Review JN147: The Rainbow and the Pokémon Master!

[PinkThunder]

hum,okey.
for me its a good ending,i feel a ambigue conclusion,like ''Ash adventures never end" or something like that.
i dont think ash come back as MC in another series.

 

[Harryghost]

Ngl watching Tracey's Venomoth made me as hyped as Ash, even if it was for naught.

 

[Okido]

I saw this live as it aired, yet hours later I still haven't really been able to collect my thoughts on it. And yes I cried, lol.

I understand where people are coming from when they say this episode felt underwhelming as a sendoff, I really do. It's not unreasonable to have expected something of a larger scale, what with the history and impact the anime has had over all these years. But personally, I couldn't be happier that the ending was as subdued as it was. In real life, things don't usually end with a bang or some grand finale — not every story gets a thrilling conclusion. I think it is infinitely more fitting for it to have ended quietly, right back where it all began, letting the days go by in peace before setting out from home one more time. That, to me, is the real spirit of Pokémon, and I wouldn't change a thing.

But aside from all that, I just enjoyed this one on its own. Seeing Tracey and his newly-evolved Venomoth just about blew my mind!! How great is it that he actually got to show some of the progress he's made (let alone show up at all)? I was accidentally spoiled on Pidgeot's appearance beforehand so it wasn't as shocking to me as it could've been, but of course I liked its inclusion nonetheless.
Who knew Gary would have been motivating Ash to keep moving forward, time after time, right until the very end?

I'll probably have more to say later, but... wow, I just can't believe this era of our lives is over.

 

[Antiyonder]

Any thoughts

For the best really. If there was an alignment of planets allowing for long running shows to take creative risk, going on for however long could potentially be fine.

But when the usual choice is go on while being married to the status quo VS ending while a story is at it's best, I take the latter.

 

[LeonMagnus]

One thing I can at least say about this episode is that they nailed TR. It doesn´t erase the fact that retiring them and Ash is complete nonsense that I hope will blow in their faces, but it´s almost funny how they got a much better ending than Ash.

They were perfect. I also love that they added the cafetria work scene since that hopefully shows the so called «TR fans» that wanted them to leave the organization that this is their true happiness. TR weren´t satysfied with their work on the cafeteria, which proves that they wouldn´t be satisfied in any job other then chasing Pikachu, even if they stayed together. This is their true dream.

The episode also had lots of small details that felt special to me. If you notice, when TR blasts off, they usually have their backs against the sky and are facing the audience. Not this time, Today, they were face to face to the sky, with their backs to the audience, This was their goodbye. Also, the way they hold hands was just... I have no words. Only tears.

I would also like to talk about their choice of final Pokemon: Carnivine and Gourgheist. I´m sure it was just random, but even so, they were perfect for their swan song because they are embodiments of Jessie and James themselves.

Carnivine was a Pokemon James befriended and caugh during his childhood. It represents James kindness towards Pokemon, whinch sometimes put´s Ash´s own kindness to shame. It also represents his inner child, since it´s a Pokemon directly connected to his childhood. It represents the child that left his home to find a true family and to live an adventure.

Gourgheist, in my opinion, has a double meaning. First, it represents Jessie´s passion and «queenly» deameanor, since it was caught during what I consider the peak of her carrer as a performer/coordinator. It also represents her hidden soft side. In the episode it evolved, Jessie first showed her usual «uncaring» side, but as the episode progressed she opened her heart and we saw her true inner person: a kind woman who, despite a terrible childhood, cares deeply and would do everything, even abandon her own ambitions, to help her friends, her family. Gourgheist is also a special Pokemon to me, because it was relevant in the anime during very hard and peculiar times in my life. The episode Jessia caught Pumpkaboo was the day my grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer. The episode it evolved was when my despair ridden college life started to improve. The Lance VS Diantha episode were Jessie talks about Gourgheist was when my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. As you see, in a strange way, Gourgheist has been an omen of change in my life. My grandmother won her battle against vancer ans is now an healthy old lady so I hope this is a sign my mother will win as well. It really is incredible how, now that the anime is ending and is having a huge impact in my life, Gourgheist appears one last time. Some things can´t really be explained. Even if it is nothing but a coincidence, it is important to me and a fitting end to this chapter of my life.

