• Hi all. We have had reports of member's signatures being edited to include malicious content. You can rest assured this wasn't done by staff and we can find no indication that the forums themselves have been compromised.

    However, remember to keep your passwords secure. If you use similar logins on multiple sites, people and even bots may be able to access your account.

    We always recommend using unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication if possible. Make sure you are secure.
  • Be sure to join the discussion on our discord at: Discord.gg/serebii
  • If you're still waiting for the e-mail, be sure to check your junk/spam e-mail folders

Little Wishiwashi Isn't Lacking, It's the Lord of the Lake! (976)

Janovy

Banned
I hate how this is happening, but I have to disagree, now that I really think about it.

IF Ash was NOT going to get the water type Z-crystal, but indeed JUST Lana then I'm perfectly fine with what happened Ash not battling Wishiwashi (especially if translations of the episode are accurate when it was Lana who earned the right to battle Wishiwashi). What I am not fine with, is that it seems unlikely Ash is going to get an alternative trial (AKA a different Totem Pokemon from the games or at least a different Z-crystal from the games), it's not absolutely confirmed Ash won't get an alternative trial I just have SERIOUS doubts, and it'll be too little too late if it does end up popping up.
It's still possible Ash loses to Olivia, and has to take on alternate trials to re-challenge her.

Furthermore, USUM is highly likely to feature new trials, so what better to include alternate trials in the anime?
 

Akkipeddi

All set to be a nice guy
It's still possible Ash loses to Olivia, and has to take on alternate trials to re-challenge her.

Furthermore, USUM is highly likely to feature new trials, so what better to include alternate trials in the anime?

But with USUM only coming out in November, do you really think they're going to stall Ash's Island Challenge till then, just to get his rematch? Because I highly doubt the anime will showcase the potential alternate Trials before the games come out, so as to not spoil anything. That's why, I feel whatever story changes and new Trials or features that are there there in USUM will only be added to the anime once those games come out, and that most likely means these new additions will be shown in the anime during the AF plot and Ula'ula Island onwards.
 

Janovy

Banned
But with USUM only coming out in November, do you really think they're going to stall Ash's Island Challenge till then, just to get his rematch? Because I highly doubt the anime will showcase the potential alternate Trials before the games come out, so as to not spoil anything. That's why, I feel whatever story changes and new Trials or features that are there there in USUM will only be added to the anime once those games come out, and that most likely means these new additions will be shown in the anime during the AF plot and Ula'ula Island onwards.
Not necessarily.

As you know, before the games are released, we get a ton of footage and information about the games. For example, promotion for USUM could include them showcasing some of the new trials in these new games, and then the anime could freely use these trials. It's not unthinkable, in my opinion.
 

Mia Blaze

I'mma gonna Deku in the face, Kacchan
The anime trials have been different from the game trials as there is no Trial Captain to watch over you, only the Kahuna.

USUM, from what we've been shown, may have multiple different trials from the current Alola and new trial captains, which could be what's happening in UlaUla and Poni island. The gang finish in Akala, head back to Melemele and then, as Janovy says above, we get stuff for USUM (Which is ten days and four months away) which is showcased earlier in the anime.

Anyway, we kinda knew this would be Lana getting her Z-Crystal due to those sticker spoilers and stuff, so we know that the next trial is Ash's since Kiawe already has a Firium Z. Plus, taking out that uh... Alomomola was a big part of the fight since that left Wishiwashi out in the open to be taken out... Heck, if Lana hadn't convinced Ash to go fishing with her, he wouldn't have participated in the trial at all.

Overall, awesome episode and did Japan sneak in a reference to Satoshi's English name with the turning to ash part at the beginning? Clever Japan, very clever.
 

CelebiAS

Well-Known Member
Forgot to comment on Thursday.
Loved this episode so much that it even got me saying it was the best of the season.
 

TheWanderingMist

Paladin of the Snow Queen
Then explain over half of Ash's Kanto badges. If making someone laugh is enough to get you a badge, but helping to defeat a Totem by eliminating its ally isn't enough to win a trial, then people need to shift their priorities.

With Sabrina, I felt it was more her father giving thanks to Ash for bringing her back to normal. Anyway, it's fine if they count this as Ash completing the Trial. There's no way he could have held onto Wishiwashi on a line and he took out the other problem, the Alolmomola healing the Totem. None of his other Pokemon would have been much use and using Pikachu on the lake likely would have hurt Pokemon not involved in the battle, hence why he didn't just Thunderbolt the Alolmomola.
 

Sceptile Leaf Blade

Nighttime Guardian
I for one am glad Ash didn't interfere directly with the Totem battle. If he had sent Pikachu to Thunderbolt Wishiwashi Lana's Waterium Z would have felt really undeserved. At least this way it feels like Lana earned it. She was the one who treated the injured Wishiwashi, she was the one who caught Feebas, and she was the one who was therefore chosen by the Totem as a challenger. And she battled and defeated Totem Wishiwashi with only her own strength and that of her own pokémon.
 
Last edited:

Twilight-Kun

Pokemon World Champion
I'm glad Ash isn't the only one taking the trials; he doesn't need every Z-crystal and the other characters are just as important as he is, which is a nice change of pace.

