Review XY003: Keromatsu VS Yayakoma! Aerial Battle Maneuvers!!

[SamurottMan]

The episode was really good and there were a lot of funny scenes. I like it!

But the badge case looked huge in Ash's hands, was it from the animation or they planned it to be big.
Dedenne was cute..
Serena's story is getting better and better every episode.

Ans YESSS James caught Inkay.

 

[Makuhita]

Well I saw the actual bubble attack. Interesting. For now I'll call it "Fling" since it sort of fits that move's description.

 

[Aestivate]

I love Citron so much he's such an endearing little dork lsjdalkflsdjlasjf ;___;

When he was looking the Miare gym being like "I have to work hard too..." and when he was all excited telling Satoshi why he wants to travel with him I was like alskdfjlsjldkjf the entire time. He's so endearing. I just want to know why he wants to keep his gym leader status a secret lol

and keromatsu's personality makes me lol it reminds me of like a hot blooded samurai. if it could actually talk i'd imagine him scream like "HONORRR!" or sth all the time

and Eureka is so cute I'm so happy she's not a brat

 

[garrison-san]

Wigglytuff is Nurse joy's new helper you say? Awesome! I'm delighted that my favourite pokemon is finally getting some regular anime exposure. Better late than never, I say.

 

[CynthiaLover]

What is the white stuff froakie is throwing? It can be bubble. It must be fling he is using. is it?

Well, in the dub, they're called "Frubbles", which, as stated earlier, are not an attack. They are just a natural defense that Froakie can use with that foam from around its neck and back. They are gummy and sticky, so when used, they can act like a glue that can either immobilize a target (as show when they were strong enough to keep Garchomp from moving for a short time) or, as shown here, even make a dummy to distract an opponent. But generally speaking, the Frubbles are just a natural defense that can be used for certain things, but are not related to Fling (or even any attack) at all.

 

[The Master]

I like that the anime are not using actual moves and they even use some of their actual lore to it, though it says that it uses it to reduce damage I like how he use it on offense more, bu anyway, I just watch it combine with the first two episodes, and this will most likely be my favorite season ever.
Ash being smarter and actually trying to go type advantage at first vs fletching was cool, and even if it wasn't the best idea at first I love how he trust froakie enough to let him to go against the bird, and froakie himself for me is my favorite starter (water type...maybe overall if he evolves), the usage of his foam was superb and knowing that he is a ninja I thought that when he made the decoyin the shadows that he was the real deal XD, nice battle.

Clemont and his sister are great, I love their interaction and the fact that they are not annoying at all, Clemont going kablooey already is just so cool , and I love Bonnie now, she isn't what I thought she would be, she is actually very cool.

I won't say anything about serena right now because I would stay here all day, I'll just say that I can't wait to her to meet Ash once more.

Very solid episode, the writers are homerunning now, don't stop.

 

[Hellwarden]

Also, foreshadowing people! YES!

Just some simple foreshadowing for Clemont, and I'm like yeah gurl, that foreshadowing feels so good around my.....plot.

 

[Dogasu]

The only acceptable way for Kojioru's Maa'iika to evolve is for it to do so mid-blast-off. The gang is flying through the air, upside down, when suddenly...

 

[Jaye]

Three episodes in and Ash is still a trainer who knows that they're doing. No throwing a Pokeball at a Pokemon without battling it first, no persisting with tactics that didn't work the first time... although, I did chuckle wryly when, after stating they needed a change of strategy, he used Thunderbolt, the go-to Ash strategy for any situation.

I enjoyed the battle between Froakie and Fletchling; fast and action-packed, with some smart tactics thrown in for good measure. Ash has been using his "battle brain" so far this series, and I really liked how, after Froakie lost to Fletchling, he thought up a viable course of action. It was a small thing, but effective at showing what sort of character Ash is this series so far. Early days still, of course.

I also wonder that, in the absence of a wiser, more experienced character like Brock or Cilan, whether Ash will partially play that role this series. That's neither here nor there, though.

With any luck, Fletchling will have a decent personality. I hope they allow it keep its sense of schandenfreude.

 

[Ben 10]

Another good episode to me. I hope Fletchling's move is Razor Wind instead of Air Cutter because if it has Air Cutter then it'll be taking the only unique move Unfezant has in it's moveset. All the poor bird will have left is being female.

