Review SM114: Beauty and Nyarth!

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Bewear is the Molly Weasley of Pokemon.

"Not my adopted children, you b**h!"

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

So I watched this episode yesterday, and it was a great one to improve my mood!
I did feel that the conflict was resolved way too quickly, and it was a tad strange to see Kukui waking up Ash but doing nothing about the conflict himself (in spite of having Pokemon more powerful than the entire classmates' teams combined).
I guess that’s more of a complaint with the Ultra Guardians concept itself (I haven’t watched the other UG episodes so I don’t know if that’s a constant factor in all of them).

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

I guess that’s more of a complaint with the Ultra Guardians concept itself (I haven’t watched the other UG episodes so I don’t know if that’s a constant factor in all of them).

I recommend you watch them. For reference, if not anything else.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

I recommend you watch them. For reference, if not anything else.

The only one I plan on watching is the Blacephalon and Xurkitree one. I don’t enjoy the basic premises of the rest.

It still irks me to no end that a professor with a powerful Pokémon is just sending children to deal with a threat, and does nothing when they fail the first time. I expected Kukui to at least accompany the UG since Pheromosa is actually stealing crystals and not being randomly there.
I doubt there’s a suitable explanation for that other than "The children are heroes" trope.

Other than that I'd rate this episode 6.5/10 (Most of it being for Bewear's mama bear shenanigans).

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

The only one I plan on watching is the Blacephalon and Xurkitree one. I don’t enjoy the basic premises of the rest.

It still irks me to no end that a professor with a powerful Pokémon is just sending children to deal with a threat, and does nothing when they fail the first time. I expected Kukui to at least accompany the UG since Pheromosa is actually stealing crystals and not being randomly there.
I doubt there’s a suitable explanation for that other than "The children are heroes" trope.

And have an incomplete vision of the premise by doing so?

The concept of Ultra Guardians is based on Super Sentai/Power Rangers. I personally don't mind that and don't really understand most of the hate the concept gets. I think it's pretty entertaining.

Other than that I'd rate this episode 6.5/10 (Most of it being for Bewear's mama bear shenanigans).

To me, Bewear has never been that funny, and her OPness here really pushes her gag god status too far for my taste.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

And have an incomplete vision of the premise by doing so?

The concept of Ultra Guardians is based on Super Sentai/Power Rangers. I personally don't mind that and don't really understand most of the hate the concept gets. I think it's pretty entertaining.

I know UG are based on Super Sentai.

Actually, Power Rangers/Super Sentai happens to be one of my most watched childhood shows, but I don’t think that the concept mashes too well with Pokemon.

And the absurdity of anyone else not helping out still doesn’t make sense because the rangers weren’t 10 year olds and the mentor figures do help out when the need arises.

I’m personally indifferent towards the concept. You could remove the transformations and nothing would change in the episode.

And I know enough about the episodes I missed to know that they won’t significantly change my view of UG (in fact, quite the opposite could happen cough Stakataka cough).

 

[TRNatalie]

I've been trying to hold my thoughts on this episode back until I can talk about this episode without gushing over it but I can't hold them back anymore. This is easily somewhere in my top five favorite SM episodes. There were three things I wanted from this episode and every single one happened!

