• Hi all. We have had reports of member's signatures being edited to include malicious content. You can rest assured this wasn't done by staff and we can find no indication that the forums themselves have been compromised.

    However, remember to keep your passwords secure. If you use similar logins on multiple sites, people and even bots may be able to access your account.

    We always recommend using unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication if possible. Make sure you are secure.
  • Be sure to join the discussion on our discord at: Discord.gg/serebii
  • If you're still waiting for the e-mail, be sure to check your junk/spam e-mail folders

VS Raihan! A Fight with Masters Eight on the Line!! (1198)

Landton

Well-Known Member
The double knock out made sense given the amount of damage Genagr took from Flygon prior and getting hit by Goodra two times or so. Gengar managed to take down Goodra which was good.

Only change I would have made is Duraludon should have battled a bit in its base form before Gigantamaxing.
 

doofinc

get rillaboomed
To pinpoint my issues with the G-Max Duraludon vs Lucario, it's just so rushed and even with the giant Aura Sphere, it doesn't feel like it should've taken out Duraludon.

Going back to even another example in this battle itself, while I think the Goodra vs. Gengar battle was poorly-paced as well, I can at least believe that Gengar went down justifiably with the damage that Flygon dealt, and the barrage of attacks that Goodra did hyper spam in the rain.

G-Max Duraludon (not even the base Duraludon so it should have higher HP) got hit by 2 regular Aura Spheres which visually don't look like they have much impact while hitting Lucario back with 2 (admittedly not type-effective) Max Moves. Then gets smacked by giant Aura Sphere and it doesn't feel believable that Duraludon should go down that quickly.

I'm not sure exactly what needs to be done to make Dynamax Battles both interesting and realistic. The G-Max Gengar fights in this episode were the better ones so far and the G-Max Duraludon was definitely the worst one yet that I've seen. I'm hoping for some more dynamic camera work at least to make it visually pleasing, but TBH it kinda feels like the non G-Max Pokemon needs to do more attack spam like what Goodra did to Gengar to at least make it seem more realistic, or counter with their own gimmick (and even then, I have mixed opinions on Mega Lucario vs. GMax Machamp).

Any of y'all have thoughts on how to improve Dynamax battles?
 

Dragonsoldier77

Bittersweet Satisfaction
Any of y'all have thoughts on how to improve Dynamax battles?

Just make it like twilight wings where they’re not all suddenly static, and properly show the immense power they bring with their size. Basically make it a kaiju fight instead of becoming even more lifeless than the fights already are this series.

But yeah, it’s never going to happen with the kind of production value of this series.
 

Soniman

Break the Limit
I just want the 3D camera or an equivalent back, I miss the fast moving action shots that would glide along the battlefields following the Pokémon, you don’t even need a 3D camera to have dynamic shots as prior series and SM (Tapu Koko vs Naganadel being a example) show the can do it but JN continues to have the most static, stiff shots imaginable (actual animation being inconsistent doesn’t help matters, it wasn’t bad here but rarely does the saga ever go above “fine” or “serviceable”)
 

Dragonsoldier77

Bittersweet Satisfaction
For something as momentous as ash finally squaring up with champions, i wished this series had even a quarter of the production values of wano one piece where luffy finally squares up with the yonkos.
 

AuraChannelerChris

Easygoing Luxray.
To pinpoint my issues with the G-Max Duraludon vs Lucario, it's just so rushed and even with the giant Aura Sphere, it doesn't feel like it should've taken out Duraludon.

Going back to even another example in this battle itself, while I think the Goodra vs. Gengar battle was poorly-paced as well, I can at least believe that Gengar went down justifiably with the damage that Flygon dealt, and the barrage of attacks that Goodra did hyper spam in the rain.

G-Max Duraludon (not even the base Duraludon so it should have higher HP) got hit by 2 regular Aura Spheres which visually don't look like they have much impact while hitting Lucario back with 2 (admittedly not type-effective) Max Moves. Then gets smacked by giant Aura Sphere and it doesn't feel believable that Duraludon should go down that quickly.

I'm not sure exactly what needs to be done to make Dynamax Battles both interesting and realistic. The G-Max Gengar fights in this episode were the better ones so far and the G-Max Duraludon was definitely the worst one yet that I've seen. I'm hoping for some more dynamic camera work at least to make it visually pleasing, but TBH it kinda feels like the non G-Max Pokemon needs to do more attack spam like what Goodra did to Gengar to at least make it seem more realistic, or counter with their own gimmick (and even then, I have mixed opinions on Mega Lucario vs. GMax Machamp).

Any of y'all have thoughts on how to improve Dynamax battles?
The entire point of the Greninja episode was to ensure that Lucario can be a giant slayer next to Pikachu, but the execution is soooooooooooooo extremely cheap.
 

