The Four Seasons of Sawsbuck (715)

[Caseydia]

I hate episodes that give CotDs or PotDs character development. They tend to ignore the main cast and their pokemon and that's just what this episode did. We're never going to see these characters again, why should I care if this bland Robert person had a happy ending?

This was horrible


I did not care for it.

What? I don't think an episode like this is a bad thing. Just like when Iris was with Emonga and Axew alone, other characters need that alone time once in a while. It brings out their individuality.

[Honah]

I hate episodes that give CotDs or PotDs character development. They tend to ignore the main cast and their pokemon and that's just what this episode did. We're never going to see these characters again, why should I care if this bland Robert person had a happy ending?

This was horrible


I did not care for it.

Just like how we can never be moved by strangers we just met and will never meet again. No, stuff like that never happens in real life.

And we don't act any different around strangers than we do around our friends anyway so this was in no way an opportunity for someone like Ash to express normally-hidden parts of his character either. Not that Ash has much personality, he's rather bland: he loves to battle and believes in his pokemon, the character's subtext for every single pokemon episode and movie ever.

Though he's usually the one in danger, it's nice to get to see what he does when someone else is in peril for once (Robert! Wake up! Wake up! I know you're barely hanging on, but you're missing the Pokemon! Lol Ash). I like these Character of the Day episodes because the COTD has a whole lot more room to grow since they're not important to the series' continuation.

[playerking]

Swoobat is painful to look at and I hope I will never hear it's barbaric battle cry again.

WHY DOES IT EXIST, WHY DID SUGUMORI CREATE SUCH AN ABOMINATION?

Shush, it's voice was cute and Swoobat is an awesome Pokemon.

Gee, this episode was a waist of time. This all is starting to feel like Johto because the writers do get oppurtunities to show all of Ash's Pokemon but they aren't doing that. I think they want to give the starters equal time among themselves then the other Pokemon. Not like Johto when Totodile was ignored, Chikorita was the attention and Cyndquil was the muscule only when needed.

The starters are always shown off more, that's how it is. Plus, they're more marketable.

The groups Pokemon don't have to show up in every freaking episode. None of them were needed here, Swoobat was enough and it made sense for Robert to have a flying type, considering what he wanted to do.

I loved how everyone got all upset because they thought Swoobat used attract, when it was Charm.

Easy mistake, but I honestly didn't think it was Heart Stamp at all and it wasn't. :P

Did they get the title of this episode wrong? I thought it was "People Walking Around, the Episode! Ash and Robert!!"

There doesn't have to be battles or high action every episode, but this one really did come off as nothing more than a bunch of random events chained together for no real reason. I'm just glad they kept Cilan's latest nonsense to the beginning and end only.

No, they didn't. The episode was called what it is called for a reason. They wanted to find the Sawsbuck, do you expect most of the episode to be about Ash and co. around the Sawsbuck. It's expected that the goal is actually accomplished at the end.

Again with the Cilan hate, even when he hardly did anything, you still have to insinuate your hate for him, when you think he's being annoying, when that's just how he is.

This was obviously an episode to boost Ash's personality development by being by himself with someone. It's good to catch a break and let one do for themselves an episode or two. It shows if they can grow. Screw the Pokemon! If no one but Oshawott and Pikachu is going to hog the screen doing nothing in a filler than I rather none appear.

Pikachu will hog the screen regardless and I don't mind Oshawott appearing, but I'm glad it didn't here, there was no use for it.

I completely agree with dman on this one.. It would've been great to actually see some team Pokemon do something in this episode, even if it was nothing important.

Tranquill assisting Swoobat with the scouting, or Roggenrola being used for its listening skills.. Swadloon having a battle? Heck even just a group picnic at the beginning of the episode would've been nice, where Ash could've still quite happily been tickling Pikachu..

Episodes without any team Pokemon in them are usually my least favourite..

Swoobat was enough in my opinion, Roggenrola could have picked up sounds of a lot of forrest Pokemon, who's to know which ones were the 4 different seasonal Sawsbuck?

A group picnic where they did nothing is about as worse then them not appearing at all. Are people really that obsessed with seeing Ash's Pokemon that they wouldn't mind if they appeared for a few seconds whilst doing nothing?

