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How do you feel about the SM arcs?

  • Thread starter Deleted member 384931
  • Start date

LilligantLewis

Bonnie stan
Ash-less episodes that focused just on a companion as well.

Ash-less episodes would be classified as side stories rather than main series episodes.

Mallow getting nothing from the Grassium Z trial do stick out, but in the long term they didn't really do much for Ash either so it's difficult to say he stole their thunder there.

Well, people want her to be the one using Grassium Z, so it is possible to say he stole her thunder, or at least her grass.
 

DatsRight

Well-Known Member
Ash-less episodes would be classified as side stories rather than main series episodes.

Well in SM's structure, the side stories can actually be more enjoyable and gratifying than some of the main story episodes.

Well, people want her to be the one using Grassium Z, so it is possible to say he stole her thunder, or at least her grass.

The thing is Mallow does jack all with her Pokemon in the first place. Grassium Z wouldn't help much in terms of character agency because she never really gets a proper battle that isn't a TR curb stomp, much like Lana has seldom used Waterium Z, and otherwise she has a non-battler agenda, and the fact that doesn't get focus, even in her own episodes, is far from completely Ash's fault. Hell the times Mallow is in focus are those Ash is most likely to be completely out of focus or even take the fall or play damsel in distress so she have full involvement, just it doesn't amount to much noteworthy.

Kiawe getting a Z Ring made sense because he is a battler and an Alola lore enthusiast and also due to having one first he could explain the concept of the gimmick as Ash was learning.
 
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LilligantLewis

Bonnie stan
Coming back to this thread now as the Ula'Ula arc has finished airing in the dub.

I have to say I'm a bit shocked at how short it was. It feels no different from some extended gym leader arcs in previous generations such as Clair for example who appeared in 5 straight episodes.

They could have done so much more by diving more into the Nanu/Giovanni thing, showing Team Skull, or even having Ash lose to Nanu again in the 1 v 3, which could still be a sign of progress if he got through the first 2 Pokémon. Wow that was rushed! That's my main thought on the arc.
 

blizzardblaze

Comp. Battler Who loves The Anime
the arcs so far feel pretty lackluster - it's as if they haven't put as much effort into making them the best that they can be, but instead focus more on....the comedy and...not the storytelling and connections between characters at times.
 

Redstar45

The Anime/Special's canon know it all.
the arcs so far feel pretty lackluster - it's as if they haven't put as much effort into making them the best that they can be, but instead focus more on....the comedy and...not the storytelling and connections between characters at times.
Pretty much what it is in this show is now !
 

blizzardblaze

Comp. Battler Who loves The Anime
yup! and the fillers don't help. they're eh at times, because they are to put it simply, boring and really just...why? we could just be getting development episodes for certain members on the cast like lana or mallow
 

LilligantLewis

Bonnie stan
yup! and the fillers don't help. they're eh at times, because they are to put it simply, boring and really just...why? we could just be getting development episodes for certain members on the cast like lana or mallow
Yup when Lana was revealed as Popplio's owner in 2016 I was hoping she would become the first girl since May to get a fully evolved starter but NOPE not even close. Instead she's Iris 2.0 in terms of no evolutions with no explanation. Dawn's Piplup had the ep about Stopped in the Name of Love!
 

Remix2

Well-Known Member
the arcs so far feel pretty lackluster - it's as if they haven't put as much effort into making them the best that they can be, but instead focus more on....the comedy and...not the storytelling and connections between characters at times.

It definitely feel like the writers working on this series don’t care about the arcs at all.

Heck even the animators sometime don’t any real effort into the arcs(the necrozma arc being a good example).
 

mehmeh1

Not thinking twice!
It definitely feel like the writers working on this series don’t care about the arcs at all.

Heck even the animators sometime don’t any real effort into the arcs(the necrozma arc being a good example).
it was definitely odd how we had a gorgeously animated water race in a filler and 2 episodes later we had a fight between 3 legendaries that consisted mostly of stills and tweening
 

MidnightMelody

Hopeful for Gen 8
Really stupid an poorly paced. We could have ha the first 25 episoes in the school only for Ash to graduate and do the first trial wrapping it up before ep 30

Eps 30-52 on Akala

Eps-53-58 Aether Arc

Eps 59-72 on Ula Ula

73-80-Necrozma

Instead we spend %95 on Mele Mele
 

SH65

Victory Over All!
It definitely feel like the writers working on this series don’t care about the arcs at all.

