Review SM132: Overcome Junaiper!

[DynamicFusion]

I think people have just come to expect the worst from leagues after three hated finales for them in a row.

Well SM really hasn't thrown a curveball so far in the Alola League other than Jessie losing to James. I think this league has been predictable so far. I think it's also pretty obvious that Ash will beat Gladion and then Guzma in the final to win the Alola League as the Opening hints.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

My bad, I remembered those only after the post.

Did you notice my reply too?

 

[ii kanji]

Aya Matsui, all is forgiven!

Lol, as if, but it’s a start. I’m still not sure what the rationale was for taking Musashi’s character development two steps back, but at least she has been allowed to take those two steps forward again... back to where she was 2 episodes ago

I’m being sarcastic, but I really did enjoy and appreciate Musashi in this episode. Omode did a good job and I’m sorry I ever called her ‘Oohashi’s Apprentice’. It was very much in character that she had to act like her losing was not her fault, but she still gave Kojiro the Z-ring without prompting. I see that seriously overblown biography that she wrote for him as her way of apologising for not doing it last week. It brought me great joy to see her uninhibitedly and sincerely cheering and fearing for him during the battle (Nyasu’s sidelong looks of affectionate exasperation helped lol). Of course she would put a can of iced coffee on Kojiro’s head instead of saying ‘I’m proud of you’.

Kojiro was amazing, I’m glad their battle wasn’t made into a joke. Someone was clearly having a lot of fun animating him being all serious. Him delivering the Z-move gave me goosebumps. If Hidoide didn’t have such a crap moveset he might well have given Gladio a run for his money. I’m also glad they acknowledged Kojiro’s Royal Mask thing again, a little late but better than never!

As a TRio fan, I will now be ok with their removal by their bear mother next week.

As for the Mokuroh thing, can’t say I was paying too much attention but plus point for bringing back his family, that extremely cute Junaiper cosplay and the fact that the Z-moves are spent. Maybe we’ll get a proper battle next episode now? Although it’s Fujisaku so I won’t bother setting any expectations

 

[Kairyu]

You can just feel how the anime staff have given up on this series and this league already. No effort what so ever, neither from writers nor animators. Hopefully the SS anime will be a good reboot.

 

[ii kanji]

Well SM really hasn't thrown a curveball so far in the Alola League other than Jessie losing to James.

Was that really a curveball? Musashi is a hopeless battler who can’t command Sonansu any more than simply asking him to do his thing, whereas Kojiro has been shown consistently over the years to be a dark horse with some skill and strategy up his sleeve.

On principle however I agree that this League has been boring so far because there have been no real upsets. All 6 kids into the playoffs, no unexpected outcomes till now and I don’t expect there will be after this point. The semifinal matches will be Satoshi vs Gladio and Kaki vs Guzma, Satoshi will beat Guzma and battle Kukui who has been anxiously watching his progress in the League Boring stuff. I’m not saying there should have been twists purely for the sake of them, but this has been too predictable so far.

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

Episode recap:

Spoiler

Sauboh is still a creepy stalker, even in the opening segments.

Spoiler

I guess she's getting better at controlling her emotions.

Spoiler

Nice try Shouta! You're fooling no one with this disguise.

Spoiler

Lusamine:"Have you met me?"

Well, she didn't really worry about them for the past several years, didn't she?

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

Nice try Shouta! You're fooling no one with this disguise.

I was already seeing Sawyer parallels myself and then they had to add this...

Rowlet escaping the Z-Move didn’t make much sense to me... the hoodie acted as a substitute?
How did Rowlet change its location when it was trapped by Spirit Shackle?

And thankfully Professor Kukui was just as weirded out by Rowlet’s escape from the Z-Move as the audience was.

I’ll admit it was sudden though, and this is probably the second time I’m genuinely all out laughing at a league scene, the first one being this...

 

[TheGoldenToon]

Hey, wait a minute! Decidueye actually dodged a Z-move from one of Ash's Pokemon! That never happens! How come the world's not ending!?!?

 

[BraixenFennekin]

weird. There was no Dare Da (Who's that Pokémon) segment

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

I don’t even know why does Ash keep using Bloom Doom against a Pokemon when its either 2x or 4x resistant to it...

Ash could’ve gotten a flynium Z in one of the episodes which they wasted as filler, but we can’t have that in this series, can’t we?

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

I don’t even know why does Ash keep using Bloom Doom against a Pokemon when its either 2x or 4x resistant to it...