Wow.

There will always be an episode with the teams Pokemon in them, thanks to Axew and Pikachu and seriously, the other Pokemon don't need to appear in every episode. Sometimes, there's nothing for them to do.

I hate episodes that give CotDs or PotDs character development. They tend to ignore the main cast and their pokemon and that's just what this episode did. We're never going to see these characters again, why should I care if this bland Robert person had a happy ending?

This was horrible


I did not care for it.

It's better than COTD's that are too bland. At least it was sort of an emotional episode. Not every episode that isn't a gym battle, or something important like that, should be about character development for the other characters. Some people would be happy because people called his grandfather a lier, so Robert went to take a photo for himself and he practically missed the opportunity. You might not like it, that's fine, but some of us did.



It was sort of an Ash episode, Iris and Cilan weren't needed that much, just like the Pokemon.

I loved this episode, the begining was so cute. Weird moment, how can time not go by when we saw it was nightime at some point, either Dento's gone insane or the fans did =/

If a lake can have a shining yellow light that can cure someone of being poisoned and all of the different Sawsbuck can be in the same place at the same time, I don't see why the time didn't really go by. Maybe the fog somehow caused it, maybe a Gothitelle was nearby.

What? I don't think an episode like this is a bad thing. Just like when Iris was with Emonga and Axew alone, other characters need that alone time once in a while. It brings out their individuality.

I agree with this entirely. Well put.

[dman_dustin]

I hate episodes that give CotDs or PotDs character development. They tend to ignore the main cast and their pokemon and that's just what this episode did. We're never going to see these characters again, why should I care if this bland Robert person had a happy ending?

While I think those types of episodes are fine, I have to agree for the simple fact that Ash's Pokemon shouldn't suffer just for these random episodes. If Ash's Pokemon were treated more fairly maybe, these types of episodes would be justifiable.

How I would've done the four seasonal Sawsbuck story- Drop Robert, his "grandfather" entirely, and have the photo be in the Pokemon Center with Nurse Joy telling the story (maybe even seeing them herself when she was younger).

Have Ash train his Pokemon for his gym battle, hopefully using Swadloon, have it use attacks against Snivy/Oshawott. Have a swarm of Swoobat attack Ash and his Pokemon causing him to recall them and run off with Pikachu (this could separate Ash from Iris and Cilan). Have Amoongus attack Ash, Ash could use Tepig for all I care (preferably Tranquill). Amoongus attacks Ash near the same lake Robert was healed. Have Pikachu cry as Ash won't wake up, have the four seasonal Sawsbucks come out and have the lake heal Ash, waking Ash up to see the Sawsbuck.

Oh but no but that would be boring, because it would have no CoTD in it and Ash would actually be using his Pokemon. Oh HOW BORING.

[Locormus]

Just because they have something does not mean that they have to shoehorn them in where they don't fit. That is not good writing at all.

Which is why we've seen Swadloon in that Zorua episode, since making costumes requires threads, and Swadloon can make those threads. Which makes those kinds of cameo's totally legit.

Which is apparently good writing. Which totally means that the writers are doing a good job with Swadloon.. Except for it not appearing since then.. 4 months ago!!

That, and Tranquill only appearing to teach other pokemon how to fly. And Palpitoad appearing only to battle.

[Moltanic]

Which is why we've seen Swadloon in that Zorua episode, since making costumes requires threads, and Swadloon can make those threads. Which makes those kinds of cameo's totally legit.

Which is apparently good writing. Which totally means that the writers are doing a good job with Swadloon.. Except for it not appearing since then.. 4 months ago!!

That, and Tranquill only appearing to teach other pokemon how to fly. And Palpitoad appearing only to battle.

Would you rather Tranquil appears to surf? Or how about Swadloon appearing to put out fires? And hey if we're real lucky maybe the writers will make Roggenrolla in to the 2012 Republican nominee? I wonder what his stance on gay marriage is?

