Review SM088: Lunala VS UB:BLACK! A Full Moon Battle!!

[PkmnTrainerV]

As for not calling Solgaleo Nebby: you don't see characters calling pokemon by their pre-evolved names, do you? It simply grew out of being called Nebby since it was no longer applicable

As far as we know Pokémon don’t lose their nicknames on evolving.

 

[Gabo2oo]

Come to think about it, I'm really mad Lillie's only role was to be saved by Lunala and yell out Gladion's name for Ash to save him. Not to mention everyone else was doing absolutely nothing.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Come to think about it, I'm really mad Lillie's only role was to be saved by Lunala and yell out Gladion's name for Ash to save him.

They were clearly building up relationship between Lillie and Lunala. I wouldn't be surprised if Lillie would be the one who eventually gets Lunalium Z and performs Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom, like how Ash got Solganium Z and performed Searing Sunraze Smash.

 

[HiroHunter]

Well that was better than the last ep and good battle. But I still hope that TR doesn't take over the arc.

All and all a 7.5 out of 10

 

[Gabo2oo]

They were clearly building up relationship between Lillie and Lunala.

Yes, but it doesn't change the fact that Lillie didn't do much else in the episode. I'm not a big fan of the way they started building up this either. I mean if any other Ultra Guardian had fallen, surely Lulana would've saved them too.

I just can't see what happaned as an indication that some sort of connection exists between Lillie and Lunala from an in-universe POV, which is why I find it forced that the characters were kinda playing it up this way.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

Am I the only one who felt that Lunala's full moon phase should’ve been used for longer?

While watching the episode I wasn’t even sure that Lunala took on the phase while using Moongeist Beam, but Solgaleo stays in its radiant sun phase for a decent amount of time before and after using Sunsteel Strike.

 

[Neo Blaze]

Am I the only one who felt that Lunala's full moon phase should’ve been used for longer?

While watching the episode I wasn’t even sure that Lunala took on the phase while using Moongeist Beam, but Solgaleo stays in its radiant sun phase for a decent amount of time before and after using Sunsteel Strike.

I agree. It was only in Full Moon phase for like a second. Literally blink and you miss it.

 

[Hassel]

I like the trio of Matori, Gozu and Alola Nyarth. I hope they keep getting more stuff. Musashi's hate-crush on Matori is really great.

The subtle reference to Hapu in the preview bit was nice.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

Alolan Meowth fixing the ship even before Gozu analysed what was damaged in the end of the episode was a nice touch.

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

Compared to Lunala, Solgaleo is defeated so easily. They're rushing things.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

I’m still not convinced that Necrozma and Lunala’s fusion was weak enough to be broken with a single Sunsteel Strike, specially since DW Necrozma is supposed to be stronger than Solgaleo and Lunala.

 

[Twilight-Kun]

Compared to Lunala, Solgaleo is defeated so easily. They're rushing things.

Unlike Lunala, Solgaleo was ambushed when they thought they had a moment to recover

I can forgive Solgaleo going down like a chump because of a surprise attack

I’m still not convinced that Necrozma and Lunala’s fusion was weak enough to be broken with a single Sunsteel Strike, specially since DW Necrozma is supposed to be stronger than Solgaleo and Lunala.

Both Lunala and Necrozma had taken several attacks though

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

I’m still not convinced that Necrozma and Lunala’s fusion was weak enough to be broken with a single Sunsteel Strike, specially since DW Necrozma is supposed to be stronger than Solgaleo and Lunala.

Remember, anime=/=games.

Compared to Lunala, Solgaleo is defeated so easily. They're rushing things.

Unlike Lunala, Solgaleo was ambushed when they thought they had a moment to recover

I can forgive Solgaleo going down like a chump because of a surprise attack

Plus, Solgaleo was weakened a bit by the electric net.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

Remember, anime=/=games.

Even by anime logic DW Necrozma has UB:Black's Ultra Aura + Lunala's Ultra Aura which would be stronger than the Ultra Aura of Solgaleo alone.

Even UB:Black was able to overpower Solgaleo in the previous episode wormhole scene so it is unrealistic that Solgaleo breaks the fusion with a single move. Not to mention it was weakened by an electric net when it entered Alola.

 

[TheGoldenToon]

*Gasp* Could Matori, Gozu, and the Alolan Meowth be the new TRio?!?!?

Nah, of course not.

But in all seriousness, I like these three so far. I mean don't get me wrong, I would have loved to see Butch and Cassidy again, but I'm interested to see what they do with this Matori Matrix unit, so I'll just wait.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

The group should’ve been named Meowth Matrix.

That kitty’s the driving force behind the mission. Not to mention it’s Necrozma-Mood-Swing proof too!

 

[BugCatcherinVF]

I had noticed a couple of romantic tropes between Satoshi and Gladion before this (Gladion being the one raiding Solgaleo behind Ash comes to mind). I think Gladion being nicer than in the games came as part of him being a very subtle love interest.

Ultra Guardians are a bit like the Sailor Soldiers and Gladion is a bit like Tuxedo Kamen. Heck, look at the colours of their uniforms. Sun and Moon's first opening also parallels Sailor Moon's first opening, with the protagonist running forward.

It wouldn't surprise me if Satoshi's next evident love interest was male (which to be honest is backed by recurring subtle romantic tropes, see Clemont, and some generic LGBT coding like crossdressing and rainbows), probably not this region though. A Serena-like situation I mean, in a few years, when viewers won't make a big deal out of it.

In the meantime, let's hope for Joy/Jenny, the pairing of dreams.

 

[Twilight-Kun]

I had noticed a couple of romantic tropes between Satoshi and Gladion before this (Gladion being the one raiding Solgaleo behind Ash comes to mind). I think Gladion being nicer than in the games came as part of him being a very subtle love interest.

Ultra Guardians are a bit like the Sailor Soldiers and Gladion is a bit like Tuxedo Kamen. Heck, look at the colours of their uniforms. Sun and Moon's first opening also parallels Sailor Moon's first opening, with the protagonist running forward.

It wouldn't surprise me if Satoshi's next evident love interest was male (which to be honest is backed by recurring subtle romantic tropes, see Clemont, and some generic LGBT coding like crossdressing and rainbows), probably not this region though. A Serena-like situation I mean, in a few years, when viewers won't make a big deal out of it.

In the meantime, let's hope for Joy/Jenny, the pairing of dreams.

"A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do, and these two men are gonna do with or without a good woman by their side." - Brock

 

[Nicolas721]

A vast improvement from last week. I have a few gripes, like Matori & Gozu being sleepy for most of the episode (the last episode was more than enough! Can't we have at least a minute of seriousness?) and the battles being short. But it managed to keep the tension, and there were many memorable moments during the battle.