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Review XY058: Hiyoku Gym Battle! Gekogashira VS Gogoat!!

Ash really disappointed me with Fletchinder in this battle. I mean he literally just spammed Nitro Charge the whole time. Also I'm now convinced that Fletchinder has forgotten Peck cuz two gyms in a row with an advantage and no use at all.
 
I loved the gym battle it was great all round probably the best battle in the series so far, loved Ramos's Poisonpowder strategy. Loved Fletchinder and Frogadier got wins and Hawlucha didn't made it more realistic. Weeponbel's fights were pretty violent must say.

The only odd thing was that they changed Aerial Ace's animation for this episode.9/10 solid.
 
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Hopefully this episode will calm all those 'Pikachu steals the show' types
 
You know, I remember after watching Satoshi's fourth Isshu League Gym Battle thinking that it was the worst Gym Battle that league had given us so far (in fact, it's since become my least favourite Gym Battle ever... yes, that includes Kanto). Satoshi's fourth Kalos Gym Battle, on the other hand, is the best so far.

This was an action-packed and actually quite tense Gym battle. There were genuinely a couple of of moments when I wondered if the show was going to surprise us and have Satoshi lose and come back for a rematch in a few episodes.

People are complaining about Hinoyakoma spamming Flame Charge but you know what, Watacco was spamming Cotton Guard so why not?

The idea of Utsudon beating both Hinoyakoma and Luchabull is something I could imagine ticking off quite a few people (especially fans of Luchabull who went without a win during this Gym battle) but to be honest, to me it seemed perfectly believable... Utsudon played to its strengths and Fukuji knew enough to get Luchabull poisoned straight away. Plus, there was no feeling of Hinoyakoma and Luchabull's power being underplayed, as can be the case in battles like this. They both gave it their all, it was just Utsudon had a better strategy working for it.

Weird thing is, at this point I was thinking to myself "If proper Pokemon strategy was being used here, Satoshi should really send in Pikachu next since he's not weak against grass attacks and has speed on his side". But Satoshi didn't pick him, a first for his Kalos Gym Battles.

Gekogahshier vs Gogoat was also pretty great match, with speed vs strength in great display here. I especially enjoyed the alternate uses for Leech Seed and Razor Leaf (although I'll have to wait for the subs to see how gardening helped exactly).

Random thoughts: I appreciate Numera being brought out to watch, and was the Gym Assistant wearing a paper bag on his head?!

So yeah, a very enjoyable episode. Now to wait for Satoshi vs. Citron.
 
I like how they made use of the gym's interior, like Weepinbell using the vines to swing around in air. It gives grass-types access to aerial battles they'd normally be disadvantaged to, so that Flying-types losing to grass-types won't seem so far-fetched. Whoever thought of that idea, kudos to them.

And Aerial Ace shown as double swords? Looks cool. Also, I like how Frogadier used his bubbly scarf to prevent breathing poison - one of the more strategic 'moves' I've ever seen.
 
Not that it's more evident in this episode than any previous gym - but it'd be nice if Ash had a stock of berries to feed his Pokemon in those scenes before he takes them back to their Pokeball, it would be a good balance against how he pushes hard to get his Pokemon to keep battling through status conditions and low health. It would make the scene at the end where all his Pokemon were celebrating the victory in full health more believable.

Speaking of that - why did Goomy have to disappear at the end there? Ideally to attempt to jump up in celebration and fail because it is made of goo.

I'm disappointed how little battle time Hawlucha got - plus I still don't like Ash using Flying Press as an opening move, rather than as the finisher that it was made out to be in its capture episode. Though maybe there it's the moveset that's the problem, rather than the choice of moves in battle - complaining about that is a whole other post.

If it got a few more hits in, it would have made Frogadier's ability to withstand so many grass attacks without totally running out of strength a bit more believable - but it had to defeat two pretty much full health Pokemon with a type disadvantage, all because Ash realised he shouldn't fall for the same move twice?

Why can't Ash just win with a Pokemon to spare rather than continuously losing an extra Pokemon in a cheap loss in the middle of a battle? Is being down to his last Pokemon really the only means of putting suspense into a Gym battle?

