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It is Time for Litten to Set Off!! (964)

Ryu Taylor

Unwavering beliefs. Richter Taylor is my name now.
entirely misuses music

The JP version did that much worse, as I've extensively covered earlier in this thread. It's such an absolute insult to Stoutland's memory.
 
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LilligantLewis

Bonnie stan
Am I correct in thinking this is the first time a character has died in Pokémon since Lucario in M08 (excluding Hunter J, Cyrus and Lysandre).

I think it is.

I don't see why they had to constantly revert to implication to do it though; Ash and Nurse Joy having a muted conversation, falling leaves indicating Stoutland was dying, collapsing couch (interesting symbolism but makes no sense), the rain and the professor's "I'm sorry." Personally I think it's more real and hence emotional and dramatic if upright show the death and have the characters talk about it. The heavy implications make for a sad, but overly surreal experience.

It really wasn't necessary to beat about the bush like that. We've seen characters die on screen before and death has been central to Pokémon from the Pokédex entries for ghost types, to each regions Pokémon cemeteries to references to off screen character deaths in the anime and life and death literally being the theme of Gen VI - complete with a Pokémon that literally kills you by flapping it's wing. It was relatively clear with Lucario and Latios. And what exactly happened to the body - do Pokémon evaporate when they die.

Honestly the episode is slightly too melodramatic and never direct enough. It overly uses symbolism and entirely misuses music - the score played when Litten is morning in the rain is almost upbeat. Overall it's a clumsy way to present a story about end of life, not helped by the fact the audience hasn't really got to know Stoutland as a character. Even most kids shows that deal with the death of a family pet will have a character use the words "he died." And this is a show where characters can be blown up in fireballs or threaten the hero with mass genocide. Why couldn't they just say Stoutland died.

It's the Never Say "Die" trope, of which Ash and Nurse Joy's conversation is actually the featured example on that page:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/NeverSayDie
 

Pikachu52

Well-Known Member
It's the Never Say "Die" trope, of which Ash and Nurse Joy's conversation is actually the featured example on that page:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/NeverSayDie

But there was no real need to revert to that trope.

Would it really have been censored just having a character say "Stoutland died." Characters have died gruesome deaths on screen before.

Basically the episode spends a great deal of time to find ways to infer the death of a character the audience had only had the space of a few episodes to connect with and whom Ash had only seen once or twice briefly, at the expense of showing us the impact of that characters death on the rest of the cast. I feel like it's sad because grief is sad rather than a character I care about has died. It's doing something I've criticised the anime for before, teaching the character's lessons by having them observe the experiences of Characters of the day rather than have the experiences themselves. An episode about death and grief would be more impactful later in the series where one of Ash's Pokémon is killed off and Ash and the others have to deal with that as opposed to a Litten who's only been in a couple of episodes prior.
 
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AuraChannelerChris

Easygoing Luxray.
But there was no real need to revert to that trope.

Would it really have been censored just having a character say "Stoutland died." Characters have died gruesome deaths on screen before.

Except this anime has a weird definition of "dying" when it comes to actually showing someone passing away on the screen. The closest word to "die" is "sacrifice."
 

Akkipeddi

All set to be a nice guy
Except this anime has a weird definition of "dying" when it comes to actually showing someone passing away on the screen. The closest word to "die" is "sacrifice."

Uhm didn't they explicitly say in XY014 that the Old Lady passed away, and in XY049, Ash told the kids to their face that if they didn't let Lapras go it would die.
 

U.N. Owen

In Brightest Day, In Blackest Night ...
I am really happy that we get a death that was not in some flashback or backstory and wasn't a sacrifice or outright killing of some kind. Even in the world of pokemon, you cannot outrun Father Time.
 

TheWanderingMist

Paladin of the Snow Queen
I am really happy that we get a death that was not in some flashback or backstory and wasn't a sacrifice or outright killing of some kind. Even in the world of pokemon, you cannot outrun Father Time.

Time is controlled by Dialga. Does that mean Dialga killed Stoutland?
 