However, turning Ash into an idiot who makes silly faces was a stupid choice and the only good thing he did was deal with Alomomola and encourage Lana.

Can't wait for Lillie to get the Icium Z and haveBewear teach Team Rocket the pose for the Darkium Z
 

TheWanderingMist

Paladin of the Snow Queen
I'm glad Ash isn't the only one taking the trials; he doesn't need every Z-crystal and the other characters are just as important as he is, which is a nice change of pace.

However, turning Ash into an idiot who makes silly faces was a stupid choice and the only good thing he did was deal with Alomomola and encourage Lana.

Can't wait for Lillie to get the Icium Z and haveBewear teach Team Rocket the pose for the Darkium Z

Ash didn't get turned into an idiot, he's never been smart. And the faces are ubiquitous among the entirety of the SM cast, so you can't pin the blame on Ash.
 

TheWanderingMist

Paladin of the Snow Queen

Sulfurian

Well-Known Member
Honestly I do think this is the worst episode they've done, it's the problem with such a huge cast of main characters. But when those characters interfere with Ash's "objective" I guess? Actually, there really isn't an objective is there? Even in XY before Z Ash had his awesome moments, even if it was childish at times. But why, why are there no actual trial captains huh? In the normal type trial, we didn't even see the guy who was supposed to be the captain of that. Is the point to see how the trial captains are chosen? If so why not just make a spinoff like generations for that? No, we gotta spend episodes of baseball and ice cream with sometime actual battles. And yes, this is a kids show. But even the games had some sort of maturity to them, even gen 1. This is some of the worst direction, and writing I've ever seen for a kids show. It's like if someone got a badge over Ash but the gym leader said "hey no problem you get to challenge the league too I guess" it's like the writers for the XY games came to the Anime. I don't mean to be a hater of this, I love the throwbacks with the ost and the animation is fun at times, but what is this plot anymore? Obviously in the beginning with the tapu koko and Ashs normal trial the writers had a motive, but I guess because they ether wanted to drag on the show until USUM they had to throw us more filler than Naruto. I get it, they want to create meaningful characters since SM showed only so much, so it's not "technically" filler, but really, no one cares for these characters. None of the captains are really interesting. Just once more than 3 skull grunts appear or when they delve into the ultra beast plot will the show get interesting again.
 

JLK2707

Well-Known Member
I thought that this episode was by far one of the strangest I have ever seen to date. I mean, how can Popplio just defeat the Totem Wishiwashi with Aqua Jet and Lana ends up getting Waterium Z. I mean, why couldn't Ash get it? Is it because he doesn't have a Pokemon who can use that Z Move?
 

Sceptile Leaf Blade

Nighttime Guardian
I thought that this episode was by far one of the strangest I have ever seen to date. I mean, how can Popplio just defeat the Totem Wishiwashi with Aqua Jet and Lana ends up getting Waterium Z. I mean, why couldn't Ash get it? Is it because he doesn't have a Pokemon who can use that Z Move?

Because Wishiwashi chose Lana as the trial challenger. It didn't choose Ash, so of course Ash isn't going to get the Z-crystal. Lana was much more fitting to this trial, she is much better at fishing, she was the one who caught Feebas, and she was the one who treated the injured Wishiwashi, and she already has a water type. It would have made no sense for Lana to obtain a Z-ring, and then go with Ash to a trial that's practically tailor-made for her, only for her to do nothing and let Ash do everything and get a Z-crystal he can't even use.

Wishiwashi was also weakened by repeated Bubblebeams and having to fight the fishing battle with Lana, it wasn't just the Aqua Jet that defeated it.
 

Soaring Pikachu

Cool Trainer
There were a lot of strange facial expressions in this one but I think the rest was ok. I was hoping for Ash to start throwing a poke ball once the pink fish was weakened but alas, it was able to escape instead. I suppose they dont have a big reason to catch a lot of pokemon but I think the show could use a little more emphasis on making captures and befriending new species. Good Lana episode.
 

Navin

MALDREAD
Mal's Review - Sun&Moon Edition

Huh, another Lana focus episode


Pros:

* Jessie catching Bewear

* "Fishing date"

* Waterium-Z for Lana


Cons:

* Pretttyyy sure Pikachu can swim out of that...


Thoughts:

* How tf was Lana not being thrown into the water??

* Obviously Lillie is going to be the 'main' girl out of the three, but good to see the show giving Lana time (RIP Mallow)


Another Lana episode that turned out all right.

4/10


Last ten episodes ratings: 3/4/4.5/3/4.5/7.5/3/5.5/3/5
Average of episodes 21-30: 4.65/10
Average of episodes 11-20: 4.95/10
Average of episodes 1-10: 6.6/10
 

Mr.Munchlax

Great Ball Rank Trainer
I've got to admit, Ed Goldfarb's getting better with his battle scores. The music he made for the final fight between Popplio & Totem Wishiwashi fit with the show's overall themes and felt just as intense as the original version. It's definitely better than the scores he made for the fights in the XY dub
 
Top