Intense Electric Shock Training! A Rematch with Tapu Koko!! (962)

[DatsRight]

The whole mouse wheel thing before the battle was weird, too. I don't see how that was helpful to Ash at all. I thought the point of his visit to Sophocles' house was so they could work out a way of countering Tapu Koko's Electric Terrain, not to improve Pikachu's speed or endurance or whatever.

That is a fair point and I am usually the first to complain about lack of substance, though on the other hand, it leaves me hopeful they might continue developing on the premise of Sophocles training and looking into Ash and Pikachu's strengths in later episodes, where such a strategy might come into play, especially since they now know Tapu Koko will be recurrently testing them.

From what I know this was Omode written. His episodes tend to be more laid back and focused on character analysis/introspective than going that in depth with abilities and strategies, his SM lot has actually been more evened out in this regard really.

I do at least hope this was just the 'setup episode' for Sophocles' role with Ash throughout the series, though Omode did have other cool plots that never took on besides one episode (eg. James tutoring Serena in his 'Jeeves' disguise should have been an XY arc).

 

[lemoncatpower]

You're not getting the point. If the battle is so much unimportant that the writers decided to skip the majority of the battle and show the finishing move, how much sense would it make from the perspective of the writers to imply that the battle was hard fought? If the writers wanted to imply the battle as hard-fought, won't they bother to give it more importance and show more of the battle onscreen?

Just because Mudbray and Rockruff collided once onscreen means that Mudbray was doing fine and the battle wasn't a curbstomp? That's like saying that Mega Charizard-X vs Mega Charizard-Y wasn't a curbstomp because there were a few clashes between moves(like Flamethrower vs Flamethrower) before Mega Charizard-Y got KO'd. If one defeats it's opponent without any notable difficulty, the battle can be called a curbstomp. And there is nothing that happened onscreen from which we can infer that Rockruff had any trouble.

to be fair Charizard Y didn't land a single move on Charizard X the whole time. It didn't seem very equal.

 

[VoltTacklingPika]

I do at least hope this was just the 'setup episode' for Sophocles' role with Ash throughout the series, though Omode did have other cool plots that never took on besides one episode (eg. James tutoring Serena in his 'Jeeves' disguise should have been an XY arc).

I'd like this to happen, too. It'd give Sophocles something to do and would help flesh out his relationship with Ash. Plus, there's a potential there for conflict between Analysis/Science vs Physicality.

It's just that in this particular episode I couldn't get a grasp of what Sophocles was helping Ash with, exactly.

 

[DatsRight]

I'd like this to happen, too. It'd give Sophocles something to do and would help flesh out his relationship with Ash. Plus, there's a potential there for conflict between Analysis/Science vs Physicality.

It's just that in this particular episode I couldn't get a grasp of what Sophocles was helping Ash with, exactly.

I think it could work great if executed well enough. Sophocles is an Electric specialist and a researcher. This could give him more depth than other type masters like Misty and Iris, since he wants to do more than just collect and train them. And Ash having an especially powerful one means he can take his interest, not to mention the humour potential from Sophocles using him and Pikachu as 'guinea pigs'. There's a reason for Sophocles to be heavily involved in the Pikachu vs Tapu Koko plot line since both are right up his ally.

Actually the more I think about, I wonder why they didn't try this more in the past. Surely Misty could have given Ash some more pointers raising Squirtle and Totodile, would have helped her be more active. Hell Clemont himself was an Electric specialist and scientist just like Sophocles.

 

[Janovy]

I'm a bit disappointed by the episode.

Sure, the fight between Pikachu vs Tapu Koko was decent, but it did nothing in furthering Tapu Koko's story or explaining why exactly Tapu Koko is interested in Ash and Pikachu. I have my assumptions, yes, but it would have still been nice from the writers to throw us a bone and give us even the smallest hint that we can speculate about.

 

[satopi]

I'm a bit disappointed by the episode.

Sure, the fight between Pikachu vs Tapu Koko was decent, but it did nothing in furthering Tapu Koko's story or explaining why exactly Tapu Koko is interested in Ash and Pikachu. I have my assumptions, yes, but it would have still been nice from the writers to throw us a bone and give us even the smallest hint that we can speculate about.

Maybe it was just testing Ash's strength. It can't exactly talk but it cares enough to choose Ash and Pikachu as worthy opponents in battle. I'm sure we'll learn something about it soon.

 

[DotKU]

I'm a bit disappointed by the episode.

Sure, the fight between Pikachu vs Tapu Koko was decent, but it did nothing in furthering Tapu Koko's story or explaining why exactly Tapu Koko is interested in Ash and Pikachu. I have my assumptions, yes, but it would have still been nice from the writers to throw us a bone and give us even the smallest hint that we can speculate about.

That's pretty much my thoughts. 19 episodes in and we're still sort of at the same place with this plot.

