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SPOILERS! General Pokémon Anime Discussion
- Thread starter Jellicent
- Start date
yeah Hoenn with May & Zinnia then Johto with the Kimono Girls and finally Kanto with Green
And so, onto today's episode, we got the first half of the BDSP two-part second Dawn guest appearance once more!
This time, it's all about two different worlds, or shall I say, alternate universes, being messed up by Dialga and Palkia, with AU Team Rocket being involved somehow. AU Dawn takes Dawn's Piplup by chance and the gate closes, and Dawn calls Ash for assistance (a true testament to their great bond of friendship imo), and he, Goh, and Chloe come to Sinnoh. Ash even buys her some croquettes, which was sweet of him. Eventually Goh and Dawn enter the gate to the other universe together and meet up with AU Dawn, who reveals that Pokemon have been forgetting moves, devolving, and turning into eggs, with her Piplup turning into an Egg. They eventuall deduce that it's a space-time distortion with Dialga and Palkia being involved somehow. Ash and Chloe find this out and learn more about the space-time duo through Cynthia who they happen to meet in Canalave Library, but not before they encounter AU Team Rocket once more and jump into the gate themselves. The episode left at a cliffhanger...now I greatly look forward to next week's episode for the second half.
A few interesting tidbits. AU Dawn interestingly turns out to be a battler rather than a Coordinator like Standard Universe Dawn and was a runner up in the Sinnoh League in her time. Cynthia is also revealed to own a Kommo-o, probably a shout-out to Masters. Ash also meets AU Ash at the end of the epiosde...but...just what is the deal with AU Ash? This is all exciting to find out...I'm excited for next week!
This time, it's all about two different worlds, or shall I say, alternate universes, being messed up by Dialga and Palkia, with AU Team Rocket being involved somehow. AU Dawn takes Dawn's Piplup by chance and the gate closes, and Dawn calls Ash for assistance (a true testament to their great bond of friendship imo), and he, Goh, and Chloe come to Sinnoh. Ash even buys her some croquettes, which was sweet of him. Eventually Goh and Dawn enter the gate to the other universe together and meet up with AU Dawn, who reveals that Pokemon have been forgetting moves, devolving, and turning into eggs, with her Piplup turning into an Egg. They eventuall deduce that it's a space-time distortion with Dialga and Palkia being involved somehow. Ash and Chloe find this out and learn more about the space-time duo through Cynthia who they happen to meet in Canalave Library, but not before they encounter AU Team Rocket once more and jump into the gate themselves. The episode left at a cliffhanger...now I greatly look forward to next week's episode for the second half.
A few interesting tidbits. AU Dawn interestingly turns out to be a battler rather than a Coordinator like Standard Universe Dawn and was a runner up in the Sinnoh League in her time. Cynthia is also revealed to own a Kommo-o, probably a shout-out to Masters. Ash also meets AU Ash at the end of the epiosde...but...just what is the deal with AU Ash? This is all exciting to find out...I'm excited for next week!
Of all the possible pseudos they gave Cynthia the worst. Not even the best Pokemon like Dragonite, or one without a type overlap like Dragapult (missed opportunity we need more DPult in the anime) or Tyranitar...but Kommo-o.
I mean I guess seeing her with a new Pokemon besides the same ol' Garchomp is fun, but I would've prefered seeing her Spiritomb or Milotic. Or even something wacky like a Gyarados or Tyrantrum or Furret. I just don't like Kommo-o
Yung Dramps
awesome gaming
Literally the exact opposite for me. Kommo-o is my 2nd fav Pokemon so seeing not one, but TWO media sources depict Cynthia using it is just so unfathomably based for me
Damn, you know shit happened when Cynthia's Garchomp goes toe to toe with a Meowth...
But it will be another 2-3 episode filler promoting the latest games.
Now subscribe to Nintendo Newsletter or whatever thing they plan to get the Hall of Origin DLC to fight God. Is what I would expect them to do. But maybe kids can't handle finding out where to use the Azure Flute.
