Review SM129: The Great Fray! Battle Royal 151!!

[Lightning Flame Blast]

Okay, soo some points

1-Plumeria, a character people have been wanting to see since the very beginning, lost to Ilima of all people. Oh well...

2-Magikarp vs Pyukumuku is something I didn’t know I needed until today.

3-They actually let Mimikyu get some KOs, I’m impressed. Too bad Mareanie sat back on that.

4-You’re telling me Mallow and Lana camped their way through this? Oh, bastards... but seriously, how perfect would it have been to watch Primarina trapping enemies in bubbles for Tsareena to smash into the walls?

5-Kiawe’s performance here was pretty good. He battled a lot more and a lot better than I expected. Cheers, Turty.

6-Where the hell was Hau during all this? I wonder if Mimikyu would try to kill Raichu too.

7-I’m surprised, but also relieved, that the writers managed to resist the sweet temptation of wiping out half the battlers with Z-Nukes.

8-Poor Mimikyu, getting Pikablocked again. You’ll get your chance someday, buddy.

 

[MegaGreninga]

Okay, soo some points

1-Plumeria, a character people have been wanting to see since the very beginning, lost to Ilima of all people. Oh well...

2-Magikarp vs Pyukumuku is something I didn’t know I needed until today.

3-They actually let Mimikyu get some KOs, I’m impressed. Too bad Mareanie sat back on that.

4-You’re telling me Mallow and Lana camped their way through this? Oh, bastards... but seriously, how perfect would it have been to watch Primarina trapping enemies in bubbles for Tsareena to smash into the walls?

5-Kiawe’s performance here was pretty good. He battled a lot more and a lot better than I expected. Cheers, Turty.

6-Where the hell was Hau during all this? I wonder if Mimikyu would try to kill Raichu too.

7-I’m surprised, but also relieved, that the writers managed to resist the sweet temptation of wiping out half the battlers with Z-Nukes.

8-Poor Mimikyu, getting Pikablocked again. You’ll get your chance someday, buddy.

Jessie vs James i Wonder who will win?

James might talk to his Pokémon to give her encouragement to win that will give her strength

Jessie I’m not sure because Mymykiu wouldn’t be to exciting to battle non pikachu but could try I mean

 

[Matleo]

Maybe no Z-moves in that round?

Weird. There should be more battles and more pokemon. Lets hope Guzma gets Shedinja.
Felt rushed. Hope pokemon like Noivern, Toucanon, Pallosand , Ditto and Shedinja show up.

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

Maybe no Z-moves in that round?

Kaki used one.

 

[SonansuMan]

As usual, I kept my hopes too high for a SM episode.

This episode definitely had a lot of promise in concept, but definitely could've been executed so much better. Aside a few ones like Jessie/Ash or Plumeria/Illima, a majority of the battles didn't even pin notable characters against eachother, nor were the majority even shown battling. Most of the """Battle Royale"""" was just a streamlined version of 1v1s and hardly showed multiple face offs unless they were with random characters. The fact that about every single Pokemon except Illima's Eevee all got KO'ed in one hit made most of the battles way too anticlimactic and almost felt like watching the Kanto episodes.

The episode also did have a few good moments though, like

• Ash and Gladion's staring contest
• The Pyukumuku and Magikarp showdown
• Jessie actually being recognized by Ash
• Turtonator vs. Bourgain's jobbers
• Togedemaru actually gaining more than one move (even if it was literally plot armor)

Next week looks better at least.

OVERALL SCORE:
5.7/10

(also LOL at Lillie making Top 16 over Plumeria)

 

[MegaGreninga]

As usual, I kept my hopes too high for a SM episode.

This episode definitely had a lot of promise in concept, but definitely could've been executed so much better. Aside a few ones like Jessie/Ash or Plumeria/Illima, a majority of the battles didn't even pin notable characters against eachother, nor were the majority even shown battling. Most of the """Battle Royale"""" was just a streamlined version of 1v1s and hardly showed multiple face offs unless they were with random characters. The fact that about every single Pokemon except Illima's Eevee all got KO'ed in one hit made most of the battles way too anticlimactic and almost felt like watching the Kanto episodes.

