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Review S18 EP04: A Stealthy Challenge!

re: S18 EP04 "A Stealthy Challenge!"

I'd say this was a good one.

I always like seeing Ash take the time to do some training, but I just don’t like how recently he only chooses like one or two to train rather than having them all together. I hope he start doing that in the future, and maybe train with Clemont as well since he hasn't done that in a while either. Moving on, I really like how Dedenne always seems to be the one notice things and point them out to the group.

I really wish Saizo would have had an actual Shiftry as opposed to that abomination of a Pokemon he did have. I didn't expect Froakie to take the initiative and try to attack the dude’s Pokemon. Adding to the list of unexpected things, I sure as hell was surprised to see Sanpei use a ninja tactic to get away. I thought they’d stay and try to fight, but I guess he knows his limits. I love how Jessie and Meowth shot down James when he asked why the ninjas might be fighting with “who cares, all we need is Pikachu”.

Am I the only found Clemont’s invention just plain odd. Mainly the fact that he had one of Sanpei specifically made. Lol’d at TR starting their motto before even seeing that the figures were robots. Loved seeing it blow up on them.

Anyway, during that scene when Clemont and Serena fell and were saved by the frogs, they actually made Greninja look…cute-ish. Wow, Froakie was the only one to stay behind to make sure Clemont got back up the mountain safely. WTH, did Bonnie really suggest that they fly to that manor or whatever? I thought she was referring to a ninja tactic, but…I guess not. Wow.

Okay, I get that Ash and Sanpei are buddies, but I would have hoped that he would have cared a little more about finding out whether his friends were safe rather than staying back to help Sanpei. Also, obviously this scroll delivering thing was a test for Sanpei. So why was Ash able to help him in battling Saizo? That seems totally odd to me that Saizo would let Ash intrude on Sanpei’s mission. Froakie’s evolution was so awesome and the battle against Barbaracle was great. I love the way he uses Aerial Ace with his hands and feet, which defiantly gives him a way to stand out from the others who use it. But again, I just found it so weird Ash put in all the work to defeat Saizo while Sanpei just watched. Another thing I thought was weird was Ash worrying about Saizo’s instructions on finding the others being a trap. Again, I would have expected him to just get going to find his friends. Eh, well anyways, the final scene with Bonnie asking Froakie to “devolve” was cute.

Anyway, overall a pretty nice episode the only things I disliked were TR and everything I already mentioned with Ash taking Sanpei’s place in the battle. Otherwise it was good. 8/10.
 
re: S18 EP04 "A Stealthy Challenge!"

Team Rocket starting to do the motto to the fakes and then blowing them up and not blasting off was the best part of this episode, hahaha.
 
re: S18 EP04 "A Stealthy Challenge!"

Okay, I had Saizo pegged as the evil ninja pretty early on, so the reveal at the end wasn't a surprise. (If TPTB meant to surprise us viewers, they failed.) And just a thought: if Sanpei got his ass kicked and needed Ash to save him, wouldn't that mean that he'd failed? Or could learning to work with his friends have been part of his test (if an impromptu part)? I think Saizo hinted at the latter.

Once again, I groaned when Clemont pulled out another invention, just waiting for the damn thing to explode. This time, though, it waited until it ran into the TRio before going boom, which was kind of a nice touch. I do wish Clemont would stop using explodium in his inventions, though.
 
re: S18 EP04 "A Stealthy Challenge!"

Sakuraa said:
Okay, I get that Ash and Sanpei are buddies, but I would have hoped that he would have cared a little more about finding out whether his friends were safe rather than staying back to help Sanpei. Also, obviously this scroll delivering thing was a test for Sanpei. So why was Ash able to help him in battling Saizo? That seems totally odd to me that Saizo would let Ash intrude on Sanpei’s mission.
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While obviously Pikachu getting involved in everything lessens it - but it would make sense that he would see Ash's Froakie as another trainee ninja, which makes the test equally valid for both. Maybe Saizo might directly help Ash if there's an episode where it evolves into Greninja?

I don't like the idea of Ash just finding out about a new move on evolution by the Pokedex - I'd rather it be something natural, like having Frogadier going to do cut but Ash noticing that it looks different than usual - and making the connection after seeing it that it is a new move.
 
re: S18 EP04 "A Stealthy Challenge!"

I dislike Greninja's Gremlin voice but I love Frogadier's froggy voice.