But it will be another 2-3 episode filler promoting the latest games.
Now subscribe to Nintendo Newsletter or whatever thing they plan to get the Hall of Origin DLC to fight God. Is what I would expect them to do. But maybe kids can't handle finding out where to use the Azure Flute.
Incidentally, going back to our earlier discussion, the usual thing that leads to big differences in quality is a combination of the story board artist, director and animation director. Obviously things like time constraints and such affect things too, but generally speaking the people behind it matter a little more. Thankfully we have full credits, so we can see who was responsible for what.
I'm not transcribing all these names so you can just deal with screen caps. Please note there's also a full team of folks behind things like inbetweens and so on, but generally its these people who really pave the way for how it looks and animates.
The Champion
The Eclipse
The Visionary
The Plan
The Rival
The Wish
While I was scrubbing through these Benjamin Townsend was responsible for writing all of them and James Turner wound up being the visual supervisor for all of them.
And I know people liked that first behind the scenes, well there's one for Episodes 2, 3 & 4 on their youtube channel. I imagine 5-8 will get one when they're all done.
I'm not transcribing all these names so you can just deal with screen caps. Please note there's also a full team of folks behind things like inbetweens and so on, but generally its these people who really pave the way for how it looks and animates.
The Champion
The Eclipse
The Visionary
The Plan
The Rival
The Wish
While I was scrubbing through these Benjamin Townsend was responsible for writing all of them and James Turner wound up being the visual supervisor for all of them.
And I know people liked that first behind the scenes, well there's one for Episodes 2, 3 & 4 on their youtube channel. I imagine 5-8 will get one when they're all done.
That was so awesome. May for the win. Even if Swampert instead of Blaziken feels strange.
Titles & Arrivals:
- 0:03: Ooh, fancy title intro!
- 0:24: May, you could have waited until Latios flew to the entrance of Sky Pillar and safely gotten off. There was no reason for you to hang off Latios low to the ground, making it dodge rocks, and then do a jump & running start.
- 0:34: Fancy Title Intro 2: The Evolution.
- 0:50: Well, I guess Latios is gonna have to pick you up from the top then...
- 2:00: Wait, so is May actually seeing a vision or is this all in her head?
- 2:09: Kind of takes some menace away from Primal Kyogre with it having to splash its way up to Primal Groudon...
- 2:41: I guess we're just gonna assume May is as athletic as Zinnia and is able to make the ridiculous jumps over gaps she can.
- 2:46: Um, Hoenn Starters because...???
- 3:15: Okay so I guess it is visions as Zinnia and May are both reacting to them, so what's causing them? All Zinnia did at the start was touch her Key Stone but it didn't do anything and then we say the Mega Evolution symbol on the wall fades into black, glow, and then goes into the vision; if that's what was supposed to be giving them visions I feel they could have made it clearer, like Zinnia's Key Stone slightly glowing and/or the symbol on the wall glowing before fading to the black.
- 3:17: Good job Zinnia you just killed the only person that could help you, you're such a f*** up.
- 3:43: As she turns around a few hours later, that is when Zinnia realized May had fallen to her death.
- 4:15: Okay, not dead, just that everyone bone in her body should be broken but she can walk that off.
- 4:58: You know, after destroying everyone's else solution to teleport the meteor because you "knew" it would teleport the meteor to Emerald version's universe; you're TOTALLY the hero here.
- 4:59: YES! Would have preferred at least an attempt of a punch, but finally something showing the protag being angry and annoyed at Zinnia.
- 6:46: "Ugh, give me 10 more minutes, you just woke me up from a few hundred years nap."
- 7:02: "HEY, last time I did this I had an entire region of people and Pokemon wishing me more power. Now it's just you, that's quite the downgrade on YOUR part wouldn't you say?"
- 7:22: So, May just knew to do that?
