Review S01 EP09: The School of Hard Knocks

[Sweet Veil]

Ash, Misty, and Brock continue their journey when they stop for a break. Ash goes looking for some firewood but, comes upon a kid being bullied by other kids. Soon, they find out that they are in the midst of a school, now what will happen when they challenge the top beginner student?!

Thanks to my ON DEMAND service, I can watch old eps that I never saw. This ep was really cool. Got some nice screen time for Misty and Ash. But, I felt bad for that kid, but he was defiantly being an ass hat by talking trash about the Cerulean City Gym. The idea there's actually a school for kids who don't go on Pokemon Journeys was pretty cool actually.

Levels being mentioned, weird. Most of those are skewered anyway, since there outdated today with all the new games and stuff. Seeing Misty constantly complain about her bike was funny as heck. And the little Pikachu bobbing back and forth, and Brock's super backpack and Brock's Pokemon Tea set and Misty's little French Fantasy. I'm glad to see Ash actually getting pissed over something none-Pokemon related.

He and Misty actually stood up for that kid when he was being forced to answer those questions on that treadmill. It's a good lesson for the little kids that watch the show.

Ash:Hey leave that kid alone!
Ash:I don't know about this school of yours, but if it's turning out students like you, I say the standards are pretty low.*Ouch* ^^

I liked the little explanation on Pokemon types not mattering as long as the Pokemon is at a high enough level where it doesn't matter. That's how I do things in the games sometimes. Ash and his attraction to Giselle.

Brock:She can violate my rights if......Woaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, if we got jokes like that today. xD

Team Rocket's little scene with them both being in school together, and Meowth making them feel better was sweet. And big sparkley eyes Jessie and James. I actually thought they were funny and liked them at that scene. Brock and Ash's attractions to Giselle were funny, but James' was just creepy as hell.

That simulation reminded me of the game. Misty showing off how her Starmie was so high leveled it beat a Weepinbell. Giselle was a interesting little rat bitch, it's great to have characters like her she's just as conceited and bitchy as most of my classmates. I could relate to Misty and Ash at that scene with her. Misty:Beauty's only skin deep!" I like Misty's morals and how she stood up for that kid even though he trashed the Cerulean Gym.

Giselle's making fun of Ash was hilarious.

Giselle:You really didn't know!? And you still got two badges! How funny! A Pikachu evolves in a Electric Pokemon called Raichu, it gets to be two feet seven inches tall. Pikachu can shock you, but otherwise it's pretty cute don't you think? So, if you don't let them evolve, they make great pets, especially for little girls. But, I'm sure you knew that, didn't you? Really you didn't?! And you have two badges!
I was loling for a long time ^_^

I just realized how crappy Scraggy's Leer looks in comparison to Cubone's. That staring match, and Cubone's Bonemarang were both greatly animated. And I liked seeing Ash get all sour about Cubone using a bone and calling it a cheap trick. I liked how Pikachu dodged it and went all bad ass bite and scratchy Cubone and letting it get whacked with it's own bone as it sat back and cried. And everyone acting like it was the greatest battle ever and never seen. Giselle turning into a whiny brat over losing.

Team Rocket didn't take up a load of time this episode which I liked and they were actually funny. Especially when Giselle brought up there crappy grades and chased them off with Poke Balls. In the end it was great Joe and Giselle made up. And Joe decided to become a trainer instead of stay at the school. Ash saying to Misty, "Ya, see Misty why can't we be like that?" Subtle shipping hints like that are funny.

 

[Cybersai]

What struck me about early Kanto eps like this was the art style. The way the characters would move and the art direction was very different back then. If this episode was made now with the same plot, it wouldn't have been as fun because it'd used the current animation.

I also assume Ash crushing on a girl is simply due to the writers not figuring out how they wanted Ash's character to be yet, so it is just a plothole.

Also isn't this the ep where Misty's Starmie loses to a Graveler? LOL. No wonder why everyone thought Starmie was nothing special.

 

[pokemon fan 132]

This brings back warm memories,I remember when i used to watch this episode for first time with Giselle always catching a lot of attention from fans for some rason.

Episode was pretty good liking introduction of some alternate way to qualify for pokemon league beside collecting badges with such thing being referenced only once more with Ultimate test.It had ton of funny and memorable interacting between Ash,Misty and Brock and Ash crush on Giselle was kinda cute,Anyway episode had good moral message along with showing how type advantage doesnt mean everything which Pikachu proved when defeating Cubone.

I also assume Ash crushing on a girl is simply due to the writers not figuring out how they wanted Ash's character to be yet, so it is just a plothole.

Perhaps your looking too deep in this.Writers probably did that to make things more interesting in this episode making it more fun.Sometimes things doesnt have secret message behind them.

Also isn't this the ep where Misty's Starmie loses to a Graveler? LOL. No wonder why everyone thought Starmie was nothing special.

Yet it won against Weepinbell who had type advantage.
Graveler was showed as highly experienced pokemon being owned by Giselle who was best student of pokemon school so it doesnt surprise why type advantage didnt mattered in here.

 

[Karamazov]

I also assume Ash crushing on a girl is simply due to the writers not figuring out how they wanted Ash's character to be yet, so it is just a plothole.

Or Giselle was the first human to perfect Attract.

 

[MarshiyanMisutaa]

Gisella is my all-time favourite Pokemon character! She will be remembered...

I also assume Ash crushing on a girl is simply due to the writers not figuring out how they wanted Ash's character to be yet, so it is just a plothole.

Do you think his new character is asexual? If not, I can't see any "plot holes" in this case...

 

[Miar]

Really, this whole episode showed how they were still experimenting with the show.
Ash crushing on a girl. Mention of France, and of Pokémon levels. A battle sim akin to the games. All of it feels so different.

The Pikachu vs. Cubone fight was... unusual, and Pikachu vs. treadmill was plain hilarious.

 

[Flynn]

I always thought it was odd that Pikachu could turn Karakara's skull helmet thing around even though its head fits inside the whole thing.

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