5 Reasons Why the New Pokemon Movie is Pretty Awful

The poster itself is better than the movie

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It's amazing to think that the first Pokemon film came out sixteen years ago. The show itself has been going on for seventeen years. Sadly the anime jumped the shark a long time ago. The movies however are usually a breath of fresh air amidst mediocrity. They usually offer high budget animation, a grand plot, and somewhat good fight scenes. Unfortunately the latest one, Cocoon of Destruction, makes Pokemon 4Ever look like a masterpiece. Instead of this being a formal review I'm going instead list the five primary negatives, because there's not many positive things to say!

1. Length

Diancie isn't happy about being in such mediocrity

Wow, this "movie" is short. It's just a little over an hour. It feels more like a TV special. Because of its pitiful length, there's virtually no time to establish any of the new characters. (And there's quite a few.) Of course, a solid script could do wonders, but this is one of the most mediocre writing attempts I've seen in the franchise.

2.Marilyn Flame & Ninja Riot

Supposed to be an emotional moment

Who the heck were these two? They literally show up out of nowhere with no backstory. After chasing Diance and realizing it's a lost cause, Riot decides it's best to give up and be together with Marilyn. This would be a touching scene if this were any other movie, but these two are so poorly established the viewer feels virtually nothing.

3. Argus Steel & Millis Steel

Easily the worst design for a human antagonist yet

She is the unfortunate product of a good character ruined by a poor script

Same problem as above. These two get no backstory and their goal isn't even that understandable. It's an interesting dynamic that Millis is Argus's daughter, but since once again they're so poorly established as characters, it doesn't matter. I don't even remember what happened to them after Yveltal blew them away.

4. Team Rocket

Easily the most laughable characters in all of existence

Team Rocket is probably the worst written characters in the entire franchise by now. They literally serve no purpose here at all. They could have easily been written out of the script, but I guess there's some sort of rule that says they have to be in every movie and virtually every episode right?

5. The "Final Battle"

Such wasted animation

This is the big movie based on the X & Y games, so of course a lot of hype was on Xerneas and Yveltal since this would be their first movie appearance. Yveltal has some impressive destruction scenes, which in theory should set up for an epic climax between the two. We don't get that. Instead we get what is perhaps the worst final battle in Pokemon history. The two literally throw a few beams at each other, and then Xerneas wins by...we don't even know! Her final beam did something to Yveltal since it sent the latter flying away. It's not explained and then the deer transformers into a tree for hibernation. This is definitely what players of the game have waited a year for...

Pokemon the anime franchise continues to become more and more mediocre. This movie is an immense disappointment, especially for people that played through X and Y last year. You're better off watching the first film for the 10th time.

Pokemon Origins Review

2013 was a big year for the Pokemon franchise. If you're even just a casual gamer, you know what I'm talking about. Pokemon X & Y debuted. Not only did it revolutionize the gamplay, it also brought in a lot of newcomers to the series, such as myself. Like a lot of people, I grew up watching the early seasons of the Pokemon anime. I believe I stopped at around Diamond and Pearl. The problem with the anime is that after the Johto Region Tournament, the show didn't really go anywhere. Worst, Ash seemed to have lost all his character development from the past seasons. After Advanced, the show was just a turnoff to longtime fans. Enter Origins. a one-shot being a new adaption from square one. Yes, 'Red' from Pokemon Red Version is the star. For the first time in a long while, a Pokemon anime looks epic. Origins is definitely a great watch. It's a testament to how a Pokemon show should be done.

The story is adapted from the franchise's first game. The main character Red wants to become Pokemon Champion. Along the way he's sidetracked with other things and constantly running into his rival, Gary Oak Blue. A very cook gimmick about this special is that it actually uses the classic battle theme and gaming screens, as if this was the actual game you were playing. It's a nice touch, especially for longtime players. Lets's dive into the meat of things. Since this is based on the very first game, you see a lot of the same characters from the anime's first season. Professor Oak is pretty much the same. Brock is a vast improvement over his comic relief anime self, I enjoyed his many great lines. Sadly Misty doesn't do much or get any lines.

And that's perhaps the only major problem with this special, the pacing. You can't fit a whole game with 8 gym battles in just 90 minutes, or four episodes. You need at least a season of 13. Honestly, this would have been better as a show than one-shot OVA. Red tells us by narration in-between episodes all of his accomplishments. It feels rushed, even his battle with the Elite Four we couldn't see in all its glory. We also didn't get to see how Red's first encounter with Giovanni went down. A lot of the good stuff is just simply done by quick narration.

