• A new LGBTQ+ forum is now being trialed and there have been changes made to the Support and Advice forum. To read more about these updates, click here.
  • Hey Trainers! Be sure to check out Corsola Beach, our newest section on the forums, in partnership with our friends at Corsola Cove! At the Beach, you can discuss the competitive side of the games, post your favorite Pokemon memes, and connect with other Pokemon creators!
  • Due to the recent changes with Twitter's API, it is no longer possible for Bulbagarden forum users to login via their Twitter account. If you signed up to Bulbagarden via Twitter and do not have another way to login, please contact us here with your Twitter username so that we can get you sorted.

Review SM116: Lilie and the Secret Mechanical Princess!

Not to mention that he failed every challenge set by his classmates in the second episode
My memory on that episode’s a bit rusty, but weren’t the ‘challenges’ explicitly rigged to be in the classmates’ favour?

and the fact that both Misty and Brock tried to undermine his achievements in his Kanto journey, by saying that he got their badges out of pity (which is a flat out lie and I still don't understand why they made it).
I don’t know why’s this taken so seriously since it’s quite clear that it was friendly teasing between old friends. It happens often enough in real life for people.

Rotom reminds Ash that he can't make a simple sandwich in episode 35, episode 6 shows that he's terrible at laundry and cooking,
Ash hasn’t really cooked for himself. He always had someone to do the majority of it, so I feel it’s quite believable that he failed at it the first few times.

It’s a personal question to you: what do you think Ash’s flaws should be? He’s end up as a Gary Sue if he didn’t have any...
 
My memory on that episode’s a bit rusty, but weren’t the ‘challenges’ explicitly rigged to be in the classmates’ favour?

I just rewatched the episode (just to make sure) and nope, there's no indication that they were rigged. Ash would have defeated Sophocles in that balloon popping competition if a) he would have used Iron Tail or b) wouldn't have stopped to gush over Togedemaru's Lightning Rod and he could have beaten Lana and Kiawe in their races if Pikachu would have been faster during the swimming part and if his Tauros would have been just a tiny bit quicker towards the end.
I don’t know why’s this taken so seriously since it’s quite clear that it was friendly teasing between old friends. It happens often enough in real life for people.

From personal experience, back when I was 10, whenever someone in my friends circle would tell someone else got a really good grade or won a prize or achieved something in general because the one who gave it to them felt pity for them, they would be hurt by this. That was something that bullies usually did to us and we never joked about something like this (or at least not in as mean of a way as Misty did, with so much confidence and that smug face of hers). I still think it was a terrible joke that felt more like an insult than friendly banter, and, for me at least, it would have been better if she said something along the lines of "Funny, I don't remember you winning my badge in a battle" instead of being like "you got my badge only 'cause I pitied you".
It’s a personal question to you: what do you think Ash’s flaws should be? He’s end up as a Gary Sue if he didn’t have any...

For this series? Well, I don't mind Ash not being that great at basic school-related things, since it's been well established before the he likes to think unconventionally, meaning that going to a school where he has to do things conventionally would present a good obstacle for him to overcome. However, instead of showing him overcome this obstacle and gradually get better at school-related stuff, the writers have decided to double down on the whole "Ash fails at school" trope (because ha ha comedy, I guess), while also adding clumsy and inept to the mix. I wouldn't mind Ash failing at school that much if it was restricted to the earlier episodes only and if he was shown to actually learn and get better as the series progresses, which hasn't happened (unless battles are somehow involved, which they rarely are).

As for the anime in general: stubbornness could be a good one, since it could work as a way to create a conflict between him and a person/rival who's ideals and way of thinking would conflict with Ash's. And if GameXplain's speculation about Sword/Shield is true and the gym battles are in the style of Pokémon Conquest, then they could also introduce Ash's inability to divide his attention (as in, him not being able to command multiple Pokémon in different, simultaneous battles) as a flaw and an obstacle that he needs to overcome.
 