TR are very deep characters despite what some people like to pretend. They teach us to never give up on your dreams and be true to yourself. To me, this is a life changing message. All my life I´ve been bullied for being fat and a geek. Even now as an adult, I have a feminine appearence and people (often times on purpose) misgender me, calling be a girl, beacause appearently a man can´t look feminine. I´m a guy and I look feminine. I´m a guy I like pink. I´m a guy and I was harrassed by a teacher during college. Why do people have to be catalogued? Why can´t people let everyone live as themselves, as what makes them happy? TR thought me to be alwyas true to yourself, no matter what others may think. They also teach us to never give up on our dreams, no matter how nonsensical they may seem to other people. Unfortunetly, I allowed myself to give up on my own dreams and now am a bitter and pathetic person. When I fully understood TR´s symbolism, it was already too late. Or so I thought. As TR teaches us, it´s never too late to follow your dreams. I´m sad that we don´t have characters like them in fiction anymore.

People will laugh at me from behind their computer screens and a part of me that can´t escape society´s brainwashing feels pathetic, but today I genuilly feel like I lost 4 people incredibly dear to me. Jessie, James, Meowth and Wobbuffet were my friends. Yes, they weren´t tangible, but they helped me in ways that no real person could. They were more real than many people in my life. To me, they were real persons and will always live on in my heart no matter how many time passes. Everytime I look at the full moon or listen to the beautifull sound of the wind, I will remember them. I will see their ballon and I will listen to their banter as they plan their next scheme to capture Pikachu. I will hear their laughter and I will smile or sometimes cry, knowing what they meant to me. Thinking about how they helped me but also how I lost them to an ever changing world that definetly isn´t evolving to something nicer. Evil and despair will always exist and the little lights in our lives is what helps us survive. Unfortunetly, today the light known as Team Rocket faded, but hopefully new lights will emerge.

Team Rocket, to you I only have words of gratitude. Thank you for being part of my life during 26 years. Thank you for supporting me when no one else could or wanted to. Thank you for having existed and for having shaped the childhoods of so many around the world. I never thought I would have to say goodbye, but here we are. For me you are more real than many people I know. No matter how many people forget about you, I never will. You will always live on in my heart and I will cherish every memory. I will alwas be that child than dreamt of being your fifth member. Once more, thank you Team Rocket. With my own hands, I´ll make sure your white tomorrow never ends! Team Rocket is forever!

Team Rocket have ALWAYS had better development than Ash.

 

[Kurolegacy]

Team Rocket have ALWAYS had better development than Ash.

Well I wouldn’t really say that. TRio have had some nice moments to shine that show their hidden depths but overall they were trapped in a box that never truly allowed them to completely develop in ways that Ash and his friends did due to having to play the role of joke villains. As the series presented numerous times, they’re actually a lot more successful when they’re just being themselves doing what they enjoy as opposed to causing trouble but they always get in their own ways of being successful and never really reaching the epiphany that Cassidy and Butch reached and tried to convey to them.

 

[Unireon]

While I decided to skip this miniseries, I came back for the sendoff.

Good that the answer to the driving question wasn't the corny and cliché 'you already knew it the whole time'.
I liked Satoshi's reasoning, so I'll give the writers that.

At least they chose to keep him travelling, meeting new Pokemon and people.....
I won't discard, yet, the idea of him being a fail-safe in case Horizons goes to pot.

 

[Lanstar]

This episode is clever from a marketing standpoint.

It describes how Ash wishes to truly become a Pokemon Master, and 'retires' him from league tournaments and competitions - And thus 'ends' his Journey from a classic standpoint that the plots have always been tailored around. It means the next series of characters that comes around can take that lead of gym badges and missions and such without interference.

However that does NOT mean it's the end for Ash himself, as he chose a goal that allows for infinitely more episodes to be based on him. It could be a finale only if the writers chose not to write any episodes, but if they notice people want more of them, a reboot is doable. And they can still run them in parallel of the new cast.

So thoroughly cunning an 'ending'... Yet I like the morale behind the idea of befriending Pokemon as the way to become the 'True' Pokemon master, considering how so much of Ash's journey was often based on that anyhow. Truly a modern take.

