Ash's Snorlax

[FabuVinny]

In the Orange Islands, it was pretty useless. Only waking to eat and having no interest in battles.

In the Silver Conference

Spoiler

and Battle Arena

it is a supermon second only to Charizard.

...What happened?

 

[Cybersai]

The writers didn't want it to be useless?

Eh, that's really all there is to it.

You also forgot that Snorlax did an awesome job battling against Clair, the 8th Johto Gym leader.

 

[FabuVinny]

I have quite a few gaps in Johto.

So no transformation shown? Must be something to do with Oak and Tracey then...

 

[cold_katanagirl]

If Ash can have a Krabby evolve and beat out all the Pokemon of a league opponent when he's never trained it, then Snorlax can do the same. =/

 

[FabuVinny]

Krabby was never shown like Snorlax, though.

 

[V Faction]

For once (or twice [or three times depending on how you look at some things]) I believe it's simply an indication of game influence. Snorlax has naturally high stats, making it top-tier. The fact that it's a freaking powerhouse without being seen much is probably a translation of that game-related giftness into anime.

Actually, what I'm more concerned about is how is can move so effortlessly. Speed is Snorlax's greatess weakness and yet Ash's appears to have overcome that.

 

[cold_katanagirl]

Krabby was never shown like Snorlax, though.

I was kidding.

edit: Why is the link red?...

 

[Geodude]

The answer to many questions like this isn't that difficult if you think about it. What have Ash's reserve Pokemon been doing all this time? Sitting on their butts in a PC? No, they've been roaming around Professor Oak's preserve, doing basically whatever they want. They get fed by Oak and Tracey, with some help from Ash's more experienced reserves. But no doubt they do a lot of running around and exercise, maybe playfighting or battling each other to keep in shape. Oak and Tracey probably help with this as well. It would seem logical, wouldn't it? It's all part of keeping them healthy and happy, after all. So it's not that hard to imagine that during that time, they get stronger and occasionally learn new moves on their own. It isn't like the games where the Pokemon have to be directly under the trainer's control in order to do anything.

 

[Herakurosu]

Satoshi also used it in episode 196 for the pokémon sumo competition, so it did recieve more training than simply hanging around at Ookido's lab.

 

[Nomekop Oen]

Actually, what I'm more concerned about is how is can move so effortlessly. Speed is Snorlax's greatess weakness and yet Ash's appears to have overcome that.

He also has:

-A Pikachu that learned Volt Tackle that also beats up Ground types from time to time.
-A Bulbasaur that knows Dig and held it's own against a Meganium.
-A Heracross that survived a full powered Fire Blast/Body Slam from a Magmar.
-A Swellow that can take a crap load of Electric attacks before giving in.



Ash just has a bunch of very special Pokemon.Whether the Pokemon are like that naturally,or if it's Ash himself that makes them more powerful is the question.

 

[BenRG]

Duhhh...!

...What happened?

I think that it is called "Training", FV. I hear that Pokémon Trainers do that a lot...

No insult intended, but the episodes do not show every event in our heroes' lives. I am quite sure that, since the problems he had with his limited team in the Kanto League, Ash has spent some time pulling his reserves over from Professor Oak's ranch to give them some extra training. The number of skills that the team showed at the Silver Conference is proof of that.

We can be sure that Ash is training his team from these events:

1. Ash training Cyndaquil in using Tackle
2. Snorlax' sudden mastery of Strength in the Sumo Wrestling episode
3. Ash teaching Pikachu to use Iron Tail

Don't ask me how Ash motivated Snorlax to learn. Maybe he used a 'carrot' type of training, feeding Snorlax extra if he does as he says. We know that Pokémon will respect experienced and able Trainers, so Ash's improving abilities might have helped Snorlax to want to learn.

 

[doodler243]

He also has:

-A Pikachu that learned Volt Tackle that also beats up Ground types from time to time.
-A Bulbasaur that knows Dig and held it's own against a Meganium.
-A Heracross that survived a full powered Fire Blast/Body Slam from a Magmar.
-A Swellow that can take a crap load of Electric attacks before giving in.



Ash just has a bunch of very special Pokemon.Whether the Pokemon are like that naturally,or if it's Ash himself that makes them more powerful is the question.

I love the way that swellow can take electric attacks now so swellow is one of his strongest flying type (Pidgeot's probably training to be very strong in viridian forest for when ask comes back) but what I hate is how when ash first met tailow it was almost impossible to beat (cos of it's guts ability i'm presuming) yet when he battled against other people it kept being easily overcome like against drew and roselia. another example is chikorita and how gutsy it was then when he got it it kept being beaten easily most of the time and noctowl. And he's done a lot a lot of training with particularly pikachu,corphish,grovyle and swellow when he was in houen then when he gets to the league pikachu loses to a meaowth (in booths).

 

[FabuVinny]

edit: Why is the link red?...

What link?

What have Ash's reserve Pokemon been doing all this time? Sitting on their butts in a PC? No, they've been roaming around Professor Oak's preserve, doing basically whatever they want.

Actually, Snorlax spends all of its time in the hosos sleeping.

I think that it is called "Training", FV. I hear that Pokémon Trainers do that a lot...

Look at it when Ash has to trade it for Tauros. That was the last point at which you could say any training happened behind the scenes. And it didn't. Ash never brings his Pokémon back except for when we see it.

 

[BenRG]

Er... right

Ash never brings his Pokémon back except for when we see it.

That is an astonishing assertion to make without a scrap of evidence to back it up. We cannot possibly know what happens 'off camera'. This is the whole point of it, I think.

 

[Herakurosu]

Ok then, conversely, what evidence is there to say that he does train with the "Oak" pokémon off camera? As if it weren't obvious enough, it has even been directly stated in the animé that switching his team around all the time is not Satoshi's cup of tea.

Now given, there are plenty of things that are inferred to have happened that are never shown, but in this case there's a reason why we scarcely see Satoshi training with his reserves.

 

[ImJessieTR]

Actually, Snorlax spends all of its time in the hosos sleeping.

But remember, before Ash caught him he was used to swimming all over the Orange Islands (and not an idle swimmer, either -- he rushed to each island). Ash seems to catch pokemon that were doing heavy-duty stuff on their own before he got them.

 

[BenRG]

In their nature

Additionally, don't forget that it is in the nature of the Snorlax species that, when they aren't hungry, they tend to sleep. Ash's Snorlax, however, is a lot more alert when there is a fight afoot (at least he has since the mid-Johto period).

 

[Rapiido]

He also has:

-A Pikachu that learned Volt Tackle that also beats up Ground types from time to time.
-A Bulbasaur that knows Dig and held it's own against a Meganium.
-A Heracross that survived a full powered Fire Blast/Body Slam from a Magmar.
-A Swellow that can take a crap load of Electric attacks before giving in.



Ash just has a bunch of very special Pokemon.Whether the Pokemon are like that naturally,or if it's Ash himself that makes them more powerful is the question.

Well dont forget.. Pokemon on the anime usually dont give up very easily when their Trainer's cheer them on as hard as they can... cause with Swellow Ash kept telling Swellow that it could hold off the electric attacks. And it did... Same with some Pokemon when they encourage them to battle, they evolve. Like Ash's Taillow.