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Review JN064: The Detested Absol

Goh will definitely play some role in the next episode, with his introduction to Iris and trying to catch (and other obligatory dedicated screen time for him for captures and what not) and yet Ash was used as a prop in this episode and wasn't allowed to have a better role.

That is more than telling enough on how bad this writer played things out, how bad this episode's writing was and how bad the writer/staff's priorities are.
 
Oh dear, yet another episode for Go who must have become the most hated person in the Anime by now...
I was really excited when I saw the preview because Absol is a very cool and mysterious Pokemon, so I expected much from this episode. Unfortunately, I forgot that there is a certain Go, an annoying character who "catches" Pokemon for no reason and steals valuable screentime from Ash who's actually supposed to be the main character. I'm slowly but surely getting mad at the fact that even in the very few(!) Ash-centered episodes, Go still needs to be in the limelight while Ash hardly ever gets anything to do in Go episodes. What a bad way of publicly dismantling our main hero!

And to make things worse, we got yet another Suicune episode with that hghly questionable "Pokeball rescue" motif. So far, you've been discussing whether there are others ways of rescuing a Pokemon (and yes, there sure are, which makes Go's method appear even more selfish). However , I would like to introduce a completely new and very important aspect:
Why do Pokemon have to be rescued in the first place?
Look, during battles Pokemon are hit by electric shocks, they're attacked with all kinds of claws and blades, they have to endure freezing cold ice or firestorms that must be at least a few hundred degrees hot. Now writers, don't tell me that Absol needed to be "rescued" from something like hot steam. Sorry, it just doesn't make any sense. I've been asking myself that question for quite a while now and I just can't find a convincing answer. What do you think?

Enzo said:
And as others have mentioned already, we have spent over 20 years in this anime being showed over and over again that saving an Pokémon in a dangerous situation doesn't requires captures.
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Exactly! Go intuitively trying to catch a Pokemon without thinking about alternatives that clearly do exist kind of speaks for itself, doesn't it?

But let me end my review on a positive note: Apart from Go being a nuisance once more, the rest of the episode, especially Absol's appearance was quite nice. I only wish Ash would have had more to do and thus, I hope he'll get his chance to shine next week (An episode I'm really excited to see because of the "Clash Of Dragons")
 
Take away the blandness of Goh's character or the fact that his actions are usually morally wrong: I just can't help but to question the validity of the friendship between him and Ash. Goh is almost the antithesis of Ash, and I'm not sure why they are traveling together. I actually think Goh would better serve as a rival for Ash considering he stands for practically everything that Ash is against. Regardless, the anime will be a better place when he is gone.
 
I still cannot believe people were able to work themselves up over Ash potentially catching Absol (I don't really know where the basis is) that being said, episode was fine (probably better than the AG one, certainly was easier to get all sides here). Really liked seeing a natural conflict (that some were trying to pin on Absol, admittedly), not to mention, it was rather educational (from what I know) and seeing the research portion of the series play out is always nice. Grookey in particular I thought was great, very expressive (and showed off good agility after Absol confronted him). I do wish Hoji was a bit more active within the episode, but his role was also easy to understand, so don't hold that against said episode. The uncle being as repentant as he was at the end was also amusing (and a nice shoutout to the Ice Bucket Challenge).
 
Wait, some people that Ash would catch Absol? Then they deserve to be disappointed, time and time again.

Twilight-Kun said:
...while it was nice of Go to rescue absol from being boiled alive, why did it then decide to go with him?
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Centuries of being misunderstood will do that to you when someone finally gets it despite being attacked.
 
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I have alot of things to say about this episode but I'll keep it short by saying that Goh getting Absol was predictable. So much so that I'm bewildered that there seems to be such a negative sentiment about Goh getting it over Ash. I know that Absol is a fan favorite but still when we're dealing with a person like Goh who's literal goal is to catch tons of Pokemon how can we be surprised when he does exactly that?

Plus Goh actually bonded with Absol and saved it from possibly dying. Ash has done this alot throughout the past 20 years so I was glad that Goh got to do it this time. I will admit that I wish this episode didn't exist however because I just thought that the episode was repetitive and might as well have not been written if it was going to take us on another merry-go-round.
 
Houji coming back was the main thing I was looking forward to here and then he's left out of most of the episode. He got robbed.
 
