Music New Opening: XYZ by Rica Matsumoto

[ii kanji]

Back from work but no time to sleep tonight bcuz I gotta listen to the whole 10-hours-of-OP video on YouTube

Comments on animation:
- When I saw it live, the TF scene ending with Alan/Lizardon literally gave me the shivers - so spine-chilling!
- Maaiikachu is in an OP - am I dreaming?! Love the fact that the TRio got a substantial funny scene in the OP, bodes well for the content of the series!
- So much Satoshi focus, I'm sooooo hapz! When was the last time we got spoilt with SatoTears in a theme song? ;-)
- The British Isles makes a cameo, wtf. I feel strangely proud.

 

[Illus]

It's a great song! I'm surprised Tomohisa Sako helped out with this track.

 

[Keromatsu]

Regarding the Greninja leaving Ash scene, do you guys think it has something to do with Mega Evolution?

With Alan/Mega Charizard X and Shota/Mega Sceptile at the background, I think Ash might lose to them.

And then he thinks that he needs a Mega Evolution to win, maybe he looks for info in the new Pokedex and realizes none of his current team can Mega Evolve, so he started chasing after Pokemon that can, and looking for a Keystone and Megastone. Which make Greninja think he no longer trust his Pokemon's ability in battle?

I think this scenario is completely possible, but then we will have to wait and see.

Any other theories on this?

Wow that's a really nice theroy! Greninja probably got mad so decided to "leave", leaving Ash to realize that he needs to put faith in his Pokemon, eventually leading to Ash Greninja.

 

[Johtohfiller]

I think I have a new favorite OP.

I like how it's a Mega Man X song, but about Pokemon.

 

[ManUtd22]

I like iku Z too much
the video is too much good
I am waiting the the full song

 

[DS0308]

First things first this opening is fantastic. I haven't watched many of the Japanese openings so I can't say it's the best but I'll say it's without a doubt the best I've seen. Seems like Noibat to Noivern might be a bit later in the season, Greninja looks soon-ish. I liked the little detail where all the Pokemon in Ash's team had that Shuriken pattern as their shadow. Regarding Serena it looks like the Florges Furisode is gone, which kind of makes sense as it seemed like a one-off thing. The scene for Team Flare was really nice, if I'm not mistaken Bonnie's bag looks as though it's a bit messed up there? I know that was something people were speculating about earlier with Bonnie artwork that didn't include her bag. Hmm. I'm kind of thinking we're going to see a TF Zygarde-50% vs Puni-chan Zygarde-50% in the future which would lead to one of them becoming Zygarde-Complete. Gets me really pumped for this season!

 

[Thingamajig]

Great song. There haven't been many rock-y songs since the last two AG themes, and it's always a pleasure to have a Rica opening.

Animation was a lot of fun, too - though maybe a bit heavy on the Ash/Greninja thing. I can see the Wulfric part being replaced with rivals or a league teaser once Ash has his last badge and/or the obligatory Pokemon Village arc is done.

 

[pokemon fan 132]

I have to say i didn't enjoyed this much in Pokemon opening ever since "Greatest Everday!" awakening that fire and passion i used to had for this anime.

Whole intro showing Ash in badass style zipping jacket full of selfesteem. Lot of emotion and feelings flowing around about whole relationship between Ash and future Greninja. Indicating we might be getting arc full of much needed and welcomed character development for main hero.

Was amazing.

Followed by nicely done sequence in which hierarchy of Team Flare was showed with Alain taking main lead with his lizard. Still being clearly deceived and deluded in thinking he is actually on good side doing right thing as Lysandre pawn. I expect some serious conrontation between him and Ash.
Bonnie being showed in more prominent position with Zygarde core(so little, yet could be so important to Kalos already).

Or Serene and relaxed scene of Wulfric surrounded by snow and ice pokemon.

I also appreciated how Jessie, James and Meowth got their own little corner in here too. Showing silly dynamic and all kind of crazy schemes they are capable of coming with. Such moments reassure my belief how this three are too iconic and representative for Pokemon to ever leave. Sadly other characters weren't this lucky fading away forever in oblivion.

Melody, scenery and animation was upbeat, vivid and very memorable for me as well.


All in all i can only hope anime will deliver what opening showed not being misleading as its been the case before(like whole Charizard and Reshiram thing, White Ruins etc).

Because everything was dynamic, packed with action scenes and full of interesting teasers. Indicating big, meaningful changes to Kalos storyline and much needed additoon of drama, suspense and tension which was for most part absent in XY.

 

[Aestivate]

that was so badass o_o

i haven't watched pokeani in a real long time but that was probably my favorite opening in a loooooong time - like, since AG fave.

the song was awesome, rica is a goddess as usual but DAT ANIMATION instilled such a sense of urgency that i feel like i need to catch up...

 

[Silktree]

Animation was a lot of fun, too - though maybe a bit heavy on the Ash/Greninja thing. I can see the Wulfric part being replaced with rivals or a league teaser once Ash has his last badge and/or the obligatory Pokemon Village arc is done.

Wulfric's placement suggests that the gym battle will be the last event relevant to this opening. The Zygarde arc will most likely be over by then, and so an entirely new opening will be in order. It is not hard to imagine that the current opening will only last around 20 episodes.

 

[DarkTouya]

Has a release date for this song been announced yet ?

 

[dman_dustin]

Regarding the Greninja leaving Ash scene, do you guys think it has something to do with Mega Evolution?

