• 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

Rocking the Virbank Gym! (Part 1) (744)

shac

Well-Known Member
This gym battle was soooo meh! I mean this is supposed to be the last gym battle. Where is the build up? Where is the super strategy Ash is known for? I didn't want to see six of Ash's pokemon struggling so bad to beat 3 of the gym leaders, specially when one is not even evolved. This battle seemed very lackluster to me. The animation was the only redeeming feature IMO. I hope this is not the last gym battle in Unova. I hope Ash gets to battle Drayden and shine like he should.
 

Haunter ゴースト

Well-Known Member
Where is the build up? Where is the super strategy Ash is known for?

The build up? Define build up. We just got a two episode battle.

The most notable strategies:

-Leavanny stringshotting Koffing, and using Energy Ball to follow down and directly hit it.
-Pikachu dodging Garbordors arms, and tangeling them up allowing Pikachu to attack.
 

shac

Well-Known Member
The build up? Define build up. We just got a two episode battle.

The most notable strategies:

-Leavanny stringshotting Koffing, and using Energy Ball to follow down and directly hit it.
-Pikachu dodging Garbordors arms, and tangeling them up allowing Pikachu to attack.

Build-up is Volkner giving his badges away, and Ash having to convince him to battle him. Build-up is Ash arrving to Sootopolis to the marvelous water show put on by Juan. Build-up is Ash almost failing at Blackthorn and then having to take care of the whole dragon business. Build-up is not Ash running into a random gym and start a gym battle.

The flare is Infernape activating blaze and finally gaining control over it. The flare is the unusual battle match-up that put Ash's skill to challenge (start with a double and go on from there). The flare is to have to call up on Charizard to battle in the dragon gym. Te flare is not Ash having to use all six pokemon to barely beat the gym leader's three.

All these gym battle really showed how much Ash had grown throughout his journey and that he was ready for the league. Tell me how does that say that about this gym....
 

Missingno. Master

Poison-type Trainer
This gym battle was soooo meh! I mean this is supposed to be the last gym battle. Where is the build up? Where is the super strategy Ash is known for? I didn't want to see six of Ash's pokemon struggling so bad to beat 3 of the gym leaders, specially when one is not even evolved. This battle seemed very lackluster to me. The animation was the only redeeming feature IMO. I hope this is not the last gym battle in Unova. I hope Ash gets to battle Drayden and shine like he should.

Well, I personally feel that this Gym battle was the high point of B/W. But then, I do have an obsession a thing for Poison-types, especially the Koffing and Trubbish lines. And Homika, for that matter. Seeing Ash struggling to defeat Pokemon of my favorite type was just so satisfying. He was given a three-Pokemon advantage, and even with that, he only barely scraped a win. Against my favorite Gym Leader. Who uses my favorite type. Including the pre-evolution of my favorite Pokemon.

Actually, given that 2/3 of Ash's team in these episodes consisted of his more neglected reserves, I'm starting to think this will build up to Ash training them more often, and realizing that he can't just count on them to be conveniently powerful without proper training, like Kingler and Muk were. In fact, I'm starting to think the writers had this planned out all along, and Ash's continual neglecting of some of his reserves was actually intentional for this, rather than bad writing.
 

The Great Butler

Hush, keep it down
This is where my Japanese studies come in. Haha.
They were talking about Meloetta and it being able to disappear so Zeger is making goggles, if I heard correctly, or something of the sort to be able to spot it.
 

The Great Butler

Hush, keep it down
This is where my Japanese studies come in. Haha.
They were talking about Meloetta and it being able to disappear so Zeger is making goggles, if I heard correctly, or something of the sort to be able to spot it.

Okay, thanks for the help.
 

Caseydia

Ace Trainer
This isnt the game. A Pikachu being able to beat legendary's but loses to a Panpour. Anime Logic.

The battle just shows how weak Ash is.

No it shows how trollish the writers are. I bet if there was another legendary in this league, that Pikachu would either beat it or could do some heavy damge to it. But with that whole Panpour thing, it was just something that people could fuss about.
 

G50

No longer posting
This episode was ok... Koffing was definitely a tough Pokemon for Ash, especially with its speed. I'm glad Koffing ended up not having any Gen. 1 gas-like attacks in this battle. Boldore went down very easily, at least it last for awhile before going down. I think those green sparks could've been the stats loss effect of Energy Ball before Leavanny took it down. Leavanny using String Shot on Koffing was amusing. Surprising to see Koffing use Clear Smog in this battle.

35/100
 
Last edited:

gliscor&yanmega

Well-Known Member
Finished watching this episode, enjoyed it more when I knew what was being said.

I'm surprised Energy Ball's secondary effect was mentioned let alone used...I don't recall it every being used before, I wish they sticked with secondary effects more in the Anime.

I liked seeing Boldore, Unfezant, and Leavanny battle, more so with Leavanny due to it's voice...
 

Locormus

Can we please get the older, old forum back?
The build up? Define build up. We just got a two episode battle.

The most notable strategies:

-Leavanny stringshotting Koffing, and using Energy Ball to follow down and directly hit it.
-Pikachu dodging Garbordors arms, and tangeling them up allowing Pikachu to attack.

Don't forget Boldore using Sandstorm to counter Clear Smog, and trying to stop Gyro Ball. Then there's Unfezant who succesfully avoided being burned by Will O' Wisp with Gust or whatever move that was. Those were good strategies as well.

