#There are more things that I like about Liko from the first episode but I'm leaving it there for now
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a likodot themed analysis of HZ049
hello it's been a while since my last truly longform post like this but guess who watched HZ049 today and is going absolutely fucking feral bonkers about it. it's me. and i have things to say about it of the likodot variety because if i don't get these thoughts out of my head i'll explode.
forgive me for my shipping bias because i'm not sorry. however i am slightly sorry for how messy this post ended up being my god i had a lot of thoughts but i did my best to make this at least somewhat entertaining to read and comprehensive. but it really is a long winding mess LOL. FULL OF PASSION AND ADORATION I LOVE THIS SHOW AND I LOVE LIKO AND DOT MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THIS WORLD
obviously there are heavy spoilers below the cut i'm going to be violently pulling apart all the scenes where these two interact and gnawing at all of it
so. first off. this episode displays massive growth in liko and dot's relationship by method of showing how much liko's behavior around gurumin has changed since these two met and since dot initially confessed to being gurumin. as we all know liko was a massive superfan of gurumin, and then when dot confessed to being gurumin... well liko's reaction was. Uh
well she was having a little bit of a crisis about it LOL. historically liko has gotten very flustered and panicked when reminded that dot is gurumin. and she has been really prone to fangirling still (ie. getting really excited about helping gurumin in HZ019 with the bakery stuff or helping gurumin with the pig town stuff in HZ036), despite knowing the person in the suit. she goes as far as to try to ignore that dot is in the suit entirely and keep them separate in her brain (shown for instance by her freaking out over seeing dot halfway in the gurumin suit in HZ039) because if she were to mentally cross those wires, she wouldn't be able to handle it.
but now in this episode, things have obviously changed a lot over time. the episode opens with a small scene that explains what dot is doing about gurumin while they are traveling on the terastal course (filming them beforehand and scheduling ahead of time lol) but liko and dot have a conversation about (a really CUTE conversation) about gurumin in the process.
do not get it twisted, liko is still very much a fan of gurumin, but this conversation is a lot more comfortable and grounded. she gets a notification about a new gurumin video and she's excited (and surprised because of the timing), but she is not panicking about it. and her first reaction to this information is to directly ask dot (with the softest expression fucking ever??) about it. this directly connects dot and gurumin together in a strong way. liko is no longer running from the fact that dot is the youtuber she looks up to, and in fact she's being pretty upfront about it.
not related to my main point, but i also just want to gush a little here about this scene more - dot reacts similarly to liko showing so much affection for her work in a similar way to how she reacted in HZ008 to liko complimenting her through the door - getting flustered about liko's genuine energy, but this time they know each other and are looking at each other face to face. liko's affectionate energy is enough to make her relent that maybe someday... she could film outside... which shows the sort of effect liko has on her. and also this becomes relevant later in the episode where dot literally does film gurumin videos outside - it's just good writing/foreshadowing lol
anyway, this continues later on when liko is the first to get worried about dot doing the battle livestream with nanjamo as gurumin instead of herself. i think if this situation had happened much earlier on, liko would have been thinking a lot more about the excitement of the idea of seeing gurumin battle in real life, but she doesn't even initially have that thought and have to backtrack, she's immediately worried about dot instead.
ironically, liko recognizing that gurumin isn't dot, as in gurumin is a mask that dot puts on instead of being representational of her true self, drives home liko's recognition of dot as gurumin even more. she understands the connection between dot and gurumin and what gurumin is to dot enough to have this concern in the first place - one roy initially doesn't understand, that is specific to liko. there is zero compartmentalization of dot being a youtuber here! liko is concerned about her friend who is an influencer, where she puts on a mask to be confident and outgoing. dot and gurumin are fully connected.
it's also worth acknowledging that liko holds the gurumin suit and is concerned about it being damaged but nothing more - unlike in HZ021 when she goes to dot's room to give her the suit after it's been washed and cleaned, and she's a little nervous and flustered about it still.
i've always talked about how there's a bit of a difference between shipping liko and dot, and liko and gurumin - not that those two sectors have zero overlap, but that to liko, gurumin and dot were usually kept so separate mentally that fans online could often be sorted into camps of being interested in the running silliness of liko's fascination and flustered behavior with the whole gurumin thing, and liko and dot's connection with each other as normal (girl)friends... liko has progressively adjusted more to dot being gurumin and has had moments where she is able to set aside her fangirl heart to be there for dot (like when she mentions dot being gurumin in her little supportive speech in HZ027), but this episode shows that in a much more drastic and meaningful way, and now those two sectors are FULLY overlapping canonically. i think it is overall a sweet and good thing for them that liko is able to see dot as a whole and directly appreciate her creative skills/work. it is obviously meaningful to dot!
TLDR;
HZ039:
HZ049:
you get the point.
NOW. onto the SECOND thing i want to talk about. the thing i've dubbed LIKODOT TELEPATHY. aka holy shit these girls understand each other without words. liko and dot understand each other on an intrinsic level and often notice when the other is worried, or pushing themselves too hard, or etc. that is EXTREMELY evident in this episode through liko's concern towards dot.
going back to the first scene before the opening theme, liko detects immediately when dot comments on roy's upbeat attitude that dot might be feeling nervous about her upcoming battle, and immediately offers reassurance.
(unfortunately i have to put aside my ramble about liko's continued lack of self esteem and her putting herself down here for another time because otherwise this post will get so off-topic and longer than it has any right to be, but you get the point. also holy shit dot saying "you don't have to fuss so much" but smiling and saying that line like she's happy to have liko fretting about her makes me CRAZY. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. BUT. coughs. ANYWAY)
then, like i mentioned earlier, liko is the first to be worried about dot in this episode. she's the first to notice dot's anxious/shutting down behavior:
the first to recognize that dot might actually walk away unhappy if she were to do her terastal exam as gurumin instead of herself:
and the first to recognize that her filming videos outside is not as genuinely upbeat and happy as it may seem:
(two quick side notes about this, i really like how the writing puts emphasis on liko's concern by contrasting roy's total lack of it multiple times - NOT that he doesn't care of course, but just that liko understands dot particularly well and is in touch with dot's feelings in a special way that roy isn't. additionally, it makes me feel crazy that dot probably got the idea to film outside from liko's affectionate encouragement in the first scene in the episode... like, she's basically trying to use liko's advice to hype herself up and get through this... of course she would!! trusting liko's words has always ended up positively for her!! liko is such a massive support for her!! and liko acknowledges herself that yeah she said that but that isn't what she meant. GOD. i'm so insane about these girls)
this is notable not only because it's very sweet that liko is so concerned about dot, but also because dot doesn't really understand this herself. she is trying so hard to put on the gurumin facade, to run away from her anxiety as far as possible, to avoid the bad. and yet despite her attempts to cover her true feelings up as much as possible, even from herself, liko sees straight through it. dot cannot mask around liko, she understands regardless, sees the parts of her she doesn't want to acknowledge.
the contrast between dot's understanding of herself and liko's understanding of her is immense. directly after dot boldly proclaims that she feels so much stronger as gurumin and happily mentions that she has nanjamo's permission to do their battle as gurumin is when liko finally confronts her. the difference in mood is startling, almost, and easily shows that contrast. i need to break down this confrontation in detail cause it makes me insane
first, liko is still too nervous to say what she wants to say, but as per usual with LIKODOT TELEPATHY (tm) dot immediately notices liko going into her polite i-don't-want-to-inconvenience-you voice and pushes for what the matter is. she can tell immediately that liko has a problem even though liko hasn't said anything yet.
liko doesn't want to rock the boat and is overly gentle with her words (once again i have to push aside my ramble about liko's confidence problems AGH) but finally speaks her piece about the situation.
i want to mention here as well, these two situations are very different, but the similarities of dot noticing liko pushing herself back in HZ027 and then liko recognizing dot pushing herself in kind... SIIIGH
dot's reaction is to stammer with MUCH less confidence than before that she wasn't forcing anything. she's taken offguard by liko's concerns, but it's evident she recognizes what liko is saying within herself and is grappling with trying to maintain her mental wall after liko has cracked it in half with her words. liko was right and saw right through her, and dot isn't sure how to handle it. she avoids eye contact and everything.
this is where i bridge my conversation about likodot telepathy into talking about dot's characterization and growth as a character, so bear with me - quaxly attempts to drive the point liko is making home by separating dot from the gurumin suit, but afterwards is... The Scene. liko tries to bring the conversation back to what they were saying before, but at this point dot is overwhelmed by quaxly's actions and feels socially/emotionally cornered and... she explodes and screams at liko.
i think it's an interesting part of her personality that she is prone to irritable/angry outbursts and yelling when she has her buttons pushed too far and i'm glad that remains consistent for her, especially because...
