Review BW116: Burn, Lizardon! VS Kairyu!

[Pokémon Master Ash]

She looks more girlish or "doll-like" in those flashbacks compared to the Kanto shots. Especially that one image where she looks like she's staring blankly ahead.

She just looks younger and like an actual 10 year old.

Eh...Misty/Kasumi looks so lifeless there, though. Well, at least they've shown her, and I'm thankful for that much. Some characters look fine (like Brock, Damian, and Pikachu), but others I'm not feeling like they did too well myself.

I think you're thinking that she appeared lifeless because she didn't show much movement and expression in the shots, when it's just because she didn't have a single chance to flesh her personality out and get much attention like usual. She stayed in the background. The focus was on Charizard and on Ash, so I didn't expect much emotion from other characters.

That's probably it. Regardless, this was a nice episode all-in-all, and I did enjoy it despite the animation updates.

 

[Cybersai]

I just find it amusing how many animations errors there were. Mixing up Pidgeotto with Pidgeot reminds me of all those dub errors 4kids made back in the first season.

 

[투 애니원]

FYI, newer episodes are still hand-drawn. They're just digitally colored.

Well, I think they did a pretty bad job animating it, regardless of that fact. Why did they use the Unova Joy for the older arcs Joy? Why does Misty look like a doll with no personality?

The Nurse Joy in this episode healed the Charmander that got hurt during its performance in the Kanto Fair. The Kanto Nurse Joy was only seen from behind, looking just as she should.

 

[Rajagopal90]

What an awesome episode.. Just tears remain in my eyes on seeing those flashbacks.. Re-animated or not - who cares..,, am happy that i got to see good old Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Pidgeotto.. Mostly i liked those flashbacks from "Snow way out".. Also that ep when Ash left Charizard in Charicific valley reminds me how both of them are connected better than any trainer and pokemon pair showed in the anime..
Love to see it fighting again.. I think it would have won against Dragonite.. Even it took Dragon rush head on without breaking a sweat and also landed a straight hit Dragon tail making Dragonite injured(it was holding its hand at the end).. Animation looks more like Iron tail except its glowing blue..

 

[Pokémon Master Ash]

I just find it amusing how many animations errors there were. Mixing up Pidgeotto with Pidgeot reminds me of all those dub errors 4kids made back in the first season.

Yeah, I'm not denying 4Kids made plenty of stupid errors. It would take me a long time to make a list of them all. At least 7 pages worth of them. The thing people seem to ignore is that TPCi has also made plenty of errors in the dub. Are they as numerous as 4Kids were? Not even close, but definitely still very much present. My point being both dubs have had their share of mistakes.

(The mortifyingly obvious difference between the dubs in my case being the voice acting in late Battle Frontier until the end of Diamond and Pearl).

FYI, newer episodes are still hand-drawn. They're just digitally colored.

Well, I think they did a pretty bad job animating it, regardless of that fact. Why did they use the Unova Joy for the older arcs Joy? Why does Misty look like a doll with no personality?

The Nurse Joy in this episode healed the Charmander that got hurt during its performance in the Kanto Fair. The Kanto Nurse Joy was only seen from behind, looking just as she should.

Yeah, I'm already aware of that. Dogasu already told me that Silktree mentioned this a few pages ago.

 

[Garren]

I actually didn't even realize how much Damian was changed till I saw an old-screen shot of him. Really, without purposefully comparing the screens, only Ash's new eyes really seem like a major change. And it ruins my theory that he simply got contacts between DP and Best Wishes.

These flashbacks may not be as good looking as the old episodes (the older style has its charm, especially with the lighting), but it's not like they didn't put any effort into them considering they could just as easily throw in decades old footage and call it a day.

 

[Pokémon Master Ash]

I actually didn't even realize how much Damian was changed till I saw an old-screen shot of him. Really, without purposefully comparing the screens, only Ash's new eyes really seem like a major change. And it ruins my theory that he simply got contacts between DP and Best Wishes.

These flashbacks may not be as good looking as the old episodes (the older style has its charm, especially with the lighting), but it's not like they didn't put any effort into them considering they could just as easily throw in decades old footage and call it a day.

True. We have to give credit where credit is due.

 

[Moe]

Something that is vaguely interesting is that the scene with the Kanto Nurse Joy doesn't reflect the original episode - the shot was from above instead of a pan in front.

Spoiler

Note how thin Pikachu fits through the bars on the bed...

 

[Cybersai]

They couldn't use the old scenes without upscaling them to HD. I actually can't remember the last episode that used actual clips from old episodes instead of new still screens and such.

 

[pokemon fan 132]

Speaking of older scenes i don't have much to object about Misty in there. I see some say she looks "too cute" or "lifeless", but objectively speaking she was always cute not being ugly last time i checked. Writers only upgraded older scenes to HD format showing previous characters in more clearer way with higher resolution to fit today standards.

