Best Running Gag?

[Nicolas721]

-Boss Fantasy:A very good gag, summing up Team Rocket's personality, their goals and the reason why they are likable in one minute. However it got a bit repetitive a few times.
-Team Rocket's motto variation in the Latin American dub: They were very funny and added a lot of life to the motto, but I wish some of the variations would be targeted to more sites of Latin America other than Mexico.
-Stephan's name: I didn't remembered much of Butch when I first saw Chronicles, so I felt the gag came out of nowhere and it was confusing. While Stephan's name kinda also came out of nowhere, I liked it a lot, and the Latin American variations were pure gold.
-Clemont's inventions: The best gag for me, the faces and expressions are amazing and it moves the plot foward sometimes.

 

[Hidden Mew]

I forgot another couple of gags that I liked. Gible's Draco Meteor hitting Piplup all the time was hilarious. It probably helped that Piplup was so annoying, so seeing it get hit frequently was satisfying, but the way it would find its way to Piplup no matter how far away it was and Piplup's expressions made it funny.

I also actually liked Snubbull biting Meowth's tail back during Johto. While it wasn't too funny, I mainly liked it due to how they didn't make it drag on like they did with other running gags at the time, especially compared to Jigglypuff's singing gag. It only lasted for about a season and had a satisfying conclusion with Snubbull evolving and going back home with its rich trainer.

 

[Boots2@sses]

I guess the gible's rogue draco meteor gag was funny to some extent other than brock's gag was funny in the 1st season but got boring later.

 

[Peppermint Phoenix]

Barry fining.

 

[henrymidfields]

Clemont's invention exploding. Not only they're hilarious seeing everyone turning into afro-heads and ash-faces, not only they're plot-significant at times, but they have a brilliant justification if you think a bit more. We know that Clemont usually makes his inventions with literally 30-seconds notice, and the inventions actually do work for a little while. The justification kicks in when testing/refining in the real world is done for making it not break down so easily, and being fail-safe when it does so. Due to the aforementioned reasons, Clemont probably didn't have time for testing in most cases. It is a case of a non-lethal/kid-friendly/hilarious "Reality ensues" moment.

 

[ii kanji]

Gible's Draco Meteor hitting Piplup all the time was hilarious. It probably helped that Piplup was so annoying, so seeing it get hit frequently was satisfying, but the way it would find its way to Piplup no matter how far away it was and Piplup's expressions made it funny.

This definitely!! Especially because Pocchama was at it's most irritating and over-marketed at the point that gag came in! It's almost like they invented it just to soothe the rage of all his adult haters...

 

[pokemon fan 132]

Im not sure if i would even call some of mentioned things in here as gags.

Because Cilan multiple hobbies he had such as love for trains, fishing, playing detective role, interest for ufo objects etc were more so his part of personality. Serving purpose on enriching on his personality and give viewers insight in other aspects of life hes interested in beside being connoisseur or trainer.

Same applies to Misty paranoid fear from bugs. While very comic at times with all kind of disbelief and funny reactions coming from her, it seemed to be more part of her character than anything else. Just like fear from Gyarados was before overcoming it. Never having problems with bugs she viewed pretty or neutral like Ledian, Butterfree,Pineco etc.

But would immediately freak out acting irrational when crawly, creepy looking for her standards bugs would show out such as Ariados, Beedrill, Shedinja etc.
Fear which was never explained, something even Max questioned.

Oh if she only ever met Surskit.

So i dont view those as running gags, because they werent happening frequently, on consistent basis. Nor always came out as attempt to be comic relief.

That said gags im most entertained with, being in my opinion original, relaxing and humorous to follow are this 2 ones:

Brock flirting over girls. It may sound unoriginal and its probably most known comic relief attempts characteristic for pkemon.

But it was usually hilarious, awkward and natural to see how drastically Brock behavior could change when pretty woman or girl would walk past him not being able to control his hormones. Changing from usually most mature, wise, collected and responsible member of cast in horny casanova trying to seduce opposite gender through all kind of sweet talks, compliments, shameless offering to use them as help for whatever they need etc.

Invoking raised eyebrows or frown looks from his friends and surrounding. Followed with all kind of smartass, entertaining responses from Misty, Max or Croagunk. Adding nice variety there.

Being even better when male dressed up as girl attracts Brock without being even aware of it. One especially memorable moment for me happened in episode about Volbeat and Illumise in Hoenn where Ash was dressed up as girl with Brock chasing him like crazy trying to kiss and hug him. Ah good moments.

In end Brock attempts were fruitless but he did managed to make few girls fall for his persistence. Like Pike Queen Lucy from Battle Frontier or Holly from Hearthome town for example.

I still think either of them wlould be great girlfriend for him.

Second one is James peculiar interactions and relationship he had with grass pokemon. It was funny seeing Cacnea expressing its affection by piercing him with needless or Carnivine biting attempts.

