Review AG140: Koduck's Depression!

[Dogasu]

Japanese Episode AG 140: "Koduck's Depression"
Airdate: August 25th, 2005

From the TV-Tokyo site:

As Satoshi-tachi travel toward Yamabuki City and the Pokemon Contest there, the gang witnesses a Wanriki, Kairiki, and a Goriki chasing after a Koduck. Our heroes decide to help the duck pokemon, who is apparently trying to return something to its trainer, Azume. However, it seems that Azume is also the fighting-type pokemon's trainer! How will the fighting among all these pokemon be brought to an end?

 

[Mozz]

Wow, that pic is so descriptive! You're telling me the next episode of Pokemon has both Pikachu AND Ash? And they have to overcome some obstacle to help a new-found friend? Glory fucking be!

 

[Misty]

Hey, that's a hot pic. >:O

 

[Dogasu]

Hey, I'm just posting the picture that TV-Tokyo put up on its website.

 

[BenRG]

Play nice, Mozz

Wow, that pic is so descriptive! You're telling me the next episode of Pokemon has both Pikachu AND Ash? And they have to overcome some obstacle to help a new-found friend? Glory fucking be!

Your sarcastic tone aside Mozz, I can't blame you for your response. This looks like it is another Orange Islands-style inter-badge cookie-cutter identikit filler.

It is such a pity that they always seem to have such difficulty coming up with filler episodes that demonstrate any originality. That is not to say that they can't, it is just that they sometimes just don't seem to bother. :zzz:

Oh well, I can't help but be glad to see a Psyduck again, even if it isn't Misty's. And I like that red neckerchief (seen on the preview image on serebii.net) - Pokémon should be shown more often with decorations or little touches of individuality.

 

[Geodude]

We haven't seen enough of Machamp either, nice to see one here. I liked that little scene from the preview when Machop/choke/champ were all dangling from TR's balloon.

 

[Rachael]

Awww, I was hoping this episode would have Kasumi, maybe even Kenji, in it.

 

[Kasumi]

There's the remote posibility that they'll mention Kasumi's Koduck. ^^;

 

[Geodude]

Yeah maybe they'll be surprised that this one can actually battle before getting a severe headache, or something.

 

[Kasumi]

Well, Ash already saw one who can battle in the Orange Islands, but still. ^^;

 

[Doctor Oak]

There's the remote posibility that they'll mention Kasumi's Koduck. ^^;

I believe the main reason of the 'neckerchief' is to completely discern it from any relation to Misty's infamous Psy/Koduck, there wouldn't be much point in that if it wasn't either there (not likely... but possible - they're both in Kanto and fairly nearby afterall but it'd be a huge stretch and would have featured) or if it wasn't mentioned - which is pretty likely if you ask me.

It looks to me like the whole Kanto/Battle Frontier thing seems to be a nice excuse to focus on some Pokemon that just havn't been around enough/recently.

Which, standard filler or not, is pretty cool.

 

[Kthleen]

"Sweet Honey Koduck-chan"? Okay then....

The thing with the guy saying "But it's ok!/Demo daijoubu!" was really funny (because I like that "magical announcer" thing), but Sakaki was a bit creepy. That freaky version of "Smile" sounded a lot better when used with images, maybe because it now has a context instead of just sounding silly by itself, though it was odd hearing it during a battle.
I wonder. Perhaps the fact that I didn't understand most of the words immediately made it more interesting. Whether or not that's the case, this was a nice enough episode.

 

[Geodude]

I was impressed that Phanpy bravely stood up to that Machop/choke/champ, all at once.

 

[Zhen Lin]

The thing with the guy saying "But it's ok!/Demo daijoubu!" was really funny (because I like that "magical announcer" thing), but Sakaki was a bit creepy.

It's a parody of something, it has to be. Just don't know what. According to Pokeani:
ニャースのボス妄想がアメリカの通販番組のノリにそっくり
Nyarth's delusions are the spitting image of a American mail order programme.

That freaky version of "Smile" sounded a lot better when used with images, maybe because it now has a context instead of just sounding silly by itself, though it was odd hearing it during a battle.

The first half was an appropriate use for it, though the last part was not...

 

[Pie]

I was so delighted to hear the Piano and Strings Quartet version of Smile instead of the normal Smile. I always thought the normal Smile was missing just a little bit of sweetness to be truly memorable. If you listen to it, it's sort of blah, and only truly becomes touching when paired with the sweet ending they gave to Smile. I know, because I heard it before I saw the ending itself, and I never saw what everyone thought was so great about Smile until I had seen the ending. The Piano and Strings Quartet version was the first version I had heard that had the sweetness contained within itself, although it's quite outdone in the sweetness department by the Piano Insuto version. Anyway, it delighted me to hear the song used in the episode.

It also delighted me to see Brock less in the background than usual. Hee.

On a completely different note: Out of the trainers we've seen throughout the anime, a vast majority of them know a good deal about raising their Pokémon. Out of the ones who are well-meaning but have no idea how to raise Pokémon, a majority of them are rich. And out of the trainers who are rich, a majority of them are well-meaning but have no idea how to raise Pokémon right. A message or a lack of creativity? The world may never know.

 

[Kasumi]

I was impressed that Phanpy bravely stood up to that Machop/choke/champ, all at once.

Me too. Phanpy has matured a lot, hasn't he? And it's nice to see he's getting more screentime now.

 

[Rocketshipper]

I really liked thi episode a lot,; I think it was better thn a simple cookie cutter filler. It was cool to see Phanpy battle a bunch in this episode, The Meowth boss fantasy was hilarious, I loved the pinball trap, and I liked the voice of the character of the day. The second half was recycled from that old Johto snubble episode, but at least they recycled a good episode (I love the snubble episode!). I really liked the scene where Smile played and how the girl got to beat TR with Koduck.

 

[Kthleen]

So this is where these things were going....

It's a parody of something, it has to be. Just don't know what. According to Pokeani:
ニャースのボス妄想がアメリカの通販番組のノリにそっくり
Nyarth's delusions are the spitting image of a American mail order programme.

Thank you.

Do you know what he's saying, especially that little addition at the end of the "stubbed his toe" one? I think I have a gist of the meaning (though not of the addition), but it would be nice to know what he's saying.

 

[Geodude]

So am I right in thinking that the Machop family was given to her?