the last time dot yelled directly at liko like this was in HZ008. the situation is actually quite similar with dot being pushed too far into a situation she doesn't know how to handle by liko reaching out to her more than she is ready for, causing her to lash out. but some MAJOR things have changed since then - obviously, the first time was through the door before they really knew each other, before liko had even seen her face, but this time it's up close and personal and they know each other. but secondly, at the beginning of the show, dot is irritated and overwhelmed by pretty much any attempt at conversation. she has come such a long way that now she's brought to screaming by something much, much more massive, with the whole being streamed live while battling in real life thing, showing how much she has overcome since then... and not only that!! thirdly! the first time, liko was encouraging gurumin, sharing how much of a fan of gurumin she was, and now this second time, it's in reaction to liko essentially telling her "i don't think you actually want to be gurumin in this situation". point is, the amount of growth dot has had is ironically so easy to see in her screaming at liko here because of the sheer level of contrast between the two times it's happened.
by this happening again, it also gives dot the chance to recognize her own shitty behavior and apologize for yelling later even though liko (nor roy) were asking for an apology - in fact they seemed to be surprised that dot wanted to apologize in the first place, like they had forgotten all about it. i think both liko and roy are used to shrugging off some of dot's more irritable behaviors, but this time dot noticed herself that she messed up and takes that moment to say sorry, which is sweet of her and once again a moment of character growth.
considering that dot also follows this up with the statement that she will take her terastal exam as herself, the apology is also connected to it - like she recognized that what liko was saying, the thing that made her yell, ended up being true. it was liko's genuine attempt to help her. and now that she's come to that conclusion on her own, she can see that yelling was even more misguided.
and that's my final conversation topic about this episode - the fact that dot came to that conclusion on her own. yes, liko cracked the wall she was putting up and gave her that starting push, but dot went above and beyond to take that crack and then smash that wall into pieces without liko's help. which despite what it sounds like i think is extremely important for these two's dynamic moving forward.
i'm going to spare you the analysis of dot's fear of cameras, why she hides behind gurumin, as well as a breakdown of the whole part of the episode with varoom bc i'm trying to talk mostly about likodot here, but assuming you've watched the episode you know what i'm talking about. here, i'm focused on the part where liko exclaims that they have to help dot, and dot denies her help and says she wants to handle it on her own, and then from this experience she is able to conclude she wants to do her terastal exam as herself.
this is massive. for so long, liko has practically dragged dot along and held her hand through tackling new experiences... sometimes literally lol, thinking about the scene in HZ027 where liko drags dot to chase after terapagos by the arm. but anyway, on top of that, this is also different from her standing up to her mom in HZ041, which was ALSO massive, but a large part of that episode consisted of liko's interventions, and she was pushed into that situation where she really had no choice in the matter. she had to if she wanted to stay on the brave asagi which was non negotiable. but here? there was nothing stopping dot from just taking the help and running from the cameras. in fact it probably would have been much easier to do that. but she wants to prove herself, and not because she has to to get the thing she wants, but just because... she wants to. she wants to succeed on her own.
and i think that's really important in the context of not just dot herself, but likodot, because while it is very sweet of liko to constantly be pushing dot and leading her to further self understanding and more confidence, and i will always be emotional about liko essentially caring for her to the point of dot braving ending her time as a NEET, the end goal for that should always be that dot is given confidence in herself to exist as a person independently of liko's pushing, for her own sake.
i think it's also incredibly meaningful that liko saw this happen - she experienced running out to help dot like usual, and then actually having her advances denied, but not for bad reasons this time... she gets to see dot be a better version of herself and come to that conclusion liko tried to push earlier, on her own accord, in her own way.
i say all this because i want liko to be able to love dot not as a person to fix but also just... a person. i want what liko has done for her to cause dot to be a better person outside of what liko does, for herself. and i want liko to be able to love the wonderful and more confident person dot becomes as a result. do you understand. am i making sense. GAH. i am so worked up about this. i'm holding them both in my hands and shaking them violentlySJDFJFSD
god. thank you for reading if you've actually come this far. i am going to end off this messy and deranged casual "essay" with a couple of notes i wasn't sure how to fit anywhere else.
one, i think it's very nice that when roy thinks dot's in trouble, liko is sure enough in dot's intelligence and battling skills to say with great confidence that dot MUST have a plan
and TWO, AHHHH I'M SO EXCITED FOR THE NEXT EPISODE AHHHH AHHHHHH WE ARE GOING TO GET EVEN MORE DOT CHARACTERIZATION AND GROWTH AND SHE'S GOING TO FACE HER MENTOR FIGURE HOW AM I GOING TO HANDLE IT AFTER ALREADY WRITING THIS MUCH ABOUT THE FIRST EPISODE IN THIS TWO-PARTER AND ALSO WHAT WAS THIS GAY SHIT IN THE EPISODE PREVIEW AHHHH AHHH
thank you for coming to my ted talk. goodnight tri state area
#likodot#dotliko#guruminshipping#pokemon horizons#trainer dot#trainer liko#anipoke#pokemon horizons spoilers#anipoke spoilers#long post#kiki was here#kiki.txt#horizons#i'm so fucking insanea bout them. hi
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I love how they've already given Liko an internal conflict that's so different from not just Ash, but most protagonists we've had in Pokemon so far. We've had characters be nervous before, and who've had difficulties socializing in their past, but I don't think any of them responded to it the way Liko does.
She's not super animated when it comes to her anxieties, either, which is kind of refreshing in a way. I feel like there's a tendency to make these sorts of characters so loud and obvious about their fears that it sometimes becomes comical, and while I don't have an issue with that, it's nice to see this more grounded take on it, too.
Because like... anxiety isn't always visible. Liko clearly has a lot going on in her head at any given moment, but she doesn't outwardly express herself very much. And as a result, people reportedly have a hard time understanding her.
And that's just really cool to see in the protagonist of this kind of series - one that has such a bright, loud energy to it. Sure, Liko will probably develop to have a similar energy to her, but her starting place is fundamentally different from what we've seen before, and that's exciting to see play out. I'm already looking forward to seeing more of her!
#pokemon#pokeani#anipoke#pokemon horizons#trainer liko#analysis#meta#There are more things that I like about Liko from the first episode but I'm leaving it there for now#Also I really want to spell it as Riko but the subs and whatnot are saying Liko so. I'll manage I guess
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Heres my rant about Amethio age discussion and why I think the age range excuse is stupid. I should probably keep this out of the main tag, but I'm tired, sick, and angry, so idc.
Big really angry rant under the line.
So please can anyone explain to me why everyone thought that VAs comment about Amethio being a teen means hes between 13-19 and also 100% CAN be a 19 years old?
Cause English says that a teen is between 13 and 19? Well we all know that English has a lot of stupid stuff in it, so doesnt really count. Plus, quick reminder, this is anime. Japan. The meaning behind teenager could be very different here.
The difference between 13 and 19 years old is so contrast that giving Amethio this range in the first place is moronic. A 13 years old still needs to ask their daddy to go out with their friends. 19 years old already expected to pay taxes, move out of the house, is probably already on a antidepressants.
And the thing is, Amethio doesnt even act like a 19 years old! He acts like a 14 years old emo that tries his very best to look serious and is desperate for attention.
The whole his beef with Friede is a big ass example of this, that Anime just shoves into your face! Amethio becames irrated immediately after Friede stops giving attention to him, everything in his actions screams "Take me seriously!" He wants to be seen as a professional serious trainer by someone who has authority [ Friede ] and is hurt when it doesnt happen. Its literally how neglected children act.
Also the whole excuse with "B-but hes working with Explorers and has his own subordinates that he commands" GUESS WHO ALSO A MINOR BUT IS A BOSS OF A SHIP? ZUKO. The literal icon of redemption arcs. He also was casted away in the age of 13 and had a whole small army under his command. Does that make him an adult? NO. Both Amethio and Zuko are clearly special, thats why they both are forced into a weapon by their respective parential abusers [ Ozai / Gibeon ], and given some special privileges to make it seem that thse abusers love them, when in fact they are just using them.
He doesnt look like a 19 years old either! His body type barely resembles one of Friede or Spinel, both being a clear cut adults. And before someone says "Well I think that Friede looks 20 and that Amethio is just a really twigy guy" no hes bloody not! Reminder, this is pokemon, we have Lusamine and Cyrus that look like 20 and 40, but actually the opposite. And the thing is, Amethio closely resembles Silver with his body! Whos, yk, A CANONICAL 13 YEARS OLD.
What is more hysterical to me is when the Interviews AND Anime itself start to make parallels between Amethio and the kid Trio, whos, yk, OBVIOUSLY KIDS. Like- in both interviews before the big arcs the boy was compared to Liko & Roy [ And Dot, by extension. ] Amethio was literally called a kid alongside the kid Trio, [ One of the kids that still havent found their dream ] which not only makes him a minor, but also puts him the same age group with Liko, Roy and Dot!
And Anime situation is even more comedic. Khem khem. Literally an episode that got out not so long ago, 44. Amethio is called a spoiled brat by Sango [ Which already makes him a kid, but alas ]. Guess who was also called a spoiled kid? LIKO. BY MOLLIE IN THE ABROLIVA EPISODE. Liko, whos canonically we seen as a child child in the episode 18, was called the same thing as Amethio. I get that Anime tries to make parallels between them in general, but that doesnt matter to me now. The most important thing is - they are both viewed as a kids. Yk. MINORS.