 

[Neo Blaze]

And so it ends..... It wasn't the perfect ending of my dreams, but in my eyes it was still a worthy send-off for Ash and Pikachu nonetheless. I never in a million years expected Pidgeot to ever rejoin Ash, so that was so awesome to see and it served as a nice final surprise, and gift for longtime fans.

Of course rationally I knew this was the end, but when the ending kicked in it finally dawned on me that this is, as far as we know, the actual end for Ash and Pikachu. When that thought really, finally and definitively landed in my head, I got goosebumps and teary-eyed for sure.

So long Ash, so long Pikachu. I will never forget the times I spent with you, from when I was a wee 4-year old kid, to an almost 30-year old adult (but still a kid at heart!). It's been one hell of a journey

 

[PTOldMan]

Funny how the last episode of Ash, Pikachu and Team Rocket airs exactly (nearly) 5 years after the last episode of Dragon Ball Super. Two iconic franchises bonded together by nostalgia and air dates.
I saw the episode live and was aware of the spoilers so I was kind of expecting everything (in a way this was good because I wasn't expecting a conclusive ending for them, even though there was zero build up for that, in a way this was bad because, well, spoilers).
All in all, even though we did not have a conclusive ending, I feel happy? I loved everything about the episode and particularly Team Rocket. I loved seeing the HQ again, TR grunts, the way they reunited, I loved their motto and I loved how they included Gourgeist and Carnivine. I was expecting that their battle with Ash would be like their previous battles in MPM, without Rocket mons included, so it was a nice touch to see two of their Pokémon one last time (as it meant that they kept them, even though it was obvious, it increases the experience seeing them USING them one last time).
And Jessie, James, Meowth and Wobbuffet seemed REALLY happy, and that is all I wanted for them. Maybe adding Mime Jr. at the end of the motto would be a nice touch, but having only the 4 of the them also showcases the true core of Team Rocket, so I understand the writers.
So this is the end. We don't know what the future plans for them, if they will ever appear again, but I don't want to think about that now.
It's bittersweet, but the episode made me happy, and that's all I am focusing on right now. But I will miss Jessie, James and Meowth and no character ever will be as good, fun and inspiring as them. It was a nice journey growing up with them and rooting for them whenever they appeared. Team Rocket Forever.

 

[Nicolas721]

I'm depressed...but not because of it ended bur rather because of how it ended. I know this was what the series what building up to, and that they left open the door for his return, but at what cost? This feels like the opposite of the "You can't have your cake and eat it" saying: We can't have another adventure with Ash, but we can't have a definite conclusion either. Say what you want about Journeys but at least it had more of a direction and actually valued Ash's role in battling, this miniseries felt pretty meh on those aspects. Also, this particular fear of mine was confirmed.

It's nice that Ash met a Pokemon that wasn't completely friendly, but that will make his obvious statement in the next episode "I want to befriend every Pokemon" sound like "I will force every Pokemon to like me".

I would have been at least slightly more accepting of the ending if Ash had been given new clothes and was heading up to meet the Pokemon he didn't met in Galar or Paldea, but nope, just some random tennis (references to a song don't make a story) and he's the same wanderer of the last 11 episodes.

I'm surprised that Team Rocket ended up tied to Ash since it means they're gone too. Good...bye? I want to feel sad but it seems the PR team doesn't care about them since no mentions to that were even made.

 

[Twilight-Kun]

Real missed opportunity to use Tears After The Cloudy Weather



What an absolute nothing of a finale
PM136 offered way more closure

 

[ena9219]

As "See you next week" becomes "I hope we'll meet again" we enter a time between eras. After a couple of weeks and many tears, a new story will begin.

"The adventure never ends" is really the only ending that suits Satoshi. His dream has always been unachievable, and he's never wanted anything more than to keep working toward it. For anyone else becoming the World Champion would have been an epic conclusion but for Satoshi, it's just something he did, an impressive achievement but nothing that would make him think "It's time to settle down and feel accomplished". Any attempt at giving him a conclusion would be the same. They could have fit a few more cameos into MPM, and maybe they should have, but the fundamental idea of it couldn't really have been any different.

 

[Eclipsical]

It is truly hard to put into words just how much Ash, Pikachu, all of their friends, and this show as a whole have meant to me.

