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Review S15 EP23 Search for the Clubultimate!

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The first round of the Clubsplosion Tournament continues with even more exciting battles! All kinds of great Trainers are in action today, with Iris and Burgundy facing off, and Bianca taking on Trip. Meanwhile, Ash and Scraggy are taking a break to work out with Stephan and Sawk. With all this battling action, this tournament is shaping up to be one for the ages!
 
re: S15 EP23 "Search for the Clubultimate!"

A lot of cases of 'so that's how you pronounce that' - Mienshao and Bisharp both sounded different than I was expecting.

Really hate how Burgundy lost here, she battled far better for most of the battle. I'd understand a loss to prove the point that she needs to develop more as a trainer, but she did basically everything right except for using a powerful water attack, and even that shouldn't have been enough for her to lose. I don't speak a word of French, but I still know that putting 'tres' before some English words doesn't work - though Iris mocking her in French was amusing, about the only time I was agreeing with Iris in the episode.

Montgomery is really good as a character and is dubbed really well to get the attitude right. Too bad he has to be Stephan's rival instead of Ash's - it kinda sucks that a tournament including Trip also has 15 characters that are more interesting than Trip in it. It's telling for his character that Trip's attempt at being negative towards Ash just ended up helping him - though it's equally annoying that Ash didn't come to the conclusion of 'maybe I need to practice Focus Blast' before seeing a photo.

The one line of Stephan's I liked was the one about Ash's Pokemon pronouncing it wrong - if only Stephan looked over to a nodding Sawk after that. Though I'd like to think Pikachu would get it right - perhaps that's the way of doing the scene where Ash finally pronounces it right, get Pikachu to correct him one time.

Bianca's muscle stuff is really creepy - hopefully that 'clubsplodes' and is never used as a plot point again after this - though perhaps Bianca looking for the strongest muscles is about the only thing that could loosely be defined as a search for anything in this episode - this has got to be the worst title ever.

How about less of that muscle stuff and actually showing Scraggy and Sawk training together? Ash had no problem in the contest days training by himself while an event was going on - just get the photos from Trip later.
 
re: S15 EP23 "Search for the Clubultimate!"

Voice acting wasn't too great, but then again what else is new? Well besides that the dialogue seemed a little too ridiculous like the exchange between Iris and Burgundy about berries or whatever nonsense they were going back and forth about. Like when Trip got his pics from their battle or Montgomery's little talk before leaving.

I am a bit disappointed seeing so many Pokemon using Special Attacks and long range moves since this is supposed to be a "Fighting" tournament I really want more hand to hand combat.

Georgia's battle was good but way too quick, since she's a Dragon Buster I wanted more than just a quick-kill. Bisharp was pretty cool, wish it was that way in the game in terms of Speed.

Montgomery's match is a clear example of how the games should let players use combo moves. That was just amazing, but another example of how I hate when the writers put level 1 moves on powerful Pokemon. Pound attack really?

Throh damaging a "play-ground" (that's what I like to call that little training spot behind the Pokemon Center) oh yeah your really a bada**

Ash its getting really tiresome of you wanting to please everyone. Trip is literally just to "main character" to me during their little disputes because Ash seems to pop up out of nowhere to challenge him (like the rival in the game, you think everything is fine but out of nowhere here they come wanting to battle even if you beat the crap out of them every time you've met up in the past).

It was good to see him still be patient with his Pokemon not scolding Scraggy's Focus Blast. Maybe he should use himself as a moving target like he did back in DP training Staravia to master Brave Bird?

Bianca's Emboar voice just didn't seem to fit to me. It just didn't sound like a menacing fully evolved Pokemon, you know?

Nice touch hearing Iris mention how Steel-type moves aren't that effective on Water-types, but I wish Metal Claw in the anime had that chance effect of raising the user's Attack power

Is it just me or does the referee sound like Brock?

It doesn't seem like Bianca would give a comfortable massage for some reason I think she would be trying to feel around a bit too much...

Found it ironic that Iris was introduced as "Wild Child" by the announcer when she calls everyone else a "Little Kid" xD

Bianca not everyone likes to get "touched" by you. When she asked where Scraggy's muscles were I was afraid she was going to look in its pants before getting headbutted

Dewott's shells must be incredibly hard to withstand Drill Run! I did like that drill sound effect going on during that collision.

Bianca, if Emboar could jump that high in an attempt to avoid Strength, why not tell it to jump out of Rock Tomb instead of trying to Arm Thrust its way out of there?
 
re: S15 EP23 "Search for the Clubultimate!"

A lot of cases of 'so that's how you pronounce that' - Mienshao and Bisharp both sounded different than I was expecting.