- 7:48: "Forsaken", sure, its Rayquaza's decision that it's going with the player, it's not that you're a massive f*** up that nearly doomed the planet TWICE, right Zinnia?
- 8:08: Wait, what, I'm confused. When Zinnia gave May a Poke Ball I assumed it was to catch Rayquaza with, but then the Poke Ball had an Aggron in it? Zinnia doesn't have an Aggron in the games and I don't recall Zinnia taking any of May's Pokemon (not when climbing up Sky Pillar nor when she dodge May's attempt to grab the Key Stones). So what's what's going on here?
- 8:38: Oh come on, you're not even going to show Swampert Mega Evolving?
- 8:58: FINALLY! One of the things we've been waiting for, an official depiction of Aster (yes, I know the Special Manga has their own version of her, though she looked way older there than I thought Aster was (though to be I thought they were around the same age)).
- 9:38: Have the Draconids ever thought about writing down their legends in a book and donating it to a library or museum? I don't feel they would need a Lorekeeper if they did that.
- 9:50: Is that Pacifidlog Town? Looks weird just being a row of huts connected by a long wooden platform; it's supposed to be a small village on essentially homes built on rafts and connected together via bridges.
- 9:55: Seriously, did they spend all their budget on the first half they didn't have enough to show two Mega Evolutions (heck, three since we didn't see Rayquaza Mega Evolve here)?
- 10:14: Oh, we cut short of watching the player put on the hazard suit and flying into space... oh, and also the important scene of Zinnia talking with her grandmother who tells her to go and live her own life, feel that was kind of an important part of Zinnia's story.
Final Thoughts: A lot of mixed thoughts, but I guess that's appropriate for an episode that feels equally mixed in what it wanted to do.
Now, for those who played the games, they know what's going on and the meaning behind some of what was shown. But I'm curious if someone who didn't would. Actually, I know that answer: they wouldn't. One major reason why: They didn't even say Aster's name once. Which, for an episode supposedly about Zinnia, is a MAJOR exclusion even if they did show a quick flashback of Zinnia with her (but once again, you already need to know Zinnia's story to know that was LIKELY Aster, for those who didn't they would probably think that was her mom (or older sister at least).
Actually, WAS this a Zinnia episode? Because here's where one of the mixed up things come in, it feels like the writers & animators were conflicted. They wanted to show the cool visuals they had in mind for Sky Pillar... but doing so really took away from telling Zinnia's story.
If I were directing this, while I would still use Sky Pillar as a framing piece, instead of going into unexplained visions of the Legendaries I'd instead switch to flashbacks of Zinnia's life. A scene establishing the connection between Zinnia and Aster, Zinnia solemnly inheriting the title or Lorekeeper after Aster's passing and learning the meteor is coming, Zinnia telling Team Aqua & Magma about the legends in hopes of tricking them, and finally going around and ruining the Link Cable plan while also stealing Key Stones. Sure, maybe it wouldn't be as visually interesting, but I think it would be more engagingly interesting as we watch two stories happen: Progression up the tower learning about the legends & Zinnia's story. Once at the top it'd probably go the same ways as we saw it. Then, finally, maybe as a post credit scene, we have Zinnia talking with her grandmother and going off to live her own life.
Overall it's an okay episode. I feel you miss a lot of context if you didn't already know it, and them wanting to focus on visuals meant putting a lot of Zinnia's backstory, which this was supposed to be about, on the backburner. That said the visuals were nice (even if they were a bit frontloaded) and we did get to see what would likely be the closest official depiction of Aster. But, hey, if a character as dull as Lysandre can keep getting episodes based on him, maybe in the future Zinnia will get a second chance and we'd be told a more indepth story. Maybe one series they could do is animating some of the background stories that are told/hinted to but are never shown on-screen (Oak's Pokemon journey when he was young, Silver's upbringing, what exactly happened to Aster & Zinnia inheriting the Lorekeeper title, ???, Iris's journey to becoming Champion, ANYTHING else from Gen VI that isn't Lysandre, Guzma's life & creation of Team Skull, and Rose's life & rise to power).
