Mission: Defeat Your Rival! (765)

[dman_dustin]

I do, but Emboar didn't even get Flamethrower off before Riolu used Copycat, yet Riolu attacked first... that's why it may have it's hidden ability

(typing from 3DS)

I think you're misinterpreting the scene as well as how copycat works.
Copycat only works with the last used move.
Emboar managed to fire a flamethrower off but Riolu dodged it.
Copycat was then used. Copycat in the anime is apparently recalling how the opponent used the move (in the user's head), then it duplicates the move.
Riolu didn't use "flamethrower" before Emboar did (if Emboar was going to, it would be using its 2nd flamethrower not its first), Riolu used copycat after Emboar already used it.

Any visual scenes to the contrary, as I've said were just memories being played in Riolu's mind.

 

[RVD_fan]

I think what kind of irks me is that so much of Best Wishes has been focused on the battles between rivals, through the various tournaments, and yet the main focus of the big final league now seems to be around the two characters introduced at the very end, so it's basically just rehashing the Gary/Harrison and Morrison/Tyson set-up. I've been trying to avoid spoilers so I don't know what Stephan's fate will be, but given what I've seen I don't expect him to get top billing.

Given what they had with Trip going in, just the one formidable Pokemon, I suppose a one-on-one showdown was the only way to go. I think it did show what Trip has learned and how far he has left to go. I didn't expect Bianca to get much further than she did but I would like to see some closure with her and her dad.

 

[G50]

The writers really made my day with Bianca vs Kotetsu. Bianca may have lost, but the wins on both sides are exactly what I had been hoping to see!

Emboar defeating Samurott, Favorite evolved starter got the chance to beat Samurott, nice!
One of my favorite (ok obsessed over lol ) Pokemon Riolu won against Emboar afterward with awesome battling skills.

Ash vs Trip.... well the battle was good, just not as interested in it as Kotetsu vs Bianca. The Sauna scene was hilarious.

---

90/100

 

[Shneak]

Good episode, another one that's surprisingly better than it seemed to be. Despite the battle between Bianca and Kotetsu actually happening and only being 2 versus 2, I enjoyed it for what it was worth. It was nice to see Bianca in a new state of mind, plus Escavalier appeared. As for Ash and Trip's battle, I think not using Pikachu's Static along with Electroball's gimmick was a wasted opportunity.

 

[vodor]

Doing something ''Too Much'' is never good.
This apply with Creating Suspense.
This battle is a proof of it.

 

[Kyrousa Izanami]

I'm glad Ash's Pikachu defeated Trip's Serperior; Ash's Piakchu could've lost then it would turn out to be a huge rumor If they writers did that also Kotetsu's Samurrott is female this could mean Ash's Oshawott will evolve all the way to Samurrot after Unova League because Ash's Oshawott is male.

 

[Joltik-Kid]

If I had to rate this episode... I'd give it a hmm... 70/100 (me being generous) As stated, momentum in the Pikachu vs Serperior battle shifted way too fast. I don't care if Trip only trained Serperior in speed or not... if Pikachu can take a million hits and still be speedy, then so can Serperior

 

[WaterShuriken]

I'm glad Ash's Pikachu defeated Trip's Serperior; Ash's Piakchu could've lost then it would turn out to be a huge rumor If they writers did that also Kotetsu's Samurrott is female this could mean Ash's Oshawott will evolve all the way to Samurrot after Unova League because Ash's Oshawott is male.

I don't see how that has a correlation.

I'm hoping Oshawott makes it to at least Dewott but using the gender thing doesn't really make sense.

Ash's Snivy- Female
Trip's Serperior- Male
-
Ash's Pignite- Male
Bianca's Emboar- Male
-
Ash's Oshawott- Male
Burgundy's Dewott- Unknown
Kotetsu's Samurott- Female

 

[dman_dustin]

If I had to rate this episode... I'd give it a hmm... 70/100 (me being generous) As stated, momentum in the Pikachu vs Serperior battle shifted way too fast. I don't care if Trip only trained Serperior in speed or not... if Pikachu can take a million hits and still be speedy, then so can Serperior

Well what do you expect? They made Trip's Serperior like it was some Godly Pokémon that could only be taken out by E4 level Pokémon or Champion level Pokémon.

I disagree with it too, but there's nothing that can be done about it.

 

[J Ken]

I noticed that Trip loses in this episode the same week where his dominance run in the Junior Cup begins in English.

 

[OnceUponATime]

I noticed that Trip loses in this episode the same week where his dominance run in the Junior Cup begins in English.

I never noticed that! That's very ironic. Thanks for pointing that out.

 

[Almighty Zard]

Well what do you expect? They made Trip's Serperior like it was some Godly Pokémon that could only be taken out by E4 level Pokémon or Champion level Pokémon.

I disagree with it too, but there's nothing that can be done about it.

