Review JN050: Galar Fossils! Stick 'Em Together!!

[FinnishPokéFan92]

a small rat

Ash would never consider Pikachu anything like that.

 

[GrookeyFan77]

Ash would never consider Pikachu anything like that.

He wouldn't but I do.

 

[R1ke]

MY GOD ASH ACTUALLY CAUGHT DRACOVISH. I thought Goh would just catch both of them, or neither would.

I went into this one blind, and man I did not see that coming. Seriously, Ash's team is really something else this series.

 

[GrookeyFan77]

MY GOD ASH ACTUALLY CAUGHT DRACOVISH. I thought Goh would just catch both of them, or nobody would.

I went into this one blind, and man I did not see that coming. Seriously, Ash's team is really something else this series.

Yeah, Ash is catching mons we never thought he would catch.

 

[Rainbow-Rain]

Weird how Dracovish was completely absent from the new OP .

It seems like they really didn't want to spoil anything (besides Gary and Iris) unlike last OP

 

[Dogasu]

Swapping out all that boring curry stuff with some Rocket trio shenanigans would've made this episode a million percent better.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Swapping out all that boring curry stuff with some Rocket trio shenanigans would've made this episode a million percent better.

And no doubt would've led to worn-out shenanigans of them trying to steal the fossils. No thanks.

 

[Dogasu]

Yes, because that would be the only possible outcome of a Rocket trio appearance

 

[Knightwolf09]

Wow. Another genuine surprise catch. Honestly I was not holding my hopes up for Dracovish, but glad to be proven otherwise. This has to be Ash's strongest team by far.

 

[Kurolegacy]

I fail to see how this episode proves that Ash will catch more Pokémon after this.

While I don’t think it proves he’ll get more, the fact that, at this point Farfetch’d is the only Pokémon left in his team able to evolve and they’ve given him a full team this early on, I’m hopeful that they’ll go beyond just 6 Pokémon or bring in some of his old Pokémon since otherwise Ash’s team is gonna stagnate from having no changes for the remaining 100-150 episodes that this current series potentially has left.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

While I don’t think it proves he’ll get more, the fact that, at this point Farfetch’d is the only Pokémon left in his team able to evolve and they’ve given him a full team this early on, I’m hopeful that they’ll go beyond just 6 Pokémon or bring in some of his old Pokémon since otherwise Ash’s team is gonna stagnate from having no changes for the remaining 100-150 episodes that this current series potentially has left.

I'm hoping for more changes too, of course, but I don't think unevolved Grookey or regional bird will be what he'll be catching.

 

[Eclipsical]

I have changed my mind on Dracovish, he is hilarious and awesome. Hopefully we see him used in battle soon, though it looks like they’re going to focus on Farfetch’d for the next couple episodes, which is still good.

 

[Enzo]

Dracovish is actually VERY cute in the anime. The little flap of it's flippers when it gets excited. Oooowwnn, never would've thought I would find this Pokemon cute.

And I gotta say, ep 50 and Ash's team is pretty much complete with 6 mons, and since there is only Farfetch'd left to evolve (and that doesn't seems far from happening tbh), I can't help but feel like Ash might have a rotation team again in this series. Like, it's not IMPOSSIBLE for him to stay solely with those 6, but we still have what? 100-150 eps left? There HAS to be a new Pokemon in the writer's minds. Just hope they've learned their lesson with Unova and do this right, if they end up doing it, that is.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

And I gotta say, ep 50 and Ash's team is pretty much complete with 6 mons, and since there is only Farfetch'd left to evolve (and that doesn't seems far from happening tbh), I can't help but feel like Ash might have a rotation team again in this series. Like, it's not IMPOSSIBLE for him to stay solely with those 6, but we still have what? 100-150 eps left? There HAS to be a new Pokemon in the writer's minds. Just hope they've learned their lesson with Unova and do this right, if they end up doing it, that is.

They're technically already doing it better, as Ash's captures are way more spaced out than in Unova.

 

[Sakuraa]

I tuned in just for the cute fossils and was not disappointed. I love Dracovish's derpy/jolliness and Acrctozolt is equally adorable.

 

[Enzo]

They're technically already doing it better, as Ash's captures are way more spaced out than in Unova.

