Review JN053: Catch the Legend!? Find the Guardian of Water - Suicune!!

[90'sPokéfan]

He stilled showed selfishness since he thought the best way to save Suicune was to capture it instead of thinking of a better plan to free it from the ropes. Like IDK...haveing Cinderace use a move to break the ropes?

A better plan? Just trowing a pokéball was the best plan I think. It reminded me also a little bit now Ash saved Cyndaquil way back in Jotho. Or Brock and his Pinecone.

Even if Suicune escaped from the pokéball, it was free from the nets. (And as a bonus in the case of Suicune, multiple pokémon have shown to leave their pokéball at their own will over the years, so yeah... It's not 100% a prison even if it's bound to the pokéball.)

This is in want something that bothered me in the past. "Oh no, our Pokémon are captured in a net or a cage... How can we ever free them?"

I think I would just had done the same thing as Goh... In the worst case, Suicune was stil injured in front of the poachers/hunters, but it would be free from the net/ropes.

 

[Black&White]

Of course Goh caught Suicune. He already caught Eternatus why are you guys surprised?

 

[Gard81]

I'm conflicted about this episode. On the one hand, I was always in favor of tearing down the notion that Legendaries are these uncatchable creatures that can never form a bond with a main character. It's one of the few things I can praise Sun/Moon for, with Melmetal and (maybe?) Naganadel. On the other hand, what really irks me about Goh catching Suicune is basically the same as the problem I have with him catching so many. In that, they feel more like checkpoints for him to reach his goal, rather than companions that aid him.

 

[SlyGecko]

A better plan? Just trowing a pokéball was the best plan I think. It reminded me also a little bit now Ash saved Cyndaquil way back in Jotho. Or Brock and his Pinecone.

Even if Suicune escaped from the pokéball, it was free from the nets. (And as a bonus in the case of Suicune, multiple pokémon have shown to leave their pokéball at their own will over the years, so yeah... It's not 100% a prison even if it's bound to the pokéball.)

This is in want something that bothered me in the past. "Oh no, our Pokémon are captured in a net or a cage... How can we ever free them?"

I think I would just had done the same thing as Goh... In the worst case, Suicune was stil injured in front of the poachers/hunters, but it would be free from the net/ropes.

Destroying the hunters gear is a far better plan then chucking a pokeball at it. Hunters could still recapture it if it breaks of the ball.

 

[JeoDude]

Very conflicted about this episode..
I didn't enjoy the capture, it reminded me more of how Sobble (how convenient he was in this episode) was catched. Throwing one pokeball with little effort and succeeding, I didn't like that, especially with a legendary. I can see numerous videos where people try to do the same thing as Go, catching Suicune with 1 pokeball. I would have preferred he caught him similar to the Zapdos battle, I knew this wasn't going to happen but this felt very meh to me.
The second half of the episode was really enjoyable in my opinion, animation kicked in and the ost went well with the situations. Also, the caring side of Go got some nice showing, which was a continuation of the last episode. Pretty enjoyable standalone episode, but pretty awkward when you judge this episode within a series that exists for 23 years with a lot of strong characters without having a legendary pokemon.
First part of the episode 4/10
Second part of the episode 8/10

 

[LuxrayOfTheWild]

Really...REALLY hated this episode. They could have easily taken on these thugs and chased them away, but the immediate thought was let's give Goh a Legendary. This is feeling more and more like some fanfiction with a gary stu protagonist.

He tried to release it, but suddenly its like nope its still Goh's, Suicune can do whatever and run free, but Suicune is now Goh's officially and he can fight with Suicune whenever. This is another huge problem I have with Goh and his goal. So Pokemon are just another benchmark for him that he can catch willy nilly rather than a new companion? And now this officially includes Legendary Pokemon? Goh was a huge mistake.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Goh was a huge mistake.

Opinions on Goh have their own dedicated thread.

 

[GrookeyFan77]

Opinions on Goh have their own dedicated thread.

Where?

 

[Eitarou]

He stilled showed selfishness since he thought the best way to save Suicune was to capture it instead of thinking of a better plan to free it from the ropes. Like IDK...haveing Cinderace use a move to break the ropes?

That sounds like a great way to get Suicune possibly injured even further. Maybe to the point of outright fainting.

 

[Kurolegacy]

Where?

And how is it not on fire by this point?

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Where?

