A Curry-zy Beautiful Battle! The Dance of Lurantis! (978)

[VoltTacklingPika]

I don't understand "all Lurantis did was stand still" criticism. It's a slow Pokemon in a cramped forest space. Where is it going to go? Solar Blade also covers a long distance so it can't exactly get close. It looked like it moved exactly as you'd expect it to.

The battle itself was decent. It incorporated the Castform that's such a pain in the games and pushed Ash into coming up with a plan. The end was a bit anti-climactic but Z-Moves are powerful and Lurantis couldn't defend itself.

I enjoyed the first half of the episode, and thought the jungle was beautiful to look at.

 

[DatsRight]

Took the words right out of my mouth.

Just watched the episode. As expected, wasn't nearly as bad as people made it out to be. Loved the Rowlet/Litten combination, Rowlet protecting Litten and Litten finally winning a battle. I also appreciate the fact that the writers can balance Rowlet being both competent and comic relief.

As for Mallow, yeah, sucks she didn't get a larger role, but it is your own fault you expected more. There were no hints of Mallow doing anything major, and yet people expected something like her getting a Z-crystal or battling with Ash. Once again, the fandom's biggest enemy is the fandom itself.

I do like that this series, just when it seems to be neglecting a particular aspect, shows some major signs of rectification.

Rowlet spending too long as comic relief? Gets two big battles in a row.

Turtonator inactive? Gets a spotlight episode revolved around training and showing it's full move set, and another Pokemon to interact with.

Sophociles unremarkable? Takes part in looking into Ash's Z power and later gets one of the most developed limelight episodes.

Lana not getting limelight in ages? Gets a multi episode arc revolved around getting a Z Ring.

Too many comical fillers? Olivia appears and Trial and Kahuna two parter begin.

Team Rocket demoted to extra? Time for a limelight episode.

Seriously Mallow and Steenee is almost the only element they haven't shown some signs of keeping an eye on right now, though hold hopes SOMETHING may come soon....maybe...

 

[Daniel31]

So, Olivia basically set Ash up and made Mallow a part of it, which explains why Mallow didn’t do much at all in this episode. She was just basically there to guide Ash and make sure he made it to the Trial (at least that’s what it seemed like to me). I personally would’ve liked to seen Mallow do something else, but this Trial ended up being just about Ash, so I respect the decision made by the writers. I also assume that Olivia did this to basically test Ash, before she faces him in the GT, so it makes even more sense as to why Mallow was not really involved. A couple other things I liked was how Ash remembered and used Rockruff to find his way out of Diglett Tunnel, basically not forgetting about Rockruff and his natural abilities. I have to admit, that I was laughing with everyone else when Ash slipped and twirled in the air.

As for the battle, it was average. Not bad, but not great either. I did like how Litten and Rowlet were working together, especially when Rowlet picked up Litten, and also how Rowlet KO'd the Castform (was kind of funny from my perspective). Litten actually looked good int his battle and I'm real glad that it did and also used a Z-Move to KO the Totem Lurantis. Oh, and Litten getting hit with the Water Gun attack was funny (Litten's reaction).

Another thing, concerning this battle, I don't understand why some people are criticizing this Totem Battle to the degree that they are. I mean, one has to remember when watching these Totem Battles, you can't compare them to gym battles or to that degree, because Ash and others are facing a wild Pokemon, not a Pokemon that's being controlled by a Gym Leader. Now, one could argue that since these are Totem Pokemon, they should have experience in battling, which they obviously seem like they do, but it's not going to be to the degree of a Gym Leader commanding his or her Pokemon, which also can drag out an episode longer (trying to come up with a strategy mid-battle or a counter move, dialogue, substituting/using multiple Pokemon, etc..) So, a battle vs a Totem Pokemon, only lasting for half an episode, DOES make sense.

Anyway, I do wish that Mallow would've gotten something from this episode, but I understand why she didn't (from the episode's plot). Ash gets another Z-Crystal which is always cool and it looks like he's going to be using it quite soon. Good episode I guess, but nothing too special.

 

[Zoruagible]

So so very disappointed in how they're handling Mallow.

Glad Litten finally got to use a damn z-move at least, but Rowlet coming in just pissed me off. Can we just have ONE Trial battle without him? He's Talonflame 2.0 at this point. -_-

After all, anyone who actually dislikes and criticizes a SM episode is only overreacting aren't they? I mean how can it even be possible for people to have issues with this flawless series, cause after all there's nothing ever wrong with SM.