Also regarding "lifeless" Misty acted exact same in flashbacks like she did in older scenes from such episodes. She wasn't emotionless, she simply wasn't center of attention at that exact moments with episode being focused on Charizard past and development he went through while writers displaying opponents he fought against, friends which stood on Ash side during his journey and challenges good old lizard went through.

Either way reanimated scenes and few changes such as way Charmander was caught didn't took away from enjoyment and nostalgia i experienced when diving into show history and simpler, more original(get the pun?) days.

 

[Misty Calls Masquerain]

I loved seeing everyone in HD (except Damian, he looks much less like a douchbag, I can't take him seriously anymore D: )

 

[Sheep]

This episode was pretty good, though personally I found the rain scene with Brock and Ash helping Charmander to have looked slightly worse in the re-do. Regardless this episode lived up to expectations and the scene with Charizard using Flamethrower in Ash's face just put a smile on my face, hehe. BUT N BEING THERE MADE IT EVEN BETTER TOO :3

Charizard's relationship with Dragonite just slightly reminds me of his and Magmar's battle in Blaine's gym.

 

[Iteru]

They couldn't use the old scenes without upscaling them to HD. I actually can't remember the last episode that used actual clips from old episodes instead of new still screens and such.

Actually they could have done what DP did with the "memory outline" of white. I remember for older episodes it simply took up a bigger amount of the screen on the sides than flashbacks to newer episodes.

I think it would have looked awful as hell if they did that but it was still an option.

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

Charizard sees Dragonite as a worthy oppent and rival, similar to Tracey's Scyther and the Magmar.

 

[Zexy]

After 7 years of waiting, Charizard is back!
We did all expect that he will be powered down, but after watching his battle with Dragonite, I doubt so. (Dragonite looks boosted, Charizard doesn’t look nerfed.)
Charizard’s ability to take Dragon Rushes to no damage was a signature characteristic he had (especially shown in his AG battle with Articuno), and he would win were it not for the peacemaker N-derp. This is my major complaint of all Episode N (and Season 2 in general, with Cynthia v Iris, Dawn v Ash) , since the only battle with an outcome was Cheren vs Ash. (which was a joke battle, but anyway…)
Now for the negative… First, Seismic Toss is no longer. I have no problem with that, since it was so hyped in OS, plus it was the main reason Charizard lost at its last battle (Brandon’s Dusclops). It was about time. However, the Slash, Wing Attack, Dragon Tail moveset looks weak compared to the Overheats we were used to in AG.
In conclusion, they are going fresh with Charizard (aka no Charicific Valley/Liza present), which is both positive and negative. I am just glad that for BW standards Charizard is still top, even after a 7 year absence.

Now, to the actual episode…
This is the classic “Non-filler Episode N episode, without Team Rocket in it, with a Cilan that plays no role (he doesn’t even send his Pokes out) and an Iris that at least does something (Her thinking that Charizard was Dragon and the ensuing scene was hilarious)”. At least we got some nice Cilan/N interaction.
The Kanto Fair thing was indiferrent, but the flashbacks are another story. All these OS moments were quite nice! The epitome of nostalgia, yet shown in a fresh way (the evolutions, for example). That’s the positive part of BW. Too bad we see it in only 1 out of 120 episodes…
To the very end, it was a nice episode for Best Wishes, that reminds us that they can pull nice things off… I hope they don’t ruin Ash’s most powerful Pokemon in the remaining Plasma episodes.
Just to mention it, I ignore completely the fact that Ash decided to only call Charizard (out of all his Kanto starters) , from Oak’s Lab (not Charicific Valley). I could troll for hours about them, but it destroys the climate of nostalgia and adds words to this already big post of mine.
Waiting anxiously for more than a month-ful of real Team Plasma action!

 

[Lord_Mewtwo]

I saw a few clips and is it just me or is Charizard's voice drastically different since the last time we saw it. As far as I know it's still Shin'Ichro Miki voicing him right?

 

[Sweet Veil]

Huh, never noticed that before:

Spoiler

 

[Caseydia]

I loved seeing everyone in HD (except Damin, he looks much less like a douchbag, I can't take him seriously D: )

To tell you the truth I actually like Damin. He was the first guy I liked on the show. Gary was too snub but I was wondering if he was going to be either Ash's or Brock's rival in the beginning but nevermind. And it doesn't matter about the HD thing, it's just updated television.

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

Huh, never noticed that before:

Spoiler

Clearly, Satoshi has serious memory problems.

 

[Misty Calls Masquerain]

I loved seeing everyone in HD (except Damin, he looks much less like a douchbag, I can't take him seriously D: )

To tell you the truth I actually like Damin. He was the first guy I liked on the show. Gary was too snub but I was wondering if he was going to be either Ash's or Brock's rival in the beginning but nevermind. And it doesn't matter about the HD thing, it's just updated television.

I wasn't talking about Damin himself, all I'm saying is that he looks much less like a douchbag in the new style.