Preview SM128: The Curtain Rises! The Alola Pokémon League!!

[Kurolegacy]

Even if they decided to skip some battles, I'm pretty confident at least 1 battle per classmate is guaranteed, I seriously doubt they'd skip the battles where they'd be kicked out of the league. Then there's Ash vs Masked Royal and Ash vs Gladion which I seriously doubt won't happen. Then there's whatever they decide to do with the TRio and Team Skull, and on top of that there's still Ilima and Hau, which will most likely still be featured in at least one battle. Even if they decided to have three 1 on 1 battles per episodes for the classmates, and 3v3 for later stages and 1 or 2 6v6 for semifinals/finals, there's a lot of material for the league.

I’m not talking about the classmates but the recurring characters from throughout the saga. Given how they’re having the classmates compete, it’s not much of a stretch that they’ll have these people compete as well in which case, I don’t see them showing much of battles with them.

As for the classmates, I don’t really see them getting far anyway especially given since most of them don’t even have more than 2 Pokémon so if they want this League to feel worthwhile, they’ll have to be knocked out pretty early on so we can get to the real battles with the rival characters later in.

Of course they could always end up with the worst scenario of what they did to Trip and have the rival eliminated before we even get into the higher end battles which while a terrible idea, given SM, wouldn’t surprise me.

 

[radek.tadajewski.7]

Well, maybe the classmates could always use their Ride Pokemon for the league, while Ash adds his sixth empty slot with a Garchomp as his Ride Pokemon.

 

[Kurolegacy]

Well, maybe the classmates could always use their Ride Pokemon for the league, while Ash adds his sixth empty slot with a Garchomp as his Ride Pokemon.

I’d have to put that as a negative as that would be extremely lazy, akin to using rental Pokémon for the league at best and at worst a case similar to Dawn getting Togekiss handed to her for nothing. Only one it would work for is Kiawe since Charizard has belonged to him since the start and been shown to be more than a ride Pokémon.

 

[Rath]

They're not adding extra Pokemon to their team for the League, everyone is entering with exactly what they have now + Magearna for Lillie

 

[Daenerys]

It seems obvious now that full teams aren't a prerequisite for this League, so I don't think that Ash needs to use a Ride Pokemon to fill up his team.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

It seems obvious now that full teams aren't a prerequisite for this League, so I don't think that Ash needs to use a Ride Pokemon to fill up his team.

And even if he does fill up his team, I'm personally still secretly dreaming of Poipole's potential return. Who knows, maybe it'll come back after the League? I'd just really want to see Ash using a Naganadel.

 

[Rath]

Anyway, the timing of the League pretty much confirms that there'll be another arc after it, just like the Flare arc Kalos League. The Kalos League also began on June 30th, the same date.

That will probably be where Mohn is finally found and the Ultra Guardians have their final mission.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Anyway, the timing of the League pretty much confirms that there'll be another arc after it, just like the Flare arc Kalos League. The Kalos League also began on June 30th, the same date.

That will probably be where Mohn is finally found and the Ultra Guardians have their final mission.

I wonder if we'll get to see Poké Pelago in the anime.

 

[Kurolegacy]

Anyway, the timing of the League pretty much confirms that there'll be another arc after it, just like the Flare arc Kalos League. The Kalos League also began on June 30th, the same date.

That will probably be where Mohn is finally found and the Ultra Guardians have their final mission.

If they were to have something like that, I really hope that they wouldn’t do it as the Ultra Guardians. This would be an emotional center of the saga and I really wouldn’t want it undermined by that glorified Power Rangers parody. It was one of the worst parts of SM and nothing about anything they ever did justified those ridiculous outfits.

 

[Rath]

If they were to have something like that, I really hope that they wouldn’t do it as the Ultra Guardians. This would be an emotional center of the saga and I really wouldn’t want it undermined by that glorified Power Rangers parody. It was one of the worst parts of SM and nothing about anything they ever did justified those ridiculous outfits.

They're a team dealing with dangerous monsters, that justifies the team uniforms. And they do campy poses, like all sentai teams do.

