June 30th: SM128 - The Curtain Rises! The Alola Pokémon League!!

[Doppelgänger]

No, the League, and Ash's purpose in the region, is always revealed in episode 1.

DP's episode 1 was about Dawn. Ash didn't sign up for the Sinnoh League until a few episodes later.

SM Ash didn't give a goal until episode 2.

These are still "early series" examples, but the point is Pokemon doesn't follow strict rules like what you seem to be implying. The league is only a loose structure for journeying around the region, and tends to be copy-pasted between regions.

The "main plot" tends to reveal around what we would recognize as the first season or series finale:

DP051 - Ash obtains Chimchar
BW023 - Team Rocket vs. Team Plasma at the Desert Resort (cancelled)
XY023 - Mega Evolution Special I
SM043 - Pokemon League announced

Consider, the Necrozma arc occurred around 1 year after the Kanto trip and Aether Paradise arc. The Pokemon League, which is named after that Necrozma event is taking place 1 year after it.

What is building up to what, here?

And the League has always been the main event instead of a side show. Even in XY, where it was part and parcel of Flare.

It isn't even the main event in the games. Nintendo considers catching the legendary mascot the climax of the story, regardless of when it actually happens. This has been true since Generation I.

The league is what people care about most, but that doesn't change that outside of anime Alola, it's not intended to be the main draw.

 

[Xuxuba]

Can't say i am that excited for this League, but i guess i will watch it, since it already became a 20 years old tradition of mine at this point.

If it truly starts with 1x1 battles tho, then maybe i would be better off just skipping to the semi-finals...

1x1 are more often than not the most underwhelming battles this series ever had.

 

[nuzamaki90]

The League is here and it’s time to express my gripes. I thought with the current pacing, the cast would all get development for their Pokémon before but seems like that wasn’t exactly the case.

So first off, the cast itself. I still don’t understand the point of having the whole cast compete in the League and I don’t like how the only ones that were shown training in anything not regarding Z-Moves was Ash, Kiawe, and Sophocles. And speaking of Sophy, have the writers forgotten Togedemaru exists? Because it’s done nothing up to this point, especially in regards to preparing for the League. Mallow has yet to do anything with Shaymin, not even a Gracidea, Lillie’s Ice Stone has probably melted by now, and Lana’s Eevee is still just a regular Eevee, with no sight of Baddy Bads or even Bouncy Bubbles. Everyone just looks so underwhelming.

Secondly, the lineups. Including Guzma, and TR as one person, that’s 12 participants. The only ones we know so far that have at least 3 Pokémon are Ash, Gladion, Kiawe, and TR. Obviously other characters can pull Pokémon out of thin air, but the classmates can’t. How are they expected to compete in the 3v3 or 6v6 if they don’t have enough Pokémon?

And finally, Ash. Five Pokémon. What a time to be alive where Ash pulls a Cameron. Ash could always go for using his older Pokémon, most likely his Kanto teammates, but that’s only a possibility. I’ve never been so disappointed in Ash’s lineup at the League before and if it weren’t for the Z-Moves I wouldn’t even think he was League ready. How do you go from a full fully evolved team in the previous saga to this? Sheesh.

This League is going to be a major hit or miss but even though I’m not going to immediately dismiss it, things aren’t looking too hot right now.

 

[Dream Lad]

And the League has always been the main event instead of a side show. Even in XY, where it was part and parcel of Flare.

Dunno what you mean by the last line, but the Kalos League was rushed as hell. Three entire rounds were skipped. It felt like the side show to the Flare climax.

The League is here and it’s time to express my gripes. I thought with the current pacing, the cast would all get development for their Pokémon before but seems like that wasn’t exactly the case. I’ve never been so disappointed in Ash’s lineup at the League before and if it weren’t for the Z-Moves I wouldn’t even think he was League ready. How do you go from a full fully evolved team in the previous saga to this? Sheesh. This League is going to be a major hit or miss but even though I’m not going to immediately dismiss it, things aren’t looking too hot right now.

Overall sentiment here seems of apathy. If Ash wins the tournament, nobody will care because the league wasn't hyped whatsoever and the competition is weak. If Ash loses the tournament, nobody will care because he has a bunch of NFEs on his team and was more focused this series on UBs and enjoying his slice-of-life vacation. The league is more of a formality. Win or lose, Ash is going off to Galar. Hopefully there, we can get a battling-focused series like Diamond & Pearl or X&Y where Ash takes the the next step.

 

[SH65]

Well from the line up of "trainers" we have this league is going to be a car crash.

 

[Kintaro]

Dunno what you mean by the last line, but the Kalos League was rushed as hell. Three entire rounds were skipped. It felt like the side show to the Flare climax.

Because it was. Honestly they don't need to show Ash in the earlier rounds beating random nobodies anymore. They had to do that in the Kanto/Johto/Hoenn leagues because they were the first ones. Even in the Sinnoh league he only had 4 on-screen battles, and it was all against the main rivals of the series. The Kalos league was definitely rushed, but showing earlier rounds of Ash beating random nobodies wasn't anything they really need to show, unless people just wanted Ash's pokemon to have more battle screentime.

I'd expect most future leagues to skip the earlier rounds again too, especially if Ash is more experienced again.