Ending this, I'll say - Amethio is a barely 14, maybe at maximum 15, and he is sure is not a 19 years old. I'm sure hes in the same age bracket as Liko, Roy and Dot.
Also AmeFriede is the worst ship that deserves its own place in hell, alongside AmeSpinel. I hate both of these. They are bad from all perspectives.
[ Also, this is the angriest I felt lately, so I wont probably post any other rants like that. This is just me being beaten down by flu and projecting my anger towards this shitty and stupid "discussion". ]
#pokemon horizons#amethio#my insomniac rambles#My rants#Also this isnt targeted at anyone - this is just me being really fucking angry and ranting into the air
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Have you ever thought of making an Explorer oc or explorersona?
Ok so this is not really my oc or sona, he exists in the show (but I'm sure he's actually different than what i designed so i think this counts as oc..?) recently i made a fan design for gibeon!!
Yes you can tell based on his hair i headcanon he's amethio's father lol.*
I think as a leader, Gibeon is, well he always seem cold and calculating, and he and Amethio are related to Lucius' friends** so he wants his son to continue whatever his/Explorers goal is (assert his right as descendants of Lucius' friends? Money? Power?) meanwhile as a father maybe he cares for Amethio but he's too caught up in his own ambitions that he forgets/doesn't realise his expectations for Amethio is putting pressure on him.
I headcanon he distances himself from Amethio in an effort to not coddle him, because he wants Amethio to grow on his own + not want to show favoritism among the Explorers members***, but he makes sure Hamber reports to him about the boy (we see Amethio communicates with him a lot). Even though Gibeon is not harsh with Amethio - removing him from the mission but did not scold or berate him like i expect a villain team leader would do - Amethio still feels the need to measure up to him. Which is made worse because he's in his emo teenage years (just look at him in the new op)
He doesn't have a good role model, he doesn't have people to confide to (well actually he has Zir and Conia but he doesn't talk to them about his feelings) and the rest of the Explorers are not really friendly with him either so he's kinda stuck, he feels he had no choice but to do things on his own.
I like to think that their family ties will be tested one day, with Amethio questioning if he's really worth to be a successor for Gibeon. Since episode 1 fans have noticed the different dynamics between amethio-explorers and liko-rvt, the former is cold and formal(?) meanwhile the latter is more organic and found-family like, therefore many people speculated amethio will join rvt and find that they treat him better (im in this camp and i want him to sing the pokerap)
*This is mainly based on my interpretation of Amethio's behaviour, how he really wants to get the pendant no matter what, it could be caused by him wanting to gain approval from his father. And during the first Explorers meeting, Amethio was physically present, suggesting he was near their headquarters compared to the others who joined virtually - suggesting closer ties? He's also not afraid of breaking rules by continuing to pursue the pendant even when gibeon officially removes him from the mission and he's not punished for it, compared to how Hamber (the butler) is more strict with Sango and Onyx.
***Also Amethio has his own personal grunts and a submarine meanwhile other members don't really have those (spinel only has a van lol).
**Hamber pretty much confirmed that Explorers have ties with Lucius (they were his friend), and Terapagos had a strong reaction to Amethio specifically??
This turned out really long im so sorry anon I'm obsessed about Explorers especially Amethio but thanks for asking!! 💖💖 I'm pretty sure a lot of these will turn out wrong but it's fun to speculate lolol
#pokemon#pokemon horizons#gibeon#amethio#team explorers#pokeani#chips's oc#asks#if he turned out not to be related to amethio i still hope he has a banger design#he cant lose to his underlings lol#my headcanons
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I'm about to start episode 15 of the Horizons anime (I was really behind), and I'd just like to say once again that the PokéAni fans that refused to watch it just because it didn't have Ash and/or the TRio in it are really, really missing out.
Aside from having gorgeous animation, music, and a fresh premise, the cast of characters in Horizons is really solid. The adults of the Rising Volt Tacklers crew (Friede, Orla, Mollie, Murdock, and Landau) are all interesting and are around just enough so that the kids are safe, but that the stakes are still raised high enough so that it's believable when the kids are in danger. Because the stakes in Horizons are genuine stakes; we are shown from the get-go that the primary antagonists, the Explorers, are not just goofy guys that can be trifled with, and they haven't come up with something they want to steal on the spot after a chance encounter, either. They are genuine threats that, at least at the point I'm watching, really are too strong for Liko and Roy to handle on their own, and so they need Friede and the rest of the RVT to help them train and become stronger. This doesn't mean that Liko and Roy are helpless and can't do anything -- they do quite a lot on their own! -- but there are stakes in the ongoing plot in this anime (and there is an ongoing, narrative plot!), and the adult crew are around just enough to help out when things get dicey for the kids, who are newbie trainers.
Liko is a really refreshing protagonist; she has a lot to learn about the world still and so is curious and ready to see and experience new things, but she's also cautious and unsure of herself and her place at first, which leads to her getting lost in her own thoughts and tripped up by her own anxiety at times. But we get to see her grow; she comes out of her shell a little more episode by episode, and seeing that marked character growth is wonderful to watch. Plus, as the primary protagonist, she's central to the ongoing narrative plot; the pendant that she inherited from her grandmother is what the Explorers are after, and she takes an active role in wanting to solve its mystery, taking the step herself to not be just a damsel needing to be protected by the RVT, but instead being the heroine of her own story (something she lampshades in an early episode lmao). She has a concrete motivation for being on this journey and stake in the plot. Liko is great!
And for everyone I've seen who says, "I miss Ash," well . . . Roy's your boy! Don't get me wrong, Roy is very much his own character and person; but Roy has a lot of the same personality beats that Ash did in the later sagas (you know, when they'd truly decided to throw out all semblance of who Ash was when he was originally conceived as a character to instead be who they wanted him to be vis-a-vis what type of shounen protagonist is popular nowadays). He's extremely energetic, loves pokémon and gets along with them readily, and is enthusiastic about seeing new places. Except this wasn't just an Ash copy-paste, because we're given concrete reasons for this, too; Roy grew up on a remote island near-ish Kanto, and never left that island for his entire life. He was always told fantastical stories about faraway adventures, but never got to experience them for himself, instead attending remote schools and spending his days otherwise playing with wild pokémon in the forests on his island. In fact, Roy grew up on one story in particular: the story of an ancient adventure who journeyed with six pokémon known as the Six Heroes, including a shiny Rayquaza, to the ends of the world. And then Roy finds an ancient pokéball containing that very Rayquaza, releases it on accident, and that gives him the motivation to join the RVT so that he can chase the Rayquaza and finally set off on a journey of his own, to solve the mystery of the ancient pokéballs and shiny Rayquaza. So again, it's a unique motivation and stake in the plot! While still, also, being a character type you're likely to enjoy, if you enjoyed the Ash who acted like a rockruff in order to train his rockruff. (Because Roy? Jumped off a rock over and over to try to teach a wattrel how to fly.)
The Horizons anime has an ongoing narrative plot that the main characters are actively engaged in and have a reason to pursue. (Because I forgot to mention, but Liko's pendant responds to Roy's ancient pokéball.) They're brand new, unique characters whose personalities are informed by their background and who grow as the episodes progress, because even the episodes that are a bit more slice of life are still informing them as characters and are progressing their characters forward. The ongoing plot is never forgotten, nor is the threat; in an episode where the crew is shopping, a merchant off-handedly mentions Amethio and his sidekicks (they're the main three Explorers that the RVT have faced so far), and Friede picked up the reference and pounced on the potential lead on what their enemies are up to, and so on. You fully believe that the adult crew of the RVT has known each other forever, and they're so warm and kind to Liko and Roy when they join the crew. Not to mention Dot, Murdock's niece, who is also absolutely delightful and I can't wait to see more of her.
All in all, I cannot stress this enough, if there are any fans of the Ash anime that still haven't checked out Horizons because they feel it won't be the same . . . well, it's not the same. But it's really, really, REALLY good. And you're really missing out on something great if you continue to pass it up.
#pokemon#pokeani#anipoke#pokemon horizons#horizons anime#making this post bc i still see ''i miss ash'' posts a lot#but i just watched the episodes where Roy teaches the wild wattrel to fly#and it reminded me SO much of how Ash was characterized in certain sagas#like again Roy is still very much his own unique character#and he has his own defined goal that is NOT Ash's goal in any way shape or form#but that bit with Wattrel was very reminiscent#also the fact that Horizons as a whole just has like an actual narrative plot? chef's fucking kiss i love it#like i know that the plot will end up changing because Liko's pendant doesn't stay a pendant - i know some spoilers but#still. i love it. and I know the Explorers don't really go away regardless#excited to keep watching and get caught up lol
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Some character notes and episode notes for HZ045, writing them down for future reference.
