The Ancient Poké Ball (006)

[Blue Saturday]

The stuff about the Explorers open the door for mini-battle arcs. where each trainer takes on a member of the Volt tacklers if not similar to more traditional anime storylines, maybe not so traditional hardcore fighting anime but something more akin to Sailor Moon.

Also opens the door for Amethio's reformation.

 

[Spider-Phoenix]

Yup, Roy is definetely one of my favorite MCs in the anime. Top 5 at that.

 

[nuzamaki90]

That entire Explorers segment made me feel like I was watching an episode of Precure

Sucks that this episode really phoned home how unnecessary Roy and Rayquaza feel. Although I really like the lore because it reminds me of Nobunaga’s Ambition. Between Roy, Friede, and Liko, it feels like they are all lacking in something to make them particularly more engaging. No one really feels like a real protagonist so far. The overall pacing for these couple episodes have felt a bit weird so hopefully things pick up soon.

 

[Lucario At Service]

I am a bit interested about how that Shiny Rayquaza had a crystal/glass-like coating on it like scales.
And i don't think it is because that's now Shiny are going to be showcased now, but rather something related to whatever the thing is behind Riko's pendent.
Also, was that really a real Shiny Rayquaza?
I mean, there is that theory relating to SV games, were every Paradox Pokemon is supposed to be something like a fake-given-life, and the reason the Shiny Rayquaza left after seeing Riko is because of the pendent.

 

[Moni_22]

Much like everyone else, I'm excited for the Explorers since we don't know anything about them, like who the other members are or what are their goals.

I liked that we have finished with this prologue of the story and I'm eager to know the structure that the story is going to have from now on. At least, I love the Volteccers so one way or another, I'm going to enjoy their journeys and I want to have some character-focussed episodes for each of them later on.

As for the Explorers, I wasn't expecting them to have more members so soon. I'm glad because Amethio's group pursuing the Volteccers was starting to become repetitive very soon, as much as I like that trio. Now it seems that he wants to go in pursuit of the shiny Rayquaza to know what happened, which makes me think it's going to be similar to what they did with Zuko in Avatar TLA where we'll get sometimes a few minutes to see what they're doing, and they may get some development even if they apart from the main protagonists.

I really hope that's the case because I feel like Amethio has a lot of potential as a character, and as others say, he could end up becoming an ally depending on what happens.

With that VA choice, Gibeon better be a great mastermind of a boss lol

 

[AuraChannelerChris]

There's a good theory going around that the Shiny Rayquaza was caught by this person during Feudal Poke World and they're ancestors to Roy:

Spoiler

 

[RexRyder]

It's actually great that we don't know anything about the Explorers because Horizons does it's own thing. Actually an advantage over taking the usual Paldea plot we all know but they can actually fit in Team Star and all the paldean characters so perfectly into the mix.

Having actual villains and we not knowing what the heck they're up to is so much more exciting this way Horizons set up in these first episodes than in the past series. We still need to wait for the whole execution though but this can pretty easily beat up the other villains arcs.

Good episode btw. Still with some minor flaws but its still a great end of the "epilogue" of Horizons.

Much like everyone else, I'm excited for the Explorers since we don't know anything about them, like who the other members are or what are their goals.

I liked that we have finished with this prologue of the story and I'm eager to know the structure that the story is going to have from now on. At least, I love the Volteccers so one way or another, I'm going to enjoy their journeys and I want to have some character-focussed episodes for each of them later on.

As for the Explorers, I wasn't expecting them to have more members so soon. I'm glad because Amethio's group pursuing the Volteccers was starting to become repetitive very soon, as much as I like that trio. Now it seems that he wants to go in pursuit of the shiny Rayquaza to know what happened, which makes me think it's going to be similar to what they did with Zuko in Avatar TLA where we'll get sometimes a few minutes to see what they're doing, and they may get some development even if they apart from the main protagonists.

I really hope that's the case because I feel like Amethio has a lot of potential as a character, and as others say, he could end up becoming an ally depending on what happens.

With that VA choice, Gibeon better be a great mastermind of a boss lol

Yeah in addition to the Explorers there's a chance we'll still have the base plots for SV, which means Team Star showing up, the Titans(this is also assuming we'll get Arven and his plot), and the appearance of Professor Sada and/or Turo with Area Zero, the Paradox Pokemon, and even Koraidon and/or Miraidon. And on top of that Horizons is supposed to be a travel around the world adventure like Journeys was.
If all of this is planned than the anime writers have a lot on their plate, but I'm optimistic.

 

[lolipiece]

I genuinely cannot understand how they can do Team Star without the Academies.

 

[Moni_22]

Yeah in addition to the Explorers there's a chance we'll still have the base plots for SV, which means Team Star showing up, the Titans(this is also assuming we'll get Arven and his plot), and the appearance of Professor Sada and/or Turo with Area Zero, the Paradox Pokemon, and even Koraidon and/or Miraidon. And on top of that Horizons is supposed to be a travel around the world adventure like Journeys was.
If all of this is planned than the anime writers have a lot on their plate, but I'm optimistic.

Seeing that the pendant is connected to Terapagos (well it's baby form / pre-evolution for now) it's very possible that the SV main plot will be of relevance here. But right now it's difficult to say how they will do it since all that we've seen until this episode has been original stuff. Once the SV characters start showing up in Paldea, we may get a better idea on how they will be incorporated in the narrative.

