It seems like they made more Contests than Gyms in DP

C

Cybersai

Registered User
Joined
Mar 8, 2005
Messages
28,895
Reaction score
225
Even though most Gyms are multi-part arcs, while a lot of Contests are only 1 episode, there were still more Contests than Gyms this saga. As we know there are only 8 Gyms. For contests:

- Dawn/Zoey debut Contest
- Exhibition Contest where Jessie uses Aipom
- Dawn/Kenny Contest
- Dawn's first Appeal loss
- Dawn's second Appeal loss
- Wallace Cup
- Yuri/Delcatty contest
- Ursula's debut Contest
- Kenny beats Ambipom Contest
- James wins a ribbon for Jessie Contest
- Dawn Vs. Ursula rematch
- Princess uses Togekiss Vs. Jessie Contest

Total: 12 Contests.

Then there is the Grand Festival, which was given 4 episodes. I'm not even counting that Pokemon Stylist ep, or whatever the hell that was, or those brief snippets of Jessie's ribbon wins in 2 eps.

They made 12 Contest eps in DP, which means there were more than Gyms. Funnily enough, there were still more contests made in AG, as May competed in 15 contests while Dawn only gets 11 (not counting the princess which was the 12th contest), and two Grand Festivals.

May got more Contest-screentime than Dawn, even though Dawn got more screentime in an episode-to-episode basis than May did. I wonder if the writers love-affair with Contests will continue.
 
Keep in mind I also didn't count those brief scenes of Zoey winning. In the recent Candice episode for example where Dawn practices that fire/ice appeal, the very first 4 minutes of the ep shows Zoey winning a Contest where her Glameow defeats a Shuckle.

I did not even count that stuff, if I did, there would be even more contests in DP. I did not count it since Dawn didn't compete in it.

I'm also not counting the Pokestylist ep, even though it was like a Contest. I still don't get what that ep was about.
 
Gliscor'd said:
Keep in mind I also didn't count those brief scenes of Zoey winning. In the recent Candice episode for example where Dawn practices that fire/ice appeal, the very first 4 minutes of the ep shows Zoey winning a Contest where her Glameow defeats a Shuckle.

I did not even count that stuff, if I did, there would be even more contests in DP. I did not count it since Dawn didn't compete in it.

I'm also not counting the Pokestylist ep, even though it was like a Contest. I still don't get what that ep was about.
Click to expand...

Nor Kenny and Nando's cameo contests.

Anyways, what Iteru said, you don't fight against your rivals, the people you will compete with later on. You fight against Gym Leaders, people who test your strength and give you ideas for your growth for League. There is no such thing in contests(OK, idea behind Lila entering Celestic Contest was pretty much that but I'm speaking about general). Also, in Gym Battles(speaking of D/P Gyms) at least three of your Pokémon can shine while in contests only two can shine, one in appeal rounds and other in battle rounds(discounting double performance contests).
 
I also forgot about that Contest in that early Mismagius filler, that dream Contest where Dawn battled her mother who used Milotic.
 
That's pretty stupid to count it this way... you do realize that if Dawn lose a Contest she HAD to find another one while Ash simply battle the same Gym again? Also, if you count Salvia's Contest, you should count Paul's and Dawn's Gym Battles too...
So a more fair count of the Gyms would be:
1. Paul VS Roark
2. Ash VS Roark
3. Ash VS Roark again
4. Ash VS Gardenia
5. Dawn VS Maylene
6. Ash VS Maylene
7. Ash VS Wake
8. Ash VS Fantina
9. Ash VS Byron
10. Ash VS Candice
11. Ash VS Volkner that we'll get soon

Ash's first battle VS Gardenia, Paul's battle VS Maylene, Nando's battle VS Gardenia - are all pretty much the same as all the short Contest scenes of Jessie and Dawn's other rivals that we saw a few seconds or on TV...

