• A new LGBTQ+ forum is now being trialed and there have been changes made to the Support and Advice forum. To read more about these updates, click here.
  • Hey Trainers! Be sure to check out Corsola Beach, our newest section on the forums, in partnership with our friends at Corsola Cove! At the Beach, you can discuss the competitive side of the games, post your favorite Pokemon memes, and connect with other Pokemon creators!
  • Due to the recent changes with Twitter's API, it is no longer possible for Bulbagarden forum users to login via their Twitter account. If you signed up to Bulbagarden via Twitter and do not have another way to login, please contact us here with your Twitter username so that we can get you sorted.

Review JN106: A New Show! Rocket-dan's Covert Kingdom Radio!!

Hard to judge without subs, but I couldn’t really get into this episode, even with the Brock cameo.

Then again I feel like I’m still processing how good JN105 was so maybe I just wasn’t ready for a new episode yet lol.
Same here. Usually, I enjoy new episodes for what they are and move on, waiting for the next one, but JN105 is one of the only exceptions in the entire show where I’m still thinking about it a week after it aired. I wrote my heart out in the JN105 review thread, but yeah, it’s going to be incredibly hard to top that episode for me.
 

Hard to judge without subs, but I couldn’t really get into this episode, even with the Brock cameo.

Then again I feel like I’m still processing how good JN105 was so maybe I just wasn’t ready for a new episode yet lol.
I got the general gist of what was happening by the end of the episode because Prof. Cerise suddenly had a bunch of TRio bottle caps pinned to his shirt after listening to them on the radio, but it was still rather boring all things considered. Even the Allister and Brock cameos didn't make it interesting.

I don't think a filler has ever been this dull. Even the weird fillers like those Slowking episodes are at least somewhat entertaining.
 
Not gonna lie, I do kinda want a Rocket Bottle Cap Badge...



Probably not gonna go all crazy for those like Professor Sakuragi though :LOL:
 
An attempt to appeal to nostalgia, seemingly.

I am willing to wait for the subs, but not really expecting much.
 
Just watched the episode with subtitles, and it was great. I loved seeing Team Rocket get absorbed into the world of hosting a radio show, and it was nice that even after Sakaki found out they'd forgotten why they'd created the show and chewed them out, they still went on with hosting it just for the fun of it. Yet again, Team Rocket is cursed with the ability to be naturally awesome at anything that doesn't actually involve being part of Team Rocket.

There's a load of great little moments in this episode... the opening intro about Satoshi and Go's goals being interrupted was great (I can't be the only one getting tired of that), Kojiro's bottle-cap collection getting a new appearance, Takeshi's unexpected cameo (with the reveal he's attracted to Musashi's radio persona... if only he knew), Onion making a reappearance (although, like I said earlier in this thread, I hate that Sunnigoon's debut is wasted here), the reveal that Sakuragi is a bit put out that Koharu is now enjoying Pokemon so much she's paying less attention to him, Team Rocket being overjoyed at hearing Satoshi and Go's goals not knowing who they are, the heavy hinting that Dent is another listener to the show (who else could the "Radio Connoisseur" be?)... the episode is filled with great stuff like this. You can also tell Team Rocket's voice actors were having an absolute ball doing this episode, which is what they deserve after being sidelined so much this series.
 
Wanted to wait until subs before reviewing to get full enjoyment for this episode, and I think overall it turned out solid.

More than anything I think it was a nice little love letter to the three VAs for sticking on the anime's ride for so long, and I think this stands out as one of the most unique episodes in Journeys and to a further extent the series. The idea of having a radio show for a bottle episode hasn't really been touched yet in a proper episode of this series so I liked that they tried something new here. All of the TRio had a nice opportunity to shine, and most of their interactions throughout the episode were fun and felt very genuine. The climax where they read Ren's message about Ash/Goh was wholesome, and I thought it was endearing how the radio show gradually became something they simply liked for the passion. The worldbuilding here was great as they managed to build some interconnectedness with the Cerise crew through the radio, who I think have been really underutilized when it comes to interacting w/ TR (among many others) in this series. They also showed glimpses of the show working as some people did actively tune in overtime, and I liked the tiny cameos that they sprinkled. Ironically, the radio station probably would've been a better hook for them leaving the organization than whatever they were trying to force in their last episode, but it is what it is. The weakest part of this episode IMO was how aimless it felt given that they abandoned the idea of recruiting pretty fast, and most of the episode's enjoyment comes from being mostly character-driven. Unless you are already engaged in TR I can see why it'd be a dull watch, but given that it was advertised like that from the get-go though I can't really be upset about it