CupidKirby

Well-Known Member
No. It's kind of very boring and predictable that it's basically whatever the hell the Champions League is supposed to be. That lineup basically meant no Gym Leader was allowed in there.
So what gym leaders did you want in the Masters 8 exactly and who that is already in the Masters 8 would you want them to replace that makes the Masters 8 objectively better and resulting in less backlash and/or wasted potential? Sitting there and calling the Masters 8 selection boring is an easy thing to do. Now what you got to do is back up your arguments. (If you did already make some suggestions after this post I'm replying to then that's my bad)
 

AuraChannelerChris

Easygoing Luxray.
So what gym leaders did you want in the Masters 8 exactly and who that is already in the Masters 8 would you want them to replace that makes the Masters 8 objectively better? Sitting there and calling the Masters 8 selection boring is an easy thing to do. Now what you got to do is back up your arguments. (If you did already make such a post after this one I'm replying to then that's my bad)
Nessa, Bea, and/or Melony (just because she's canonically the one that Raihan can't win against).

I don't see Milo or Kabu making it.
 

Evstike

Take me back to peak pokemon
Nighty night, Dragonite

Just rewatched the episode and my opinion has changed a bit compared to my initial thoughts. This was actually a passable battle, with the upper hand being traded throughout the fight. Flygon was tossing around Dragonite without making Ash look completely helpless as I feared, forcing Ash to adjust his plans to accommodate Gengar G-maxing to even it out. Gengar eating sand was a genius strategy. If you can't beat 'em, eat 'em!

I'll admit calling the animation terrible was far too harsh and an impulsive overreaction on my part. Yeah, it was still bad and very underwhelming for a battle this important, but it wasn't a slideshow. The perception of a battle is largely affected by its visual presentation. Even if the writing is good, that intensity has to be conveyed through what is happening on screen. My reaction upon first viewing the episode was as a result of not looking past the mediocre animation, but after watching it again I was able to appreciate the writing choices and intentions behind it. The ideas were definitely there despite the presentation lacking.

I deliberately saved mentioning the final matchup for last because what was that? I can put aside the training montage of events that supposedly happened offscreen, but why was Raihan just standing around while Lucario charged his super-mega-max aura bomb?? Seriously, what is up with all these opponents securing their own losses and handing Ash a victory. Iris stopping mid-battle to teach Dragonite Draco Meteor and now Raihan staring at Lucario's new powerup in awe and waiting until it's charged before attacking. Also, for what is supposedly Raihan's ace, Duraludon did surprisingly little to live up to its status. Flygon deserved the ace status here for handing Dragonite its first L and nearly giving more fuel to the Jobgar crowd. At least there wasn't comedy. These next PWC matches seriously need to step up their game, we're in the big leagues now.
 

Landton

Well-Known Member
I deliberately saved mentioning the final matchup for last because what was that? I can put aside the training montage of events that supposedly happened offscreen, but why was Raihan just standing around while Lucario charged his super-mega-max aura bomb??

He actually did call out his last attack before Lucario threw the ball (when the big wall crashed down on him), and as I mentioned to someone else, it's likely in-universe the ball was powering up within seconds (as all the memories of Ash's pokemon, the synching, etc would have been just seconds in Lucario's mind), but it was slowed down for us the audience as dramatic effect. Besides that depending how powerful the synching power up or whatever Greninja training passed onto it, it's believeable that attack would be able to bring it down (besides the two smaller Aura Spheres it hit it with before).

I actually also like the Goodra fight more now, as quick as it was, It hit Gengar with 3 attacks back to back but then Gengar got its Gmax move on it before oging down.
 

Sham

The Guardian of Ruin and Birth
Y’all if Lance is Champion of Kanto and Johto why does the anime have the Indigo Plateau and Silver Conference?
 

Almighty Zard

He has returned.
Y’all if Lance is Champion of Kanto and Johto why does the anime have the Indigo Plateau and Silver Conference?

well they are the closest linked regions out of all of them

That could change with pokespain being near Kalos which is france, but up till now no other regions have been so closely linked.
 

AuraChannelerChris

Easygoing Luxray.
Lance, stop showing off just because your league's entrance is on one region but the league is in the other region.
He actually did call out his last attack before Lucario threw the ball (when the big wall crashed down on him), and as I mentioned to someone else, it's likely in-universe the ball was powering up within seconds (as all the memories of Ash's pokemon, the synching, etc would have been just seconds in Lucario's mind), but it was slowed down for us the audience as dramatic effect. Besides that depending how powerful the synching power up or whatever Greninja training passed onto it, it's believeable that attack would be able to bring it down (besides the two smaller Aura Spheres it hit it with before).
Cue the next time it's used revealing that nothing was slowed down but it was taking time.
 

Landton

Well-Known Member
I think the whole Flygon segment with Dragonite/Gengar was great, we got to see Dragonite score one hit on it before going down and Gengar finish it off with Gmax with it being hit numerous times. Using the Gmax to devour the sandstorm was the best strategy.


Funny thing is during the Goodra fight, Gengar took Thunder, Surf and Hydro Pump full force, in addition to the crunch from Flygon prior and kept going till it got the one Gmax move in. Also anyone notice the tongue attack it used to knock Goodra off the last Surf didn't count as an attack at all even though it did damage? Like it could have been Lick but it wasn't, so technically Goodra got hit twice.


I think the only thing I would change is Duraldon battle in its base stage a bit before powering up, but it did take two smaller Aura Spheres before the final one at least. Lastly Raihan did call a final attack before Lucario threw the Spirit Bomb, so he didn't just allow it to be thrown as people said. He was probably expecting the wall to destroy it.
 
Top