Go West, Young Meowth! (072)

[Cíconne]

This was kanto at it's best. This was the only episode in which I liked Meowth. In this episode he was an actual character, not just some lame guy that always loses.

 

[Leonhart]

Frankly, I wish that Satoshi, Kasumi, and Takeshi had witnessed Nyasu's dilemma with the gang of wild Nyasu and Persian since perhaps then they would've shown some sympathy and understanding for Nyasu's miserable life.

 

[ᎠᎬȺᎢḤ]

Hollywood looked more polluted and empty than I thought. The screening of the movie should've been a big part of this episode but instead Meowth's love life was the theme.

 

[gentwoer]

The screening of the movie should've been a big part of this episode but instead Meowth's love life was the theme.

Yes because the twerps watching some stupid B-movie is waaaay more interesting than finding out why the one Pokemon who can talk is able to talk.


......

 

[Ryu Taylor]

A rape threat.

The Japanese version of this episode had Meowth make a rape threat. An actual ****ing rape threat.

Some "likable" bad guy, huh?!!!!

 

[Zyar]

A rape threat.

The Japanese version of this episode had Meowth make a rape threat. An actual ****ing rape threat.

Some "likable" bad guy, huh?!!!!

LOL, it's more vague than that. And, even if it implies rape (which I agree it does, but that doesn't stop it from being vaguely worded so that kids wouldn't understand), I think the impact of the tragedy is much more realistic thanks to that line. Meowth had just cracked; after going through so much effort, misery and pain to change himself (for a really lame reason), he got utterly rejected. He turned himself into some kind of abomination and got nothing in return; if that doesn't turn someone evil and make them say awful things like that, I don't know what could. If anything, it gains him sympathy, especially since he didn't follow through with his threat and instead showed compassion to Meowzie later, when he thought she wanted to be rescued.

 

[Leonhart]

I used to dislike Madonnya since she rejected Nyasu's affection and joined up with his old boss, yet I now sympathize with her because she had lost everything when her owner abandoned her, so naturally she sought comfort from Persian.

 

[DatsRight]

A rape threat.

The Japanese version of this episode had Meowth make a rape threat. An actual ****ing rape threat.

Some "likable" bad guy, huh?!!!!

Wait what???

What scene was this? Specify?

I know from some wiki details that the Japanese edit was different in dialogue from the dub (explaining that "Hollywood" was just a Kanto town with the same name, why the town was so desolate).

One in the Japanese edit's favour was the first word he learns actually being 'pain' (though you still see the picture in the dub). That adds a tragic tint to Meowth.

One in the dubs however was the final scene with Meowth philosophising. In the Japanese edit, he ponders kinda off topic why the moon is round, in the English version he laments if Meowsie gazes at the moon too. That was effective, a guy just desperately hoping that some superficial jerk they consider their soulmate has some mutual connection and tint of depth in them.

Seriously though, the more I think about it, Kanto was a hellhole. All three members of Team Rocket were abused into bitter criminals (one of which was a Pokemon that got brutalised just for wanting food) and Misty and Ash were almost on their way to a similar frustrated upbringing if not for travelling to other regions and developing. The whole place is filled with antipathetic self-important egotists with a 'top of the chain' attitude, with guys who can't make a name of themselves from the moment they are conceived being treated as no-hopers.

 

[mehmeh1]

Wait what???

What scene was this? Specify?

I know from some wiki details that the Japanese edit was different in dialogue from the dub (explaining that "Hollywood" was just a Kanto town with the same name, why the town was so desolate).

One in the Japanese edit's favour was the first word he learns actually being 'pain' (though you still see the picture in the dub). That adds a tragic tint to Meowth.

One in the dubs however was the final scene with Meowth philosophising. In the Japanese edit, he ponders kinda off topic why the moon is round, in the English version he laments if Meowsie gazes at the moon too. That was effective, a guy just desperately hoping that some superficial jerk they consider their soulmate has some mutual connection and tint of depth in them.

Seriously though, the more I think about it, Kanto was a hellhole. All three members of Team Rocket were abused into bitter criminals (one of which was a Pokemon that got brutalised just for wanting food) and Misty and Ash were almost on their way to a similar frustrated upbringing if not for travelling to other regions and developing. The whole place is filled with antipathetic self-important egotists with a 'top of the chain' attitude, with guys who can't make a name of themselves from the moment they are conceived being treated as no-hopers.

and then there's brock, who had to be mother and father to his siblings because his parents left, having to give up on his aspirations until his dad came back (seriously, why did he leave his family? to sell rocks? what the heck?)

 

[lolipiece]

Wait what???

What scene was this? Specify?

I know from some wiki details that the Japanese edit was different in dialogue from the dub (explaining that "Hollywood" was just a Kanto town with the same name, why the town was so desolate).

It's after Meowzie rejects him.

Also, he's lying.

Meowth stated in the Japanese version "he'd make Meowzie his, even if by force."

While that line can imply something nasty, it's not an explicit rape threat.

 

[DatsRight]

Yeah, that sounds like a more standard 'I have you now my pretty' type scenario we see with tons of G rated villains.

 

[Leonhart]

Yeah, Nyasu's comment in the Japanese version didn't sound like it was meant to be interpreted as a genuine threat, much less as an implication of "rape" in my view. It only sounds like that when read without the proper context.

 

[Ryu Taylor]

Meowth stated in the Japanese version "he'd make Meowzie his, even if by force.".

Someone forcing another to be theirs is LITERALLY the definition of rape.

 

[lolipiece]

Someone forcing another to be theirs is LITERALLY the definition of rape.

No, it's not. That's slavery, at best.

That being said, you're over-blowing an empty threat made by an ineffectual children's cartoon villain.

Let's just get over this and move on with our lives.

 

[KyogreThunder]

An alright episode. It was cool to learn about Meowth's backstory. I felt sorry for him when Meowzie decided to stay with Persian, but it is understandable at the same time. I wonder why she even was abandoned in the first place?
8/10

 

[Leonhart]

I wonder why she even was abandoned in the first place?

Economic strife affected her owner's lifestyle most likely given that the city here was based on Hollywood during a recession. So Madonnya was left behind to fend for herself.

 

[FullmetalJackie]

I think this episode was really creative since the writers didn't use Ash and his friends as the stars for once and let Meowth shine on his own. His tragic past made me feel bad for him but part of me still couldn't feel completely sympathetic because of how greedy Meowth has always been. I liked the showdown between Meowth and Persian even though Meowzie broke Meowth's heart at the end.

 

[Leonhart]

I liked the showdown between Meowth and Persian even though Meowzie broke Meowth's heart at the end.

Now that I think about it, it's odd how weak Persian was compared to Nyasu. You would think that Persian being the leader of the stray Nyasu gang would've meant that he'd be strong, but he didn't last long against the Rocket-dan's Nyasu.

 

[Firefo×Fennekin]

Meowth's past was so tragic that I completely understood how he became so evil after all the troubles of his past finally came to light. Him joining Persian's gang seemed like the turning point in his life and the reason why he hated Giovanni's Persian so much was probably because he was once working for a stray Persian. Meowzie was a total female dog the way that she joined Persian and didn't even like Meowth. Meowth deserved much better. 9/10

 

[cricketlaxwolvesbandy]

Poor Meowth...