Gathering the Gang of Four! (465)

[Rizardon]

Charizard looks weird,doesn´t it?

He,s never looked better. He,s just 'hot'.

Sorry for the bad pun.

[hustenapfel]

the eyes look creepy...

[Blaziken Trainer]

Wow. I hate the animation. It looks so cheap. Did they get new animation director or something?

[robotwind]

Havent seen the episode yet but after seeing the pics I can honestly say this looks to be a great episode. Ash, Pikachu, and the kanto trio getting to spend some time together is awesome. The flashbacks of how ash met them seems to be really nice. Cant wait to see the episode.

Charizard going down was really unexpected, I was thinking it would get destiny bonded but that didnt happen. O well that doesnt make charizard weak or anything, dusclops was just stronger.

episode Pics where do you see them at?

[Jikkle]

I usually don't notice things like animation but the animation just felt off the entire episode. All and all it's was a good episode for some of us old timers who remember the good old times in Indigo Saga

It was quick but May's Squirtle playing with Ash's Squirtle was pretty cool. Also Ash's Squirtle is acutally a lot bigger than May's but that's probably due more to May's still being a younger Squirlte than it being a runt.

For some reason they made wing attack out to be this awesome new attack for Charizard. Brandon by far is the best opponent to date in this show. His counters and strategy is just plain smart and logical unlike some "strategy" that his been in this show *cough* golden Swellow and Pikachu *cough*.

Looking forward to the finale even though once again it will fall on Pikachu to win the thing but the Bulbasaur and Squirte scenes look like they will be good.

[Gaiash]

Wow. I hate the animation. It looks so cheap. Did they get new animation director or something?

Most shots looked fantastic. There were the occational times when they changed art style (Good art but not the same style) but I love the whole thing.

Some of my favorate things about this episode:
Seeing Bulbasaur, Charizard and Squirtle together again. A sight not seen since Johto.
Bulbasaur standing on two legs.
Ash and Mays Squirtle's meeting each other.
Backwards cap for Ash, a rare sight in Advanced Generation.
Reanimated flashbacks.
Ash in his Kanto clothes in the Advanced Generation art style during the flashbacks.
Team Rockets metal ballon that by all logical standards shouldn't beable to take flight.
The training.
The fact that next episode Bulbasaur will most likely beat a Pokemon that Charizard lost to.

[Dreamer]

Anyone notice the error in the one flashback.

Charizard battled Articuno in an open, barren field?

yeah, and in that same shot, ash was wearing his old outfit...well, those are details of course, but still...

and Charizard looked a bit weird...

I just finished watching it, and I love it. it's a great episode, and I can't wait for the next one, which seems awesome...

I liked the somewhat slower version of 'battle frontier' played in the background during the flashback scene (I think it's the best pokémon theme ever), which made this scene even better

only 3 episodes left...if I'm correct...I hope we'll have more info on the cast for the next season soon...

[Dreamcoat]

Someone please tell me that I'm not the only one who have noticed how screwed up the animation is starting to be at certain points =/.

[Gaiash]

Someone please tell me that I'm not the only one who have noticed how screwed up the animation is starting to be at certain points =/.

Those aren't screw ups. Just another art style. Its good but its just too different from the main style.

[Haunter Hunter Sohrab]

Those aren't screw ups. Just another art style. Its good but its just too different from the main style.

That ain't style, it's a messed up ugly drawing and the episode is full of it.

[Dreamer]

yeah, it was different...didn't think it was ugly, but didn't really like it either. some shots just were weird...especially the charizard shot posted above...

[Gaiash]

That ain't style, it's a messed up ugly drawing and the episode is full of it.

Its not ugly. Its just very different from the main animation.

[Gravy]

Its not ugly. Its just very different from the main animation.

What 'main animation'? Every episode is animated and drawn differently.
This one in particular was is ugly. The characters are out of proportion (barring one or two close-up shots) and the animation sucked. It doesn't get any simpler than that.
'It's their art style' isn't a decent enough excuse for sloppy work I'm afraid.

[Dreamcoat]

Its not ugly. Its just very different from the main animation.

People are entitled to have opinions, honey.

[Flamez]

Charizard loses to Dusclops
Bulbasaur is most likely going to beat Dusclops
Squirtle will defeat whatever beats Bulbasaur

I also said seems

After watching the episode dusclops and charizard BOTH were breathing heavy, meaning both were worn out. So if bulbasaur beats it that doesn't make it better then charizard. You cant use that logic, i'll give a few examples: Pikachu lost to masamunes steelix but Grovyle beats it now that DOESNT mean grovyle is better cuz grovyle loses to tysons metagross and pikachu beats it. You see torkoal and pikachu battled and weakened steelix for grovyle to finish it off. The same thing with Swellow and grovyle when they weakened metagross for pikachu to win.
Charizard has battled dusclops and has drained alittle bit of its eneregy and dusclops IS tired. Therefore bulbasaur comes in fresh and can win. I know you said it SEEMS like that but get that idea out of your mind,lol.