Can't remember exactly, since I don't use it myself. Sorry.

 

[DarkraiKnight]

Really...REALLY hated this episode. They could have easily taken on these thugs and chased them away, but the immediate thought was let's give Goh a Legendary. This is feeling more and more like some fanfiction with a gary stu protagonist.

He tried to release it, but suddenly its like nope its still Goh's, Suicune can do whatever and run free, but Suicune is now Goh's officially and he can fight with Suicune whenever. This is another huge problem I have with Goh and his goal. So Pokemon are just another benchmark for him that he can catch willy nilly rather than a new companion? And now this officially includes Legendary Pokemon? Goh was a huge mistake.

Okay, I really don’t know why I care enough to reply to this, but...

1) Suicune IS whatever it wants. It let Goh catch it, but after they got to the Lab, it went back to roaming the world. Goh IS technically Suicune’s Trainer, but it’s not staying at the Lab, so it’s not at his beck and call.

2) That entire spiel about Goh seeing his new Pokémon only as benchmarks or collectibles is BS; maybe that’s how it was earlier in the series, but not now. Look at how he acted in this episode AND the previous one, and then rethink what you just said.

 

[Kurolegacy]

That sounds like a great way to get Suicune possibly injured even further. Maybe to the point of outright fainting.

How exactly? Ash has had Pikachu use moves like Iron Tail to break bindings in the past. What makes this any different?

 

[Eitarou]

How exactly? Ash has had Pikachu use moves like Iron Tail to break bindings in the past. What makes this any different?

Kicking a fireball at someone vs using what is essentially a knife. Knife wins. Cinderace doesn't exactly have the best moveset for this specific purpose.

 

[LuxrayOfTheWild]

How exactly? Ash has had Pikachu use moves like Iron Tail to break bindings in the past. What makes this any different?

Yeah we've seen this done before without any harm being done. It could have been used here easily.

 

[Unireon]

I say that it could've been both better and worse.
Better:
*If Gou didn't catch Suicune before bonding with it. Like many said, destroying what was holding Suicune or defeating the hunters then it runs away and Gou goes after it. Gou helps it and earns his trust. At the end Suicune decides to get caught.
*They should have shown Sleep's capture, at least the Ball clicking instead of a crude montage.
Worse:
*The capture goes as it is, but immediately Gou commands Suicune and uses it to beat the hunters.
*The bonding scenes being rushed or generic.
*Gou not offering Suicune a choice to leave.

The one thing that irks me is the inclusion of Satoshi.
He didn't add anything, just reacts to the sudden capture and doesn't accomplish anything in dealing with the hunters.
This could've worked better as a Gou solo episode. Everything would be the same in narrative.

 

[El Squibbonator]

Opinions on Goh have their own dedicated thread.

Can you direct me to said thread? I have a lot to say about this episode, but most of it would likely go there.

 

[GrookeyFan77]

doesn't accomplish anything in dealing with the hunters.

He buys Goh time to get away from them.

 

[SlyGecko]

I say that it could've been both better and worse.
Better:
*If Gou didn't catch Suicune before bonding with it. Like many said, destroying what was holding Suicune or defeating the hunters then it runs away and Gou goes after it. Gou helps it and earns his trust. At the end Suicune decides to get caught.
*They should have shown Sleep's capture, at least the Ball clicking instead of a crude montage.
Worse:
*The capture goes as it is, but immediately Gou commands Suicune and uses it to beat the hunters.
*The bonding scenes being rushed or generic.
*Gou not offering Suicune a choice to leave.

The one thing that irks me is the inclusion of Satoshi.
He didn't add anything, just reacts to the sudden capture and doesn't accomplish anything in dealing with the hunters.
This could've worked better as a Gou solo episode. Everything would be the same in narrative.

I think a good thing that could of worked would be Goh saving Suicune and choosing to give up on trying to catch it until he knows he's ready too. It would show that he still has ways before he's ready and still has to learn the best ways to catch legendaries.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Can you direct me to said thread? I have a lot to say about this episode, but most of it would likely go there.

I don't remember where it is, bu swiftgallade should know, I think.

I think a good thing that could of worked would be Goh saving Suicune and choosing to give up on trying to catch it until he knows he's ready too. It would show that he still has ways before he's ready and still has to learn the best ways to catch legendaries.

Whether he's ready or not is pretty much an opinion at this point.