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS:
  • Between JN024 and today's episode, I love how much the TRio’s dynamic w/ Ash feels almost-parent like when they're off the job
  • It's pretty poetic that the episode that got pushed a week back wasn't the one that got the guest return spoiled :wynaut:
  • The number of fourth wall breaks in this episode almost made me feel like I was watching a Kanto episode
  • Jessie is the heart and soul of the TRio this series, and Megumi Hayashibara's performance here was amazing
  • Cursola exists!
  • It's really interesting how progressively detached from Ash/Pikachu TR is becoming with these recent focus episodes, wonder how they'll be handled in the next series

OVERALL RATING:
7/10
 
Last edited:
This turned out to be great. It was like "Pikachu Dubbing Operation" done right.

I concede that you aren't going to enjoy it as much if you're not already a Team Rocket fan (let alone if you judge it without subtitles, which is just plain dumb), but the exaggerated animations, fourth-wall breaks, wittier humor, and the small slice-of-life bits with the listeners, all made this thing stand out more than I was expecting.

For an episode that's 90% dialogue driven, it managed to feel pretty sharp and fast-paced overall. It has that Original Series or Sun and Moon "touch" I'm always missing in Journeys.

Besides, we all know how little Team Rocket shows up nowadays. It can't hurt to let them throw a bone to us fans at least a couple of times per year, for crying out loud. And I'm sure if their dialogue, animation and whatnot was always as witty as it was here, they'd be far more appreciated as recurring characters.

I also don't get some people's concern over Brock's cameo. If anything it's a good thing they're treating past companions as recurring characters that might show up here and there with no special fanfare to it. Makes me all the more excited to see if they show up out of the blue in the future. It's nice to see them living their daily lives from time to time.
 
While this episode most certainly is not for me, between it and the Cassidy and Butch return episode positing life beyond TR, it’s a shame the writers won’t let them leave TR. Not because of them being stale or anything but because it shows just how happy and successful that they can be. If anything, it’s TR that’s holding TRio back.
 
While this episode most certainly is not for me, between it and the Cassidy and Butch return episode positing life beyond TR, it’s a shame the writers won’t let them leave TR. Not because of them being stale or anything but because it shows just how happy and successful that they can be. If anything, it’s TR that’s holding TRio back.
At least their vendor gigs and this are working as a good set-up for when the anime finally ends or Team Rocket leaves. Neither of which I hope happens by the end of this series though, for obvious reasons...
 
I will surely remember this episodes as the craziest one in Journeys! It was a mixture of craziness and absurdity, but in a way that made it quite funny and enjoyable to watch.

First of all, I need to say that although watching with subtitles, I had problems understanding a few scenes and allusions. There were, for example, those crazy episode titles ,the nicknames ("Mentor Blue Bruise" ?) and that "wham-bam" part that I didn't quite get. Nevertheless, I'm not trying to criticize that because it's probably some common word play or allusion to the Japanese culture that we're not familiar with in the west. Perhaps some of you might be so kind as to explain.
Also, some segments in the show like "What's inside Pelliper's mouth?" or "Morpeko's ASMR" (What's ASMR in the first place?) were a bit pointless if you ask me. Well, maybe it's those special elements that make a show unique in the eyes of the hardcore fans like Sakuragi and Renji.

Apart from those scene that were hard to understand, I liked the rest of the episode, mostly because of the surprising elements or cameos the writers sprinkled. We had "Daddy's been lonely lately" being revealed as Sakuragi, Renji and Sauragi competing over who's the bigger fan of the show, Alister and Officer Jenny listening to the show and, of course, a short cameo of Brock. Seeing that he's still the same falling in love with basically every girl (even if it's Jessie) was probably one of the best scenes in the episode. That's the kind of continuity I really appreciate!

All in all, a memorable episode indeed, espcially when counting the craziness-factor in.
 
"Morpeko's ASMR" (What's ASMR in the first place?)

In addition to FinnishPokéFan92's reply, this particular ASMR might also be a shout-out to an official ASMR video made by Pokemon, which featured Chespin eating for 8 minutes:



There's also this whole playlist of other Pokémon as well, which feature Bulbasaur, Piplup, Pikachu, Squirtle, and Charmander:

 
Please note: The thread is from 2 years ago.
Please take the age of this thread into consideration in writing your reply. Depending on what exactly you wanted to say, you may want to consider if it would be better to post a new thread instead.
Back
Top Bottom