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Jessie VS James! A Battlefield of Love and Truth!! (1074)

British Soul

Top Hat Regulator
I expect Lana to lose next week, but being destroyed without effort is highly unlikely. If anything, I'm betting Guzma will be put more and more on the ropes by his opponents as the tournament continues.
I do think Lana will put more of a fight against Guzma than Ilima, so yeah I don't expect a 1-2 min curbstomp battle either.
 

Akkipeddi

All set to be a nice guy
Well the fact that a 'favourite' like Illima, someone who even possessed Mega Evolution, was easily dealt with by Guzma, Lana honestly shouldn't even be allowed to last 2 mins. But ofc, being a main character and all, they'll probably want her to get a decent showing in, no matter how undeserved or unrealistic it might be.
 

Red and Blue

Well-Known Member
It was nice seeing Umbreon get some love. Gladion probably won't use it in the semifinals in favor of Silvally, Lycanroc, Zoroark, or Crobat(?) So I'm glad it got a good showing here
 

Ignition

We are so back Zygardebros
Part two of the Top 16:

Sophocles vs Mina: Decent battle. Aerial battles tend to be some of my favorites. I like that Mina took advantage of Ribombee’s quickness and bombarded Vikavolt with Pollen Puff and Psychic. Sophocles did a good yet somewhat questionable comeback with capturing Ribombee in Vikavolt’s pincers.



Jessie vs James: Why name this episode on such a lackluster battle? It was just spamming on both sides. Why were Jessie/James tired? They just commanded the same 2 moves. Even though I like Jessie more, I’m glad James won

Kiawe vs Acerola: Decent but pretty boring. Acerola telling Gengar to take Marowak’s bone with Thief to leave it with one move useable is good strategy. Everything before the comeback from Cursed Body was standard anime spam.

Gladion vs Lillie: Decent (yet again). I like that Lillie knew she couldn’t beat him but she still had a plan. Lusamine and co being supportive little goofballs was probably my favorite part of the episode. Steely Lillie! being played here made this my favorite battle

Shocked we didn’t get a Lana vs Kiawe battle but still looking forward to Top 8. Rowlet getting intensely hyped to the point that it harasses asks a poor Wingull to summon its parents is nice to see as a contrast to it sleeping most of the time. Decidueye’s face when interacting with Rowlet is nightmare fuel.

6/10. Battles could use some more tension and slightly more strategy
 

Doppelgänger

Superancient Member
I do think Lana will put more of a fight against Guzma than Ilima, so yeah I don't expect a 1-2 min curbstomp battle either.

Unless Sandy evolves or Guzma has a third Bug-type, I don't see how.

Golisopod resists ALL of Primarina's moves, and Scizor can destroy her with Bullet Punch while also resisting Icy Wind.

Double Edge can't touch either Golisopod or Scizor who are tanks.
 

Red and Blue

Well-Known Member
Unless Sandy evolves or Guzma has a third Bug-type, I don't see how.

Golisopod resists ALL of Primarina's moves, and Scizor can destroy her with Bullet Punch while also resisting Icy Wind.

Double Edge can't touch either Golisopod or Scizor who are tanks.
Guzma having a third bug Pokemon and Sandy evolving would still result in Lana's defeat
 

OniCornwalis

Active Member
The match ups that weren't Ash vs Hau were a surprise though. Kiawe vs Sophocles? Gladion vs James? Lana vs Guzma? Also, missed opportunity with no Kiawe vs Lana.
They’re actually doing this in a bracket format where the winner of the 1st match faces the winner of the 3rd match, the 2nd vs the 4th, 5th vs 7th and 6th vs 8th. So, in a hypothetical situation, Jessie would’ve faced Lillie, or Mina would’ve faced Acerola. I’m honestly surprised more people haven’t realized that’s what’s happening. Because of this, the winner of Ash vs Hau will face the winner of Guzma vs Lana, and the winner of Kiawe vs Sophocles will face the winner of James vs Gladion.

Also, I’m pretty sure this is the first official Ghost Pokemon battle in the show, unless I’m forgetting a match somewhere.
 
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Cradily17

Well-Known Member
Can't wait for Lana to get pulverized by Guzma.
 

