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Thoughts on the Poni Arc?
- Thread starter Ignition
- Start date
The Mallow ep is one of the best eps of the series (not just SM, but of the entire anime in general), and I liked the eps Lana/Sophocles pokemon evolved. Kiawe's ep was good, and the first one with Ash/Gladion was only decent before of the battle. The Hapu trial ep however was pretty bad.
Overall good eps for the SM cast, but a bad ep for Ash/Hapu's grand trial.
Overall good eps for the SM cast, but a bad ep for Ash/Hapu's grand trial.
Darthlord7
The Smug Pikachu
I think it was ok. Every character had something going on around them more or less. Mallow had one of the best episodes but I wonder what the writers intend to do with that Shaymin she temporarily owns. Lillie's case raised a plot point regarding her father's whereabouts so I expect this will certainly be brought up again in the future and probably around the time she gets her Z-Ring. Kiawe got a Z-Crystal but his episode suffered pacing wise by trying to shoehorn all the students in the same episode. Both Lana and Sophocles evolved their starters and the former even got another Z-Crystal but this episode didn't treat them equally in terms of screen time so it would be better if they made two episodes for this. Ash's battles against Gladion and the Grand Trial were pretty mediocre overall though. I would say I enjoyed it more than Akala and Ula'Ula arcs since the SM cast had more focus and I don't care about Ash.
Zoruagible
Lover of underrated characters
Not as great as Ula'Ula arc.
The episodes before the trial were great but the trial itself not so much....
The episodes before the trial were great but the trial itself not so much....
Zhydra
Master of Chaos!
I liked it, each of the Classmates got to do something or have something to build up to. (Lillie's family.)
Hapu was pretty decent for an arc character.
Meltan was foreshadowed very well.
Mallow raised up in the poke girl rankings because of last weeks episode.
Slap stick was toned down.
I also like the Grand Trial finale... though it could have been better to me.
We got what we were promised and more.
Hapu was pretty decent for an arc character.
Meltan was foreshadowed very well.
Mallow raised up in the poke girl rankings because of last weeks episode.
Slap stick was toned down.
I also like the Grand Trial finale... though it could have been better to me.
We got what we were promised and more.
It was a neat effort but I think it's one of those moments that shows the strong and weak points of the series. It was cool they tried to give every character something to do for example, but the issue is that they only managed to make it any interesting for half of them. Ash's limelight as usual held up, they even demonstrated his flawed side a bit more, and Kiawe and Sophocles got one pretty solid development episode each. Hapu was also a decent guest character even if her arc felt a little rushed about (ESPECIALLY the actual Grand Trial). The girl students' limelight however was pretty tepid, largely because they still don't know where to go with their actual personalities and agency.
Mallow got a really emotional limelight episode, but it kinda falls into the 'Bambi's Mom' category, having some sort of really devastating backstory that would be effectively poignant no matter how good the actual character was. Her actual motive driven limelight with the radishes and trying to boost her credentials as a cook? Utterly dull. Lana got to evolve Brionne but again, it was just the same dull stuff, blow bubbles, congratulate Brionne on making a slightly bigger one than before, and stage 3: profit. They don't know how to actually make these two interesting in what they do long term. Even Lillie, despite revelations with her father and Gladion reappearing was a pretty bland presence this arc.
There even seemed a bit of self admittance in this regard since their roles were nearly always tacked on as a B plot rather than even attempting to have them hold centre stage anymore, which also had a side effect of truncating the other characters' development. They didn't even contribute to the comic relief much until the very last episode, which expectedly meant Flanderizing Ash's butt monkey role.
Mallow got a really emotional limelight episode, but it kinda falls into the 'Bambi's Mom' category, having some sort of really devastating backstory that would be effectively poignant no matter how good the actual character was. Her actual motive driven limelight with the radishes and trying to boost her credentials as a cook? Utterly dull. Lana got to evolve Brionne but again, it was just the same dull stuff, blow bubbles, congratulate Brionne on making a slightly bigger one than before, and stage 3: profit. They don't know how to actually make these two interesting in what they do long term. Even Lillie, despite revelations with her father and Gladion reappearing was a pretty bland presence this arc.
There even seemed a bit of self admittance in this regard since their roles were nearly always tacked on as a B plot rather than even attempting to have them hold centre stage anymore, which also had a side effect of truncating the other characters' development. They didn't even contribute to the comic relief much until the very last episode, which expectedly meant Flanderizing Ash's butt monkey role.