Cool, I'll watch those a little later on.
I think one of the most enjoyable story arcs out of all the Pokémon games was the Delta Episode.
Therefore I'm really happy with the way that episode turned out and added that little bit of extra to that already great story and the mystery of Zinnia.
I would totally love see more of this
Therefore I'm really happy with the way that episode turned out and added that little bit of extra to that already great story and the mystery of Zinnia.
I would totally love see more of this
This time, game-accuracy takes an L, as Mega Rayquaza doesn't one-shot Zinnia's whole team.
Ooh I loved Hoenn's Evolutions episode. I think this might be my second favorite episode in the series, maybe my favorite but this and Unova are super close.
This episode mainly opted to focus on the Delta Episode, and Zinnia talking about the backstory of Rayquaza and its role in stopping Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, and the events leading up to them confronting at the top of the Sky Pillar, while both her and May climb the Sky Pillar (and poor May even fell down a floor for a bit. The animation was excellent, and it really did a great job at showcasing the Delta Episode in an even livelier and more compelling light than the game itself did, right down to Rayquaza showing up and Zinnia proving not strong enough, and May having to catch it, and then the two confront and battle each other. We even get to see Zinnia as a child and her backstory, which helped add more to her character. A nice little tough is that unlike previous game protagonists, this time we see May using more than one Pokemon against the legendary, as she used both an Aggron and an Altaria against Rayquaza, as well as a Mega Swampert incidentally.
Overall an excellent episode, and one that had a lot of work put into the animation evidently and it's up there with Unova as a top favorite of mine in terms of this series. ORAS had a very interesting story on par with BW1 imo so that's to be expected (and both are up there among my favorite games in the series) but this episode really took part of the story and brought it to life even moreso than the game did.
This episode mainly opted to focus on the Delta Episode, and Zinnia talking about the backstory of Rayquaza and its role in stopping Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, and the events leading up to them confronting at the top of the Sky Pillar, while both her and May climb the Sky Pillar (and poor May even fell down a floor for a bit. The animation was excellent, and it really did a great job at showcasing the Delta Episode in an even livelier and more compelling light than the game itself did, right down to Rayquaza showing up and Zinnia proving not strong enough, and May having to catch it, and then the two confront and battle each other. We even get to see Zinnia as a child and her backstory, which helped add more to her character. A nice little tough is that unlike previous game protagonists, this time we see May using more than one Pokemon against the legendary, as she used both an Aggron and an Altaria against Rayquaza, as well as a Mega Swampert incidentally.
Overall an excellent episode, and one that had a lot of work put into the animation evidently and it's up there with Unova as a top favorite of mine in terms of this series. ORAS had a very interesting story on par with BW1 imo so that's to be expected (and both are up there among my favorite games in the series) but this episode really took part of the story and brought it to life even moreso than the game did.
Today's ep in Japan concluded the Dialga/Palkia story. Seeing Ash with a Pichu is something so weird, we also saw de-evolutions for the first time in the anime ever where Ash's Gengar and Dragonite de-evolved as did Go's Cinderace.
While I liked the first part better, (Dawn's role was oddly much smaller in this episode and Go got all the screentime), it was a satisfying ending to stopping the AU Team Rocket from controlling Dialga/Palkia with the red chain. For what was essentially a DP promo episode, it did its job. Arceus was prayed to, to save the day at the end. Given Dawn's ending was so low-key I imagine she'll appear one final time whenever they advertise Arceus/Hisui region early next year. Dawn meeting her ancestor is probably going to happen in a time travel arc, and then they'll move on from DP promotion to something else.