It's hard to nail down the personality of a silent protagonist from a black and white video game from the 90's. Red pretty much is the same as Ash Ketchum from the earlier seasons, a trainer that loves his Pokemon and does the right thing. Blue is a big jerk throughout, which is expected. But wow, walking away from helping the secretary? He goes from being cool rival to unlikable antagonist. Giovanni is very similar to his anime self, except he's actually less Dr. Eggman and more like a villain. His turnover to disbanding Team Rocket was kinda sudden, (again, this plot development would have benefited from being a series) but nonetheless he was solid.

One of the best things this OVA generates is genuine emotion. In 90 minutes, it showed more emotion than the entire 17 season anime! Cubone's story was incredibly done. But, easily the best thing is that the fights are utterly fantastic. Actual punches are seen on screen and there's a sense of epic-ness the anime fails to portray. This is a testament to how battles in Pokemon should be done. And finally, one of the biggest hyped things was the inclusion of Mewtwo and Mega Charizard. Once again, the fact that it's only 90 minutes doesn't give Mewtwo enough time to have a proper story. But, Mega Charziard was definitely awesome and the fight between the two was just as good as a Dragon Ball Z battle.

Overall, Pokemon Origins is a refreshing new take on the classic game. There's no denying that the anime has turned into a repetitive mess, (at least the current XY anime is so far solid) so it's nice to see a more mature and 'epic' thing. The only real problem is there isn't enough time to invest in a lot of the plot points. Most of the gym battles are done through 5 second narrations. But despite that it's a great watch. Finally Pokemon fights are epic and on par with high-tier anime battles. It's a shame it's a one-shot, hopefully we'll get more down the road.

4/5

Pokemon XY Episode 3 'A Battle of Aerial Mobility!' Review

It's been quite a bit since the special 1 hour sneak peak of Pokemon XY, the latest Pocket Monster show. As a re-surged fan of the series thanks to the new games, I went into this show with mild expectations. I love the XY world, but the anime hasn't been quite 'good' since Advanced ended. But with every new season there's a chance for redemption. The two premiere episodes were solid, from there the show would either keep up the quality or deride itself into a repetitive mess. Thankfully if Episode 3 is any indication, XY could be the best Pokemon season in a long time.

This episode is separated into three points of views. First we have the main one which is on Ash, Clemont and Bonnie, second on Serena, and finally on Team Rocket. First we'll talk about Ash and friends. We see the protagonist update his progress to Professor Oak. I don't know when the latter's voice changed, but it's pretty awful. However, the action is when the Heroes go on their journey to the Santalune City Gym. In the beginning of the episode, Ash registered for the Kalos League. I'm going to assume this league will be in the climax of the season once he collects all the gym badges.

Before continuing, it's very important to mention the theme song. It's a fantastic remix of the original theme from Season 1! It gives the feeling that this season will be like the originals. Past all the cheesy friendship dialogue, we find the heroes in a forest when a Dedenne appears. These things are exclusive to X & Y and look remarkably similar to Pikachu. So naturally their brief 'encounter' proved fun enough. But, despite Dedenne's inclusion, the new Pokemon to watch for is Fletchling. Wow, if you ever thought that bird was a bit on the weak side, you'd have to watch the eisode. He plays the main characters for a bunch of fools. The battle between him and Froakie was fun with pretty smooth animation. The battles in this season are proving to be solid, I'm looking forward to the 'big' ones. So the two major things that come out from this part of the story is Froakie learning to trust Ash and the latter catching a Fletchling. The bird should prove to be a great addition, I already personally prefer him to Froakie.

It is interesting that this season is taking its time with having Serena and Ash being partners on the journey. She's proving to be a fun protagonist. I still miss her more serious in-game personality, but she could be worse. I'm sensing these two will be close friends as the show goes on, maybe something even more? Then again, it's easy to forget that Ash is still like 10 years old seventeen seasons later...which doesn't make much sense. Either way, I'm looking forward to seeing which Pokemon Serena picks. (Hint, it's Fennekin. The theme song spoils that surprise.)

Team Rocket...I just have to ask why? They serve absolutely no purpose. Thankfully they didn't have any run-ins with Ash, but their scenes were pretty filler-y nonetheless. But, we do learn one thing: Giovanni is still in business. Again, I just don't understand. In the theme song it shows Team Flare's logo, so why not just let them be the villains and Team Rocket take a break? Obviously the biggest thing from their point of view is that James catches an Inkay, who was trolling Team Rocket the whole time by stealing their food. Inkay must be some kinda weakling though if he could be captured without any attack necessary.

Overall, this was a really solid episode. Past the cheesy dialogue and filler Team Rocket, there's a lot of cool stuff going on. Fetchling has a lot of personality, even being as cool as the original Pidgey! The battle between it and Froakie was good, the animation is very nice.  The story so far is moving nicely, it remains to be seen if the pace doesn't falter.

