Review JN068: A Rival for Go!? The Road to Mew!!

[BigDocFan]

Really enjoyed this episode, the return of Gary and many of Ash's older Pokemon, I do wish they'd given Ash's older Pokemon more screen time

Glad that Tracey got a mention, his first since BW142, what was said of him?

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

The amount of flashbacks and continuity was a really pleasant surprise. The Paul and Tracey cameos especially caught me off-guard, in a pleasant way.

 

[90'sPokéfan]

I think (but I'm not sure) Oak is saying Tracey is looking for Infernape. If true I hope Oak will contact him Infernape is back.

 

[Ricbolog]

Does anyone know any good image from today's episode that could replace Gary's BW fantasy in his Bulbapedia page?

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Does anyone know any good image from today's episode that could replace Gary's BW fantasy in his Bulbapedia page?

It'll be done once we have a good quality version of the episode availabe. Should happen within the next 12 hours.

 

[90'sPokéfan]

Oh, and I forgot, but the melody/background music that played when we saw Gary for the first time this episode. I know it is a piece introduced in the OS/Kanto, but it is I think a long time ago it was used in the series.

 

[BigDocFan]

I think (but I'm not sure) Oak is saying Tracey is looking for Infernape. If true I hope Oak will contact him Infernape is back.

Tracey returns to Oak's lab, exhausted

Tracey: Sorry Professor, I couldn't find Infernape, I hope Ash wasn't too... (Sees Infernape) Could you not call me!?

 

[KrspaceT]

Won't lie, this episode almost looks like the reverse of a Ash episode with too much Goh: Goh seemed prime to have a ton of focus by title and stuff and Ash got a ton of it instead.

....Might just be reading it too deeply. But it is named for Goh's goal, not Ash's goals.

 

[Paulisthebest]

Would've been a sight to see Infernape use Blaze during that battle against the legendary rubber chicken. Not thinking it would've faired much better, but Ash-Greninja took out a 4x resistant Mega Sceptile with a water move so HAHA

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

I thought it was nice that Goh's capture of Suicune was acknowledged for the first time since it had happened. If I'm not mistaken, that was what made Professor Oak tell about Project Mew to Ash and Goh.

 

[L-05308]

I’m obviously annoyed that half of Ash’s Pokémon didn’t appear, but this was a great episode - the battle with Moltres and Gary’s return were amazing.

Cameos from Tracey and Paul, albeit fantasy/flashback, gives me a tiny bit of hope that we’ll see non-game characters makes a return!

 

[Craiden]

Won't lie, this episode almost looks like the reverse of a Ash episode with too much Goh: Goh seemed prime to have a ton of focus by title and stuff and Ash got a ton of it instead.

....Might just be reading it too deeply. But it is named for Goh's goal, not Ash's goals.

That's somewhat fair, but I will say, this episode did a fine job focusing on Gou's perspective here, something people probably wish for Ash more (and I can get that, but feel it isn't necessarily "needed").

 

[Handy Man]

Is it just me, or are all of the callbacks not very surprising at this point? We’ve had characters like Korrina, Chuck, Iris, and the Alola cast appear earlier. Journeys also has had the most callbacks in general by far since Diamond & Pearl. I’m actually expecting that all previous traveling companions will appear at some point throughout Journeys, plus many more cameos. For Ash at least, Journeys seems to be a glorified recap of the entire show. I feel like it consumes Journey’s identity too much for my liking, and the callbacks are so frequent that it kinda cheapens them in a way. But it’s still cool to see regardless. I kinda wish Journeys would stop using the past as a crutch when the present has been handled so badly, thanks to the Pokémon World Championships arc and Ash’s Journeys team barely getting focus.

 

[VetProf]

Is it just me, or are all of the callbacks not very surprising at this point?

Tracy has basically been non-existent ever since BW despite multiple visits to Pallet Town/Prof. Oak's lab in the past few seasons, and Paul marks the first time one of Ash's non-game-character rivals appeared in this series, which is why those two callbacks were quite unexpected even though Journeys has consistently given us "callback episodes" every now and then.

 

[CyberKitten05]

Cameos from Tracey and Paul, albeit fantasy/flashback, gives me a tiny bit of hope that we’ll see non-game characters makes a return!

Wait, isn't Paul supposed to be Silver?

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

I think the "Goh's Rival" part in the title had something to do with what Gary said, something along the lines of Goh needing a rival to push him forward.

 

[L-05308]

Wait, isn't Paul supposed to be Silver?

They’re similar but it’s far from one-to-one like Blue/Green and Gary

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Ash was wondering why Gary is in Kanto, since the the last time they met, he was a researcher in Sinnoh. And Gary recognizes Ash's Infernape because he had seen the Sinnoh League battle where Ash used it.

This continuity...! I think Shōji Yonemura can be added to the "Callback Masters" club alongside Atsuhiro Tomioka by now!

 

[Silktree]

We’ve had characters like Korrina, Chuck, Iris, and the Alola cast appear earlier. Journeys also has had the most callbacks in general by far since Diamond & Pearl. I’m actually expecting that all previous traveling companions will appear at some point throughout Journeys, plus many more cameos.

Other than the Alola cast, the other returns didn't feel gratuitous. Korrina and Iris battled Ash and gave him a hard time, while Chuck helped flesh out Bea. Gary is Go's rival now and has a goal that goes well beyond nostalgia.

May, Dawn and Serena have no story-driven reason to come back and I am not at all convinced they will. I don't think Misty should come back just to lose to Ash again, either.

Ash was wondering why Gary is in Kanto, since the the last time they met, he was a researcher in Sinnoh. And Gary recognizes Ash's Infernape because he had seen the Sinnoh League battle where Ash used it.

This continuity...! I think Shōji Yonemura can be added to the "Callback Masters" club alongside Atsuhiro Tomioka by now!

Yes, because Ash expecting Gary to stay in Sinnoh for all this time makes sense. This isn't good continuity.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Other than the Alola cast, the other returns didn't feel gratuitous. Korrina and Iris battled Ash and gave him a hard time, while Chuck helped flesh out Bea. Gary is Go's rival now and has a goal that goes well beyond nostalgia.

I'm not sure if it was stated that Gary specifically is going to be Goh's rival, or if the idea of a rival for him was just pitched and waits to be realized.

Yes, because Ash expecting Gary to stay in Sinnoh for all this time makes sense. This isn't good continuity.

Why not? To me, it shows that the writers pay attention to where Ash had last met Gary.