Heck even the animators sometime don’t any real effort into the arcs(the necrozma arc being a good example).
Even the battles the lot of the time have bad animation.
 

shoz999

Back when Tigers used to smoke.
On a different note. YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES! NECROZMA IS FINALLY MAKING HIS DEBUT IN POKEMON ADVENTURES! I love how he terrifies the other members of the Cosmog trio! I'M SO GODDAMN EXCITED! Honestly I'm getting very nostalgic of the USUM trailers marketing Necrozma's grand storyline as "A darkness that swallowed Alola" or something along the lines!

I've decided I'm going to re-watch the Necrozma episodes, including the built-up episodes (which extends to Poipole's first appearance) in order to prepare the EPICNESS THAT IS NECROZMA. Honestly I kind of forgot about Necrozma from the anime for some reason so in some ways it will be like a refreshing new look at the episodes. I still remember scarcely about Necrozma from the anime but I do remember he made quite the badass introduction for himself, tearing through the wormholes Solgaleo and Lunala created with own giant claws. Honestly it's kind of hard to remember because there was a bunch of other plotlines in there. A Team Rocket storyline for some reason, a poipole storyline, how the adults have loss their passion. How was the Necrozma episodes overall again? It's been a while.
 

Ignition

We are so back Zygardebros
On a different note. YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES! NECROZMA IS FINALLY MAKING HIS DEBUT IN POKEMON ADVENTURES! I love how he terrifies the other members of the Cosmog trio! I'M SO GODDAMN EXCITED! Honestly I'm getting very nostalgic of the USUM trailers marketing Necrozma's grand storyline as "A darkness that swallowed Alola" or something along the lines!

I've decided I'm going to re-watch the Necrozma episodes, including the built-up episodes (which extends to Poipole's first appearance) in order to prepare the EPICNESS THAT IS NECROZMA. Honestly I kind of forgot about Necrozma from the anime for some reason so in some ways it will be like a refreshing new look at the episodes. I still remember scarcely about Necrozma from the anime but I do remember he made quite the badass introduction for himself, tearing through the wormholes Solgaleo and Lunala created with own giant claws. Honestly it's kind of hard to remember because there was a bunch of other plotlines in there. A Team Rocket storyline for some reason, a poipole storyline, how the adults have loss their passion. How was the Necrozma episodes overall again? It's been a while.
Good but rushed.
 

mehmeh1

Not thinking twice!
On a different note. YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES! NECROZMA IS FINALLY MAKING HIS DEBUT IN POKEMON ADVENTURES! I love how he terrifies the other members of the Cosmog trio! I'M SO GODDAMN EXCITED! Honestly I'm getting very nostalgic of the USUM trailers marketing Necrozma's grand storyline as "A darkness that swallowed Alola" or something along the lines!

I've decided I'm going to re-watch the Necrozma episodes, including the built-up episodes (which extends to Poipole's first appearance) in order to prepare the EPICNESS THAT IS NECROZMA. Honestly I kind of forgot about Necrozma from the anime for some reason so in some ways it will be like a refreshing new look at the episodes. I still remember scarcely about Necrozma from the anime but I do remember he made quite the badass introduction for himself, tearing through the wormholes Solgaleo and Lunala created with own giant claws. Honestly it's kind of hard to remember because there was a bunch of other plotlines in there. A Team Rocket storyline for some reason, a poipole storyline, how the adults have loss their passion. How was the Necrozma episodes overall again? It's been a while.
the arc lacked a real climax, it had great introduction, rising action, and resolution, but it went straight from rising action (sm89) to resolution (sm90). Also, necrozma may finally be appearing in special, but i'm still waiting for black to return :(
 

