Review JN063: Challenge! Pokémon Marine Athletics!!

[VetProf]

Something I found to be quite funny in this episode was the juxtaposition between Dracovish trying its best to break through the rocks with its Water Gun, and Eevee (a non-Water type) firing an entire Hydro Pump using Copycat.

Anyway, there's not much I can say about this episode that others haven't said already. Dracovish got to do something for the very first time since it was caught, Koharu and her Eevee got more development, and Gou's Dewgong helped to create conflict in this episode by squabbling with wild Pokemon so that Team Rocket wouldn't need to be hamfisted into the plot via the usual "oh hey, a competition, let's crash it to create conflict" trope. So yeah, I'd say this was a pretty solid and enjoyable episode.

 

[KenzeyEevee]

The whole Eeveelution things gets boring veeeery fast even as an Eevee fan myself. So she will meet all 8 Eeveelutions? Is that her goal?

 

[ehh123]

This was a slice of life episode at it's best.

 

[GrookeyFan77]

I just realised this episode confirmed Dracovish used Water Gun

 

[BigDocFan]

Full VA list for this episode

Rica Matsumoto: Satoshi
Daiki Yamashita: Go
Ikue Ohtani: Pikachu
Kana Hanazawa: Koharu
Yuichi Nakamura: Professor Sakuragi
Inuko Inuyama: Wanpachi
Yuji Ueda: Jugon
Kei Shindo: Eievui
Hana Takeda: Sarunori
KENN: Kairi
Sayaka Senbongi: Kikuna
Noriaki Kanze: Renji
Daisuke Namikawa: Koharu's Smartphone Rotom
Marina Aicholtz: Go's Smartphone Rotom
Kenyu Horiuchi: Narration

No VA for Dracovish this, pity

 

[Johtohfiller]

+ good Koharu episode
+ finally something for Dracovish
- could have used Team Rocket

 

[KrspaceT]

I watched the episode subbed, and I don’t remember him insulting his Pokémon.

Word to the wise; Twilight-kun is a force for chaos. Whenever he says something, take it with a grain of salt, because it’s likely exaggerated or untrue.

Is that Vinyl Shadow? Beware if he is, he is the scourge of Spacebattles and a Impdimp in human form.

 

[Adelon]

I feel cheated that Swampert had no real role here. First time it shows up in a decade and a half and its treated as if it were just another water type.

 

[KrspaceT]

Do appreciate seeing Goh struggle and fail.....

And no, I didn't see any of Ash's behaviors with Dracovish seem off.

Fun fact quite a few of those other racers were also in the Miltoic episode.

 

[Queen Cynthia]

I'd say this was an episode primarily focusing on Chloe. Ash and Go had their fair share but it was clear from the beginning the plot would mainly revolve around Eevee and her trainer.

Actually, I was expecting the episode to be all about the race but it was more of a "psychological episode" focusing on the question how to make a decision and choosing one's path. While in general that isn't a bad thing, I would have preferred if we had seen a bit more action.

As for the question whether Ash was mean to Dracovish:

Boy I sure like how Ash insulted Pikachu and Dracovish for failing at something they're not suited for.

Tell us how you really feel about the anime poster child, writers.

I agree it wasn't the typical behavior that we're used to seeing from Ash. However, I'm pretty sure the writers want to make Dracovish the "clown" of Ash's team (a bit like Oshawott) who shouldn't be taken all that seriously. Yes, you could argue whether or not this is mean, but compare the way Dracovish is handled with the seriousness and depth they treated, for example, Riolu or Greninja. In my eyes, it becomes pretty clear what Dracovish's role might be in the future.

On last issue: Who has won the race? Apart from the fact that the race only played a minor part anyway, I think neither Go nor Ash won. Go's Pokemon deliberately left the course and didn't finish the race, while Ash' Pokemon wasn't able to ring the bell. So, even if Ash managed to cross the finish line first, I guess he would have been disqualified or would have lost points.

All in all, a solid episode. Although there wasn't that much going on, I made me curious to see how they'll introduce the remaining seven Eeveelutions. Itmight turn out to be a nice little subplot.

 

[nickdt]

I have to say, this episode was quite fun, didn't expect that. Dewgong with its usual antics gave it a own page on the wiki as well and that Huntail was abnormally strong lol.

Koharu wanting to let Eevee decide what she evolves into, although i could understand Kairi's reasoning for evolving his Eevee into Vaporeon as well.

Lol at Goh failing to catch a Gorebyss with the Pokeball floating to the surface when he tried to use it underwater. I guess you should have used a Dive Ball Goh, that one would have stayed under, its called a Dive Ball for a reason.

 

[Twilight-Kun]

Who has won the race?

Ash did, on account of Go's pokemon running off to "save" gorebyss

 

[Vulpes Incarnatus]

Ash did, on account of Go's pokemon running off to "save" gorebyss

Idk if the Red flag indicates finale instead of the usual Checkered flag, but if it does then Ash and Dracovish crossed it together so I guess he won?

 

[Lightning Flame Blast]

This episode was shockingly good. Lots of character interactions that bounced off well with each other, more nice development for Chloe’s budding adventurous side and Eevee’s maturing, a fairly unique conflict, all wrapped up nicely.

Rarely can I say every main cast pokemon was cute in an episode, but this is one of them. Eevee, Grookey and Pikachu being excitable and having fun in the water, Dewgong’s goofy Brock-esque personality being oddly endearing and Dracovish being far more adorable than a giant dead eyed shark head glued to a tail with legs has any right to be (and it even got its own badass moment the other pokemon couldn’t have accomplished on their own).

Overall, great episode!

 

[Yuukii]

It's been 3000 years... I forgot what it was like to have the main cast and their Pokemon actually interact. This series desperately needs more interactions between the Pokemon. That alone made this one of my favourite episodes of this series.

 

[Craiden]

Oh, also of note (though this is common with PM 2019) 2 of the kids from the episode 31 competition were also in this race, that was really cool to see.

 

[Vulpes Incarnatus]

Whoever thought up the Ooo-Laa-LAA for Dracovish deserves a raise.