When Roy first met Wattrel, it was scared of heights. Fortunately, it managed to overcome that fear, but it was still a moody bird. I do like how it still has other goals left that it needs to achieve, so its character arc wasn’t complete in one shot. This latest episode was perfect to showcase it. I only wish it could’ve been paced a bit better, since Wattrel really hasn’t had a lot of screen time up until now despite its capture all the way back in Episode 14.
Wattrel’s flaws are that it’s moody and timid. It’s moody because it wants to be helpful to Roy, but since Fuecoco easily upstages it, it quickly gets insecure and jealous. I liked how it got jealous when Fuecoco was easily able to get berries by using Flame Charge to climb trees. I honestly really like that it still has issues, and that they’re not getting resolved so easily. It even got into a scuffle with Fuecoco because of this. I also like that Wattrel’s struggles were put to the test in a way that only it could handle. Roy’s stuck on a cliff with Capsakid? Perfect opportunity to fly down and be of use. The way it struggled with the wind at first and then successfully carried it up to safety was so cool to watch. Then, Wattrel was put to the ultimate test when Roy fell off the cliff. Wattrel is so little yet it still dove down to save him, evolving into Kilowattrel in the process. I always like it when Pokémon in the anime evolve to save their trainer from danger. I feel like it’s like an earned evolution in a way, and that it was a sort of reward for Wattrel who was able to overcame its hurdles. I just hope that Kilowattrel still maintains a unique personality even after maturing. It hadn't really hit me before just how big Kilowattrel are compared to Wattrel, but then, I suppose it is in the name. Either way, Roy’s bird is huge.
I always like seeing the kids interacting with wild Pokémon. The parts where they all struggled to capture videos of wild Pokémon was so cute. It just feels like kids acting like kids in a way. It’s also nice just seeing humans and Pokémon interacting. Roy’s little arc with the Capsakid was especially cute, particularly with the part where he enjoys its spicy Bullet Seeds. While Roy not catching Capsakid might be a missed opportunity, I suppose he wasn’t really there to catch it, but to write a report on it.
I also liked the inclusion of Ryme in this episode. Her inclusion here foreshadowed that Roy will challenge her to a battle at some point, and that Fuecoco may evolve in connection to that battle. I honestly can’t wait! Ryme's rap was surprisingly good. She’s voiced by Kimiko Saito, who voices a plethora of cool old women characters like the Madam from The Apothecary Diaries, and Rem from Death Note. It seems like this is her first time voicing anything Pokémon related. Ryme is one of my favorite Gym Leaders in the game, so I’m glad they did her justice here. Ryme's Houndstone was also adorable with its friendly big dog energy.
What were your thoughts on this episode? People might think that Wattrel’s evolution wasn’t deserved because Roy didn’t train it enough, but remember that we now live in an era where in the games, all Pokémon in the party gets experience, whether it by battle or capture. Fuecoco has done a lot of battling, so I’m sure Wattrel is at a good level to evolve, but it just needed that extra push. It was an episode that made me rather emotional because I really liked it! Kilowattrel is actually the second of the Rising Volt Tacklers’ Pokémon to evolve, with Floragato being the first. There’s merch teasing that Liko's Hatenna might evolve into Hattrem soon as well, and it does make me curious if it’ll happen next episode.
