Minireviews blog: Pokemon episodes and more!

[Nicolas721]

• The Great Pretender: I live for the animation style, those blues and greens give me life. The story is very cool too, it's nice to see how the characters' morals enter in conflict with their missions and how each one of them feels so different from the previous one. My only complaint would be that the pacing shifts abruptly from slow to fast, specially on the second Arc. 8/10
• The Promised Neverland (season 1): It has a bleak start, but then it becomes a very interesting escape show full of twists and psychological tensions between the characters. It's definitely better if you watch at least more than 1 episode per week though. 9.5/10
• Aggretsuko (seasons 1-3): I was starting an office job when I watched the series so I feel related to so many parts of the show, and as episodes went by the show became one of my favorites for its quirky humour, charm, likable characters and exaggerated animations. Season 3 gave me mixed feelings, because it trades some of the expressions and the humor for a more reflexive approach. Still, a good show I'm looking forward for more. 9/10
• The Good Cop: Some parts are good, some parts aren't. The characters are inconsistent, the protagonist is supposed to be smart but he's also very naive and impulsive, and the father is supposed to be a lovable bastard but sometimes he's just a bastard. Many plots being personal would be interesting in another show, but in a police show it makes them look like tragedy magnets. More inter-episode continuity would have been welcomed too. But it's overall fun, the solutions to the mysteries are unexpected and it deserved another season to prove itself since the final episodes were great. 6.5/10

 

[Nicolas721]

• High Score (video game documentary series): The first two episodes are an amazing look at the early days of videogames, but afterwards it just becomes a bunch of specific segments on specific videogames. And there's an episode on how Sega "beat" Nintendo. And Pokemon doesn't even get a single mention or a single frame. But still, it was fun and I learnt a lot. 7.5/10

Diamond & Pearl (or HeartGold & SoulSilver?) time:

• An Egg Scramble!: The festival is a very obvious commercial, but it's fine overall. I have a bigger problem with the TR chase as it doesn't contribute to anything nor it gives a chance for Dawn to connect with Cyndaquil. 4.5/10
• Gone with the Windworks!: A very average plot in a lifeless location is saved by character moments and interactions. 6/10
• A Rivalry to Gible On: Competition plots always get me, and this one really took advantage of its locations, characters and Pokémon of the Day with excellent humor and action. It's sad Brock was neglected though. 9/10
• Dressed for Jess Success!: A very fun gimmick episode executed accordingly, and has a great climax battle with both James and Dawn giving their all. The first round was a bit boring sadly. 8/10
• Bagged Then Tagged: The battle is actually decent and gives a nice message about teamwork. But the TR chase they chose to fill the rest of the episode...sigh. It's a mess, changing ideas every second and failing miserably at making Khoury seem smart and more confident in himself, as the decision he makes is really obvious (read paragraph 3 from the Bulbapedia synopsis). 4.5/10

 

[Nicolas721]

Final DP episodes of the year:

• Unlocking the Red Chain of Events!: A fun semi-filler about the protagonists and Meowth collaborating to save Jessie, James and Looker from Team Galatic, with great interactions and characterization. However I wish it'd had tied into the next episodes more. 7.5/10
• The Needs of the Three!: A brutal first half with J's battle with the pixies where we all know what happens, and a decent second half about Team Galatic's belief and battle with the group. Easily the best Team Galactic episode. 9/10
• The Battle Finale of Legend!: The actual finale is just..okay. The animation and the pacing is great as well as the bonding between the pixies and the protagonists, but the Spacetime titans could have done more. 7/10
• Mastering Current Events!: The classic defeat-training-rematch story is delivered in a very boring way as the everyone has zero personality traits. But the battles are cool and the way Dawn finds a solution to the problem is very smart. Gliscor didn't have to leave, but at least this makes more sense than whatever sh*t they did with Ambipom. 5/10
• Double-Time Battle Training!: I would watch a whole series of just contest combos and brainstorming ideas for those, and this episode delivered on that aspect while also providing some Dawn development and Candice and Zoey focus. 9.5/10
• A Meteoric Rise to Excellence!: Instead of the charismatic Gible from DP145, we're struck with a baby-ish one who does things just because and doesn't give a damn about the feelings of others. And the plot of the episode is...a Team Rocket chase with very forced humor. 2/10
• Gotta Get a Gible!: The first half was just another bunch of Gible "jokes" where it ruins things for everyone and gets scot-free. The second half is thankfully better, as we finally get some Ash and Gible bonding and Barry gave us some great comedy moments and a decent battle. 5.5/10

I knew I was going to dislike Gible but not to this level, let's hope it gets better...

