they'll actually do anything with TR moving forward or if it's just a coincidence. On the plot itself, the episode does a decent job building up a sense of mystery around what's happening to the Pokemon, and I like how they incorporated ghost being immune to psychic by having Nurse Joy's Ghastly not be affected by the hypnosis. I also enjoyed how Ash had to actually outsmart Butch / Cassidy, unlike a lot of future "Pikachu gets mind controlled" episodes where the issue tends to be resolved by having the Power Of FriendshipTM overpower whatever mechanism is being used. Aside from that, we also find out Togepi has Metronome, which brings back memories of messing around with it in HGSS. I also found it interesting how Ash was given "honorary citizenship" of Mandarin Island, I was under the impression the Orange Islands was part of Kanto, meaning Ash would already be a citizen. Are the Orange Islands a separate country? Is each individual island a separate country? If so, how come the gang hasn't been going through customs? We need more lore detailing Pokemon nationality law!

Overall, still a pretty solid EP though. I'd give it an 8.5/10

 

[Astinus]

Episode 2.5

Ash quote: "I was expecting a guy trainer."

Has he not battled three female Gym Leaders before?

I always enjoy it more when the Gym matches are actual tests of skills other than battling. With battling, there are times where it's just the stronger Pokémon wins. With tests of skill, the winner could be a Pokémon that wouldn't get a victory otherwise.

But it's also just a little weird because a trainer would have to have a Pokémon with that particular skill in order to compete. So I guess it was lucky that Squirtle knows Water Gun and can be a sharpshooter, or that Ash caught Lapras so he could have a Pokémon to Surf on.

First Orange Islands badge get!

Have to say that I'm not a fan of the whole idea of Tracey sketching women. It's like they wanted to keep Brock's shtick around, but they're not consistent with it and it's also a little weird because the women don't know that he's doing it.

Episode 2.6

What an episode.

Butch and Cassidy make a return! They're definitely more of a threat than the usual TRio, and this shows it. Not only do they manage to capture an impressive array of Pokémon, but the boss even went to bail them out of jail after their breeding center incident. (Which was referenced in this episode!)

The TRio and the Twerps had to pair up! It really shows that Jessie and James do have a soft side. They decided to help Ash out when he cried(?), and they wanted their Pokémon back because of how much they care for them. Especially Meowth. The TRio are friends, and they'll help each other out.

Officer Jenny had a decent personality! She wasn't just the "tough police officer with a dog." It was neat to see her using a Gastly to counter Drowzee's attack, and it was neat that because Gastly wasn't affected, she could figure out that it was a Psychic Pokémon. Gastly was also great. I liked its sense of humor.

And the episode had two climatic parts. When Ash had Pikachu destroy the machine, I really thought it was the end of the episode. Turns out that Togepi needed to do something too.

Little note: I loved Drowzee's expressions all throughout this.