It bugs me that a win just gets put down as a win and Ash moves on - at least when he loses Gym battles you get an episode of him sorting out some of his flaws in battle - there were lots here.
 
Fletchinder is so horribly cheated out of gym battles. It should've been the star in this and the previous gym. But nope, they chose to glorify Frogadier instead and totally screw Hawlucha too who didn't even get one win.
I miss DP where they actually cared about types and giving focus to each and every one of Ash's team members.
 
Fletchinder is so horribly cheated out of gym battles. It should've been the star in this and the previous gym. But nope, they chose to glorify Frogadier instead and totally screw Hawlucha too who didn't even get one win.
I miss DP where they actually cared about types and giving focus to each and every one of Ash's team members.

Hello don't you remember about Ash's Buielz getting beat by Steelix and Torrarra getting beat by an electic type
 
I'm okay with Ash spamming Nitro Charge. What I'm not okay with is the animators spamming recycled footage. Anyway, all in all, it was a nice battle, and even the setup was well done. The way Ramos invited them at first felt somewhat forced/rushed, but it turned out to work well for the battle and its pacing. The only thing I had a problem with is that poor Hawlucha has performed bad twice in a row due to strategy problems rather than lack of strength, but it was still done in a believable way.

Also, did anyone noticed what went on with Frogadier and Ash at the end? Ash commanded him to use Water Pulse, but he had prepared the attack before Ash said anything. This is reminiscent of the way Korrina and Lucario were shown to battle previously. It's really great to see how every Gym Battle so far is influencing on Ash's battle style in some way or another, even if subtly.

I loved the referee doing the Pokémon Quiz thing in this episode. Also Weepinbell OP Rito pls nerf.
 
Yeah, for some reason Aerial Ace had Cut's animation.

Wait, seriously, I thought it only used cut, I honestly thought that the writers conveniently forgot about aerial ace. This is what happens when I don't pay much attention to the dialogue.

I'm a little miffed that Frogadier beat Weepinbell, but I realize this might be its last gym for awhile, probably Olympia will be the next.

Ash really disappointed me with Fletchinder in this battle. I mean he literally just spammed Nitro Charge the whole time. Also I'm now convinced that Fletchinder has forgotten Peck cuz two gyms in a row with an advantage and no use at all.

While I too am disappointed that Ash's Fletchinder only used flame charge and steel wing, I'd have to say it makes sense given the context of Jumpluff using speed to defend against Fletchinder, so Ash had to use his speed boosting attack.
 
Action-packed, great animation = awesome gym battle, I was surprised by Weepinbell, finally he got to shine since probably the 1st season. It doesn't bother me Hawlucha lost, I think he'll get a win on Lumiose Gym... Fletchinder and Frogadier did a good job and yay at Goomy watching the battle! 10/10 for this episode.
 
I'm okay with Ash spamming Nitro Charge. What I'm not okay with is the animators spamming recycled footage. Anyway, all in all, it was a nice battle, and even the setup was well done. The way Ramos invited them at first felt somewhat forced/rushed, but it turned out to work well for the battle and its pacing. The only thing I had a problem with is that poor Hawlucha has performed bad twice in a row due to strategy problems rather than lack of strength, but it was still done in a believable way.

The only key animator was Iwane Masa'aki. While Iwane would be able to confer with Episode Director Asada Yuuji about how the few sparse cels are used there are typically only 3,000-4,000 cels allowed per episode (each cel costs 200-300 yen). It's no surprise that the episode director would want to re-use the same BANK animation over because it means more cels for other areas of the episode.
 
Fletchinder is so horribly cheated out of gym battles. It should've been the star in this and the previous gym. But nope, they chose to glorify Frogadier instead and totally screw Hawlucha too who didn't even get one win. I miss DP where they actually cared about types and giving focus to each and every one of Ash's team members.

Lulz, what? Ash's gym choices type-wise this saga have been stellar. Frogadier is probably the only exception to this, and even then he had reason with its speed and the super effective Aerial Ace. Pokemon who are "perfect" for "starring" get snuffed out early all the time. Using the same DP as an example: Staravia in Eterna and Torterra in Sunyshore. Meh.