Towards the beginning, we see the Explorers going back to Spinel who asked them to withdraw since they got to see Rayquaza's power for themselves. They all follow his lead. Spinel probably knew that Rayquaza was too overwhelming, so this plan might have simply been a way to gather data or see Rayquaza's reactions etc. Spinel likes observing and act on concrete information so he can plan better in the future, so. At least, he got confirmation that Rayquaza does react to the resonance generator, has an idea of his moveset, the way he reacts and potential weaknesses.
Liko and the others proceed to challenge Rayquaza. Really shows how far they came too, since Liko introduced herself and her goal of taking Terapagos to Rakua, Roy talked about how grateful he was to Rayquaza since he got to go an adventure thanks to him.. Rayquaza actually listened to them and agreed to battle them. I liked how formal the whole thing felt and the way they communicate with Rayquaza and how Rayquaza's feelings are taken into account too. He could just refuse to battle them at all if he didn't acknowledge them but the fact he accepted means that he is willing to test them. Rayquaza being Lucius's greatest partner really shines through.
Liko and the others start battling Rayquaza. I liked how nervous Liko felt at the beginning because she was reminiscing how she couldn't do anything last time so she wanted to make a difference this time, but was unsure on how to approach Rayquaza since he is in the sky and she is on the ground. It seems like having a Flying type will potentially be important to face Rayquaza again in the future. Amethio has an Armorga, who can fly. So, maybe something will be done with it in the future.
Anyway, the group split into two teams during the battle. Roy went with Friede on Lizardon, and Dot teamed up with Liko as Cap assisted them to help their Pokemon fly. At some point, Hogator and Lizardon launched a Flamethrower at the same time. I liked it, because in HZ002, I remember Hogator trying to mimic Lizardon when he was using this move but he couldn't use it back then. And now, Hogator can battle alongside his idol, which is really cute. Something else I found significant is when Dot came up with a plan to help Nyahoja jump even higher to reach Rayquaza, which was to have Nyahoja get on Kuwassu and then having Kuwassu fire a Water Gun towards the ground and give more momentum by using Low Kick. I'm pretty sure this is a reference to HZ017, when Roy asked Dot for advice when he trained Hogator and Kaiden and he eventually came up with the plan to have Hogator use Ember towards the ground to propel himself and Kaiden upwards, etc. I like that Dot was resourceful and quickly remembered this, and it really feels like all these moments from the first year are now paying off against Rayquaza. Dot and Liko work well together, so do Roy and Friede so I wonder if we'll see them battle together more in the future. Maybe with some changes every now and then? (maybe Liko and Friede teaming up, and Roy and Dot together etc, idk)
Rayquaza started taking everyone pretty seriously after all their attacks so he used Draco Meteor (that one move that hits pretty much everything around). It quickly overwhelmed everyone, and the move almost hit Terapagos so Liko and Nyahoja quickly went to Terapagos to protect him... and that's when Amethio's Soublades showed up to repel that move and protect them. (The BGM used during that specific scene was good too, it felt kinda knight-like to me, Soublades being a knight who protects others like Liko and Amethio...) I find it quite interesting that we don't know how Amethio phrased his sentence to have Soublades protect them... I wonder what he said exactly. Either way, Amethio protected Nyahoja back in HZ002 when she was about to fall off from the ship and now, he protects Liko and her Pokemon again. I really like that and that this is how he shows up again. He also muttered and went on about Spinel (so he used his name around Liko so maybe she heard him and knows his name now ww) and how he knew he was scheming something... Spinel keeps an eye on Amethio and seems to pay attention to what he does (as seen in HZ034), and despite not acting with the others and sometimes even being "excluded" from their plan, Amethio also pays attention to what Spinel does.
Either way, Amethio used Terastal so he mastered it in the time between HZ034 and now. I talked about his Terastal pose being the same as Friede, which I like because he probably was really impacted by their battle at the castle in HZ025, so he remembers it. His "follow your own path" is also significant (for obvious reasons). Amethio seemed much more in control this time, the way he battled and used Ghost Dive seemed much more controlled. Friede joins Amethio and uses Terastal too, and he seemed really fired up. He suggested a teamup when he asked Amethio to have Soublades ride on Lizardon, and I found Amethio's reaction kind of funny because there was a silence during like, two seconds, like Amethio was considering whether he was going to follow his lead or not ww Amethio eventually does though, and their teamwork was fantastic. I have a lot to say about it, but the inherent trust between the two of them, the way they were able to work together so seamlessly, no hesitation, no miscommunication, it really shows how much they know and respect each other. I feel like their battles during chapter 1 were also important for them to have a good grasp of each other's battle styles, which is also why they can work together so efficiently now. They were both overwhelmed by Rayquaza, but it's good they could team up and I'm hoping they team up again in the future. I feel like Zir watching Gurumin's video in HZ027 about multi battles and how battling alongside friends is reassuring was leading up to this episode and Amethio battling together with Friede.
Liko and Roy end up battling again now that Friede and Amethio can't anymore. Liko and Nyahoja seemed a bit unsure, but Hogator was motivated and learned a new move (Nitro Charge). Liko reaffirms her desire to take Terapagos to Rakua and how she wants to go farther with Nyahoja and be more helpful to everyone (I really like the way she phrases her desire to get stronger), and Nyahoja responds to her feelings by evolving into Nyarote. The growths of characters and Pokemon are intertwined in Horizons, so I knew that Nyahoja would eventually evolve (it was more of a matter of "when" and I already suspected Amethio would be around too), HZ040 cemented the fact that her evolution would be soon too (because it felt logical that the next step after Nyahoja overcame her past and feelings of doubt about where she belongs would be evolution to show her growth even further, and they did just that, which I'm happy about). Nyahoja was cute as she was and I liked all her moments so I'll miss her a bit like that (especially Liko carrying her!), but I'm looking forward to her moments as Nyarote. I hope she has more opportunities to be protective of Liko, Mibrim and Terapagos since she has grown now. Maybe she'll be able to carry the Pokemon too.
Anyway, Liko and Roy managed to land some moves on Rayquaza and made him wince a bit. Nyarote caught Hogator with her yoyo (or vines?) and protected him, which was cute. Terapagos called out to Rayquaza and they talked a bit, but he eventually went away. Rayquaza looked intently at Liko though. I felt there was lots of focus on Rayquaza's eyes this episode (it shows his resolve, feelings, etc). It's still too soon for Rayquaza to join them, but this was a step in the right direction because he is testing them and properly battling them.
Amethio was about to leave with Zir and Conia (who joined him, and they were glad he was okay), but Liko caught up to him to thank him for saving her earlier. He brushes it off and tells her not to misunderstand because Rayquaza is his prey and that's all there is to it as he leaves. Boy, your excuse doesn't make sense (what does Rayquaza have to do with you going out of your way to help Liko ww), but it's okay. There was definitely a shift in Amethio's dynamics with the group (especially Liko and Friede, with him helping Liko and him teaming up with Friede), and it'll be interesting to see how it'll change in the future. The Explorers teamed up together against Rayquaza, and Amethio was not shown with them but with the main group. Also, this episode was Dot's first time meeting Amethio (she was always in the ship when he showed up).
Liko and the others go back to the ship. Everyone is okay, but Liko and Roy are sad about losing, not catching Rayquaza, and seeing the ship destroyed. Friede gives them a solemn speech about how giving up means that their adventure will end. He reminds them of everything they gained through their adventures, and reassures them that they haven't lost as long as they don't give up. Reaching Rayquaza, who once seemed so far away, is incredible by itself. (Friede was really cool in this scene, I love when he shares his wisdom like that and it feels really effective because we know everything he's been through)
Liko and Roy decide not to give up and reaffirm their goals. Dot also joins in and says that she doesn't want to sit in the sidelines, and she wants to chase the mysteries together with Liko and Roy. (Also really loved this scene because Dot has decided she wants to be together with her friends more and it works well after HZ's first year of her trying new things at her own pace and getting used to having friends and going outside) Liko and Roy want to learn Terastal (Roy mentions how amazing Lizardon was, and Liko mentions Soublades) and ask Friede for advice, so he tells them to leave everything to him because he has something in mind (which we know is a transition to the next chapter, as Liko, Roy and Dot will be going to school to learn Terastal). Liko looked at the Brave Asagi and thanked it for taking them this far (good scene, I love that Liko thanks the ship too).
The last scene of the episode is at the Explorers' base. Agate apologizes to Gibeon for not being able to handle Rayquaza. He tells them to allow the RVT to gather the Six Heroes. Sango and Onyx seemed surprised by this decision and Onyx wanted another chance. It seems like both Onyx and Sango are devoted to Gibeon. I wonder why. Spinel deduces Gibeon's plan to have the RVT work for them. Spinel is buttering his boss up ww Gibeon tells the Explorers to monitor Terapagos and Liko (he used her name), and they agree and bow to him.
