Review JN006: Catch a Lot of Pokémon! The Path to Mew!!

[Almonds]

I'm probably in the minority for liking this episode. I appreciate a full Gou-centric episode where we take a break from Ash. Also, the Pokemon GO inclusion was well done. I like the Rotom phone showing the habitat list. Also, Gou throws curve balls like how GO players do for extra points (not that it matters in the anime) - he did it with Scorbunny previously but it seems a lot more prominent here.

 

[Pulsaro23]

I appreciate a full Gou-centric episode where we take a break from Ash.

As if the last couple of episodes didn't focus a lot on Go already while Ash has been put on the sidelines.

 

[game3524]

Ash has been the focus for over 20 years, I think we can live with him being sideline a bit. Anyway, this is likely going to end in episode 9.

 

[BigDocFan]

Its interesting that they've kept the design for Nurse Joy but they've given Jenny a different design

Will be interesting if the Unova, Kalos and Alola Joy's keep their design

 

[Lanstar]

I watched this episode as I play Pokemon Heart Gold.

My problem with it: Too many of Go's catches in it are rather improbable with a normal pokeball to a point that the catches look absolutely fake. Like, caterpie and weedle, I could believe. But Venomoth in a normal pokeball, first try at full health?! That's some RNG right there... Or perhaps those Pokeballs are actually just Quick Balls in disguise.

I really hope that next time, they put more effort on making the catches 'believable' to some extent with actual battles beforehand when needed. And maybe differentiate the kinds of pokeballs Go uses for the situation as well... Or not, as the more practical option will end up being the Quick Ball all the time, considering the overly fast plot flow. :/

 

[BigDocFan]

I'm slightly annoyed at Go not battling the Pokemon to weaken them, Pokemon like Caterpie and Weedle are weak to be easily captured (as demonstrated by Ash's Caterpie)

Why didn't Ash mentioning battling with Scorbunny, its not like Scorbunny is weak against Bug types

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

I watched this episode as I play Pokemon Heart Gold.

My problem with it: Too many of Go's catches in it are rather improbable with a normal pokeball to a point that the catches look absolutely fake. Like, caterpie and weedle, I could believe. But Venomoth in a normal pokeball, first try at full health?! That's some RNG right there... Or perhaps those Pokeballs are actually just Quick Balls in disguise.

I really hope that next time, they put more effort on making the catches 'believable' to some extent with actual battles beforehand when needed. And maybe differentiate the kinds of pokeballs Go uses for the situation as well... Or not, as the more practical option will end up being the Quick Ball all the time, considering the overly fast plot flow. :/

The easy catches were likely reference to Pokémon GO where you catch Pokémon the same way. But I too hope that Go will start using different kinds of Poké Balls later.

 

[BigDocFan]

Given Go's plan to catch Bug types (well i assume that was the plan), I was hoping Go might use Net Balls

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Given Go's plan to catch Bug types (well i assume that was the plan), I was hoping Go might use Net Balls

He's a beginner, so he only uses regular Poké Balls. I hope he expand his arsenal as he gains more experience.

 

[Pulsaro23]

The easy catches were likely reference to Pokémon GO where you catch Pokémon the same way.

As someone who actually played Pokémon GO (back when it wouldn't eat up my phone's battery), I can tell you that successfully catching a strong and/or fully-evolved Pokémon (like Beedrill, Butterfree and Venonat) on your first try is almost impossible without using berries (and even then it's not a guarantee), whether you get an excelent curveball or not. There's a reason why the game gives you a ton of Poké Balls, after all.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

This episode was okay. It's less engaging than the last two, but there were plenty of worse episodes early on in other series. What I want the writers to figure out is the following:

1. Go doesn't need to go on a mad catching spree. Just have him catch a Pokemon every 3 episodes or so.
2. Captures shouldn't be trivial, even if no battle is involved. I am not a Go player, but catching Pokemon in LGPE could be difficult.
3. If Go doesn't bond with a Pokemon and merely uses it as a stepping stone toward Mew or to add a bit of data to the Pokedex, then he needs to release it. I'm inclined to suggest the same thing for Ash, but at least in that case there is a certain facade that there will be some epic league one day.

