Going For Choke! (451)

[CyberCubed]

May watches Drew walk away... yet again... XD

Ash used to watch Gary when he walked away too, you know. Gary even used to do the same thing with the hand wave as he was walking, and Ash would watch while smiling.

Anyway, I really liked this episode. So we finally see what happens when a Contest ends in a tie, sudden death mode is awesome!

Squirtle Vs. Banette was a good battle. No cheap wins, no cop outs, just a straight out brawl with Squirtle winning. No complaints here, it was well done.

I'm really dying to know the dialouge between Harley and Ash/Drew/Brock/Max while they were backstage. Harley sure looked evil, what in the world was he saying?

Not much else to say since I can't understand Japanese, but it was good.

[Fizban]

I think Harley was saying that there is no rule that says he can't lend his pokemon to another person, so Jessie isn't breaking any rules.

This was a pretty awesome contest. Banette and Squirtle both did some impressive stuff. If Jessie knew about Torment she probably could have won the battle.

[sCiZoR_2006]

Hmm. The animators goofed on a part of the episode. When Brock called Forretress after Ash and Co. fell into TR's trap, Brock threw a normal Pokeball to call it...







If memory serves right, isn't Brock's Forretress in a Fast Ball?

[Torkoal Stu]

If memory serves right, isn't Brock's Forretress in a Fast Ball?

Yeah, but it hasn't been used in so long the writters must of forgotten, but the last time we saw it, it was in a Fast Ball.

Heck i'm just happy its out of its Pokeball.

[~*Mudkip Fantastic*~]

Yeah I just saw this ep and I hate the uber Squirt. And Shuu's Miracle-Gro Roselia was half his size. I wonder what plant food he uses ^_^. Anyways Harly and Shuu should have fought it out then. Everyone I talked to thought that they would fight. Shuu would have won cause Masquerain owns Cacturne.

[Yamato-san]

Squirtle Vs. Banette was a good battle. No cheap wins, no cop outs, just a straight out brawl with Squirtle winning. No complaints here, it was well done.

I don't know.... Zenigame plowing through a Thunder with Bubble seemed like bulls***. I think there were a couple other things off there, but I can't remember them at the moment. In any case, as S. Suikun said, it was a helluva lot better than Zenigame vs. Ariados. They didn't add insult to injury by making the little f*** KO Jupetta, then arrogantly flex its god damn arms while standing on top of him. Nope, Jupetta was still battle-capable, but Musashi just lost all her points. For that matter, Zenigame didn't KO Airmudo, neither, but won on a time-out. It seems the writers are taking great measures to not seriously p*ss me off this time around.... though they should've opted to just not use the friggin' thing in the first place.

While the contest battles turned out slightly better than I expected, I was really let down by the side-plot. I was hoping for Harley vs. Shuu, dammit. They'd have an aerial battle (which usually kick a**), in which Harley had that Airmudo and it went against Flygon. Instead, that preview clip of Flygon turned out to just be saving Satoshi-tachi. -_- Well, I hope Harley's got something damn good in store for the Grand Festival.

[The Big Al]

So if they tie at the time out they basically have a gunslinger-esque duel?

[vaporeon89]

Wich physical attack used Banette against Squirtle?

89

[Swifty]

This episode felt like 24.

[skarmachild]

Dissapointing :>(

[Dreamcoat]

Guess that Skarmory didn't belong to D..

*shot*

[Chatsy]

Oh, how I LOVED to see them boys work together so they all could watch May battle.

She sure knows how to get boys around her, I'll give her that XD

Yeah, while the females battle, the males duke it out, out back. Oh yes <3

In other words, I liked this episode. And the animation was much better than the last one.

[S.Suikun]

In other words, I liked this episode. And the animation was much better than the last one.

Looked the same dismal quality to me. 0_o

[Jikkle]

So what was the point of James and Meowth trapping Ash, Brock, and Max anyways? Just so they couldn't watch the contest? Seems like a pointless filler sidequest to me. The battle between May and Jessie was alright and for the most point sensical besides bubble beating out thunder that is. The GF being at the Indigo leads me to believe that Ash may re enter the Indigo league or at least have something significant happen there.

[Water Master David]

Very awesome episode! Extremely epic. May gets through SO much challenges and still ends up winning. And of course that awesome Squirtle.

[skarmachild]

And of course that awesome Squirtle.

Ban request.

[Gravy]

Looked the same dismal quality to me. 0_o

It definately wasn't the best I've seen, but it certainly wasn't as bad as last weeks garbage. Hell, at least the characters were on-model this time around. Artwork was pretty decent, the animation itself was mediocre.
But anyway...

This episode...something about it didn't click well with me. It was a decent attempt overall, but it didn't grab my attention as much as last week's effort.

Squirtle's battle against Banette was fine, though none of it's tactics really impressed me. I can only take so many Rapid Spin and Ice Beam attacks until they become dull and redundant. And considering we've already seen enough of these moves already...
There were one or few little touches that weren't exactly ideal, such as Bubble plowing through a Thunder. But we've seen weedy attacks plow through full-force moves on numerous occassions already. Grovyle, Corphish and even Charizard have done the same thing.
Honestly, I think the only real problem I had with it's battling was the way it deflected Skarmory's Steel Wing. I'm sorry, but I for one find it hard to believe an on the spot Rapid Spin would be enough to knock that huge metallic bird for a loop. Otherwise, everything else was fine.

The highlight of this episode, imo, was Banette going totally nutso on Squirtle with it's FRUSTRATION (bolded for silly members who ask repetative questions) attack. Both satisfying and amusing. I can only imagine how pleased our friend Yamato-san was after witnessing Squirtle taking a series of kicks, smacks and headbutts to the cranium.
And this? Priceless.

[Korobooshi Kojiro]

Someone needs to make a gif of Bannette pelvic thrusting Squirtle. That was lol hillarious!

Anyway, in that pic you posted Gravy, I think James is imitating Harley.

[skarmachild]

Squirtle vs Banette was really taking the cake.

Numerous Thunderbolts? Bubble overpowered Thunderbolt?

[Fizban]

Banette never once used Thunderbolt during that battle. Thunder probably doesn't work so well with Banette because it isn't an electric type.