Review JN072: Shuffle Panic in the Underground Labyrinth!?

[Craiden]

It was wet from being in the water so should work like Mudsdale

Yep, low-key my 2nd biggest gripe with the episode. I get since Rhydon (for the most part) we need to play up the Electric/Ground relationship, but if you're getting attacked by Zapdos, or you're in water, something should happen.

 

[swiftgallade46]

It was wet from being in the water so should work like Mudsdale

Could be it doesn’t apply because it’s already part Water-type? Idk lol the whole getting-around-the Ground-immunity thing has always been rather silly.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

whoof, what an actual dumpster fire of an episode

- no plot
- no characterization
- no animation
- thirsty meowth
- Go gets a pokemon by doing absolutely nothing

Also, incredibly messed up that he gets the lone survivor of a genocide

It wasn't that bad. I thought it was a perfectly fine filler-ish episode.

 

[Queen Cynthia]

At first, I didn't put my expactations too high, but for a filler it turned out to be quite an enjoyable. entertaining episode!

The most interesting part defnitely were the different but intriguing pairings with each character getting someone else with totally different traits as their partners. Nicely done!
Ash/Morpeko: The "hot-headed" pairing with none of them wanting to give in. I'd say that was a pretty good match!
James/Jessie/Eevee: Funny how innocent and totally naive Eeevee was and obviously believed everything it was told.
Go/Pikachu: Some really nice dynamics in this pairing! First, Go didn't understand Pikachu who was just following his senses (probably sensing the fresh air) to get them both out of there. And later on, it was the same Pikachu who didn't understand what Go was trying to tell him (don't rush into battle without thinking). Although I don't like Go very much, I liked that particular pairing.
Meowth/Chloe: Probably the best pairing. Wasn't it kind of cute how hard Meowth was struggling to hide his feelings? It really made me laugh when he thought of Chloe as some kind of Greek goddess wearing a white dress... Meowth, the gentleman
Grookey/Wobbuffet: I didn't quite get the meaning of that pairing but it was probably meant to be there for comic relief.

All in all, a nice filler that, although not contributing to the main plot, managed to enrich the current story with some intriguing insights and character interactions.

Now, as for some user comments:

Why does Pikachu hate Goh?

If I was trying to be mean, I'd say Pikachu must have listened to all those fans who don't like Go, either. Good guy Maybe some kind of hidden message?

As expected, this episode featured no returning characters, no Clay, not the Accelgor superhero. Why visit old places but not feature old characters

Unfortuntely, that's a recurring problem I've been adressing again and again. That constant and immediate hopping between regions makes that aspect (travelling the word) kind of irrelevant. To me, it often doesn't feel like they're somewhere else. It could be Unova or Hoenn or Kanto... So yes, the writers should definitely bring back popular characters from previous seasons more frequently. Bringing back Iris and Gary was a promising start.

 

[BigDocFan]

Could be it doesn’t apply because it’s already part Water-type? Idk lol the whole getting-around-the Ground-immunity thing has always been rather silly.

Lol, at least the immunity stuck this episode

Full VA list courtesy of Adamant

Rica Matsumoto: Satoshi
Daiki Yamashita: Go
Ikue Ohtani: Pikachu
Kana Hanazawa: Koharu
Megumi Hayashibara: Musashi
Shinichiro Miki: Kojiro
Inuko Inuyama: Nyarth
Yuji Ueda: Sonansu
Kei Shindo: Eievui
Hana Takeda: Sarunori
Noriaki Kanze: Aiant
Marina Aicholtz: Go's Smartphone Rotom
Kenyu Horiuchi: Narration

 

[Unireon]

This episode borrowed some elements from the one in Granite Cave.

Pikachu was a lot less hasty and more thoughtful towards Masato, whom he was helping to find a way out/the rest of the group.
Pikachu was leading, but also listened to him.

Another tidbit, Masato also got curious and asked Nyarth why is he able to talk but didn't wait for him to finish his story.

And there were Kokodora there, another large swarm of Steel-types that went into attacking the separated parties.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

I liked how Meowth made a reference to Go West Young Meowth by referencing how he learned to talk. And unlike Max and Bonnie, Chloe wasn't a douche by interrupting the explanation.

 

[Queen Cynthia]

A minor aspect I just remembered:
The Pokedex said Heatmor prey on Durant and eat them by burning through their iron armour. (pretty graphic description btw)
So, are we supposed to think there was a carnage in that cave after the gang left?

It's pretty surprising that the topic of Pokemon eating other Pokemon has never been directly addressed in the Anime so far while the Pokedex entries are constantly mentioning it. Would surely be interesting to see how the Anime handles that topic.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

A minor aspect I just remembered:
The Pokedex said Heatmor prey on Durant and eat them by burning through their iron armour. (pretty graphic description btw)
So, are we supposed to think there was a carnage in that cave after the gang left?

It's pretty surprising that the topic of Pokemon eating other Pokemon has never been directly addressed in the Anime so far while the Pokedex entries are constantly mentioning it. Would surely be interesting to see how the Anime handles that topic.

In season 1, we had characters imagining eating Magikarp.

 

[Twilight-Kun]

It's pretty surprising that the topic of Pokemon eating other Pokemon has never been directly addressed in the Anime so far while the Pokedex entries are constantly mentioning it. Would surely be interesting to see how the Anime handles that topic.

Go's tailow has tried to eat his wurmple on-screen, which would've saved Sakuragi a few hundred bucks by not having to feed three dustox

 

[JinksChow]

A minor aspect I just remembered:
The Pokedex said Heatmor prey on Durant and eat them by burning through their iron armour. (pretty graphic description btw)
So, are we supposed to think there was a carnage in that cave after the gang left?

It's pretty surprising that the topic of Pokemon eating other Pokemon has never been directly addressed in the Anime so far while the Pokedex entries are constantly mentioning it. Would surely be interesting to see how the Anime handles that topic.

Well, the anime pretty much all but directly stated that the Rayquaza which showed up in SM079 is there to feast on the remains of Minior

 

[Queen Cynthia]

Well, the anime pretty much all but directly stated that the Rayquaza which showed up in SM079 is there to feast on the remains of Minior

At least it's only the remains and not the living Minior. I'd say the Anime is very particular and cautious when it comes to that topic.

 

[Twilight-Kun]

At least it's only the remains and not the living Minior. I'd say the Anime is very particular and cautious when it comes to that topic.

Given there were no living minior there, I'd say they'd long since thrown that caution to the wind

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Spoiler: Fan art of this episode

 

[90'sPokéfan]

I don't know if it was said literally, but Misty at least implied Pidgeotto eating Caterpie in episode 3.

And other times eating Pokémon by humans or other Pokémon were mentionned. Pikachu and Meowth had no problem eating Magikarp while stranded in the middle of the ocean. Farfetch'd was mentionned to be delicious. Snorlax tried to eat Misty's Goldeen.

It is a rare concept in the anime, but it's not unheared of.