Review AG148: Mizugorou and Mokoko! Wonder Drug of Love!?

[Pie]

True, very true...

 

[The Dude]

Why no love for Marshtomp? I wuv Marshtomp. Until I realized Sceptile was my favorite, it was Marshie! HOW CAN YOU DENY ITS CUTENESS?!?! HOW? HOW? Brock's Mudkip should evolve, because if it were an evolved Pokemon, it would likely get more screentime. And because it's Marshtomp. The whole Mareep line rocks. Especially Fluffy. Amphy kicks major ass!

 

[Pokemon Fan]

I think that Taillow lost ALL of its personality upon evolving. Then again, it really lost it the second after Ash captured it. It basically became another Pidgeotto, with the exception of the episode in which it evolved. There it once again showed its determination and stubborness.

What about when Ash was teaching it Aerial Ace? Overall Swellow got much more character development in its second form than as a Taillow. It didn't have a lot of personality but it had more than Ash's previous bird types. Just watch, in future episodes they have it laughing, freaking out, all kinds of things.

Though both as a Tailow and Swellow it showed its real personality to be as much one that aimed to please and learn as one that was simply tough and persistent and full of spirit. Just look at how Taillow reacts to Ash's encouragement and such when he's training it and the others for the rematch with Brawly. It wasn't featured much but it was there and quite appreciated. Poor Pidgeoto only got a lot of character in its farewell episode, and Noctowl only had some in the couple of episodes dedicated to it. Taillow/Swellow is the only one of Ash's birds to display a personality on a semi regular basis and in episodes where it plays no major role.

Torchic DEFINATELY lose its personality, at least when it comes to being noticeable. It used to be a timid, naive little creature and then it grew to become a strong fighter with no other interesting characteristics.

It gained confidence and lost its childlike characteristics, other than that it was pretty much the same. We saw its old personality maturing even before it evolved, when it went into that odd rage against Corphish. Clearly it already had it in itself to behave that way.

Lotad lost everything. I think Lotad has the most interesting character ever, along with the greatest dub voice ever. Ludicolo had some interesting aspects to him, but still wasn't too exciting.

Hmmm, Lotad stayed about the same when evolving to Lombre, a dim, rather oblivious and subdued Pokemon. Upon becoming Ludicolo it had a lot more energy and thus became a dim, somewhat more aware extremely outgoing Pokemon, who unfortunately recieved next to no screen time before leaving the show. Forretress has gotten more screen time than it and that's scary...

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As for Mudkip evolving, I'm fine with it for the simple fact that as cute as Mudkip was all it ever did was negotiate and use Water Gun. With it evolving it will at least get the respect it deserves of knowing more than one move. Here's hoping it uses some other moves before evolving too.

 

[Dogasu]

Confirmation that Mizugorou evolves:

http://www.bmgf.bulbagarden.net/showthread.php?t=10009

 

[Jo-Jo]

*weeps* *goes into mourning* Muuuuudkiiiiiip...

 

[Misty]

Brock doesn't get enough evolutions. This is a plus in my book.

 

[Cybersai]

Brock also doesn't do anything with his evolutions. Crobat, Foretress, and Ludicolo had such wasted potential. Brock barely used them, and he had evolved forms for once and all they did was sit in their Pokeballs.

I would have rathered they evolve one of Ash or May's Pokemon instead...seeing as how I don't know...their Pokemon are actually important?

All the evolved forms Brock had he barely ever did anything with, this will be no different.

 

[FabuVinny]

Well who of their Pokémon can evolve?

Grovyle/Combusken - Possibly, but it would make Brock look even worse for still having Mudkip
Pikachu - Never going to happen
Swellow- Fully evolved already
Corphish - Possibly, though it means having a dark Pokémon, which the writers seem to be avoiding.
Phanpy - It's growing up, but still seems a little young to evolve
Munchlax - Advertising D/P is hard with a Kanto Pokémon Ash has already got
Squirtle - Too young

You complain about Brock, yet you don't want the writers to improve him? Am I missing something here?

 

[Kasumi]

FabuVinny wins this thread.

 

[Dogasu]

Corphish - Possibly, though it means having a dark Pokémon, which the writers seem to be avoiding.

But isn't Glalie part Dark-Type?

 

[Misty]

No, it's pure Ice.

 

[Argy]

Well, it isn't as if they're totally avoiding giving any main character a Dark type. See Shigeru's Blacky.

I love Mizugorou, but I'm glad to see Takeshi's evolve.

Now, if only Satoshi's Juptile and Haruka's Wakasyamo would evolve...

 

[Cybersai]

Well who of their Pokémon can evolve?

Grovyle/Combusken - Possibly, but it would make Brock look even worse for still having Mudkip
Pikachu - Never going to happen
Swellow- Fully evolved already
Corphish - Possibly, though it means having a dark Pokémon, which the writers seem to be avoiding.
Phanpy - It's growing up, but still seems a little young to evolve
Munchlax - Advertising D/P is hard with a Kanto Pokémon Ash has already got
Squirtle - Too young

You complain about Brock, yet you don't want the writers to improve him? Am I missing something here?

No you have me wrong. I don't mind them giving an evolution to Brock, but as long as the writers DO something with it.

Judging by Brock's previous Pokemon, Marshtompt is going to be underused. Crobat, Foretress, and Ludicolo all barely did anything during their run. They came out of their Pokeballs every so often for the occassional filler episode, but most of the time they stayed in their balls to rot. If those 3 pokes are any indication, and how Mudkip itself was left to rot in it's ball in all of AG, Marshtompt should be no different.

Brock simply doesn't battle enough, which is why him catching or evolving Pokemon means little, as we never get to see him do anything with them. Heck, Brock rarely even battles TR either. It's usually Ash, May, or the filler character of the day who sends TR packing. Brock just stands there and watches half the time.

As for which Pokemon of Ash and May's could/should evolve, I would really like to see Grovyle and Combuksen reach their final forms. Afterall, Combusken is special because it's May's starter Pokemon. It's May's version of Pikachu. Therefore it only makes sense to give development to May's first Pokemon, as Combusken will probably be on May's team forever, just like Pikachu will be on Ash's team forever.

Phanpy has a good chance of evolving, but the writers will probably save that for the end of the region. Ash's "6th slot" Pokemon usually almost always evolves, and I would be shocked if Ash didn't have a Donphan when this region came to an end.

Corphish is up in the air, but judging on things, I think the writers will want to keep it the way it is.

And yeah, Munchlax won't evolve because that defeats the whole purpose of it. (Not to mention who wants to see another Snorlax? May has enough of Ash's Pokemon as it is)

Squirtle probably won't evolve either, at least not anytime soon.

 

[Unregistered]

Well Mudkip has evolved.

 

[Argy]

Thanks, Captain Obvious.

 

[Zhen Lin]

Spoiler

Mizugorou evolves within the first minute of the show. It was in the process of battling Juptile - Satoshi is training for the Battle Arena.

8 screenshots from that segment (to be followed up with rest of episode)

 

[FabuVinny]

Makes sense. So it was a bit more than Lotad's evolution, then.

 

[The Dude]

So cute! I love Marshie! I hope it isn't shafted as much now that it's evolved.

 

[Zhen Lin]

I dunno.

Anyway... no love potion or cure for love is in the show, though certainly the medicine is made with love...

 

[Geodude]

The title [HASHTAG]#pocketmonsters[/HASHTAG] gives for this episode is:

Mudkip and Flaaffy! Love's Silver Bullet!