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Preview SM144: Alola's Strongest Z! Kapu-Kokeko VS Pikachu!!

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Since it's just an exhibition match I don't find this too troubling, honestly; there's no real stakes. Now if Tapu Koko had shoved itself into someone's party during the league it would realistically cause some controversies in-universe about the outcome, especially if Tapu Koko wins.

Besides, I think Ash would want to fight Tapu Koko (like when he chose to fight Articuno in the Battle Frontier instead of something easier). The person I feel sorry for is Kukui's sixth Pokémon.

As for the outcome...I won't try to call it. Precedent suggests Tapu will win, but SM has been nothing if not surprising.
 
mehmeh1 said:
Man, with Nakano on the helm, the animation will be INCREDIBLE (as in, "this will probably become the best animated episode in the entire anime" levels of incredible)
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Did a brief check on what episodes he's animated before, and while he's only done two other episodes before this, I must say, you're right. He also did the second Kanto visit episode and the final episode of Pokémon Origins, both of which had stellar animation.
 
FinnishPokéFan92 said:
Did a brief check on what episodes he's animated before, and while he's only done two other episodes before this, I must say, you're right. He also did the second Kanto visit episode and the final episode of Pokémon Origins, both of which had stellar animation.
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I still hold firm that it's the best battle episode in SM.
 
Daren said:
Since it's just an exhibition match I don't find this too troubling, honestly; there's no real stakes. Now if Tapu Koko had shoved itself into someone's party during the league it would realistically cause some controversies in-universe about the outcome, especially if Tapu Koko wins.
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Still, if Kokeko isn't Kukui's pokémon, that would ruin the point of this match, 'cause it will no longer be a good conclusion to Kukui vs Satoshi match they promised us.
 
FinnishPokéFan92 said:
Did a brief check on what episodes he's animated before, and while he's only done two other episodes before this, I must say, you're right. He also did the second Kanto visit episode and the final episode of Pokémon Origins, both of which had stellar animation.
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I was just talking on SM142's thread that Brock vs. Kiawe / Ash vs. Misty were still the best animated battles so far in the series, but I had no idea those were done by a one-time director. Glad to know we'll get to see those levels of quality again!
 
I still think it's way too early to assume that the Kukui battle will be ruined by Tapu Koko fighting on his side. Battles are always more exciting in a stadium so I see this being much more intense than if Ash fought Tapu Koko at a shrine or something. I guess the reason this doesn't bother me is because at worst Kukui is given an unfair advantage, and I don't see a problem with giving the protagonist a tougher challenge. This will just make the win all the more satisfying. If However Tapu Koko joined Ash's team, I would have a problem with that because it would make Ash's victory feel undeserved. There's also the possibility that Tapu Koko approached Kukui before the battle and somehow communicated it's desire to join his team for this battle, making it an official (temporary) member of his team, much like Naganadel is to Ash.

I'm pretty sure that Ash will win. You can think of Tapu Koko as a rival essentially. He beat Ash at the start of the series and has been a recurring opponent that always wins. As far as I can remember, whenever a rival is introduced at the beginning of a series, Ash always beats them at the end. There's no point in foreshadowing a battle for 3 years if Ash is going to lose it. Ash basically only loses against hastily written DEM characters.
 
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I'd say this is their last chance to explain what the Hellgar is up with Ash's Electrium-Z and why it randomly changed to Pikashunium-Z those two times. Trust me, I'm interested. It's like the Ash-Greninja of SM except I actually don't dislike it.
 
Gengarzilla said:
I'd say this is their last chance to explain what the Hellgar is up with Ash's Electrium-Z and why it randomly changed to Pikashunium-Z those two times. Trust me, I'm interested. It's like the Ash-Greninja of SM except I actually don't dislike it.
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I like how you used Houndoom's Japanese name there. It's quite classy!
 
Beatsy Ray said:
I still think it's way too early to assume that the Kukui battle will be ruined by Tapu Koko fighting on his side. Battles are always more exciting in a stadium so I see this being much more intense than if Ash fought Tapu Koko at a shrine or something. I guess the reason this doesn't bother me is because at worst Kukui is given an unfair advantage, and I don't see a problem with giving the protagonist a tougher challenge. This will just make the win all the more satisfying. If However Tapu Koko joined Ash's team, I would have a problem with that because it would make Ash's victory feel undeserved. There's also the possibility that Tapu Koko approached Kukui before the battle and somehow communicated it's desire to join his team for this battle, making it an official (temporary) member of his team, much like Naganadel is to Ash.

I'm pretty sure that Ash will win. You can think of Tapu Koko as a rival essentially. He beat Ash at the start of the series and has been a recurring opponent that always wins. As far as I can remember, whenever a rival is introduced at the beginning of a series, Ash always beats them at the end. There's no point in foreshadowing a battle for 3 years if Ash is going to lose it. Ash basically only loses against hastily written DEM characters.
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I think you're missing the point as to why it would be cheap. For starters, it doesn't seem like Tapu Koko approached Kukui before the battle and offered to be his 6th... its been watching like a stalker from the shadows for quite a while and would interrupt the battle at the last possible minute.
This would be a huge disrespectful moment towards Kukui's 6th Pokemon and since SM144 is dedicated to Pikachu against Koko, there's no reason for it to not be separate battle. Not to mention that the exhibition match itself is supposed to be about Torracat and Incineroar (including SM143's title stating "Conclusion") and overshadowing that matchup is... an extreme middle finger to Torracat who has been shafted a lot in the entirety of SM. It would be even worse if Tapu Koko decides to face Torracat instead of only Pikachu and knocks out the former.
 
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mehmeh1 said:
Man, with Nakano on the helm, the animation will be INCREDIBLE (as in, "this will probably become the best animated episode in the entire anime" levels of incredible)
Click to expand...

FinnishPokéFan92 said:
Did a brief check on what episodes he's animated before, and while he's only done two other episodes before this, I must say, you're right. He also did the second Kanto visit episode and the final episode of Pokémon Origins, both of which had stellar animation.
Click to expand...

Could be a hit or miss.... just want to say the segments that have looked good in those two previous episodes of his were animated by Ohashi (SM43) and Iwane(Origins). I don't think Nakano himself is that good of an animator, it's more that in the episodes he has directed, he has contracted the shows top animators. I hope the case is the same here, but can't celebrate until we've at least seen the preview.
 
Kairyu said:
Could be a hit or miss.... just want to say the segments that have looked good in those two previous episodes of his were animated by Ohashi (SM43) and Iwane(Origins). I don't think Nakano himself is that good of an animator, it's more that in the episodes he has directed, he has contracted the shows top animators. I hope the case is the same here, but can't celebrate until we've at least seen the preview.
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Well, Iwane is with him here too, so I have faith.
 
Kairyu said:
Could be a hit or miss.... just want to say the segments that have looked good in those two previous episodes of his were animated by Ohashi (SM43) and Iwane(Origins). I don't think Nakano himself is that good of an animator, it's more that in the episodes he has directed, he has contracted the shows top animators. I hope the case is the same here, but can't celebrate until we've at least seen the preview.
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I've heard Ohashi wull aopear in one more episode, so it could be this one (and hopefully Yasuda too)
 
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