Two things to note: they specifically didn't show Amethio in the scene when the others are bowing to Gibeon, probably because Amethio doesn't bow to Gibeon? Which would indicate something about their relationship. Amethio also seemed to be at the base physically, alongside Hamber. The others were there as holograms.
Spinel also seems to have his own agenda, since he was shown smiling. He probably doesn't have any loyalty to the Explorers (even though he butters up Gibeon by calling him with honorifics and everything), so something else probably drives him. I wonder what. (I will support Spinel in everything he does. I just hope we get to know why it seems like he is detached from everyone, and that his heart seems closed off to anyone who isn't Blacky. What are his motivations? He specifically referred to the Explorers as a job back in HZ016.)
We get a glimpse of Gibeon at the end. He seems bedridden? His hair looks like Amethio's (he is probably a relative?). He talks about returning to Rakua and getting the "Rakurium" and that his adventure isn't over. He also mentions Lucius. Potential old man yaoi?? Is Gibeon still pining for Lucius after a century? Were they friends? Was Gibeon part of the original Explorers? (since Diana mentioned in HZ025 that the Explorers were Lucius's friends, but I don't know if the "friends" part referred to human friends, or Pokemon friends) Did something happen that caused a rift between them? Maybe Gibeon just wants to see Lucius again to apologize to him? (I really hope Gibeon has human motivations. So far, he has the same wish as Terapagos, which is going to Rakua.)
This episode was written by Kureha Matsuzawa btw, so he is the one who handled the climax for a chapter this time (climax of chapter 1 was by Dai Sato). Both chapters ended with a scene of Gibeon talking (last scene of HZ025 was with Gibeon as well).
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A Review of Pokemon Horizons Ep. 1-12
We are (as I'm writing this) a dozen episodes into the new pokemon anime, so I thought it would be a good time to make a review. When it was first announced that Ash was being retired as the main character, I was unsure how the anime would continue. After 25 years of Ash Ketchum, it must have been a difficult decision for the writers to replace him. However, Pokemon Horizons has proven to be a breath of fresh air, and I'm loving it so far. *Major spoilers ahead for eps 1-12*
I'm going to start with Liko. Firstly, I'm glad that the writers did not make her a clone of Ash. On the contrary, she has a personality that is very distinct from Ash's daring and bold character. She is shy, and finds it difficult to approach others. It's refreshing to watch pokemon from the perspective of a more introspective character. However, the main reason why I like Liko is due to the way in which she has been handled. She fills in for the narrator, which gives us a glimpse into her inner thoughts and feelings. This makes her relatable, as it shows us as an audience what Liko thinks versus what she says out loud. Finally, Sprigatito is the perfect partner pokemon for Liko. They are both reserved, wary and a little reckless. While anipoke feels weird without Ash, I think Liko has a lot of potential, and I'm looking forward to seeing how she develops.
Moving on to Roy, I also really like his characterisation. He's more similar to Ash in terms of his enthusiasm, and his compassion for pokemon. However, he has his own unique traits, including his curiosity about the ancient explorer and his friendship with Fuecoco. Speaking of Fuecoco, I love this little guy and his comedic moments. All of the pokemon in the main cast have individual personalities, and I'm here for it. In addition, I really like Roy's relationship with his grandfather, who appears to have had a significant influence on both him and Friede. In terms of Roy's goal, I'm excited to see where his pursuit of Rayquaza goes. The latest episode gave us more information about the ancient explorer, so it'll be interesting how the story progresses.
Next, I have to touch on the other crew members of the Rising Volt Tacklers. Friede is a loveable dork who just happens to be a professor. Orla is best girl and I can't wait to see more of her. Murdock, Mollie, Ludlow and Dot are also interesting characters. Dot is slowly warming to Liko and Roy, which is nice to see. To add, I have to mention Mollie's backstory in episode 11. Although I thought there was something to the nurse Joy theory, I never expected it to be confirmed true- so this episode proved me wrong lol. I like how Mollie subverts the traditional role of working in a pokemon centre by helping injured pokemon in the wild. It shows how caring she is, and I hope her backstory is expanded on later in the series.
Another thing that Horizons has done well so far, is depicting the Paldea region. The very first episodes set up the main story, with Liko and Roy joining the RVTs and the Explorers chasing Liko's pendant. However, the last four episodes have slowly introduced Paldea. We've already had appearances from Nemona and Brassius. On top of this, we will be seeing Iono in the coming weeks. It's a relief that the new region is getting the attention that it deserves.
I don't have any huge complaints about Horizons so far. Generally, I'm really enjoying the show. One problem I will mention is that the pacing is very slow at times. However, I think that this will pay off later in the series. The writers are taking time to establish and develop all of the new characters, which will make the overall story more engaging.
On a side note, I appreciate the variety of adult characters in Pokemon Horizons. Of course, Liko and Roy are the protagonists, which makes sense for a kid's show. However, the dynamics between the older members of the cast make it more watcheable for adults, imo. For example, moments such as the convo between Friede, Orla and Murdock in episode 11 create a more mature tone, even if it's only to a small extent. Also, as an adult fan, it feels as if the anime has suddenly grown up with us. Friede resembles an older Ash, while Orla and Mollie are like grown up female companions. The show really mixes the familiar with the unfamiliar, which is a great approach to the first series without Ash.
Overall, I'm thoroughly enjoying Pokemon Horizons. Until July 14th, the pokemon anime will be on a hiatus. However, the show has done an amazing job so far of introducing the characters and plot. We're only 12 episodes in, but I have high hopes for the series going forward.
#pokemon horizons#anipoke#pokeani#pokemon liko#pokemon roy#pokemon dot#pokemon friede#professor friede#pokemon orla#pokemon orio#pokemon murdock#pokemon mollie#pokemon ludlow#pokemon landau#pokemon gen 9#pokemon anime#pokémon horizons#the rising volt tacklers#anipoke spoilers#review
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Lots of interesting things about Lucius from today's episode and the new preview!
First off, we finally know the identities of all six Heroes and it's a bit of an... eclectic mix. When we first learned about Lucius, I expected Rayquaza to be the only legendary on the team since it's the special Pokemon the story is built around, but the presence of Moltres and Entei alongside Arboliva, Lapras, and Kleavor ends up giving the whole group a very weird vibe for an anime team. It kinda feels like a kid just picking their favorites lol. I'm guessing we'll see Lapras, Kleavor, and Entei in that order since that's the order Diana listed them.
We also have this image giving us hints of how our future Hero encounters will go down. Lapras seems to be part of a pack, so I'm guessing we'll get something similar to the Arboliva encounter, where the RVTs earn its trust after helping the pack. I think each Hero will probably be found in its native region, so it could be fun if this whole thing takes place around Roy's island (although it might still be a bit too early to revisit it). Then, judging by the blurry Kleavor image, probably some sort of encounter where they hear about a rampaging monster from the locals and go to investigate. The black and white makes me wonder whether it's been hanging around in this area for a while - maybe something that's has its own little folk legend spring up around. Entei's image is too vague to really make any strong guesses about. Rayquaza, on the other hand, is very interesting, as it appears to be in Motostoke again. Are we going to be returning there at some point or is it just a flashback?
The next interesting tidbit is that the Explorers were apparently connected to Lucius at their inception. This becomes much more suspicious, however, when you realize that aside from Hamber and (presumably) Gibeon, the Explorers don't seem to actually know much about Lucius at all. All the underlings know is "capture the pendant." Neither Amethio nor Spinel actually knew that the pendant was a Pokemon, both of them maintained tunnel vision on the pendant even when directly faced with the Heroes, and neither seemed to have any knowledge of a black Rayquaza, despite it being the only Pokemon explicitly named in Lucius's legend. Gibeon and Hamber are clearly withholding information from the rest of the organization and taking advantage of their peons' loyalty in order to accomplish whatever their true goals are. The question now is whether the two of them are somehow connected to the original Explorers or if they're just using their name.
And finally, we have what appears to be an actual photograph of Lucius, which threw me for a loop. I compared it to the glimpse of him we saw after the Moltres capture, and it definitely seems like same person. I thought he lived several centuries ago, but I went back to Alex's telling of the legend and it's only about a hundred??? That seems way too recent considering how he's been treated in the story but whatever. Anyway, the prior episode already established the high likelihood that Liko's family is somehow associated with Lucius, what with Diana finding the pendant and journal in her attic. Now that we have a full-body shot of Lucius, the design similarities between him and Liko/Diana are very apparent. I've been skeptical of the theories he was related to them before this point, but I can't deny that the evidence is growing rapidly. The curious implication about it is that with the stated hundred-year timeframe (assuming it's not a mistranslation or a misdirect), he's probably no more than two generations removed from Diana herself. I'm not quite sure whether I like the idea of him being her father since she would easily recognize him if she had this picture all along, but a grandfather or older uncle could work. Or maybe this isn't a picture of Lucius after all and everything I just said will crumble to dust in an episode or two. Who knows!