While I liked the first part better, (Dawn's role was oddly much smaller in this episode and Go got all the screentime), it was a satisfying ending to stopping the AU Team Rocket from controlling Dialga/Palkia with the red chain. For what was essentially a DP promo episode, it did its job. Arceus was prayed to, to save the day at the end. Given Dawn's ending was so low-key I imagine she'll appear one final time whenever they advertise Arceus/Hisui region early next year. Dawn meeting her ancestor is probably going to happen in a time travel arc, and then they'll move on from DP promotion to something else.
The second part of the BDSP tie-in with the GOAT Dawn again, it was a pretty interesting episode. A weird one, even. As it turns out, AU Team Rocket used Dialga and Palkia's power using Arceus's Red Chain, to use Palkia's power to open dimensions between worlds and bring Pokemon in from other parts of the AU and the normal Universe, and Dialga's to devolve and revert every Pokemon back into an Egg, so that once they gather them, they re-train them to submit to Team Rocket's will and fulfill their goal of utter world domination. The plan ends up foiled as AU Chloe hacked into what the AU Team Rocket's technology's weakness was, and whatnot. Unfortunately, this led to Dialga and Palkia going berserk and everyone, including Ash, Goh, Dawn, and Chloe and their AU counterparts were shrunk to become super small, and all their Pokemon became Eggs, but gateways to the other parts of the AU and they called out to everyone else and together they reached out to Arceus, who came in as a silhouette and broke the Red Chains. Dialga and Palkia undid all the reversions and devolutions that happened to the people and Pokemon, and sent Ash and co. back to their own universe.
It seems this won't be the last we see of Dawn, which of course makes me happy. If I get to see her more in the future, I'm down for that! There is never enough Dawn.
Interestingly when Dialga's time reversion affected Ash and co., they all were effectively chibi-sized. I am 100% convinced this is an indirect shout-out to BDSP which this two-parter is promoting, and the chibi-appearance of the people in the BDSP overworld.
Also AU Ash seems to be more of a crybaby than Normal Ash, which reminds me a lot of the Mirror World Ash from XY. Mirror World Ash from that series was timid and a crybaby, and while this one doesn't seem as extreme, this AU Ash from this episode also seems to cry a lot. What's with Alternate World Ash Ketchums having a tendency to cry a lot? Also AU Chloe seems to have a Kansai dialect, much like Chloe's doppelganger Haruhi from several episodes ago. That was interesting imo.
Anyway, next up are two episodes surrounding Allister. Seems we'll be getting some Galar rep next, and Gengar will go on a journey to master the ability to Gigantamax. Damn Ash, you've got Mega Lucario, a Pikachu with a Z-Move and the ability to G-Max, and now your Gengar will be able to G-Max as well. This kid's just getting stronger and stronger at this rate.
It's definitely going to fit the trend for Akari to show up for a few eps considering it's confirmed Akari or Rei (the player character you don't choose) serves as an important NPC in Legends: Arceus the game itself. The three player characters who have been main characters thus far (May, Dawn, and Serena) are all from games that have the player character you don't choose serve an important NPC role, with RSE and XY having Brendan/May and Calem/Serena serve as your rival, while DPP has Lucas/Dawn serve as Rowan's assistant and friend in the game. We also had Lyra show up for a few episodes in DP to promote HGSS, which is also part of the trend as Ethan/Lyra shows up as an important NPC who is your friend in HGSS.
Thus given the trends (which Legends: Arceus' Rei or Akari align with) it's totally possible, if not outright likely, that we'll see Akari in the main anime for a few episodes. Dawn herself will probably show up and as you said, Dawn and Akari will probably meet in a time travel arc to promote Legends: Arceus not to mention Ash, Goh, and Chloe will probably join up with them.
I'd love to see what Dawn's ancestor Akari's character is like, and if Akari and Dawn share any personality traits in common. Dawn is such a fun and awesome character and maybe she and Akari will have an interesting dynamic, even if they don't figure out that Akari is Dawn's ancestor, that is. Of course, nothing's confirmed yet, but I'd be down for it!
It seems this won't be the last we see of Dawn, which of course makes me happy. If I get to see her more in the future, I'm down for that! There is never enough Dawn.
