#Pikachu vs Charizard | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

undercityrezident · 1 year

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Alright... that’s a lot to unpack... good grief... what an episode.

Ok, where are we? I guess the start is as good a place as any to begin.

So, here we are in part four of Leon vs. Ash. At least one of my predictions came true: Eternatus helped solve the problem that Ash and Leon’s Gigantamax and Z-move created. I’m glad that, in that sense, Eternatus didn’t interfere in the match so much as to have them call it off. I could’ve very easily seen the writers doing that as a cop-out not wanting to break Leon’s winning streak while not giving Ash another finals loss.

I do wonder what exactly changed such that Eternatus is now trying to actively keep away another occurrence of the Darkest Day, aside from just being a captured pokemon. Maybe that’s all it really takes. I might’ve appreciated more hints and scenes on this change in behaviour aside from the one we got the episode before the battle, but I can’t ask for too much more for such a one-off thing, I suppose.

Anyway, the lesson here we learn here is don’t mix your battle enhancements. Z-Moves and Gigantamax moves apparently have violent, explosive, world-altering chemistry.

I think the best thing we got out of that encounter was Team Rocket narrating the events to the same rhythm and rhyme as their motto. Considering I don’t really care for TR always butting into the match and eating up valuable screen time, that’s saying something.

That all aside, we can’t say that Eternatus didn’t do anything to influence the match. They apparently gave Leon and Ash another use of Gigantamax, which Leon elected to use on Cinderace this time while Ash could only use it with his lone contender, Pikachu. In retrospect, I should’ve expected something like this because we’d also been exposed to Gigantamax Pikachu far earlier in the series. I’m surprised I didn’t think of it, but I guess it’d been long enough that I forgot about the big round Pika-friend and his extra-long lightning-tail.

Strangely, we only got one move out of each of those Gigantamaxes with a cool pairing of move impacts that each tried to hold at bay. The announcer said the impacts forced them back to normal size, which seemed like a really conveniently mundane answer. I would’ve gone with something along the lines of the fact that Enternatus only provided so much power for their second Gigantamax, but that’s just me.

That said, the visuals in this face-off were pretty cool, and I love Cinderace trying to repeatedly kick the damn lightning bolt back up into the sky. That said, Cinderace must be quite frail since I’m reasonably certain it took little to no damage in its other appearances in the match. Meanwhile, Pikachu took that giant fire-soccer-ball like a champ and went on to stand up against Charizard.

I do appreciate that, in the end, after all those battle enhancements through the match we do come down to a classic pokemon battle. No Mega Evolution. No Z-moves, no Gigantamax or Dynamax. Just Pikachu vs. Charizard.

And after all that, after we finally... finally... got some screens of Ash’s past travelling companions that we’ve been missing! Another shot of the ranch crowd; Misty; Brock, Cilan, and Alexa all in the same room, May and Serena in contest garb with Max and bonus Lisia! I’m not sure why we haven’t been able to get them until now, but thank god we finally got them in before it was all over.

Now, I’d be here all night if I were to narrate every move exchange between the pair of battlers because damn, there are a lot, and damn, some of them work great on screen. Pikachu using an electroweb to delay a fire blast long enough to dart away. Charizard taking an iron tail in the chest to be able to use a dragon pulse at point-blank range. Pikachu jumping from ancient power boulder to ancient power boulder like in his gym battle with Grant back in XY to get to the fucking ceiling of the arena. Dueling moves as the pair fall back to the ground. The raw displays of power between the two pokemon as they try and intimidate each other and show off their strength.

I won’t lie, I was captivated. This is the kind of battling I love to see. This is why I come back to this anime time and time again. For these moments. For these battles. I swear, for a few minutes there, I forgot about all the critiques I had for the rest of the battle in the previous three episodes leading up to this. I might’ve even forgotten my all-to-often-displayed annoyance for Leon’s character too.

This was just raw, high-octane, amazing battle and animation fueled by rad music and peak emotional investment from the trainers, the pokemon, and even me.

Then Pikachu took a nasty fire blast hit, beginning, for me, the most poignant and powerful part of the episode. All to the tune of Pikachu’s heaving breaths, we got to see the looks on everyone’s faces as we waited to see if the little yellow mouse would continue to stand:

Dawn and Chloe; Team Rocket; our favourite badass ladies, Cynthia and Diantha; Misty; May and Serena holding hands, and Max is there too; the two mentors in Cilan and Brock; Iris on her iPad; my precious lemon siblings, Clemont and Bonnie; the whole fucking Alola gang, and then the Alola adults too; the Oak Ranch crowd; and finally, Goh.

Then, from behind Pikachu’s own eyes, we saw the moment he fell over. This next part of the episode that made me actually choke up a bit.

