Preview BW083 + BW084 Fierce Fighting at Tachiwaki Gym! VS Homika!! Part 1 and Part 2

[Silktree]

If more plugging of the latest games is what the higher-ups want, then that's what the higher-ups will get. What they want trumps whatever the writers want to do.

And yet the writers are bringing Dawn back to the show around B2W2's release date when the advertising approach would be to introduce one of the new player characters. Not only that, but they're skipping Hiougi City and Cheren.

I am not convinced that the writers' plan for the last badge was overturned by higher-ups. I think that Ash defeating Drayden simply isn't what the writers want for Iris' story at this point, if ever.

 

[Masurao]

I am not convinced that the writers' plan for the last badge was overturned by higher-ups. I think that Ash defeating Drayden simply isn't what the writers want for Iris' story at this point, if ever.

Why then, up until the Katharine episode was there a slot for the Legend Badge? Unless it was just there for show, it does make it seem like Ash was going to battle Drayden until advertising BW2 became more important.

 

[Musashi]

I think it's a bit of both. Judging by how the show was run in Kanto the writers could do what they want up to a point. But if the higher ups really want/don't want something, then that's what happens.

So while they can get away with Hikari coming back for the usual regional girl cameo, they were probably forced to bring in a BW2 gym leader.

 

[Rocketshipper]

It's the whole point to the show. The games always come first.

Just because thats what they do doesn't mean we have to like it. And also...plugging the new games shouldn't mean they have to skip the last original gym. The writers did not *need* to sacrifice Drayden's gym in order to showcase the new gyms, they could, and should, showcase both. The easiest solution to this would have just been to write it so that Ash would have to challenge the new BW2 gyms in order to enter the Jr. Cup thing (and before anyone says that would be violating game rules, just look at how they did the BF). Or they could try to be original and have Ash do what he's never done before, go after more than 8 badges. Or any other solution that would not involve the *unecissary* step of skipping Drayden's gym.

 

[Silktree]

Why then, up until the Katharine episode was there a slot for the Legend Badge? Unless it was just there for show, it does make it seem like Ash was going to battle Drayden until advertising BW2 became more important.

If it weren't for B2W2, the writers would have no choice but to make Ash get his last badge from Drayden. Simply put, I think that the addition of new gym leaders made the writers pretty happy.

 

[Musashi]

I never said anyone had to like it. And for all we know we could see Drayden again later. I still think they're saving all that for the end and have it tie in with Iris.

But I absolutely love Homika so I'm excited for these episodes. We'll just have to see what happens next.

 

[Crysta Blade]

And yet the writers are bringing Dawn back to the show around B2W2's release date when the advertising approach would be to introduce one of the new player characters. Not only that, but they're skipping Hiougi City and Cheren.

It's not that the writers aren't allowed any creative freedom ever (they're no stranger to doing things their own way), but more that like if their plans would clash with those of the higher-ups, they'll go with the higher-ups' plans. Or something like that anyway. For all we know, the writers have a advertising-new-game-content quota to fill. But I digress, I'm veering into speculation territory here.

Nonetheless, I am looking forward to another Poison Gym Leader.

 

[Masurao]

Given the circumstances I wonder if Homika is allowed to switch? I think the only other gym leader to switch this season was Lenora. Ash himself didn't start switching till Skyla IIRC.

 

[Piplup]

You know, this 6 vs 3 thing they're doing is weird, but its actually *not* unprecendented in the anime. Everyone remember Whitney? The second episode of the Goldenrod Gym arc has Ash battle her Miltank 3 on 1. He beats Miltank and gets the badge even though Whitney didn't use any more Pokemon. (although in that situation at least we have the consolation of the fact that Ash swept her first two pokemon in their previous battle)

Well, as you said, Ash pretty much killed Clefairy and Nidorina in a second, so you can say she just spared them the pain and humiliation they'd suffer and restarted the battle from the Miltank part XD (though why did she even have a Nidorina and how come a Gym Leader apparently has only ONE Poké that can actually happen, I don't know... but at least it wasn't a "you saved my Clefairy from the fire here take this badge kthxbye")
Anyway, I think my example of the Viridian Gym is better, with Giovanno letting Gary use how many Poké he'd like at the same time while battling Mewtwo, or later TRio using various Poké at the same time against Ash's one (which, coincidencely, or not - was Gym 8 of Kanto, just like this will be Gym 8 of Unova...)
Anyway, this IS the first time ever they clearly said something is a "x on x" battle where the x weren't both the same number... which IS really weird after 15 years...
How funny it'd be if it's just a typing mistake and they meant 3 on 3 or 6 on 6 XD

Them screwing with the story just to advertise the latest games? Not understandable.

I think that by now it's very obvious they knew about BW2 as soon as they started to work on the BW series
I won't be surprised if they never planned on Ash facing Drayden (well, there's that badge case thing... but it could be something they overlooked or didn't want to spoil, I guess?) and that Drayden was always supposed to be Iris' thing and not Ash's - which actually sounds very nice for Iris' character which will hopefully finally get a little interesting in the eventual Iris/Drayden eps (that it seems we'll get in the near future)

 

[Spindae2]

Me it doesn't bother that Ash will face Homika! My problems are:
1.the gym happening to soon! just 4 eps after Iccirus gym!
2. this 6 on 3 situation! I don't know how they will handle it!? but better they have a good excuse!

