Pokémon - General Discussion

[Meredith Quill]

Discuss Pokémon Here!

[Lantern7]

So . . . Ash. Not many anime characters can last two decades. He started out as a butthead, but I like to think he got better. Sure, he has to deal with a learning curve with each new region, but it's fun to see him deal and assemble a new team around Pikachu. I don't think he's into "gotta catch 'em all!" so much as exploring the world, encountering new Pokémon, and not aging a day. Gary Oak will probably die of natural causes before the property wraps up. Also, Ash never gets to win a League. Okay, he beat Drake in the Orange League, and he defeated all the "Battle Brains," but I don't think those are in the games. I would've figured that his Greninja would defeat the fire-spewing Charizard, but Alain wanted it more.

What do you think of the human protagonist of Pokémon? And because I'm a fan of Epic Rap Battles Of History, here's Ash throwing down with Charles Darwin.

[Lantern7]

Yes, the Pokémon anime is still a thing. Not that most people would notice, as Cartoon Network runs it way too early on Saturday mornings. Right now, CN is running out the clock, as the next region will be run on Disney XD.

Anyway, the final storyline is climaxing these days. After Alain defeated Ash in the Kalos League final, Lysandre and Team Flare made its move, wrecking Lumiose City with modified Zygarde. So much goes on, with Ash and Alain on the front line, Bonnie talking her beloved "Squishy" down with a song, Clembot sacrificing its life to activate a plot device, Mairin's Chespin ("Chespie") gets rescued and glows for some reason, and Team Rocket playing reporters to the world. Also, Meowth is on top of Wobbuffet while playing cameraman. The latest episode ended with the Gym Leaders of Kalos ready to throw down against Lysandre.

Kalos has made for interesting stories. Mega-Evolution is a thing, with Pokemon turning into powerful versions of Digimon. Ash befriends a Froakie, which evolves into Greninja, and it winds up bonding with Ash, becoming the dumbly-named "Ash-Greninja," sharing a psychic link and appearances with our main hero. Companion-wise, we got Serena, who met Ash years ago at camp, and she's probably the first girl to be infatuated with him. Clemont takes Cilan's place as Gym Leader Inspired By Ash, with the "connoisseur" crap replaced by hi-tech gizmos that make him shout, "THE FUTURE IS NOW THANKS TO SCIENCE!!!!" Then the gizmos backfire, giving everybody poofy hair for a few seconds. And we got our first under-10 cast member since Max in Bonnie, Clemont's precocious sister, who frequently proposes to women on her brother's behalf. She is also the caretaker of Dedenne (a furry fairy-type) and Squishy, a green one-eyed Pokemon that's actually Zygarde, which is a huge plot device in Kalos.

Pokemon-wise, Ash has his usual mixed bunch. Of course Pikachu is there, as is Greninja, wearing its tongue like a scarf. Ash got  the obligatory bird in fire-type Fletching, which evolved all the way to Talonflame (I don't think the Americans got a bonus for that name). He got an egg that became Noibat, which evolved into Noivern. Hawlucha is a bird inspired by Mexican wrestling, and that's pretty awesome. Finally, he struck a friendship with a Goomy, which evolved into Goodra, perhaps the least imposing dragon-type out there. It wound up going back to its home, but Ash called it back for the Kalos League.

Serena started off with fire-type Fennekin, which has evolved once to Braixen. She got a Pancham, which makes one wonder why Game Freak waited so long to riff on pandas. Finally, she got a sweet Eevee on her team, and it wound up evolving into Sylveon, the fairy-type evolution. Serena and her trio compete in Showcases, which are like Contests, only without the battling. Clemont had a Bunnelby (rabbit) to start, and he wound up acquiring Chespin and Luxray (evolved from Luxio). Technically, Dedenne is his, but Bonnie takes care of it. Finally, Team Rocket had Inkay (James) and Pumpkaboom/Gourgeist (Jessie) to go along with Meowth and Wobbuffet.

Okay, I have talked way too much about this show now. Please don't let me be the only person to DVR this series and watch it.

[Lantern7]

Looks like we'll be leaving Lumiose City soon. Last week, the assembled heroes saved the day, rescued Chespie, and they may have killed Lysandre. I know, its a kids show, but we didn't see him taking the perp walk, so there's a chance he's dead. Also, Zygarde/Squishy said goodbye to Bonnie. And Ramos didn't mutter "whippersnapper" once.