The episode also did have a few good moments though, like

• Ash and Gladion's staring contest
• The Pyukumuku and Magikarp showdown
• Jessie actually being recognized by Ash
• Turtonator vs. Bourgain's jobbers
• Togedemaru actually gaining more than one move (even if it was literally plot armor)

Next week looks better at least.

OVERALL SCORE:
5.7/10

(also LOL at Lillie making Top 16 over Plumeria)

What u think of mine comment above

I joy that Jessie mymykyu fighting three pikachu Lol

Kiaw seems to have more screen time then Ash

 

[Kurolegacy]

It is actually makes sense that all of the classmates make it through: they all got each others' backs, while other challengers were alone in the field. As they say:

Spoiler

View attachment 120523
Friendship is magic!

That actually makes the situation even worse imo as, at that point, just like the case of them having no requirements with entering the League in the first place, they didn't earn their spot in the top 16 but by having their hand held. Compare that even to Ash's first league back at the Indigo Plateau in which he made it to the top 16. While not as impressive as his later leagues, Ash's place there was hard fought and achieved by his own strength and was no small feat especially for his first League. Just to emphasize the strength of the competition, Gary, who was shown to have numerous powerhouses at that point, didn't make it as far. The fact that the writers coasted each of the classmates by to this position in spite of most of them not being battlers in the first place, they've already set the stage for this League to be underwhelming.

 

[MegaGreninga]

That actually makes the situation even worse imo as, at that point, just like the case of them having no requirements with entering the League in the first place, they didn't earn their spot in the top 16 but by having their hand held. Compare that even to Ash's first league back at the Indigo Plateau in which he made it to the top 16. While not as impressive as his later leagues, Ash's place there was hard fought and achieved by his own strength and was no small feat especially for his first League. Just to emphasize the strength of the competition, Gary, who was shown to have numerous powerhouses at that point, didn't make it as far. The fact that the writers coasted each of the classmates by to this position in spite of most of them not being battlers in the first place, they've already set the stage for this League to be underwhelming.

Make sense

What about my comment

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

It's not like there is too many strong trainers in Alola, it's a weak region. Even Lilie and Mao are probably stronger than most of those competitors.

 

[Kurolegacy]

Make sense

What about my comment

Honestly, I’m completely unconcerned about who wins between Jessie and James for the reasoning that I stated over in the preview thread for their episode. Really the very stakes of this league fall flat considering that most of the people who made it through have any kind of league related goals and are there just cuz which further makes it harder to care that they’re even competing.

It's not like there is too many strong trainers in Alola, it's a weak region. Even Lilie and Mao are probably stronger than most of those competitors.

That’s a bad excuse for what is poor writing. Alola may be a small region but it’s not as though Pokémon battles are something foreign to them even for those who don’t take part in the Island trials. With this having been an open invitation, the only way Lillie, Mallow or Sophocles would be stronger trainers than over 100 other trainers is by plot armor considering each of them are basically complete rookies when it comes to battling much less competitive battles.

 

[SammyW27]

Huh. Here I thought the Z-Move users would be wiping out people by the dozens to clear the field.

Instead it was a crapload of OHKOs like a very crowded episode of BW...
Heck, some Z-Move users went down like >snaps fingers< (what was the point of Hiroshi having a Z-Crystal? )

Go figure Shaymin battles and we don't get to see it...

Still, gotta give it credit for being action packed and eventful (even if it was rushed as heck).

 

[MegaGreninga]

I thought this league was a lot of fun for Royal battles can work together

But instead of 151 I wanted to 256 to reach 64 then the battles begins

That way their 6 rounds to battle at least to be more fun and excitement

Jessie mymkyui battle three pikachu in this episode though on the website about Mymykyu history said only two lol made mistake needs to be fixed

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

That’s a bad excuse for what is poor writing. Alola may be a small region but it’s not as though Pokémon battles are something foreign to them even for those who don’t take part in the Island trials. With this having been an open invitation, the only way Lillie, Mallow or Sophocles would be stronger trainers than over 100 other trainers is by plot armor considering each of them are basically complete rookies when it comes to battling much less competitive battles.

Out of every trainer we see here, only Gladio and Kukui was competent enough to defeat Satoshi in a fair fight. Facts doesn't lie.

