Review SM123: Master the Z-Move! Kaki's Fierce Boot Camp!!

[Neo Blaze]

SM123 - Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokémon encyclopedia

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Discuss the episode here.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

So, it turns out that what I assumed would happen in the preview thread did happen: Lana and Primarina perform Oceanic Operetta at the start of the episode without any trouble whatsoever. Which means that Primarina had also learned Sparkling Aria off-screen. Just as Vikavolt had learned Signal Beam off-screen to be able to use the Z-Move.

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

Where is Kaki's Lizardon?
This training montage sucks.
I wonder why Kaki is disappointed?
That backstory also sucks.
So, he's a good guy now?

2/10 till subs.

 

[Singaporean]

A great episode overall. Seeing Kiawe's past with Turtonator during the battle with Crawdaunt, before finally catch it. Also, glad to see our beloved little genius fat boy finally showed his Z-Move with his Vikavolt after planned by Kiawe for Crawdaunt to help him.

For this episode, I give it a A-

 

[BigDocFan]

It wasn't a bad episode

Was great to see Crawdaunt again and see some backstory for Kiawe's Turtonator

Shame we didn't see Primarina learn Sparkling Aria or Vikavolt learn Signal Beam, their Z-Moves were quite beautiful

Was hoping that someone might catch Crawdaunt but alas not

 

[L-05308]

Really great episode, I love Vikavolt focus and I love that there was Turtonator focus.

I also think it’s cute that we’ve finally met a Crawdaunt that isn’t a definitive dad guy.

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

I also think it’s cute that we’ve finally met a Crawdaunt that isn’t a definitive dad guy.

He seems kind of fatherly to those little pokemon.

 

[BigDocFan]

He seems kind of fatherly to those little pokemon.

Would have loved to see more of that

 

[HiroHunter]

I hope the sub tells us how Lana learned Sparkling Aria.

 

[Kurolegacy]

I hope the sub tells us how Lana learned Sparkling Aria.

Honestly even then that won't really change that that's a lazy development having Lana learn it offscreen, especially in an episode that was about training Z-Moves.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

I hope the sub tells us how Lana learned Sparkling Aria.

Honestly even then that won't really change that that's a lazy development having Lana learn it offscreen, especially in an episode that was about training Z-Moves.

The subs are out now, and nope. No mention of Sparkling Aria whatsoever. And Vikavolt having learned Signal Beam was mentioned only briefly, with no details.

 

[HiroHunter]

The subs are out now, and nope. No mention of Sparkling Aria whatsoever. And Vikavolt having learned Signal Beam was mentioned only briefly, with no details.

You know what the only pokegirl I care about in SM right now it Lillie. Fuck Mallow and Lana.

 

[BigDocFan]

Oh how I long for a time with fewer companions, more Pokemon and more learning new moves

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Oh how I long for a time with fewer companions, more Pokemon and more learning new moves

I like that they dared to experiment the series with this many companions, but I won't mind them going back to two or three companions in the Sword and Shield series.

 

[Pulsaro23]

Been a while since I've done a review (mainly because the recent episodes were mostly uninteresting for me). So how about I review an episode the (partially) focuses on my favorite SM companion?