There used to be a time where I didn't care for Pokemon. Younger me had no interest in the games or the show. But then one day, I got Pokemon X, and despite the flack it gets nowadays, I suppose I owe who I am today to it for being my entry-point. I can't imagine who I would be today if I never got into the series. One day I turned on Cartoon Network, and the first two episode of the XY anime were coincidentally premiering that time. I watched it pretty dedicatedly up until around Goomy was captured, but then, for some reason or another, I stopped watching the show. At the same time, I continued to play the games (and still do, of course). Flash forward to when they revealed the SM anime, younger me did not take the art-style change well at all, which was stupid of me because its actually great. I would still check in on it every once and while and check Ash's Bulbapedia page to see team updates.

Then Journeys came out, and it pulled me back in. Ash & Goh brought me into their lives, and I am all the better for it. Journeys in particular has helped me so much throughout the past three-and-a-half-ish years. I was a sophomore in high school when it started airing, now I'm halfway through my freshman year of college. It got me through quarantine and gave me something to look forward to every Saturday/Friday. Ash & Goh have changed my life. Both of them have been massive influences on my life, and I can safely say they are two of my favorite characters in all of fiction.

I know that Goh isn't exactly the most popular character in the world. But he was special to me. I could relate to his personality, his introversion, his social anxieties, how he was hyper-focused on his interests. I have ADHD, and I can strongly see myself and my quirks, symptoms, whatever you would want to call it, in him. Having that representation, even if its unintentional, made the world to me. I struggle to make friends, I can barely talk to strangers. A particular scene that comes to mind is from the episode where Sobble evolves and Goh reminisces on his past. He remembers standing by himself while all the other kids play together, and his teacher asks him why he can't play with the other kids, too. But when he tries to answer her, he can't, because he doesn't know why, so he cries. This hits me super hard, because I feel like even if I didn't know it as a kid, I've felt that way a lot, and sort of still do, at least in a different way. I can remember a time when I really, really wanted to join this group of kids, and one invited me to join, but even though its what I wanted, I said no. I didn't know at the time why, but I can recognize why now. Goh going from a kid with basically no real friends, to having well over a hundred, is amazing. Every capture was a new friend. I know a lot of people see the Pokemon he captures as a statistic, but every time he caught some random Pokemon, I got excited, I was happy for him. I doubt I could remember every single one he ever caught, but I could name at least a good amount of them off memory. Completing the Pokedex is something I always try to do, and the satisfaction you get when you fill in the 'dex entry of a rare or difficult to raise Pokemon is amazing. I used to do a lot of shiny hunting, too, so I have similar feeling there, as well.

Just like when Ash became Goh's first real friend, he became my friend, too. So in the words of Goh to Ash: "You were there for me all this time, so anything was possible. But can I really go out into this huge world, all alone?"

I could write for years and years and years and still not adequately get across just how thankful I am that Ash was in my life. There will never be another protagonist like him. He has grown so much over his journey. From a stubborn kid in pajamas who overslept the arguably most important day of life, who didn't know anything about battling, or type-matchups, or even that Gyms existed, to the strongest trainer in the entire world. He embodies everything that I wish to someday be. Outgoing, friendly, hopeful, determined, going wherever the wind takes him without a care in the world. Over a thousand episodes of adventure and it almost doesn't feel like it was enough time. I wasn't even born when the anime started, so I've never been in a world where Ash and Pikachu weren't the face of the show. It's surreal. But it is also comforting to know that Ash isn't finished. He isn't done. His journey isn't over. In fact, he has so much more to do! And he'll keep going, even if we won't be there to see every step along the way like we used to. The story of Ash and Pikachu will go on. Every failure, every rejection, every rival, every bit of training, every lesson, every random person they met in a single episode and never saw again. It was all important. Reminds me of something Ash said in this episode about every little thing you do every day matters. Nothing is pointless. Everything will lead you to where you are meant to go. Again, I could ramble on and on about what Ash has taught me.

I really do think this was a great ending for Ash. We didn't need to see Ash beat every rival he ever lost to, or defeat Giovanni and disband Team Rocket, meet up with his dad, date any girl he has traveled with, any other fan-fic wishes some people had. MPM took Ash and highlighted the best parts of him. None of it was filler, like some have claimed. Every Pokemon he selflessly helped was meaningful. Ash would never want to stop, he would never want his journey to end. I bet he'd be 90 years old and still out training.