shoz999

Back when Tigers used to smoke.
the arc lacked a real climax, it had great introduction, rising action, and resolution, but it went straight from rising action (sm89) to resolution (sm90). Also, necrozma may finally be appearing in special, but i'm still waiting for black to return :(
I don't quite remember the Necrozma special. I do recall that Ultra Necrozma didn't really do anything but stand still like a giant statue but look on the bright side about Pokemon Adventures! What the anime does great, the manga does 10 times better! Meaning we will probably see an even more badass depiction of Necrozma. It could be Ultra Beasts vs. Necrozma. Zygarde vs. Necrozma. Solgaleo and Lunala vs. Necrozma. Lillie vs. Necrozma. Necrozma vs. Necrozma. Anything could happen. As someone who is greatly interested in Necrozma's story from USUM, I am so excited for what Pokemon Adventures Sun and Moon plans on doing with Necrozma during it's epic finale. On the gloomy side of things lol! If the Necrozma anime special is as mediocre as you said it is and the Sun and Moon Adventures take on Necrozma turns out to be pretty mediocre as well, that practically means we will probably never ever ever ever EVER EVER! see any justice done to Necrozma's story EVER again lol.
 

DatsRight

Well-Known Member
I can sorta credit the Necrozma special in areas, since it felt like the writers were trying to work around the premise of the protagonists dealing with a Pokemon that was too powerful to battle. This tends to be a problem in many legendary arcs, the twerps are pretty much helpless against them so kind of feel pinballed into the plot a lot of the time or upstaged by a stronger character, while SM at least tries to give them resources and wits about it so they can be proactive in some way. That doesn't make it a masterpiece by any means, but it was SOME form of unique effort.
 

Zhydra

Master of Chaos!
I don't quite remember the Necrozma special. I do recall that Ultra Necrozma didn't really do anything but stand still like a giant statue but look on the bright side about Pokemon Adventures! What the anime does great, the manga does 10 times better! Meaning we will probably see an even more badass depiction of Necrozma. It could be Ultra Beasts vs. Necrozma. Zygarde vs. Necrozma. Solgaleo and Lunala vs. Necrozma. Lillie vs. Necrozma. Necrozma vs. Necrozma. Anything could happen. As someone who is greatly interested in Necrozma's story from USUM, I am so excited for what Pokemon Adventures Sun and Moon plans on doing with Necrozma during it's epic finale. On the gloomy side of things lol! If the Necrozma anime special is as mediocre as you said it is and the Sun and Moon Adventures take on Necrozma turns out to be pretty mediocre as well, that practically means we will probably never ever ever ever EVER EVER! see any justice done to Necrozma's story EVER again lol.

I didn't mind the Necrozma Arc, we had build up to this one for a few episodes and I doubt we are going to see the last of Ultra Necrozma. (Giovanni is still out there and he wants it. His forces are still there and they are not giving up that easily.)

That being said... if your interested in a Necrozma story that might be worth checking out. I kind of did the Necrozma story myself in a fanfic that mixes S/M and US/UM together. (Necrozma was caught by Elio in the S/M canon, but his misguided attempt to help Necrozma caused him and Nebby to fight. It results in one destroyed master ball and Necrozma escaping into Ultra Space. "This is off screen stuff that is explained when I got to this." Enough motivation for our idiot hero to try and stop this... with the very real chance that Necrozma would go crazy and kill him. "I made Necrozma 90% bonkers from pain.")

This builds up to the big fight with Necrozma. The guy having a bad run in with that Darkrai from the Mystery Dungeon games, being turned into a Shadow Pokemon for a time, getting rescued by a rag tag band of heroes from another dimension, running into the Ultra Recon Squad once he is restored, getting captured by those guys and doing something to help Elio and Lillie, even in the mist of insanity. (A test from a Mew to see if Necrozma does have good in him. Too bad his insanity makes him stay a good guy for long.) Then he breaks loose and tries to arrive on Alola to go after its light, as his arrival slowly comes, the regions light is drained, until the final day comes when the sun goes into a full eclipse. (Not unlike the one you see in Dark Souls 3. )

Then that is when the climax happens and things become a chaotic fest.

Necrozma trying to go after Solgaleo and nearly killed Gladion in his mad attempt to get that light. The pain from having that light causes Solgaleo's power to be used in out of control bursts... that result in Ultra Beasts coming in... in waves. Legendary pokemon clashing against the beasts while those that can fight back do so because it is going to be a beast rush.