Okay so after watching the episode I can honestly say it was an awesome episode. Gave me alot of laughs.
Charizard meeting Ash in the regular way by frying him but this time pikachu gets caught in it to.
When there all catching the logs it seems like squirtle gets ahead of himself and misses the catch, lol. (the turtle is damn good, unlike some OTHER turtle we know).
They make alittle bed (I think) and charizard gets in first only to have squirtle blast a water gun at it face. Charizard then gets up ready to strike but squirtles runs away then bulbasaur uses vine whip. Charizard dodges it and Oppps its slap pikachu in the face, ROFL.
Bulbasaur appologizes though but pikachu tries to iron tail charizard but it misses. Charizard is mad and fries Ash and pikachu as well, now pikachu is Pi**ed off, Ash tells it to calm down but it just Zaps them all including squirtle and bulbasaur.
When they all gater up the berries, its funny how pikachu uses quick attack and then stops and catchs two while on one foot, mad cute.
The flashback of how Ash got them was really sweet it had me crying. *shot*
Lol at Manene when it has its tounge sticking out while blasting off.

The battle was good IMO.
When charizard is confused or i dont know what happens to it cuz I have no clue what the attack is that leaves charizard immoblized. But we see Ash trying to snap him out of it, we get flashbacks of blaziken and articuno and charizard hears ash calling out to it and then snaps out of it ready to battle.
Charizard and Dusclops exchange hits and then we see them BOTH breathing Heavy, while charizard had taken more hits until that point. Clearly that shows charizard packs quite the punch.
Ash tells charizard to use steel wing which hits but then goes for seismic toss. My japanese is very limited but Im sure brock mentions at that point that dusclops is a ghost type and a fighting type attack wont effect it cuz dusclops just disappears. Brandon then uses shadowpunch and dusclops win.
Overall a good battle Ash made a mistake by using seismic toss cuz thats what ended up screwing him over.
Anyways the animation wasn't the greatest but still all the laughs I got and bonding with his trio again was rather nice. The charizard vs. dusclops battle was also good, overall i give it a 10/10.

[greatfire]

Wow. I hate the animation. It looks so cheap. Did they get new animation director or something?

Yes, the main animation team is currently working in the new D/P series, and it seems they took with them most of the budget.

Anyway, for those who didn't see the episode or don't understand enough japanese:

Brandon vs Ash: 4 vs 4. No time limit. Brandon cannot change pokemon, Ash can.

Dusclops vs Charizard:
Charizard uses Flamethrower, Dusclops uses Will-o-Wisp and both attacks cancel each other.
Charizard uses Steel Wing but Dusclops uses Shadow Punch and it hits first, stopping Charizard's attack.
Charizard uses Dragonbreath and it hits Dusclops.
Dusclops uses Mean Look and it hits Charizard but does not make any damage.
Charizard uses Steel Wing again but Dusclops uses Detect and clings to Charizard's wing so it can use Confuse Ray eye to face ensuring a hit.
Ash's Charizard is now too confused to move so Ash tries to retrieve it but Mean Look's effect prevents it.
Dusclops hits Charizard with Shadow Punch and Will-o-Wisp before Ash manages to make Charizard shake off its Confusion and hit Dusclops with another Dragonbreath.
Dusclops launches another Will-o-Wisp and hits, Charizard starts to show its tiredeness now, but Blaze is not triggered yet.
Charizard uses Steel Wing again so Dusclops uses Detect and again cling to the wing.
Ash commands a Seismic Toss at that moment, but Dusclops easily slips out of it because, as Brock points out, Ghost types are unaffected by Fighting moves.
Before Charizard recovers, Dusclops uses a Shadow Punch and Charizard faints.

Brandon 4 - Ash 3.

EDIT: Flamez is right, is Dragonbreath (ryu no ibuki) not Dragon Rage (ryu no ikari) my mistake.

[Kabuto]

Poor Ash can still be a rookie sometimes. Using seismic toss on a ghost type is stupid . Anyway, I hope Regice is the only Regi used. Because i don't want Charizard to look inferior. its been training for too dam long for that to happen. Can't wait for the next episode. This was very interesting.

EDIT: Saw the preview glad none of them are used.

[Flamez]

^^ I think the attack is Dragon Breath not Dragon Rage.
When Charizard snaps out of the confusion and hits dusclops with dragon breath and gets hit with will-o-wisp Im almost certain that both pokemon are breathing heavy. They both show there tiredness.

[Kabuto]

You know come to think of it, if brandon used all 3 regis, Ash would not be able to win.

MAYBE with Sceptile and Charizard he'd come close.

[Rizardon]

Dusclops >> Charizard
Bulbasaur >> Dusclops
Ninjask >> Bulbasaur
Squirtle >> Ninjask
Squirtle >> Solrock
Pikachu - Regice

Is this how the battle goes?
(Downloading the epi right now, a bit slow and i,m a bit impatient)