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New Theory "Evidence"
With the conclusion of my poll I see most people don't agree. Which is what I expected frankly. It is a bit of a goofy theory. But I still feel the need to defend my thoughts so bare with me. Now I'm not saying this is proof its gonna be canon or anything. Of course not. Its unlikely but it would be neat if it was. This will most likely end up being adopted as an AU by me. Now for some ramblings about why I think Sidian and Amethio could be brothers.
First with appearances I admit they look very little alike. Their hair kinda crinkles similarly at the end and they both have white pupils (although plenty of Horizons characters do). But they do both resemble Gibeon in their own ways. With Sidian having his skin tone and face shape while Amethio has his hair (if that even is his hair). Plus they would both have white and a darker color in their hair, Amethio's is just more purple.
What gets me the most is their personalities. They both behave similarly, with some notable differences of course. They both act politely towards the crew, I think they've both called Liko miss at some point. They both tend to fight honorably without the use of dirty tactics as well. And what sticks out most to me is the way they both reacted the exact same to someone getting distracted during their battle (perhaps because they were raised the exact same way). Although I will admit Sidian can be a lot more rough but that may be why he's not Gibeon's favored child. He is a lot more combative as well but Amethio has had moments where he goes against orders as well.
Also some other minor things that are the same. Like they both have a fully evolved Paldean pokemon as their ace and then a tangentially related flying type in the back. Sidian's pokemon connected due to their rock typing and Amethio's because they are both covered in armor. They both have never smiled either and seem pretty serious most of the time.
I'd also like to note the Sidian is the only one of the admins who has never insulted Amethio. Like he agreed with him back in episode 27 and even stopped Coral from badmouthing him in episode 44 (although that could be just because she left her post, but she wasn't that far away).
That's all I've got so far since they've never directly talked to one another, but maybe there's a reason for that. I could see Gibeon raising them to hate and compete with each other. Anyway enough out of me, you've probably tapped out by now lol. Once again not saying this is what I think is going to happen, I just think it would be cool if it did.
#pokemon horizons#pokemon explorers#pokemon onyx#pokemon sidian#pokemon amethio#amethio#pokemon gibeon#why did I put so much effort into this lol#I just thinks its a neat theory
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Hi! I love your horizons fics, they're my favourites out of the few that exist (through lightning and thunder is amazing). I'm looking forward to more if you write any. Can I ask for your opinion on the series so far? Especially if you've watched ep 12.
I!!! omg!!! thank you so much this made me so happy wahhhh!!!!!!!
I do plan on writing more horizons fics! Nothing at the moment is actively on going, but I've got a few ideas and might do some promtps. definately gonna write more horizons fic tho!!
As for my opinion on the series so far?
I really really love Pokemon Horizons! from the first episode, it really pulled me in strong! The setting of an airship like the Asagi is wonderful and crazy endearing to me. I love the cast too! Liko's entire concept as a character is fantastic and she plays off of roy so well. I love how she narrates the story it's super endearing and really sets the tone well
speaking of the tone, i love how horizons feels different from other anipoke. and i love other anipoke but i love this too! horizons has great set up, it does such a good job of forshadowing and keeping continutity so it feels like very episode plays right into each other even when nothing crazy important happens in that indiviual ep.
if i have gripes, it would be... uh. hold on i need to think. um. im worried about balencing the scarlet violet chafacters so they dont take over the plot but so far its been alright.
I have less gripes and more fears? im worried they wont get a chance to finish the story well pacing wise and will have to cut it short or stretch it out. im worried the sv plot will come in and dominate the new horizons characters. i want to see the rest of the volteccers get full and expanded backstories (what we've started getting with Molly though is so gooddd i just hope it continues), but like... right now things seem good!
NOW! I have not seen episode 12 yet! once i do if i have any thoughts tho i will put them here! im super looking forward to it. but I'm waitin for subs!! the preview looked good tho, i love seeing everyone all together.
My biggest hope re horizons is seeing an expansion of the non traditional family dynamic that is the brave asagi crew. I like it! they're all each others family even if they dont have "set roles" or smthing.
Looking forward to seeing how it goes!! thank you again for this message !!! waghhhh!!!! =D!!
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Thank you for responding! I love the essay you wrote about what we've seen about his character thus far and you brought up good points! When you put it like that, his 'recklessness' does come from things that he planned for. While true, having the Brave Asagi fly through a thunderstorm for the sake of shaking of the Explorers is reckless, it also gave Cap a power boost from the lightning, bringing back that image of Ash's Pikachu way back in the first episode getting struck by lightning against the Spearow flock.
And yeah, instead of letting Liko just rush in like that, he held her back and put down a plan; distracting Amethio with a battle while Liko goes ahead to save her Pokemon. It makes me wonder if Amethio would wise up and makes it harder for Friede to taunt him into battles, seeing that he's done it twice now.
I'm super intrigued to see the origins for the crew! Like, how did he scrounge up people from various backgrounds and ages, and where the Brave Asagi even came from. Did they build it from scratch? Repurpose an existing blimp for their purposes? It's super technologically advance to me, given that they can have an on deck battling arena plus those force fields(?) covering it.
From the character sheet we've seen of him, there was one where he made this pouty face and one that I could see where he's getting reprimanded or maybe feeling sick. Given that there's Mollie on board, I just want to see moments where he's wrangled into the infirmary for one reason or another. With the stunts he's pulled thus far, I want to see one where things doesn't go exactly as plan. He strikes me as someone who maybe has a hard time staying still.
I know I'm waiting every week for new bits of information cause I want to write him so much!
Right right right—the thunderstorm bit seemed risky, but I think it really mostly showed that he has confidence in what he does; he didn’t doubt his and pikachu’s ability to navigate through it safely, and he knew the tactical advantage it would give to pikachu in battle. (There’s the question of whether learning that these things would work took a lot of risk on his part in the past, and I do have an inkling that he was more reckless as a kid/teenager than he is now, but who knows what we’ll learn about his past.)
And yes I also hope Amethio is the type of antagonist that doesn’t fall for the same thing twice—now that he knows Friede is prone to Being The Distraction, I hope they’ll have to find new ways to beat them! (Though, if we’re being honest, we’re coming from the series that had ash/team rocket fall for the same things every time, so we’ll see 🤣) And I really want to see what Friede does when plan A doesn’t work 👀👀
I’m so excited to see the origins of the crew, too! I mean obviously Molly has a history with the Nurse Joys (given the pink hair, the Chansey, and the fact that she didn’t want to go into the pokemon center) so my guess for her is that she ran away from being a nurse—and what better way to leave everything behind than to join the crew of an airship. But I would guess that either they were all friends and decided to go into the adventuring business together, or Friede was the one who came up with the idea and met/hired/befriended the rest along the way. Or Captain Pikachu found them all 🤣🤣 it’s anybody’s guess right now!
I wouldn’t say that the airship is super advanced, given what we’ve seen of the rest of the technology in the pokemon world: the forcefield around the battlefield reminds me of the energy barriers in the stadiums in the journeys series—it’s probably pretty standard tech in-universe. And there have been much more futuristic methods of travel, off the top of my head I remember Hunter J’s airship from the Diamond and Pearl series; though I do get the idea that it was at least a little bit cobbled together—or at least improved by Orla and the rest of the crew when they got it. Maybe they inherited it from someone? Maybe they bought it? I can’t wait to find out!
I also agree that he seems like someone who can’t stay still (listen I know I’m always HCing my favs with at least one of my Mental Issues but this one for sure has adhd)—I would bet that he’s always looking for the Next Mystery to Solve, and would probably get restless pretty quickly if there wasn’t anything to do next. But I also think he’s okay when the thing to do next is just… make some money 🤣 because hey, more money means more adventure, right? Though I do think he took this job more for the mystery of it than the money of it 🤣 it really seems like he’d do just about anything for a good mystery 👀👀
#thank you for enabling me to ramble about my predictions#I’m already in deep#I love him.#I want to know everything about the crewwwww#Waugh.#pokemon#pokeani#pokemon horizons#anon#sef answers
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as the resident ceo of likodot, what are your thoughts on the scene in episode 9 where dot ends up being the one who gives liko the courage she needs to tell her father that she wants to continue traveling with the RVT?