This Week: Cleaning up! Partying! Clemont can't recover Clembot's memories, but the substitute gym leader robot holds his (its?) own against a trainer eager for a rematch. Meanwhile, Team Rocket report to Giovanni, who seems pleased with their progress. And then they ruin things by kidnapping Pikachu. Natch, this doesn't work out, as Ash and Alain blow them up.

[AntiBeeSpray]

Still love the little guy after all these years :).

[Lantern7]

He was Ash's straight man. I know that he's on Level Infinity after so much time with Ash, but it's still fun to watch him get shit done. Chimchar comes and Greninja goes, but Pikachu is forever "Japanese Mickey." And the Alola edition may bring a few new ways to power up. He probably would've gone through Mega-Evolution, but he had to evolve to Raichu, and we know that's never gonna happen.

Any fave moments? Like the time Team Rocket nearly drowned, and Pikachu snapped his fingers in disgust. Or the time in the Orange League where it avoided Dragonite's Hyper Beam, landed on its head, and electro-shocked it for the win. Then there was the time it got a whiff of special potions made in a Shuckle, and he rubbed himself on Jessie's chest. Oh, and he does sweet impressions of other Pokémon.

[Lantern7]

Just asking even though only two people are posting here at the moment . . . did Cartoon Network rerun last week's episode? That's what I got on the DVR. And when I searched for the next episode, I didn't see anything. Will Disney XD take over the rest of XYZ before Sun & Moon?

[Lantern7]

In case you didn't know, Disney XD has started running episodes of the current Pokémon franchise. I've been DVRing those and making my way through them.

The animation is a little more "cartoony" than we usually get, though the gist of the show is the same. Only this time, Ash is attending school in the tropical (so far) Alola region, and he's got a new group of friends: the fat smart kid, the girl with the grass type, the girl with the Popplio (the water-type starter), the tan dude with the Charizard, and the girl that loves to study Pokémon but is scared to touch them. Not sure how an ensemble cast will work in the long run, but I'm good with it so far. And Team Rocket is back. Good news: they acquired the creepy-looking Mimikyu, a ghost/fairy-type that dresses itself as a poor person's Pikachu. Also, they keep getting abducted by a Bewear. Hey, James met a bear-like creature! Good for him.

As for Team Ash, he's acquired a Rowlet, the grass-type starter that enjoys napping in Ash's backpack. Our Hero is also assisted by a Rotom possessing a Pokedex. Kinda annoying, but it does exposition well.

Has anybody else been watching the new episodes?

[Lantern7]

Looking to see if anybody else has been following the series. Also, Disney XD will be running six episodes tomorrow morning starting at 9 a.m., followed by Pokémon the Movie: Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel. It wasn't half-bad.

Updates? Well, Lillie's egg hatched, and it turned out to be an Alola Vulpix . . . a white ice-type that's cute. Lillie now has the nerve to touch her new partner, but not anybody else's. In the latest episode, Ash and Professor Kukui found out that Rockruff had been going to a Fight Club. I know, Kukui likened it to a dojo . . .but come on. Basically, wild Pokemon beat the snot out of each other in the name of training. In the end, Rockruff mastered Rock Throw, and it got adopted by Ash, because Kukui never "caught" it.

[readster]

Yes, I just started too. It's funny, because in this area of using drones, coding and robots, the new pokedex actually works. Plus, as we have seen with the Professor Kukui, it's still learning as it goes. I think what is very interesting is not only is Ash in school, but he is trying to master Z power. Something that bothered me the last two series was that Ash didn't get really any mega evolution stones and while his Grenninja did kind of mega evolve due to their synching of energy and trust. I would have loved to seen Ash's Charizard go Y mega or his Sevptyle. I feel like this time, we have a much more "fun" of the early days of Pokemon. The show got very serious the last few years from Team Flare (wow! They were twisted and evil) or Team Aqua. Team Skull is more of what Team Rocket should have eventually become and I really enjoy the new starter and changes on the well known Pokemon, but have "evolved" differently in the Alola region. 

[Lantern7]

Watched three hours' worth of the show. The last episode . . . I don't remember everything about the anime. Is this the first time a Pokemon straight-up died? Yeah, the visuals were heavy on not saying it out loud, but it looks like Stoutland died, and it got the Mufasa treatment in the sky. The upshot is that Litten is moving on with its life, joining Team Ash. Very poignant stuff, even with Meowth watching from a distance, not getting picked up by Bewear. Given the franchise, I expect Stoutland to pop up alive and well at the version of the Alola League. It will turn out Brock found and healed it. And then he'd try to place his Onix onto Lillie (the one with Snowy the Alola Vulpix), Lana (Popplio) and Mallow (Steenee, which recently evolved from Bounsweet). Because Brock's gotta be Brock.