Interestingly when Dialga's time reversion affected Ash and co., they all were effectively chibi-sized. I am 100% convinced this is an indirect shout-out to BDSP which this two-parter is promoting, and the chibi-appearance of the people in the BDSP overworld.
Also AU Ash seems to be more of a crybaby than Normal Ash, which reminds me a lot of the Mirror World Ash from XY. Mirror World Ash from that series was timid and a crybaby, and while this one doesn't seem as extreme, this AU Ash from this episode also seems to cry a lot. What's with Alternate World Ash Ketchums having a tendency to cry a lot? Also AU Chloe seems to have a Kansai dialect, much like Chloe's doppelganger Haruhi from several episodes ago. That was interesting imo.
Anyway, next up are two episodes surrounding Allister. Seems we'll be getting some Galar rep next, and Gengar will go on a journey to master the ability to Gigantamax. Damn Ash, you've got Mega Lucario, a Pikachu with a Z-Move and the ability to G-Max, and now your Gengar will be able to G-Max as well. This kid's just getting stronger and stronger at this rate.
Ayoooo calling it now Akari will show up for a few episodes in the anime to promote Legends: Arceus and Akari and Dawn will meet let's gooo, and Ash and Goh and Dawn and Chloe will all time travel back to ancient Hisui and meet the Galaxy Expedition Team, including Akari herself, and we'll also meet Cyllene, Kamado, and Laventon and maybe some Hisuian mons too.
It's definitely going to fit the trend for Akari to show up for a few eps considering it's confirmed Akari or Rei (the player character you don't choose) serves as an important NPC in Legends: Arceus the game itself. The three player characters who have been main characters thus far (May, Dawn, and Serena) are all from games that have the player character you don't choose serve an important NPC role, with RSE and XY having Brendan/May and Calem/Serena serve as your rival, while DPP has Lucas/Dawn serve as Rowan's assistant and friend in the game. We also had Lyra show up for a few episodes in DP to promote HGSS, which is also part of the trend as Ethan/Lyra shows up as an important NPC who is your friend in HGSS.
Thus given the trends (which Legends: Arceus' Rei or Akari align with) it's totally possible, if not outright likely, that we'll see Akari in the main anime for a few episodes. Dawn herself will probably show up and as you said, Dawn and Akari will probably meet in a time travel arc to promote Legends: Arceus not to mention Ash, Goh, and Chloe will probably join up with them.
I'd love to see what Dawn's ancestor Akari's character is like, and if Akari and Dawn share any personality traits in common. Dawn is such a fun and awesome character and maybe she and Akari will have an interesting dynamic, even if they don't figure out that Akari is Dawn's ancestor, that is. Of course, nothing's confirmed yet, but I'd be down for it!
Not to mention if we see any of the player characters they'll ignore Lucas' ancestor because well, outside small movie cameo, Lucas was ignored in the anime like all the male game protagonists. So yeah, and they'll probably have Hikari's Japanese VA also play her ancestor because anime usually does things like that. The anime will likely move on from Sinnoh promotion after that, aside from Cynthia being an opponent later on, so that will probably be Dawn's last appearance early next year. After all you have to bring back some other old companions too.
So a literal Arceus ex machina.
Ash: Yo, Arceus, I need to call in that favor for saving you that one time!
Arceus: Didn't I already pay that back by stopping Hoopa's uncontrollable power from destroying that city?
Ash: Um, I need another?
Arceus: ... Well, this time it is my kids misbehaving so I do have more direct involvement here. Fine, but this better not become a common occurrence.
A special has been announced for the main anime which is based around Legends: Arceus!
No other details then that, so we'll have to see whether this has some time travelling shenanigans (something notably absent from the recent episodes involving Dialga & Palkia) or if they're doing something a bit different (I say this as I would think if they time travelled then Ash & Goh would likely run into Akari or something, though it looks like this is Dawn as she has Piplup which Akari likely wouldn't have). Though for all of those excited about them having the Hisuian Poke Balls, note this is a Special so therefore there is a very low chance of a major capture, at least for Ash and Dawn.