 

[MizuTaipu]

That Maaiika is kinda cute. I loled when Kojirou managed to catch it and those sandwiches, especially considering characters have caught food in Pokéballs before. And Satoshi didn't scan Pukurin and Spear for once! Thank you writers!!

I think my favorite scene would probably be when Citron revealed his gramophone invention, with the overly-dramatic music and it eventually exploding it his face. XD

While we don't know the quality of XY when it ends compared to previous series, I'm glad these first few episodes are strong.

 

[Hellwarden]

I get the feeling that Clemont's devices failing or backfiring is gonna be a running gag in X and Y. (Though he was able to successfully unlock the door for Ash in the second ep.)

I'm really liking the group dynamic so far. They feel like people, reacting to an actual world, and not a world that solely revolves around game mechanics.

 

[Sweet Veil]

It was an nice episode, started off smoothly with the interactions between Eureka, Satoshi and Citron. I liked how they were talking about how they were friends now and all in this together and all and the scenery of the city was, once again, nice to look at. The continued interactions with their relief after the scene with the rabid Spear, Citron's weird invention to lure Yayakamo to them, Eureka's fawning over Dedenne and how Dedenne crying and running away drove her to tears were great. Even the group shout scene was really perfect and I'm happy that Kerometsu got to be involved in it too. Chemistry was solid Pokemon and human wise.

As for Kerometsu, it was just so cool. I enjoyed its facial expression and how it was all chill during the scenes with Okido-Hakase, though I don't care about his character or Rotom, the scenes with Kerometsu meeting him were worth it. The way it was battling for Eureka's sake and saw her crying and wanted to help and immediately jumped into action and wasn't having any Pikachu intervention made it look awesome XD It's such a stubborn and tough Pokemon. Loved how it slammed the ground when it was tired from the battle, smiling with glee from defeating its opponent and was willing to share an Oran with the newly caught Yayakamo. I said it once and I'll say it again, I like Kerometsu's characterization, it's refreshing to have another Pokemon not defined by one personality trait who isn't one-note in its actions either. Nothing special to say about Yayakamo, it was a typical standard bird capture. Double Team, Peck and Air Cutter moveset wise isn't garbage, we haven't seen much of Double Team these days but I'm pretty unimpressed by it. Doesn't seem to have much of a defining personality either outside typical species behaviors. I'm still quite bitter Serena didn't get Yayakamo, she has a pet Yayakamo in her house it was entertaining, plus Satoshi getting the bird is just expected and basic. When I see Serena getting the bird, I'm more interested because it would have been something different and new from the usual formula, but whatever. Surprised they didn't make use of its Fire-type characteristics, right from the start it would have shown Yayakamo in a different light from other birds.

Battle was not bad, a bit too quick but it was okay/good. Neither Kerometsu or Yayakamo have super interesting moves, so the use of more tactics, the terrain and their natural talents to spice things up a little helped that. Kerometsu's evasion of Air Cutter was beautifully animated, the use of little things like Kerometsu's frubbles to make a false Kerometsu to catch Yayakamo with Bubble(Substitution ninja trick reference?), its jumping to even out the battle and the use of the field to maneuver well made the battle fun overall. As for the B-Plot of the episode. All of Serena's scenes were pretty meh to me except the one where she decided to pick the opposite hat her mother suggested. XD A large step back in entertainment from her actions in the last two episodes with how she was thrown around by Sihorn, tried to make mince meat outta a robin, covered in bandages and annoyed with her mom which were amusing for her. I don't care for them dragging out this Serena joining the group thing for too long, I mainly want to find out what her goal is already, I hope it isn't just to find Satoshi and possible win his heart like many speculated. I really did like seeing Kerometsu, Harimaron and Fokko all together at the end though.

As for the C-Plot, I cared little for TR's scenes. Maika munching on a croissant(OMG! POKE-FRANCE!!1??11) was cute and Maika is a cute Pokemon in-general and I'm glad Kojiro got it over Musashi at least. But the dialogue between them and Sakaki pretty much just being generic goonsquad bantering about getting strong Pokemon was disappointing to say the least. So they essentially have no real goal in Kalos, competent TR, pretty much six-feet under at this point. Even Episode N level Rockets would have been acceptable, I just can't believe TR won't have any real purpose in this show again. It was refreshing they didn't cross paths with Satoshi-tachi this episode though. wish the whole Spear scene was axed, though I did like the interactions that it caused, I'm just so tired of that gag being played by this point.