With Alan/Mega Charizard X and Shota/Mega Sceptile at the background, I think Ash might lose to them.

And then he thinks that he needs a Mega Evolution to win, maybe he looks for info in the new Pokedex and realizes none of his current team can Mega Evolve, so he started chasing after Pokemon that can, and looking for a Keystone and Megastone. Which make Greninja think he no longer trust his Pokemon's ability in battle?

I think this scenario is completely possible, but then we will have to wait and see.

Any other theories on this?

I don't think this makes any sense given the fact he has beating Korrina's Mega Lucario, and its not like Ash to get upset just because he keeps losing to Mega evolved Pokemon, that he wants one of his own, and goes so far to seek for a Pokemon that can Mega evolve, while not trusting in his Pokemon.

I feel like the opening implies more of a dire fate for Ash's Greninja and that Ash not wanting to lose Greninja, and the bond they have causes Greninja to become Ash Greninja and overcome whatever dire threat is happening. So I feel as if the opening comes off more as spiritual life and death situation rather than symbolic of a rift between Pokemon and trainer situation.

 

[PTOldMan]

I loved this opening! The animation is very solid, and we have way more than just "static" characters, they are all fluidly moving, and it creates a dynamism that is not common on the openings! Nice.
I am fond of this new approach of creating a "villain arc". I enjoyed how it was handled with Team Plasma, and I am pleased to have these kind of openings. I loved "Be An Arrow (N)", and even though I think "XYZ" has a much better opening, I loved one thing about "Be An Arrow" that is not present at all during "XYZ": near the end, when the heroes are running away from Team Plasma, there's that AWESOME scene in which Team Rocket attacks Plasma's Pokémon and we see them posing, that scene was priceless, the music, the animations, the meaning... One of my favorite opening scenes ever. And it was a "preview" of what we would see from Team Rocket during Plasma's arc.
The fact that we did not have a similar scene on "XYZ" made me think that maybe Team Rocket won't be as relevant with Team Flare as they were with Team Plasma. I hope this is a wrong conclusion, taking into consideration the last episode and Olympia's premonition.

 

[Dr. Buni]

The opening songs in XY have been all pretty bad and unfortunately this one isn't the exception. I haven't actually loved an opening song in Pokémon since DP. Shame. I wish we would get songs like The Greatest - Everyday, Together or Advance Adventure or even the Best Wishes again, instead of generic shonen animu music like the post Best Wishes openings.

 

[dman_dustin]

Regarding the Greninja leaving Ash scene, do you guys think it has something to do with Mega Evolution?

With Alan/Mega Charizard X and Shota/Mega Sceptile at the background, I think Ash might lose to them.

And then he thinks that he needs a Mega Evolution to win, maybe he looks for info in the new Pokedex and realizes none of his current team can Mega Evolve, so he started chasing after Pokemon that can, and looking for a Keystone and Megastone. Which make Greninja think he no longer trust his Pokemon's ability in battle?

I think this scenario is completely possible, but then we will have to wait and see.

Any other theories on this?

I don't think this makes any sense given the fact he has beating Korrina's Mega Lucario, and its not like Ash to get upset just because he keeps losing to Mega evolved Pokemon, that he wants one of his own, and goes so far to seek for a Pokemon that can Mega evolve, while not trusting in his Pokemon.

I feel like the opening implies more of a dire fate for Ash's Greninja and that Ash not wanting to lose Greninja, and the bond they have causes Greninja to become Ash Greninja and overcome whatever dire threat is happening. So I feel as if the opening comes off more as spiritual life and death situation rather than symbolic of a rift between Pokemon and trainer situation.

I sort of take this back.

If the story was about Greninja doubting itself and doubting its worth as a Pokemon belonging to Ash and Ash Greninja happens as a result of it, then I'm perfectly fine.

What I don't want to see Ash being a heartless jerk (losing faith in his Pokemon) or Greninja losing faith in Ash as a trainer and abandons him.

 

[Thingamajig]

Animation was a lot of fun, too - though maybe a bit heavy on the Ash/Greninja thing. I can see the Wulfric part being replaced with rivals or a league teaser once Ash has his last badge and/or the obligatory Pokemon Village arc is done.

Wulfric's placement suggests that the gym battle will be the last event relevant to this opening. The Zygarde arc will most likely be over by then, and so an entirely new opening will be in order. It is not hard to imagine that the current opening will only last around 20 episodes.

Good point, actually. The animation could be replaced entirely within a few months, especially considering how it focuses on a few, specific plot points more than most openings do. Wouldn't surprise me if the next song was "XY&Z 2016" though.

 

[ii kanji]

Wouldn't surprise me if the next song was "XY&Z 2016" though.

Please no.

 

[Johtohfiller]

- Maaiikachu is in an OP - am I dreaming?! Love the fact that the TRio got a substantial funny scene in the OP, bodes well for the content of the series!

James crossdressing too, how long has it been since we've seen that? I welcome its return.

I also like how the lyrics mention Protean while TR are in disguise onscreen.

 

[Muur]

I like the idea of Alain being an unknowing antagonist. Was a good video!

 

[Dogasu]

I must have listened to this song about a million times by now. I think it might have even taken Spurt!'s place as my favorite Pocket Monsters opening?

Can't wait for this song to come out on CD.

V (Volt) didn't have the best singing in the world

The Matsumoto Rika version of the song fixes that problem very nicely