Last edited:
I just rewatched the episode (just to make sure) and nope, there's no indication that they were rigged. Ash would have defeated Sophocles in that balloon popping competition if a) he would have used Iron Tail or b) wouldn't have stopped to gush over Togedemaru's Lightning Rod and he could have beaten Lana and Kiawe in their races if Pikachu would have been faster during the swimming part and if his Tauros would have been just a tiny bit quicker towards the end.


From personal experience, back when I was 10, whenever someone in my friends circle would tell someone else got a really good grade or won a prize or achieved something in general because the one who gave it to them felt pity for them, they would be hurt by this. That was something that bullies usually did to us and we never joked about something like this (or at least not in as mean of a way as Misty did, with so much confidence and that smug face of hers). I still think it was a terrible joke that felt more like an insult than friendly banter, and, for me at least, it would have been better if she said something along the lines of "Funny, I don't remember you winning my badge in a battle" instead of being like "you got my badge only 'cause I pitied you".


For this series? Well, I don't mind Ash not being that great at basic school-related things, since it's been well established before the he likes to think unconventionally, meaning that going to a school where he has to do things conventionally would present a good obstacle for him to overcome. However, instead of showing him overcome this obstacle and gradually get better at school-related stuff, the writers have decided to double down on the whole "Ash fails at school" trope (because ha ha comedy, I guess), while also adding clumsy and inept to the mix. I wouldn't mind Ash failing at school that much if it was restricted to the earlier episodes only and if he was shown would actually learn and get better as the series progresses, which hasn't happened (unless battles are somehow involved, which they rarely are).

As for the anime in general: stubbornness could be a good one, since it could work as a way to create a conflict between him and a person/rival who's ideals and way of thinking would conflict with Ash's. And if GameXplain's speculation about Sword/Shield is true and the gym battles are in the style of Pokémon Conquest, then they could also introduce Ash's inability to divide his attention (as in, him not being able to command multiple Pokémon in different, simultaneous battles) as a flaw and an obstacle that he needs to overcome.

Clumsy and inept were not "added", Ash has had those traits since the original series. He's never going to be good at academic stuff, that's always going to be one of his weaknesses.
 
I just rewatched the episode (just to make sure) and nope, there's no indication that they were rigged. Ash would have defeated Sophocles in that balloon popping competition if a) he would have used Iron Tail or b) wouldn't have stopped to gush over Togedemaru's Lightning Rod and he could have beaten Lana and Kiawe in their races if Pikachu would have been faster during the swimming part and if his Tauros would have been just a tiny bit quicker towards the end.

Point taken, but, let's analize that: when the classmates chose challenges that actually favored their pokemon or tasks they were more familiar than Ash, they weren't exactly being "fair". It's subtle, but yeah, it was rigged. I'll give you Sophocles part, but there's no way pikachu be faster in water than an actual water type and the tauros part was about raw luck, if we consider Ash is equally familiar about tauros, for obvious reasons.

I still think it was a terrible joke that felt more like an insult than friendly banter, and, for me at least, it would have been better if she said something along the lines of "Funny, I don't remember you winning my badge in a battle" instead of being like "you got my badge only 'cause I pitied you".

I agree, and while it could be well phrased and she's far to be a character I'm fond, let's be objective, it was very in character for Misty be "harsh" for past things. Just be glad she didn't talk about the damn bike.

About Ash's flaws, I think SM kinda flanderizes his naivety, but it's there both as a flaw and a virtue and pretty everyone takes advantage on him because of it (which is the reason he was convinced by rotom with the report thing). I think every series chooses to highlight one or two of Ash's traits, positive and/or negative, and reduce his other traits, but that's how they roll anyway, so, I don't expect SS get so far aside maybe bring his short temper back.

NOW, I think that kind of discussion could use another topic (because we sure need another topic to discuss again the same old "Ash should be treated like that" theme), so we can back to the episode.

On topic: that's probably one of the times I like the anime version of a character more than the game version, because I really like how Lusamine's character got developed here. Maybe because she acts like a mother trying to connect with her kids while is still coping with her husband's vanishing in a dimensional hole
 
Last edited:
Please note: The thread is from 5 years ago.
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.
Back
Top Bottom