Review JN144: Juppeta's Search!

[BigDocFan]

https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/JN144

The latest episode of Aim to Be a Pokémon Master has now aired. Feel free to discuss it here.

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

Its pokédex entry was true after all. Not sure how that makes sense.

 

[Emelie]

That was actually kind of wholesome? While I wouldn't have spent a whole episode on a random Banette if I was writing Ash's final series I like the plot twist of the girl being a Nurse Joy. She helps out Ash in every episode (even if it's not the same Joy) so it's nice that Ash could do something to help her for once. It's also interesting to see that Joy had a life before becoming a nurse.

Nice to see some game lore adapted as well such as Banette being a substitute doll before it became a ghost. It fits thematically as well since the focus of this episode is that Joy can still treasure her childhood memories and old toys while still being an adult with responsibilities and a job. It would have been nice if Ash got to grow up and got this kind development too.

 

[BigDocFan]

Full VA list courtesy of Adamant

Rica Matsumoto: Satoshi
Ikue Ohtani: Pikachu
Mayumi Iizuka: Kasumi
Yuji Ueda: Takeshi
Kenta Miyake: Kairyu
Katsuyuki Konishi: Gureggru
Yasuhiro Mamiya: Gangar
Fumiko Takekuma: Juppeta
Risa Shimizu: Junsa
Kei Shindo: Joy
Mariko Nagai: Woman
Yuko Natsuyoshi: Woman
Kenyu Horiuchi: Narration

 

[L-05308]

Not only could this episode have been part of Journeys proper, it should have been. An episode not explicitly about Gengar while it still was a big part of the episode, with thematic ties to the plot and a great showcase of its personality - the lack of this for Ash’s Pokémon was my main problem Journeys.

Here, it’s a little frustrating because it’s the 4th to last episode of Ash - but disregarding its placement, I thought it had a good emotional hook and I enjoyed the setting and music.

 

[Singaporean]

Such a heartwarming episode for looking it playmate after being separated from moving elsewhere accidental. Thankfully, the episode have a happy ending and a reunion. Banette and Joy get together and treat others. Also, Latias continue observing Ash. Only three episode left to find out the answer.

Overall rating: B+

 

[Kurolegacy]

A Nurse Joy who didn’t look like a mini Joy from a child? What manner of sorcery is this?

 

[RetroPokeFan]

This was honestly quite a nice and emotional episode. Yet again we have plenty of great interactions and it was cool seeing Gengar get one final slice of the action too.

 

[Gabo2oo]

You know, I'm pleasantly surprised by how intelligent the trio was in this episde. Brock realized pretty fast what the ghost was, Ash consulted the Pokédex to try to learn more instead of doing it out of habit, they realized quickly that Banette wanted Misty's hair pin (which is obvious for us, but under mediocre writing it could've been dragged out), Misty recognized the door from the abandoned house, etc. If this was airing back in BW it could easily have been structured as a Sommelier Detective mystery.

It's always interesting when they incorporate the Pokédex entries as-is (even if a bit iffy, since Pokémon of one species shouldn't all share the same backstory), but even so they subverted it by having Bannette not hold a "grudge" in the proper sense. I always thought Banette was supposed to look like the doll it had possesed, but I don't really mind the liberties taken here.

I can't tell the animation directors apart very often, but the characters looked super cute in this episode. I think they had thicker outlines in some scenes or something, but it reminded me of Tamagawa's style (what ever happened to him?). Brock was super on-model here too, which kinda relieved me after still being off-put by the Ash/Pikachu episode a couple of weeks ago.

The music was a highlight once again, lots of movie tracks here I think. Laverre City is one of the best themes in the franchise IMO, both the original composition and the anime arrangement. Even if it became the standard heartwarming/emotional music at some point, I was super happy to hear it again. I've always liked that unnamed BW track that sorta sounds like game battle music too.

All in all, it's nice to know the final "filler" episode in the anime is a very solid one (and featuring Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy no less, who are like a CotD / recurring hybrid). Obviously not what I'd expect from the fourth-to-last episode ever but I guess I'm past complaining about the placement of these at this point.

 

[Rikki Kitsune]

Good episode, not so good to be 4th to last episode of Satoshi. :/

 

[R1ke]

Yeah not bad, surprised they adapted banette’s pokedex entry. Nice seeing Gengar back in action and help another abandoned ghost type. So it doesn’t undergo the same fate, cause unlike Gengar’s owner it wasn’t left on purpose. Cool twist with nurse joy and how Brock figured it out with his gag lol

They emphasised small scale stories this series. Which I’m mixed on atm but I get what they’re going for here. A pokemon master isn’t just the strongest but someone who loves pokemon so much. That they spend their life bonding with them and helping others do the same

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

Rewatching it with subs, episode was pretty decent, but I'd prefer something more special for these last episodes. I agree with their being smart, but it was kinda weird that they didn't ask Nurse Joy about the photo. Some things that needs to be added to Bulbapedia:

Spoiler

Random Zorua appearance at the background, which I find funny because how the movie made it look so special back then.

Her legs were miscoloured, since she suppose to wear white pantyhose (that's the right word to describe it?) at the time.

 

[Gard81]

I have to admit. it was a stroke of brilliance to have Brock discover it was Nurse Joy in the photo. Who else would have been able to figure that out other than the guy who can tell apart each Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny by the smallest of minutiae?

 

[Soniman]

So if it’s abandoned doll -> Banette where the heck does Shuppet fit in?

Good episode all the same

 

[PokeMasterLA]

Its pokédex entry was true after all. Not sure how that makes sense.

I've noticed that with this mini series they've been acknowledging the Pokedex entries from the games. We saw it with Clauncher, Hatterene, and now with Banette.

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

So if it’s abandoned doll -> Banette where the heck does Shuppet fit in?

Breeding maybe.

 

[BigDocFan]

After story