Anyways, a little disappointed with how the wins were distributed - but that's simply because of bias :p Putting that aside it was definitely a well done battle. Seeing a Weepinbell fight so well was also a pleasant shock. And I thought having Fletchinder "spam" Flame Charge to match the sun-boosted speed of Ramos' Pokemon was really smart. Keep it up Kalos!

Also, no one else mentioned, so I'm a bit uncertain- Didn't Gogoat use 5 moves in the gym battle? :O
 
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Why can't Ash just win with a Pokemon to spare rather than continuously losing an extra Pokemon in a cheap loss in the middle of a battle? Is being down to his last Pokemon really the only means of putting suspense into a Gym battle?

It bugs me that a win just gets put down as a win and Ash moves on - at least when he loses Gym battles you get an episode of him sorting out some of his flaws in battle - there were lots here.

This. I agree with this so much. Ash should literally be at the point where he is smart enough to utilize his Pokemon in the most efficient way possible, thus having them knock out the opposition without getting themselves knocked out.

Fletchinder is so horribly cheated out of gym battles. It should've been the star in this and the previous gym. But nope, they chose to glorify Frogadier instead and totally screw Hawlucha too who didn't even get one win.
I miss DP where they actually cared about types and giving focus to each and every one of Ash's team members.

What? Fletchinder has scored 3 wins out of the four Gyms it has participated in, a much better track record than any of Ash's other regional birds and his Hawlucha. It actually gets alot of battle time. While it may not be the star (being the one to defeat the Gym Leader's signature Pokemon), I would say it is far from cheated.

Also, did anyone noticed what went on with Frogadier and Ash at the end? Ash commanded him to use Water Pulse, but he had prepared the attack before Ash said anything. This is reminiscent of the way Korrina and Lucario were shown to battle previously. It's really great to see how every Gym Battle so far is influencing on Ash's battle style in some way or another, even if subtly.

Ironic as this very thing was criticized during her character arc and portrayed as a bad habit. I immediately thought the same thing. But oh well, it got them the win after all.

Also, no one else mentioned, so I'm a bit uncertain- Didn't Gogoat use 5 moves in the gym battle? :O

Nope, it used four: Horn Leech, Vine Whip, Razor Leaf and Leech Seed-an all grass entourage.

Funny how when Gym Battles are aired, then everyone comes pitching their two cents for a review aha. Anyway, I liked the episode and the battle was okay.

Ramos's use of Jumpluff was really stupid though. Like Max and Poliwag stupid. Raising your stats and all is fine and everything...if you, ya know...attack as well. While simple, Ash utilizing Flame Charge continuously was wise as A) it's super effective and B) its raises Fletchinder's speed, allowing it to keep up with Jumpluff's Chlorophyll and C) Flame Charge does even more damage due to Sunny Day. I just laughed as Ramos lost his first Pokemon to stupid strategy on his part; isn't he a wise old Gym Leader?

Weepinbell succeeded where Jumpluff failed, mixing its Chlorophyll with actual damaging moves. I thought its dodging with Poison Powder was quite cool and efficient, and we finally get to see a Weepinbell battle effectively (sorry Erika). However, I did not appreciate Hawlucha being given the shaft yet again in a Gym Battle. While the battle was amazingly choreographed, it didn't even get a win this time! It at least could have defeated Weepinbell and lost to Gogoat. I'm surprised its pride hasn't been knocked down a peg or two, due to the losses under its belt. In fact, I think it being with Ash has done it more harm than good; it should have stayed in its forest where it could better itself and actually win battles.

Frogadier vs Gogoat was what it was expected to be: a nonsensical win, with Frogadier (with poor defenses) being battered by strong STAB grass moves and still coming out on top. I did like how it used its scarf to be immune to Poisonpowder though. But its battle just didn't do it for me; Hawlucha or Fletchinder should have been the ones to deal the finishing blow. And what was up with musical scoring? SO many themes used, except the actual Kalos Gym Leader battle theme. WHY!? WHAT do the writers have against it?!