 

[Kurolegacy]

Out of every trainer we see here, only Gladio and Kukui was competent enough to defeat Satoshi in a fair fight. Facts doesn't lie.

And nothing was stopping them from bringing in competent league original opponents. You’re looking at the named characters here, which aren’t the only ones who exist as every league shows. This was an open invitation to anyone in the region not just to people who have been seen and there’s no way in Hell Ash has met everyone in the region.

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

And nothing was stopping them from bringing in competent league original opponents. You’re looking at the named characters here, which aren’t the only ones who exist as every league shows. This was an open invitation to anyone in the region not just to people who have been seen and there’s no way in Hell Ash has met everyone in the region.

What's the point of creating new powerful characters out of nowhere, instead of using and developing the characters we already had?

 

[Kurolegacy]

What's the point of creating new powerful characters, instead of the characters we already had?

Because the vast majority of the characters we have are not battle oriented characters and were never developed to be such. It’s to the point that they were never even presented with a motivating reason for even taking part in the league. Mallow’s goal is improving her family restaurant, Sophocles wants to be an astronaut, Lana wants to make bubbles and Lillie just wants to grown closer to Pokémon. What part of any of these goals gives them a reason to take part in a league, whose express purpose is finding the strongest trainer in the region, of all things? At that point, they’re wasting numerous slots and stretching things out focusing on non-battlers in the competition that is battle oriented.

 

[MegaGreninga]

Strongest trainers
Top strongest Gladion And Guzama
Ash kikawi evenly

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

I liked this episode. A promising start and nice foreshadowing with the matchups being revealed.

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

Because the vast majority of the characters we have are not battle oriented characters and were never developed to be such. It’s to the point that they were never even presented with a motivating reason for even taking part in the league. Mallow’s goal is improving her family restaurant, Sophocles wants to be an astronaut, Lana wants to make bubbles and Lillie just wants to grown closer to Pokémon. What part of any of these goals gives them a reason to take part in a league, whose express purpose is finding the strongest trainer in the region, of all things? At that point, they’re wasting numerous slots and stretching things out focusing on non-battlers in the competition that is battle oriented.

1. Lilie don't just wants to be closer to pokémon, she wants to be a trainer.
2. Suiren, Lilie and Mamane are always shown as interested in pokémon battles, even if they're not exactly great at it.
3. Mao likes them too, even if she's not into them like others.
4. Suiren wants to challenge Royal Mask, because she's a fan.
5. They all wants to help Kukui by participating his league, and stopping Guzma from becoming the champion.
6. It's fun, at least more fun than making bubbles.

 

[Kurolegacy]

1. Lilie don't just wants to be closer to pokémon, she wants to be a trainer.
2. Suiren, Lilie and Mamane are always shown as interested in pokémon battles, even if they're not exactly great at it.
3. Mao likes them too, even if she's not into them like others.
4. Suiren wants to challenge Royal Mask, because she's a fan.
5. They all wants to help Kukui by participating his league, and stopping Guzma from becoming the champion.
6. It's fun, at least more fun than making bubbles.

Being a Pokémon trainer and being a league battler are not always the same thing. All of Ash’s traveling companions over the years have been Pokémon trainers but only he was a league battler and even then, they were shown to have developed into competent battlers in their own right. Sun and Moon in its 129 episodes did not have that kind of development for Lana, Lillie, Sophocles or Mallow. They may have had a battle here and there, but for the most part, their character arcs did not revolve around developing their Pokémon battle skills.

And realistically, the fact that most of them aren’t oriented that way, at least some of them should not have made it past the battle royal stage, especially Lillie, Mallow and Sophocles who have the lowest skills in battle of the class. Pokémon has had plot armor in the past with Ash but even with that, it brought lessons to him that he can’t just skate by on luck and that it’s impirt to actually train his Pokémon back when he was a rookie. The classmates may want to help Kukui but desire can only take you so far when you lack the skill to back it up and an early loss would have been a good teacher of that and show them that they still have a ways to go to be at Ash or Kiawe’s level. Instead, they’re just given plot armor to make it to the top 16 at least, something Ash battled hard to get to in his first league.