Not every Pokemon is appropriate for every situation. I think this falls under the just because you can dosen't mean you should category. Just be patient all these Pokemon will get their time eventually. Hell just a month ago people were complaining about not seeing Scraggy and now look, he has his own episode next week. *The writers aren't incompetent the fans are just too whiny. Honestly the fans complain more than the haters. Which is really weird when you think about it.

*This applies to every fandom not just Pokemon.

[Honah]

While I think those types of episodes are fine, I have to agree for the simple fact that Ash's Pokemon shouldn't suffer just for these random episodes. If Ash's Pokemon were treated more fairly maybe, these types of episodes would be justifiable.

How I would've done the four seasonal Sawsbuck story- Drop Robert, his "grandfather" entirely, and have the photo be in the Pokemon Center with Nurse Joy telling the story (maybe even seeing them herself when she was younger).

Have Ash train his Pokemon for his gym battle, hopefully using Swadloon, have it use attacks against Snivy/Oshawott. Have a swarm of Swoobat attack Ash and his Pokemon causing him to recall them and run off with Pikachu (this could separate Ash from Iris and Cilan). Have Amoongus attack Ash, Ash could use Tepig for all I care (preferably Tranquill). Amoongus attacks Ash near the same lake Robert was healed. Have Pikachu cry as Ash won't wake up, have the four seasonal Sawsbucks come out and have the lake heal Ash, waking Ash up to see the Sawsbuck.

Oh but no but that would be boring, because it would have no CoTD in it and Ash would actually be using his Pokemon. Oh HOW BORING.

dman, though I like COTD episodes, this is still awesome. Remove the COTD, and have Ash use ALL HIS POKEMON. If you did that to every single episode I would support that.

[G50]

this episode was ok... It was cool to see Morobareru, Lepardas, Summer Shikijika, and the 4 season forms of Mebukijika together for the 1st time. The photos of various Unova and other regions' Pokemon were very cool to see. It was so cute when Ash was petting/scratching Pikachu. Iris had her typical reaction to Cilan's "It's ___ time!" gig. That never gets old. Interesting how when Ash and the Photographer came back, they were not gone very long. It was very generous of the Photographer to save the Summer Shikijika and Pikachu from getting hit by Morobareru's Spores, but came out sick from it. Very cool seeing a variety of Grass Pokemon moving about while the Shikijika went through the grassy area. The Mebukijika really helped out the Photographer to make him better. It was great seeing all 4 of the seasons' Mebukijika, all in one place.

3/100

[shac]

I wish they gave a valid/semi-valid/any sort of explanation as to how all forms of Sawsbuck were there at the same time.

[Juputoru]