It's so funny, doesn't exactly suit the line itself, but I've it's amusing enough that I can be okay with it.

Edit: Not looking for hypothetical Ash's Greninja, dub wise anyway.

Moe said:
I don't like the idea of Ash just finding out about a new move on evolution by the Pokedex - I'd rather it be something natural, like having Frogadier going to do cut but Ash noticing that it looks different than usual - and making the connection after seeing it that it is a new move.
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I don't see why, having it be learned on the fly, just makes Ash look stupid, since it most likely would've been Clemont who would've mentioned it.

Don't believe me (Big Spoilers):

When Ash's Goomy evolved into Sliggoo, Ash checked his Pokedex, then Sliggoo used a new move, instead of Ash knowing what move it was by Pokedex or by just knowing it, Clemont showed up and explained it was dragon breath, and the whole entire context made Ash look like an idiot
 
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re: S18 EP04 "A Stealthy Challenge!"

Getting ridiculous now, why the hell would Clemont have that machine, especially with Sanpei on it

Like at least say "I'll make something" instead of saying he thought they'd need it later

that was a lot of frubels... and Serena must've loved that long tounge ;)

Remember in season 1 when Ash was against 2v1?

For once Wobbuffet couldn't deflect something since it can't use both at once...

bad ass evolution there tbh, Frogadier should be awesome. Can't believe it took like 800 episodes for a water type to evolve under Ash

and I called the it was his master thing tbh. Cool Shiftree mask

Good episode... should've shown the battle between Ash and Sanpei

Where's the Naruto cameo?
 
re: S18 EP04 "A Stealthy Challenge!"

Something kinda bugs me here, and not the fact that Team Rocket served no purpose whatsoever (much akin to the episode Fletchling evolved)...why is Frogadier's Pokedex entry in this episode the EXACT SAME as the entry used in its first appearance? In past seasons, dex entries varied, even within the same arc.
 
re: S18 EP04 "A Stealthy Challenge!"

A great episode that I really enjoyed!

As I already said after Sanpei's debut ep, I love ninja episodes and this week's ep didn't disappoint me once again. The story itself was quite mature, the battle scenes were intense and action-packed and last but not least, we again got a glimpse into the old, mysterious world of ninjas.
But the episode didn't fall short of funny scenes, either. The funniest thing in my eyes was Jessie kicking the robo-twerps which resulted in them blowing up right in front of TRio. Nice, unexpected change in the plot! What I did expect, though was that evil ninja being Seizo in fact. His chin under the mask resembled Seizo's face in the flashback and, to be honest, it was kind of logical that all of this was supposed to be a test for Sanpei. However, I agree with Sakuraa that the young ninja should have stood in the center of attention during the final fight instead of Ash or that at least they should have battled together. But hey, we have Frodadier now and Froakie definitely deserved to evolve finally.
The only thing that really angered me was that we didn't get to see Ash and Sanpei's battle. Ending the episode here felt like a cheap excuse and they better shouldn't have mentioned the battle at all if they decide not to show it to us.

But still, a fantastic episode and I just hope we'll get more of this!
 
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re: S18 EP04 "A Stealthy Challenge!"

dman_dustin said:
I don't see why, having it be learned on the fly, just makes Ash look stupid, since it most likely would've been Clemont who would've mentioned it.
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Clemont wasn't there - at most it would have been one of the other two who are experts with the Froakie line telling Ash, which is fine.

Though ideally he would recognise moves, particularly ones other Pokemon of his have had. The fact that the Pokedex tells him makes other episodes where Ash doesn't recognise a move worse - it's better that they imply that he's stupid because he doesn't recognise every move, rather than that he can't read words on the Pokedex in front of him.
 
re: S18 EP04 "A Stealthy Challenge!"

I think it was getting to see Sanpei again. And the fact that his Frogadier evolved into a Greninja was a nice way to introduce the species in an episode. You know the masked ninja (Saizo) attacking them was what allowed Froakie to evolve (thus breaking the water type starter curse) so it was really a good thing Ash came across Sanpei. It was also a good thing for Sanpei obviously. And I would've liked to have seen the battle Ash had with him at the end.

As for T.R. (Team Rocket) well...... I honestly think this could've been one of the episodes where they don't appear. Because they really didn't play much of a role. And what role they did play didn't have any effect on the events of the episode which means they could've easily been left out.
 
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