The episode beginning and ending with Serena's Pokemon Showcase was also a highlight; she really is serious about this and I can't wait for the outcome. Overall, the episode was okay.
 
'The writers' don't pick the music used. The episode director and sound director do.
 
Loved this gym battle. It's probably my favorite as of now.

First things first. I like how the episode started with Serena dreaming about her upcoming performance. It just shows how excited she is. Fortunately there's not much longer to wait since I'm just as excited as she is.

Gonna move right into the battle since I didn't really care much about Ramos's little tasks for the group. Love how Ash had Bonnie hold Goomy to watch the battle. Once again Ash's entire team gets to share in the experience. Anyway, I was happy Fletchinder's battle against Jumpluff. I'll admit I was a bit upset to see him once again spam Flame Charge, but Ramos kind of asked for it imo by setting up that Sunny Day. Flame Charge just so happens to allow Ash to get Fletchinder's speed up and get a damage boost. The Weepinbell battle on the other hand...that's when it got annoying. Seriously. First of all, are you telling me that after all those Flame Charges, Weepinbell was still faster than Fletchinder. Also, with that said, after Ash realized this, you'd think he'd switch to Fletchinder's long ranged Razor Wind to keep some distance between him ans Weepinbell. After, going up close is what got him poisoned. I also found it funny how, once again, Fletchinder didn't use Peck in a gym battle where it would be SE against his opponent. (Though I can excuse it this time since Flame Charge is SE here as well).

Moving on to Hawlucha vs. Weepinbell. What can I say...this Weepinbell is in the top percentage of Weepinbell. Hawlucha didn't stand a chance. Not that I'm that surprised. I expected him to struggle with is current moveset. I would have preferred to see him do a little more damage before fainting though.

Now for Frogadier. Ah, Frogadier. Best...battle entrance pose...EVER. The battle against Weepinbell was seriously great. I loved the part where he used his Frubbles as a mask to shield himself from the Poison Powder. I also liked how they changed Aerial Ace's animation into blades coming from his hands, though it does look really similar to Cut.

Finally we got Gogaot. I liked the way Gogoat used Leech Seed and Horn Leech. The scene where Pikachu reassured Ash when Frogadier was struggling was cute. Okay, going back to why I didn't care much for Ramos doing his little lesson with Ash, to me, that is like Ramos giving Ash the strategy to win. Don't get me wrong, I love how he and Frogadier played it out with that Razor Wind tornado, but I just would have preferred that it came from Ash instead of Ramos. I also didn't mind that Frogadier had formed his Water Pulse before Ash commanded it. I viewed more as a display of their close bond and how Frogadier seemed to predict that Ash would command the move as a finisher. Oh, and Ramos doing all those actions with his giant-ass scissors during the battle was awesome.

Finally, I'm glad that they added Ash's other Pokemon into his victory pose and that they also ended off with Serena getting excited for her Showcase. Only 1 more episode:) Overall great battle and episode, 9/10.
 
I also saw Frogadier's Water Pulse as a display of his strong bond with Ash, the same way I interpreted Korrina and Lucario's. I didn't know the later was seen as a bad habit, though, perhaps I should start watching the dub.

Also, maybe this is a bit offtopic, but how does this work?
UIeMXLa.png

So he has a secret pocket? He still uses a belt? And his shirt and jacket don't bulge?
 
I also saw Frogadier's Water Pulse as a display of his strong bond with Ash, the same way I interpreted Korrina and Lucario's. I didn't know the later was seen as a bad habit, though, perhaps I should start watching the dub.

Also, maybe this is a bit offtopic, but how does this work?
UIeMXLa.png

So he has a secret pocket? He still uses a belt? And his shirt and jacket don't bulge?

Wasn't it though? I thought that's what Gurkinn was upset about (or at least one of the things...). Now I'm not sure...
 
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Please take the age of this thread into consideration in writing your reply. Depending on what exactly you wanted to say, you may want to consider if it would be better to post a new thread instead.
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