Come Forth, Lycanroc with the Crimson Look!! (970)

[345ash-greninja]

So Ash didn't have to suffer a loss the first time to Gladion. Good. I really liked Gladion's cold attitude and personality, I'm sure that the Ash-Gladion rivalry will be one of the greatest! 9/10.

 

[U.N. Owen]

So Ash didn't have to suffer a loss the first time to Gladion. Good. I really liked Gladion's cold attitude and personality, I'm sure that the Ash-Gladion rivalry will be one of the greatest! 9/10.

How is not suffering a loss a good thing?

 

[345ash-greninja]

How is not suffering a loss a good thing?

That's something subjective. Though for the long run in perspective of the Ash-Gladion rivalry, it would have been better if Ash suffered a loss here, as it would have heated up the rivalry even more, but I'm someone who prefers a rivalry where Ash doesn't suffer too many losses(but one devastating loss to heat up the rivalry).

 

[U.N. Owen]

That's something subjective. Though for the long run in perspective of the Ash-Gladion rivalry, it would have been better if Ash suffered a loss here, as it would have heated up the rivalry even more, but I'm someone who prefers a rivalry where Ash doesn't suffer too many losses(but one devastating loss to heat up the rivalry).

That logic is the reason Sawyer-Ash Rivalry is held in such low regard. There was no tension to it. It is better for Ash and Gladion to exchange losses and show that they are on somewhat equal footing.

 

[lemoncatpower]

That logic is the reason Sawyer-Ash Rivalry is held in such low regard. There was no tension to it. It is better for Ash and Gladion to exchange losses and show that they are on somewhat equal footing.

I disagree. People didn't like Sawyer because he was introduced late and somehow ended up at Ash's level so quickly when he was making really dumb mistakes in the beginning.

The battle being interrupted was a good thing imo, we don't need to exchange losses, we just need to set up the rivalry at this point. Mutual respect between his pokemon is something that was achieved also. I know people want Gladion to be an a-hole of a rival, but that isn't how it's going to be. Gladion is shown to not pay attention to people he doesn't respect, so this helped develop that respect for Ash and his rockruff also.

 

[345ash-greninja]

That logic is the reason Sawyer-Ash Rivalry is held in such low regard. There was no tension to it. It is better for Ash and Gladion to exchange losses and show that they are on somewhat equal footing.

I personally like the Ash-Sawyer rivalry. Though the loss that Ash suffered against Sawyer wasn't devastating by any means, the loss Ash suffered against Wulfric in front of Sawyer is devastating in perspective of the Ash-Sawyer rivalry, because Sawyer was slightly disappointed that the Ash he admired and saw a role model suffered a failure in that manner. After that Ash vowed to Sawyer to meet him in the League and even the score. And there was the tension in the Ash-Sawyer rivalry. In the League battle, Sawyer said that 'I wanted to battle the real Ash, and he came back, just like he promised' and Ash said, 'I panicked, but thanks to you, I was able to rediscover myself'. So Ash had something to prove to Sawyer that he was the same one whom he admired, here is the greatness of the Ash-Sawyer rivalry.

 

[AuraChannelerChris]

The Ash-SSS rivalry was idiotic for being introduced too late with a newbie, who suddenly gained a lot of powers at the speed of plot and then was SO OVERLY feared at the league over ONE SINGLE VICTORY CAUSED BY INDIRECT SECONDARY EFFECTS (i.e. a mental fart that shook his entire being basically) against the many clean ones Ash got out of him.

The Ash-Gladion rivalry barely exists all because there isn't this sense of urgency at least the Ash-SSS had. No victories, no losses, not even ties. Not even their dogs have this sense of triumphing over the other. This rivalry may as well still not exist.

