Well, this episode is quite a good episode. We get to see our first pokemon contest (come on, you have to admit that it seems very similar to the pokemon contests in AG and DP (I mean the four pokemon limit? Them appealing to the audience in fancy clothes (Kimonos)? They're calling it a "Contest" anytime they are talking about the battle or prior to the actual event?), it gives backstory to some of the characters, and Misty won the contest among many other stuff. Unfortunately, despite it being a very good episode, I am forced to give it a C+ due to certain scenes involving the typical female anime stereotype (which thank goodness that Misty proved herself not to be that.) in case you are wondering which specific scenes I was referring to, here is a flashback:
(warps everyone on the site to the shopping mall during the announcing of the contest scene.)
“PA: Announcer: Attention, Princess Festival shoppers. Attention, Princess Festival shoppers.
Misty/Jessie: Eh?
PA Announcer: In just a few minutes we will be holding the main event of this year’s Princess Festival, The Queen of the Princess Festival Contest.
Misty: The Contest.
Jessie: The Contest.
Brock: Ah, and the tons of beautiful girls.
Pikachu: Pika! Pika!
PA Announcer: The prize for the contest winner will be a beautiful, one-of-a-kind collection of Pokemon Princess Dolls.
Misty/Jessie: Princess Dolls?
PA Announcer: And, in addition, the winner will have her picture taken with Screen Sensation Fiorello Cappuchino.
(Every Girl in the store, with the exception of Misty and Jessie, start to squeal like animals and start to trample over Ash, Brock, James, Pikachu and Meowth.)”
And the worst part is, they did this for a total of three times (well, two if you count the girls squeals before and after Fiorello’s “Ciao, Bella. It’s Good to be here." line as the same.)
(Warps all of the site members to the unveiling of the grand prize to the audience.)
"MC contest announcer: it’s unique it’s Antique; it’s the limited, one-of-a-kind Pokemon princess doll set, batteries sold separately.
Pikachu: PiKaChu!
Ash: I’d like one of those, myself.
(The very same girls start to do a different variation of their nightmarish, animalistic squealing as we zoom in on the doll set (the clefairy and pikachu dolls to be specific).)
Fiorello: Ciao, Bella. (Tooth shines a star) It’s Good to be here.
(All of the aforementioned girls start doing the nightmarish, sexist squeals.)"
Now do you see what I mean? (Warps all site members back to the site.) Because in case why you guys are wondering why some small, seemingly insignificant scenes would influence the low grade for it, it’s because those girls squealing is what started my hatred of the female anime stereotype in the first place (and by extension, the LH franchise (Don't Ask), and a certain AG girl [And, no, I am NOT going to give her name since if I do, it would start a girl flame war and none of us would want that, now do we?].)
And just so you know, the female anime stereotype is this awful stereotype that has the girls being very veloptuous, and their behavior is loud, whiney, obnoxious, silly, spoiled, and throwing temper tantrums, Misty doesn’t fit these at all (and no, her losing control of her temper does not count as a temper tantrum. a temper tantrum is, to use a "Berenstein Bears" reference, the galloping greedy gimmies, or, in a losing issue, crying your eyes out if you lose (and it is not the first time you lost either). It also doesn’t qualify under loud because when I envision loud, I think of those girls in Princess vs. Princess.) It was somewhat influenced by a family member, and even if it wasn’t, with my keen observation skills on girls at school, I could tell that it was a use of sexism and not how girls are really.
Also, Misty being possibly the only female protagonist in the pokemon anime to not have that hated stereotype is the exact reason why I am trying to bring her back to the main cast. I am not saying that the episode in itself was terrible, in fact, i felt that it was one of the best episodes. Anyways, that wraps up my review.
Now, as for those people complaining that Jessie lost, at least be thankful that she almost won (and came in second place not to mention) for once.