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Pokémon.com creates a playlist of the most memorable episodes

Fortune Hunters was good, I would throw Forest Grumps in there as well.
 
Exactly I was going to reply to @RetroPokeFan the same thing.

We had Iris which still was not seen as a pest by the fans but was building to it. Trip was born cursed to be a Paul wannabe, the battles were not that good, and we had serious Rockets but the first year got nice things like the Pokemon having different personalities, Ash having surprising catches, Cilan being a dork, and good fillers mostly good due to not recuring to the Team Rocket formula. The tournaments. Also they gave us that awesome Meowth arc ,and the Litwick episode which for me had one of the best Team Rockets in history funny and competent. If we had the Rocket Plasma episodes probably one of the best seasons in Pokemon.

Personally, I didn't like the tournaments. They were a good idea, but just poorly handled, which can apply to quite a few of the ideas in BW. I doubt that the Team Plasma two parter would have drastically changed things in BW's favor. I can understand why fans put the episode on such a pedestal when there was so much buildup for the two parter and we still don't know for sure what would have happened, but considering that none of my main issues with BW had anything to do with those episodes being written out of continuity, I don't think it would have changed things that drastically.

Admittedly I was expecting the list to be worse than it was, but why in the actual hell is the Pikachu vs. Mimikyu battle that sucked so much on there instead of Memories in the Mist?

The list is almost entirely focused on Ash instead of his friends with Serena seemingly being the only exception. They also probably didn't want to include such an emotionally intense episode on the list. It is memorable, but it also might be too depressing for this list. Not to mention it would stick out like a sore thumb compared to all of the relatively upbeat episodes included on the playlist. I am still amazed that they chose Pikachu vs. Mimikyu. Maybe they wanted to feature an episode between the two of them given Mimikyu's popularity, but this would still be a sad choice even if that was the logic involved.
 
The list is almost entirely focused on Ash instead of his friends with Serena seemingly being the only exception. They also probably didn't want to include such an emotionally intense episode on the list. It is memorable, but it also might be too depressing for this list. Not to mention it would stick out like a sore thumb compared to all of the relatively upbeat episodes included on the playlist. I am still amazed that they chose Pikachu vs. Mimikyu. Maybe they wanted to feature an episode between the two of them given Mimikyu's popularity, but this would still be a sad choice even if that was the logic involved.
If that was the logic involved they should have gone with the Pikachu Valley one. Pretty sure that had Mimikyu rivalry stuff in it as well as a much less crappy conclusion.
 
I don't like that list.
Bye Bye Butterfree, Charizard Chills, Can't Beat the Heat for OS; Win, Lose or Drew! for AG; Club Battle Finale: A Hero's Outcome! for BW; The Moment of Lumiose Truth! or Championing a Research Battle! for XY; One Journey Ends, Another Begins... or Memories in the Mist! and The Professors' New Adventure! should be there IMHO.

I guess they either didn't want to include obvious choices or (wishful thinking) they are hinting at sth?
 
I don't like that list.
Bye Bye Butterfree, Charizard Chills, Can't Beat the Heat for OS; Win, Lose or Drew! for AG; Club Battle Finale: A Hero's Outcome! for BW; The Moment of Lumiose Truth! or Championing a Research Battle! for XY; One Journey Ends, Another Begins... or Memories in the Mist! and The Professors' New Adventure! should be there IMHO.

I guess they either didn't want to include obvious choices or (wishful thinking) they are hinting at sth?
At sth?
 
If that was the logic involved they should have gone with the Pikachu Valley one. Pretty sure that had Mimikyu rivalry stuff in it as well as a much less crappy conclusion.

I don't think that episode would be considered memorable though. As unsatisfying as that battle turned out to be, it was memorable, even though it wasn't for good reasons. Besides that, they really should have gone with Ash and Pikachu defeating Professor Kukui and Tapu Koko instead. That was definitely a highlight and memorable moment of SM and it would have worked more with how most of their choices did focus on Ash's major accomplishments.
 
Orange Islands getting skipped doesn't surprise me even if I'm disappointed. It got a lot of flak for a while for not being based off the games despite so many good and important episodes.
If I picked an OI episode it would be either Charizard Chills or Enter the Dragonite. Probably the former even if I'd miss losing the latter.

