Review SM002: The Guardian Deity Kapu-Kokeko Appears! Challenge, Our Z-Move!!

[Simpsons138]

I wanna see the Regi's and Groudon fly now

Anything can happen, like Doduo's line flying without even wings, never understood how that works

 

[Pokefan19]

Anything can happen, like Doduo's line flying without even wings, never understood how that works

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beZRRfvLxG4

 

[NeoMiniTails]

Anything can happen, like Doduo's line flying without even wings, never understood how that works

Lol... didn't you know that they flap their heads so much that it strangely resembles flying. It appears that having more than one head is all you need for flying.

 

[Simpsons138]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beZRRfvLxG4

Lol... didn't you know that they flap their heads so much that it strangely resembles flying. It appears that having more than one head is all you need for flying.

Well holy shet

 

[Gard81]

Err, I take it you've jumped here straight from 2010?

It was an ironic remark at the fact that we rarely go 2 episodes without Team Rocket barging in an episode, now matter how unnecessary of a role they have in it.

 

[Simpsons138]

Can't help but to think about Team Four Star when watching this scene

Spoiler

Ash and Pikachu: GIGAVOLT HAVOC!!!!!!
Tapu Koko: Oh how cute, he did it-OH SHET

 

[Jaye]

Man, that balloon popping game was incredibly rigged. I wonder if it's Alolan custom to beat foreigners in incredibly one-sided competitions as a way of welcoming them to the region.

In all seriousness, those games were a nice, quick way of showing off some character traits and new Pokemon. Before that, I liked that we saw the group interact with each other before Ash arrived. We can already tell that the group can function without him there; that relationships already existed before he turned up. Ash is very much the outsider trying to integrate within a group, rather than bring a group together like he's done so many times in the past.

I loved Tapu Koko here. The way it moved around the group and manipulated the fight with Ash in such a way that he would use the Z-Move, even going as far as to show him how to use it, made for interesting viewing. Lillie's exposition said that Tapu Koko gives gifts to humans he takes a liking to, but the way he's stalked Ash from the beginning and provoked him into a battle suggests there's something more happening. This may actually be the first time in the main series that a Pokemon was the driving force behind the story.

Of the new characters, Kakui is my favourite so far. He's showing a good balance of seriousness and friendliness - he's serious enough to take issue with Ash being given a Z-Ring without passing the trials, but also friendly enough to acknowledge Ash's determination to use it properly and willing, if reluctantly, offer help. So far it seems he's being set-up to be the mentor Ash never really had, while also being the standard Ash has to match.

There was one thing I had a slight issue with in this episode. There were a couple of weird moments where there were attacks or abilities that Ash should recognise but didn't, presumably for the benefit of new viewers. It's a weird dichotomy, where Ash shouldn't need Lightning Rod and Electric Terrain explained to him, but new viewers might. Happens all the time in this series but still a little annoying.

 

[Necrozma]

There was one thing I had a slight issue with in this episode. There were a couple of weird moments where there were attacks or abilities that Ash should recognise but didn't, presumably for the benefit of new viewers. It's a weird dichotomy, where Ash shouldn't need Lightning Rod and Electric Terrain explained to him, but new viewers might. Happens all the time in this series but still a little annoying.

While you have a point, in case of Electric Terrain, Ash never asked what was happening. It was Lillie who rushed to explain it. Even Ash's 'what?' in case of Togademaru's ability activating could be interpreted as a surprised 'wait, what just happened?' rather than 'What was that? I've never seen it before!'.

 

[GoldenUmi]

Yeah I noticed that. I liked they handled it like that to leave it a bit more ambiguous as to whether Ash would have said anything or not.

 

[Jaye]

While you have a point, in case of Electric Terrain, Ash never asked what was happening. It was Lillie who rushed to explain it. Even Ash's 'what?' in case of Togademaru's ability activating could be interpreted as a surprised 'wait, what just happened?' rather than 'What was that? I've never seen it before!'.

It's more the look of utter confusion on his face than anything that gets me in those moments. It just looks inconsistent.