Horray for being late to the party~

-Today starts with Ash scratching Pikachu, and Pikachu wagging its tail like it's a dog or something. Then Pikachu bugs Ash when he stops scratching it for a minute. It's just like a real pet, only with electricity!
-This adorable scene is interrupted by some kid pointing at Ash. Looks like he wants a picture of Pikachu.
-Looks like the kid's name is Robert. He tells the group he's a Pokemon photographer, just in case nobody figured that out by now.
-He also has a book of pictures taken by his grandpa, which includes a bunch of Sinnoh Pokemon! It also includes something that shocks Iris and Dento, but what?
-It's a picture of four Sawsbuck...one from each season! That's followed shortly by a flashback of Robert's grandpa insisting his photo isn't photoshopped a fake.
-Robert has a picture of a Deerling around the same flowers as the Sawsbuck photo, and is convinced that he can also find the 4-seasons Sawsbuck there. (I'm assuming those are supposed to be some sort of special unique flowers that only grow in a relatively small geographical area)
-Dento starts showing an interest in photography, and Iris immediately wonders if he's going to be a photography sommelier. Bahahahahah!
-But Dento actually isn't a photography sommelier! He just happens to kind of like Pokemon photography. Not that this stops Iris from getting annoyed at him.
-They finally head out into the forest, and Robert sends out his Swoobat to help. Then he admits to something that gets an EH?! out of Ash and Iris.
-No luck for a while, until a summer Deerling appears! They give chase, and the Deerling is nice enough to stick to the path instead of bounding into the bushes and trees.
-Robert loses the Deerling in the midst of fog, and...it looks like he lost Dento and Iris too! Guess it's just him and Ash now.
-His Swoobat finally comes back, so now it's time to go to where those flowers grow.
-As Robert waffles around there, Pikachu notices some flat Pokeballs in the bushes and goes to investigate. Robert then has to jump in to save Pikachu's naive ***.
-The Deerling is back, and Robert has Swoobat hit it with some sort of heart beam to make it friendlier or something. Then it runs off!
-Robert finally recognizes the area the original Deerling photo was taken at. Looks like they're getting closer!
-But the sun's setting, so they set up camp. And they're stuck eating dinner directly out of some tin cans! Also Robert's babbling about Unova and Kanto Pokemon and the Sawsbuck but who cares about that.
-It's morning! And Ash is woken up by a Deerling licking his face.
-The Deerling leads them somewhere(but after they've gotten properly dressed!)...namely, to a bunch of other summer Deerling. But one of them is grazing next to a bush with Amoonguss in it, and Robert launches into hero mode again...this time, getting a blast of poison powder to the face! So now Ash has to drag Robert back to the Pokemon Center all by himself. This can't go wrong at all!
-Along the way, it starts getting really foggy again. Oh boy.
-But wait! A summer Deerling appears along with a summer Sawsbuck! Looks like they want Ash to follow them.
-They end up in a clearing, and the summer Sawsbuck calls out the other three seasons of Sawsbuck! Ash tries to wake Robert up, but then the pond starts glowing? And then Robert glows too. Looks like this is some sort of magical healing pond. ...yeah, sure, whatever.
-The fog starts getting heavier and the Sawsbuck start to wander off, giving Robert a nice OH ****, GOTTA TAKE A PICTURE moment...while his camera is still around Ash's neck. Poor Ash; first he has to haul around someone taller than he is, and now he's getting camera-choked.
-They leave the area, and finally meet up with Iris and Dento again. But...it seems like they weren't gone for as long as Iris and Dento thought they were. Sounds like some sort of time warp tomfoolery's going on here, so I guess that's why all four seasons of Sawsbuck could be in one place. Or something.
-Robert proudly shows off the photo he got...which is so foggy that you can barely even see the Sawsbuck. Wah wah waaaaaaaaah.

This episode was okay, I guess. Nothing too outstanding, but not outright boring either. I suppose I'd appreciate it more if I could understand all of what everyone's saying(which is usually the case in talk-heavy episodes like this).

[matt0044]

How is it bad writing for Ash to actually use his Pokemon and they get some focus, no matter how small that focus is?

Why are people okay with Ash not using his Pokemon. Again 16 episodes and the only Swadloon we see are some random girl's Swadloon, or wild Swadloon. How is that good writing?

How is it good writing that Ash constantly uses the starters where his other Pokemon get screwed over?

As far as I can tell, it's only bad writing when they "shoehorn" a Pokemon and shove it down our throat where it doesn't do anything. However we can't say that about Tranquill, Swadloon, Scraggy, Palpitoad, Roggenrola because we barely see them.

And how is using your Pokemon in a life threatening situation considered shoehorning or even bad writing?

How is using any Pokemon that hardly shows up bad writing anyway?

I have to ask. Why do you and others who ***** and moan about the Anime continue to watch it? You clearly don't like it anymore and I wouldn't blame you if you just stopped watching all together. Hell, I'm watching this for only inspiration for my fanfic.

[Casty]

1/10

Not much to say here. Shitty filler is a shitty filler.

[Honah]

I have to ask. Why do you and others who ***** and moan about the Anime continue to watch it? You clearly don't like it anymore and I wouldn't blame you if you just stopped watching all together. Hell, I'm watching this for only inspiration for my fanfic.

It's like being a smoker who hates cigarettes but can't stop.

[dman_dustin]

It's like being a smoker who hates cigarettes but can't stop.

A better analogy is a parent who has to watch his/her children make horrible decisions like drugs/stealing/violence but because it is their child, still loves them.

[Honah]

A better analogy is a parent who has to watch his/her children make horrible decisions like drugs/stealing/violence but because it is their child, still loves them.