+ 1

 

[1rkhachatryan]

I don't understand "all Lurantis did was stand still" criticism. It's a slow Pokemon in a cramped forest space. Where is it going to go? Solar Blade also covers a long distance so it can't exactly get close. It looked like it moved exactly as you'd expect it to.

The battle itself was decent. It incorporated the Castform that's such a pain in the games and pushed Ash into coming up with a plan. The end was a bit anti-climactic but Z-Moves are powerful and Lurantis couldn't defend itself.

I enjoyed the first half of the episode, and thought the jungle was beautiful to look at.

Oh please, it could of used Leaf Blade or X-Scissor for some close quarter fighting, I mean the thing has giant freaking claws and did nothing with them.

 

[Xuxuba]

Honestly I loved the Totem Gumshoos battle. Infact, it's still my favourite battle so far from this whole series, and one of the only few I've enjoyed. This Totem Lurantis battles really pales compared to the Gumshoos one imo.

Oh no, it is not that i thought Gumshoos battle was awful, but rather short. IMO totem battles have the potential to be just as exciting as gym battles (or maybe even more), since totem pokemon are stronger than normal pokemon and some of them can bring down entire teams. If they made the battle last longer it would seem like the totem pokemon was more resilient.
The series doesn't have that many battles, so it makes me really sad that the totem battle only lasts around 8 minutes which isn't even half of the episode.

That battle was lame tbh, Totem Lurantis literally just stood there the whole time. Should of made Castform the Totem pokemon cuz it was way more interesting here then Lurantis.

I felt the same way tbh.

It almost felt like Castform was the totem and not Lurantis.

 

[Satomine Night]

Another thing, concerning this battle, I don't understand why some people are criticizing this Totem Battle to the degree that they are. I mean, one has to remember when watching these Totem Battles, you can't compare them to gym battles or to that degree, because Ash and others are facing a wild Pokemon, not a Pokemon that's being controlled by a Gym Leader. Now, one could argue that since these are Totem Pokemon, they should have experience in battling, which they obviously seem like they do, but it's not going to be to the degree of a Gym Leader commanding his or her Pokemon, which also can drag out an episode longer (trying to come up with a strategy mid-battle or a counter move, dialogue, substituting/using multiple Pokemon, etc..) So, a battle vs a Totem Pokemon, only lasting for half an episode, DOES make sense.

You make an excellent point. Totem battles can't really be compared to Gym battles, because they don't involve Ash facing against Pokémon commanded by a Trainer. A Totem battle is just a battle against an incredibly powerful, oversized wild Pokémon who is able to call on allies for assistance. And with only one Trainer calling out moves, and no dialogue being exchanged aside from Rotomdex dumping exposition, it's only to be expected that Totem battles wouldn't take as long as Gym Leader or Kahuna battles.

This isn't like in the games, where Totem Pokémon are stated to be trained by the Trial Captains. There's no indication that Totem Pokémon in the anime are trained by anyone. Instead, they obey the will of the island guardian Tapu and sometimes assist in Trials. They probably have a lot of experience battling, but that doesn't mean they are capable of coming up with the same strategies and counterattacks that a Trainer would be (especially since they also have to focus on attacking at the same time). (Remember, some Pokémon choose Trainers precisely because Trainers are capable of bringing out the best in a Pokémon, sometimes beyond what the Pokémon itself is capable of.)

 

[Janovy]

Oh please, it could of used Leaf Blade or X-Scissor for some close quarter fighting, I mean the thing has giant freaking claws and did nothing with them.

"Close quarter fighting"

Did you see how big that thing is? Huge Pokemon don't move easily.

 

[1rkhachatryan]

Oh no, it is not that i thought Gumshoos battle was bad, but rather short. IMO totem battles have the potential to be just as exciting as gym battles (or maybe even more), since totem pokemon are stronger than normal pokemon and some of them can bring down entire teams. If they made the battle last longer it would seem like the totem pokemon was more resilient.
The series doesn't have that many battles, so it makes me really sad that the totem battle only lasts around 8 minutes which isn't even half of the episode.



I felt the same way tbh.

It almost felt like Castform was the totem and not Lurantis.

Exactly, I mean he did all the work anyways, Solar Blade literally did nothing lol.

