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Team Rocket's Counterattack (1234)

masdog

What is the airspeed of an unladen Swellow?
Normally, I'd write that I enjoyed the episode and a few things I liked or didn't like about it. I generally try to keep things positive. But...this week's episode kind of ticked me off. Not the whole episode - just the ending. And the Yuyama interview (which is either the greatest troll interview or shows his contempt for the fan/product) really doesn't help here. So...it's essay time.

First, let me start by saying that I really enjoyed most of this episode. This was Team Rocket at their finest, creating a good plan that almost succeeded and using the "lessons" they learned during their previous MPM appearances. I liked that they got the Pokemon left at Team Rocket headquarters back. And the typical Team Rocket humor was incorporated very well too.

The plot structure reminded me a lot of the episode where Ash, Gladion, and the rest of the Alola Gang had to go into Ultra Deep Sea to rescue Lusamine. Someone was left behind at every obstacle so the group could continue moving forward, and a Legendary was there to tip the scales for our heroes.

What I don't like is Team Rocket's ending. The team splitting up comes out of nowhere. There is no foreshadowing or hints, and it is framed too seriously to be considered humorous or slapstick for something that takes place near the end of Ash's time as protagonist. If this had happened in episode 4 or 5, it'd be OK. But here, it feels very final.

And that doesn't sit right with me.
 

AuraChannelerChris

Easygoing Luxray.
I don't think it was a "great troll interview" or whatever, but more like someone trying to pass off decisions as these great, poetic things that really are incredibly dull when given some thought.

"We haven't done a Ghost-type episode like Banette's episode before!"

*cue Gengar use, who was already done in an extremely similar episode before (except for the doll necromancy part)*
 

masdog

What is the airspeed of an unladen Swellow?
Im sorry but what? You're talking about the actual interview itself right, and not Dephender's intrepretation of a summary of it that went viral on Twitter?
Coz how does it show contempt for the fans?
That was the impression I got from the translated interview. I guess it just felt that way because they were saying they didn’t have a plan or were doing stuff for fan service. It was just because.

But I could be misremembering things…it was a long weekend and we lost an hour of sleep because of daylight savings time…
 

SerGoldenhandtheJust

Deluded Dreamer
That was the impression I got from the translated interview. I guess it just felt that way because they were saying they didn’t have a plan or were doing stuff for fan service. It was just because.

But I could be misremembering things…it was a long weekend and we lost an hour of sleep because of daylight savings time…
I mean they had certain things they wanted to show and deemed important over other things, and I don't necessarily agree with the decision myself but it's hard to see them having contempt with the fans or show from that tbh unless you're purposely looking in that lens only
 

British Soul

Top Hat Regulator
I swear this has become a trend these past few episodes.... late essay time again:
Considering this is Team Rocket's swansong episode, the ending just didn't sit right with me, though having said that perhaps it was foreshadowed in the JN episode where Cassidy and Biff... I mean Butch appeared and had left TR.
When the TR Delibird appeared before the TR trio and brought them lunch, I immediately thought to myself "is this the same TR Delibird? Doesn't seem like something it'd do." and the first thing I was disappointed about with this episode was Giovanni communicating via a gold statue of himself, heck I'd have been less disappointed if it was via a holographic projection.
I have to say, the shot of the TR pokemon when Meowth said that they'd be the TR Revengers looked really cool, it fits their aesthetic. I did like that they were reunited with all the pokemon that they left at TR HQ and that we finally get one episode in JN where they used their own pokemon, rather than that stupid gacha, also I liked that they all played a role in their plan to isolate Pikachu from the others (and all things considred, it was a solid plan tbph)... owait, scratch that, almost all of them. Morpeko did absolutely NOTHING, a testament to its contribution throughout JN (Honestly, Go should've caught it in JN070). And whilst I'm on the Pikachu tangent, Pikachu's instincts were spot on when Mime Jr was asking for help, sure it has been 588 episodes, but he was still able to sense the suspicious aura coming from it.
The MVP of the episode for me was the random Slakoth simply vibing in the tree. The fact that there was camera focus on it made me think that it would end up getting its nap disturbed during the conflict, which resulted in Ash and co finding out that Latias had been following them.
Finally I want to talk about the conclusion, yeah it felt abrupt in the sense that this was the last straw and leaving *finger click* like that, but the way they were bickering over who was responsible for the failure of this task, it reminded me of the tv show The Apprentice (UK version) where the candidates on the losing team argue about what went wrong in the "loser's cafe", and on that tangent, I'd definitely send Morpeko back to the boardroom for lack of- sorry, NO contribution to the task.