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Zoruagible
Lover of underrated characters
Yes, that is one of my major gripes. Make it a big deal about how Hapu has two Pokemon..... then proceed to only use one. -.-
Golurk's one of the few Pokemon out there that needs some action
But hey, at least they handled Ash receiving a different crystal better than Ula'Ula where Nanu just happened to have a Lycanroc crystal.... for reasons.
D
Deleted member 384931
Guest
I didnt enjoy the arc. Episode 104 was good as an introduction for Hapu and Team Skull big sis.
Episode 105 was meh. The battle of the lycanrocks was not so exciting.
Episode 106 was ok. Two pokémon evolved way TOO late.
Episode 107. One of the decent episodes in this arc.
Episode 108, despite emotional and development for Mallow, it can way too late and feels random.
Episode 109, I never saw such a bad battle in SM. It fell like Snivy vs Pikachu over again. The only positive things is that Hapu has a crush on Ash lol.
Score: 6/10.
Episode 105 was meh. The battle of the lycanrocks was not so exciting.
Episode 106 was ok. Two pokémon evolved way TOO late.
Episode 107. One of the decent episodes in this arc.
Episode 108, despite emotional and development for Mallow, it can way too late and feels random.
Episode 109, I never saw such a bad battle in SM. It fell like Snivy vs Pikachu over again. The only positive things is that Hapu has a crush on Ash lol.
Score: 6/10.
Pokegirl Fan~
Liko>>>>>Ash
The Mallow episode was great. It needed more Lillie and less of Ash and Gladion though.
Yeah the Ash battle was nice, but I wouldn't have minded Lillie getting one instead and Ash's plot focusing more on him bonding with Hapu.
Oh well, it looks like the golfing episode will be Lillie's 'try hard' competition (wouldn't that technically count as the last episode of the Poni arc?).
I remember people thought Lillie was going to get a huge arc in the Poni Island arc. Instead it just turns out to be a Gladion episode and then all the other SM characters get episodes to themselves or evolutions. Lillie is oddly the only character to come out of that arc with nothing.
Even worse her character was arguably at her most underwhelming this arc, being mostly a neutral female. Apparently she was writing a study of sorts, but like with the rest of the girls plans, they put almost no substance or interest into that.
I'm rather surprised she didn't at least get her Z Ring this arc.
mehmeh1
Not thinking twice!
nope, the poni arc is over, they left the island at the end of today's episode
I liked it.
Best Kahuna bias aside, it was pretty fun seeing Hapu become a temporary main character of sorts, slowly building up relations with the other characters to the point where she'd confront a tapu to protect them.
Going into this, we didn't know how much focus everyone was going to get, and it surprised me how everyone got some sort of advancement. I can't wait to see where the Mohn plot is gonna go.
Best Kahuna bias aside, it was pretty fun seeing Hapu become a temporary main character of sorts, slowly building up relations with the other characters to the point where she'd confront a tapu to protect them.
Going into this, we didn't know how much focus everyone was going to get, and it surprised me how everyone got some sort of advancement. I can't wait to see where the Mohn plot is gonna go.
MidnightMelody
Hopeful for Gen 8
I mean nothing special really but compared to most of SM it was not bad at all.
I am starting to see more people realize how weird SM really is. People use to defend it and call out anyone who was not %100 in love with it but now some of those same people are feeling meh about SM. Personally I would say to me it has got better. It fixed some of the issues of being forced comedy and ugly faces. I mean yes the comedy is still around but compared to where it was it seems to have been reduced and fall kinda in line more with BW than feeling like it's own weird thing. Nice to see the SoL has been reduced a bit too.
I am starting to see more people realize how weird SM really is. People use to defend it and call out anyone who was not %100 in love with it but now some of those same people are feeling meh about SM. Personally I would say to me it has got better. It fixed some of the issues of being forced comedy and ugly faces. I mean yes the comedy is still around but compared to where it was it seems to have been reduced and fall kinda in line more with BW than feeling like it's own weird thing. Nice to see the SoL has been reduced a bit too.
Apslup
Feelin' Fine.
I quite liked it. I thought that it was consistently really good, with the Alola Squad getting pretty good developement throughout, being very tightly paced so you don't lose interest quickly along with the fact that it actually made me like Hapu (I thought she was a bit of a jerk in the games).
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Agustin Gomez
TheShiningBald
Shame we didn't see a Totem Pokemon, but overall it was cool. Wanted Ash to get the Flying Z instead of Kiawe but meh. Would have liked to see some more team skull or even some z-ring progess but we have Meltan in exchange... Is it a fair trade?