 

[Dream Lad]

Because it was. Honestly they don't need to show Ash in the earlier rounds beating random nobodies anymore. They had to do that in the Kanto/Johto/Hoenn leagues because they were the first ones. Even in the Sinnoh league he only had 4 on-screen battles, and it was all against the main rivals of the series. The Kalos league was definitely rushed, but showing earlier rounds of Ash beating random nobodies wasn't anything they really need to show, unless people just wanted Ash's pokemon to have more battle screentime. I'd expect most future leagues to skip the earlier rounds again too, especially if Ash is more experienced again.

The Pokemon world is bigger than just the named characters though. It adds to the scope and grandiosity of the event, and it's cool when Ash battles against strong trainers he has never met before. There's unpredictability there. We got some great battles in the past because they didn't skip rounds. Ash v Jackson, the Hoenn League double battles, Ash v Katie. Ash v Astrid could have been an awesome battle in X&Y where other Pokemon, like Goodra or Noivern, could have gotten more battle screentime and some wins.

 

[Kintaro]

The Pokemon world is bigger than just the named characters though. It adds to the scope and grandiosity of the event, and it's cool when Ash battles against strong trainers he has never met before. There's unpredictability there. We got some great battles in the past because they didn't skip rounds. Ash v Jackson, the Hoenn League double battles, Ash v Katie. Ash v Astrid could have been an awesome battle in X&Y where other Pokemon, like Goodra or Noivern, could have gotten more battle screentime and some wins.

I agree with you, but I'm saying from the writers perspective, I can see why they feel that wasn't important anymore.

 

[Doppelgänger]

Because it was. Honestly they don't need to show Ash in the earlier rounds beating random nobodies anymore.

That used to be a feature, not a bug. Those earlier league battles were looser, more unpredictable and fun. It fleshed out the Pokemon World as a setting beyond the focus of the main characters.

Overloading the cast with league-qualifying rival characters who needed to be summarily executed while keeping the same number of league episodes is what dampened the earlier Kalos rounds.

As others have said before, Alola's league is going to be closest in format to a Don George tournament. Those were really fun and loose, but because this carries the "Pokemon League" brand name it's going to be serious business from cover to cover. And that's unfortunate, because Alola hasn't been that its entire run.

 

[janejane6178]

What a mess lol
I dont really care about the outcome of this league

 

[Pikasaur]

Well from the line up of "trainers" we have this league is going to be a car crash.

I assume, most of the battles are going to be 1v1 until the classmates are eliminated.

We don't even know Hau's team or if he has more than Dartrix, or if he'll even show up.

 

[Shotgunrain]

I assume, most of the battles are going to be 1v1 until the classmates are eliminated.

We don't even know Hau's team or if he has more than Dartrix, or if he'll even show up.

Pokemon Fan confirmed that Hau will be an opponent in the league. Most likely his Dartrix would be shown to have evolved and he will showcase Sinister Arrow Raid.

Ilima and Guzma are also confirmed opponents, other than the classmates and Gladion.

 

[DatsRight]

This is kind of concerning. I mean I get it's nearly time but.....that's it??? Only Ash and Kiawe border on halfway ready and a lot of Pokemon like Shaymin and Sandy desperately need development.

Either this league is going to be riddled with DEM boosts and change ups or nearly everyone will be barely prepared or plot armoured into being competent offscreen. That or this episode will have some final Team Rocket/Skull showdown where everyone gets boosts from stopping the bad guys.

At the very least I hope the two villain teams interact again. Their rivalry was wasted this series.

 

[p96822]

This is kind of concerning. I mean I get it's nearly time but.....that's it??? Only Ash and Kiawe border on halfway ready and a lot of Pokemon like Shaymin and Sandy desperately need development.

Either this league is going to be riddled with DEM boosts and change ups or nearly everyone will be barely prepared or plot armoured into being competent offscreen. That or this episode will have some final Team Rocket/Skull showdown where everyone gets boosts from stopping the bad guys.

At the very least I hope the two villain teams interact again. Their rivalry was wasted this series.

Who really care about the Pokemon needing development

 

[Kintaro]

I would have thought Hau would get at least one more episode before the league started....guess not

 

[mehmeh1]

Whoe else thinks we'll have a few double battles? It just seems likely, with many characters only having 2 mons and SM in general having quite a few double battles (I think only AG beats it in double battle quantity, but I'm not sure). Also, huh, seems like the sunday slot has its advantages, we've had no breaks since the timeslot changed aside from christmas, if so, SM may have a few more episodes than we expected

 

[DatsRight]

Whoe else thinks we'll have a few double battles? It just seems likely, with many characters only having 2 mons and SM in general having quite a few double battles (I think only AG beats it in double battle quantity, but I'm not sure). Also, huh, seems like the sunday slot has its advantages, we've had no breaks since the timeslot changed aside from christmas, if so, SM may have a few more episodes than we expected

I can see that happening, especially since it would get many battles out of the way quicker and also give the less experienced trainers more versatility through team combinations. Mallow would become much more of a believable threat through blending Tsareena's raw power with Shaymin's healing capabilities for example, alone Shaymin's TERRIFIED of battling and Tsareena isn't really experienced to any battling besides curbstomps.

 

[AuraChannelerChris]

Who really care about the Pokemon needing development

Tackle isn't that good of a move.

 

[U.N. Owen]

How is Ash going to screw up this time? How is the narrative going to push that him losing was not his fault? How is the fandom going to melt down? Will PAD break its rage record from the Kalos League? Who is going to win?


Honestly, I really don't want this league. One, it doesn't feel like the focus of the series. I prefer a more SoL series that SM succeeds at being. I'm happy for Kukui, but that's it.

 

[p96822]

Really we shouldn't care about Ash because he gonna lose anyway