Build-up is Volkner giving his badges away, and Ash having to convince him to battle him. Build-up is Ash arrving to Sootopolis to the marvelous water show put on by Juan. Build-up is Ash almost failing at Blackthorn and then having to take care of the whole dragon business. Build-up is not Ash running into a random gym and start a gym battle.

The flare is Infernape activating blaze and finally gaining control over it. The flare is the unusual battle match-up that put Ash's skill to challenge (start with a double and go on from there). The flare is to have to call up on Charizard to battle in the dragon gym. The flare is not Ash having to use all six pokemon to barely beat the gym leader's three.

All these gym battle really showed how much Ash had grown throughout his journey and that he was ready for the league. Tell me how does that say that about this gym....

If you count Juan's watershow as build up, then the 'multiple pokemon from multiple trainers getting hospitalized, and a Gothitelle being KO'd on the spot as Ash enters the gym'-segment that lasted more then half an episode counts as build up as well. Oh, but you count that as 'just starting a gym battle'... Don't forget the whole part where Homika started talking about having caught her Koffing in Kanto while being on tour... And a bandmember actually coming up with the challenge, not Homika.

What the hell is the flare??? Ash calling on Charizard AND SNORLAX has no flare, and does not show his growth at all. It shows that he ignored training his Johto pokemon. PERIOD.

If Infernape blasting the roof to bits and pieces with a Flamethrower that Ash didn't command and needed to be yelled at is your version of 'finally gaining control', then so be it. Because clearly he didn't smoothly transition into Blaze at any point during it's tenure on the show (like Blaziken, Sceptile and Barry's Empoleon surely did manage), heck even against Paul Infernape felt the need to let the field erupt without Ash's command... There was never full control, just getting over it. When Infernape can transition into Blaze like Empoleon did into Torrent, then I will say that Infernape finally has control over its ability, but as of now, as it still is going batshitcrazy every single time it happens, no. It just gets over the rage at some point, and that is not full control..

I think if anything counts as flare, then it's Homika using a Pokemon that Ash has faced many times, and actually using it to an extremely high degree of proficiency.
- Here's a pokemon that Ash never had trouble with, but here we have this gymleader that is giving him a sweat with the same pokemon!
 

Haunter ゴースト

Well-Known Member
Build-up is Volkner giving his badges away, and Ash having to convince him to battle him. Build-up is Ash arrving to Sootopolis to the marvelous water show put on by Juan. Build-up is Ash almost failing at Blackthorn and then having to take care of the whole dragon business. Build-up is not Ash running into a random gym and start a gym battle.

Basically you want an episode before the Gym Battle to introduce Homika with 'X' plot happening and Ash helping her out?

I easily preferred the two parter battle instead of one episode introducing her and the other fitting the full battle into 20 minutes.

The flare is Infernape activating blaze and finally gaining control over it. The flare is the unusual battle match-up that put Ash's skill to challenge (start with a double and go on from there). The flare is to have to call up on Charizard to battle in the dragon gym. Te flare is not Ash having to use all six pokemon to barely beat the gym leader's three.

The 'flare' as you call it in this battle was obvious. How could you miss it?

Pikachu was being beaten up so badly, Ash was about to forfeight. It wasn't until Iris and Cilan showed their support for him that he continued. It is at this point that Pikachu's Static ability kicked in for him and win.

About Ash using 6 Pokemon. Yes it's annoying, but are you seriously complaining? All of Ash's reserves (aside from Krokorok) got to feature, and overall it was a long and intense battle. Each Pokemon who did get a win won it single handedly, simply because the fall guys barely got a hit on each of Homika's Pokemon.

Leavanny definetly got some help from Boldore and Unfezant defeating Koffing, but Pignite definetly defeated Scolipede by itself and the same goes for Pikachu defeating Garbordor.

All these gym battle really showed how much Ash had grown throughout his journey and that he was ready for the league. Tell me how does that say that about this gym....

That he's just won his eigth badge and is ready for the league, duh.

Don't forget Boldore using Sandstorm to counter Clear Smog, and trying to stop Gyro Ball. Then there's Unfezant who succesfully avoided being burned by Will O' Wisp with Gust or whatever move that was. Those were good strategies as well.

Agreed, there was loads I just couldn't be bothered to post them all.

Taa for replying to my post and Shacs. I'd never noticed the reply beforehand.
 

Mr.Munchlax

Great Ball Rank Trainer
One thing I'm really excited about is who Roxie's voice actor will be. I'm really hoping they'll get some one from the original series to do it just as they got Rachael Lillis to voice Maylene. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Veronica Taylor personally
 

(P.O.K.E.M.O.N)

AshXSerena = Canon
One thing I'm really excited about is who Roxie's voice actor will be. I'm really hoping they'll get some one from the original series to do it just as they got Rachael Lillis to voice Maylene. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Veronica Taylor personally

Nobody from the original series would be able to pull it off.
 

Buuz

Smash Trainer
DAMMIT! So I guess an evolution into Weezing is out of the question.

EDIT: Did Koffing use a fourth move? I know it used Gyro Ball, Will-O-Wisp, and Sludge Bomb...

Clear Smog, right? Anyway even though they won't appear, i'm curious about Roxie's other three pokémon. And how easily she would kick Ash's butt with them. ^^
 
Top