Johtohfiller said:
Houji coming back was the main thing I was looking forward to here and then he's left out of most of the episode. He got robbed.
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Almost like he's a CotD rather than an actual character whose only role is to provide exposition and show us that grookey's still a prick of a pokemon that Go really needs to start training
 
Oh yeah, forgot to mention this, but if I interpreted that right, Hoji had never seen a Grookey before, so I like that little exchange, particularly him not knowing of Grookey. Galar is the most recent region, and you would not typically expect to see a Galar Pokemon in Hoenn, rather nice touch.
 
There was nothing malicious or selfish about Goh catching Absol, and there is nothing hypnotic or “Stockholm Syndrome” inducing about being in a Pokeball.

This episode distinguished itself enough from the AG Absol episode just fine. I do wish Ash and Hodge had done a little more, but overall I don’t think their lack of presence really detracted from the episode much.
 
Yami-no-Game said:
So much so that I'm bewildered that there seems to be such a negative sentiment about Goh getting it over Ash. I know that Absol is a fan favorite but still when we're dealing with a person like Goh who's literal goal is to catch tons of Pokemon how can we be surprised when he does exactly that?
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I don’t think the negative sentiment is for Ash not catching it, it’s for the manner of catching, which was already controversial for Suicune.

I don’t know how to explain it, but catching a Pokémon and asking it to leave if it wants to is fundamentally different from bonding before capture. It’s the equivalent of a cashier "accidentally" ringing up some extra items and getting you to pay for for them and then say "Oops! You can go get a refund!" *directs to long refund line*

Throwing a Pokeball being the first impulse to rescue a Pokémon is weird. Is there literally no way to rescue a Pokémon other than that? What if the Pokémon has an aversion to Pokeballs? What if the Pokémon already had a bond with a human? It’s also weird how somehow in the 20 years of the series no one caught a Pokémon as a way to rescue it except one incident and now it’s a regular occurrence. It’s also a weird issue where most prominent cast members had at least one disobedient Pokémon but everything Gou captures is suddenly fine with its lifestyle drastically changed.

The dopamine rush of Pokémon go isn’t something that fits in the anime universe.

swiftgallade46 said:
Stockholm Syndrome
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I assume you target it at me, since I used that statement, but I think it’s weird for you to bring it up in a serious argument when I literally make a post saying that it’s meant to be a joke.
 
PkmnTrainerV said:
I assume you target it at me, since I used that statement, but I think it’s weird for you to bring it up in a serious argument when I literally make a post saying that it’s meant to be a joke.
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Actually, I didn’t remember who said it but I remembered it was on this page and I double checked and it wasn’t you. Let’s not make assumptions, please.
 
Nah, wasnt that good. When I see a pokemon getting focus, I just think Gou will catch it.

Unlike the AG episode, Satoshi didnt do much.

5,5/10
 
swiftgallade46 said:
Actually, I didn’t remember who said it but I remembered it was on this page and I double checked and it wasn’t you. Let’s not make assumptions, please.
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PkmnTrainerV said:
Sounds like Stockholm syndrome to me...
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PkmnTrainerV said:
To set the record straight, the Stockholm syndrome statement was meant as a joke, and I didn’t seriously mean to argue about that.

But I still think that Gou should stop jumping to chucking a Pokeball instead of actually rescuing it. Ash managed to rescue Pokémon from various situations without tossing a Pokeball on it and making it a vessel for his goal.
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I guess that’s where the confusion occurred. I do think anyone using a Stockholm syndrome analogy in a high amount of seriousness is being too hyperbolic (and slightly inappropriate territory as well). I originally typed out that comment when I wasn’t in the best of a mind space so that may be a factor. Sorry for the assumption.
 
Queen Cynthia said:
Look, during battles Pokemon are hit by electric shocks, they're attacked with all kinds of claws and blades, they have to endure freezing cold ice or firestorms that must be at least a few hundred degrees hot. Now writers, don't tell me that Absol needed to be "rescued" from something like hot steam. Sorry, it just doesn't make any sense. I've been asking myself that question for quite a while now and I just can't find a convincing answer. What do you think?
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Isn't there also that Absol was pushed up into the air by the geyser, meaning it was also at risk of falling onto rocky ground and getting seriously injured or even dying from that?
 
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