Review SM016: A Small Trio on a Big Adventure!!

[Playerking]

SM016 - Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokémon encyclopedia

Discuss the episode here.

 

[RetroPokeFan]

Spoiler

One image will sum up this whole episode...

 

[radek.tadajewski.7]

I have to say that this episode was really decent. I mean, Kiawe, Lillie and Sophocles don't make an appearance in this episode at all, but Mallow and Lana did. The expressions Ash and his classmates made were priceless, so do the Team Rocket Trio. Dare Da? features Meowth from Team Rocket, not a regular one. I need to re-watch this episode again to review more about it.

 

[badwolf1234]

Still no litten catch???

 

[radek.tadajewski.7]

Still no litten catch???

Nope.

 

[Playerking]

Still no litten catch???

I think Ash wanted to, but when he started to talk to it, about Stoutland I think, Litten jumped.

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

Too bad there is love between Nyasu and Nyabby...

Spoiler

One image will sum up this whole episode...

I guess this is how they really look in real life.
And here is the image that summed up Mokuroh's true personality:

Spoiler

He's a little shit, also a pervert.

 

[radek.tadajewski.7]

I think Ash wanted to, but when he started to talk to it, about Stoutland I think, Litten jumped.

True, but what if Ash asks Professor Kukui about Litten and the old Stoutland? They would have a warm place to live instead of living under the bridge. What's the point of adding the other classmates on the page since they in fact don't appear in this episode at all? Professor himself made a cameo in one of popplio's fantasies.

 

[Gard81]

I see they went overboard with the facial expressions this episode. It was funny with TR when the 2 crashed into their base, but when they escaped along with Litten from the net, I was thinking: "Someone was watching WAAAAY too much Jojo." As for Ash's, Mallow's and Lana's faces at the beginning....yeah, even with the Jojo faces, they should just leave all the face comedy to TR, that's all I'm saying.

 

[Kirby4ever]

I find the episode to be funny, especially during Rowlet's freakout. It looks like that Popplio and Rowlet might like each other a whole lot, Popplio likes to tease Rowlet and a bit mean to it while Rowlet is a bit of a jerk to Popplio. Looks like that it's something that Ash and Lana has to deal with in the future.

 

[ii kanji]

Someone REALLY had fun with the animation in this episode! Faces and drawings aside, the movement in the Nyasu vs Nyabby battle also bizarrely stood out. (Some of the inbetween shots dispersed throughout the episode were correspondingly cheap-looking to make up for the nicer details...)

What I really like about the SM anime is that it is very character driven, and taking its time about being so. Mokuroh (for example) is at least as much a character as Harimaron ever was, but is much less in-your-face and all the more enjoyable for it. We get little insights into lots of characters every episode and this one was no exception. I felt like I learnt more about Ashimari and Mokuroh in the short scene where they're falling out of the sky than I did about Serena's Tairenar (for example) in the whole of XY! I even feel like I am getting to know Pikachu, Satoshi, Musashi, Kojiro and Nyasu better, although they've been my best friends forever in the whole wide world for 20-odd years!!!

I just loved the way that the pokemon were allowed to just interact, unadulterated, for most of the episode. The drawing bubbles were very cute and it made sense for the narrator to interject about Mooland when he did.

I'm not too bothered about Ashimari x Nyabby except that I'm now happy that both will evolve (or neither, but come on, if Satoshi catches Nyabby that thing is evolving)! Speaking of which, Satoshi's relationship & maturity in handling Nyabby is so wonderful, oh Satoshi I can't believe people complain that you haven't grown in 20 years!!

Kiteruguma intervened today at the perfect moment <3

 

[Zachary Tennyson]

Oh, goddammit, if the writers aren't gonna have Ash catch that wild Litten, then why is the Litten even there in the first place?!

 

[Neo Blaze]

Oh, goddammit, if the writers aren't gonna have Ash catch that wild Litten, then why is the Litten even there in the first place?!

The writers probably just wanted an episode focusing on the Alola starters. Ash still could have caught Litten in this episode, but I personally think the episode where Litten gets caught should be one focused on Stoutland getting a new home so Litten doesn't have to care for it anymore.

I guess the writers want to build up Ash and Litten's story, which is fine. But it's taking a little too long now and there is no point in holding the capture off much longer.

 

[SamurottMan]

Oh, goddammit, if the writers aren't gonna have Ash catch that wild Litten, then why is the Litten even there in the first place?!

UGH, why bother showcasing Pokemon with good/original/serious story lines if they won't get caught, amirite

I hope that helps you understand how ridiculous you sound/are.
- - -
Anyway, my opinion for the episode is pretty positive. Ash, Mallow, Lana's delayed reaction after processing what happened had be laughing.

Popplio is starting to grow on me and now it feels more like a Pokemon with personality rather than a blue balloon maker. Looks like it will be the one who brings Rowlet back to the real world and I'm all in for it!

I do agree that facial expressions war on peak today, and I enjoyed it a lot. Also liked how Mareanie was out the whole time as well, and it already feels more TR than BW and XY's TR mons.

And, finally Litten. This Pokemon is really becoming my favorite anime character (it's already a fave Alola Pokemon too). I like how it's independent, but still respected Stoutland when it suggested to bring Rowlet and Popplio to their trainers. Also, I AM GLAD it wasn't caught and I hope it doesn't get caught for at least another 2 months or 3, because we are finally getting a very fresh story line which is (at least for me) is really huge, interesting and keeps me interested for what's to come for Litten and Stoutland. We already know Litten's biggest fear, and that's why I hope the whole arc between the two is stretched out nicely to have a proper story and conclusion for both Pokemon (we all know Litten is going to Ash, but I want it to have a cool story, before it gets caught).

Anyway, the anime has been on a roll lately, the start felt a bit iffy, but looks like 10 eps in the writers seem to have gotten used to the Alola anime groove.

 

[kantoskies]

Not one, but TWO amazing TR faces today? Amazing. Also another TR motto without stock footage, though I think they shortened it. And they finally blasted off?? Well I guess technically Bewear caught them at the very end but they "pinged" so it still counts.

Also, the scene where Litten is talking to Meowth when it's trapped in the cage, that sad piano music that was playing was almost identical to this one Johto piece, I thought they had brought it back for a few seconds.

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

What's wrong with TR? They are literally disappointed because Kiteruguma saved them from a painful crash to the ground. Are they really masochists after all?

 

[alondon17]

the way popplio emoted was a bit weird to me but I love the episode. but why did popplio enjoy hitting rowlet?

 

[Galactic_V]

I didn't watch this episode and don't intend to do so since I'm not fond of "Pokemon-only" episodes. However I did want them to use subtitles again for us to understand what they are saying, like that Kanto episode. Am I the only one who miss it?

And it seems Trio did blast off in this episode? Wonder why Kiteruguma didn't save them from... Idk, getting hurt. xD

 

[Johtohfiller]

I didn't watch this episode and don't intend to do so since I'm not fond of "Pokemon-only" episodes. However I did want them to use subtitles again for us to understand what they are saying, like that Kanto episode. Am I the only one who miss it?

And it seems Trio did blast off in this episode? Wonder why Kiteruguma didn't save them from... Idk, getting hurt. xD

They used thought balloons instead of subtitles. The narrator also spoke mid-episode, I can't remember if it's the first time for that or not.

They blasted off but Bewear caught them just before they hit the ground.

 

[KrspaceT]

With Popplio putting itself in a balloon you'd think that they'd use that in a contest back in the day. It seems like something that would get you past the appeal round.