Review XY061: Decisive Battle in the Badlands! Fight, Numera!!

[Dogasu]

Forgive my lack of Japanese culture, but is being blind really more shocking and controversial than death?

Well, for starters death isn't considered to be shocking or controversial in Japan.

And it's not that being blind is controversial, but openly speaking about it in a cartoon that preschool-aged kids watch is something that's usually avoided. It's not something they could make light-hearted jokes about (the jabs comedy shows in the U.S. make about David Paterson, for example, wouldn't fly over here at all) and it's also a topic that's way too serious for a TV series like this to handle. We're not ever going to see A Very Special Episode of Pocket Monsters XY.

(Yes, Pocket Monsters Special had that kid who helps resurrect the Regis, but that manga has always skewed a bit older)

I can't think of any other Japanese cartoon aimed at small children that used a permanent disability as part of a character's arc.

 

[pokepal_123]

Forgive my lack of Japanese culture, but is being blind really more shocking and controversial than death?

Well, for starters death isn't considered to be shocking or controversial in Japan.

And it's not that being blind is controversial, but openly speaking about it in a cartoon that preschool-aged kids watch is something that's usually avoided. It's not something they could make light-hearted jokes about (the jabs comedy shows in the U.S. make about David Paterson, for example, wouldn't fly over here at all) and it's also a topic that's way too serious for a TV series like this to handle. We're not ever going to see A Very Special Episode of Pocket Monsters XY.

(Yes, Pocket Monsters Special had that kid who helps resurrect the Regis, but that manga has always skewed a bit older)

I can't think of any other Japanese cartoon aimed at small children that used a permanent disability as part of a character's arc.

I thought that this anime was aimed at people aged around 10 years old or I am wrong because I don't think that blindness is a big issue to understand for 10 year olds.

 

[Dogasu]

Preschoolers are very much a part of this show's target audience.

 

[Lluksonak]

Dragon Breath looked a lot like Dragon Rage..am I the only one that assumed it was Dragon Rage at first? lols

 

[novalysis]

Given how shockingly lazy this episode was, I wouldn't be surprised if they decided to rehash the entire Charizard Plot again for Goodra, and revert Ash to ground zero again when it comes to handling final stage evolutions with massive insecurity complexes.

 

[Dr. Buni]

Holy pigs, that Grumpig is huge. Is it really supposed to be that tall? Anyways, it is too bad the writers didn't allow Team Rocket to get it. It is (or was, before the change of heart) a vile Pokémon, perfectly fit to be a Team Rocket member and unlike Malamar, Team Rocket doesn't have a member of its family in their team already. Then again, Pokémon could be called "Missed Opportunities: The series". Anyways, enjoyable episode, for the following reasons:

~ The writers remembered Grumpig exists. Who would have guessed?

~ We finally got to see Dedenne battling again. The poor thing is bloody weak, but it tried its best to stop Grumpig

~ We got to see Chespin doing something actually clever and funny, instead of being an annoying Oshawott 2.0. It is too bad it took far too long to open the cage

~ Team Rocket being evulz, which is such a rare thing in the show

As for Goomy/Sliggoo. Sigh. We are getting another Dragon-type, Deus Ex Machina, with dumb and unbelievable wins, aren't we? Gible was annoying, Dragonite was hands down the worst Pokémon to ever be part of a main character's team. Why are the writers recycling this again? If they wanted to give Ash a DEM, why not a Fairy-type instead? To make things worse, Sliggoo is eventually going to evolve into an ugly Goodra, which is a shame since Sliggoo is easily the best looking Pokémon of the Goomy family. I only hope it doesn't become another Charizard (disobeying Ash once it evolves again). No, I am lying, what I hope is that I am overreacting and that Sliggoo becomes nothing of what I said above.

Also, uuuugh the opening song AGAIN.