Preview SM135: The Semifinals! Kaki VS Glazio!!

[SammyW27]

So if we count SM128 as the starting ep of the Alola League with this episode it ties the Sinnoh League as the longest one, the record will be broken once SM136 is revealed, a league of 10 episodes is plausible, I wonder if this means Ash is winning the league altough a repeat of Alain could still happen.

Heck, this is shaping up to be the Longest League Ever

The weird part is the battles are a little short, and there's so little focus on battling this saga I'm still surprised they even had a League

Another thing that gets me is that they still have Mohn to deal with, along with Melmetal, Magearna, and Shaymin's Sky Forme...
At first I thought there would be some kind of big shindig, but there's less and less time to do much with all those...
(Though I swear to Arceus, if Shaymin doesn't turn into Sky Form before it's all over...)

 

[Rath]

Heck, this is shaping up to be the Longest League Ever

The weird part is the battles are a little short, and there's so little focus on battling this saga I'm still surprised they even had a League

Another thing that gets me is that they still have Mohn to deal with, along with Melmetal, Magearna, and Shaymin's Sky Forme...
At first I thought there would be some kind of big shindig, but there's less and less time to do much with all those...
(Though I swear to Arceus, if Shaymin doesn't turn into Sky Form before it's all over...)

It's long because we have so many main characters whose battles all have to be shown. And we knew from the moment this series began that there'd be a league to end it on. There's no other way to end off a Pokemon anime series.

 

[lonerlotad]

To be fair, Sun and Moon anime is a school/slice-of-life anime. It was approached in a different way. The league doesn't focus mainly on having a battle as explosive as XYZ. I think they focused on character development more. It's even evident in the match-up to showcase how some of them grew as a good Pokemon trainer.

 

[Silktree]

Ash would be facing Kukui outside the league anyway since it's not a league battle but an exhibition match. The battle will be happening after the tournament is already over.

I know. Regardless, it doesn't matter if Ash loses because Kukui will want to battle him, anyway. Ash could win without the Masked Royal ending his official winning streak.

 

[Diamond & Pearl]

Oh great. I wanted Guzma to win the League...

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

So if we count SM128 as the starting ep of the Alola League with this episode it ties the Sinnoh League as the longest one, the record will be broken once SM136 is revealed, a league of 10 episodes is plausible, I wonder if this means Ash is winning the league altough a repeat of Alain could still happen.

SM128 doesn't count as a League episode because the proper opening ceremony wasn't until the the following episode.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

...Really? Because that's the most likely outcome of their rivalry.

Tell that to the outcome of Greninja and Charizard's rivalry. Incineroar is easily the most powerful trainer owned Pokémon in Alola.

And we knew from the moment this series began that there'd be a league to end it on. There's no other way to end off a Pokemon anime series.

That isn’t really certain since before this series everyone knew that travelling will be a major part of the series, and Ash's gym-equivalent quest will get a lot of focus, and see how it turned out.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Tell that to the outcome of Greninja and Charizard's rivalry. Incineroar is easily the most powerful trainer owned Pokémon in Alola.

Since Kukui is the final main game opponent in Pokémon Sun and Moon, I've always seen the Masked Royal as the closest equivalent to a Champion that Alola has right now in the anime.

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

The anime has already taught us last series that despite the logical direction the story might seem to be going to most fans, the writers will ignore it if it means Ash would win a league. It looked like they were building up to Ash-Greninja eventually beating that OP Mega Charizard X, but look how that turned out.

It's still the most likely conclusion, definitely not "extremely unlikely" as V claimed. And Greninja didn't really had a personal rivalry with Charizard.

 

[dawn dusk]

Ash vs. Gladion in the finals is so close I can almost taste it.

why not guzma vs gladion. this series wasn't predictable that much.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

why not guzma vs gladion. this series wasn't predictable that much.

Ash will battle Gladion too.

 

[Rath]

why not guzma vs gladion. this series wasn't predictable that much.

Because Guzma and Gladion have no connection? Gladion never joined Team Skull in this canon, so to him, Guzma is just some random dude. Ash is the only opponent Gladion has any interest in here.

Ash and Guzma have a conflict of interests.

Ash and Gladion have a rivalry, plus their battle was confirmed in the first episode of the league anyway. Their battle is the equivalent of Ash vs Gary in the Johto League, Ash vs Paul in the Sinnoh League, or Ash vs Sawyer in the Kalos League.

 

[dawn dusk]

Because Guzma and Gladion have no connection?

Ash and Guzma have a conflict of interests.

Ash and Gladion have a rivalry, plus their battle was confirmed in the first episode of the league anyway.

if guzma tries destroy and then ash would battle unofficially with guzma again (thinking that guzma defeats ash in semi) and ash can get a chance to enter final because of guzma's misbehaviour.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

if guzma tries destroy and then ash would battle unofficially with guzma again (thinking that guzma defeats ash in semi) and ash can get a chance to enter final because of guzma's misbehaviour.

Not happening.

 

[DynamicFusion]

While the chances of Ash winning have gone down, I still think him winning makes the most sense from the writing standpoint. The only reason why people are even doubting Ash winning the Alola League even though its been hinted in the opening is how hard the staff has trolled us in previous series. Also isn't this battle basically Iida ( Kiawe ) vs Bakugou ( Gladion ). They share the same Voice Actors. On a side note, please make Tomioka write the Final between most likely Ash and Gladion. I have a feeling they're not even going to give him even one episode during the league even though he is clearly the GOAT at writing Pokemon Battles. I have a feeling they'll give it to fujisaku instead. Choice of Animators assigned to an episode have also been very poor this series like Iwane not even being able to Animate a Grand Trial.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

On a side note, please make Tomioka write the Final between most likely Ash and Gladion.

Plot twist, the battle is written by Junichi Fujisaku.

Spoiler: His Track Record

(The person who gave us-
Battle Royale 151
Megamart Pikachu vs Mimikyu
Pikachu vs Mudsdale
Rowlet vs Decidueye

And for fillers- Meltan, Shaymin, Eevee filler and Pikachu filler)

I just realised that the man hasn’t managed to write even a single episode I like

 

[dawn dusk]

simply ash defeating guzma may not be the theme that sm writers have thought

 

[Daren]

The only reason why people are even doubting Ash winning the Alola League even though its been hinted in the opening is how hard the staff has trolled us in previous series.

After Alain's two prior wins building him up as a major rival Paul/Gary style and the finale episode with an intentionally misleading title, the writers trolling everyone so badly last time is a very good reason to doubt Ash winning.

"Fool me once, shame on you, feel me twice, shame on me".

 

[Silktree]

Gladion is much more sympathetic than Gary and Paul were. He doesn't "need" to lose any more than Zoey did, let alone Alain who used Lysandre's help for his training.

 

[DynamicFusion]

Plot twist, the battle is written by Junichi Fujisaku.

Spoiler: His Track Record

(The person who gave us-
Battle Royale 151
Megamart Pikachu vs Mimikyu
Pikachu vs Mudsdale
Rowlet vs Decidueye

And for fillers- Meltan, Shaymin, Eevee filler and Pikachu filler)

I just realised that the man hasn’t managed to write even a single episode I like

Seriously by the way they keep on giving him important episodes, I'm afraid they might give him the head writer post in SwSh.