What I think about the Alola League

[Kurolegacy]

Responding to the two above posts...yeah, I agree that some characters having their interest in battling coming from nowhere was bad and it should have had more buildup to show them they deserve it. However, it's not like they were given 8 badges out of nowhere or from the many writers that wrote the many Deux Ex Machinas of the series, they are just responding to an invitation Professor Kukui made to them. And as someone said in that episode's thread, they got to the Top 16 because each one had 5 bodyguards that protected them and not because they were that great (judging from their few minutes of screentime in the episode, by the way).

Maybe this tournament should have happened and the middle of the series and not replace the actual league, and in case Ash wins decades of debates of whether this is a "legal" league or not await us, but that's the way it is. Maybe an unusual, pattern breaking series deserves an unusual, pattern breaking finale.

See those factors really only contribute to making this league even worse. The fact that there was no qualifications to enter meant that there was no reason for the cast to complete in anything that was a test of skill to get into the league. Plus the preliminaries being a battle royal meant that the cast had others to watch their backs and could coast by on either another’s skill or sheer numbers. In a league preliminary, you should only have your own skill and your Pokémon to get you by, otherwise the whole thing is pointless. If they were gonna do battle royal style, it should have been divided into groups and x number from them would move on.

With the way this league has been handled, it probably would have been better as a tournament in the middle of the series as that would have given a better point of development for the characters like how things went for Mallow. Placing that kind of development at the tail end of the series renders it pointless as we’re not gonna see the characters again after the saga.

 

[Cresselia92]

Mediocre league filled with very short and crammed 1-on-1 battles. It’s basically like a Don Battle tourney without what made the Don Battles good — aka, actual buildup for the characters and proper pacing between a battle and another.

It’s not the worst league, but it simply doesn’t blow me away with the current performances.

 

[sc190191]

Although there are quite a few things that disappoint me about the league, I'd like to mention the 1v1 thing, not as a complaint to the writers, but as a critique "in universe". I get why the writers did it, they could show a lot more battles that way (and their characters didn't have enough Pokemon), but from an in universe perspective I feel as though this is a poor way to determine the best trainer in any given region. Typically in past leagues there would be earlier rounds with different set ups to help eliminate some trainers, which makes sense because 1) full battles the whole time are too time consuming 2) subjecting trainers to different types of battles would help show skill and adaptability. But rarely would we ever see 1v1 eliminate someone from the tournament, and towards the top 32/16ish we would begin to see at least 3v3s or even 6v6s. I have no problem with Alola being different, it really is more of a trial run than an official league, I just have a bit of an issue with 1v1s as actually proving the best trainer.

I just think a 1v1 is too limited, it is basically rewarding trainers who over train one Pokemon and don't take time working with their entire team. Part of what makes a great trainer in the anime is the ability to befriend and work with multiple Pokemon. Beyond this it takes away team building strategy and can allow for bad luck in the case of an accidental bad matchup. It would be like having an entire soccer match decided on penalty kicks from the start, it basically overemphasizes one skill without taking into account the entire package of what makes a great trainer.

In the Don battle tournaments I had no issue with 1v1, because it is a specific tournament with specific rules, but in no way was it cast as a way to determine the best trainer in the region, it was just an exhibition. In reality this league is just an exhibition, a way to drum in interest in competitive battling in Alola and move forwards towards a more normal league structure, but I feel like they are casting it more in the same class as an established league where they are really trying to find a champion, and in that case I just don't think the 1v1s are the best route to find the best overall trainer in the region.

On a side note, I was just thinking the other day that after the league Kukui could decide that the Alola league needs a standard for entry like badges, and comes up with the concept of trial captains to ensure people complete the trials, and then assigns that job to the people who were captains in game, since they all were in the league. Might be a good way to wrap up the first league story and move towards a more regular structure in the future, plus come up with a role for classmates moving forward.

 

[ShinyRockruff204]

I hope Ash doesn't spam Thunderbolt, I'm pretty sure Thunderbolt is getting worthless now.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

Beyond this it takes away team building strategy and can allow for bad luck in the case of an accidental bad matchup.

Yeah, the Battle Royale 151 was just multiple lucky people qualifying. The TRio's entire strategy was doing nothing, and they advanced.

