Preview JN058: Panic! Gokulin Ball!! / Come on, Kamukame - The Turtle Race!

[El Squibbonator]

Yes. That. I miss when they had Pokémon of their own.

 

[Kurolegacy]

Yes. That. I miss when they had Pokémon of their own.

Between the handling of Go’s captures and that gatcha machine, it’s genuinely worrying that the writers seem more concerned with Pokémon appearing than them actually being characters. Even weirder when it followed SM where the Pokémon were family.

 

[R1ke]

Guys we've had like 5 major episodes happen almost back-to-back recently. I don't think one filler episode is the end of the world. It's not a big deal.

 

[Beatsy Ray]

Just imagine this

Ash vs Gary is the first battle in Hyper Class.

I hope Ash loses to Gary, solidifying him as a proper PWC rival.

 

[Kurolegacy]

Guys we've had like 5 major episodes happen almost back-to-back recently. I don't think one filler episode is the end of the world. It's not a big deal.

It’s not that it’s a filler episode that people are complaining about. Fillers are a natural part of Pokémon after all. It’s more so that it’s another of these low quality 2-in-1 fillers. Also doesn’t help that at this point the writers are just taunting the audience about Grookey especially since it was in the first quarter preview yet no matter how many episode titles that are released, there’s still no sign of it.

 

[jbmasta]

Yea, I don’t get why they don’t use these episodes to give us some character work rather than turning the series into a gag show. Hell, they could even use these episodes to actually present the Pokémon at Sakuragi Park as more than just glorified background.

There was an episode, I think from Chronicles, which was about Bulbasaur acting as peacemaker for the Pokemon Ash had at Professor Oak's lab during a crisis.

It’s not that it’s a filler episode that people are complaining about. Fillers are a natural part of Pokémon after all. It’s more so that it’s another of these low quality 2-in-1 fillers. Also doesn’t help that at this point the writers are just taunting the audience about Grookey especially since it was in the first quarter preview yet no matter how many episode titles that are released, there’s still no sign of it.

And the fact they're usually played for comedy rather than fleshing out the recurring cast and Go's large roster of Pokemon at the lab. The Slowking segment was painful.

 

[R1ke]

It’s not that it’s a filler episode that people are complaining about. Fillers are a natural part of Pokémon after all. It’s more so that it’s another of these low quality 2-in-1 fillers. Also doesn’t help that at this point the writers are just taunting the audience about Grookey especially since it was in the first quarter preview yet no matter how many episode titles that are released, there’s still no sign of it.

But this is nothing out of the ordinary. The previous 2-in-1 episodes were both followed by major story events, like the farfetch'd capture and DD arc. So there's a good chance that Grookey will show up in episode 59. If anything, this should be an indication that something big is happening soon, as these episodes tend to be the calm before the storm. Besides, the gap between episodes 26 and 41 was 15 episodes, and the gap between episodes 41 and 58 is 17 episodes. Hence given the pattern, we should've been expecting another one to show up around this time since it's clear this is a trend for the series.

I get wanting to see Grookey show up, but just be patient right now. It's not like they've just been screwing around these past few episodes. Farfetch'd/Sobble got their focus, Chloe's getting her development and Grookey will get his long-awaited debut soon enough.

 

[LuxrayOfTheWild]

But this is nothing out of the ordinary. The previous 2-in-1 episodes were both followed by major story events, like the farfetch'd capture and DD arc. So there's a good chance that Grookey will show up in episode 59. If anything, this should be an indication that something big is happening soon, as these episodes tend to be the calm before the storm. Besides, the gap between episodes 26 and 41 was 15 episodes, and the gap between episodes 41 and 58 is 17 episodes. Hence given the pattern, we should've been expecting another one to show up around this time since it's clear this is a trend for the series.

I get wanting to see Grookey show up, but just be patient right now. It's not like they've just been screwing around these past few episodes. Farfetch'd/Sobble got their focus, Chloe's getting her development and Grookey will get his long-awaited debut soon enough.

It doesn't help that people are frustrated the writers waited well over a year for Grookey to even appear. People were just as frustrated that they waited several months for Sobble to debut. Most series have the starters debut in the first few episodes, and even though this isn't a Galar focused series, it doesn't change the fact that this is a very unusual choice for the writers to not have all of what are essentially the mascots for the generation debut in the first month.

And that as far as fillers go, these 2-in-1's have been dreadful. Worse than normal fillers. I still can't get over how horrible that Slowking segemt was....It felt like one overly long, annoying, and extremely repetitive gag.

