• 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 JN010: The Kairyu Paradise and Hakuryu's Ordeal!

Have to say, I'm impressed by Team Rocket's plan

Turns out they pretended to be shipwrecked off-screen and the Dragonite they captured came to rescue them, resulting in it being captured

A good plan indeed but if it was on screen would have been much better, also why the cloaks? (They looked cool in them)
 
I... didn't say that? I said that I wouldn't mind Ash catching unevolved Pokémon (like Rookidee for example) as long as they get to have some character arcs (which may (and should) include the Pokémon growing and, as a result of that, evolving). Not that I would want him to catch unevolved Pokémon and let them stay unevolved (like Rowlet; in fact, I outright said that I don't want them to become Rowlet Mk. II).
Dude don’t even joke about that. I do NOT want another slacking ball of feathers besides Corviknight is more popular than its pre-evolution.

A good plan indeed but if it was on screen would have been much better, also why the cloaks? (They looked cool in them)
It’s so they would look like old people lost in sea. One of their better disguises.

I wonder if dragonite is gonna be Ash's new answer to Team Gacha, which is why they're getting beaten up by dragonite on the poster
I really hate that gatcha machine.
 
Did they ever explain what happened to Wailord, like why it didn't blast off with Team Rocket or where it went afterwards?

Ash catching a Dragonite. That was unexpected although patterns can be broken after all.
 
Have to say, I'm impressed by Team Rocket's plan

Turns out they pretended to be shipwrecked off-screen and the Dragonite they captured came to rescue them, resulting in it being captured
My God they’re getting smarter. That was actually a competent plan (would’ve been more so if they tried capturing said Dragonite with a pokeball, but you know, baby steps).
A good plan indeed but if it was on screen would have been much better, also why the cloaks? (They looked cool in them)
Probably to better fit the shipwrecked look to make things more convincing.
 
My God they’re getting smarter. That was actually a competent plan (would’ve been more so if they tried capturing said Dragonite with a pokeball, but you know, baby steps).
They probably didn't have any Poke Balls, or money to buy some. Plus if they tried, they'd just experience what Go went through trying to catch Dewgong.
 
I loved that he got this Kairyu/Dragonite but....at the same time wasn’t Iris criticized heavily for catching a three-stage fully-evolve pseudo legendary some years ago during her rein on the show? Satoshi/Ash just got this thing literally 10-episodes into a brand-new series as his first capture without a battle either? Seems a little hypocritical no one even raises an eyebrow :/
 
Last edited:
My favorite parts of the episode are Ash & Gou being the first to explicitly question why Dragonair gains limbs upon evolution (that comparison to Milotic was wholesome) & Ash catching a freaking Dragonite! What's better than owning one friendly pseudo-legendary Dragon? Owning two friendly pseudo-legendary Dragons!

The only thing that bothered me was that Gou tried catching Dewgong without battling it. I know that's been his modus operandi, to our detriment, the past several episodes, but the sheer amount of Poke Balls he wasted this attempt makes it even more ludicrous. Also, Ash has literally encouraged all of his other greenhorn friends to battle their attempted catches first; why he refuses to advise Gou in the same manner is beyond me and seems out of character for him.
 
I laughed for a minute the first time I saw Ash jumped on the Electroweb and Gou pointing out that he can't use it as a trampoline.

I kinda knew Ash would get a Dragonite the moment he offered his Pokeball to Gou but refusing to have because Ash might want to use it later. I'm kinda dismissing the thought because I'm not exactly sure if this episode has the guts to pull it off so I was really surprised when they did.

I'm so happy Ash caught a Dragonite. Dragonite can really be an asset for him when the time for Galar Tournament or World Championship comes. This is not actually weird because it's a pokemon befitting of a Champion.
 
I haven’t watched most of the episodes so... is the music so bad in every episode? Seriously? Country music while your main characters are drowning? And the music during the Team Rocket motto was awkward as hell too. I miss TRio actually using their own Pokémon.

Go's expressions while capturing Dewgong were creepy. And I’m glad Ash did the electro web thing instead of doing you-know-what like in Alola...