For Pikachu, all in its own mind within presumably fractions of a second--though stretched out for us and him--a reunion with all his friends: Ash’s pokemon. All of them. From every region. Kanto. The Orange Islands. Johto. Hoenn. Sinnoh. Unova. Kalos. Alola. And the latest team too. And even pokemon Ash released, traded, or otherwise left with others: Butterfree, Pidgeot, Primeape, Ambipom, Goodra, and Nagandel.

I’m a sucker for nostalgia, I won’t even try to hide that. I love when the anime acknowledges the past sagas. And this was wonderful for me. The feelings that welled up for me had me clutching my chest.

And then finally, Ash comes up and tells him, “That’s right Pikachu! Everyone’s at our side!”

That’s when Pikachu gets up and lets out a frighteningly powerful thunderbolt that even has Charizard and Leon recoiling.

That’s when Ash turns his cap back when we know things are really hitting their peak.

That’s when Leon throws his cap off and does his goofy, though I suppose now quite appropriately timed, pose as the two contenders finally meet in their final clash of the match.

Pikachu meeting Charziard in the middle, shrouded in pure electric power contrasted against red-hot flame, was a powerful feat of animation...

...and made me wonder why we ever gave up Volt Tackle.

Cut to Pikachu on a bed in the local Pokemon Center, us as audience members supposedly clueless as to who won. It was a strange way to delay telling us who won, since they really didn’t make us wait long to show it anyway. But all said, the finale of Charizard getting domed on the head by Pikachu, letting out one last frustrated gout of flame before keeling over, was pretty neat.

Then, to my surprise, an actual moment of character development for Leon! We’d been teased, very lightly, with flashbacks to Leon as a kid. This culminates here in the completion of those scenes with us seeing none other than a young (and hella adorable) Sonia beating the young new trainer, Leon.

I actually really love the idea of the unbeatable champion having actually lost to someone before, and that someone being Sonia. Sorry Ash, you weren’t the first!

But that’s ok! Because you beat him when it counted, Ash! You got there, to that champion podium, with that damn trophy that’s almost as big as you (you really gotta grow up soon already Ash... you’re not going to be able to carry these home if they keep growing at the rate they are and you’re growing at the rate you are...).

We got another moment with the gang back at Oak Ranch, our phaesporia crumbs with Diantha and Cynthia pining for another match (so why not each other... heheh), cuts to Ash’s supporters in the crowd (aww why no cuts to our lovely companions watching from afar again? Aw... oh well...) and then, finally, to the next morning for the segue into Goh’s own finale to come next week.

So...

What do I think of this episode?

Once Charizard and Pikachu got to be the only ones on the field, it was absolutely stellar. This was a great moment for both him and Ash and I’m extraordinarily happy for their accomplishment. For me, I could end the series here and be satisfied (if only we’d wrapped up Goh’s arc before this).

What did I think of the overall battle?

It had its moments. There was some wonky and/or lazy excuses for maneuvers that made little sense to me, but there were also some clever executions of strategy or improvisation from either side. The fact that Ash got a leg up to use 2 Gigantamaxes, a Z-move, and a Mega-Evolution over the two Gigantamaxes that Leon got makes me feel a bit annoyed in thinking that people in and out of universe might claim Ash didn’t truly earn that victory. It also still makes me roll my eyes at Leon for him thinking he was hot enough shit to still win if Ash did that... but look where that got you Leon.

But the end of the match, the way it was presented, and the moments and emotions it elicited in me make up for a lot of those criticisms. Goes to show if you can stick the landing, it helps a lot. Could’ve done without the nursing bed flashback reveal. But, overall, nicely done.

I still think Cynthia vs. Ash was a better battle in its entirety. But I was more invested in that match, though this battle is very much rooted in a solid 2nd place in this tournament.

But Ash ain’t second! He’s first! Hooray for him!

Now, Goh’s plot aside, where do we go from here?

Honestly, I’m not sure. If any moment felt right to introduce a new protagonist to the anime, it would be now. Or maybe we could actually age up Ash and have him deal with some real, major threats as the World Champion. Who knows! I suppose we’ll have to wait and see.

#Rez Rambles #Pokemon #Pokeani #SwSh #Pokeani Spoilers #I won't lie #Shaky start but it came out as one of the better pokeani episodes in a long while #And the final match between Charizard and Pikachu was one of the better one-on-one's I've seen in the whole series #It's not quite Infernape vs Electivire but it's actually not terribly far away either #Phew that was a lot #both writing and emotions...#I'm exhausted XD

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turboacek-blog · 1 year

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Yugi’s Pokemon Team

So there was a topic of Ash vs Yugi on twitter

And basically it just devolved into if they're playing each other competitive Yugi would win but Ash would win if they physically had to fight

Some also said Ash would win Pokemon and Yugi would win Yugioh/Duel monsters not just for obvious reasons but because Ash is more adaptive and Yugi is more of a planner

It made me think what would Yugi’s Pokemon team be?