But Victreebel was one which did it best. That high pitched shrieking, hypnotizing look and attempts to eat James. Swalloving majority of him being way of expressing i assume love and gratitude was so weird, crazy and priceless that it managed to lift up atmosphere and add nice entertainment factor whenever TR got engaged in battle . At least for me it did.

What was even better were James hesitation and fear he expressed whenever sending his Victreebel from possible attack trying to run away, prevent its biting by pulling himself with legs or saying with regret how this was bad idea and he should have sent Weezing instead.

I miss that carnivous plant, it was such unique and interesting pokemon.

 

[EvilChameleon]

Even though it doesn't happen often, whenever the "twerps" do the Team Rocket motto, it's great. Especially the one in the Sinnoh days.

"IT'S THAT KIND OF IMITATION THAT THEY INVENTED LAWSUITS FOR!!!"

 

[Enzian]

Even though it doesn't happen often, whenever the "twerps" do the Team Rocket motto, it's great. Especially the one in the Sinnoh days.

"IT'S THAT KIND OF IMITATION THAT THEY INVENTED LAWSUITS FOR!!!"

This. In general and i like most Team Rocket gags:

• James' Pokemon attacking him (especially Victreebel), Meowths boss fantasies, Wobbuffet, the pitfalls, no one recognizing even the most obvious disguises and whenever there is a fourth wall break the TRio is likely to be involved.
• Butchs name issue and his reactions
• The same look of (nearly) all Joys and Jennys.
• Everyone freaking out because of Jigglypuff (although I got annoyed by Jigglypuff after a time)
• Mistys Psyduck

 

[Princess of Lumas]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned this one yet.

One of my favorite is when Ash says, "Science is so amazing!" right when Clemont makes an invention. That phrase is even more funny because of how Clemont's inventions fail.

Of course, it follows then that I also love it when Clemont makes an invention and what he says right before it.
I like the variation on Brock's flirting with croagunk because I like to believe she's jealous of him. Poor croagunk.
However, sometimes Brock's flirting, in the English dub at least, bothers me when the character he is flirting with looks and sound very young.

I also like Bonnie's proposals. They're very cute and sweet.


Meowth's fantasies are also interesting and sometimes funny if they are downright improbable (though technically everything would be improbable for team rocket....)

I also love James' grass Pokémon antics.

 

[MarshiyanMisutaa]

Satoshi's crossdressing.
Eureka's matchmaking attempts.
Boss fantasies.
Pochama abuse.
Serena's "shipping" moments.

 

[Boots2@sses]

Satoshi's crossdressing.
Eureka's matchmaking attempts.
Boss fantasies.
Pochama abuse.
Serena's "shipping" moments.

Shipping is probably not something that comes to mind when talking about gags.

 

[Morningstar]

The responses to brock's flirting
"The future is now, Thanks to Science"
Pikachu's Catsup affinity
Wobberfet
And Bonnie's various matchmaking endeavors

 

[Toa of Gallifrey]

Bonnie asking girls to marry Clemont. It doesn't happen often enough to get annoying and has enough variety to still be funny.

 

[Shadowlarvitar]

Butch getting mad at others for saying his name wrong and eventually think they're doing it to torture him or just says "I give up"

Psyduck popping out at random times or when Misty wants to use somebody else

Cilan's enthusiasm for everything

Brock getting stabbed by Croagunk

Ash failing to catch Dunsparce

Team Rocket getting upset when others "steal" their motto or ruin it

Team Rocket's boss fantasy

James and his Pokemon showing affection, mainly Victreebel

Wobbufett popping out at odd moments like when the TRio is in danger of falling and out comes "Wobbufett!" TRio then proceeds to fall

Gible always hitting Piplup with his meteor

 

[ocelotlrama jaguar]

Ash's Gible accidentally hitting Piplup with its Draco Meteor attack. That's the one and only gag I found hilarious enough to actually laugh. It's too bad he managed to master that attack, though. Fairwell gag that was actually funny. =(

 

[Guzma]

Wobbuffet, James being glomped/attacked by his Grass-types, and Brock's Croagunk never fail to amuse me.

 

[Poke Trey]

Wobbuffet, James being glomped/attacked by his Grass-types, and Brock's Croagunk never fail to amuse me.

Pretty much everything you said plus Piplup getting bonked by Gible's draco meteor fails.

 

[Deleted member 85628]

Clemont's inventions blowing up.

Pikachu mimicking other Pokemon and people.

Croagunk Poison Jabbing Brock.

The grass pokemon showing James affection.

People getting injured by Pokemon.

 

[Max1996]

My favorite?
"The future is now, thanks to science! Clemontic Gear, on!"
*Some time later*...BOOM!
Suddenly, afro's everywhere.