 

[Nicolas721]

• Super Mario Odyssey: I had high hopes for this game, and for the most part it fulfilled them. It reminded me of those Disney platformers I played as a kid, but obviously expanded and with more things to do. I love collecting moons, the methods to obtain them are very varied so each one of them feels different and rewarding. However i was expecting a few more kingdoms or at least for the minor ones to be expanded, more variations in the capture system and a bigger postgame (Super Mario 3D land had lots of levels and Captain Toad has more levels too, this one just expands the worlds you already know). But still, one of the funniest experiences I've had in a long time. 8.5/10
• Hollywood (Netflix series): The first episodes are nice, and the drama-free approach works well and makes the situations comical and entertaing. But towards the end it introduces a ton of subplots with strange resolutions (though they contain nuanced and very charming characters, I have to admit) and the drama-free charm fades out because when the stakes get higher the solution is extremely idealistic and perfect it breaks the immersion (which is also great, as it presents the 40s in great fashion). 6/10
• Glitch Techs: Brilliant and fast-paced animation, that alone makes it worth watching. The characters are also likeable, and the videogame theme isn't just an excuse to have Monster-of-the-week episodes as those monsters are actually defeated as if they were in a videogame. It makes you feel great for being a gamer, and unlike other videogame show it has neat Pokemon references. I'd really like to see more, as well as more story arcs as there isn't one in the first two seasons. It's not perfect however, as the humor is a bit childish at times and some plots are predictable. 8/10
• The Last kids on Earth, season 2: The first half is a bit boring because of its snail pace and redundance in some plots, but still decent because of how the relationship between humans and monsters develops. But the second half is astounding, as its an Steven Universe Future-like story where the protagonist's insecurities are what drive the plot and has one of the best climatic battles I've seen this year as well as Nightmare Fuel moments of what will come later. 9/10

Two Journeys episodes I had not watched until recently:

• Ivysaur's mysterious tower!: The plot was extremely simple, but it have us some biology classes so there's that. Goh and Ash's conflict was interesting, but it was resolved with Ash being good at battles...Is this an XY episode? A very unambitious episode and at times boring episode. 5/10
• Working my way back to Mew: As someone who likes catching Pokemon in the games I was intrigued with the premise, but boy did they dropped the ball with the execution. Pokemon are caught in seconds so they don't show their personality or traits at all, and the hurdles are easily solved. However, unlike 95% of the anime subforum I actually liked Goh here, he seemed genuinely happy and excited after each capture and his relationship with Scorbunny was cute. 3.5/10

 

[Nicolas721]

• Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: The first arc was okay. I liked the animation, the battle style and the characters, but the plot felt too random and it lacked a certain spark, possibly because the characters were just fighting for themselves. But oh boy did I liked that second arc. For starters, I love the many-years-forward trope, how it built upon everything from the first part, how it added themes about the humanity and their role and its marvelous final battle. 8.5/10
• Hilda (season 2): The first part of the season is...crazy. There's too much reliance in the magic when in Season 1 it was more about the creatures, and the plot resolutions felt weird. The second part is much better, as we return and even surpass the sweet feelings of Season 1 with amazing plots. My biggest disappointment comes with the lack of a linear story, because as we saw in episode 6 they had all the elements to do one but preferred to leave everything for a movie or future season. For now it's a 7/10, but it could be lower if the new movie/season doesn't come out this year.
• Dr. Stone (season 1): The plot is very interesting, but moves at a snail-pace as soon as Senku arrives in the village, and there are many times where you feel literally nothing is happening. But it has very likable characters and a feel-good positive atmosphere, and sometimes that's more than enough to get me engaged with something. Oh, and I love the realistic science too. 7.5/10