4/5

Pokemon X & Y Episode 2 'Lumiose City Pursuit!' Review

The premiere episode of the Pokemon X & Y anime was pretty average. Ash Ketchum arrived in the Kalos Region, met two friends, and of course battled Team Rocket. Since I just played X, I found it mildly entertaining. It wasn't bad, but wasn't very amazing either. Episode 2 fixes many of the problems seen in it. There's a sense of danger, and Ash is actually pretty cool.

It starts out right from where the previous one left off, with Ash going to deliver a wounded Frokie to Professor Sycamore. The Professor's place of residence is quite a mansion, housing some pretty interesting research. Team Rocket pops in however, and manages to get a rage-inducing collar on a Garchomp living there. After he blasts a them away, he goes on a rampage through the city. Yes, the story is pretty interesting, especially when Garchomp goes on a rampage. If only every episode could be like this.

It opens up however with Serena. She appears to be an extremely light-hearted version of the character seen in the game. I suppose the anime is trying to make her more of a likable character, but I just don't know yet. I'll have to see how she interacts with the outside world because once again we only see her at the house with her mom. The action is over at Professor Sycamore's lab. It's cool how Sycamore gets to appear, his portrayal is lifted straight from the game. While the scene with the Professor explaining to Ash why every trainer returns Froakie to him is pretty emotional, (as emotional as the show can be) the best part of the episode is Garchomp's rampage through Lumiose City.

Team Rocket appears, and while they are extremely annoying, they are a catalyst to the biggest plot point in the whole thing. They manage to get a pain-inducing collar onto the Garchomp living in Sycamore lab. I can forgive their inclusion this time. So, Garchomp. He was first established as a very likable free-roaming Pokemon, so when he starts going into rage mode thanks to the pain-inducing collar, you feel for the guy. The actual rampage was pretty awesome to say the least. It reminds us how deadly Pokemon can be without a trainer holding them back. Hopefully we'll see some more renegade Pokemon like this as the series progresses.

Clemont and Bonnie don't really contribute much. The only thing Clermont does other than get tired from running, (seriously, how does his little sister run faster than him?) is use his science skills to open a door. Bonnie is just there to be the cute little girl. Still, they aren't bad side characters. Ash thankfully is not his annoying self from the previous episode. The whole scene on the roof of Prism Tower reminds us why we like the guy. The final act has the return of Mega Blaziken and his mysterious trainer also appears. You can bet we'll see them down the road.

Overall, Episode 2 of Pokemon X & Y is an improvement over its premiere. The entire rampage through the city is one of the very best Pokemon scenes I've ever seen. Ash is actually likable and not annoying. If the show can be like this consistently, we'll have a winner.

4/5

Pokemon X & Y Episode 1 'Kalos, Where Dreams and Adventures Begin!' Review

It's been quite awhile since I've seen the Pokemon anime. Like many, as a kid I grew up with the earlier adventures. When Advanced hit, it slowly started turning into a pretty lackluster show. Advanced was still solid, but after that it turned repetitive and just boring. There was really no character development or danger. I haven't seen an episode since Diamond and Pearl. I've recently played through the X game, which has rekindled my interest in the franchise. So, I decided to check out the anime adaption and see if it has gotten any better. It hasn't, but if you've played X or Y it's pretty enjoyable.

The story takes place naturally in the Kalos Region. Ash Ketchum arrives in Lumiose City in hopes of starting a new adventure and becoming a Pokemon master. Along the way in this premiere episode he runs into new Pokemon, new friends, and of course Team Rocket whom once again have followed him. I will give props to the opening for feeling very thematic, something fresh. In this opening we're introduced to Serena, the main female in the X & Y games. It's very cool how the anime recreates the environment from the games, from the Fletchling to Rhyhorn to the mom, it's good stuff for people that have just played those two. Sadly Serena seems to be out of character. I won't fault the writing until I see her interact with the outside world.

When Ash arrives the plot really begins, for better or worst. This is an example where years and years of episodes have amounted to nothing. He acts like a complete amatuer the whole time. It's very grating, especially for people like me that like Ash from the way earlier episodes. It's truly a shame, because this and coming episodes could have been called good if he was a likable and more serious protagonist. Seriously, almost every line he shouts out is cheesy and annoying to hear.

The two new ongoing friends established are Clemont and his little sister Bonnie. This is interesting because Clemont is the gym leader of Lumiose City in the game. It doesn't look like he's a gym leader here. In fact, the battle with Ash is apparently his first ever battle. The fight between Pikachu and Bunnelby is pretty solid. I really don't get however how someone like Pikachu, who by now should be like level 99 is about on par with Clemont's Bunnelby, which apparently is its first fight. But, the actual battle is pretty solid nonetheless.