As the idea is that Yugi would use some competitive Pokemon and that's why he would win as he would be less restricted in Pokemon and such similar to the actual competitive Pokemon play where they use legendaries, mythical, etc as if it's normal which isn't in the anime

But also Yugi’s deck had a theme (not an archetype) of mostly medieval with magic, knights, and dragons and there are pokemon that can meet that theme even if they aren't the most competitive Pokemon

So this was my attempt at a Yugi team

Meowscarada is literally a dark magician lol and makes sense for a starter,

Braixen would have been the starter before gen 9 as it has the “magic rod” and everything but now it can fit the Dark Magician Girl spot (could be Delphox but thought Braixen for the apprentice aspect more since it's a middle stage)

Aegislash is for all the knight cards Yugi has from Celtic Guardian, Black Luster Soldier, Buster Blader, etc

Escavalier, after the dark magician, it seems Gaia the fierce knight is the most consistent of his stronger cards, as cards like summoned skull didn’t appear often and others aren’t as unique or strong, Gaia and Escavalier use the same weapon

Venonat, Venonat is the closest thing to Kuriboh and Kuriboh is such a big part of Yugi had to include

Rayquaza is the obvious pick for Slifer the Sky Dragon the Egyptian God that was the boss monster for them

So that's the team

Pretty strong, the starters are starters so they have good strength, Aegislash is versatile Escavalier is can be really strong, with Rayquaza as one of the most powerful Pokemon ever, Venonat is the weak point here but could be the equivalent to Ash’s Pikachu if we're concerned about stats

Could this team beat Ash’s?

Depends how strong they make the Rayquaza

As everyone else is possible with his starters, aces, Pokemon like Sirfetch’d are no joke, etc

So could be an even battle until Rayquaza comes then it comes down to is this a Pokemon that if he has Charizard, Greninja, Pikachu etc available can they do a legendary slaying performance or will it be like a Tobias Darkrai or a legendary raid battle where he stands no chance?

I made additional team's for if Yugi and Atem are separated for this

Atem

Kept Meowscarada and Aegislash as in the Yugi vs Atem battle Atem had more of the magician and Knight cards

Atem had the Egyptian gods so he keeps Rayquaza for Slifer

Alakazam just represents more of his magician cards

Druddigon is the most similar to some of his dragons like Timaeus

And Kingambit represent more knight cards maybe specifically the Kings Knight, Queens Knight, Jacks Knight cards

Yugi

Atem had the dark magician girl in their duel but this magician can represent more of the fruit magicians he used in DSOD

Magnezone for his Magnet warriors, they had a crucial part against Atem in their duel and are another staple for their joint deck

Golurk for his Fortress cards like Stronghold, Metamorphortress as he used that combination in nearly all his duels

Klinklang for the gadget cards like red gadget, gold gadget

Gardevoir and Gallade for his Silent Magician and Silent Swordsman they are his equivalent to Atem’s Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl

Different teams, Atem has the same Rayquaza question but little Yugi, has a more technical team he's not going to overpower Ash but he could out-strategize him

Additional Pokemon to full out his reserves/deck

Sirfetch’d -another knight

Chesnaught - technically another knight

Armarouge/Ceruledge - fire knights might fit Joeys flame swordsman more

Corviknight - also another knight

Dragonite -another dragon

Charizard - another “dragon”

Mismagius- a witch for more magicians

Mr. Mime - technically a magician

Lucario and Rabscada - the Egyptian connection

Marowak or Duskull - Summoned Skull

Iron Valiant - “Combined” version of Gardevoir and Gallade if ever news to make just one team slot for them (also Silent Paladin)

Basically any dark, psychic, fairy, ghost, steel, or dragon type Pokemon as they generally cover a lot of the magic, knight, and Dragon, Yugi’s medieval theme has and some of Yugi’s toy/kid theme

I couldn't find a good equivalent for Gandora maybe a Pokemon like Zekrom but nothing I felt confident about picking

Same with Exodia don't know which Pokemon could fit that ionic card(s) maybe Regigigas as the ability slow start can match the need for all five cards to summon/win

Legendaries

Magearna - for the gadget cards

Swords of justice - knights

Hoopa - kind of a magician

Zacian/Zamazenta- knights

Mewtwo - psychic type can be a magician

So who wins?

#pokemon #pokemon anime #ash ketchum #yugioh #yugi mutou #yami yugi #yugi moto #yugi mutoh #ash vs yugi #duel monsters #dark magician

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