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A Triple Fighting Chance! (536)

Daizy

I call you honey
That was a pretty good ending, although I don't find it to be too realistic. It seems that without Swift Swim and learning Water Pulse, Buizel wouldn't have been able to have taken down Lucario.
 

Leonhart

Imagineer
I do wonder if Satoshi's Buoysel would've still tied with Sumomo's Lucario had the roof not collapsed, which was how he was able to make a comeback, or if the writers would've simply made up some convoluted alternative.
 

mysticalglacia

Alola Shill
Wow easily the best Gym Battle in Sinnoh so far. Staravia putting in work was really nice and gave it some needed shine, and Lucario vs Buizel was amazing. A bit of a contrivance with the rain powering Buizel up, but I can ignore it because the battle was that good. It felt like both were going all out and this is one of the few draws that I genuinely quite like in Pokémon. Gives the battle a unique feel, and also feels very earned on both sides. A good conclusion to Maylene’s little arc and a great win for Ash
 
Love Lucario vs Buizel
Wish Buizel kept Water Pulse
 

SerGoldenhandtheJust

Deluded Dreamer
Wow easily the best Gym Battle in Sinnoh so far. Staravia putting in work was really nice and gave it some needed shine, and Lucario vs Buizel was amazing. A bit of a contrivance with the rain powering Buizel up, but I can ignore it because the battle was that good. It felt like both were going all out and this is one of the few draws that I genuinely quite like in Pokémon. Gives the battle a unique feel, and also feels very earned on both sides. A good conclusion to Maylene’s little arc and a great win for Ash
Probably the best draw in the anime tbh! A draw being more thematic than a win would have been is just some juicy storytelling, DP amplified their game characters to a 100x times more
 

mysticalglacia

Alola Shill
Probably the best draw in the anime tbh! A draw being more thematic than a win would have been is just some juicy storytelling, DP amplified their game characters to a 100x times more
Yes to all this, a draw for the sake of being a draw is whatever but when it means something pretty significant to the story that’s when it gets good. I like how pretty much all the Gym Leaders were handled in DP; they get a lot more background and personality to them than the game and there’s great character progression for a lot of ‘em (Volkner, Maylene, etc.)
 

SerGoldenhandtheJust

Deluded Dreamer
Yes to all this, a draw for the sake of being a draw is whatever but when it means something pretty significant to the story that’s when it gets good. I like how pretty much all the Gym Leaders were handled in DP; they get a lot more background and personality to them than the game and there’s great character progression for a lot of ‘em (Volkner, Maylene, etc.)
I honestly think only Crasher Wake was the one who didnt get some story arc for himself, and even than its balanced by him being likeable

Roark had the whole Paul-Ash losing and using new strats-winning subplot
Gardenia had the whole James-Cacnea subplot
Maylene here
Fantina had a long subplot lol and birthed counter shield
Byron had the whole fossil subplot with Roark
Candice had a backstory with Zoey
Volkner with Flint and his depression

I dont think ANY other region came close to expanding their characters as much as DP did. Closest I can think is SM with the time they gave game characters, but they didnt really give complexity much to them or in some cases took it away like Hau compared to what DP did
 

mysticalglacia

Alola Shill
I honestly think only Crasher Wake was the one who didnt get some story arc for himself, and even than its balanced by him being likeable

Roark had the whole Paul-Ash losing and using new strats-winning subplot
Gardenia had the whole James-Cacnea subplot
Maylene here
Fantina had a long subplot lol and birthed counter shield
Byron had the whole fossil subplot with Roark
Candice had a backstory with Zoey
Volkner with Flint and his depression

I dont think ANY other region came close to expanding their characters as much as DP did. Closest I can think is SM with the time they gave game characters, but they didnt really give complexity much to them or in some cases took it away like Hau compared to what DP did
I remember SM making the Kahunas pretty likable (particularly Nanu, I really enjoyed what they did with him) but not to the extent that DP did with its Gym Leaders. Like you said, most everyone had a character relevant subplot that really involved them into the story and fleshed them out much more. The way they handled Volkner was very good; to this day I still think it’s the some of the anime team’s best work on an NPC game character.
 

SerGoldenhandtheJust

Deluded Dreamer
I remember SM making the Kahunas pretty likable (particularly Nanu, I really enjoyed what they did with him) but not to the extent that DP did with its Gym Leaders. Like you said, most everyone had a character relevant subplot that really involved them into the story and fleshed them out much more. The way they handled Volkner was very good; to this day I still think it’s the some of the anime team’s best work on an NPC game character.
Volkner and Maylene both for me!!
It's astonishing because the games did NOTHING for the gym leaders, yet while playing BDSP i was smiling to battle them knowing their anime portrayals
I honestly think the DP anime really made my love for the games increase more
 
Crasher Wake had the Croagunk Festival- oh wait he was just there
I love Nanu so much. We need more characters like him.
 

mysticalglacia

Alola Shill
Volkner and Maylene both for me!!
It's astonishing because the games did NOTHING for the gym leaders, yet while playing BDSP i was smiling to battle them knowing their anime portrayals
I honestly think the DP anime really made my love for the games increase more
Wow I actually feel the same! Like being honest, I used to be meh on Sinnoh as a region and in the games; DPPt still aren’t what I’d consider my favorites, but thanks to how wonderful the anime and Legends Arceus are I’ve warmed up a lot to the whole gen. The anime really can give you a sense of attachment to whatever game it’s representing I feel, which is why at least for me, gens that I think are weaker game-wise like IV and VI being so popular & well-done in the anime in turn make me want to give the games another chance (though XY is still not very good…..)
I love Nanu so much. We need more characters like him.
Nanu’s battle with Ash had me hyperanalyzing every line of dialogue. He’s the best no matter the medium
 

squashthatapple

Azalea Town Resident
The intensity of this fight, and how excited Maylene was during it really reminded me of Falkner’s battle. I feel like those two gym leaders had real connection with Ash, and probably would have been very close friends with him.

I also liked the power gap between Lucario and Buizel. Buizel was already outclassed, and it took learning a new move AND it’s ability to even draw with it. Made for a sick ending.
 

KyogreThunder

Call of Fate
A meh episode. I wish Buizel had evolved and actually defeated Lucario here, as Maylene giving Ash the badge despite the battle ending in a draw was cheap. I liked seeing Swift Swim activate, though.
4/10
 

vondecayle

Well-Known Member
The draw was unnecessary, but Ash pokemon did KO all three of her pokemon so I guess it can be seen as a victory in a way…
The battle was cool, but Ash has defeated frontier brains, he should’ve been able to defeat her without losing all of his pokemon. I liked seeing another monkey battle (meditate vs chimchar) after watching Ambipom vs Meditate in the previous episode, even though Staravia finished the job in this battle. A good gym match overall.
 
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