 

[AuraChannelerChris]

I genuinely cannot understand how they can do Team Star without the Academies.

They did the Aether Foundation without Team Skull involved, at the expense of massively affecting the entire region and its characters just so Ash could steal Lillie's loft without anyone complaining.

Though, Team Skull still existed, but their relevance was severely reduced, alongside blowing up most of Guzma's past.

 

[Kazuniya]

Does anyone even want Team Star to play a role in the new anime?

I'd be totally fine if they cut them out of the plot.

 

[Noy]

when Liko and Roy were standing there wondering where Rayquaza went, All I could think was; dude, Ray's been cooped up in that ball for decades, it's where-ever it wants to be; and Roy, how dare to tell it to go back into that ball, no wonder it yelled at you.

 

[Trey pokes]

Really good episode. The Explorers continue to interest me and now with Amethio going in the direction he is, I got confidence that they'll be able to pull through. Still on board with this series is what I'm trying to say.

 

[NegaiFreak]

Good episode. After what had happened last week with some missed opportunities, I'm happy to see some more mysteries coming to fruition. I think the best part of this episode is the fact that the Explorers aren't limited to just Amethio and his group. We get a glimpse of Spinel and learn that there are other factions of the Explorers.

It's also really nice to have Roy catch Fuecoco. I feel that bond between them is a lot more solid than Goh and Scorbunny's, especially since in the latter's case, he at first refused to even catch Scorbunny over wanting to get Mew. Looking forward to seeing them grow together throughout the series.

And again, Liko is such a fun protagonist when we get to hear her thoughts. As for the mysteries of her pendant and Roy's Poké Ball, I'm curious to see where that'll lead, especially with the black Rayquaza's sudden appearance. We'll have to see what's going on in Paldea, I'd imagine. Terastallization definitely seems to be part of the story, so I hope the mysteries are uncovered in due time.

 

[British Soul]

Essay time, and le gasp I'm on time for once? (smile)
It transpired that the ancient pokeball contained a shiny Rayquaza, and y'know this makes sense imo, Rayquaza is regarded as an ancient pokemon in Hoenn's lore, though the interesting thing about it is the crystalline coating on its body as there seems to be a connection between it and Liko's pendant and I'm sure we'll learn more about this as HZ develops. In any case, it managed to sort out the Explorers with its Draco Meteor (which as Tobias stated can eliminate any pokemon, except Darkrai of course), though its attack was indiscriminate as the RVT ship was also in the vicinity of the attack.
After what happened in this episode, I think it's fine that Gibeon decided to give this Spinel character the mission of pursuing the pendant, always nice to have fresh faces to deal with rather than the same 3 people, but it also give a scope for Amethio's character development.
Roy's grandpa acknowledging that until this episode that Roy had only been chatting about his own dreams when the latter spoke about Fuecoco's dream and how it looks up to Charizard shows the growth that Roy has made as he's considering Fuecoco's feelings.

 

[Spider-Phoenix]

Between Roy, Friede, and Liko, it feels like they are all lacking in something to make them particularly more engaging. No one really feels like a real protagonist so far.

Well, Friede wasn't meant to be a protagonist. The stars of the show are Liko and Roy.

He is more of a support character. An older Brock if you prefer.

Plus, he serves as the role of shoving Pikachu and Charizard on it without taking slots of the MCs. Nice compromise IMHO

Does anyone even want Team Star to play a role in the new anime?

I'd be totally fine if they cut them out of the plot.

The best part of no Team Star is that it means No Penny. That's a win for me.

(I like the commanders as characters but Penny drags the whole thing down for me)

 

[IcySealeo]

I see that many here liked this episode, but I don't think the same. This episode was suppose to be about the ancient Pokeball, yet, we've had only half of the episode focusing it, and even then there wasn't much to focus on.

Also, why do they all act as if it is okay to let that raging Rayquaza go on and fly around the world?

The only interesting thing here was the Explorers, so many mysteries around it.

 

[vondecayle]

It’s nice that each episode is revealing important elements of the story.
1. Shiny Rayquaza being trapped in the pokeball.
2. The Adventurer being the original owner of the pokeball.
3. The Explorers being a bigger organization with other members also being delegated to missions… with an AI as their apparent leader.
4. Amethio’s place in the mission being taken by someone else was something I was not expecting. Interested in seeing where the plot of the explorers is going.
5. I liked when Rayquaza was above them and making them look so insignificant. The power and glory of a legendary pokemon. When Liko pointed the pokedex at him it reminded me of all the times the pokedex was overused in past series, but this time it makes perfect sense to use it.

 

[British Soul]

During the Nidothing segment of the episode where they talked about Legendary Pokemon, specifically the line "Catch one? Not even in your dreams!" my mind palace was preparing to um actually them, subsequently thinking; "Psst, nobody tell them about the following characters who have acquired Legendaries in pokeballs: Brandon, a Nurse Joy, Tobias, Gladion, Go, Gary and Tokio."
Of course I get that Nidothing is an educational content creator, going over the numerous elements of the pokemon world, but I can't help but think this way either.

 

[DuskAstral]

I genuinely cannot understand how they can do Team Star without the Academies.

How can you be sure that the academies will not appear?
Nemona's presence in episode 10 suggests that schools will be included after all.