And I suppose I can't stop without talking about Team Rocket, who are also leaving. I wasn't always the biggest fan of them, but over the years, I've really come to love and appreciate them. I could never hate them. Jessie, James, Meowth, and Wobbufett hold a special place in my heart right next to Ash, and I think this ending makes sense for them, too. I know a lot of people wanted them to quit Team Rocket and settle in Alola, but I think them just sticking together and following their pipedream of capturing Pikachu is what they truly want to do, even if they need to blast off a million more times in the process. So thank you, Team Rocket.

What is truly crazy about this is the fact that my little sister, who has never shown any interest in Pokemon her entirely life, suddenly started the first few episodes of the the Indigo League a few months ago, and we watched all of the first season together the last time I visited, and she loves Ash and the TRio. I haven't told her that they're leaving yet. I think I'll let her find out on her own, if she does, considering she isn't active in the modern fandom or play the games. It's kind of weird that she is starting off something I hope she'll be interested in for a long time for us to bond over when we're at such a crucial point of divergence. Sort of poetic, I suppose.

Over the past few years I have also been watching the entire anime from scratch. I'm probably almost about a third of the way through DP. I'm not trying to speed through it all as I watch other shows and movies and play games in-between, so I have plenty of more time with Ash, even if it isn't a continuing adventure. And even when I do finish it all, those episodes will still be there for me to watch. Ash and Pikachu will always be there for all of us when we need them.

I've been writing for over an hour at this point in a very uncomfortable college dorm room chair, but it was worth it. It's safe to say that I definitely cried. Just one final thing: Thank you, Ash & Pikachu, for taking me into your world. To every travel companion. To every one of their Pokemon. To every rival, Gym Leader, Elite 4, and Champion. To all of the incredible voice actors and animators and writers who brought these characters to life.

Thank you, anipoke. I can't wait to see what the future holds. And hey, maybe we'll see Ash again some day. I'm sure he'd like that.

And now, with the ushering in of this new era, I hope to be more active on these forums and to talk to more people. I might even commit to writing my thoughts on every episode again, but don't quote me on that.

 

[Gabo2oo]

You know, despite how much I've praised Mezase Pokémon Master as it embodies what a Pokémon journey should be at its core, for many years I've actually been on the side who wanted a "grand" finale arc featuring a Pallet Town party, an all-stars ensemble cast, the downfall of the Team Rocket organization, you name it. But even if that had actually happened at some point, I still always expected and assumed the very final episode would be a minimalist one, where Ash has genuine, heartfelt talk with Pikachu, reflects on himself, about what he's done and what he's going to do.

They completely delivered on that front, so I'm content with this finale.

Considering his wording, I liked the subtle "reveal" (more like confirmation, really) that Ash doesn't really know what being a Pokémon Master means as a definition: it's his own personal goal what keeps driving him, rather than achieving the title in and of itself. This is a natural conclusion considering his character; no matter how many battles, Gym Badges or tournaments he's won, he rejoices and celebrates, but sooner rather than later he's back on his feet going for something else. Except he's not doing it to hoard more titles or gain fame, he simply wants to keep on travelling and having adventures. This was super clear even in the early seasons, so I never imagined his ending to be anything other than him doing just that.

I've personally always wanted Team Rocket to realize that having each other's backs is what should truly matter for them. It's not that I want them to "grow past" catching Pikachu or anything of the sort, but I've always admired how close of a relationship they have, more so than any other characters in the series. That said, claiming that the goal of catching Pikachu IS what keeps them together in the first place didn't really bother me. I see it as them finding a concrete reason to stick together, not as insinuation that they wouldn't enjoy each other's company without that goal. They've already proven time and again, from the original series to Journeys, that they're genuine BFFs, so that's not something I think anyone is willing to contest at this point.

Like James said, if the dream of catching Pikachu is what unites their minds as one, they're 100% chasing that dream because they want to remain united as one.

Shoutouts to the gorgeous animation sequence they got for their final motto too. And the implication that they're keeping all their Pokémon with them from now on?! That was neat. I guess we'll never get confirmation on what was Giovanni's intended message there, but oh well. I learned to accept the Pokémon anime was not one to tie loose ends, since it wasn't usually its intention to set them up as loose ends in the first place.