These reasons perfectly illustrate why a full on Pokémon Go Mechanic adaption will not work for the main Pokémon anime... A side series, maybe? But presently it contradicts a lot about Pokemon and Pokemon training that the anime universe has established.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

As someone who actually played Pokémon GO (back when it wouldn't eat up my phone's battery), I can tell you that successfully catching a strong and/or fully-evolved Pokémon (like Beedrill, Butterfree and Venonat) on your first try is almost impossible without using berries (and even then it's not a guarantee), whether you get an excelent curveball or not. There's a reason why the game gives you a ton of Poké Balls, after all.

I know. It's just that in GO, you don't normally battle against the Pokémon you catch.

 

[Jaypom]

I keep seeing everyone get mad that Ash hasn't had any episodes focused around him entirely yet... when we literally have had him around for 20 years...

 

[KrspaceT]

So, other than questioning why they'd make a Go focused series this long after Go released (and while it has resurged, it is not at the high point).....anyone wondering if we are going to see Ash bashing based on him not capturing things in mass, or people getting on Go's case for potential catch stealing (I think, I only seen Serebii image stills).

 

[DynamicFusion]

I don't mind Ash getting sidelined, but being a dummy in even Gou's Focus Episodes is a big no for me. He isn't even acting like a mentor to Gou, he's just there and that's it. And I'm not that too into Gou either.

 

[Silktree]

What did Ash do during Contests or Showcases that was so interesting?

Anyway, the Venonat and Scyther captures were fine. I think they should stick to a maximum of two captures per episode.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

At this point it’s just double standards if Ash isn’t going to at least object even a little to Go mindlessly capturing Pokémon.

 

[Pulsaro23]

Ash has been the focus for over 20 years, I think we can live with him being sideline a bit.

I keep seeing everyone get mad that Ash hasn't had any episodes focused around him entirely yet... when we literally have had him around for 20 years...

There's a huge distinction between "appearing in every episode of the anime" and "being the focus for 20 years". Particularly, the focus part. Ash has appeared in every episode of every series for the past 20+ years, but the focus of each episode has always been different. Sometimes, an episode would be about Ash and/or one of his Pokémon and his quest to become the very best, at other times the spotlight would fall on one of his companions and/or their Pokémon or on Team Rocket and/or their Pokémon or on one of the supporting/recurring characters or even on a character/Pokémon of the day. Not every episode of the anime has been about Ash, so I don't get how some people have come to the conclusion that "he's always been in the spotlight, so turning him into a glorified background character is perfectly A-O.K".

He's never been the one to hog all of the attention, but in all of the past series you'd at least see him catch a new Pokémon by the sixth episode of a series. You'd see him get excited over new places and Pokémon. You'd see him train with his Pokémon so he could become a Pokémon Master. You'd see him call other trainers out when they're doing something that he wouldn't agree with (like rejecting a Pokémon because of an obsession with something/someone). You'd see him interact with his companions in meaningful ways for more than a single episode and maybe even inspire/mentor them. Besides all that, Ash is supposed to be of the first half of the "double protagonists". So he should be getting some focus as well. Otherwise, why even have him be here at all, if all you're gonna use him for is "funny" gags?

 

[game3524]

So I don't get how some people have come to the conclusion that "he's always been in the spotlight, so turning him into a glorified background character is perfectly A-O.K"

Because he is generally in the spotlight. Ash's story/goal drives each series, and I doubt that is going to change in this series in the long run. Having him take a step back and letting Go be the main focus early on is fine IMO. They have to establish a new character, they don't have to do that with Ash.

 

[Panky..]

Because he is generally in the spotlight. Ash's story/goal drives each series, and I doubt that is going to change in this series in the long run. Having him take a step back and letting Go be the main focus early on is fine IMO. They have to establish a new character, they don't have to do that with Ash.

Or you know... develop them both equally without shafting the other like how they balanced it with Dawn and Ash back in DP? And that too right from the start instead of waiting for the 9th episode.

Right now, Ash being background noise and relegated to "gags" seems intentional and baffling.