Just watched the raw, pretty ecstatic about this episode, potential to actually rave about it.
Ash is likely getting skiddo.
Yeah, or Phantump, or no Grass-type at all.
Even without the capture this still wouldn't be a filler.
Without Pumpkaboo and Chespin showing off Vine Whip, it would've, but it would have been a good filler that showed of individual character traits of probably every pokemon, with the exception of Bunnelby.
Not while Alexa has her hands on Gogoat. At this point, I'm more partial to Ash getting a Phantump so he can fill his "Ghost" slot that Haunter has left vacant since the middle of the first season.
I've probably been partial for Phantump for the Alexa reason. I can't seem to get my head around why people want Ash to get both Gogoat and an eventual Noivern.. I know the choices are limited, but Ash should stay clear off copying Alexa's team, it would be incredibly boring and uninspired.
I first read playerking's summary and was surprised at how pointless this episode seemed. Pancham and Pangoro could have been replaced by almost any other Pokemon and the same things would have happened. They could have had better debuts. Jessie capturing Pumpkaboo also seemed incredibly ham-fisted, as if the writers suddenly thought she should own a Kalos Pokemon right about now.
But then I watched the episode and enjoyed it. It was consistently funny and probably the best comedic episode of 2013. I also liked the Pikachu/Meowth/Starters interactions way more than I thought I would.
I completely agree. I'm just going to sum up a few things that I liked a lot:
- Having the entire group out for lunch. Effing BW probably hated these scenes.
- Fletchling trying to chase TR, but failing: So much for generic bird popping the balloon. This failure made me interested in how they would get to the balloon eventually.
- TR bickering on who gets to claim credit: THEY HAVE PERSONATIES AND EGO'S!!!
- The starters having blimps of personality shown: Froakie is wary, puts on its frubble-mask and doesn't want to help Meowth - and blushed,
d'aww, Chespin is clueless and the glutton thing is a bit touched upon. Fennekin is
vain and likely female. Great simple exposition.
- Dedenne is used to find the group?! And they resort to flashbacking to an earlier episode?? MY GOD!! THE CONTINUITY PEOPLE, IT'S HAPPENING!!!
- Pumpkaboo is a great addition to Team Rocket. I like the weird flashlight thing it does.. And I liked the mirrored reactions James and Meowth had to the capture, as to when James captured Inkay.
- The battle: Ash used Quick Attack and Fling, super effective! Honestly, inventive use of Leech Seed, good note that the absorption didn't work on Chespin, and great that it took effort to launch an attack while constricted. Also, great that Ash took charge at that point and just dove into the situation head first and that most of the pokemon backed him up.
Negatives:
- TR easily captured a Pangoro and a Pancham, and thus they wait for the twerps to return? You've captured two wild pokemon, throw a damn pokeball or electric netcage and send them to the boss! Why waste the time and opportunity? The odds are that you'll get another chance for the starters, so no point in waiting on them...
- Pangoro and Pancham are not really my favorite designs, but this is really a small point and I ignored it.
- The translation machine was just weird and I think unnecessary in this episode, also that scene moved along too slow.. and the machine opens up a truckload of plotholes..
I wish we could say the same thing for TR. Speaking of which, I find it strange that Jessie and James caught both of their Kalos Pokemon without a simple battle. What's up with that?
Team Rocket having less personality? Personally, I thought them bickering over who was going to get the credit for the capture of the starters was a good show of how they do have personalities and are not mindless drones.
Team Rocket barely catch any pokemon with a battle..
- Seviper: Caught after Jessie manhandles the poor thing..
- Wurmple: Jessie just throws the ball after noticing the Wurmple..
- Cacnea: After providing food
- Woobat: Offscreen
- Yamask: After providing food
- Frillish: Offscreen
- Amoongus: Offscreen
- Inkay: After providing food and just throwing a ball
- Pumpkaboo: Random
- James' cute captures: Were at parents/relative/summer houses..
I honestly think they have never caught a pokemon after fighting them the proper way.
Edit: Ninja'd..
Agreed, and they've been really building on these traits. Pikachu's definitely gotten a care-taker role and has gotten a keen eye, while Froakie seems wary of a lot of people and Pokemon due to his background. Chespin stupidly wanting to help out was pretty cute, and even Fennekin getting riled up over her tail was a blip of personality.
I agree with this. They also touched upon Chespin's eating habits again, or in any case, they focused his foodtray more than the others.. Which is good.. This is more than they focused on a certain Gluttonous Swinub.. Especially with a certain future episode being foreshadowed in the 2014 previews..