I don't think that episode would be considered memorable though. As unsatisfying as that battle turned out to be, it was memorable, even though it wasn't for good reasons. Besides that, they really should have gone with Ash and Pikachu defeating Professor Kukui and Tapu Koko instead. That was definitely a highlight and memorable moment of SM and it would have worked more with how most of their choices did focus on Ash's major accomplishments.
Alola finale is one of the biggest episodes in the show's history (heck, I think Sarah Natochenny commented on that when she and some of the other english VA were livestreaming it). It's the one I'm really not sure why was left off.
 
First one is relevant, though. Elesa is still popular as a character especially in Japan.

Are people confusing Orange Islands with Decalora Islands or something? Orange Islands is my favourite season and almost every, if not every, episode of it is filled with hype and everything. Full package season that is worth everything.
Umm? What are you watching?
 
I loved the Orange Islands as a kid. It had some great and interesting ideas. But looking back on it, it definitely wasn't on par with the Kanto arc. I think the Orange Islands is when the series started getting a bit cheesy and unrealistic and it only went downhill from there. Not to mention that that particular season was pretty much nothing but filler (understandable though, since they didn't want the anime to get too far ahead of the games).

I actually stopped watching the series halfway through Johto, so I can't really speak about any memorable post-Johto episodes, but I'd say that some of the most memorable episodes include: the first episode, the episode with Bill's lighthouse, the episode with the island of giant Pokémon, the episode in @game3524 's avatar where Ash nearly freezes to death in the snow, the episode with the ketchup, the Pi-Kahuna, the Battle of the Badge, the episode where Ash is kidnapped before his match with Ritchie, and the episode where Ash loses to Ritchie. And many other episodes in the Kanto arc were also memorable, (in fact, I think most of them were memorable,) but they can't all go on the list :(

As for the Orange Islands, there were certainly some memorable episodes as others have already pointed out: the episode with pink Pokémon, the episode with Crystal Onix, Charizard Chills, and Enter the Dragonite. There was also that episode with the Scythers, the episode with Kabuto and the blood moon, the episode with the Grapefruit Islands, and the episode where Ash had to beat the second gym leader in a bobsled race, which were all pretty memorable.

For Johto, I honestly can't say I remember much. Probably the most memorable ones that I've seen would be Don't Touch That 'Dile, the episode with the Red Gyarados, and the episode with the baby Lugia... which, compared to the episodes of the Kanto arc, were all pretty subpar. I never got the chance to see Ash's battle against Gary in the Johto League, though I suppose that episode must have been pretty good and memorable. (At least they better not have messed that one up...)
 
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I never got the chance to see Ash's battle against Gary in the Johto League, though I suppose that episode must have been pretty good and memorable. (At least they better not have messed that one up...)
It was very popular for a while but it had some issues; they really, REALLY overfocused on just a few of Ash's Pokémon; Heracross gets 1 KO, Snorlax 2, and Charizard 3; Bayleef, Tauros, and Muk were basically there to show Ash had made the mistake of choosing his team based off raw strength.

I don't think it's a bad battle, but I think the battle with Drake was overall better written, if less important to the series overall and far less hyped.

Quick note:
I think the Orange Islands is when the series started getting a bit cheesy and unrealistic and it only went downhill from there.
Later series had some dark stuff again after Johto ended; Diamond and Pearl in particular had some scenes as dark as anything in Kanto; one episode had Pikachu pretty clearly almost die in a battle with a Raichu; we even see a scene of him hooked up to a heart monitor while Nurse Joy struggles to keep him alive, Ash crying and watching helplessly from the other side of the window (honestly it bordered on a gritty reboot of the Lt. Surge episode during that scene, though it directly referenced that one so it was more of a followup), and some of the later shows actually killed off recurring characters (and not just villains).
 
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You know news are slow when we get two pages of TPCi's random collections...