 

[Life]

I swear, the episodes just keep getting better and better.

I cannot get enough of Keromatsu. His (I'm going to assume it's a he) personality reminds me so much of Ash's, so I see them fitting really well. I like how Ash is treating him so far; letting him rid on his shoulder, walking outside of its Pokeball, and being apart of the groups little celebratory hands-in thing. Which, by the way, so adorable. The group is also amazing; I like Citron and Eureka's dynamics. In my opinion, they are much better than May and Max's thus far.

I think it's interesting how Eureka asked Citron if he would capture Dedenne for her so she could have it later one. It's something that has never really been touched in the anime, so I can't wait to see what is going to happen with it. I'm also a bit curious with the Miare City Gym topic. I'm excited to know the back story there, so the more news on that the better.

Oh, and I agree with the above posts. Pukurin did look really big here, and different for that matter.

All in all, I just love this series so far. The animation is beautiful and the characters are dynamic. I may be getting ahead of myself, but this serious feels like it is going to end up being my favorite!

 

[Sakuraa]

I loved this episode! This series is really getting off to a great start!

The group putting their hands together as they agreed to travel together was adorable; especially when they kneeled down for Bonnie and the Pokémon. Speaking of Bonnie, she was so cute when she was tugging at Clemont's sleeve asking to keep Dedenne. And man, Dedenne is so puny.

I'm really liking Froakie. It was so sweet the way he battled Fletchling after it made Bonnie sad.

I love Clemont! He is hilarious! The way he kept looking down at his machine while winding it wondering why it wasn't working. Then he kept doing so when the Beedrill were going after them.

The Froakie vs. Fletchling battle was cool. Froakie seems super smart, making a Frubble Froakie as a decoy to get attacked so he could sneak up on Fletchling.

And finally it looks like Serena is about to pick her starter and hopefully meet up with the gang.

Great episode. Loving the series so far. 9/10.

 

[sunyshore]

something else i noticed: when clemont's machine failed, he was confused/upset ("why???") until ash said to him, "you're great clemont, you can call that many beedrill!", which instantly cheers clemont up ("really?" with a big smile). even the machine blowing up, ash seems to think is a good thing, giving the explosion credit for chasing the beedrill away. somehow it does seem ash might become the most mature one of the group for a change? maybe?

 

[Trainer Gabriel]

Very nice episode. It basically consisted of three separate plotlines in one episode (Ash and co.'s, Serena's, and TR's), but they were all central to the series, so that's fine.

Ash continues to use strategies in battles to overcome and catch Fletchling - keep it up, Ash.

Clemont and Bonnie continue to be fun characters. I actually wouldn't mind if Clemont's failed inventions that backfire turn out to be a running gag on this show - as long as they're varied and don't happen EVERY episode. Of course, having a balance where sometimes they work and sometimes don't to keep viewers guessing would be even better. It was also nice to see the trio make an official pact to travel together. Now, if only Serena turns out be a great character as well, then this could be my favorite group ever.

Overall, another great early impression for XY. Keep it up, writers!

 

[Baktaro]

I really liked the scenes where Ash and Froakie bonded. I believe Ash told Froakie something like "I'm your trainer now, so we have to use our combined strenght"? That was pretty cool.

 

[Chatsy]

something else i noticed: when clemont's machine failed, he was confused/upset ("why???") until ash said to him, "you're great clemont, you can call that many beedrill!", which instantly cheers clemont up ("really?" with a big smile). even the machine blowing up, ash seems to think is a good thing, giving the explosion credit for chasing the beedrill away. somehow it does seem ash might become the most mature one of the group for a change? maybe?

I just think Ash has a very positive mindset. Sure, the machine didn't work as Clemont had intended, but it worked for something and that's pretty impressive.
A lot of people could learn from that attitude; Sure, you failed at what you wanted to do, but the outcome wasn't necessarily useless, it can still work for something. So just work on it so you can get a better idea at how to handle your talent and you'll come really far.

Also, the scene was so adorable, Clemont was so cute when he cheered up from Ash's compliments ^3^

 

[Moe]

And Satoshi didn't scan Pukurin and Spear for once! Thank you writers!!

Hopefully with Serena having a Pokedex she can do all of those old Pokemon scans to keep that up for the whole series. Ash scanning a Buizel in BW was a very low point for the series so I'm certainly glad with this shift.