Review AG143: Pokémon Contest - Yamabuki Conference! (Part One) ・ AG144: Pokémon Contest - Yamabuki Conference! (Part Two)

[Roses Ablaze]

I think they've made May too powerful. Ash wasn't that good after only two years of experience and he's supposed to be a somewhat exceptional trainer. I've always seen May as somewhat average (or maybe just a little better), not as 00ber as she's turning out to be.

 

[FabuVinny]

I didn't think they wanted May to lose the first contest of the saga, and they also seem to want to use Squirtle for contests. She's used it quite a bit since she got it, though, so it isn't that inexperenced.

 

[Cybersai]

She lost her very first contest in Hoenn.

 

[Jo-Jo]

I think May will lose fewer contests in Kanto because it's a shorter saga. There isn't as much time for her to make rookie mistakes.

 

[FabuVinny]

The Hoenn one was her first one. But this time, she has some experience. The trouble with contests is that while she shouldn't win as much as she does, if she loses then we waste too much time before the next saga. Ash won't be in Kanto for longer than a year.

 

[Cybersai]

Well if they make less fillers they could make more contests. Ho.

 

[fruitsmoothierevenge]

I actually thought that this ep had a lot of suspence in it. I thought for sure Ariados was gonna spin up Zenigame like a dead fly. -_-;;
WTF is with Musashi going all catatonic? I can understand the pain, but it's weird. Are the writers trying to make her look weaker than before?
I didn't think Haruka was going to win. I was actually kinda hoping she didn't. But I don't like Harley, so I'm glad he lost.

 

[Geodude]

Don't forget that Haruka spends all her travelling time with Satoshi and Takeshi, two very experienced trainers. Most other young coordinators don't have that advantage.

I really liked how Haruka was able to use Zenigame's inability to fully control Ice Beam's power to her advantage, I think she's really learned a lot since we first saw her.

 

[spokethewind]

I know a lot of people don't like Musashi's hair but I sure do. That really surprised me that they kept it for more than 1 episode. If they keep it for next week, oh that'd be awesome. I just like change after you've seen the same thing for 6/7 years it gets kinda old. WOO.

And yes, these contests always make me sick b/c Musashi basically destroys any competition and then HEY let's make her lose, same as always. God let her win at least 1 ribbon. That won't kill anyone...

 

[Myss Hydra]

That would be pretty cool if she were to win SOMETHING: A bar of chocolate even..

 

[Rocketshipper]

I thought these two episodes were awesome. The first episode had great build-up and all the antics with Team Rocket were great. The actull contest had awesome appeals and Jessie vs Harry was funny, even if Wobuffet lost. I also liked how Haruka turned Squirtle's inexpierence with Ice-Beam to her advantage. Both episodes had great animation too.

 

[The Dude]

May should not have won. And Squirtle learning Ice Beam? Snorunt took what, TEN EPISODES to learn it. And Squirtle just magically has it. The writing just continues to get worse and worse. If Harley is supposed to be a serious rival to May, he should at least win one contest. But I can live with it. But if they screw up Grovyle's evolution, there will be a reckoning.

 

[TSS_Killer]

You just have to remember that it's still early in the arc, and anything can still happen. About that ice beam, Squirtle still doesn't have complete control over it yet, so it does make sense in some sort. Haruka will probably lose a contest down the road, and I have a feeling that will happen within the next 20 episodes. The writers have churned out the same basic quality for a couple of hundred episodes now(not including early johto, orange, or kanto), so I'm not surprised at all about the episode structure.

 

[Misty]

The writers have churned out the same basic quality for a couple of hundred episodes now(not including early johto, orange, or kanto), so I'm not surprised at all about the episode structure.

I disagree, I think the quality has been changing constantly from season to season...

 

[Cybersai]

You just have to remember that it's still early in the arc, and anything can still happen. About that ice beam, Squirtle still doesn't have complete control over it yet, so it does make sense in some sort. Haruka will probably lose a contest down the road, and I have a feeling that will happen within the next 20 episodes. The writers have churned out the same basic quality for a couple of hundred episodes now(not including early johto, orange, or kanto), so I'm not surprised at all about the episode structure.

Is this why Johto was boring as hell yet Hoenn was fresh and exciting? The Battle Frontier saga so far seems like a mix of Johto and Hoenn. Some is good, some is bad, but Hoenn was fantastic from start to finish.

 

[Rocketshipper]

Hoenn was fresh and exciting because of May! If not for her contests it would have just been a slightly better repeat of Johto.

If Harley is supposed to be a serious rival to May, he should at least win one contest.

Maybe Harley/Harry ISN'T supposed to be a serious rival? Drew is the serious rival, the one May truly strives to defeat. Harry is just the evil annoying guy who keeps coming back for more abuse even though he keeps losing, he sort of fills the role that Team Rocket fills, except for contests instead of general evilness. I'd always though that Harry was overconfident and vain about his talents, and he keeps coming back because he can't believe he lost to this girl, even though she's a better co-ordinator than him.

 

[Cybersai]

Maybe Harley/Harry ISN'T supposed to be a serious rival? Drew is the serious rival, the one May truly strives to defeat. Harry is just the evil annoying guy who keeps coming back for more abuse even though he keeps losing, .

Then why did they bother to put him in the new opening, showing him on equal ground as Drew? It just ruins his character if he keeps losing, as there's no reason to take him seriously anymore if we know he's May's punching bag. The writers SHOULD make Harley as strong an opponent as Drew is, it's a waste of character otherwise.

 

[Jo-Jo]

I dunno - just because Drew and Harley got a split-screen in the opening doesn't prove that they're going to be of equal importance, IMO, although I do expect Harley's to increase this season. Drew will probably still be May's main rival; if anyone's going to beat her in this season's Grand Festival, he's a much more likely possibility than Harley (I know, major rehash, but this is Pokemon we're talking about).

So I don't think Harley ought to be or needs to be as strong as Drew. Besides all else, it would be very unrealistic. Drew defeated May pretty soundly in the Grand Festival and came in second overall; Harley has never managed to beat May, only finished in the top thirty two, and recently lost a contest to her baby Squirtle. Having him suddenly trouncing May effortlessly, a la Squirtle vs. Flygon, would ring false.

Ironically, though, I can see Harley having a lucky break and beating Drew, either in a contest or even the GF. But it would have to be a VERY lucky break. Possibly aided by one of Harley's traditional underhanded tactics.

Hmm, I seem to have wandered off-topic. What are we talking about, again?

 

[Rocketshipper]

He probably got the split screen cause he's a returning character, and he could have other more sinister roles to play later, like being more active in sabatoging Haruka. I can't see him showing up again for awhile though, unless they have him lose to someone else. Haruka needs to battle other trainers for her next contests.

 

[Cybersai]

Well Harley better have some "real" trick up his sleeve next time, because this is about as far as you can take what he's currently been doing to May.

And yeah, we probably won't see Harley again for awhile, if not the 4th or 5th contest.

We're bound to get lots of new coordinators for May to battle, they're not going to put her two rivals in all her contests.