  • BW049 is the season premiere of Rival Destinies, the most recent pre-SM season in the platform, so it's likely self-promotion.
  • XY060 shows a character changing outfit permanently, and it's definitely one of the most note-worthy pre-XYZ XY episodes. XY079 acts as a happier continuation of that episode.
  • SM037 could be included because of Lycanroc's popularity. It would make sense if it was included alongside SM074, SM075 or SM077 (the rest of the Ulaula Arc), so maybe they made a mistake, or they just want to promote the more popular Mimikyu.
 
This list is kind of odd. 12 episodes is also a really limited selection...I know Pokemon is a massive series, but picking 12 episodes out of all of that is almost impossible. I think it might've made more sense to break it up via series (like the Most Memorable OS, AG, DP, etc.) and made them separate playlists, because then at least each one would get fair coverage. Or at least make the playlist slightly longer and give each series an equal amount of episodes.

I agree: disappointed that no Orange Islands episodes made the cut. I will chime in with the group that really enjoyed the Orange Islands saga. Still holds up to me to this day. There were a lot of memorable episodes in that series, both for me personally and I feel for the series as a whole.

AG had some good episodes. The fact that the only episode they picked from that series came from basically the very end of the whole thing is kind of weird.

The BW episode...anything about choosing that one kind of seems like a reach. I know people love to rip on BW, but it did have better/more memorable episodes than the one on this playlist.

It's weird that Serena is the only companion to get any focus episodes on this list? May and Dawn had some fantastic focus episodes, especially related to Contests. I'm re-watching XY now and forgot just how dull Showcases were. I get that was Serena's goal, but pretty lame when you look at the list and see absolutely none of May or Dawn's Contests included when those were their goals and, in my opinion, had much more memorable episodes than just about any of the ones focusing on Showcases.

Two memorable episodes I instantly thought of that I was surprised didn't make the list: I Choose You and Snow Way Out. I Choose You for obvious reasons (it's the first episode of the entire show, the first meeting of Ash and Pikachu and them forming their bond, etc) and Snow Way Out because it's always, to me, been one of those classic Pokemon episodes that almost everyone remembers. It really showed the bond that Ash formed with his entire team, which really starts to then carry throughout the series as it progressed.
 
I'm very disappointed that the list only features one episode from BW, and a meh episode at that. BW010, BW028, BW052, and BW077 would all be excellent candidates.

And honestly, I wish they would pick episodes weren't part of multiple parts if they're not willing to put all the parts up.
 
I doubt that the Team Plasma two parter would have drastically changed things in BW's favor. I can understand why fans put the episode on such a pedestal when there was so much buildup for the two parter and we still don't know for sure what would have happened, but considering that none of my main issues with BW had anything to do with those episodes being written out of continuity, I don't think it would have changed things that drastically.

This. People who say BW would've been better if these episodes had aired give them FAR too much credit.

Would Ash have been less grotesquely stupid with Team Plasma around? Does no Team Plasma mean that many of the major battles had to suck so hard? Why should no Team Plasma mean that Iris' story had to be handled so awfully? Does a lack of Team Plasma excuse Trip being such a crappy rival and crappy character? Dawn's lousy guest stint? The annoying running gags? The Dregalore Archipelago? Friggin' Cameron?!

Why, for all we know, those episodes could've aired and the Sequel Games STILL would've ruined everything.

I will NEVER stop wondering how different BW could've been if these episodes had aired. But acting like BW's problems stem from them not airing is actually just dumb.
 
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In retrospect, the lack of Team Rocket episodes is also quite weird, but almost every episode on this list is focused on Ash. That isn't too surprising when he's the main character, but it's kind of a shame that they seemingly didn't bother to focus on other characters here beyond Serena.
"Team Rocket? Who are they?"

"Other characters other than Ash who are not named Serena? Who are they?"
They don't even include a Hoenn episode, which was the main setting for the vast majority of the series. Even if they didn't want to focus on May, there were other good/memorable episodes for Ash in Hoenn too.
"The Hoenn region? What's that?"
Yeah, the Orange Islands really should have gotten some mention.
"The Orange Islands? What's th.…. oh forget it."
 
Yeah, I'm disappointed too. The 2 XY episodes on there are both Serena focused. No Gym Battles? No Clement or Ash focused episodes? No episodes of the Kalos League?

At least A Showcase Debut is on there, one of my favorite XY episodes.
 
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