So yeah, it's more or less equal... none of them overshadowed the other (and if anything, Ash/Gyms still get a little more focus)

Gliscor'd said:
I'm also not counting the Pokestylist ep, even though it was like a Contest. I still don't get what that ep was about.
Click to expand...

It was about being a Pokéstylist - which is similar to the Contests' performance part combined with dress up, but is NOT the same as Contests at all
I wouldn't count that as a Contest
 
Piplup said:
It was about being a Pokéstylist - which is similar to the Contests' performance part combined with dress up, but is NOT the same as Contests at all
I wouldn't count that as a Contest
Click to expand...

Even though Dawn's mother had a picture of it in the Twinleaf arc next to her contest performances?
 
Wasn't Satoshi vs Oba technically a Gym Battle too as Oba was standing in for the reluctant Denji?
 
Iteru said:
Wasn't Satoshi vs Oba technically a Gym Battle too as Oba was standing in for the reluctant Denji?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't count it, that battle was just to raise Volkner's spirits. Besides, having an Elite 4 as a gym leader is pretty unfair.
 
Gliscor'd said:
Even though Dawn's mother had a picture of it in the Twinleaf arc next to her contest performances?
Click to expand...

It's something Dawn did and won... Johanna can put that there if she feels like it
Also, it's pretty crazy to count the Mismagius dream... you might also say that Ash battled Cynthia already because of that ep X_X

Iteru said:
Wasn't Satoshi vs Oba technically a Gym Battle too as Oba was standing in for the reluctant Denji?
Click to expand...

Right, so add that to the list... also, I forgot that Ash had an unofficial battle with Fantina too, not only Gardenia
And actually, since Scott counted the unofficial Contest, we should count both of these too
So add to my 11 list: VS Fantina 1, VS Gardenia 1, VS Flint
14
 
Masurao said:
I wouldn't count it, that battle was just to raise Volkner's spirits. Besides, having an Elite 4 as a gym leader is pretty unfair.
Click to expand...

That doesn't discount the fact that if Satoshi had won, he would have been given a badge.
 
Iteru said:
That doesn't discount the fact that if Satoshi had won, he would have been given a badge.
Click to expand...

He would have beaten an Elite 4 member, something the show seems to make a big deal about. It would be a fairly big accomplishment, moreso than just winning another gym I would think.
 
Masurao said:
He would have beaten an Elite 4 member, something the show seems to make a big deal about. It would be a fairly big accomplishment, moreso than just winning another gym I would think.
Click to expand...

Still, he would have gotten a badge. Therefore it is related to gyms, "dig"?
 
Pleases, I had enough trouble sleeping last night, now after hearing this I'm gonna get less sleep. I can't believe it, more contests then Gym battles?! Treachery!
 
Dawn got a lot of eps in DP. It honestly seemed like every 2 or so eps was another Dawn episode.
 
Well yes, I love to point out the obvious.

Its also interesting that the writers tried to make as many Contests as there were in AG, despite DP only being one saga. This is why Dawn got those extra losses (we didn't need to see Kenny beat her, which was obviously done just to extend the arc, since both him and Ambipom get tossed out later on).

I guess it makes sense May was in more contests overall though, even if she got less screentime than Dawn got in the regular episodes.

That being said its possible they'll do another exhibition contest of sorts after the GF, for Dawn's rivals final ep or something.
 
Gliscor'd said:
That being said its possible they'll do another exhibition contest of sorts after the GF, for Dawn's rivals final ep or something.
Click to expand...

I can see that giving incentive for Dawn to travel to other regions, because when she wins the GF she'll more than likely lose to whoever she battles in the exhibition contest at the end.
 
i don't know, i felt that they really got the balance right in this saga. Ash gets enough spotlight as is (about 8-9 seasons worth) and i dont think they really gave the full grasp of its potential in the AG, honestly i felt they got the balance just right.
 
Please note: The thread is from 16 years ago.
Please take the age of this thread into consideration in writing your reply. Depending on what exactly you wanted to say, you may want to consider if it would be better to post a new thread instead.
Back
Top Bottom