I'd have preferred if Ash caught Dragonair and trained it to evolve, but the current situation is fine by me. I seriously loved the portrayal of Dragonair (my favourite member of the line)!
6.5/10
 
I loved that he got this Kairyu/Dragonite but....at the same time wasn’t Iris criticized heavily for catching a three-stage fully-evolve pseudo legendary some years ago during her rein on the show? Satoshi/Ash just got this thing literally 10-episodes into a brand-new series as his first capture without a battle either? Seems a little hypocritical no one even raises an eyebrow :/
With Iris, it was controversial because she was supposed to train her Axew into a Haxorus, but, because of marketing reasons, they kept Axew unevolved and instead gave her another fully evolved Dragon out of nowhere to replace it. Plus, she had already gone through the disobedient Pokémon issue earlier with Excadrill, so doing it twice in one series can feel tiresome to some.
 
I loved that he got this Kairyu/Dragonite but....at the same time wasn’t Iris criticized heavily for catching a three-stage fully-evolve pseudo legendary some years ago during her rein on the show? Satoshi/Ash just got this thing literally 10-episodes into a brand-new series as his first capture without a battle either? Seems a little hypocritical no one even raises an eyebrow :/
There are several contextual differences:
*Ten episodes into the series but over twenty years into Ash's career as a trainer.
*Ash has already gotten a psuedo the hard way in the past, so we know he's capable of training one up.
*Dragonite is probably not a huge power upgrade. Pikachu got ganged up on by a Tyranitar and a Gyarados and he overpowered them both when their attacks collided. Ash also has even more powerhouses at Oak's lab.
 
There are several contextual differences:
*Ten episodes into the series but over twenty years into Ash's career as a trainer.
*Ash has already gotten a psuedo the hard way in the past, so we know he's capable of training one up.
*Dragonite is probably not a huge power upgrade. Pikachu got ganged up on by a Tyranitar and a Gyarados and he overpowered them both when their attacks collided. Ash also has even more powerhouses at Oak's lab.
That still doesn’t excuse him getting a fully-evolved Pokémon that’s stated to be super rare and powerful (at least according to this episodes’ lore) literally at the beginning of the series. Especially since they could have easily just given him a Miniryu/Hakuryu for long-standing growth and development over the series. If we’re going to criticize Iris (and to a lesser extent Hikari) for getting these fully-evolved Flying-type Pokemon then Satoshi deserves the same. Hikari essentially was given Togekiss and didn’t bond or interact with it at all from a literal princess right before the Grand Festival, no strings attached with all the perks and a grace of a perfect Contest Pokemon.

Meanwhile, Iris was given a lot of intense criticism and flake for catching hers. She already had her strong Doryuzu/Escadrill (which she also struggled with) starter and was a prodigy so I could make the excuse her experience meant she should have it. She also had hers come with a handicap in the form of its disobedience and terrible temper which she was chastised for several times. It played a sizable role in the development of her dragon empathy and overall development. As for her Kibago, the elder sent her to train it, not evolve. She stated that Iris had raised it decently enough, and she did spend time helping it perfect Dragon Rage. At the end of the day all her dragons, Kibago, Kairyu and, yes, even her Fukamaru (heck even her Emonga/Doryuzu) helped her grow in the regard to understanding and connecting with her Pokémon which had struggled heavily for with.
 
Last edited:
Incorrect. It was clearly stated that Iris was supposed to evolve it, but they later made the elder into being satisfied with training alone to allow Axew to stay cute and marketable.
It was its dream to evolve, not her goal. You’re confusing the Munna episode with her backstory one.
 
The elder clearly said in episode 9 that she was supposed to train Axew into Haxorus. The dream was just basically a proof that Axew desired to evolve someday.
But her penultimate goal was to a Dragon Master is the point I’m making and her developments predominantly came from her learning to understanding and open up to others. Besides the point, I’m still not understanding why on Satoshi’s own terms it’s okay for him to get a fully evolved pseudo while hers was a handout despite coming with disobedience attached. Completely leaving Iris at the door why is it okay for him to have such a rare and strong Pokémon literally ten episodes in?
 
But her penultimate goal was to a Dragon Master is the point I’m making and her developments predominantly came from her learning to understanding and open up to others. Besides the point, I’m still not understanding why on Satoshi’s own terms it’s okay for him to get a fully evolved pseudo while hers was a handout despite coming with disobedience attached. Completely leaving Iris at the door why is it okay for him to have such a rare and strong Pokémon literally ten episodes in?
I mentioned this in somewhere else, but the fact that Dragonite was given to Iris basically to make up for the fact that she wasn't going to evolve her Axew, but not only that, she was made to go through the whole "disobedient Pokémon" ordeal for the second time in one series.
 
Please note: The thread is from 3 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