Review JN142: And We're Looking at the Same Moon!

[BigDocFan]

https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/JN142

The sixth episode of Aim to Be a Pokémon Master has now aired. Feel free to discuss it here.

 

[RetroPokeFan]

This was kinda alright.

First half wasn't great. Felt too fast and almost sugar rushery for my liking.

The second half through was much better, I get a kick out of seeing just the cuter moments like Pikachu helping Meowth out and the small montage (although it's a bit disappointing they didn't do new versions of said moments).

Ending is too abrupt as well.

It's a lot better than most of the Pikachu focused eps in JN (aside from EP12 and the last M88 episode which can't be topped in my opinion)

The perfect definition of a 3/5 episode.

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

I like the parts where he befriended Spearow and Rattata, two pokémon with bad history, and when Latias helped him. But the plot was too forced to keep them apart. So, Pikachu has Aura too?

 

[BigDocFan]

Such a boring episode, Ash and Pikachu seperated for most of the episode, Pikachu having to work with Meowth along with an extended flashback sequence

 

[Emelie]

Apparently Pikachu likes cheese. Is it finally time to break up with ketchup?

The scene when Pikachu looks up at the moon almost feel a little meta. It's sad that they are leaving after all these years but in context of the actual episode it feels like Pikachu and Ash being kind of dramatic since the stakes are not that high in this episode.

 

[L-05308]

Conceptually there’s nothing wrong with this episode - a plot we have seen done before plenty of times, but executed nicely.

However, this is the first of these where I really feel like the episode was kind of wasting precious time. It’s good to reinforce their bond, and show Ash working with lots of different Pokémon - but couldn’t we at least have seen Ash, Misty and Brock use some more Pokémon?

Oh and Veneipede nest aside, we’re back to showing lots of Kanto mon

The episode was mostly an excuse to show footage from every series - A nice sequence but there’s only 5 of these left.

Glad Latias actually did something

 

[BigDocFan]

VA list courtesy of Adamant

Rica Matsumoto: Satoshi
Ikue Ohtani: Pikachu
Mayumi Iizuka: Kasumi
Yuji Ueda: Takeshi
Megumi Hayashibara: Musashi
Shinichiro Miki: Kojiro
Inuko Inuyama: Nyarth
Kei Shindo: Caterpie
Kenyu Horiuchi: Narration

 

[Singaporean]

An alright episode of Ash and Pikachu being separate. All thanks to Team Rocket with the exception of small explosion after their Meowth Mech part blast into the river flow. Where Gyarados chasing them make to them to climb waterfall. Also, just as @RetroPokeFan stated it much better in second half. When Pikachu getting back the Ash Cap without disturbing Whirlipede napping on tree and get away with it as Meowth big sneeze as Ash reach it and got taste like Pikachu. But not without Sparrow and Rattata hold them off as the crew search continues till next day with a warm reunion and fall to the river fall again as Latias invisible save them from it fall with the conclusion of the episode as Meowth reunion back with Team Rocket.

Overall rating: B

 

[KrspaceT]

So if Ash is seeing flashbacks in the older animation styles, does that mean that the art changes are canonical? Is Palkia or Arceus capable of Celestialsapien levels of reality altering in that way?

 

[snowmint]

Are the old flashbacks... Voiced?

 

[TeddiUrsa]

Are the old flashbacks... Voiced?

No, during the flashback there is a song playing, sung by Satoshi's VA.

 

[90'sPokéfan]

It was also nice it showed some of Ash growth. A Spearow who got a rock on his head and a Ratatta stealing food from his backpack. This were both huge hinderances when he started his travels, this time he handled it with more maturity.

Too bad he didn't use any other pokémon to help in the search for Pikachu. No flying types and even Snivey disappeared from the episode after destroying TRio's net. Also, when the Spearow attacked, no one send out a pokémon to help. This is a little strange.

 

[Audino1008]

Yeah, I'm out.
These characters are some of the biggest icons of the last 25 years, they deserve better.

 

[Twilight-Kun]

...Why is pikachu scared of something its 4x effective against?

And since when can pikachu and meowth learn Waterfall?

 

[Eitarou]

I don't get it. If the writers wanted to show Ash's growth as a person by befriending Pokemon that have caused him grief in the past, then why use these one-off stand-ins? Have him actually befriend the Fearow that attacked him in ep one. That way it'd be a perfect bookend to the series.

 

[Rockapheller]

I don't get it. If the writers wanted to show Ash's growth as a person by befriending Pokemon that have caused him grief in the past, then why use these one-off stand-ins? Have him actually befriend the Fearow that attacked him in ep one. That way it'd be a perfect bookend to the series.

That's forbidden because that would give the writers a very good reason to bring Pidgeot back for one episode, which writers seemingly are quite scared of for some reason.

 

[Rockapheller]

The episode was not bad, but surely plain. The content had no texture to it. Ash and Pikachu lost each other, sensed each other, and found each other. A dime-store fanfiction would not have been much different.

The highlight of the episode for me was Spider-Man the Caterpie carrying Pikachu and Meowth away.

Oh and Veneipede nest aside, we’re back to showing lots of Kanto mon

It genuinely feels more like Ash and co. are in Kanto but for some odd reason Pokémon from other regions appear too.

 

[ii kanji]

I enjoyed this for what it was, a very basic plot structure with plenty of fun and heartwarming moments. I think my highlight probably would be when Koratta pointed in the other direction, after they were already in the tree about to get sicced by the Fushide, and Satoshi gave it such a scathing look That's the snark I've missed all this time.

Satoshi and Pikachu's telepathic connection is a bit sickening but there was enough focus on Pikachu's little adventures to prevent actual vomiting. Nyasu was a standout obvs and I just wish he'd had more opportunities like this in the last 10-15yrs, especially as Pikachu's sustained suspicion towards him also gave Pikachu a nice bit of bite. I felt like Takeshi managed to carve himself out more of a role in this episode although Kasumi remained fairly lacklustre (fear of bugs does not make a personality...)

My only query is why they set up both Nyasu and Musashi/Kojiro's motives as "we're gonna get Pikachu once we reunite!" if they were going to just not bother with absolutely no explanation. I get there was no point and no time to have a second heist, so why not let them each have a little scene of missing one another (as they've had in previous split-up episodes) to remind us of their humanity, especially so close to the end. I also still think it was a missed opportunity not to use Nyasu no Uta as the ending theme here...

Special shout out to the art/animation in this episode which was really good.

 

[Die-Hard Dragon Devotee]

That's forbidden because that would give the writers a very good reason to bring Pidgeot back for one episode, which writers seemingly are quite scared of for some reason.

The writers better bring Pidgeot back at least once before this is all over, or I'll never forgive them.

 

[Lightning Flame Blast]

Well this was certainly boring… though I did chuckle at the fact that Ash has been through so much shit that he instantly moves on from falling to his death and being saved by some unknown force.