 

[OshyHikari]

The problems I see with this episode was a Totem battle being rushed once again, and Mallow unfortunately being all but confirmed as the most pointless classmate. Ash got the Grassium Z (which I can understand because of Rowlet) despite speculation Mallow would get it, but unfortunately she not only missed out on that, but also has nothing special going for her unlike Lillie and Lana.

Lillie is the main girl, while Lana has a starter Pokemon. Mallow has neither, instead having a Pokemon that evolved with no buildup. It's a shame because her persona is fun but it's now clear the writers are not handling her well.

 

[AuraChannelerChris]

"Close quarter fighting"

Did you see how big that thing is? Huge Pokemon don't move easily.

I like how they immediately turn into Speedy Gonzales once they use a 2-level speed raising move.

 

[1rkhachatryan]

"Close quarter fighting"

Did you see how big that thing is? Huge Pokemon don't move easily.

Pft, if Snorlax can literally soar through the sky, Lurantis could of taken two steps smh...

 

[DatsRight]

In fairness doesn't Lurantis strategy and move set involve a lot of charging and absorbing energy? You kinda have to limit movement with that. That seemed to be the weak point Ash used his Z Move after all.

 

[Xuxuba]

Another thing, concerning this battle, I don't understand why some people are criticizing this Totem Battle to the degree that they are. I mean, one has to remember when watching these Totem Battles, you can't compare them to gym battles or to that degree, because Ash and others are facing a wild Pokemon, not a Pokemon that's being controlled by a Gym Leader. Now, one could argue that since these are Totem Pokemon, they should have experience in battling, which they obviously seem like they do, but it's not going to be to the degree of a Gym Leader commanding his or her Pokemon, which also can drag out an episode longer (trying to come up with a strategy mid-battle or a counter move, dialogue, substituting/using multiple Pokemon, etc..) So, a battle vs a Totem Pokemon, only lasting for half an episode, DOES make sense.

I don't see why they can't last longer than that just because there are no trainers giving orders. It's not like a pokemon can't come up with battle strategies by himself.
Some trainers don't even come up with strategies, they just scream pokemon moves and try to look cool while doing it.

Besides, totem pokemon are not just any wild pokemon. They are stronger than any normal pokemon. The one who needs a strategy is Ash and not them. They have sheer power on their side.

If you're implying they can't make the totem battles longer because it would lack dialogue, then i would have to disagree, because:
1) the writers can express the totem feelings by using it's face expressions, his body expressions and his tone of voice. But, most importantly, Rotom is a pokemon and he can speak human language just like Meowth. If they wanted to, they could've Rotom translating what the totem is saying.
2) If they wanted more words, they could aswell give Ash some monologue, show him thinking how to beat the totem pokemon, or even make some people watch the battle and narrate it.

Personally, though, i don't think what these episodes lack is dialogue.

 

[pokedigijedi]

After reading the episode synopsis and seeing the episode pictures it makes me wonder, will Mallow ever get a Z-ring? or is she going to be reduced to a background character? Because in all honesty I was somehow expecting both Ash and Mallow to get Grassium-Z.

and on a side note how many Z-Crystals will Ash get by the end of the series?

 

[Daniel31]

I don't see why they can't last longer than that just because there are no trainers giving orders. It's not like a pokemon can't come up with battle strategies by himself.
Some trainers don't even come up with strategies, they just scream pokemon moves and try to look cool while doing it.

Besides, totem pokemon are not just any wild pokemon. They are stronger than any normal pokemon. The one who needs a strategy is Ash and not them. They have sheer power on their side.

If you're implying they can't make the totem battles longer because it would lack dialogue, then i would have to disagree, because:
1) the writers can express the totem feelings by using it's face expressions, his body expressions and his tone of voice. But, most importantly, Rotom is a pokemon and he can speak human language just like Meowth. If they wanted to, they could've Rotom translating what the totem is saying.
2) If they wanted more words, they could aswell give Ash some monologue, show him thinking how to beat the totem pokemon, or even make some people watch the battle and narrate it.

Personally, though, i don't think what these episodes lack is dialogue.

Well you just clearly contradicted yourself here. In the first line, you say that "it's not like a Pokemon can't come up with battle strategies by himself" and in the next line down, you say that Totem Pokemon are stronger than any normal Pokemon and "the one who needs a strategy is Ash and not them. They have sheer power by their side."