One more thing, this is the first time that an episode aired on my birthday since XY (XY111 specifically). thus given the synopsis, I had higher expectations, and I will say that this was a better birthday episode than XY111.
 
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KukuiFanatic501

Well-Known Member
As others have said, this episode is a mixed bag for me and is just ok

Love that the TR reserves came back and that their Pikachu capture plan actually felt real planned and set up this time, but the takeout and abrupt Latias interruption ruined the end of the episode for me. TR deserves better than this for a series that’s supposed to be a pen ultimate finale for them.

Sorry, but this makes me less inclined to watch the SV anime now, especially if this kind of writing is transferring over to the former. But I feel like this kind of ambiguous writing for them is being done on purpose? Just incase they decide to bring them back in the future.
 

TheCrazyMaster

Well-Known Member
Ah, the episode we were all waiting for, the return of all of Team Rocket's iconic Pokemon left at HQ plus the Unova mons!

It was so refreshing see so many iconic faces again. AG, DP and XY, all of them. We even got a quick montage of some of their most iconic partners that are no longer with them. We also got a funny nod to Sevipers capture episode with Seviper chomping Jessie's hair as they all watched the recording of Giovanni. Speaking of Giovanni where the hell is this guy investing his resources, first the gatcha and now a golden statue that blows up afterwards.

Team Rocket's plan was a fairly simplistic one, but overall one of their better plans as well. Mime Jr being the core star of said plan was a pretty smart move, as it's the most dramatic Pokemon in the Team Rocket roster, and it was nice seeing it maintain its original relationship with James. I also like the attention to detail that it took a little while for Pikachu to recognize it at first. Honestly it's pretty interesting to think that their plan may have worked if not for the intervention of Latias (yes, I know that this is post Leon Pikachu, but Team Rocket are the most inconsistent anipoke characters when it comes to power levels, being as strong as the scenario demands them to be), and seeing Wobbuffet being able to reflect the combined attack was absolutely insane. Team Rockets ending this episode did feel pretty glaring, but this obviously isn't how their story will end.

There isn't a whole lot to say regarding everyone else to be honest. I found it hilarious that Brock brought back his iconic song as a successful distraction (croagunk would literally be me in that situation). Psyduck panicking after it's eyes got covered felt very in character for it. Infernape and Hawlucha felt fitting for a showdown themed episode, didn't really do all that much, though I can forgive the former since he actually had some prominence in Journeys, but I guess it was a pretty decent reference having Infernape fight Carnivine while Hawlucha fought Gourgeist.

We also had Latias finally reveal itself to Ash and co, revealing that its partner Latios was in danger, but that's for the next review!
 

Bortgreen

Captain Pikachu is EPIC
Ironically, the Dub posted the clip of that specific scene today on their YouTube today. This was some pre-hunter J stuff.
Yeah that's where i got the screenshot from haha I was watching it and it was relevant after the recent episode
 

British Soul

Top Hat Regulator
...I forget. Were there maracas before, and if so, did they have some bad imagery for children to be removed?
There were maracas, they simply had a pokeball design on them. I think stereotyping might've been the reason for removal, that's my thought process at least.
 

Starswirl Pikachu

Well-Known Member
Nice to see some of Team Rockets other pokemons but its a pity that they have not given them more attention/ training before now. Finally we get to see Latias do something but was stretching out her sub story for so long the right call to make?
 
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