Then Necrozma gets forced out of Solgaleo and escapes into Ultra Megaopolis. Which results in a group chase scene that goes horribly wrong and the USUM stuff happens when the group get kicked into the Altar of the Moone on Solgaleo... while Necrozma fights Nebby. (Lunala.) Wins... and absorbs her.
Lillie and Gladion kick the things butt, Necrozma escapes back into Ultra Megaopolis. (Einsteins definition of insanity.... repeating the same action and expecting different results.) Lillie gets on a Lunala that was the offspring of Nebby and Solgaleo... then flies after Necrozma to get her child back. (Everyone else is left to fight another wave of Beasts... and two adult Xurkitree. "The ones that are the size of a mountain.")

To top this off, Lillie is 21 years old as a veteran trainer. (She is a badass in this one.) while pregnant with Elio's kids (Twins) when she took on Ultra Necrozma... and won!
 

mehmeh1

Not thinking twice!
I don't quite remember the Necrozma special. I do recall that Ultra Necrozma didn't really do anything but stand still like a giant statue but look on the bright side about Pokemon Adventures! What the anime does great, the manga does 10 times better! Meaning we will probably see an even more badass depiction of Necrozma. It could be Ultra Beasts vs. Necrozma. Zygarde vs. Necrozma. Solgaleo and Lunala vs. Necrozma. Lillie vs. Necrozma. Necrozma vs. Necrozma. Anything could happen. As someone who is greatly interested in Necrozma's story from USUM, I am so excited for what Pokemon Adventures Sun and Moon plans on doing with Necrozma during it's epic finale. On the gloomy side of things lol! If the Necrozma anime special is as mediocre as you said it is and the Sun and Moon Adventures take on Necrozma turns out to be pretty mediocre as well, that practically means we will probably never ever ever ever EVER EVER! see any justice done to Necrozma's story EVER again lol.
i wouldn't call it mediocre, but it's the epitome of the saying that something is more than just the sum of its parts. I'd call each of the 4 episodes great (well, 88 had very stiff animation, which was lame and makes me worry for sm100, whose animation is being directed by the same guy, but it was still generally a great episode), but the lack of a climax greatly diminishes the quality of the arc (I have a bit of hope though, as "Light that burns the sky" hasn't been shown yet)
 

DatsRight

Well-Known Member
i wouldn't call it mediocre, but it's the epitome of the saying that something is more than just the sum of its parts. I'd call each of the 4 episodes great (well, 88 had very stiff animation, which was lame and makes me worry for sm100, whose animation is being directed by the same guy, but it was still generally a great episode), but the lack of a climax greatly diminishes the quality of the arc (I have a bit of hope though, as "Light that burns the sky" hasn't been shown yet)

The problem is that all the SM arcs' climaxes have been kinda....well....anti-climatic. The antagonists never really put up a fight and the twerps either defeat them with their usual curbstomp/DEM or in some more light hearted way (even if the latter can sometimes have it's charm if done uniquely like with the Ultra Beasts). Either way no real big fights where they had to pull out all the stops. Not to say this formula didn't happen in previous series either, but I do think people were expecting Mother Beast and Matori Matrix to at least, you know, lay a bit of carnage.

I admit I might have credited the Ula Ula arc more if Pikachu vs Mimikyu was more of a proper deciding fight, instead of the usual 'villain decimates the hero, until the hero gets something to instantly win'.
 

shoz999

Back when Tigers used to smoke.
i wouldn't call it mediocre, but it's the epitome of the saying that something is more than just the sum of its parts. I'd call each of the 4 episodes great (well, 88 had very stiff animation, which was lame and makes me worry for sm100, whose animation is being directed by the same guy, but it was still generally a great episode), but the lack of a climax greatly diminishes the quality of the arc (I have a bit of hope though, as "Light that burns the sky" hasn't been shown yet)
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! The Light That Burns the Sky move. That can only be done with a Z-Ring. Meaning Necrozma needs a trainer to use that move. Kusaka tends to show all the exclusive Pokemon moves. Put two and two together... O_0 TO THE THEORY VAULT! AKA The January Plot Discussion thread.
 
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