 

[jbmasta]

And that as far as fillers go, these 2-in-1's have been dreadful. Worse than normal fillers. I still can't get over how horrible that Slowking segemt was....It felt like one overly long, annoying, and extremely repetitive gag.

And Ash and Go looking like body builders in the Magikarp jump segemnt just before that is one of those kill it with fire images. Those ten year old heads on the swollen muscled torsos is just wrong.

 

[Enzo]

It doesn't help that people are frustrated the writers waited well over a year for Grookey to even appear. People were just as frustrated that they waited several months for Sobble to debut. Most series have the starters debut in the first few episodes, and even though this isn't a Galar focused series, it doesn't change the fact that this is a very unusual choice for the writers to not have all of what are essentially the mascots for the generation debut in the first month.

And that as far as fillers go, these 2-in-1's have been dreadful. Worse than normal fillers. I still can't get over how horrible that Slowking segemt was....It felt like one overly long, annoying, and extremely repetitive gag.

Pokemon has always been an pretty ''gag heavy'' series, but holy **** do they know how run it to the ground to the point where it's PAINFUL.

 

[R1ke]

It doesn't help that people are frustrated the writers waited well over a year for Grookey to even appear. People were just as frustrated that they waited several months for Sobble to debut. Most series have the starters debut in the first few episodes, and even though this isn't a Galar focused series, it doesn't change the fact that this is a very unusual choice for the writers to not have all of what are essentially the mascots for the generation debut in the first month.

I'm sure Grookey would've shown up a lot sooner if Ash wasn't capturing so many old gen pokemon this series. Lucario's focus ended after episode 48 and now they're just focusing on Farfetch'd. Giving him Grookey until now wouldn't have been a good choice imo, because it would've further caused his pokemon to get shafted, or just get shafted itself. And in a traditional series, he wouldn't even have had a full party by now. He honestly didn't need another galar pokemon when his previous one has barely done anything until recently.

The writers couldn't even balance Farfetch'd and Riolu together. I'm fairly confident that Grookey would've also been screwed over if he showed up earlier. If they can only develop one pokemon at a time (for whatever reason), I'd much rather wait for these guys to develop properly then have it debut later, rather than cramming another pokemon he honestly didn't need at that point.

 

[Reborn Talonflame]

The writers couldn't even balance Farfetch'd and Riolu together. I'm fairly confident that Grookey would've also been screwed over if he showed up earlier. If they can only develop one pokemon at a time (for whatever reason), I'd much rather wait for these guys to develop properly then have it debut later, rather than cramming another pokemon he honestly didn't need at that point.

This reminds me of B&W, but worse on some terms. I was always concerned when Ash had seven Pokemon before the third gym, because there were three, maybe four, Pokemon that didn’t get any development, one downside of B&W, but this is probably on even footing. Journeys general “development” for Riolu was just...to evolve. That’s it. In a similar fashion, TR’s Pokemon were generally forgotten in B&W, and the it’s happening again. Chewtle deserves an episode to itself, Morpeko hasn’t even gotten a proper episode (that eating episode doesn’t really class as a Morpeko episode) and it’s poor. The least they could have done is introduce Nessa to TR’s Chewtle.

 

[GrookeyFan77]

BW's Ash Pokémon were thrash, most of them get less than 20 episodes of screentime.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

BW's Ash Pokémon were thrash, most of them get less than 20 episodes of screentime.

Palpitoad definitely got the worst treatment of the bunch. It deserved more.

 

[GrookeyFan77]

Palpitoad definitely got the worst treatment of the bunch. It deserved more.

Yeah. Poor thing, It didn't deserve only 8 episodes I actually like Seismitoad.
Here is Ash's Unova Pokémon by screentime.
Oshawott 82 EPs
Pignite 57 EPs
Snivy 45 EPs
Scraggy 31 EPs
Unfezant 27 EPs
Krookodile 20 EPs
Boldore 17 EPs
Leavanny 15 EPs
Palpitoad 8 EPs
Oshawott is the only Pokémon with good screentime. Pignite and Snivy are starters, and even they got a low amount of screentime! They would get 70 episodes in other series. Scraggy debutted early, It should have gotten more screentime. Unfezant got WAAAY too less screentime considering Staraptor had more than 100 EPs and the other birds got more than 70. Krookodile got 20 EPs which is PATHETIC for an ace. Boldore and Leavanny didn't get 20 episodes, which is sad considering Boldore had potential and Leavanny managed to do sooo well in it's minimal screentime. And don't even get me started on Palpitoad.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Oshawott is the only Pokémon with good screentime. Pignite and Snivy are starters, and even they got a low amount of screentime! They would get 70 episodes in other series. Scraggy debutted early, It should have gotten more screentime. Unfezant got WAAAY too less screentime considering Staraptor had more than 100 EPs and the other birds got more than 70. Krookodile got 20 EPs which is PATHETIC for an ace. Boldore and Leavanny didn't get 20 episodes, which is sad considering Boldore had potential and Leavanny managed to do sooo well in it's minimal screentime. And don't even get me started on Palpitoad.