So the episode starts off with Lana successfully pulling Oceanic Operetta off without a hitch and without any prior training (at least as far as we know)... Well, isn't that a great way to start the episode? I guess Lana is now officially a certified Mary Sue. Anyways, after we learn that Lillie and Mallow have decided to participate in the League (because the writers just have to make it feel like a banal tournament where even the most inexperienced trainers can enter), we cut to Sophocles who is unable to pull a Z-move because he... doesn't know how to make the correct pose... . Honestly, considering this series, I don't know why I'm even surprised. Seeing this, Kiawe proposes to hold a Z-move boot camp for Kiawe, while Lillie propose to have the girls come to her house to train. The entire first part of the episode is dedicated to the guys trying to improve Sophocles stamina (because, apparently, that was the problem all along), while Turtonator helps Vikavolt train and we also get a random short scene of the girls eating and talking about how the guys are doing and about training (Which feels like a complete waste. Why have Lillie tell the girls come over to her, if all you're gonna show us is them having a tea party?). In the second part, Kiawe takes Ash and Sophocles to a small lake near their camp and leaves the kid there while he takes Ash along to do something. Sophocles gets attacked by a wild Crawdaunt from the lake, he starts to panic since his strategy doesn't seem to be working, but once he sees Vikavolt's determination, he decides to keep going and, eventually, he finally performs the Z-move properly, thus predictably defeating Crawdaunt. Kiawe and Ash come to congratulate him and Crawdaunt gets up and greets Kiawe, revealing that he went and asked it to help Sophocles pull off a Z-move (not sure how much this undermines Sophocles' victory, if at all).

Oh and there's also the Kiawe portion of the episode, which is just a flashback scene sandwiched in between the two main parts of the episode. And, unfortunately, I have to say that the flashback section felt kinda tacked on. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy it and it was nice to find out how Kiawe met his Turtonator, but I couldn't help but feel that it was too short and unnecessary. Cut the flashback and it wouldn't take away anything from the episode. All it would change is probably the part where Kiawe reveals the he set up the battle (since we learn that he met Crawdaunt during the flashback), but that wouldn't affect the rest of the episode in any way.

All in all, I'd say the episode was okay at best. I'm not the biggest fan of Sophocles (and this episode certainly didn't help in that regard), but it was nice to see some actual training this episode (since it's such a rare occurrence this series). Not as great as the episode could have been, but definitely not as bad as other episodes. Still somewhat disappointed that thy didn't have the girls participate in the training camp as well (since, arguably, some of them need the training more than fat second-hand Clemont here).

Also, and this may be my Charizard bias speaking, but am I the only one disappointed that Kiawe still doesn't even call his Charizard out alongside the rest of his Pokémon? In fact, it doesn't even appear in the proper episode (outside of the flashback scene). I really hoped that, after their adventure during the Poni Island arc, Charizard would start to appear at least a lit bit more frequently. But nope, the poor guy's still relegated to insignificant Pokémon status.

 

[Kurolegacy]

I like that they dared to experiment the series with this many companions, but I won't mind them going back to two or three companions in the Sword and Shield series.

I’d say that an entire region based series really isn’t the time for experimentation. They clearly bit off more than they could chew on this one and the series suffered as a result. Before, they were rushing events. Now they’re just plain skipping important events.

 

[Daenerys]

Oh look, Lana and Primarina have successfully used Oceanic Operetta without a single problem. Funny how for the past two years she's been handed a Z-Ring, a Primarium Z, two evolutions for her Popplio despite it hardly deserving even one, and now mastery over Primarina's Z-Move like it's freaking Christmas in SuMo. And yet some of y'all still deny that there's favoritism towards Lana from the writers.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Oh look, Lana and Primarina have successfully used Oceanic Operetta without a single problem. Funny how for the past two years she's been handed a Z-Ring, a Primarium Z, two evolutions for her Popplio despite it hardly deserving even one, and now mastery over Primarina's Z-Move like it's freaking Christmas in SuMo. And yet some of y'all still deny that there's favoritism towards Lana from the writers.

You could argue that she already has experience in using Z-Moves, which is why she succeded so easily.

 

[BigDocFan]

As Finnish has pointed out on Bulbapedia, Togedemaru is the only Pokemon belonging to a main in Sun and Moon not to have its backstory revealed. Wonder if we'll ever get one

 

[HiroHunter]

As Finnish has pointed out on Bulbapedia, Togedemaru is the only Pokemon belonging to a main in Sun and Moon not to have its backstory revealed. Wonder if we'll ever get one

Togedemaru had done little to nothing at this point so theirs little hope for that.