J. D. Guy

Well-Known Member
Jessie v. James was an uneventful gag battle. It went really over the top with A Midsummer Night's Dream's Wedding March started to play.

I admit, these feel like two contradictory sentences. A gag battle would be pretty eventful by nature, especially one that would play such an out there choice of music.
 

Lord Godwin

The Lord of Darkness
Unless Sandy evolves or Guzma has a third Bug-type, I don't see how.

Golisopod resists ALL of Primarina's moves, and Scizor can destroy her with Bullet Punch while also resisting Icy Wind.

Double Edge can't touch either Golisopod or Scizor who are tanks.

Even if Eevee evolves, unless the evolution would be Jolteon (for Golisopod or any possible Bug/Flying type) or Flareon (for Scizor and any non Bug/Water types), both of which seem highly unlikely, it will not give much as Bugs resist Psychic, Grass, Dark and take neutral damage from Water, Ice, Fairy (Golisopod actually also resists Water and Ice while Scizor resists Ice and Fairy) so I would say not much hope there.

I still love the idea of Guzma having a Pokemon with Throat Chop to handicap Primarina.

Maybe Kiawe will fair better as I believe he will be Guzma 1/4 rival to leave the Gladion/Ash battle everyone wants.
 

wolf jani

The 6th member to reach 20 000 posts
Even if Eevee evolves, unless the evolution would be Jolteon (for Golisopod or any possible Bug/Flying type) or Flareon (for Scizor and any non Bug/Water types), both of which seem highly unlikely, it will not give much as Bugs resist Psychic, Grass, Dark and take neutral damage from Water, Ice, Fairy (Golisopod actually also resists Water and Ice while Scizor resists Ice and Fairy) so I would say not much hope there.

I still love the idea of Guzma having a Pokemon with Throat Chop to handicap Primarina.

Maybe Kiawe will fair better as I believe he will be Guzma 1/4 rival to leave the Gladion/Ash battle everyone wants.
Bugs don't resist psychic or dark.
 

Doppelgänger

Superancient Member
They’re actually doing this in a bracket format where the winner of the 1st match faces the winner of the 3rd match, the 2nd vs the 4th, 5th vs 7th and 6th vs 8th. So, in a hypothetical situation, Jessie would’ve faced Lillie, or Mina would’ve faced Acerola. I’m honestly surprised more people haven’t realized that’s what’s happening. Because of this, the winner of Ash vs Hau will face the winner of Guzma vs Lana, and the winner of Kiawe vs Sophocles will face the winner of James vs Gladion.

This was my greatest fear. Second to Ilima, I don't want to see Ash lose to Gladion in the finals, even if it's the most tense billing. Maybe it would have been fine if Ash had won against Gladion once or twice, but for a guy whose only focus on battles which is the only thing he is good at in this region, versus an edgelord with other things on his mind who Ash has never beaten, it would be utterly distasteful.

I can understand people being blindsided by Kalos where Ash always won and was expected to triumph, but here he's...clearly the best sport in the region and most deserving of a championship for the years of hard work and effort he's put it.

For it to end on a 1x1 where Lycanroc chokes against a Bank Zoroark, this is a different but equally bad version of Ash's Kalos exit.
 

Lord Godwin

The Lord of Darkness
This was my greatest fear. Second to Ilima, I don't want to see Ash lose to Gladion in the finals, even if it's the most tense billing. Maybe it would have been fine if Ash had won against Gladion once or twice, but for a guy whose only focus on battles which is the only thing he is good at in this region, versus an edgelord with other things on his mind who Ash has never beaten, it would be utterly distasteful.

I can understand people being blindsided by Kalos where Ash always won and was expected to triumph, but here he's...clearly the best sport in the region and most deserving of a championship for the years of hard work and effort he's put it.

For it to end on a 1x1 where Lycanroc chokes against a Bank Zoroark, this is a different but equally bad version of Ash's Kalos exit.
Some people are saying that Gladion is using a Bank Zoroark as it was his father but how is it worse than Kiawe's Charizard who belonged to his Grandpa who was a Kahuna?
 