Same here. Though I can at least understand these pronunciations. I know next to nothing about chess, so naturally I wasn't gonna realize Bisharp = Bishop until it was pointed out to me. :p And even though Mienshao is one of my absolute favorite Pokemon of Gen V (if not THE favorite), I always alternated how I pronounced it. First I emphasized the first part of its name, calling it Mee-n-shao; other times (I think this was due to friend influence) I'd emphasize the second part and call it MeeYEN-shao. I'll find it tricky to pronounce it the way the show does because they say the first part so quickly, but all things considered I can accept these pronunciations. Most of them I still have issues with, including Con-KELL-dur. :p It's still Conkel-DURR to me.

Trip both looked and sounded bored as hell this entire episode, just as he did last episode and in the previous Don Battle. Even when he was snapping pics of Burgundy and Iris' battle, he looked so goddamn bored; it makes me wonder why he's even bothering to participate in this shit if he can't even get into it for his Pokemon's sake. Paul at least had a (logically flawed) reason to be blase during small-time tournaments. :p Still, I don't hold it against McGonnigal for Trip sounding so unenthusiastic and bored; that's just his inner Barry trying his hardest to emulate his idol, Paul. ♥ Trip's blandness was especially notable since he was passing by Montgomery, who REALLY came off as a sleek, cool kind of asshole trainer that I wish was a recurring character instead of Trip. He was definitely well-dubbed because he got the confident yet calm and cool rich boy thing down pat. It is a pity that he's designed to be Stephan's rival instead of Ash's though what else are you gonna do with a character whose signature Pokemon is a Throh. I sure hope he reappears in the League to cut down on League CotDs, though, and hopefully show him with another strong Pokemon.

And I did like to see Georgia actually bust a dragon for once. :D Too bad there's Ursula Syndrome in her future...

And since Mienfoo's my favorite Gen V Pokemon and Montgomery made it look like a total chump, that makes me WANNA see Stephan take him down. :mad: Stephan's not at all high on my preference list, but compared to Trip he's still amazing, and I'm glad this tournament in general will serve as a great benefit to his character. Even he seems more befitting of a "main" rival than Trip does at this point. The name gag is still grating, though I admit Stephan's reactions are a bit more amusing this time around and not so generic - like I can tell by the tone of his voice and the reactions he makes ("Apparently I'm the one with the weird name... ;_;") that even he's getting tired of the gag. I like that borderline 4th wall-breaking. :D

Bianca's muscle fetish gag is weird and kinda disturbing and I don't fancy it at all, but it's far less intruding and obnoxious than her Zorua-obsession gag, and like that previous gag, this one won't last past Donamite. So it's something I can forgive. I really look forward to Bianca whooping Trip's boring ass out of this tournament next week. Not that it'll make a lick of difference in Trip's dull character, but it'll be worth it to have one Negative Nancy out of this tournament, trying to drag it down by sucking ass.

The downside to this episode, besides Trip being a bore and my favorite Gen V Pokemon being made into a jobber (I don't like the Throh or Sawk line at all >:|), was Iris beating Burgundy. Especially when Burgundy's tactics were much more innovative over Iris' single oh-so original strategy of "dig a bunch of holes" and "overpower the opponent, fuck the type disadvantage". Considering Iris, y'know, won the first Don Battle, I don't think it would have hurt anything to have Iris kicked out in the first round here, especially since that happened to Burgundy last time (and is very likely to happen for the upcoming tournament). She was showing signs of genuine improvement, so why punish her for it? It's just... very unfair to Burgundy. I know she's not a main character unlike Iris, but then again they haven't been pushing for Cilan winning any tournaments or getting particularly far (especially considering the smackdown he'll be getting in this tournament), so why? My only guess is that they want her on the sidelines double-time since Bianca gets pretty far in the tournament this go-around and they figure the sideline banter can't be held by Iris and Georgia's bitch tangents alone. :p

I also would have preferred more training time with Scraggy and Sawk over the muscle gag, but we all know this series hates excessive training in episodes that aren't completely built for it. :p I'm glad to see Scraggy still struggling with Focus Blast, though. SO much better than mastering it on the very first try, Other Babby Pokemon That Shall Not Be Named. >:|

Also... the hell is a "Clubultimate"? Is the dub making up random shit so they won't have to use Clubsplosion in every episode title in the arc or something? Maybe they should've just left it as Donamite... y'know, a far less retarded name, just like how the Don Battle was much more poignant than "Club Battle".

On a random note, this is the first episode I got to see in HD on my TV. For some reason I'm getting offered the CN HD channel for free... maybe I should see if any other channels I watch are offering the same thing...
 
re: S15 EP23 "Search for the Clubultimate!"