No other details then that, so we'll have to see whether this has some time travelling shenanigans (something notably absent from the recent episodes involving Dialga & Palkia) or if they're doing something a bit different (I say this as I would think if they time travelled then Ash & Goh would likely run into Akari or something, though it looks like this is Dawn as she has Piplup which Akari likely wouldn't have). Though for all of those excited about them having the Hisuian Poke Balls, note this is a Special so therefore there is a very low chance of a major capture, at least for Ash and Dawn.
No indepth analysis this time as there's really nothing for me to make micro-comments on (maybe a joke or two, but not enough to really bother).
Overall a pretty good episode. Though considering how character-focused the other episodes were, this one feels like an odd-ball as it doesn't really unless you want to count either the Kimono Girls or Lugia.
- Festival: Always fun to see the Japanese festivals in the Pokemon world, wish in the games they could maybe have a small festival take place every week or so where you could play mini-games, earn prizes, buy usual rare items, and etc..
- Before The Show: While nothing extraordinary with the Kimono Girls preparing for the show, just fun to see what little details they add. The Maneki-Neko Meowth (does it really need to be holding a coin when it has one on its head?), the assistants helping the girls get ready, the decorations like the hand fans on the wall, one of the girls receiving flowers, the bottles of water sprawled around (and a container of green tea). Actually feels like what goes on in a backstage room.
- The Show: As R_N said, it's surprising how Lugia focused it is. Like after the initial mentioning of Ho-Oh nesting in the Bell Tower it's never mentioned again. I suppose maybe this is because Generations focused on Ho-Oh's involvement and the creation of the Beast Trio that they wanted to give Lugia some time in the limelight. Still, a general mention of Ho-Oh also fleeing the Bell Tower because of the fire I think would address it's sudden absence.
I like how they used the Eeveelutions to segment the performances. Umbreon was used to introduce the night the fire happened, Jolteon the storm, Flareon the fire, Vaporeon the rain, and finally Espeon the morning after. Also fun to see above stage all the Pokemon they had helping with special effects like Fearow providing the voices of the Tower Duo, a few Grass- and Bug-types to provide sparkling effects (though makes you wonder if one of them ever accidentally use the spore/powder they use for attacks like Stun Spore or Sleep/Poison Powder, oops), Magnetons providing additional lightning effects, and Weezing releasing smoke/mist.
- The Legend: So this is a more detailed telling of the events of the burning of the Brass Tower (not sure if it changed anything). The lightning causing the fire and rain putting the fire out bit is of course the same, but I don't remember anything mentioning Lugia trying to blow out the fire with gusts of wind... and accidentally spreading the fire until it was threatening all of Ecruteak, oops. Though I think they missed an opportunity by saying Lugia is looking for someone "pure of heart" instead of "pure of soul"; Though if they mentioned both the Tower Duo flying away they could have said "pure of heart & soul".
Though all of this made me realize the games also missed an opportunity: they never really did anything if you brought Lugia back to the Burned Tower. Like the Bell Tower is where you catch Ho-Oh, but Lugia has no event trigger in the Burned Tower. Like, I haven't even heard Lugia having a special interaction if you take it to the Burned Tower in HGSS (like how if you take a Togepi to the Cerulean Gym it'll have the special interaction of it crying softly).
So...onto the Johto episode of Evolutions.