The writers are never consistant with Pikachu when it comes to defense, sometimes it can take a pounding other times it can't.

The battle he had with Flint during Sinnoh sticks out as one match that proves that point but there are others as well

 

[Nanami]

Poor Mijumaru

 

[Joltik-Kid]

The writers are never consistant with Pikachu when it comes to defense, sometimes it can take a pounding other times it can't.

The battle he had with Flint during Sinnoh sticks out as one match that proves that point but there are others as well

It's not just Pikachu though... all of Ash's Pokemon seem to be able to take hits and still be fast. Ash never trains for defense and the only time he did he ended up switching right back to speed (Grotle/Torterra) :/

 

[JennaJayfeather]

I enjoyed this episode. Loved Pikachu vs Serperior, though Pikachu made me think he was going crazy at one part. I loved how he beat Serperior with electro magnetism. X3 That was really cool. I think Serperior is smarter than Trip though. XD

I LOVED Riolu in this episode. It was sooo cute seeing him and Pikachu play. XD I was happy when Miju got electrocuted >:3. Oh yeah and Riolu battling was awesome. Took me back to PMD. XDDD

 

[XXD17]

I never thought that Bianca will use attract to Kotesu's Samurott. That's unexpected. That aside, I was happy that Ash kicked Trip's arrogant butt and move on into the next round with his friendly rivals such as Stephan,Bianca,Kotesu,and of course the League one Virgil.

The thing is I think Trip toned down the arrogance once he lost to Alder...after he lost, he just seemed like a more agreeable character, which is better in my opinion considering I loathed him beforehand...I've always loved his serperior though...

 

[RVD_fan]

The thing is I think Trip toned down the arrogance once he lost to Alder...after he lost, he just seemed like a more agreeable character, which is better in my opinion considering I loathed him beforehand...I've always loved his serperior though...

I agree, I think that was a good way of separating him from Paul and other rivals. If they had just set it up to have Ash beat Trip and then have him settle down, it would've probably been underwhelming. When Trip is less arrogant and boastful, he actually seems to be more of a threat, being more quietly confident.

But the thing is, of everyone entered into the league, Trip actually seems like the only one to have had any kind of character arc (Bianca is debatable, it was really just the one episode with Elesa and her dad), so it's disappointing that we don't get any more of him. The battle and subsequent conversation Trip had with Alder at the end of the Junior Cup I found to be a better character moment than anything Ash has done in Unova.

 

[Groundedshock]

It's not just Pikachu though... all of Ash's Pokemon seem to be able to take hits and still be fast. Ash never trains for defense and the only time he did he ended up switching right back to speed (Grotle/Torterra) :/

The Pokemon that are tanks go down very fast anyway. Heck alot faster than the "frail" ones apparently. Torkoal, Boldore, Paplitoad and Torterra were tanks yet they can go down in a few hits. EDIT: OH Can't forget Muk and Snorlax.

The writers are HORRIBLY inconsistent with defenses.

 

[Banana Knight Arthur]

The Pokemon that are tanks go down very fast anyway. Heck alot faster than the "frail" ones apparently. Torkoal, Boldore, Paplitoad and Torterra were tanks yet they can go down in a few hits. EDIT: OH Can't forget Muk and Snorlax.

The writers are HORRIBLY inconsistent with defenses.

Anime does not = games.

Look at Trippp's snake. It went from Uber level to a mere weakling even Pikachu could beat...

 

[dman_dustin]

Anime does not = games.

I hope everyone realizes, that by itself an anime =/= games argument doesn't work. (just for those, I don't think Durian Seed did this, but, just for those who are going to use that argument).

SECONDLY (to Durian Seed) I have no idea what groundedshock said that was even related to the games to even initiate an anime =/= games argument.

Since I'm fairly sure not everyone of Torkoal, Boldore, Palpitoad, Torterra, Muk, and Snorlax is considered a tank in the games, no matter how you try to justify it.

And clearly what groundedshock said could solely refer to the anime, in that those who are bulky can be considered tanks but they are not used like they should be. And those who small and weak looking are surviving longer than big gigantic Pokémon, to even the same opponent.

Torterra and Pikachu, hypothetically speaking.

Torterra by sheer size difference (nothing to do with games, since Torterra is always bigger than Pikachu and that's something you can't argue anime =/= games) should always be able absorb more damage than Pikachu. There's only so much realistic damage a small body can take. This is from an anime perspective.

Serperior dwarfs Pikachu even worse than Torterra does, it doesn't make any sense, that Pikachu nearly suffocated to death, somehow was brought to "life" as Ash called out Pikachu, and somehow STILL had enough strength to use one full damage hit of an iron tail and electro ball (after the partial effective thunderbolt, until some of the damage was grounded) and knocked it out after Pikachu took like many hits with dragon tail, and whatever non game effect wrap had on poor Pikachu.

Seriously I don't care about anime =/= games, seriously size should matter but oh well nothing to be done about it.