Apparently Trip didn't listen to my Valium comment from last week. It's pretty rare to see a trainer deadpan his way through a battle the way he did.

In another thread, I complained about the way he and the other rivals were being written, and this ep just continued to prove my point. Bianca's fangirl schtick was extreme, even for her, and that look she gave Scraggy was creepy. And will someone please try to pronounce Stephan's name correctly? (At this point, even I can't remember how it's supposed to sound.)

As for Scraggy and Focus Blast, did it look like the attack was on target but then suddenly veered off course? (I think it was like that last week, too.) How does an energy blast do that, anyway? It reminded me of Gible's failed Draco Meteors, but less annoying as Scraggy's Focus Blasts didn't repeatedly go after the same schmuck for no reason. There's gotta be a better way to show accuracy issues.
 
re: S15 EP23 "Search for the Clubultimate!"

I wasn't gonna realize Bisharp = Bishop until it was pointed out to me.
I didn't realise until this post.
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re: S15 EP23 "Search for the Clubultimate!"

I still firmly believe that Burgundy deserved to win the first battle round, but we all know that's been discussed enough already. I did like that Iris teased Burgundy in French, while Burgundy called Iris a kid - the latter gave me a quick smile.

Gale sure reminded me a lot of Ursula, both in appearance (the dress and hairstyle) and her choice of Pokemon (both have used a Dragon type). And Georgia got to battle a Dragon type with her knight in shining armor, Bisharp, and slew that dragon.
 
re: S15 EP23 "Search for the Clubultimate!"

And Georgia got to battle a Dragon type with her knight in shining armor, Bisharp, and slew that dragon.
I didn't think about that. I guess Bisharp is sort of knight-ish...not so much as Escavalier though.
 
re: S15 EP23 "Search for the Clubultimate!"

Was this a good episode? Did I miss anything good? I slept in. >_<
 
re: S15 EP23 "Search for the Clubultimate!"

Season 15, episode 23?
 
re: S15 EP23 "Search for the Clubultimate!"

Was this a good episode? Did I miss anything good? I slept in. >_<

I would say it's worth seeing, if just for the Iris vs Burgundy match.

Probably the best match in the tournament, despite the somewhat controversial outcome. Enjoyed Iris and Burgundy's back and forth banter. Excadrill blocking Ice beam with his claws was cool.

I would say this is probably Ogata's best work as animation director. Assuming he/she did it, the fight between Throh and Mienshao was almost Iwane caliber. I loved the scene right after the circle throw when Throh stands up, blocking the audiences view of Mienshao. Speaking of that battle...


...Black and White/Best Wishes.....Y U NO LET MIENSHAO FIGHT AND NOT GET DEMOLISHED!?
 
re: S15 EP23 "Search for the Clubultimate!"

Bianca, if Emboar could jump that high in an attempt to avoid Strength, why not tell it to jump out of Rock Tomb instead of trying to Arm Thrust its way out of there?

I was thinking the exact same thing...

The creators can be really inconsistent with the precise abilities of Pokemon at times.

Overall I thought this was a decent episode. I like the last one better, but Bisharp, Mienshao (I'm still pronouncing it "Me-in-shao), and Throh were pretty cool to watch.
 
re: S15 EP23 "Search for the Clubultimate!"

Bianca, if Emboar could jump that high in an attempt to avoid Strength, why not tell it to jump out of Rock Tomb instead of trying to Arm Thrust its way out of there?

Maybe Bianca was afraid Emboar would get smacked down again?

By the way, was a touch disappointed that Emboar didn't keep his Japanese voice.:\
 
re: S15 EP23 "Search for the Clubultimate!"

This was a pretty action-packed episode. The battles were intense, especially Dewott and Excadrill. I really liked it when Sawk punched the punching bag and Throh destroying it. Pretty neat in my opinion. That's all I gotta say.
 
re: S15 EP23 "Search for the Clubultimate!"

I still firmly believe that Burgundy deserved to win the first battle round, but we all know that's been discussed enough already. I did like that Iris teased Burgundy in French, while Burgundy called Iris a kid - the latter gave me a quick smile.

Didn't think anyone else would mention it. But yeah, I liked this too, and how it was deliberately pronounced BeauCOOP.

But Bianca could learn to keep it under her skirt. Offering to give Steffan a massage? Sometimes I wonder what kind of show I'm watching.... >.> Mienshao being the Who's That Pokémon was kind of a tough one because it hadn't appeared in the episode yet, but sometimes they do that. I'm just happy to play. Also... now who's left in the Clubsplosion Tournay so far? I'm trying to match everyone up to their rivals. Ash and Trip, Iris and Georgia, Steffan and Eusine/Montgomery, but does Cilan have anyone? Who was left? That one filler character chick whose battle we didn't get to see? Is she the only one left?
 