The episode's music was exceptional (they finally used Team Rocket's Secret Strategy!!), and it really shows how influential the Johto days were on that front. Not just having OK! as background music during the cold open, but really almost all of the endings from this arc were from that era too. Type: Wild was a really good choice as the final ending, though I wish we had gotten some "special" extended credits sequence like the latest series had done before. At least the song started playing within the final scene itself.

Seeing the usual text spelling "The End" was always a whim of mine, but alas, I think the classic "Next Time... A New Beginning" nails the message and was the better choice. The narrator didn't get a final moment, but I think he had his deserved "World of Pokémon" speech back in JN136, as brief as it was. I'm a stickler for underdog, ignored or otherwise forgotten characters, so of course I was going to pay attention to the narrator. Speaking of, I was obviously overjoyed that Tracey did get his moment after all. Then Pidgeot was the icing on the cake.

---

I've been watching the Pokémon anime since as long as I can remember. It started airing on a local TV network when I was less than 2-years old, and some of my earliest memories are of it, alongside a standalone VHS I owned that had the Dr. Proctor and Jessiebelle episodes in it.

I kept watching on local TV until I swapped to Cartoon Network during the AG era. Then came the internet and I was in awe of hearing the first Japanese DP opening, but it wouldn't be until the BW series that I made a gradual transition from watching it in my language to settling in with the weekly fansubs and discussing the episodes on Bulbagarden, and to some extent on other social media.

I'm not one to romanticise these things very much, but it's undeniable that Pokémon played a significant role in defining what kind of person I am now and what kind of people I met in my life, and it all started thanks to this anime. While I'm going to miss it dearly, I have no qualms about it ending after so many years.

I want to thank everyone on these forums who took a couple of minutes to read my thoughts throughout the years, and of course all of you for writing your own as well.

 

[silent31]

so, i think this is a little more complex episode to look at than i was thinking it would be. i thought i was going to simply say "it is what it is," and then make a few more points i knew i was going to make. but, there actually ended up being a few things i wanted to comment on.

this is very much a how you take it episode. for some, maybe a majority, winning the pokemon world championships is the ultimate win. it means satoshi was the best. it was an ending of sorts. so satoshi's behavior in this episode might seem justified.

for much of this episode, satoshi is very lazy. this is on purpose, as the ending showed. but before i saw that, and even having seen the ending, i still think this is where i am going to disagree very much with the premise of the episode. winning the world championships doesn't mean satoshi attained a level of battling that made him so superior that he would slack off like this. and even if winning meant he that much skill, just being a champion, to me, is a responsiblity. rather than having as much free time as he had in this episode and seemingly being so lazy, it should have been really the opposite. satoshi should have had tons of responsibility, or awareness that he was the champion.

you never were conveyed the feeling that being a champion means much of anything. i would even use the term champion much more loosely than this episode did. by champion, i don't even mean the world championships, i mean being alola champion, we know how the people of alola see satoshi in journeys, and how they tell him how much it means to them that he represents them well in the world championships. there was a responsiblity he had to do well. this was shared by all the champions. we saw all of them have a chance to give speeches during the masters eight tournament to their respective regions (satoshi was much more loose here, with the audience being the laboratory; shirona was also more philosophical than anyone else was, i think).

to me, rather than say "what does it mean to be a pokemon master" as this episode did, the question i have is, did you (meaning the people who were able to construct this series) really understand what being a "champion" means? i think what shirona said to the kids after dande had defeated carne in the semifinals was the best description of what satoshi had done and will always continue doing: "you need to travel lots, catch lots of pokemon, and battle lots." that's what satoshi has done, satoshi is a pokemon trainer who loves battling. that will always be the case. as dande and shirona both said when they lost, they were looking forward to continuing their journey and improving as trainers. and, as satoshi himself has said so many times, "let's battle again someday." that is satoshi's journey. if being a pokemon master means "more" than that, that doesn't mean he can so casually just reject/throw away being a champion, and all the responsibilites that come along with it.

and as far as being friends with every pokemon, well not all pokemon are good.