AH YES. THIS SCENE. I HAVE MANY THOUGHTS. THANK U FOR ASKING. apologies if this post is messy i have brainfog but i wanted to answer it anywayyyy
dot and liko's early connection is pretty interesting to me because at the time of this episode, the two barely know each other. dot first appears in episode 7 and this happens a couple episodes later in episode 9... not a lot of time has passed.
at this point in episode 9, liko knows that dot:
is murdock's niece and around the same age as her
is a tech wiz who wrote the app the RVT use to maintain the brave asagi and talk to each other
is good at gathering info online too
is a social recluse
does not eat very well/doesn't eat with other people
is interested in legendary pokemon, mysteries, that sort of stuff
and of course, she has heard the gurumin theme song coming from dot's room, and seen her quaxly, which leads to the iconic misunderstanding that dot is a huge fan of gurumin and not... literally gurumin lol
on the other hand, liko has no idea what dot looks like, does not know anything about her history, and has not had a proper conversation with her - their only communications have been through her bedroom door, first through quaxly bringing her and roy notes (which are drawings to interpret and not even actual written words), then when dot yells angrily at her to shut up/go away because she's interrupting dot setting up for her livestream, and then when dot finally budges just enough to mention her interest in legendaries & mysterious things.
by all regards dot is probably more of a concept to liko at this point than a whole person; a disembodied sometimes-voice who belongs to someone that deserves to be reached out to, but who hasn't actually been reached yet. this is overtly clear with her misunderstanding about dot being a gurumin fan - liko is piecing together who she thinks dot is with very little context clues and actual interactions and she is literally drawing the wrong conclusions lol. at most right now liko is interested in dot because of the whole gurumin thing... and because she's just a compassionate person who can't imagine that the person behind that door is a bad one, or someone who should be ignored, so she's compelled to learn more and reach out and figure dot out.
and that's the thing. liko is just naturally the sort of person to want to go out of her way to reach out to dot despite knowing pretty much nothing about her personally, and even having their first couple of interactions be rude ones. she follows through - she takes dot's lunch to her, makes sure to say "i'll talk to you later" and thank her for things, in a way that roy isn't (not to say that roy doesn't care, but liko is focused on her in particular). sure, the idea that they have a mutual interest in gurumin definitely helps, but she was interested before that and wasn't thrown off by her rude drawing of roy losing to fuecoco even before she started associating dot with gurumin. and this, especially coming from a peer and not a worried adult, is certainly foreign to dot and she kind of doesn't know how to deal with it, but it means a lot to her.
^ i think this bit at the end of episode 8 after liko and roy walk away is a really good summary of how dot is about all of this. she's reclusive, doesn't like noise, likes being in her own space, and she's "supposed" to find people like roy and liko irritating... but she can't help but smile about them being around, and while thinking about them.
oh, and of course dot has been overwhelmed by liko's compliments towards her work as gurumin even though liko doesn't know that's who she's complimenting. she's a popular youtuber and i'm sure she gets compliments from people all the time, but this is definitely a foreign experience for her in person, coming from someone verbally like that, not to mention how genuine and passionate liko is about it. i mean it makes her blush like this okay come on:
ALL OF THIS is to say that liko is a meaningful person to dot at this point, despite how little liko actually knows about her. liko has reached out to her in a way that no one has before, has directly complimented her work/passion, and has responded to her rudeness/antisocial behavior with even more curiosity instead of shying away.
so like of course when it's possible that liko is going to leave, she's upset about it and wants to do something about it. this is such a new situation and she's still so reclusive that she needs a little push from landau (who knows her well enough to tell she has emotions about this despite her not exactly wearing them on her sleeve), but the feelings she has about liko are enough to push her through, just enough to leave a wordless drawing by her door, which is massive for her at this point in time.
liko's response to this is understandably not super expressive or emotional, and in fact right after seeing the drawing, she first has a far more emotive conversation with mollie and orio and then roy, before eventually taking the drawing with her to dot's door and thanking her. she still doesn't know dot that well and honestly even though she was thinking that dot was opening up a little bit, she probably didn't expect this gesture. she doesn't know how meaningful her reaching out to dot has actually been.
regardless, she understands the meaning of the drawing and once again goes to talk to her, even without expecting a response back, and is able to go leave and tell her dad she wants to stay on the brave asagi, so it obviously contributed to her courage. it's proof that even this person who she barely knows cares about her and wants her to stay, and it also rewards her efforts of reaching out and proves to her that yes, dot is opening up and receiving liko's attempts at reaching out - her advances aren't unwanted. how's she supposed to leave now that she's sunk this time and effort into connecting with dot? dot is not the only reason she wants to stay of course, but it's a piece of the puzzle. she can't just leave now that they've made this connection successfully!!
dot says this after liko's already left, but regardless they've made a connection in their own unique, nonverbal way, and of course everything between them continues to grow from here.
so anyway all of this is to say i think it's fascinating the way these two connect mostly without words and through action/gesture at the start of the series, and i think the lopsidedness of their connection with each other is actually pretty interesting and reveals how much liko's compassion and efforts affect dot early on. she really is the vessel through which dot comes out of her shell and that's evident from the beginning
ALSO as an aside, very cute that dot does these little doodles at all? they aren't bad!! liko also draws... even though dot doesn't seem to take it as seriously or have it as an actual hobby i think they should draw together i think this would be cute JIOSJDOF
#kiki was here#asks#anonymous#likodot#dotliko#guruminshipping#horizons#im normal btw#i hope this post makes sense ive been writing it on and off for like 2 hours#distractions brainfog etc but the autism drives me anyway#long post#pokemon horizons#anipoke#trainer dot#trainer liko
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Some notes I'm writing down about Amethio and Spinel.
As of HZ016, they have the same number of appearances in the show. Amethio appeared in six episodes (from HZ001 to HZ006) and Spinel appeared in six episodes as well (HZ006, and from HZ012 to HZ016).
Both went through similar steps in their mission by facing Friede first.
Both went on to face Liko and Roy afterwards (with Dot being there with them against Spinel too).
Both witnessed one of the Six Heroes Pokemon. Amethio witnessed the Black Rayquaza coming out of the Ancient Pokeball. Spinel got to see Oliva.
Both seem to realize that Liko is involved on some level in this mystery. Amethio realized she was probably involved in HZ002 but didn't seem to report this information, since Spinel didn't know. Spinel realized she is the key in HZ016. In their last appearances in their respective introduction arcs, they are going in opposite trajectories though. Amethio seems to focus on the black Rayquaza in order to find out more about the mystery, while Spinel seems to focus on Liko. So Amethio is looking into the Pokemon side of things, while Spinel will probably look into the human side of things.
Given that they have a lot of parallels as characters (like they are crafted to play off each other) and introduced separately from the others, I wonder if they could potentially team up on some level eventually. They are both starting to have their separate agenda and acting beyond orders (and withdrawing information on some level).
Their last appearances stand out in how different they are, too. Amethio seems to be inside a building and seems more trapped, as Zir and Conia are behind him, following him.
In contrast, Spinel's last appearance seems much more hopeful. He was always mostly in the shadows, but he is looking at a new dawn which is more hopeful, and bathed in the light of the sun. He is outside, and seems more free and Blacky is on the same level as him.
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I realized that on top of highlighting both Liko and Amethio's considerate sides (which I wrote about in a separate post here), HZ021 also drew another parallel between them in the last scene.
Which is their tendancy to think of shouldering everything by themselves and take responsability alone.
Liko had moments of wanting to handle things by herself (for example in HZ003, Liko was willing to look for Nyahoja alone and not involve anyone else) and blaming herself and having misplaced guilt (in HZ002, she felt guilty for involving the Pokemon on the ship, and when her pendant got stolen, she blamed herself for it and for involving everyone). On Amethio's side, he was ready to bear responsability for acting alone when facing Gibeon in HZ006. And now, he is also willing to handle things by himself and not involve Zir and Conia any further. In both cases for Amethio and Liko though, they have people around them who do want to help and won't leave them alone (the Rising Volt Tacklers for Liko, and Zir and Conia for Amethio). I'm curious about Zir and Conia's personal loyalty to Amethio (Amethio thanks them for their efforts, they were both shown to be quite familiar with him in this episode and asserted their own wishes, they don't want to leave him alone even though their positions would potentially be at risk).
Anyway, the parallels between Liko and Amethio keep piling up. Their similarities are interesting to think about.
Also, Amethio is starting to act beyond orders and he is fully aware of that. First he was removed from the mission, and now he is straying away from orders (perhaps that'll lead to him breaking away from the organization eventually, if their agendas become too separate). This really looks like this is a last ditch attempt to prove something and if he can't, then this might be it. There is a kind of desperation coming off his actions ever since the beginning, and narratively he is falling more and more. He endangers himself for the sake of the mission (like when he chased the ship through the storm, which was reckless). After being removed from it, he still wants to be doing something and doesn't want to sit still, like he wants to be useful in some way. Even now, Amethio was willing to chase Rayquaza alone in the mines. He saw firsthand in HZ006 how dangerous Rayquaza could be (especially when angered), but he was still willing to face it one more time and alone on top of that. His lack of concern for his own safety is becoming a pattern (and it's pointed out by characters in-universe too: Hamber in HZ004 told him not to strain himself, and Zir and Conia are clearly worried about his wellbeing as well, like they're all worried he is pushing himself too far).
What is going on with Gibeon is very intriguing. I wonder if Amethio is doing all of this as a desperate attempt to get his approval by bringing answers to him, or if there is something else to it.
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Taking notes of HZ020 for future reference!
I like that we got two episodes in a row exploring Liko's traits, her empathy and kindness, and how they can be both a strength or a weakness depending on the situation. These are definitely interesting traits to explore in a character, especially a protagonist!