Bianca, if Emboar could jump that high in an attempt to avoid Strength, why not tell it to jump out of Rock Tomb instead of trying to Arm Thrust its way out of there?

Maybe Bianca was afraid Emboar would get smacked down again?

By the way, was a touch disappointed that Emboar didn't keep his Japanese voice.:\

True, but still it was a sitting target in that Rock Tomb. I do think that her battle style is a bit over the top. I mean if she's up against an opponent without a strong defense then they are screwed, but against someone like Trip who uses a Pokemon's unique attributes, items, abilities, etc. Then she is done for (unless she pulls an Ash-like tactic which is something completely off the wall that catches the opponent off guard to pull a major upset). I will say that it was unwise for her to have a big Pokemon like Emboar attack repeatably without considering how tired it would get from all of that constant movement.

I mean Emboar is a heavy Pokemon that's almost like having a Snoralx pulling off repeated moves and then expect it to be able to defend against its opponent's attacks.

Same here in the Jap. version its voice was good and it fit Emboar perfectly and if I remember in some scenes it would have that "oink" sound but much more gruff considering it is based off of a boar.
 
Wonderful episode. As a SpokeShipper I really do enjoy watching the Stephan/Bianca scene <3 People may thing Bianca's fondness of muscles is creepy but I rather enjoy her when she gets all fangirly like that.

And Montgomery's dub self is a straight up bad ass and I love it. The only thing wrong with this episode was Iris's overkill. Dewott was getting ready to faint anyway. She didn't have to murder it like that :/
 
I must say, I have to commend the dub on the job they did with the script during the course of Cabernet VS Iris' battle; it was hilarious and oh so catty. I especially enjoyed how they both gave a little insulting nod to one another's dialogue quirks- Iris uttering the words "merci beaucoup" venomously towards Cabernet, and Cabernet stating that she won't lose to a kid (though, this mightn't be a blatant reference to Iris' catchphrase, it was still amusing, given the circumstances). I also liked the slight reference to Burgundy's name when Iris says something about her "yucky (or some mocking adjective) grapes".
When the announcer recites who is battling against who, I find it interesting that Iris maintains the title of the energetic wild child she was given in the previous episode, but Cabernet is simply a connaisseuse this time round. I can comprehend that "empress of the evaluating world" may have been a bit mouthy, but it does make Cabernet seem kind of plain, which she's not, and "evaluating empress" may have fit, as well as being a spiffy sport of alliteration, but I shouldn't sweat the small things. The announcer's style of handing them all quirky titles as he tells the audience who is against who at the start of the match seems to be quite a fun routine in this Tournament, for me at least.
About the outcome of the battle? I still hold my initial views. Originally, since we already knew Cabernet was about to lose, I was more concerned about her performance and how it would conclude in a loss. So, I was quite satisfied at how well she battled, however I was in two minds, as I also felt she could have won this round. I'm still irritated, as it's a loss Cabernet doesn't really deserve at all in my opinion, due to the fact that she was definitely on par. It makes her appear as a weak trainer on the concrete surface by losing in the first round in both Tournaments, which really isn't fair, as this time, as I believe she could have certainly won.
That being said, one aspect I love about Cabernet's losses is how she interacts with her Pokemon at the end. It's cute how she bends low to Dewott's level, as his head is tilted towards the head, defeated, and smiles at him as she returns him to her Pokeball. You see her being very kind towards her Pokemon- even in a subtle case in this instance- which shows a really sweet side to her character.

I remember being underwhelmed at how brief Langley's match is (I think due to the fact it was the match slotted into the title in the Original so I expected it to be longer) but it's refreshing to see Langley in her general element; busting Dragons- and cute how she pesters Iris to pay close attention to the match at hand.
I love how Ash thanks Stephan for training with him, even though they don't really get the chance to train together. Still, it's the thought that counts, I suppose.
Bianca, I much prefer in this running gag; she's just too effervescent and adorable, on her hunt for muscular Pokemon. Her shout at being headbutted by Scraggy isn't as brilliant as her drawn out manly roar in the Original, but it's still great. I love her massaging Stephan and Sawk, though it doesn't seem to relax them too much. XD
Also, Stephan exclaiming that Ash's Pokemon are mispronouncing his name is hilarious- he's cracked into a state of paranoia, I think.

Montgomery as the ominous magician? Intriguing. His Throh is one brutal Pokemon to be up against, that's for sure.

Overall, this episode made me chortle quite a bit, so it's fair to say that I definitely enjoyed.
 
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