Team Rocket is back again. Hopefully they won't be appearing every episode because this type of thing gets old fast. Their plan doesn't make much sense. How do they plan to take control of all the Legendary Pokemon of the Kalos Region if they can't even capture Pikachu? It's just silly and shows the writing needs some help. It is neat how Wobbuffet is actually a fighter now. Unfortunately, Team Rocket themselves are still the same exact jokes from eleven seasons ago. Hopefully Team Flare if they appear will turn out be better antagonists.

Overall, Pokemon X & Y premieres more or less what I expected. There are some cool things if you've played the games, such as a very awesome short scene of Mega Blaziken. It's great how the in-game world is replicated. Serena, while not being so far like her in-game self, is already proving to be a better character than the obnoxious Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. (It's kind of sad since she only appears for less than two minutes while he does for the rest of the episode.) We shall see if this proves to be an entertaining adaptation of the games or another season of boredom and filler.

3/5

Pokemon X Review

Aside from Super Mario, Pokemon is the Nintendo series. First appearing in 1996, it has spawned many games, spin-offs, manga, and a successful anime that is still going today. (And all the movies!) Like many, when I was younger I used to watch the show back when it was actually good. Unlike most however, I've actually never sat down and played a game straight through. I corrected this mistake with the latest release in the series, X/Y. These games when first unveiled received a lot of hype. Pokemon always does, but this was going to shake up the formula. Instead of sprites, CGI would be used, with a fully realized 3D world. There was going to be a new evolution called 'Mega Evolution.' And finally, a new Pokemon type, Fairy, was unveiled. X doesn't disappoint in the slightest. It's the perfect gateway into the addictive Pokemon world.

The story follows a trainer you name and his/her journey to becoming a Pokemon master. (Officially their names are Calem and Serena.) It's the same thing for every game, but what I like about this one is that there's also a story happening alongside it. Team Flare (basically the Kalos region's version of Team Rocket) led by a man named Lysandre has a plan to make the world 'right again.' Lysandre is the only real character of the bunch, the rest are just minions with some of the cheesiest lines in existence. The writing makes an attempt at making him a compelling character, he even sheds tears at one point. So I give props to the team for having this story within a story. Ultimately however, the most interesting thing is the emotional flashback with the Pokemon war. Now there's something that should get an anime adaption.

The main story ultimately however is the journey to becoming a Pokemon master, and it's a satisfying one. It's an 18 hour journey, and you'll be hard-pressed to put down your 3DS. Unlike Final Fantasy where leveling up is a chore, here you actually want to see your Pokemon become stronger. There is no greater feeling than watching them evolve, you develop an attachment to your starter and main team. Some might find it too easy, since it's a piece of cake to stock on items. The Elite Four isn't really as challenging as they're made out to be. The only real major difficulty I had was getting passed the final battle against the Champion's pokemon Gardevoir. But, it's still a fantastic journey no other game series can replicate.

Arguably the biggest thing that got fans excited about X and Y was that along with the Kalos region starter, you were going to get a second starter. The choices would be Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle, the original three. This was pretty exciting, especially for people like me that grew up with those characters. As you go through the game along the way you'll run into many of the classics such as Pidgey and Caterpie. So while being a whole new thing, these games grab some of the old, which is great. This brings us to the factor that will revolutionize Pokemon for years to come, the Mega Evolution.

Mega Evolution on paper is a pretty awesome concept. Basically select Pokemon have a fourth transformation where they unleash their true power once every battle. The results are quite impressive. Sadly, even though the trailers made a big deal out of it, you can go through the whole main part of the game without encountering Mewtwo, which is definitely disappointing. But, let's talk about the new Legendary from the X version, Xerneas. He has a very majestic and awe-inspiring design. He doesn't get to do much in the story, but his scene with destroying the Ultimate Weapon was pretty great. Xerneas easily has one of the best designs in recent years. Hopefully the anime will capture this deer's grace and power.

Overall, Pokemon X is a fantastic game. There's so much heart put into the journey. Sure, a lot of the dialogue between the main character and his friends is pretty cheesy, but it doesn't bring down the experience. There's not really anything negative. Sure, I could point out little things, such as the Pokemon themselves having very generic sounds. (Seriously, they couldn't use the sounds from the anime or create more unique ones?) And for some reason, the frame rate drops sometimes and the battle becomes a little choppy. But ultimately it succeeds in giving the player a journey of a lifetime.There is no satisfaction greater than watching your Pokemon evolve and earning the title Pokemon Master.

5/5