 

[Nicolas721]

More Journeys I watched for the first time:

• The Sinnoh Iceberg Race!: I actually liked Lauren and her Pokemon's story, it was cute and I liked how her gag actually mattered at many parts of it. However it has some presentation issues, the first half has a lot of filler and the race suffers a lot from it. 4.5/10
• A Test in Paradise!: It definitely feels more fun and eventful than the previous Journeys episodes, the way how the duo reaches the island is interesting as well as Dragonair's development into a competent battler. However, I loathe when Ash has the personality of a toddler, and the plot took a while to become clear. 7/10
• Best Friend...Worst Nightmare!: A good lesson on how to make a slice-of-life episode interesting: set up future plots. We see a nice human side of Chloe and her scenes are great. The Gengar plot was nice too, I only wish the battle was a bit longer. 9/10

 

[Nicolas721]

• Carmen San Diego (season 4): It's the show's final season, so how does it compare to other cartoon finales we've seen recently? Sadly, it's kinda rushed. I like that they understood that the core of the show was the Carmen vs VILE conflict, so they gave us a nice finale two-parter about Carmen being brainwashed without any "You're in there somewhere" nonsense. But honestly that should have happened at the middle of the season, and the rest should have been about raiding the VILE headquarters. The other episodes are fine, good quality adventures with many characters involved and at the end of the day most plots were resolved. 7/10

Journeys first time watch:

• Raid Battle in The Ruins!: I loved the COTDs and how they showed their personality quickly, and both the Indiana Jones and raid parts were fun. The later could've been a little more strategic but it's not a bad use of the concept. 8/10
• A Snow Day for Searching!: The beginning made it look like Goh's version of JN011, so I was intrigued...But then the Cubone plot appeared. It was just jumping from one location to another without any obstacle, but at least the ending was cute. 6/10
• A Chilling Curse!: This felt like 3 episodes combined into one for the sake of Ash having a Gengar before battling Visquez: Ash being cursed, Gengar facing his old trainer and a generic capture episode. Both the first and second parts were great, but I'm really bummed they killed a plot with potential so early. 6.5/10
• Kicking It from Here Into Tomorrow!: This has to be one of the worst Pokemon development episodes I've seen. The conflict comes from nowhere and so does the resolution, and while TR has their moments they should have taken the backseat for Goh and Scorbunny's conflict to be developed more. And Ash's attitude was...ugh. Is he forbidden from having a debate with Goh? 2/10
• A Talent for Imitation!: This is where TR really saves the day. We've seen the plot in the past, but the way they developed it with TR's unique personalities made it really worthwhile and funny. The climax is silly but also it gave me laughs. I actually enjoyed it more than some of the trio's SM episodes. 10/10. Congratulations.

 

[Nicolas721]

• Disenchantment (Season 3): The best season yet. This time it has a great beginning, middle and end and is more plot-focused then the other seasons. It's still rather messy at times and the humor is still weird, but it engages the audience with more lore and worldbuilding and mysteries to be solved. 8/10

Journeys first time watch:

• Dreams Are Made of These!: The idea of Ash and Goh competing in an observation race with kids actually had a lot of potential, but what we got instead was a thousand Pokedex entries and both shouting their goals over and over again. But the many scenes were decent, and the battle was nice too. 5.5/10
• Caring for a Mystery!: Not really a first time watch, but I want to highlight how what happened in JN016 happened again. We should have had the egg calling for Ash for many episodes, then 1 episode about Ash caring for the egg and 1 about Ash bonding with Riolu, but nope, gotta go fast. And Riolu is really unlikable. 4/10
• Goodbye, Friend!: The first half is cool, it's nice to see Ash and Goh inventing new ways of not missing the Beautifly migration with great interactions. And the second half is a very well told lesson of understanding how while people change (in this case, rabbits) and get different interests doesn't mean they like you less. A personal favorite, even with its flaws (namely, the Loudred suddenly giving up). 9/10
• Panic in the Park!: A great way to explore the Cerise Park ecosystem, with all the new interactions and alliances we got, and a fantastic climax. The ugly and selfish squirrel should have been released received a punishment though, and the humor at the beginning is really weak. 8.5/10
• A Little Rocket R & R!: Shortly after the last TR banger, we got another one! It's really nice to see more experimentation with the relationship between TR and the duo and how they can really turn to the good side when a menace emerges, even if it's one from the same organization. It's only flaw was that the lake scene was a bit too long. 9/10