 

[Kurolegacy]

Yeah, the Battle Royale 151 was just multiple lucky people qualifying. The TRio's entire strategy was doing nothing, and they advanced.

Pretty much. Hell one could have sent out a Pokémon, told it to hide underground and they could qualify as long as they weren’t KOed. It’s kinda ridiculous.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

Pretty much. Hell one could have sent out a Pokémon, told it to hide underground and they could qualify as long as they weren’t KOed. It’s kinda ridiculous.

And a move intended for one Pokemon could KO another as collateral, which isn’t really fair, and how Kiawe was ganged up 2 vs 1.

My ideal preliminaries would be the actual 1vs1vs1vs1 Battle Royale format, which would allow contestants to be eliminated quicker, but maintaining integrity. Would also make sense, seeing as the Tournament is also associated with the Masked Royal.

 

[Kurolegacy]

And a move intended for one Pokemon could KO another as collateral, which isn’t really fair, and how Kiawe was ganged up 2 vs 1.

My ideal preliminaries would be the actual 1vs1vs1vs1 Battle Royale format, which would allow contestants to be eliminated quicker, but maintaining integrity. Would also make sense, seeing as the Tournament is also associated with the Masked Royal.

Yea, like the generation introduced a unique style of battle that was apparently popular in the region and yet they didn’t incorporate it into their league somehow and instead went with a literal battle royal. At least the former would have guaranteed that a trainer passing on to the main knockout rounds was earned through skill rather than dumb luck or teaming up tactics.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

This is ideally how I want Ash vs Gladion to go...

Lycanroc vs Lycanroc
Pikachu vs Silvally has had build up
Torracat vs Umbreon

Meltan and Rowlet have already battled, and Rowlet has had its highlight vs Hau, so this should be Torracat’s battle in the third slot, seeing that it isn’t guaranteed a win against Kukui.

I still feel robbed out of Naganadel/Poipole vs Silvally... the battle literally wrote itself, UB vs UB Killer...

 

[LuxrayOfTheWild]

This is ideally how I want Ash vs Gladion to go...

Lycanroc vs Lycanroc
Pikachu vs Silvally has had build up
Torracat vs Umbreon

Meltan and Rowlet have already battled, and Rowlet has had its highlight vs Hau, so this should be Torracat’s battle in the third slot, seeing that it isn’t guaranteed a win against Kukui.

I still feel robbed out of Naganadel/Poipole vs Silvally... the battle literally wrote itself, UB vs UB Killer...

I think the semi finals and finals should at least be 3 vs. 3. Its still very disappointing that it looks like we won't even have a full battle at this rate, but they can at least show us a 3 vs. 3. Most likely competitors in the final round will have at least 3 Pokemon.

-Ash has Pikachu, Rowlet, Torracat, Lycanroc, and Meltan.
-Kiawe has Turtonator, Alolan Marowak, and Charizard.
-Gladion has Silvally, Lycanroc, Umbreon, and Zoroark
-Guzma has Golisopod, Scizor, and its safe to say he could have Ariados, Pinsir, or Masquerain.

I can't say though that its guaranteed that Torracat will get the chance to face Incineroar again.

 

[Kurolegacy]

This is ideally how I want Ash vs Gladion to go...

Lycanroc vs Lycanroc
Pikachu vs Silvally has had build up
Torracat vs Umbreon

Meltan and Rowlet have already battled, and Rowlet has had its highlight vs Hau, so this should be Torracat’s battle in the third slot, seeing that it isn’t guaranteed a win against Kukui.

I still feel robbed out of Naganadel/Poipole vs Silvally... the battle literally wrote itself, UB vs UB Killer...

What about Gladion’s Zoroark that belonged to his father? He hasn’t used it in the league yet.

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

Obviously Satoshi will defeat Hau.
For some reason I expect a surprise win for Mamane.
Guzma vs Suiren will be really heated. I expect something traumatic.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

What about Gladion’s Zoroark that belonged to his father? He hasn’t used it in the league yet.

Honestly forgot about it, I don’t know, maybe it takes Umbreon's slot since? The only thing I care about is Torracat making it to the team.