To Thine Own Pokemon Be True! (592)

[Thriller]

I don't see how that would be difficult, Ash lives in Kanto after all. In addition, there is the Pokemon transfer system.

... Buizel, I hope you realize it is your fault with your ugly face.

[AdvanceX]

I f'ing RAGED when I read Ambi left to play Ping-Pong... I raged SOO HARD!! WTF writers!?! WTF

[trixie08]

Those writers are sadistic, man!! Ambipom was my favorite Pokemon on Dawn's team and now they decide to get rid of it and give it to some random guy for ping-pong?

This is worse than the time I missed out on my chance to chat with Rainn Wilson. Well, maybe not as bad, but still, why Ambipom?!??!??!!

[Thriller]

I'm just glad it didn't leave for the same reason Primeape left. After winning the competition it was given to that dude to become a "REAL" P1 Champion. I guess it was only a fake P1 Champion I guess.

[ShinyCharyZard]

So it loves Ash, then loves Contests, then loves Ping Pong?...Whats next? While in Vermillion, are they gonna make it learn Water Pulse and let it join the Squirtle Squad? Then maybe y'know, it could join up with Pidgeot in Viridian Forest and protect a bunch of Aipom from a Primeape?

[MidnightMelody]

Anyone notice how the monkeys are always released? Primape by Ash. Chimchar by Paul and now Ambipom by Dawn. The writers are raceist towards Monkeys!

[AdvanceX]

Anyone notice how the monkeys are always released? Primape by Ash. Chimchar by Paul and now Ambipom by Dawn. The writers are raceist towards Monkeys!

QFT! I was just about to mention that

[S.Suikun]

I'm calling it while it's still hot off the grill - This thread will go down as one of Serebii's Greatest Hits. We haven't had a true main team release since Vulpix, and that was well before this forum existed, so this is a nice glimpse at what could have been. It's already got more than its share of classics, which is hard to accomplish so soon after the Piplup/Everstone fallout. Truly, we are living in a golden age. We've already got our share of cursing the writers (I always see this as if "The Writers" is some mysterious multi-headed entity that controls the flow of time and space) and accusations of "racism".

Also note that I will never, ever express my opinion of the departure, just like that anonymous neutral nation that will remain unnamed. The one where Swiss cheese comes from (Oops!). Review on actual episode content later, because somebody has to (though I give props to ^ASH^).

[^ASH^]

Review on actual episode content later, because somebody has to (though I give props to ^ASH^).

Heh, thanks ^_^
I do admit however - I did freak out when the speculation about all this began... but I think thanks to that I was prepared and accepted this before the ep aired... when I read it did leave I was upset but watching the episode caused me to change my opinion (but I'd prefer if it did stay...)

I write mainly on Bulbagarden... maybe I should begin to post regularely here too XD
Oh and it's fun write in details about episodes, this is another thing I might keep doing from now on
A few "little things" I didn't write about in my original post but are too great to ignore:

- Once again Brock and James sit together in the audience, once again they understand each other and once again they're hugging... and Pip look at them embarrased...
- Jessie complain about Marowak using its bone while Meowth isn't allowed to use the... paddle? (that's the word for that?) that was funny too XD
- Ash getting the PP ball to his face XD
Oh, did I say how I love this show? all these little things really entertain me alot XD
Another "little thing" that I liked was during the competition, Ambi patted Dawn on the shoulder when Dawn became too nervous
- Ash getting nervous (that's rare, it's usually Dawn's thing)
- Meowth destroying the ball and cause Jessie to lose XD

And about Ambi, the fact they bothered to mention where it is and which location they chose make me believe we might see it again, but better not expect it... more copy past...
Actually, if to go by the games (which the anime likes more than ever now) if one wants to go to Johto from Kanto, an easy way is take the ship from Vermilion to Olivine (which just happens to be the city of a previous Gym Leader who returned in DPt)
Since it's obvious between the end of Sinnoh and beginning of new journey, like always they'll go to Pallet Town... they'll have to get from Kanto to Johto (assuming they go to Johto next, assuming there are remakes)
And as I said, that's the easy way to do so in the games (didn't May taking a ship from Snowpoint to Lake Valor also fitting with the games? I didn't play DP yet...)

[milenadrg]

I am still in shock because Ambipom leaved. Such an awesome Pokemon. Now when Tall Purple Monkey is gone, nothing will be same and that cool like it was before...

[shac]

This was really a very bad twist from the writers.............Why develop a character this much if you just want to let it go in the end? I mean, it would have made sense if aipom was not Ash's to begin with and all those histories of choosing contest over battling never happened. So aipom was just a plot device to bring Buizel in Ash's team? How very silly!!
Now what will Dawn do? She only has this stupid penguin, a stubborn pig and ice-skating buneary!?! Nothing but water and ice!Oh and pachi is there as well....hmmph! I dunno about you guys but I feel she needs to get someone and soon!

[Sparkleo]

I have mixed feelings for this episode.

It stood out as Ambipom stole the show and helped Dawn at the finals. Also, points for an original plot since we've seen a lot of Battle and Contest related stuff. So kudos to them.

