To Catch a Pokémon Smuggler! (815)

[The Pokemon Broadcast]

The smuggler was named Dolan.
pkmn wrtrs pls

I guess I kind of wanted to know what it is about Scaterbug that sets it apart from others like Vivillon and it's multiple patterns.

 

[munchlaxboy]

In a nice change of pace, To Catch a Pokemon Smuggler! gives Team Rocket a break by filling them in with a bad guy substitute: Dolan. A Pokemon smuggler, Dolan poaches and smuggles Scatterbug and Spewpa and sells them off for big bucks once they evolve into the beautiful, multi-patterned Vivillon. This was a well-structured filler episode that did not necessitate the Pokemon anime's traditional "character of the day" to drive its plot--rather, Dolan is this week's villainous guest and our heroes take the initiative to halt his criminal deeds. The characters' traits were used effectively, with Serena using her fashion skills and Clemont coming through with an invention in order to advance the story; these kinds of progressions that necessitate certain characters' skillsets are always welcomed, as the Pokemon anime has received largely-deserved criticism in the past for the staleness and lack of development of its characters. That said, the episode's dialogue was pretty weak this time around. Most of the characters spoke in tiresome, bland cliches, which came off as unnatural. It was also disappointing that Dolan was really nothing but the cliche bad guy--no personality traits other than that he was indeed "bad".

Nonetheless, I would call this a lightly above average filler. The characters were used effectively--albeit, they didn't articulate their lines all that well--and the writers gave us a different villain for a change. The humorous highlight of the episode was Ash's obtuse, feeble-minded explanation of Pokemon evolution to a curious Bonnie. Still, the episode's overall execution left much to be desired.

Grade: C+

Side Note: We sure are seeing a lot of Officer Jenny early on in the XY saga, aren't we? Wonder if that trend will continue as the series advances...

 

[Mega Altaria]

At least this time TR didn't appear. It was mainly focused on one bad guy, Dolan, a Pokémon Smuggler. But at least he got caught by Officer Jenny in the end and literally fainted in the end because of Vivillon's scales which I found nice. Beautiful to see all of the Spewpa evolve into Vivillon in the end though and I didn't get how Diggersby got KOed by Stun Spore.

 

[Mrs. Oreo]

Aww I loved Dedenne when it dressed up as a Spewpa and seeing all the different kinds of Vivillon patterns was cool. Dolan was super creepy however, and I wish Ash had caught Vivillon here instead of it flying away.

 

[*Frank*]

Yay, another butterfly episode. I love butterflies.

Butterfly/10

 

[Gillachu]

Spewpa was shockingly cute lol. Makes me want Ash to get one someday. Dolan was ugly as hell and Diggersby looked even worse lol.

 

[wobbanut]

This episode was pretty good, even if it felt like they were recycling one plot point done a little too recently (the Butterfree one, just with scatterbug now), with them helping it as it evolves all the way and leaves after forming a strong bond and becoming a good fighter. I did like Ash attempting to pass himself off as a spewpa, though, LOL. I also found it interesting when I looked it up in the XY pokedex book that the scatterbug, which wasn't native to the region, hails from Japan (the elegant design), whereas Viola's meadow pattern was native to north and central Europe (including France).

As for the smuggler... ugh, horrible character.

7/10

 

[Pikachu979]

I didn't mind this episode since i like butterfly pokemon. I remember first watching this thinking Serena would catch one.

 

[JudySpell]

Ash didn't need such an overrated Bug Pokemon like Vivillon so I'm glad he didn't catch it and instead let it live in the wild. 6.5/10

 

[Wednesdayz]

Too bad Diggersby was classified as a Pokemon one can be called an antagonist. Seeing the vast amount of Vivillon at the end was breathtaking. Really wish Ash had caught the Vivillon it used at the end. :x

 

[Leonhart]

Thus far in the Kalos saga, we hadn't seen Junsa in action much, so it was gratifying to see her do a lot here. It figures that an unsavory character liked Daz would own an equally abominable Pokemon like Horudo, and Daz's plan to poach all the wild Kofukimushi was very similar to what the Rocket-dan would do.

 

[LilligantLewis]

I was surprised that Clemont mentioned levels in his description of evolution, and I think it's the first time levels have been mentioned in the anime since The School of Hard Knocks.

I'm catching up on XY now after taking a few years' break from the anime, so I haven't watched beyond this yet, but I do go back and read old episode threads after I watch each episode, and I'm wondering whether in all the endless arguments I sometimes see about Pikachu being reset (or not) etc. and somebody always responds saying that levels don't exist in the anime, whether Clemont's explanation of evolution in this episode will now be used as proof in those arguments that levels exist.

 

[Alloutℯ]

I liked Daz's character, but there's something in this episode I cannot understand. I know Daz was poaching and I comprehend how it is considered a bad thing in the Pokemon world, but on the subject of buying a Pokemon from another person, I can't see why the show treated selling them as something sinful.

 

[Janovy]

I liked Daz's character, but there's something in this episode I cannot understand. I know Daz was poaching and I comprehend how it is considered a bad thing in the Pokemon world, but on the subject of buying a Pokemon from another person, I can't see why the show treated selling them as something sinful.

It's one of this universe's many paradoxes.

For example, poaching is bad, but what if Daz acted like a legit trainer and caught them in Pokeballs and THEN sold them? It would be less conspicuous and he would be able to get away with it. Furthermore, perhaps they interpret selling living creatures like Pokemon as BAD because they are closer to sentient beings than animals in real life (and the end result would be something similar to human trafficking) but then it is perfectly okay to fight them into submission and trap them in small devices so they can obey you later on?

 

[AuraChannelerChris]

The fact he was even selling them is the only nasty part that made him a crook, besides the whole hurting thingy that's allowed.

 

[Janovy]

This whole episode could have been avoided had Daz used pokeballs instead of nets and cages. How inconvenient.

 

[AuraChannelerChris]

This whole episode could have been avoided had Daz used pokeballs instead of nets and cages. How inconvenient.

Then again, capturing a whole bunch under a cage is faster than just doing it one by one.

Besides, they're wild Pokemon. They're not looking for someone worthy of capturing them. The rest won't just sit and watch at the first sight of a Flamethrower in the air.

 

[Leonhart]

Then again, capturing a whole bunch under a cage is faster than just doing it one by one.

Daz's scheme with the cages and his other contraptions seemed harsh however, so I suppose that the moral of this episode is that capturing Kofurai or any other wild Pokemon is cruel unless it adheres to the orthodox capture methods (i.e. Monster Balls).

 

[FullmetalJackie]

Scatterbug, Skewpa, and Vivillon are about the most adorable Bug Pokemon the series has had. Vivillon's different colors are cute too. I can't remember how many other Pokemon had variation in color or form. Dolan isn't committing much of a crime. A smuggler is someone who sneaks things to places, so then Dolan's crime would be sneaking Pokemon to other regions.

 

[Leonhart]

I kind of regret the fact that Satoshi didn't capture a Vivillon here since it would've been a neat parallel to his old Butterfree. That, and Vivillon just look so glamorous to me.