Liko's quest for knowledge
I liked that Kabu silently looked at Liko after Roy explained why he was looking for Rayquaza. He expected an answer from her too. Looking for hints about Rayquaza was a bit more Roy's thing since he wants to catch it, but now Liko is considering why she wants to meet it again too.
Liko says that the special Rayquaza, meeting her friends, and being where she is now all seem connected, and that's why she wants to know more about it. I like how this echoes the scene at the end of HZ018. After Liko learned about Friede and Cap's meeting and her mother's involvement in it, she was starting to make sense of things and understood that all these events led to her meeting her friends and being part of the Rising Volt Tacklers. Liko seems to seek knowledge (she wants to understand the mystery of the pendant and the context of the situation she is in better, understanding the past and considering the present to face forwards to the future). It actually reminds me of how Amethio is now seeking Rayquaza to understand the key to the mystery and he was invested in learning more about it, so this makes him and Liko similar in that aspect now.
Liko and Roy's training
The training was basic but fun. I'm not that much into battles, but so far I like the way that the Gym Leaders characters are incorporated in the story. They aren't forcing competition for the sake of it for now (and I hope no character actually takes that route), but it's interesting to see Colza and now Kabu taking it upon themselves to just push trainers, help them improve, and guide them. It gives depth to their roles as Gym Leaders as well, as they extend a hand even to people who aren't necessarily looking to get badges. Kabu felt the duty to help Liko and Roy since they are seeking Rayquaza, and he was strict but gentle and helpful towards them.
I like how different Liko and Roy tend to be in battles. Roy tends to be more straightforward and charges in. Liko is creative and observant in training or battles, her use of Nyahoja's Leafage was varied and she seemed to have fun too! Nyahoja also seems to have a competitive streak and doesn't want to lose, so it's interesting how they weren't necessarily on the same page during the episode because of the way Liko could react. Which leads me to my next point...
Liko's kindness and empathy
Liko's kindness and empathy were displayed constantly over the episodes, as she feels for others (humans, Pokemon, or art). In the previous episode, she couldn't leave Mawhip alone and wanted to help Murdock and Mitchell reconcile for her sake too. She wanted to battle Mitchell with Murdock so they could reach out to him and ultimately, her kindness and empathy helped Mitchell and Murdock mend their broken bond.
In this episode, Liko was paying attention to Roy during the early challenge and had a fond look towards Hogator when seeing how much fun he and Roy both seemed to have? And while she was doing well in the challenge and seemed to have fun thinking up of ways to use Leafage, she ultimately lost because she hesitated to go all out against Roy.
During the battle against Kabu, she was overwhelmed by how powerful he was at first, but when she battled against Wakaba, she gradually got more fired up. She even wanted to continue the battle (as she commanded Nyahoja to use a move once more), but then Wakaba proclaimed that she couldn't lose and that she had to win and become a Gym Trainer. That was what made Liko abandon the battle and upset Wakaba even though that wasn't her intention initially.
Honestly, I really like how Liko reacts differently depending on the context of the battles she participates in. She had training battles where she learned how fun battles could be. She had more serious confrontations against Amethio and Spinel where she was more determined and did what she could do. This battle against Wakaba was a test given to her by Kabu. Liko forfeited the battle after hearing Wakaba's determination not to lose to achieve her dream because she saw it as trampling over Wakaba's dream if she actually continued the battle. For Liko, being serious and going all out in this situation would mean disrespecting Wakaba's dream and she didn't want to do that because she wanted her to achieve her dream. Liko is too aware and considerate of others' feelings, sometimes to her own detriment. She shrinks herself and her feelings, sometimes subconsciously and sometimes consciously, so as to not upset others and put everyone's feelings above hers. Liko also has a tendancy to apologize a lot (for things that aren't her fault) so it's nice to see these traits being explored and addressed and that her hesitation remains part of her character.
As Kabu put it, she hesitated during the training with Roy too and she wanted to respect both Roy and Wakaba's feelings, even more than her desire to win, which made her miss Nyahoja's feelings too. It'll be interesting to see how Liko will fare in confrontations from now on. When there are stakes like someone's dream being on the line during a battle, she is shown to hesitate. Her kindness is both her strength but can also be a weakness, because she neglects her own feelings in the process.
Kabu's advice
I like that Kabu taught Liko and Roy that failure is a better teacher than success and shared his own experience, that he grew stronger after facing many failures. Winning isn't everything, and I like that this is a lesson taught here. He congratulated Liko and Roy for the way they both grew during the training.
Also, I just genuinely enjoyed how perceptive Kabu was in the episode and how he saw through Liko and paid attention to her reactions. He is the one who pointed out to her that she held back. Liko often covers up her true feelings and even her friends like Roy don't see through her sometimes, so I liked that Kabu was properly looking and gave her advice. He acknowledged her kindness and compassionate side, but warned her that kindness isn't always the right path in a battle. He also helped her see Wakaba and Nyahoha's perspectives (that Wakaba was trying her hardest to win and that she wouldn't like if someone went easy on her, and that Nyahoja was also fighting by Liko's side). Liko apologized to Nyahoja, which was nice.
At the end of the episode, Liko remembers Kabu's words while looking at the night sky. I like that she is associated to the moon and the night so much, it fits her quiet and contemplative nature. Kabu stayed behind to talk to her once more as she and Roy were about to leave. He told her that winning in battle isn't the only path for a trainer and that there are bound to be as many paths as there are trainers and encouraged her to find her own path, one that she could believe in. I like that Liko takes her time to contemplate these words and often reflects on things. Kabu's advice was also good, as winning or competition aren't the only things out there and I'm glad they're exploring other paths for characters. Liko's path will be interesting to see unfold, especially now that she is going to meet and bond with Mibrim (a Pokemon linked to emotions, which fits Liko) and potentially meeting Amethio soon. He was the one who motivated her to get stronger to be able to protect what she holds dear in the first place, and now he's coming back at a specific point in Liko's progression so I'm curious to see how they'll impact each other.
Overall, I just like Liko a lot and how her character is being explored. I'm cheering on her to find her path, and I wonder how her bond with Nyahoja will grow (they're similar but also different and I like how they aren't always on the same page!). Liko's quest for knowledge is also interesting as she focuses on getting to know things better.
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Some character notes and episode notes for HZ028, writing them down for future reference.
Liko and Roy seemed disappointed that Tepen didn't know anything about the ancient Pokeball so Friede reassured the kids by putting a hand on their shoulders. I like this small display of support, it also happened when Friede was trying to reassure them before going into the Galar Mine again in HZ023.
Liko apologized to Mibrim when she realized she didn't understand that Mibrim was trying to warn her that Tepen had bad intentions. Liko really apologizes a lot.
I liked that Roy properly apologized to the guy he mistook for Tepen.. he is polite!
Also liked that Friede takes proper responsability for messing up the stands and actually stays around to help until everything is back in place. He even got a job offer at the end that he politely declined w I just like seeing Friede navigate interactions with people he doesn't know, he is more polite than usual.
The battle was fun and creative! Tepen's Pokemon seem to be able to fight independently even when their trainer isn't there, which is interesting. It reminds me of Cap. It makes the Pokemon feel more alive too, they don't have to wait for their trainer to be around to do their own thing. I really like the pace at which Liko and Roy are progressing too. They are growing more resilient.
The way Mibrim's ability to detect emotions keeps being brought up with both Pokemon and humans is really good, too. Mibrim also used a move on her own volition as well. I do like how the series portrays Pokemon as beings not just meant for battling and lets them grow, really. If Mibrim eventually ends up battling, I hope it's because it's something she wants, and not because she is pushed into it. Liko's Pokemon have their own personalities and wants, and I like the different ways they're being displayed.
Diana having no chill and willing to fight her old friend is funny ww I like how different everyone is in Liko's family. Diana is bold and assertive, while Liko is more on the calm side. The way we get snippets about Diana's past here and there is really interesting too, I wonder if we'll meet other people she used to know. Liko seeing new sides of her grandmother and gaining a newfound appreciation for her after seeing her knock some sense into Tepen was cute, too.
Chill but fun episode, overall! While it may seem innocuous at first, I noticed that there is now a pattern of episodes with characters (that someone from the cast used to know) who change their ways and turn around. This episode is not an isolated case.
The episode with Murdock's old friend being the first one. Murdock and Mitchell parted on bad terms and on a misunderstanding, but got to apologize to each other and understand one another. It showed that adults can have things weighing on their minds and that they can cry too. Tepen wasn't like this before but grew shady over time (and also cried in this episode). He had a longing for adventure that was reignited and promised to change and Diana made him realize that his Pokemon were there for him and that he shouldn't involve them in his evil deeds.
It honestly feels to me like this pattern is setting up for something similar happening with the Explorers members and leading to an understanding of them, especially since we know Hamber is Diana's old friend. We still don't exactly know their goal, but they all care for their Pokemon (and similarly to Tepen, making them assist them in their deeds) and probably have reasons as to why they joined the organization in the first place. I'm hoping they get to reconsider what they're doing and have an opportunity to grow from it.
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