If it's something world or at least region-threatening, then you can bet they'll face it as the Ultra Guardians. There's a reason why the Kartana episode didn't feel like a finale for the Ultra Guardians, because it wasn't.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

They're a team dealing with dangerous monsters, that justifies the team uniforms. And they do campy poses, like all sentai teams do.

Don't forget repeated shots for costume change and mission departure sequences. Which I don't actually mind. I grew up watching a show that used those a lot, which is why I don't mind them one bit.

 

[Kurolegacy]

They're a team dealing with dangerous monsters, that justifies the team uniforms. And they do campy poses, like all sentai teams do.

They’re a group of school children being thrown at “dangerous” monsters because apparently every adult in the region is too incompetent to take care of this unlike the alternate Alola that actually had a competent force. Hell the one time that the situation was dangerous, they had suits and handled it fine. There is literally no reason for the Ultra Guardians to exist other than them wanting to be a campy parody of Power Rangers where it was never necessary especially when Ash has been handling dangerous powerful Pokémon for 7 generations. If I wanted to watch a group being campy while on duty, I’d watch the TRio.

 

[Rath]

They’re a group of school children being thrown at “dangerous” monsters because apparently every adult in the region is too incompetent to take care of this unlike the alternate Alola that actually had a competent force. Hell the one time that the situation was dangerous, they had suits and handled it fine. There is literally no reason for the Ultra Guardians to exist other than them wanting to be a campy parody of Power Rangers where it was never necessary especially when Ash has been handling dangerous powerful Pokémon for 7 generations. If I wanted to watch a group being campy while on duty, I’d watch the TRio.

Power Rangers is campy to begin with, that's the appeal. The entire Sentai genre is about campiness.

And yes, the adults are incompetent. They always are in kids' shows, because otherwise the heroes would be useless.

 

[Kurolegacy]

Power Rangers is campy to begin with, that's the appeal. The entire Sentai genre is about campiness.

And that great and I love Power Rangers. But I don’t watch Pokémon to get my Power Rangers fix as they have absolutely nothing to do with one another. Throwing a Sentai parody into Pokémon and then running with it multiple times is just jarring and nonsensical and only serves to kill any chance of taking the situation seriously (not helped by the fact that the writers themselves don’t seem to).

 

[IncineROAR]

Anyway, the timing of the League pretty much confirms that there'll be another arc after it, just like the Flare arc Kalos League. The Kalos League also began on June 30th, the same date.

That will probably be where Mohn is finally found and the Ultra Guardians have their final mission.

Or the writers can be their lazy selves and drag this league out for the rest of the year, I honestly think that will be what happens.

 

[Gengarzilla]

I just need this to be better than the half-assed opener we got for the Kalos League. I've decided that's the only part I care about here, after which I can go back to not being interested in the league this time.

 

[Kurolegacy]

I just need this to be better than the half-assed opener we got for the Kalos League. I've decided that's the only part I care about here, after which I can go back to not being interested in the league this time.

This is SM where all it takes to take part in the league is to be able to convey that you want to. I’ve lowered the bar so far it might as well be buried and still they manage to disappoint me. Plus the fact that the leagues are always rushed lately, abandon hope now while you have the chance.

 

[Rath]

Or the writers can be their lazy selves and drag this league out for the rest of the year, I honestly think that will be what happens.

If the Kalos League was rushed, this will be too. The timing adds up, and Sword & Shield are coming out in Winter.

SM isn't exactly known for dragging things out, quite the opposite.

There's no way the League is covering the rest of the year.

 

[SammyW27]

Anyway, the timing of the League pretty much confirms that there'll be another arc after it, just like the Flare arc Kalos League. The Kalos League also began on June 30th, the same date.

And heck, as I said earlier, this League will likely be shorter than the Kalos League!

Whatever comes after it better be good. If this another case of months of busy work filler like with the Orange Islands and especially DA, I swear the Arceus I'm quitting the Show until the Galar Saga...

 

[Rath]

And heck, as I said earlier, this League will likely be shorter than the Kalos League!

Whatever comes after it better be good. If this another case of months of busy work filler like with the Orange Islands and especially DA, I swear the Arceus I'm quitting the Show until the Galar Saga...

There's no room for an Orange Islands or DA-esque filler arc, so it's not happening. Those only happen when they run out of game-based material too fast.