This episode ended up being very different from the previous ones. It seems this one wasn't focused on some big epic climax between a Trainer and a legendary like a lot of them were, or an individual journey like Sinnoh's. This one was very much probably a more down-to-earth episode where everything that happens in this episode is an everyday thing going on with the Kimono Girls putting on a show about the legends of the Ecruteak Towers. We see a typical Japanese Summer Festival like the ones that are always held in Japan each summer, and then the rest of the episode is a show at the Kimono Girls' Theater describing the legend in great detail. The story of the two towers, the Bell Tower and Brass Tower, where Lugia and Ho-oh made their roosts, and the people of Ecruteak revered them as deities, until one day lightning struck the tower and Lugia fled. They added an interesting detail by describing more of Lugia's involvement in the story, as now we see more of what Lugia did rather than what Ho-oh did: Lugia apparently tried to use wind to extinguish the fire that burned Brass Tower, until it called for rain to burn it out fully before fleeing.
The show was fun to watch, and it was amazing to see the Eeveelutions of the Kimono Girls as well as certain prop Pokemon being used behind the scenes to create the special effects, and yet managed to make the showing feel so authentic like the audience was bona fide witnessing the events that were transpiring. Really nice to see in action.
It seems Ethan was the "protagonist" for this episode, but he wasn't involved in much of anything in this episode, which is first for the player characters in these episodes.
Overall I liked the episode. It was fun to watch and pretty interesting to see the story of the towers being described in such great detail by the Kimono Girls' show. I also liked the showcasing of Larvitar and Tyranitar showing up here and there since they were pretty obscure in the Johto games themselves. Only thing is that while it was Lugia focused, I would've loved to see the showcasing of the three Pokemon who perished in the fire and how Ho-oh revived them and turned them into Raikou, Entei, and Suicune: the beasts were an important part of the old legend after all, but alas.
Only one more down and that's Kanto.
This episode ended up being very different from the previous ones. It seems this one wasn't focused on some big epic climax between a Trainer and a legendary like a lot of them were, or an individual journey like Sinnoh's. This one was very much probably a more down-to-earth episode where everything that happens in this episode is an everyday thing going on with the Kimono Girls putting on a show about the legends of the Ecruteak Towers. We see a typical Japanese Summer Festival like the ones that are always held in Japan each summer, and then the rest of the episode is a show at the Kimono Girls' Theater describing the legend in great detail. The story of the two towers, the Bell Tower and Brass Tower, where Lugia and Ho-oh made their roosts, and the people of Ecruteak revered them as deities, until one day lightning struck the tower and Lugia fled. They added an interesting detail by describing more of Lugia's involvement in the story, as now we see more of what Lugia did rather than what Ho-oh did: Lugia apparently tried to use wind to extinguish the fire that burned Brass Tower, until it called for rain to burn it out fully before fleeing.
The show was fun to watch, and it was amazing to see the Eeveelutions of the Kimono Girls as well as certain prop Pokemon being used behind the scenes to create the special effects, and yet managed to make the showing feel so authentic like the audience was bona fide witnessing the events that were transpiring. Really nice to see in action.
It seems Ethan was the "protagonist" for this episode, but he wasn't involved in much of anything in this episode, which is first for the player characters in these episodes.
Overall I liked the episode. It was fun to watch and pretty interesting to see the story of the towers being described in such great detail by the Kimono Girls' show. I also liked the showcasing of Larvitar and Tyranitar showing up here and there since they were pretty obscure in the Johto games themselves. Only thing is that while it was Lugia focused, I would've loved to see the showcasing of the three Pokemon who perished in the fire and how Ho-oh revived them and turned them into Raikou, Entei, and Suicune: the beasts were an important part of the old legend after all, but alas.
Only one more down and that's Kanto.
Of course I'm a biased Johto fan, but this was a good one. Liked the various ways that Pokemon were used in the performance. Liked the Totodile gag. Liked crying Gengar. Liked Lugia getting more emphasis and a bigger role in the story than usual.
By the way, I wasn't very surprised by that emphasis. There definitely was less Ho-Oh in this than I expected, but didn't the trailers mostly show Lugia?
By the way, I wasn't very surprised by that emphasis. There definitely was less Ho-Oh in this than I expected, but didn't the trailers mostly show Lugia?
Yung Dramps
awesome gaming
He's finally back to us...