But my biggest fear is that they repeat what was the biggest problem with Ash's rotation team in Unova: Not only did they pumped mon after mon, but they gave him too much to the point where no one got development. If they keep it spaced out like they are doing, and giving them their proper arcs, they will get it right imo.

But I think it's better to not get my hopes up and get dissapointed if anything goes wrong tho lol.

 

[nickdt]

Welp, another one of Ash's older mons who is eliminated from showing up.

 

[Ghost Diplocaulus]

Well, as expected the episode sidestepped the whole unethical science theme with the Galar fossils, though they did do a few nods to it like Goh's and Chloe's reactions to the reconstructions (Ash is a completely oblivious dummy as usual, lol), and I'm not exactly sure (since I watched the episode without subtitles), but I think it was implied that Cara Liss and Gattatsu were under the impression that Dracozolt and Arctovish were the "correct" ones? Because it seems like those were the ones they were actually trying to reconstruct before they accidentally swapped bones. I do admit the I would have wanted the episode to be less cowardly about this, though, especially since the past times Pokemon were created from a prehistoric base and heavily altered for the sake of Science™ it was portrayed negatively and had serious consequences for both the creations and the creators. The episode's plot could have ended, with, say, the kids discovering that Cara Liss and Gattatsu are phony frauds and exposing them, then deciding to keep Arctozolt and Dracovish because with how effed up their mere existence is and the fact that obviously Ash, Goh and Chloe wouldn't be the type to put a living creature out of its misery, might as well just make sure they live as comfortable a life as possible with their state.

I do like the fossils' personalities, though. Hopefully they don't get shunted into the background- okay, no, that's pure wishful thinking. At least for Arctozolt. Dracovish does have a decent shot at major roles due to being part of Ash's roster, especially now that finally the most underused one of the bunch is gonna get focus in the next episode, but the overall screentime of Ash's Pokemon is still very uneven: Dragonite and Gengar have only gotten bit parts recently, so it's kinda up in the air how Dracovish will fare. Still, now that Ash has this absolute unit of a murder machine, he's got zero excuse not to obliterate every other PWC participant into oblivion with Fishious Rend.

Finally, the fact that it was Eevee who encouraged Chloe to accompany Ash and Goh when she hesitated at first is a good sign: clearly this little one isn't content with just sitting around all day and actually wants to be more adventurous and proactive. Already this Eevee is doing wonders for Chloe, let's just hope that sticks.

 

[Daren]

Well, as expected the episode sidestepped the whole unethical science theme with the Galar fossils, though they did do a few nods to it like Goh's and Chloe's reactions to the reconstructions (Ash is a completely oblivious dummy as usual, lol), and I'm not exactly sure (since I watched the episode without subtitles), but I think it was implied that Cara Liss and Gattatsu were under the impression that Dracozolt and Arctovish were the "correct" ones? Because it seems like those were the ones they were actually trying to reconstruct before they accidentally swapped bones. I do admit the I would have wanted the episode to be less cowardly about this, though, especially since the past times Pokemon were created from a prehistoric base and heavily altered for the sake of Science™ it was portrayed negatively and had serious consequences for both the creations and the creators. The episode's plot could have ended, with, say, the kids discovering that Cara Liss and Gattatsu are phony frauds and exposing them, then deciding to keep Arctozolt and Dracovish because with how effed up their mere existence is and the fact that obviously Ash, Goh and Chloe wouldn't be the type to put a living creature out of its misery, might as well just make sure they live as comfortable a life as possible with their state.

I have a theory about the inconsistency,: Mewtwo and Genesect are pre-existing in the games; the games can even describe Mewtwo's creation as "horrific". The player capturing him is a way to help him live a happier life with an actual friend.

Conversely, the player is creating the Galar fossils themselves. The writers may not have wanted to influence the young audience against using the new Pokémon in-game.

 

[Lanstar]

Dracovish in this episode is a very wholesome take on the Pokemon: It is completely unaware of how it was a miscreated monster, and just lives and acts like how it wants to, as if it was meant to be designed the way it was. It sounds artifical on paper, yet it's weirdly natural in animated practice. Thus, it's strangely heartwarming as a result.