AuraChannelerChris

Easygoing Luxray.
Uhm didn't they explicitly say in XY014 that the Old Lady passed away, and in XY049, Ash told the kids to their face that if they didn't let Lapras go it would die.

Passing away is fair game to them now, but of course it's very hardly mentioned after it's done.

I am really happy that we get a death that was not in some flashback or backstory and wasn't a sacrifice or outright killing of some kind. Even in the world of pokemon, you cannot outrun Father Time.

You say that and you aren't aware of the ageless boy in the show?
 

U.N. Owen

In Brightest Day, In Blackest Night ...

xEryChan

Demon Child
This episode has to be one of the most heartbreaking episodes I have seen from the Pokemon Anime. When Litten was howling in the rain, I seriously started crying. This is the one of the best episodes I have seen yet and I give it a solid 10/10
 

Victorian Rush

Weather Manipulator
I cannot even put into words just how moving this episode was. That whole scene when Litten was crying in the rain was so heartwrenching and the music playing in the background made it even more powerful to me. I seriously got all teary-eyed. I'm so glad Litten decided to join Ash in the end, even though I knew it was going to.
 

LilligantLewis

Bonnie stan

mockingjay

swift and lol
A lot about this season so far has been horrible to the point where it's laughable, but holy **** was this episode moving. One of the best episodes of the entire series IMO.
 

halloweenghost

Well-Known Member
Great episode. Really heartfelt. pokemon hadn't had a heartfelt episode this powerful in a long time. It's not very often at all that a pokemon dies. so sad. poor litten.

I just wonder where stoutland went... did the professor or someone come to pick it up to take it back.. or did it just go off on it's own to pass on... I'm guessing the second..

I was torn on either poplio or litten for my starter in ultramoon,..but this episode convinced me to go with Litten.

bogus sinclair allergies! *Wipes eyes*
 

Mizz Nikki

Operations Director
I honestly had no desire to watch the SM anime, I wasn't really a fan of the new animation style right from the beginning. That was up until a friend of mine recommended that I watch this episode and I'm glad she did because this had to be the most heartbreaking episode I have ever seen in the Pokemon anime ever. I cannot even put into words just how emotional this episode was, I seriously cried. What does that tell you?

This is, by far, one of the best episodes from the anime and I am now going to start watching the rest of the SM anime. I give this episode a solid 10/10.
 

SONW

Active Member
I honestly had no desire to watch the SM anime, I wasn't really a fan of the new animation style right from the beginning. That was up until a friend of mine recommended that I watch this episode and I'm glad she did because this had to be the most heartbreaking episode I have ever seen in the Pokemon anime ever. I cannot even put into words just how emotional this episode was, I seriously cried. What does that tell you?

This is, by far, one of the best episodes from the anime and I am now going to start watching the rest of the SM anime. I give this episode a solid 10/10.

And it gets better if you've watched the other episodes.
two previous ones that served to prepare this situation.
 

Leonhart

Imagineer
I wasn't expecting Mooland's death at first, because the anime usually avoids references of death in general, but I suppose that viewers who wanted a way for Satoshi to capture the stray Nyabby got their wish. I'm just glad that it was settled, and I also really enjoyed Nyasu's role in this episode.
 

Victorian Rush

Weather Manipulator
I actually meant to post this a while ago but kept on neglecting to do so. I have watched this episode in English and I have to say, I was thoroughly impressed with how TPCI handled it, especially since it handles a topic that has never been shown in the actual anime before.

The dub music was probably the best in this episode, compared to how it usually is. It just seeme... fitting, for the situation in the episode it was used in. [sub]Am I making any sense?[/SUB]

Also, the voice acting was really good. They have been really impressing me in the SM anime so far, I have to say.

I do have one complaint about it, on the other hand. This episode in Japanese was so heart wrenching and I can say that I cried while watching it. This episode in the dub, however, did not capture the same amount of emotion that the sub did for me. Not saying that it was not heartbreaking to watch but I honestly did not find myself tearing up. I don’t know if its because I already knew what was coming from watching it in the sub but I just felt a little disappointed about that.

All in all, this was one of the best episodes, ever. It definitely deserves an emmy, if you ask me.
 
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