• Really minor but I liked seeing the process of making a Z-Ring in the beginning.
• Pheroache, while being used in comedic ways, was still portrayed as powerful and as a formidable threat. Even little things, like it going back to it's world with an attitude and no gratitude whatsoever, made me like this portrayal of it.
• Mokuroh and Meltan sleeping next to each other was cute.
• I like how Pixie has trained the other Meltan to help with the Ultra Guardian stuff.
• The first thing I wanted from this episode was Nyasu's side of the episode being treated just as importantly as the UGs' plot and it was. Him running up to Pheroache when he first sees it and holding the berry out to it was adorable!
• Sonansu crying over Musashi and Kojiro getting hurt was aaahhggsssffd! Also I love how Kiteruguma enters this episode; returning home to her den in disarray, two of her children lying hurt on the ground, one inconsolable, and the other gone. And then the zoom in on her face; this means war!
• The writing for Nyasu in the part where he decides to become what he thinks Pheroache wants him to be feels so familiar in all of the right ways! Yes Nyasphe is creepy but I'll argue that it was supposed to be unnerving.
• Kojiro and Sonansu's reaction to how Nyasu is acting is so good!
• The scenes Sauboh had were funny.
• Suiren's deadpan "Fail."
• Sonansu countering Pheroache's first kick was awesome! Nice to see him get some action here!
• Nyasu returning to himself to stop Pheroache from attacking Musashi and Kojiro is sooooo aaaggssfff!!! Also Hidoide putting herself between Kojiro and Pheroache to protect him is such a small but sweet detail.
• And then we get the best part of the episode and the second thing I wanted to happen; Kiteruguma stomping up simmering mad and beating the absolute %#@% out of Pheroache for hurting her kids! I can see why some are saying this is OP, especially that one moment towards the end where she was able to land a critical hit on Pheroache after it ran around her in blazing speed, but considering

  This immensely dangerous Pokémon possesses overwhelming physical strength. Its habitat is generally off-limits.

  It boasts tremendous physical strength. Many people call it the most dangerous Pokémon in the Alola region.

  , that this Kiteruguma's capable of running on water, jumping on buildings, flying, etc, that Totem Pokemon have fled at the sight of her, that she's been shown to be as strong as one before, and that Mama bear's very angry here, Pheroache was done for the moment Kiteruguma saw the aftermath of what it did at her den. Excellent job, Mama bear! Also all of the UGs reactions to this were good but Rotomdex slowly backing away from Kiteruguma and Togedemaru's o 0 were the best.
• Third thing I wanted was a cute friendship scene and boy did we get a heartwarming one at the end of the episode. Second best part!

Overall I enjoyed this episode but I can see why others didn't. The things that the episode did right (like Kiteruguma and the portrayal of the friendship within the Rocket Gang) outweighs the poorer elements (such as the UGs being practically useless here) for me.

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

Pheroach's reason for collecting those crystals is not shown and it probably has nothing to do with their beauty and shinyness, considering how she targeted Hala like she's on some kind of duty.

The writing for Nyasu in the part where he decides to become what he thinks Pheroache wants him to be feels so familiar in all of the right ways! Yes Nyasphe is creepy but I'll argue that it was supposed to be unnerving.

Most people missed that.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Overall I enjoyed this episode but I can see why others didn't. The things that the episode did right (like Kiteruguma and the portrayal of the friendship within the Rocket Gang) outweighs the poorer elements (such as the UGs) for me.

I'm actually pretty opposite to that: I like the UG, but don't like the Mama Bear.

Pheroach's reason for collecting those crystals is not shown and it probably has nothing to do with their beauty and shinyness, considering how she targeted Hala like she's on some kind of duty.

Nah. It just sensed the crystals' energy, and given how it was seen admiring them, I think it was indeed collecting them because of their shininess and beauty.

 

[Gligarman]

Meowth has seldom been more adorable and creepy in the same episode. Also James pointing out how often Meowth falls in love was a highlight but Bewear rage stole the episode!

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

Nah. It just sensed the crystals' energy, and given how it was seen admiring them, I think it was indeed collecting them because of their shininess and beauty.

Nah.

 

[Mewfortytwo]

The most amusing thing for me was the contrast between Pheromosa's "otherworldly beauty" and the fact that it's based on cockroaches, of which we were being reminded throughout the entire episode. The silhouette of it crawling out of a wormhole. Its running speed and how it looks from above, the hair/fleur thing trailing behind it and recreating the roach silhouette. The glue trap, often used for roaches. The way crystals fell out of its... whatever flimsy things Pheromosa is covered with, totally reminded me of bugs running in all directions when you lift an old log or something.