 

[Nicolas721]

• Pokemon Adventures, Fire Red & Leaf Green chapter: The decision of developing old protagonists instead of new ones was brilliant and it works pretty well as we see both Red, Leaf (calling her like that so there won't be any controversy ) and even Giovanni of all people go to new places and live different situations. The side cast is fantastic as usual, and making them a smaller cast was also nice, and the story flows pretty well. I have two problems with it though, the mysteries surrounding Deoxys having either weird or predictable answers, and the part about there being two Deoxys and one dying off-screen was extremely convoluted. A fun mini-arc that goes to welcomed new places. 8/10 AND THAT CLIFFHANGER.
• Bojack Horseman: Wow, where to start with this one. It's a drama series, but one with an excellent use of comedy and recurring gags (even if they diminish in later seasons) but that also knows very well how to develop its characters and make them human and relatable. I loved the realistic twists the characters go through, and I also love the experimental episodes. An at times heart-breaking and at times funny series about what actually means to be a good person, whose only flaw is maybe an unpolished final season. 9.5/10

Journeys first time watch:

• Splash, Dash, and Smash for the Crown!/Slowking's Crowning!: I like absurd comedy but this one is just not that, since it breaks the series' own rules for repetitive gags The first part is just Goh acing a competence for no reason, and while the second part isn't a bad as I expected it's just a collection of quick gags that leave Slowpoke's family's potential for humor untapped. 2/10
• There's a New Kid in Town!: An overall refreshing story as it focuses more on Chloe's family, and Pidove was a really fun and cute character. However the ending was kinda rushed, and the morale that jealousy is a part of life could have been used for something more ambitious. 6.5/10
• Betrayed, Bothered, and Beleaguered!: Yeah, the plot was convoluted and so was how Ash reunited with Pikachu at the end. But some scenes were just so cute and heartwarming that I'll let them pass (Delia please stay ), andPikachu and Mr. Mime's adventure also had many fun moments. Far from the worst we've seen from Journeys. 7.5/10

 

[Nicolas721]

• Spectacular Spiderman (late 2000s series): After watching it completely I now understand why it's so appreciated. The action is fantastic and makes an excellent use of the environment the battles are situated as well as the powers Spidey and the villain had. While the series uses the Villain of the Week format, you never get tired of it and you find yourself anticipating the next one. The secondary cast is also great, they behave like fun teenagers and are filled with life. Its only problems would be the lack of an ending (as it was cancelled) and that the plot itself is sometimes too rushed or convoluted, but it's a fun ride for superhero lovers. 8.5/10
• Travelers (series): The series knows what it wants to be and what the rules of its premise are, so what I appreciated the most was how it kept the tone constant and took advantages of its rules to experiment with them and evaluate their limits and implications. Also, it explores well topics like identity, surveillance and sacrifice for others. The characters start off as weird, since they are basically stealing lives and we know nothing of their past, but eventually they become likable eventually. My problem comes with the plots, both individual and general. They either come off as unpolished, having disappointing endings (a bunch of them are solved with the same Deus Ex Machina) or not serving the main story enough. The ending is okay, but it deserved something more than what it got. 6.5/10

Now the Journeys continue:

