Thread: BW 001-002 "To the Isshu Region! Zekrom's Shadow!!" & "Iris and Kibago!" Review

Originally Posted by Trainer_Gabriel

Something I didn't stop to think about: Shooti is apparently Ash's new rival. I'm not sure if I feel too comfortable with Ash having a rookie for a rival this series. It reminds me of when most people believed that Paul was a rookie (I didn't, but about 90-95% of the fandom did). But when everyone realized he wasn't, suddenly Pikachu's draw with Elekid made a lot more sense, and a lot more interesting. But this time, we know that Shooti is a newbie because we watched him receive his starter. I feel it's gonna be hard to make a suspenseful rivalry between Ash and a rookie, and to be suspenseful. If he's a "lesser" rival (ie: Conway, etc.) then ok. But we'll just see how it goes.

Just another reason to dislike Shooti, though him being a rookie doesn't really matter to me though.

I mean after all in the games, you're Champion "Master" worthy after at least 30+ hours, so maybe Shooti is just gifted. If they wanted I would love to see Ash kick Shooti's butt and have Shooti only receive Top 16 (like Ash did in his first league but be it a full battle like the Hoenn League), and then have Ash have 2 or more full battles afterwards.

Honestly though you are right Shooti should be a lesser rival because of his rookie level, they could introduce a better rival that is on par with Paul in strength (although maybe less cold towards Ash). But, something tells me that's not going to happen.

I don't hate Shooti at all. In fact I like his character so far (even if it is rather unoriginal), I'm just not sure how I feel about Ash trying to compete with a rookie, when he should be above his level and makes his character seem to degress. To be honest, this was one of the reasons I wasn't convinced that Paul wasn't a new trainer, because I just didn't see the writers giving Ash a newbie to compete against. But it seems this is the clear case here. Then again, he is essentially "resetting" his character in a sense anyway, so maybe I really shouldn't care. But perhaps while you and others may not mind, I personally can't help myself if I simply don't like it just as Dogasu doesn't like the new TR and despite being in the minority. And you're right, he probably won't be a secondary rival, even though I'm still hoping that he is. And as I said, how will they make it very suspenseful unless we all just pretend that Ash is a rookie? His loss in this episode was justifiable, but what are they going to do next? I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
Also, using game mechanics about being "champion-worthy after 30 hours" doesn't cut it in a tv series or anything else. No one would want to be that realistic about playing the same game for years worth of time before the player is strong enough to be crowned champion.

I don't see what the big deal is about Shooti being a beginning trainer. Remember that Satoshi, as a beginning trainer, made it all the way to the best 16 in the Indigo Conference. And Hiroshi made it to the best 8 (I guess we can't say for certain that he was a rookie, but it's a fair assumption).

People keep making this big hoopla over beginning trainer or not, but in the end, it doesn't really matter. Pikachu is the only old Pokemon that Satoshi is going to use during the vast majority of Isshu - everything else will be new. In the end, Shooti has the ability to be a decent rival, depending on the Pokemon they each capture and their each individual abilities. Take Mamepato. It's not a powerhouse right now. It probably is weaker than Koromori. That's not what's important - what Satoshi can turn it into is.

All I'm trying to say is that beginning trainer or not, Shooti's got a decent chance to be a good rival, depending on how the writers write him. I think it'll be interesting because I really doubt that we'll see him as a boring rival. Just like how Satoshi can beat Gym Leaders that are three or four times his age, Shooti could conceivably beat Satoshi in a realistic manner.

Let's just see where the writers take this before we start with the god-awful bitching that plagues this fandom.

My only problem with Shooti is the fact we already have two or even three (if one counts N) rivals in the game. Why not use them? Why not use White or even Black?
Can't say anything about him for now.

Originally Posted by dman_dustin

Actually thinking about it, that probably is what Abaddon meant. Abaddon probably wasn't clear about that.

I don't see how you guys could get "they blast off in every episode, except the ones where they're not fighting Ash" out of this:

Originally Posted by Abaddon

In the previous thirteen seasons, they went one episode without a blastoff. ONE. And it was the very first episode, in which they weren't in.

Seems extremely clear to me.

I mean this is the first time in a long time from what I remember, that they tried to steal a Pokemon but did not blast off (in some fashion). I can't remember the last time that happened.

Ranger / Heatran episode. They run out of the volcano before it caves in.

Originally Posted by PDL

No one cares any longer.

Is that how you respond when someone tries to help you? He's right, the words "Air Slash" and "Air Cutter" could be clearly heard.

Foolish animators having a bunch of Shikijika run alongside a car. They've obviously never seen deer before in their lives. At least they kinda redeemed it in the second episode when they all just ran away from him.

Can't have a new region without Pikachu reverting to level 5, can we?

No level-rule in the Anime, though.
Дождь?

Here.

I love Mijumaru even more now, almost to the point where I would want Mijumaru to remain its name in English so the dub could use Japanese voice clips.

Seriously, it's like Piplup, minus the annoying.

Here.

Never thought such a frequently used word can become a meme for foreigners.

I love Mijumaru even more now, almost to the point where I would want Mijumaru to remain its name in English so the dub could use Japanese voice clips.

Yes, he sounds good and looks good! When I first saw Mijumaru's art, I was in shock about how ugly it was. Anime made the otter likable for me.

Originally Posted by Trainer_Gabriel

Something I didn't stop to think about: Shooti is apparently Ash's new rival. I'm not sure if I feel too comfortable with Ash having a rookie for a rival this series. It reminds me of when most people believed that Paul was a rookie (I didn't, but about 90-95% of the fandom did). But when everyone realized he wasn't, suddenly Pikachu's draw with Elekid made a lot more sense, and a lot more interesting. But this time, we know that Shooti is a newbie because we watched him receive his starter. I feel it's gonna be hard to make a suspenseful rivalry between Ash and a rookie, and to be suspenseful. If he's a "lesser" rival (ie: Conway, etc.) then ok. But we'll just see how it goes.

Well May received a starter frm Oak yet she wasn't a rookie, and this may be the case with Shuuti too. Not very probable, but not impossible either.

I only hope this time we won't have two wait for 4 years and lots of loses to finally see Ash defeaing him. A more Barry-esque rivalry suits better for Shuuti: let Ash win sometimes, let him lose other times, and give him his final victory in the League, something like both having winned the same amount of battles by the time they get to the League, so their league battle breakes the tie.

Originally Posted by VeggiePopper

Well May received a starter frm Oak yet she wasn't a rookie, and this may be the case with Shuuti too. Not very probable, but not impossible either.

I'd say it is impossible. Shooti specifically came to pick out his started for his journey. May was simply shown what Pokemon were given in Kanto and happened to bond with one of them.

Originally Posted by Agent_Kir

My only problem with Shooti is the fact we already have two or even three (if one counts N) rivals in the game. Why not use them? Why not use White or even Black?
Can't say anything about him for now.

The writers were thinking that to use White or Black would take up the spotlight from Ash just because they are the main characters for the games. Now for Iris and Dento, they don't seem like they're doing anything yet, so we'll have to wait. But for Ash to have more than one rival will be like a madhouse for him now in the state that he's in.

Originally Posted by Geodude

Is that how you respond when someone tries to help you? He's right, the words "Air Slash" and "Air Cutter" could be clearly heard.

I made a mistake but I don't need to be treated like a moron.