 

[Johtohfiller]

My favorite part - Prof. Kukui gets a phone call and walks behind that big vertical aquarium, reminiscent of those glass tubes in Lysandre's labs. It looks shady as shit. Cut to Ash's classmates in a cafe - they were just planning a party for Ash. We even get a "keikaku doori" from Mallow.

 

[Arceus the Dragon]

One thing I am certain of is that this episode does not indicate Ash getting Tapu Koko in the future. Just won't happen in my opinion.

 

[Pokefan19]

One thing I am certain of is that this episode does not indicate Ash getting Tapu Koko in the future. Just won't happen in my opinion.

 

[GoldenUmi]

One thing I am certain of is that this episode does not indicate Ash getting Tapu Koko in the future. Just won't happen in my opinion.

I sure hope that doesn't happen. That would make him way too OP. Even more than Ash-Greninja honestly.

 

[Gengarzilla]

There we go. There's Ash's long term goal for the series. Just in case anyone still views this as a SoL break before the next game/s.

Another good episode. I liked seeing the individual personalities of each classmate. For some reason, I've began viewing Kiawe as "Alain done right" and it was a surprise to discover that they didn't share a VA.

 

[Necrozma]

Some interesting things I'd like to point out:

- Tapu Koko went out of its way to give Ash the Z-ring without Ash having cleared any trials or having took on the island challenge. This is indicative in itself, because this entire episode it felt like Tapu Koko was saying 'i need you to use this, i need you to master this', like there was a specific reason as for why Ash needed to master Z-moves.

- Pikachu's Gigavolt Havoc was stronger than Tapu Koko anticipated. Before he used the Z-move, Pikachu used Thunderbolt on Tapu Koko which Tapu Koko took with no sweat. However, once Gigavolt Havoc approached Tapu Koko, the camera zoomed in on its face and its eyes expressed surprise. After the attack landed, we see that Tapu Koko actually had to shield itself from the attack. This tells me that Tapu Koko initially expected to take Pikachu's Gigavolt Havoc with no problem like it did with Thunderbolt, but having realized it could actually get hurt, it protected itself.

- After learning that Ash got his Z-ring from Tapu Koko, Sophocles mentions that Kiawe got his Z-ring from the Island Kahuna of Akala Island. Kiawe has presumably already cleared his trials seeing how he's gained the right to use the Z-ring.

My one question is: why are the Trial Captains still at school? I hope that question is answered at some point.

 

[GoldenUmi]

Another good episode. I liked seeing the individual personalities of each classmate. For some reason, I've began viewing Kiawe as "Alain done right" and it was a surprise to discover that they didn't share a VA.

I wouldn't agree that he's "better" than Alan in anyway, but "different". Kiawe is a cool character with a lot of potential for growth. But his attitude is different from Alan's from what little we know of him so far.

Alan's voice actor is the same as the protagonist from Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V, Yuya, as well as other well-known characters like Hyakyuru from Magi or Mikaela from Seraph of the End. Kiawe's actor is actually less known and under the radar. Coincidentally his voice actor did the voice of Shinji from Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V, a character not liked very much. He will likely get a lot more credit as Kiawe.

On the same note, all the Trial Captains as well as Lillie are voiced by fairly under the radar voice actors as well. And Lillie's voice actor apparently also did the voice of Serena's rival with the blue hair.

 

[Alola]

Maybe the Trial Captains are finishing up a last bit of schooling and will "graduate" to their respective trial areas akin the games. Ash and Lillie will then leave subsequently, with a possible third character as a party member, to see Ash challenge all of their Trials. This may simply be the "school arc" before the actual Alola adventure. At least, I would like that anyway.

 

[Necrozma]

Maybe the Trial Captains are finishing up a last bit of schooling and will "graduate" to their respective trial areas akin the games. Ash and Lillie will then leave subsequently, with a possible third character as a party member, to see Ash challenge all of their Trials. This may simply be the "school arc" before the actual Alola adventure. At least, I would like that anyway.

This is most likely the case.

I only wonder who the third companion will be: one of the Trial Captains or some other character from the new games?

 

[Kirby4ever]

I only wonder who the third companion will be: one of the Trial Captains or some other character from the new games?

I think that it can be Mallow since she can cook, and I don't know that Lilli can cook, and Ash is Ash. Then we'll have a forth and fith member tag along.