i did like the way satoshi slipped out on his own in the ending. that showed something of his sense of independence. but, i think he should have done that anyway, without any words from shigeru which amounted to what is honestly, a real shift in his goals. i mean how many times did i hear "i want to beat dande!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" over the last year? and how many times did i want to argue that satoshi would say, "i'm a champion and want to beat all the other champions!!!!" just competing with them is a real honor, and i don't think satoshi would ever take that for granted. even if he "won" (in unsatisfying fashion) the world championships.

now i think i'll say, it is what it is.

on the decision not to show ho-oh, i wish they did. i think a ton went into this decision; of all the details in this episode, i feel this might be the one the most thought was put into. but i honestly don't know why they decided what they did.
my response to pidgeot being in this episode is, "sure, why not?"

and finally, this i feel is in the absolute minority of thoughts about this series, but, to my surprise. the pokemon that didn't appear in this series (i think; if i'm wrong, please say so so that an image of a mudbray will be over this point i'm making) that i felt should have was actually.........lucario. greninja didn't either, but greninja is featured in the opening, and that is saying something with how the opening is. i felt lucairo might have been/should have appeared there; there's a great case that could be made it's on level with infernape and greninja. if not, then it should have at least been in the series. if the response to this is "well, lucario was in journeys so much!!!, " my answer is yes, and it should have made an appearance here too. if the idea is that i'm saying it's more important than all of the other journeys pokemon except pikachu, and should have had an appearance over a more neglected pokemon from there or another region, then yes, i absolutely am saying that. lucario is more important than most of the pokemon that showed in this series. it deserved at least a screenshot. and i think the decision to not give it a screenshot shows the sort of considerations that are going in this series that led to it ending this way.
but i really hope i didn't say all of this only to be shown that lucario really did show up somewhere. if so, apologies.

 

[kantoskies]

I just finished the episode. I was fully expecting this kind of ending, but I wish they had made it seem a bit more "grand"? I would have loved a montage ending showing various important characters one last time. Once Type: Wild started playing that's what I expected but then...nope lol

The Rocket trio's reunion was so rushed it makes me wonder why they even split up in the first place, other than to just get fans speculating. I think giving them a non-ending to just chase Pikachu forever is pretty lame, but I guess it means they're open to returning in the future? I adored their final motto sequence though, it was probably one of the best pieces of animation in this episode and I loved hearing the classic motto theme.

Speaking of music, I think one of the best choices this episode made was having the entire soundtrack, minus the title card and eyecatch, be old Miyazaki stuff. Other than the short instrumental of Danka the entire score was very early Miyazaki stuff- I think there was one track from AG and the rest was OS stuff. It was amazing hearing all of it again and was a nice touch. Whenever Satoshi inevitably returns, whether it's in a movie, tv special, web short, or whatever, I hope they exclusively use Miyazaki stuff again. I will forever be disappointed that A Meeting and Parting wasn't used though.

 

[skynerel]

This is like a non-ending, specially for team rocket. What a lame way to end the journey of characters that have been around for 25+ years.

 

[lisianthus]

I've never watched an episode of the anime without English subtitles, but now that my Japanese has actually gotten to the point that I'm able to understand most of what's happening (Japanese subtitles help!), I knew that I had to watch this one... I wish I could have done it live though!

But echoing what some others have said the open ended ending does feel like cover, but I don't really mind it? Who knows, maybe they'll have Ash cameoing in the anime every once in a while..?

But honestly, I wasn't super sad about it. It felt kind of like 'a normal day with Ash', in a way, in that nothing super special happened, and even though I would have enjoyed a timeskip or something... changing, I guess? It still felt 'Pokémon', and I loved the conclusion that he came to at the end. I forgot what it was exactly because I watched it in the morning, but it was something like 'making friends with all the Pokémon in the world is how I'll be a Pokémon Master', and that feels very 'Ash' to me. I was expecting him to see Ho-Oh though!

Type: Wild was a perfect way to end it... I cried a little as it played! Having the original version was surprising (wish they did the same with the opening), but honestly it was best that way. I sang along...

I know I'm relatively young in comparison to others here, so my journey with Ash hasn't been as long, but god it's still... so strange to just, know that he's not going to be there, really. Part of me does hope that he'll return, somehow...

I'm excited for the new everything happening, particularly with Liko! It'll be super great to see a female protagonist!!

But god... whatever he does in the future, he'll do pretty great at it, right?