• The Cuteness Quotient!: The beginning and the training parts are very cute and well-done, it definitely got me involved in the story for what it was. The Slateport presentation was also cool as I loved it as a Water-type fan. However, TR was their BW versions, and...did Feebas really need to evolve when the lesson was telling us it shouldn't? 7.5/10
• Trade, Borrow, and Steal!: So they make an episode about trading, but they don't let Goh trade any of his Pokemon. What was the point of the episode then? The Pinsir hunt was kinda boring...until TR showed up. THIS is how we want to see them, adding some needed flavor in an episode that needed it. And the Pinsir romance was cute. 5/10
• Gotta Catch a What?!: A very standard "Pikachu forest" episode, with a loooong TR fight and lots of randomness. But it's saved by Goh's Pikachu and her personality, as well as a fast pace that keeps it entertaining. 5.5/10
• Making Battles in the Sand!: I actually liked how they blended Ash's bad streak with the main Flygon plot, teaching the important lesson that failure shouldn't push you into your comfort zone. The battle was also decent, even if it was the Goh glorification hour. It's by no means perfect but unlike the previous two it's consistenly fun and adds some wonder to the Poke-world. 7.5/10

 

[Nicolas721]

• Infinity Train (season 4): Friendship can be complicated, since you and your friend can be close enough to advice each other decisions but not close enough to have lifelong projects together, so when the chance of doing something together appears things can get really messy. This season showcases that beautifully, as we see the characters struggle with their friendship and their dreams coming to terms in adulthood. Sadly, both the main and the individual plots doesn't complement it well since they feel like obligatory checkpoints and can become...boring. The side characters can be fun but they aren't enough. Also, it feels like it doesn't take advantage of the 80s/90s setting enough. 6/10
• Loki (season 1): WandaVision was great (as a fan of comedy I'm willing to forgive its flaws for what it did good) and Falcon & Winter Soldier was ok (had some boring moments, but the ending made it cohesive enough), but this one...eh. It has an interesting plot and characters, but what it does with them is to throw them in the most random situations possible and pull lame fake-outs every half-hour. The series clearly wants the viewed to feel confused and intrigued, but is that enough when the answers are equally as confusing and when the universe is half-rebuilt at the end? And don't get me started on the He who remains character, whose monologue bored me as hell and I'm not looking forward to see him in other movies. 3/10
• Squid game (season 1): With its popularity I feel obligated to talk about it, but that's not a problem since it's great. It has well-defined and relatable characters, good cinematography and well-crafted tension that keeps you hooked on. and the space between games is well-used to define the characters more and create equally interesting situations. Like everyone, I have a few problems with the subplot and the ending, but it's worth watching. 8.5/10

 

[Nicolas721]

• The Old House (season 1): Amazing wordbuilding, there's not a moment that doesn't fit the "Keep it weird" premise but at the same time there's logic and sense behind why the things are that way. The story is decent and has a great finale which sets up future seasons. The characters are nice and form cute relationships between them, but aren't exactly deep and tend to disappear when they aren't needed (like King in the second half). A good show, but not as innovative or ground-breaking as people say. 8/10
• Monsters at Work (season 1): I'm a diehard fan of this franchise, so I was hyped yet scared before it came out. The final result is...good. The comedy may be too childish sometimes and the characters don't leave the biggest impact, but it's made with enough love and respect for the movies that it ends up working well as a side story about that universe. It's charming enough, through I wish it had more moments between Mike and Tyler as they share very similar stories. 8.5/10

More Pokemon as I have tons of episodes I've got to comment:

• Restore and Renew!: Decent humor, decent TR battle, decent Aerodactyl showing and decent Chloe role. Also, Marshtomp was on it. 7/10
• A Crackling Raid Battle!: The final battle is ok, but the rest of the episode is extremely obxionous, thanks to Ash's terrible characterization and an horrible raid battle which ends after 1 move. 3/10
• Crowning the Chow Crusher!: I had zero hopes about it but it turned out great. Nice humor, great strategies, and amazing pacing made a food competition more than worth watching. Chloe and Chryssa being the commentators was a nice touch. 9/10
• A Close Call... Practically!: Castelia City being lifeless is actually the least of its problems. The Practically Pikachu plot goes nowhere, the comedy is just bad slapstick and the setting is completely butchered with Ash and Goh eating their prize in a public park. 2/10
• To Train, or Not to Train!: Chloe and Eevee's relationship is cute and is shown in a great way. But instead of focusing on that, the episode introduces a thousand subplots and locations that go nowhere: the school, the park and the Eevee lab, and also just uses Team Rocket as padding. 4/10

