Preview JN065: Dragon Battle! Satoshi VS Iris!!

[Silktree]

That's not being a Champion.

It's still an option since it was enough for Ash to be titled the Alola Champion (yes, I know that Alola lacked an Elite Four in the anime), we only have one sentence to work with (climbing to the championship could just mean that she's ready for the Unova Champion league) and that article isn't quite an official source. It really boils down to whether or not Ash is supposed to win. The Unova Champion should not be far behind Leon, so Ash isn't ready for Iris if she really is that strong now.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

It's still an option since it was enough for Ash to be titled the Alola Champion (yes, I know that Alola lacked an Elite Four in the anime), we only have one sentence to work with (climbing to the championship could just mean that she's ready for the Unova Champion league) and that article isn't quite an official source. It really boils down to whether or not Ash is supposed to win. The Unova Champion should not be far behind Leon, so Ash isn't ready for Iris if she really is that strong now.

The Japanese text explicitly mentions the word "Champion". And winning a tournament alone isn't enough to become a Champion outside of Alola.

 

[Silktree]

The Japanese text explicitly mentions the word "Champion". And winning a tournament alone isn't enough to become a Champion outside of Alola.

Championship. Leon is the only one explicitly called a Champion.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Championship. Leon is the only one explicitly called a Champion.

Every region has a Champion. And, as I said, the page mentions the word "Champion" when referring to Iris.

 

[Hidden Mew]

I have mixed feelings on the notion of Iris becoming the Champion. On one hand, it would show how much she has grown off-screen since the end of her special. But on the other hand, I think that it would feel kind of forced. Within the context of the anime, she would have had to defeat eight Gym Leaders, win the Unova League and win the Champion League in order to become the new Champion. I just think being able to do all of that off-screen would be too much, especially when she wasn't even interested in becoming a Gym Leader.

Maybe they can offer an explanation that works for me or her skills during her battle with Ash might make it feel more justified, but it just seems like going a bit too far if they do want to make her the new Unova Champion.

 

[Vulpes Incarnatus]

Don't be overly optimistic about Iris being a Champion and jump the gun.

Within the context of the anime, she would have had to defeat eight Gym Leaders, win the Unova League and win the Champion League in order to become the new Champion. I just think being able to do all of that off-screen would be too much, especially when she wasn't even interested in becoming a Gym Leader.

This. Too much off screen development and 'tell not show' would be needed to make Iris a Champion in title. It's also disrespectful to Alder given how poorly and underwhelmingly Alder was used in BW, like some sort of knock-off Jiraiya.

 

[Beary]

if they making goh op then I could care less for iris to be champion

 

[swiftgallade46]

I definitely do not want Iris to be a Champion now lol. She never even expressed interest in the Gym Challenge much less the entire League. And now we’re supposed to believe she did all of this without telling Ash even once? Yeah, I doubt it.

 

[Unireon]

I agree.
The whole thing seems very forced.

And I think it's so soon to face a Champion.

 

[GrookeyFan77]

I hope she is a gym leader but not champion

 

[Schemer99]

I have mixed feelings on the notion of Iris becoming the Champion. On one hand, it would show how much she has grown off-screen since the end of her special. But on the other hand, I think that it would feel kind of forced. Within the context of the anime, she would have had to defeat eight Gym Leaders, win the Unova League and win the Champion League in order to become the new Champion. I just think being able to do all of that off-screen would be too much, especially when she wasn't even interested in becoming a Gym Leader.

Maybe they can offer an explanation that works for me or her skills during her battle with Ash might make it feel more justified, but it just seems like going a bit too far if they do want to make her the new Unova Champion.

In the Pokemon Eevee games, Brock said that Gym Leaders can challenge the Champion whenever they want. Maybe offscreen Iris briefly replaced Drayden and beat Alder.

 

[Kurolegacy]

I don’t particularly care about the result for the Dracovish battle, but I’ll riot if Ash’s Dragonite doesn’t win. It’s more personable and from what I’ve heard Iris’ dragonite was pretty strong so it seems like a good way to knock a peg down tje Pokémon with anger issues. Iris’ dragonite will probably think Ash’s is an easy target.

I’d say that it’s up in the air on this one. While I’d like to see Ash’s Dragonite win, Ash’s is still young while Iris’ is much more experienced and has been with Iris while she trained under Clair and as she advanced to where she is now so it’s bound to have experience fighting other dragons.

 

[Reborn Talonflame]

I’d say that it’s up in the air on this one. While I’d like to see Ash’s Dragonite win, Ash’s is still young while Iris’ is much more experienced and has been with Iris while she trained under Clair and as she advanced to where she is now so it’s bound to have experience fighting other dragons.

Unless Dracovish does some damage, which judging by the special preview, looks to be the case.

 

[Hidden Mew]

In the Pokemon Eevee games, Brock said that Gym Leaders can challenge the Champion whenever they want. Maybe offscreen Iris briefly replaced Drayden and beat Alder.

We don't know if that's the case for Gym Leaders in the anime though. It would be more believable than Iris going through the Unova League and Champion League by comparison, but it would still feel too forced for my tastes.

 

[skiittylalis]

while everyone else argues about if iris is actually champion or not, am i the only one whos crying in the club seeing how damn happy pikachu is to see iris in those preview screenshots?? like hooray for dracovish existing and dragonite battle but man those images have turned my heart into soup HE LOOKS SO EXCITED TO SEE HER AGAIN AND IRIS LOOKS HAPPY TOO I CANT DO THIS I MISS THE COZY UNOVA GANG SO MUCH

also would rather the champion outfit be a cute outfit instead of her actually being champion bc i didnt really like how "forced" iris as champion felt in bw2 thus i would feel the same way in the anime but uuuuuuh she cute

 

[Ghost Diplocaulus]

Me personally, I'm just glad to see Iris in her Champion outfit regardless of if she actually is Champion or not. I personally don't think it's very likely, though. The princess dress fits really well with her being a Dragon-type trainer.

 

[Islander Princess]

Idc if Iris is the champion or not, she looks AMAZING in that outfit! Her champion design is one of my favorite of all time and I never thought they would adapt it in the anime. My jaw literally dropped when I first saw the stills, Iris is so pretty

Why give her champ chlotes while we saw her wearing normal clothes in preview

The champion clothes are probably for champion/gym leader/battle duties (whatever she's currently up to) and her normal clothes are still her normal clothes. I think it's pretty refreshing to actually see a character change their outfit! I can't really take Leon seriously running around in a freaking king's cape everywhere, lol.

 

[Daren]

Glad to see Dracovish is getting a battle. I suppose that means we're getting two on two.

I can't really take Leon seriously running around in a freaking king's cape everywhere, lol.

I assure you, if I owned a cape looking like royalty I would wear it everywhere socially acceptable, and possibly a flew places it isn't.

 

[Ghost Diplocaulus]

I'm pretty sure Leon is required to wear that cape everywhere anyways, since that's where all the logos of the companies who sponsor him are stamped He gotta be advertising them always like a walking billboard. Also, remember that when you fight Leon the first thing he does is take that cape off, so I assume it probably is somewhat uncomfortable to wear. Poor guy must have been like "Finally! An excuse to take this load off!"

 

[BNSF1995]

Of course Iris is the champion. She's wearing her B2W2 outfit now.

On a side note, it's nice to see the anime acknowledge B2W2. Maybe we'll also see Bianca in her B2W2 outfit (and probably crashing into Ash and knocking him into a conveniently-placed body of water).