Leavanny and Krookodile are actually my favorites of the bunch, not counting the starters, of which I only really liked Snivy. Pignite tried to copy Charizard too hard (and I'm personally not a big fan of the Tepig line in general) and Oshawott was just annoying.

 

[GrookeyFan77]

Leavanny and Krookodile are actually my favorites of the bunch, not counting the starters.

Mine too, just put Oshawott between them when starters count.

 

[JinksChow]

For the second half of the episode, I really hope James is the one who enters and, more importantly, actually wins.

The last time James came first in a competition is over 10 years ago, when he stood in for Jessie in a Pokemon Contest (DP146). If we only count competitions where he was competing for himself, then we have to go back more than 15 years to when he won at Pokemon Orienteering (AG159). At least Jessie got to win a Showcase onscreen in XY101, which was *checks Bulbapedia* more than 5 years ago?!

Ok, I'm gonna slightly change my original statement: just let a member of TRio win in this competition. It's been way too long since they got to win at something.

 

[GrookeyFan77]

Summary from Dephender:
"Panic! Gokulin Balls!!"
The Rocket Gang has been having so much fun they've all fallen asleep. Just then a Pelipper shows up and starts turning the crank on their capsule vending machine Rocket Gachat, causing it to dispense one Gokulin after another. Panic breaks out as the Gokulin's Ability "Sticky Hold" makes both Satoshi, Go and all the Pokémon in town get stuck together...?
"Come On, Kamukame Turtle Race!"
When Nyarth and Sonansu wake up, they find themselves facing a somewhat menacing Kamukame and Naetle. A fierce race between these two somewhat similar-looking Pokémon now begins!

Screenplay 赤尾でこ (Deko Akao)
Storyboard 湯山邦彦 (Kunihiko Yuyama)
Episode Director 上野史博 (Fumihiro Ueno)
Animation Director 篠原隆 (Takashi Shinohara)

Good News! The Gatcha might get destroyed! Also Team Rocket did too much partying.

 

[Reborn Talonflame]

For the second half of the episode, I really hope James is the one who enters and, more importantly, actually wins.

The last time James came first in a competition is over 10 years ago, when he stood in for Jessie in a Pokemon Contest (DP146). If we only count competitions where he was competing for himself, then we have to go back more than 15 years to when he won at Pokemon Orienteering (AG159). At least Jessie got to win a Showcase onscreen in XY101, which was *checks Bulbapedia* more than 5 years ago?!

Ok, I'm gonna slightly change my original statement: just let a member of TRio win in this competition. It's been way too long since they got to win at something.

And to think, he only won that contest against Dawn because Mamoswine wouldn’t listen to her.

Summary from Dephender:
"Panic! Gokulin Balls!!"
The Rocket Gang has been having so much fun they've all fallen asleep. Just then a Pelipper shows up and starts turning the crank on their capsule vending machine Rocket Gachat, causing it to dispense one Gokulin after another. Panic breaks out as the Gokulin's Ability "Sticky Hold" makes both Satoshi, Go and all the Pokémon in town get stuck together...?
"Come On, Kamukame Turtle Race!"
When Nyarth and Sonansu wake up, they find themselves facing a somewhat menacing Kamukame and Naetle. A fierce race between these two somewhat similar-looking Pokémon now begins!

Screenplay 赤尾でこ (Deko Akao)
Storyboard 湯山邦彦 (Kunihiko Yuyama)
Episode Director 上野史博 (Fumihiro Ueno)
Animation Director 篠原隆 (Takashi Shinohara)

Good News! The Gatcha might get destroyed!

Why does the Gatcha machine, a very powerful device employed to members of TR to do evil biddings, have Pokemon like Gyardos, Tyranitar, Beatric, and so on...yet has multiple Gulpin. I get it has Hondour, and un-evolved Pokemon like that, but who in TR decided, hey! Let’s breed/steal/capture loads of Swalot/Gulpin instead of dozens of Tyranitars!

Good News! The Gatcha might get destroyed! Also Team Rocket did too much partying.

All it really says is that Ash and Goh get stuck with the other Pokemon in town, not anything about TR’s base, where I assume the Gatcha is, being compromised.