 

[TheWanderingMist]

That's pretty much my thoughts. 19 episodes in and we're still sort of at the same place with this plot.

They're probably trying to figure out how to adapt Aether well considering how well received the game version of them was and how dark they were. They could modify Team Flare how they wanted since they were fairly generic anyway but modifying Aether too much will result in a fandom uproar

 

[DS0308]

Looked like Koko used Nature's Madness and (probably) Discharge in my opinion.

Didn't really pay much attention during the Sophocles part but even when I did it didn't come off as that engaging. I suppose subs would help to pick up on anything remotely useful. I guess the part in his lab was.

Agree with a previous comment about the battle being slower than usual, there was a fair bit of talking and not enough doing.

Opposing Electric-types under Electric Terrain 2-0 Pikachu

I don't know why there's no complaints about Rockruff not evolving in this episode considering what happened with Bounsweet last week. /s (partially)

 

[DatsRight]

I don't know why there's no complaints about Rockruff not evolving in this episode considering what happened with Bounsweet last week. /s (partially)

Neither Bounsweet or Steenee impress me nearly as much as Rockruff, who it seems is getting steadier development and earning it's skill boost and demonstrating a personality before it evolves (if it needs to at all).

If Rockruff is destined to evolve the same quick convenient way Bounsweet did I'll actually be rather disappointed.

 

[DS0308]

Neither Bounsweet or Steenee impress me nearly as much as Rockruff, who it seems is getting steadier development and earning it's skill boost and demonstrating a personality before it evolves (if it needs to at all).

If Rockruff is destined to evolve the same quick convenient way Bounsweet did I'll actually be rather disappointed.

I've said this a bunch of times but if it doesn't evolve like the description said, where it leaves the trainer and returns evolved, I won't be happy. Unless it's a well-done battle evolution.

It'd be a waste if it didn't evolve tbh.

 

[FrozTKnight]

So its comfirmed that Tapu Koko activates electric surge

And anyone get the feeling that they are foreshadowing that electrium z is going to turn into the Pikanium z or the Pikashunium Z, maye these special Z crystals are formed when the trainers and pokemon bonds become strong.

 

[Rampardo]

Man, these were some mediocre battles. In fact, all battles in SM have been VERY underwhelming. There hasn't been a single battle where I've felt "whoa, this was awesome, have to rewatch this". I don't know.. they've all just been so short, slow-paced, and generally unimpressive. I think it's due to there being too much commentary going on... we watch those standing at the sidelines more than the actual battle...

 

[lemoncatpower]

Man, these were some mediocre battles. In fact, all battles in SM have been VERY underwhelming. There hasn't been a single battle where I've felt "whoa, this was awesome, have to rewatch this". I don't know.. they've all just been so short, slow-paced, and generally unimpressive. I think it's due to there being too much commentary going on... we watch those standing at the sidelines more than the actual battle...

I personally think we will still be getting better battles in the future, it's just still in the first bit of the series so they're still having everyone on a lower power level just until things vamp up. At least that's my theory, but I haven't been disappointed personally yet

 

[345ash-greninja]

Tapu Koko is still too strong for Pikachu. Though Pikachu managed to do a bit of damage, it was promptly sent flying in the end which made Ash selflessly jump to save him. I hope at some point of the series Pikachu manages to give Tapu Koko a run for its money.

 

[Satomine Night]

Tapu Koko is still too strong for Pikachu. Though Pikachu managed to do a bit of damage, it was promptly sent flying in the end which made Ash selflessly jump to save him. I hope at some point of the series Pikachu manages to give Tapu Koko a run for its money.

What did you expect? Tapu Koko is a legendary guardian deity. It should be too strong for Pikachu.

 

[lemoncatpower]

What did you expect? Tapu Koko is a legendary guardian deity. It should be too strong for Pikachu.

But only until towards the end of the series. If it can beat a Latios by the end, Pikachu should be able to take all four guardians.

 

[345ash-greninja]

What did you expect? Tapu Koko is a legendary guardian deity. It should be too strong for Pikachu.

I expected Tapu Koko to be strong. My point was that Pikachu still has a long way to go before it can battle on par with Tapu Koko. I wouldn't rule it out, as Pikachu has earlier managed to pull of feats like this-

[IMG300]https://i.makeagif.com/media/7-09-2015/C88ejk.gif[/IMG300]

 

[Sceptile Leaf Blade]

Why would Latios be comparable to Tapu Koko? Besides, Tobias was an idiot with how he used Latios in that battle. Had Tobias actually used Latios well he would've easily defeated Pikachu.

 

[345ash-greninja]

Why would Latios be comparable to Tapu Koko? Besides, Tobias was an idiot with how he used Latios in that battle. Had Tobias actually used Latios well he would've easily defeated Pikachu.

What??? Tobias and Latios gave it everything it could, and still it ended in a draw. I suggest you watch the battle again.