Hahaha wow, that's a very interesting analogy, but wouldn't it be more accurate to compare it to the live-at-home unemployed adult who the parents wish would move out? Because your favorite words used to describe the writing have been words like "lazy" and "stupid."

Here's what I think happened that explains why there is a time-discrepancy and why all four forms of sawsbuck can appear at the same time:
Ash and Robert get separated from Cilan and Iris. The forest fills with a mysterious haze. Nearby, Officer Jenny and the rest of her police force are burning piles of contraband marijuana after a huge bust, filling the mountains upwind with smoke. Time for Ash and Robert starts to move really really really really sloooooooooooow.....

Robert and Ash get the munchies after what seems like a whole day has passed and bite into some mushroom pokemon. The pokemon poisons Robert in self-defense, leaving Ash having to carry him back to the Pokemon Center. On the way, he and Robert hallucinate the four different sawsbuck forms appearing at the same time. Pikachu gets paranoia during his high and unleashes electricity which in slowed-down time makes it look like things are glowing. Robert tries to take a picture but there's nothing actually in front of them, just a thick cloud of more of that haze.

[Mr.Munchlax]

Horray for being late to the party~

Horray denied!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fi79ry0lmm8

[Janovy]

I liked this episode, Robert was an interesting COTD!

Best part of the episode for me;

"Don't tell me ... you're a photo sommelier?"
"Lol nope."

xD

[CupidKirby]

You know why I love this episode? Robert actually interacted with Ash in a funny and totally not robotic way. Plus he showed some realistic emotions that actually had me care about what happens to him. I miss having COTD's like this. And the ending was cute too (hooray for no walking-in-the-sunset). Somehow the way he only got a foggy picture out of it which only he (and maybe Ash) could understand was a unique idea from the writers.

I call Dent not being a photo Sommelier totally shocking.

...I wasn't. This reminded me of Pokemon 4Ever actually xD Remember? It like had the Lake of Life and everything XDD I kept getting movie vibes, but my brain kept screaming "FILLER" but I was all "NOOO this is an emotional episode" xDDD

I sort of got movie vibes from this episode too. I think it was the music in the second half coupled with just how emotional Robert was. The part with him laugh-crying after being poisoned was nicely voice acted. And the last shot with what the narrator said...very movie-ish.

I was wondering on the lack of Iris/Dent throughout the episodes but the ten minute - one day lapse at the end explained everything.

How I would've done the four seasonal Sawsbuck story- Drop Robert, his "grandfather" entirely, and have the photo be in the Pokemon Center with Nurse Joy telling the story (maybe even seeing them herself when she was younger).

Have Ash train his Pokemon for his gym battle, hopefully using Swadloon, have it use attacks against Snivy/Oshawott. Have a swarm of Swoobat attack Ash and his Pokemon causing him to recall them and run off with Pikachu (this could separate Ash from Iris and Cilan). Have Amoongus attack Ash, Ash could use Tepig for all I care (preferably Tranquill). Amoongus attacks Ash near the same lake Robert was healed. Have Pikachu cry as Ash won't wake up, have the four seasonal Sawsbucks come out and have the lake heal Ash, waking Ash up to see the Sawsbuck.

Oh but no but that would be boring, because it would have no CoTD in it and Ash would actually be using his Pokemon. Oh HOW BORING.

I agree with the pokemon usage thing. But really. The point of this episode was to be an emotional showcase of a photographer and the Sawsbuck. Your version isn't even this episode anymore, but more rather a rant about how you want all episodes of pokemon to have no COTDs (le gasp) and only pokemon. This episode not being what you want has nothing to do with the competence of the writers. There's more to a plot than how many pokemon show up yet that's all you ever talk about.

We're not bashing your personality. It's called debating, even if you think you're standing on the side with less people.

[_Taidow_]

Something that i loved is that they played "Emotion" while looking at Robert's Grandfather's photo album.

[gliscor&yanmega]

The episode was a little odd, in the fact that apparently Ash and Robert weren't separated from Iris and Cilan for very long(Apparently only 10 minutes), not sure what the deal with that is...must be something in that fog or something.

I thought the episode was enjoyable. It was more of an adventurous episode over comedic, which is a nice change.