 

[Nicolas721]

• Tuca & Bertie (season 1): The first episode is hard to swallow, since the humor is at his darkest and surreal-est, but thankfully in later episodes it's toned down in order to focus on what I like more: character drama and relatability. And the series shows that in optimistic ways, so you feel heart-warmed at the end of every episode. It may not hit the highs of Bojack Horseman in both drama or humor but it conquered me with one season. 8.5/10

Moar Pokeyman anime, reminder that unmentioned episodes are likely to be in their respective threads:

• A Pinch of This, a Pinch of That!: Ash & co. ignoring the inefficiency of the scientists adds some humor to it, and the sequences and pacing are great, I liked the Dracovish chase. Just a fun and simple episode. 8/10
• Trials of a Budding Master!: Farfetch'd vs Gurdurr is great, makes great use of the environment and the focus on weapons means you feel the intensity of the match. Sadly. it's let down by Farfetch'd vs Gallade, which is rushed and anticlimatic and doesn't set up the duck's "you have to become more defensive and strategic" arc well. AND ENDS WITH FALSE SWIPE? 6/10
• How Are You Gonna Keep 'Em Off of the Farm?: more like How Are you gonna keep me watching Journeys? The plot had potential but is resolved anticlimatically with a Goh capture on the second try, and to fill out the runtime they force a Team Rocket fight. The ingenuity and craziness of previous series' comedic fillers feels like it's completely gone here. 2/10
• Healing the Healer!...sigh. The battles are decent, I like how types mean something and are used strategically, and Goh really shows his bravery here. But does that make him worthy of a Suicune? Not really since Ash has done that and more in both the show and the movies, and no legendary has chose to neither give up its mission nor "be with him in spirit" for that. So like most I dislike the concept and the implications. 4.5/10

The next entry will have a 10/10 Pokemon episode. Make your bets!

 

[Nicolas721]

• Titans (season 3): The first episodes were amazing. The conflict was really interesting and it escalated in a natural way...But they had a whole season to fill so they delayed the conclusion with slooooow pacing, bad reveals and returning and new characters that weren't bad but that maybe would've fit better in another story. Characters like Superboy, Barbara Gordon and Jonathan Crane suffered and became less likeable, and the finale had lots of weird choices. But it still has great action, a good message and the usual Titans darkness. 6/10
• Inside job (season 1): I went in expecting more of a lighthearted comedy than a dark one, but the final result still works. The conspiracies are fun and the best episodes occur when not only they exaggerate them but also when they link it to the protagonist's story. The humor could be better and the other main characters should have a bit more depth, but I'd recommend it for those who want an adult animated comedy that references millennial problems.

Pokemon:

• Sobble Spies a Stealthy Strategy!: A rather classical training episode, but done well as we can see Sobble's progress to become better in battle, and I liked the battles at the beginning and at the end referencing classical spy film set ups. 8/10
• Memories of a Warming Kindness!: In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little, yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the new. The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations. The new needs friends. Last night, I experienced something new: an extraordinary episode from a singularly unexpected source. To say that both the episode and its maker have challenged my preconceptions about fine animation is a gross understatement. They have rocked me to my core. 10/10 Best Journeys evah
• A Rollicking Roll… Eyes on the Goal!: Part 1 is yet another unconfortable joke overused to hell, but with some good pacing. Part 2 is extremely cute and the turtle Pokemon are used well, I liked Turtwig and Chewtle's rivalry. 6/10
• When a House is Not a Home!: More like When a Convenience is not a Plot. The episode had good intentions but instead of delving into why Goh deserves Grookey or why Goh has to save Grookey it just gives us generic TR battles and random Grookey gags. But it's not insulting or stressing as other episodes so...yeah. 4/10