 

[345ash-greninja]

The Ash-SSS rivalry was idiotic for being introduced too late with a newbie, who suddenly gained a lot of powers at the speed of plot and then was SO OVERLY feared at the league over ONE SINGLE VICTORY CAUSED BY INDIRECT SECONDARY EFFECTS (i.e. a mental fart that shook his entire being basically) against the many clean ones Ash got out of him.

The Ash-Gladion rivalry barely exists all because there isn't this sense of urgency at least the Ash-SSS had. No victories, no losses, not even ties. Not even their dogs have this sense of triumphing over the other. This rivalry may as well still not exist.

Ash's loss to Wulfric in front of Sawyer (whom Sawyer had already defeated) was more important in perspective of the Ash-Sawyer rivalry. Sawyer was a bit disappointed with Ash after that (the one he admired so much and saw him as his role model). So Ash vowed to Sawyer to meet him at the League and even the score. So Ash had a point to prove to Sawyer at the League and here is where the tension of the rivalry lies.

 

[Soaring Pikachu]

Even though it was only cannon fodder, hooray for Blastoise!

The new guy seemed cool. He appears to have a complicated relationship with his sister but I guess that is to be expected from a lone wolf type person. I thought the build up phrase to using the Z move was nice.

 

[Navin]

Mal's Review - Sun&Moon Edition

Come Forth, Gladion with the Edgy Look!!


Pros:

* Even Poke Paradise has to have its token Edgelord

* Rowlet shirt

* Extreme overkill Continental Crush

* Superman bear


Cons:

* TR interruption

* Expected more. The interactions felt more like Alain and Ash, with Gladion being brooding, but still 'Niceion'. Not saying I want Ash/Paul, but more tension


Thoughts:

* Please let Gladion be the main rival, and on par with Paul and Alain. Please let Ash's Lycanroc be the powerhouse, so we can get a quadruped v quadruped rivalry finally. Secondary bonus of Pikachu v Silvally.


Okay, but definitely short of expectations.

4.5/10


Last ten episodes ratings: 4/4/5/3.5/8.5/3/3/4/4.5/3
Average of episodes 11-20: 4.95/10
Average of episodes 1-10: 6.6/10

 

[JLK2707]

It was a pretty good episode in my honest opinion, but I wonder if Gladion will become Ash's Rival for Sun and Moon or if he will just get one later on....

 

[AuraChannelerChris]

It was a pretty good episode in my honest opinion, but I wonder if Gladion will become Ash's Rival for Sun and Moon or if he will just get one later on....

No in-game character has ever become the main rival for Ash come league time. If Ash wins even once against Gladion outside a league (if there is one here), that will write him down.

 

[Ambyssin]

Finally saw this episode. I enjoyed it for what it was, though I'm not expecting a major Ash/Gladion dynamic. I appreciate the animators at least gave us Gladion's signature pose, though.

 

[Almighty Zard]

I wonder who gladion's dub actor is, I don't recognize his VA, so he must be new.

 

[NegaiFreak]

I wonder who gladion's dub actor is, I don't recognize his VA, so he must be new.

I swear it sounds like Yuri Lowenthal, but I could be wrong.

 

[NPT]

-Team Skull grunts vs. Gladion right off the bat! And once again the Team Skull grunts got their butts kicked.
-"We're getting outta here. FULL THROTTLE!"... Ugh, that dialouge was terrible!
-It's cool to see Ash is training by himself.
-Darn, Gladion's battle with the fisherman was badly ruined by unfitting Goldfarb music...
-Now Ash wants to battle Gladion. Let's see how'll this turn out.... oh, here comes Lillie and Hobbes!
-Gladion wasn't really interested in battling Ash until he found out about the Tapu Koko connection. He's kinda like a nicer version of Trip.
-The whole "Pikachu zaps Ash to wake him up" gag is getting old by now.
-Shut up, Team Rocket.
-Okay, it's battle time! And it looks like Gladion has the upper hand...
-Ugh, not again! Darn it, Team Rocket interrupted yet another interesting battle. Y'know, it's stuff like this why I can't stand those morons anymore. The less they appear, the better.
-Take that Continental Crush! Aaaand Team Rocket is blasting off agai... or maybe not. *sigh* I wish Pikachu had used Thunderbolt to blast both Beware and Team Rocket off for good. I'm tired of seeing Beware saving them every single time they get blasted off.
-Welp, looks like it's the beginning of Ash and Gladion's not-so-glaring rivalrly.
-Aw, Lillie's poutface was derpy and cute at the same time.

