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Review S15 EP34: An Epic Defense Force!

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From the official site said:
Ash and the gang arrive in Virbank City, home to many film studios and filmmakers—including our heroes’ old friend Luke! He has a new movie in the works, but he needs a cast and crew to help him complete it. When our heroes step in to help get the movie made, will it lead to a blockbuster...or a huge flop?
 
Did Meloetta keep her Japanese voice? Missed the first half of the ep...

My only complaint about this episode is that this is probably the only time that we'll ever see a de-evolution. (If there was a Slowbro to Slowpoke de-evo, it doesn't count)
 
Strong dub, good deliveries by the group. Meloetta kept its Japanese voice.

I still love Dirty Harry reference. {Which part of me wonders how many Japanese viewers got. Is that movie well known outside of America?}

I know Luke may not be the over the top character that drives some of the posters here nuts, but I liked his role in the show.
 
I complained last week about Ash being out of character with how he responded to being diverted from getting to the Gym, this episode starts the way I'd have expected last week to - it does it perfectly by having him be very reluctant and slowly becoming enthused. It just works far better.

As someone who doesn't watch many movies I probably missed a lot of references, but Ash talking about having watched Dirty Herdier just seems hilarious for someone who is supposedly 10. Otherwise, some of the Pokemon references in titles sounded a bit too forced, but for most of them I didn't recognise the title they should have been, so perhaps the actual movies are badly titled as well.

Another humorous thing was the mentions of Ash being the main character, with reference to the movies. I'll choose to interpret this as a complaint about his lack of prominence in BW with Iris and Cilan taking a lot of his screen time - and none of you can stop me! Still seems odd that Ash can be hugely successful as an actor but can't win a battle tournament. He's in the wrong business.

The actual movie creation bit was amusing enough, despite the randomness of the attempt to up the stakes with the competing producer. The film version of Iris was about as wooden as any performance ever - was that obvious in the Japanese version or an implied part of the character, because she lacked any and all enthusiasm during the movie parts. Ash being named Ash in the movie seemed a bit pointless.

It's amazing that the MC guy in the film presentation bit sounded more naturally like James than he did in the TR appearance in this episode. The pronunciation of Krookodile as almost literally Crocodile was unexpected - I'd been pronouncing it Kuh-roo-ko-dile on the assumption they would be avoiding it sounding exactly like the real world equivalent, because isn't that the point of the extra O and the Ks? For the next generation could someone at TCPi just post a recording of the correct pronunciation of all the dub names so I stop being surprised by them?

Anyway, for an ad for a part of the games it makes a good episode.
 
I still love Dirty Harry reference. {Which part of me wonders how many Japanese viewers got. Is that movie well known outside of America?}

I thought it was Dirty Harry. Can someone go through and name all of the references made in this episode?

Anyway, Luke's movie had that retro Japanese monster B-movie feel to it, right down to Iris' acting. That's probably why it won. Camera work and cinematics in Luke's rival's movie (I forget his name, the one with the Krookodile) were a lot better. If not Best Picture, he can at least take his film on the road and try for a Palme d'Or at Cannes. Or a Most Viewed in Pets & Animals on YouTube. Cilan's work in the film I think was best. They should also award the actors, like with most film academy awards. That'll teach SEGA to replace Cilan as Sonic's voice!

Also, in order to make both Irises cry (haha, I guess), Luke used a second flipped Iris in a split screen. Why didn't he just use Zorua?



EDIT: Also, way to typecast, Luke! He just had everyone do the same roles again! I liked this movie better when it was called The Legend Of The Pokémon Knight!
 
Ermagerd Johter wers mentionerd!!!!!! That made the episode for me! Pretty good plot, and I really liked Luke in this.
 
Strong dub, good deliveries by the group. Meloetta kept its Japanese voice.

I still love Dirty Harry reference. {Which part of me wonders how many Japanese viewers got. Is that movie well known outside of America?}

I know Luke may not be the over the top character that drives some of the posters here nuts, but I liked his role in the show.

As someone who doesn't watch many movies I probably missed a lot of references, but Ash talking about having watched Dirty Herdier just seems hilarious for someone who is supposedly 10.

I giggled at that too. I sorta like the "Dirty Herdier" thing, knowing they got the title from a IRL r-rated film.
 
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His mom probably let him watch the edited made-for-local-midday-TV version.
 
And also, thank goodness meloetta kept her voice, I do not like it when singing pokemon's voice are dubbed over. Although I let it slide with Jiggypuff since she has a diff JP name and voice in japan.
 
Really really loved this episode, a big improvement from the efforts of last week, and i nearly cried when ash said he watched dirty herdier.. just so gross ahahahah :) ohh and that va at the end sounded like diamond and pearl james..
 
This was a nice episode, but all I gotta say is that the episode would've been so much better if Cilan said, "All your Pokemon are belong to me!" during the movie. That is all.
 
I liked the Dirty Harry reference. Although I must say I was surprised by it. lol

I didn't care for Cilan as a villain in that movie. It didn't fit. Yes im criticizing an anime character's performance in a movie within the anime, lol

I liked Iris' role as the princess, and Ash as the hero.

For some reason I was really bothered by Cilan explaining to Iris what a Tyranitar was instead of Ash. Not sure why that bothered me. Other than that I was ok with this episode.
 
Meloetta's story arc ends in Japan and now... begins in the US in the same week. Lol.

For some reason I was really bothered by Cilan explaining to Iris what a Tyranitar was instead of Ash. Not sure why that bothered me.
Must be because we know Ash has been to Johto, while Cilan probably hasn't, and, by all rights, should probably be the one to explain the Pokemon from other regions to his Unova friends - even if he's not supposed to be the knowledgeable one in the group.
 
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Cilan cries from being too excited!! (I guess he's emotional after all). The crying Irises remind me of the first movie: Ash dies and pokemon tears resurected him from the dead. Same concept except Golett is brought back to life. The voice acting scene made me laugh because it's like their real world selves. That episode had too much crying in it. Cilan tells Iris to think about what makes her sad (losing Axew) for her to cry for a scene (I'm reminded of my teacher we did a filming project last year and one of the boys had to be angry for a scene. So my teacher told him to think about something that makes him angry). I'm pretty upset Ash and Iris didn't feel bad for Cilan when he was crying.
 
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Dirty Herdier? Really, Ash?! I didn't see that coming at all.

Still, even though it seemed really busy, I liked the episode and Meloetta's cute voice. I kind of expected Ash to bring out his Leavanny for costumes as well...but that's water under the bridge.
 
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