Review SM113: A New Program!? Melody of the Small Koiking

[Gabo2oo]

I know I complain a lot about Team Rocket being used when not needed but this episode certainly proves that, their scenes could have been removed and allowed other scenes for Lillie, Lana and Mallow

Team Rocket were the least obtrusive in this episode than in any other of their appearences lol, if this proves anything is that you just don't like to see them period.
If the writers had more scenes for the girls they could've shortened other clearly time-stalling scenes as well, such as the group walking to the filming location, Gyarados passing through Ana's report, showing us that Magikarp's voice was off like 10 times or so, etc etc.

 

[DarkraiKnight]

clever

Spoiler

View attachment 116961

Veeeeeeery clever.

 

[BigDocFan]

We referred to Magikarp being female yesterday but the subtitles refer to it as male

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

We referred to Magikarp being female yesterday but the subtitles refer to it as male

The subtitlers must've noticed the blue whiskers and used "he" instead of "she" because of that.

 

[Gard81]

My personal favorite part is right at the end of the episode before the preview, where TR is called to do another shot, but Meowth says it's so they can get beat up since they are so good at it. That's some A+ fourth-wall leaning right there. See? All the blasting off has finally paid off.

 

[ii kanji]

A fun(ish) romp with lots of neat references, but the pretence that this episode might be about Maamane's quiz or Koi-chan's evolution problem was paper thin - someone basically wanted to see Iwane animate some long-ass henshin scenes of the girls and this episode was born to facilitate that! Not the best of starts for the new writer, but they did a decent job given what they had to work with.

Miscellaneous thoughts:

• Pikachu playing with George Charampino's sweater is too precious!
• Also if he is still interested in Rotom being in Detective Laki then there is an easy escape route come end of series.
• Was the comment about Koi-chan meeting its mother again and making everyone in Alola cry a reference to the Mao episode?!...
• Musashi's audition number was 634 - her goroawase name!
• Satoshi wishing he got to be on TV and the TRio being recruited as on-screen butt monkeys are great fourth wall breaks.
• Suiren joking about 'Gyarados Strikes Back' in the post-episode L-O-L!

Most importantly, this is the quality Nuikoguma content I've been waiting for, finally!!

Spoiler

 

[Twilight-Kun]

Underage girls get drunk and fight pokemon with magic

...yeah, that sounds about right for what SM's given us so far


Pity they didn't focus more on Koi-chan (who's a male, by the way) and have Rowlet give him his Everstone

 

[BigDocFan]

Maybe Jessie will remain in Alola to star on TV meaning it will be goodbye Team Rocket

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Maybe Jessie will remain in Alola to star on TV meaning it will be goodbye Team Rocket

Nah. People love Team Rocket. They couldn't be kicked out of the show.

 

[TheAerialAcer]

Maybe Jessie will remain in Alola to star on TV meaning it will be goodbye Team Rocket

Since Jessie turned down Harley’s offer to compete in Johto contests, left Sinnoh after her semi-final finish in the Grand Festival & later left Kalos after her semi-final finish in the Master Class, I don’t think she’ll ever leave as she is too attached to Team Rocket. And if they ever did get rid of Jessie, or Team Rocket in general, the outrage amongst fans would be insane xD

 

[BigDocFan]

Watching the episode again, the animation was some of the best I've seen, at least in Sun and Moon, especially during the show the girls took part in

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

Maybe Jessie will remain in Alola to star on TV meaning it will be goodbye Team Rocket

I get that you don’t like team rocket... but let's be realistic.

 

[Twilight-Kun]

Watching the episode again, the animation was some of the best I've seen, at least in Sun and Moon, especially during the show the girls took part in

Nothing like squandering Iwane on the Filleriest Filler to ever Filler and leaving episodes with actual plot and character development to rot, as seen during the Poni Arc

Ash v Gladion & Ash v Hapu were some of the single worst battles in SM's run

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Ash v Gladion & Ash v Hapu were some of the single worst battles in SM's run

The latter, yes. The former, not quite.

 

[TheAerialAcer]

Ash v Gladion & Ash v Hapu were some of the single worst battles in SM's run

I personally thought they were both animated beautifully. But compared to some other battles in SM, I agree that these weren't the most amazing battles.

 

[BigDocFan]

Ash vs Hapu certainly wasn't, oh how I long for SM to be over and we head for Sword and Shield with hopefully better writing and battles

 

[Twilight-Kun]

I personally thought they were both animated beautifully. But compared to some other battles in SM, I agree that these weren't the most amazing battles.

AvG had some massive middle fingers to perspective and physics though, hilariously so at times

 

[TheAerialAcer]

AvG had some massive middle fingers to perspective and physics though, hilariously so at times

That is true, pretty sure lycanroc was defying gravity at some point

 

[Twilight-Kun]

That is true, pretty sure lycanroc was defying gravity at some point

Most Quick Attacks nowadays seem to do that, and they didn't even bother properly animating either Splintered Stormshards or Devastating Drake properly - we don't even see Ash's Lycanroc get hit by DD

 

[Peppermint Phoenix]

"I wanted to be on TV too" says the boy who was already in multiple films, tv interviews, and news in addition to being in a multitude of televised competitions.