7/10

Music kept in dub (6)

• Team Skull Enocounter Theme
• Alola Wild Pokémon Battle Theme
• Title Card Theme
• A battle theme from BW (played during Ash and Gladion's battle)
• Team Rocket Danger Theme (played when Team Rocket throws the net.)
• Team Rocket's Alola Motto Music

Music-wise, the dubbed version of this episode was better than the last episode. The groovy Team Skull Encounter theme was kept in the dub this time around. In addition, a BW battle theme that we haven't heard in the dub since early BW episode "The Mighty Accelguard to the Rescue", was kept as well. I hope the next episode's dub will keep some unusual tracks from the Japanese version again.

 

[Frozocrone]

Gladions VA sounds really good. Its familiar too, I need to find out who it is.

 

[AuraChannelerChris]

The amazing recovering Rockruff from training, unpainted Blastoise chin, and cloned background people? Oh my! (I noticed way too many Eevee in the background.)

This Gladion is basically Alain without the Ash fascination, so I don't know how to feel about that before he goes full Ashsexual (though Gladion has the severe disadvantage of being a game rival character that will diminish his importance sooner enough).

Stone Edge's animation has been so overused by Serena's Pancham that I can't stop thinking her Pancham is still around.

Sooo Gladion left the manor 6 months (ha ha, time in Pokemon) ago. I wonder if that is also the time frame (ha ha, time in Pokemon) when Lillie got into an UNSPEAKABLE accident...and Gladion's entire change of personality?

And dear god, that interrupted battle was as bad as people made it out to be from the JAP version.

I swear it sounds like Yuri Lowenthal, but I could be wrong.

He doesn't even appear in the voice cast list.

Plus, they would have paid a pretty penny to get him to voice someone in Pokemon, since he is a famous VA. I'm still surprised they got Todd Haberkorn for the previous region (and butchered his performance completely for Z1).

-It's cool to see Ash is training by himself.

It makes it look like he's a social outcast, Melemele has not that many trainers, or it's a pretty sad sight...

 

[KingMinun]

Gladions VA sounds really good. Its familiar too, I need to find out who it is.

Sounds like Jason Griffiths to me, aka Cilan/Sonic the Hedgehog (the bad years of the hog).

 

[Ryu Taylor]

Before I knew who Nobuhiko Okamoto was, I met him at Anime Expo 2012. He liked my Link cosplay and gave me his autograph. I've not seen this episode in Japanese in its entirety, but from the clip of JP Gladion I saw on Twitter, he did a great job. And so did newcomer Eddy Lee (his dub VA). Those who've seen both versions might find the two performances similar (don't quote me on this).

Pity such a great performance (from both versions) had to debut in such a disappointing episode. Just about nothing happened, and when something was about to happen, Team Rocket interrupted it like the living obstacles they are. I'm beginning to see why people have been having a big problem with their SM selves. The battle between Ash and Gladion didn't even go on long enough for me to properly comment on it.

Okay, I'm just gonna say it now and get it over with: whether it be sub or dub-composed, absolutely any piece of music having to do with Team Skull SUCKS. Why yes, I did just admit by proxy that there's a Goldfarb track I don't like. And in general, there was quite a lot more JP music than normal. I'd have a bigger problem with that, but for once, the JP tracks actually fit (except for the Team Skull junk). And great dub music as usual.

So in the end, this was a below average episode. What Disney XD had on last Saturday was so much better.