 

[Shinneth]

While I still don't like it, Homika replacing Drayden doesn't bother me nearly as much as the fact that the Homika battle will be a 6 vs 3 in Ash's favor.

I can understand Homika being shoehorned into the story because the higher-ups want to advertise the new games.

But why the hell was this 6 vs 3 gimmick added in? I highly doubt the higher-ups mandated that. One can easily just make Homika a stronger Gym Leader than she is in the games simply by giving her stronger Pokemon, and more than what she has in the games. That's made especially easy since pre-Gen V Pokemon are fair game now.

Seriously, that's all they had to do to make Homika a fitting 8th Gym Leader. They didn't need to throw in some arbitrary gimmick that gives Ash a highly unnecessary advantage. I'm certain the anime can advertise the BW2 games just fine without this element.

I still think reserving Drayden for Iris only is stupid because I'd much rather have an epic gym battle of Ash taking down dragons (something we haven't had since Johto) than watch Iris get an overdue squashing with only a remote chance that the match-off would have any real impact on Iris' story or character - and even then, the best-case scenario is that Iris will be scolded over something that was painfully obvious to the viewers and should have been dealt with ages ago - or even worse let Iris tie/defeat Drayden with her overly-relied on Excadrill who doesn't need the rematch because its story and development are pretty much done and REALLY see no change in Iris' story besides setting up where she'll inevitably be once BW ends who-knows-when.

Point is, I think this is a horrible trade-off even if this was for the sake of promoting BW2 and reserving a battle for Iris whose barely-there story doesn't warrant the exclusive right to battle Drayden. I'm not the only one who thinks Ash's Unova team is on the whole poorly-handled; a Drayden battle could have at least served to show that at least some of Ash's Pokemon are on their way up and stand a good chance in the Unova League. The entire Homika battle isn't going to prove jack for any of them - because Ash is granted that goddamned handicap. If the handicap weren't in play and Homika was properly bumped up in strength to match the level of a final gym leader's, then I could accept that. But that's clearly not the case here.

I also don't intend on getting my hopes up for Ash only using 3 of the 6 he's allowed. If that were the case, the battle might as well be billed as a 3 vs 3 like most of the other Unova gym battles were. They wouldn't be bringing up this 6-on-3 aspect for no reason; much as I would love to believe this is a red herring.

In the end, this is yet another fuck-up by the staff that's going to make Ash's 8th badge by far the most anticlimactic and least-deserved. In a region where almost half of Ash's gym battles had evolutions occur in the middle of them, and various amounts of bullshit lack-of-strategy were rampant, and Ash's unexplained hatred of type logic that made type logic ass-backwards in so many battles even beyond the ones in the gyms, I suppose it's fitting in a twisted way for the ultimate level of bullshit to ruin the potential of the final gym battle.

So... no matter how I try to look at this, it's still stupid beyond comprehension and BW2 promotion or not, I'm pretty damn sure we didn't need a Homika battle designed like this.

 

[Musashi]

With Draydon (and that water gym leader) most likely in the opening, we know he'll be seen in some form eventually. So I don't think it really matters too much that he's being skipped since it implies Satoshi might get 10 badges.

So back to this episode, I personally don't really care if this battle seems off since it most likely wont be Satoshi's final badge.

 

[HumanDawn]

I personally don't really care if this battle seems off since it most likely wont be Satoshi's final badge.

Still doesn't excuse the handicap. It could have been the first, second, third or fifth badge, it's still an unfair win.

 

[Musashi]

Hard to tell if it's unfair or not when we don't know any of the circumstances or who is using what.

 

[jda95]

I highly doubt Satoshi will completely sweep Homika's team without any of his Pokemon taking any damage. I'm guessing Satoshi will go in extremely confident because he has an advantage in numbers but will just barely scrape a win with only one Pokemon left after he underestimated her power. There's no way that they would ever give Satoshi such an easy win when he has an advantage.

 

[97SaturnSL1]

I just hope Homika has stronger pokemon than just a koffing because a fierce battle with a koffing is so season 1 in my opinion. if she were to have a pokemon such as toxicroak then that would be an amusing battle

 

[Cybersai]

I highly doubt Satoshi will completely sweep Homika's team without any of his Pokemon taking any damage. I'm guessing Satoshi will go in extremely confident because he has an advantage in numbers but will just barely scrape a win with only one Pokemon left after he underestimated her power. There's no way that they would ever give Satoshi such an easy win when he has an advantage.

Exactly. I still say Koffing will take out Ash's first 3 Pokemon by complete surprise.

 

[Shinneth]

Circumstances, who is using what, character/Pokemon quirks, exclusive gym gimmicks...

6 vs 3 is still 6 vs 3. In Ash's favor.

I'm sure there will be some sort of bullshit excuse for why the terms are set up this way. That doesn't make the premise any less shitty.

 

[투 애니원]

I still hope its a triple match. We didn't have that one yet.

 

[Ampharos King]

I just hope Homika has stronger pokemon than just a koffing because a fierce battle with a koffing is so season 1 in my opinion. if she were to have a pokemon such as toxicroak then that would be an amusing battle

I don't see any problems with this. Ash has some unevolved pokemon as well, and chances are that he will be using Pikachu and the starter pokemon in this battle.