Well if that's the case, then I guess Totem Pokemon don't need to come up with strategies, because of their sheer power, and they can just use a few strong attacks. It kind of looks like that's what happened too btw.

 

[Satomine Night]

Besides, totem pokemon are not just any wild pokemon. They are stronger than any normal pokemon. The one who needs a strategy is Ash and not them. They have sheer power by their side.

Totem Pokémon may not be just any wild Pokémon, but they are still wild Pokémon, and thus may not be as capable of coming up with strategies or counterattacks as a human Trainer would be.

If you're implying they can't make the totem battles longer because it would lack dialogue, then i would have to disagree, because:
1) the writers can express the totem feelings by using it's face expressions, his body expressions and his tone of voice. But, most importantly, Rotom is a pokemon and he can speak human language just like Meowth. If they wanted to, they could've Rotom translating what the totem is saying.
2) If they wanted more words, they could aswell give Ash some monologue, show him thinking how to beat the totem pokemon, or even make some people watch the battle and narrate it.

We do see the Totem Pokémon's reactions through its facial expressions and body language, and to some degree its tone of "voice," but you do have to admit it's rather hard to show facial expressions or reactions on a Pokémon who only has two large eyes and no visible mouth. Also, I don't know about you, but I would find it rather annoying to have Rotomdex translate everything a Pokémon is saying during a battle. It would detract from the battle itself. We already have to deal with the thing commentating on the battle.

After reading the episode synopsis and seeing the episode pictures it makes me wonder, will Mallow ever get a Z-ring? or is she going to be reduced to a background character? Because in all honesty I was somehow expecting both Ash and Mallow to get Grassium-Z.

and on a side note how many Z-Crystals will Ash get by the end of the series?

I do think Mallow will get a Z-Ring and a Z-Crystal eventually; I think all of the main characters will end up with Z-Rings and at least one Z-Crystal each. I'm not surprised Mallow didn't get a Z-Ring or Z-Crystal in this episode, as I expected Ash would be the one to get Grassium-Z and I didn't think two main characters would receive Z-Crystals in the same episode.

 

[Herdheaven]

I feel like Z moves take away from actual creative methods to end a battle.

 

[Xuxuba]

Well you just clearly contradicted yourself here. In the first line, you say that "it's not like a Pokemon can't come up with battle strategies by himself" and in the next line down, you say that Totem Pokemon are stronger than any normal Pokemon and "the one who needs a strategy is Ash and not them. They have sheer power by their side."

Well if that's the case, then I guess Totem Pokemon don't need to come up with strategies, because of their sheer power, and they can just use a few strong attacks. It kind of looks like that's what happened too btw.

Not really??
I said they can come up with a strategy if they want to, but if they want to rely on their sheer force, they can aswell, since they have sheer force on their side. Obviously, though, i would prefer if they came up with a strategy, which, again, they can.

Totem Pokémon may not be just any wild Pokémon, but they are still wild Pokémon, and thus may not be as capable of coming up with strategies or counterattacks as a human Trainer would be.

I didn't say a trainer couldn't come up with better strategies though. Just that totem pokemon can come up with strategies too and that they have sheer force on their side.

We do see the Totem Pokémon's reactions through its facial expressions and body language, and to some degree its tone of "voice," but you do have to admit it's rather hard to show facial expressions or reactions on a Pokémon who only has two large eyes and no visible mouth.

You'd be surprised by how much you can express without saying words. Some of the best animations i've ever seen had no dialogue at all.

Also, I don't know about you, but I would find it rather annoying to have Rotomdex translate everything a Pokémon is saying during a battle. It would detract from the battle itself. We already have to deal with the thing commentating on the battle.

That'd depend on how often they would do it. If it were all the time, obviously, it would be annoying. But that's the same as any shonen battle, if the opponent talks too much, it becomes annoying, just look at Naruto, for example.

But i'm not really the one who wanted more dialogue than actual battle on the totem episodes.

 

[Pokemon Fan]

But, most importantly, Rotom is a pokemon and he can speak human language just like Meowth. If they wanted to, they could've Rotom translating what the totem is saying.

Has Rotom ever translated pokemon speech? Its always seemed like it lost the ability to understand other pokemon when it became the Rotom dex. Heck, it itself rarely even speaks as if it is a pokemon, even though other characters refer to it as one.