Unfortunately, I will never forgive the writers for writing off Ambipom like that. I always like the moments when the Pokemon are given a choice to really think about. I understand Primape from Kanto being written off since it never played a big part in Ash's team. But Aipom/Ambipom was traded for Buizel and was a great plot Contest Pokemon. *sigh* It must've saw Ping-pong as another fun thing to do, especially with those hand-tails, but seriously?!

I can't say anymore...

[pokefan16]

Ok I Just watched the episode

It was a great episode actually,they put some flashbacks of ash and also with jessie. and Also it almost made me cry (ALMOST). I'm still ****** of also to the writers of letting ambipom leave and chose ping pong over contests. Why do i get a feeling that Ambi might pull of a Squirtle/Charizard thing in the future especially in the GF.

BTW, I'm sad also that Dawn's others pokemon didn't had an appearance in the episode, they shoul've let pachi,Mamo, and buneary come out just to say good bye. They will wonder where ambi go if the came out in the future episodes.

I wonder what The Intro will be like in the next episode excluding ambipom

[kris198921]

ok so ambipom left no big deal dawn will get a new pokemon and you will forget all about the two tailed monkey. there are a lot better pokemon than ambipom anyway, and i had a feeling this was going to happen since Dawn's team wasn't balanced with 2 normal types anyway so it only makes since that she lets the weakest link go.

[Electivirus]

One has to wonder whether the writers did this just to elicit epic lulz from the overreacting fanbase fandumb.

If so...bravo.

Brock and James bonding again? Nice.

Well, what do you know? Ash is still the butt monkey of the series.

[CyberCubed]

Man, Ambipom is going to be remembered as the Pokemon with ADD, with its changing its mind all the time.

[00poke_maniac]

Was it just me or did the episode seem to skip some things due to it being a 30 min. program?

[mitchman_93]

No they did that I think cause all the mains were left out of the finals. Anyway they say that Ambipoms leave was untouching and cruel just waving. It was actually pretty touching. Both dawn AND ash made the decision and I liked that cause both of them have rights over it. I love how it played with that hats and the touching music Eteboh flashbacks had. But man that Okido quiz was hilarious. Good to see it back.

[S.Suikun]

This episode is sure to teach kids plenty of lifelong lessons about how friendship is fickle and that the phrase “best friends forever” is about as false as “You’ll always have your family”. Heck, since I don’t even know who's on my Serebii friends list, one of these days I actually will go through and “prune” the list (if you get axed, don’t be offended; it just means I don’t like you). It’ll just like releasing Pokemon! Anyways, this episode was about Ambipom once again changing life partners, officially making her the Pokemon equivalent of Elizabeth Taylor. They also both resemble apes.

Now, ping pong is one of China’s less useful pastimes. Personally, I prefer their playing with guns and toxic children’s toys. It was apparently stolen from the British according to Fact-ipedia, potentially outdoing Serebii Forums as the biggest waste of time the British have ever invented. Totally true stereotypes aside, this episode turned the sorry excuse for a sport on its head, making it both dramatic and exciting, if obviously rushed at points. I really do love it when my ping pong ball catches fire, don't you? I felt a little robbed that we didn't get to actually see Ash and Dawn face off, but obviously Ash wasn't this episode's focus.

I liked Jessie's new outfit and Bono glasses, just to give her a break from the Jesselina outfit. Her use of Meowth may be some foreshadowing in combination with the ending of DP123. And I did appreciate her recollection of using Aipom in that faux contest. Obviously the whole drama and emotion of the event was exaggerated to such extremes (and I don't know why Dawn would leave Ambipom by itself for 5 rounds before getting a new paddle), but I felt that fade-to-light transition from the arena to Ambipom in the Pokemon Center was very well-done.

Then of course, we have the farewell. I recall being quite annoyed by Aipom's antics in Battle Frontier, but nearly 150 episodes later, I came to quite adore the thing. I'm going to abstain from giving any personal opinion of whether Ambipom should have left, but I will say that it's goodbye was written well with the juggling hats and balls. Way better than Primeape, which was totally spontaneous if you recall. Might I add that the opening next week is going to look very awkward. Buizel having double the space in its fade sequence should be a real "thrill".

[Blazing Charmander]

I haven't watched the episode yet (and don't know if I will), but I viewed the pictures without reading any posts about it. Although I was half-expecting Ambipom to leave like all the speculation suggested, my heart seriously dropped when I saw the picture of her boarding Ou's van. I've been around long enough to witness all the Pokemon releases from the main characters, but i'd probably say that of Ambipom has hit home the most effectively out of the lot.

I dunno, maybe all of the development of the Pokemon since it was an Aipom in the Battle Frontier saga makes me feel that we've been taken for a long and wasted ride. I have been on these forums since long before the Battle Frontier and I do remember how everyone used to slate Aipom for being such an annoying character at a time when all it did was tag along with the group and steal Ash's hat. However, we all knew that her late capture signalled a likely new evolution in Sinnoh for which we were all excited. Her affection for Ash and interest in contests were nice quirks too. I cannot therefore see why so much development has been poured into the little primate when it all amounted to this.

That's all i'm gonna say on the matter and i'll have to watch the episode to have a full opinion. Phew... other than that, though it looked to be an enjoyable episode, from top-notch animation courtesy of that man Iwane yet again, to some great character mannerisms.