Doppelgänger

Superancient Member
Main reason: Zoroark is one of the notorious "shillmon", Pokemon that were designed from the onset to have edgy appeal to young boys and were heavily promoted to make that appeal stick. The three biggest examples are Blaziken, Lucario, Zoroark and Mega Charizard X. Three of those Pokemon have already beaten Ash in a Pokemon League, with MCX being the only one to do it in his debut generation.

What stung about Charizard losing to Blaziken back in the day was because of the obvious product pushing. Think the T-Rex vs. Spinosaurus scene in Jurassic Park III - JP3's production committee wanted to make a bigger, badder monster to sell toys and the best way to show your monster is badarse is humiliating the old king out of nowhere.

Zoroark being a bank Pokemon is just icing on the cake. Literally anything except those obnoxious four Pokemon.
 

Lord Godwin

The Lord of Darkness
Main reason: Zoroark is one of the notorious "shillmon", Pokemon that were designed from the onset to have edgy appeal to young boys and were heavily promoted to make that appeal stick. The three biggest examples are Blaziken, Lucario, Zoroark and Mega Charizard X. Three of those Pokemon have already beaten Ash in a Pokemon League, with MCX being the only one to do it in his debut generation.

What stung about Charizard losing to Blaziken back in the day was because of the obvious product pushing. Think the T-Rex vs. Spinosaurus scene in Jurassic Park III - JP3's production committee wanted to make a bigger, badder monster to sell toys and the best way to show your monster is badarse is humiliating the old king out of nowhere.

Zoroark being a bank Pokemon is just icing on the cake. Literally anything except those obnoxious four Pokemon.
I see the point but still giving Kiawe his Grandpa's CHARIZARD of all fire Pokemon is also convenient. Not to mention how may Charizards we did have in prior seasons and we will most likely get another one in SwSh unless 1. Leon will not debut or 2. They will change his Ace (similar to Alder using Bouffalant instead of Volcarona).

Also if you think of it Charizard was League Dream Crusher twice (Obviously Alain's but also Ash in the Indigo League).
 

Shadao

Aim to be a Pokémon Master
Main reason: Zoroark is one of the notorious "shillmon", Pokemon that were designed from the onset to have edgy appeal to young boys and were heavily promoted to make that appeal stick. The three biggest examples are Blaziken, Lucario, Zoroark and Mega Charizard X. Three of those Pokemon have already beaten Ash in a Pokemon League, with MCX being the only one to do it in his debut generation.

What stung about Charizard losing to Blaziken back in the day was because of the obvious product pushing. Think the T-Rex vs. Spinosaurus scene in Jurassic Park III - JP3's production committee wanted to make a bigger, badder monster to sell toys and the best way to show your monster is badarse is humiliating the old king out of nowhere.

Zoroark being a bank Pokemon is just icing on the cake. Literally anything except those obnoxious four Pokemon.

Except Zoroark is forgotten by the mainstream. The others are still promotional, but Zoroark largely fails to gain its intended audience (instead, it was Zekrom).

If you want to promote a bigger, badder Pokémon, I suggest a sneak peak at Galar.
 

Doppelgänger

Superancient Member
I see the point but still giving Kiawe his Grandpa's CHARIZARD of all fire Pokemon is also convenient. Not to mention how may Charizards we did have in prior seasons and we will most likely get another one in SwSh unless 1. Leon will not debut or 2. They will change his Ace (similar to Alder using Bouffalant instead of Volcarona).

Also if you think of it Charizard was League Dream Crusher twice (Obviously Alain's but also Ash in the Indigo League).

I consider Charizard and Mega Charizard X to be different Pokemon.

As for Kiawe, he's had his Charizard since SM01 and we have yet to see it battle in an official match. Just because it's a Kahuna-owned Pokemon doesn't mean its OP - Ash defeated all the Kahuna Pokemon with his SM team.

Zoroark

-was a Dark-type who overcame Hala's Fighting-type advantage
-was owned by a "genius" battler Mohn
-was caught one episode before the league with no depicted effort in training

For Kiawe at least, we saw him work with Chaizard so it's easier to understand that it's "his" Pokemon now. And since his grandfather is dead, he's keeping it.

With Gladion, I get the sense he is only borrowing Zoroark until he locates Mohn. It's banked because it's likely powerful, and it's a trade because Gladion has never been shown using it in battle.
 
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