ETA: And it will turn out Brock and Kiawe are related, because they are both tan as heck.

[readster]

I have to say the reunion with Brock and Misty and heading to visit Kato felt like old times. Even Ash beating Mega Garydos with a Z-move. It's funny, see how Sun and Moon is trying to build their Gym League, which now makes sense. Since Team Skull and them using Pokemon in the game was more of a good vs evil which XYZ was doing. However, I like they are now moving into what the series is about now. As the students are leading to set up their own gyms and be Gym Leaders in Aloha. 

[Lantern7]

I've been DVRing Pokemon for the past few years, and quarantine gives me the time to start burning through it. I've just started the Kanto arc. Wondering if Brock will ask Kiawe if everyone in Alola with his skin wears so few clothes. Also imagining Delia Ketchum shouting that she got spit-roasted by the Oak cousins.

There may be something wrong with me.

Ash's roster at this moment: Pikachu, Litten, Rowlet and the recently-evolved Lycanroc. Since this is Ash's guy, it's a rare Dusk version.

Edited May 2, 2020 by Lantern7

[Lantern7]

Still working through the backlog. Ash just beat his third Kahuna, and Team Rocket can do Z-moves. I’m posting because this was posted by the franchise’s YouTube.

I have to say that it’s a nice homage to old-school American cartoons, and only having two Pokémon in there (MC Hammer Pokémon and Discount Nightmare Pikachu) works well here.

ETA: I forgot that Litten evolved into Torracat, and Ash has a small Ultra Beast in Poipole.

ETA2: I saw Mallow's Steenee evolve into Tsareena. Is it me, or does Tsareena come off as a dominatrix?

Edited June 8, 2020 by Lantern7

[Lantern7]

I'm up to the one with the TV studio and Karpy the Magikarp evolving into Gyrados. Usual dopey fun, though the one when cast members met their departed loved ones was pretty heavy. I mean, "heavy" for this franchise. Also: a bunch of Meltan (the latest rare Pokemon) destroy James' precious bottle cap collection. You know, I poke fun at him as much as the next fan, but I know . . . if you fuck with his caps? That's your ass.

Edited June 29, 2020 by Lantern7

[Lantern7]

Just saw Ash win the inaugural Alola League. Question: given the shorter format and the finalists only bringing out three Pokémon apiece, does that diminish Ash’s victory? Would it be closer to the Orange League and Battle Brains titles?

ETA: Also, Guzma and Team Skull are the absolute worst. Those assholes make Jesse and James look classy by comparison.

Edited July 18, 2020 by Lantern7

[Lantern7]

Fan art of fused Pokémon.

[MagnusHex]

So, MAJOR SPOILERS in regards to Ash and Pokemon, some of you may have heard what Ash has finally done.

Spoiler

Yes. I'm talking about that thing. That very freaking thing. That son of a gun did it.

It only took him about 25 years. Talk about your underdog story. And so, his journey comes to an end.

I've left Pokemon since Sun and Moon since I didn't really enjoy that one as much as XYZ, but I'm glad I've returned to see our childhood hero takes his crown as THE Pokemon WORLD Champion.

Of course, the details are a little iffy, like Charizard suddenly headbutting Pikachu even though Leon said Fire Blast. Plus, he pretty much relied on Pikachu to take down Leon's last two Pokemon. Plus, he literally won using the power of friendship. I'm not even exaggerating - that's what happened. Pikachu has a dream talking to all the friends he made throughout ALL seasons, and he got back up when he was about to faint. It's all very campy and cheesy, but the original Pokemon theme from season 1 made up for it. I teared up. I couldn't help it. lol

I was watching the sub btw, so the theme was Mezase Pokemon Master, but I saw that the dub team had the cover version of the season 1 theme as well from the 2017 movie, "I Choose You!" I grew up with the dub, but I ended up gravitating towards the sub in my college years, then stuck with it ever since till XYZ/Sun and Moon, so the Japanese version of the theme kinda resonated with me a little more than the dub theme.

And that's that, I suppose. I heard they're getting two new protagonists for next season for the new Scarlet/Violet region.