Ash could’ve gotten a flynium Z in one of the episodes which they wasted as filler, but we can’t have that in this series, can’t we?

Well, at least Rowlet actually has a super effective move to use against Decidueye...

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

Hey, wait a minute! Decidueye actually dodged a Z-move from one of Ash's Pokemon! That never happens! How come the world's not ending!?!?

And no one is complaining about it.

Rowlet escaping the Z-Move didn’t make much sense to me... the hoodie acted as a substitute?
How did Rowlet change its location when it was trapped by Spirit Shackle?

Mokuroh's Juniper costume was somehow working as a substitute, so Spirit Shackle did trap the costume instead of Mokuroh, and thanks to that, it escaped in the last minute by freeing itself from the costume.

 

[DynamicFusion]

This end of the series disease is getting to me again. I liked XY&Z till the last 15 Episodes when the League Started but then started to get burned out and tired and waited for the next series. Same thing is happening now. As for the League, it's been fine, miles better than the past two leagues at least for now. At least they're showing the battles even though some of them are rushed. But who knows Fujisaku could change my whole impression on the League from fine to atrocious. But please, I don't know if I can live with 3 Bad Leagues in a row..

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

This end of the series disease is getting to me again. I liked XY&Z till the last 15 Episodes when the League Started but then started to get burned out and tired and waited for the next series. Same thing is happening now. As for the League, it's been fine, miles better than the past two leagues at least for now. At least they're showing the battles even though some of them are rushed. But who knows Fujisaku could change my whole impression on the League from fine to atrocious. But please, I don't know if I can live with 3 Bad Leagues in a row..

If you find Kalos League bad, fine, I won't try to convince you otherwise, but I'll just say that me and many others disagree with you on that.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

Mokuroh's Juniper costume was somehow working as a substitute, so Spirit Shackle did trap the costume instead of Mokuroh, and thanks to that, it escaped in the last minute by freeing itself from the costume.

Well, didn't they show that Rowlet was successfuly trapped initially when it was unable to move?

If you find Kalos League bad, fine, I won't try to convince you otherwise, but I'll just say that me and many others disagree with you on that.

No offence, but the 'I disagree' pop-ups without anything else in a post don’t really add anything to the discussion, and no one can really respond to that, so it isn’t helping conversation, either...

 

[TheAerialAcer]

Review: Rowlet is so hecking adorable and, not to be dramatic, I would die for him. Moving on, I enjoyed the reunion with Rowlet’s family and I loved how Ash showed his classmates how determined Rowlet was and how he’s going to battle with him regardless of the matchup (that’s our ash!). Gladion v James was better than I thought it’d be and I liked how Gladion complemented James’s love for his Pokémon. Also, Jessie and James seemed more like themselves this time around which was nice to see. We always see James supporting Jessie from the stands so it was very cute to see Jessie supporting James this time around. Also, while I didn’t love that the z-move collision was reused from Ash vs Nanu, I did like how Nanu did remembered it. Lusamine and Lillie celebrating after Gladion’s win was very adorable. As for Ash vs Hau, I enjoyed how they both used their z-moves already so that they can be showcased, but not used as an automatic win-con. Great to see Rowlet showing us his sneaky maneuvering again xD. Very excited for the next episode!
Overall: 9/10

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Rowlet and Hau's developments could've been much better if, say, Ash head met Hau earlier on with Dartrix, beat him, encountered him again later with Decidueye, and lost. I know that formula has been used with some previous rivals like Sawyer, but it works. Plus, Rowlet would have a much more logical reason for wanting to defeat Decidueye.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

I don’t know why, but these combined are my favourite stills from the episode...

Spoiler

Guess because they perfectly capture the emotions from Rowlet escaping Sinister Arrow Raid.

 

[Sakuraa]

These battles are really killing me. Ash vs. Hau is looking so poor already. First of all, why did Ash use Bloom Doom so early before the battle barely even started? (Editing out a paragraph because my dumbass forgot Decidueye is Ghost-type) And I'm probably going to need subs but how was Rowlet locked to the ground with Spirit Shackle, but then miraculously freed after removing the costume just in time to avoid Sinister Arrow Raid?

I wasn't expecting to like this battle considering I hate Rowlet, but the messy execution is just making it even worse. Hopefully the conclusion of this battle isn't rushed.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

he still has his Normalium Z to let Rowlet use Breakneck Blitz, you know a move Decidueye doesn't resist (Not that it matters too much since it was avoided, but still).

Decidueye is a Ghost type. Did you forget that? It wouldn't have worked.