If you care, even a little about the Anime, you probably don't want to read this entry, as it quite possibly contains spoilers for the Sinnoh League, which won't be aired in the US for a while.
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Because I don't care about the Anime and its predictability, I decided to look at the information that Serebii has on the next season of the anime-- Best Wishes, which ties in the Isshu Region to the Anime.
Now I'll admit, I half-expected Ash to lose against Paul in the two-part battle they had, which concluded in Japan on the 19th... but I was wrong. Then I remembered that he's been as high as the Round of 4, then got his butt kicked by some random guy who you could call 'character of the moment', only for them to lose, too. Its the predictability of the whole thing that kind of turned me away from the series-- the fact that not once, but four times he has been denied the ability to at least reach the final round of a major League makes me laugh at his inability to put the amount of experience he has gained in his previous failures to good use.
Yes, I said 'four times', which brings us back to 'Best Wishes'-- the Isshu Region arc of the series.
From Serebii.net's Best Wishes page:
"Best Wishes is the new saga within the Pokémon anime series to tie in with the release of the Pokémon Black & White videogames. After his defeat within the Sinnoh League at the hands of Takuto, Ash soon learns of a new, although very far away region called Isshu and he heads there to continue his dream of being a Pokémon Master."
Yes. Another series with our failure of a 'Pokemon Master' completely failing at what he has set out to do. You'd think that his final series in the 'near-by' Regions would end in a complete victory for a change, instead of absolute failure. (which is what a defeat in the Round of 4 should be, really... which I should actually call the Semi-finals, lol)
Here would be my idea:
"Ash finally takes his game to the next level, making it to the Finals of the Sinnoh League, where after a lengthy and painful struggle, he finally emerges on top to become the winner of the Sinnoh League. (you can have him lose against the Elite Four if they planned an arc for that, but actually beating the temporary cast would have actually been frikking nice, guys!)
Hot off his burning success, Ash walks in on Oak having a conversation with Prof. Araragi, the Professor of the Isshu Region, and after their conversation ends, you can do the obligatory battle between Ash and Gary, where Gary wins with the Pokemon he found in the Isshu Region, he gets all psyched up and makes plans to hit the planes and fly on over to the Isshu Region to take on, and try to conquer the Isshu League, where he meets Iris, an odd little girl who lets her Kibago hide in her hair, and Dento, the stand-in Brock replacement."
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I suppose what really chaps my hide is the fact that Ash loses to the random guy wielding Darkrai, which I'm going to assume is actually a Zorua or a Zoroark in Illusion disguise. But because its only been seen as a Darkrai, I'd like to punch the developers of this show for using something as annoying as a Darkrai in Ash's final battle of Sinnoh.
Though I'd assume now that there are more than one of each Legendary Pokemon out there, perhaps with the exception of Arceus, who is apparently the 'God of all', and Mewtwo, since he's only been seen in the two movies and I think an episode or two of the TV series before Ash took on his eighth Gym. (after all, Darkrai has been seen in a movie, and the Anime twice-- all three seemingly a different Darkrai from the others)
But anyway, I suppose that'll be the conclusion of this one, because I can't really be bothered to ramble on much longer about something I generally don't watch, any more. But its these kinds of things that have forced me away from it; that's four times Ashyboy has turned up as a failure who never learns, and with each series he becomes the same idiotic, 'new-to-Pokemon' fool that he was back in the first series, with VERY few references to previous series' of the show, other than concerning Pikachu (including its unwillingness to evolve), the Pokemon he has had, and their use come League time.
Seriously, any ordinary human being would reflect on past incidents to become stronger, and I'm talking about longer than a few episodes. His experience with Pokemon is something you'd expect to show a lot more than it actually does. At least with the episodes I've seen.
In conclusion, the TV series has become very bland, and other than the awesome shot Serebii had in their 'Coming soon in Japan' episode bar of Infernape going absolutely insane from its extremely overpowered Blaze boosting, its probably going to be the same until they either make Ash actually WIN a major competition, or get rid of him for a new character. Unfortunately, neither of those incidents seems at all possible in the producers' eyes...
-RenegadeFox
Okay! Time for some comments on some of the new features of Pokemon Black & White!
I mentioned Triple Battles before, and you should probably all know I've got a less-than-sparkling opinion on those, but what about the rest of the stuff currently released about the battle system?
Well, we'll start with Rotation battles. These are basically Triple battles, and if my interpretation is good, you rotate the 'stage' your Pokemon are on to set a different one against your opponents' Pokemon. That being said, they're Single battles with Triple battle elements; you see the first three Pokemon your opponent has.
If I'm fairly honest, this will probably just be something I try once, just to say I didn't knock it before giving it a chance. But I'm not really impressed with the idea of rotation battles. But like Triple battles, it could turn out to be a feature I enjoy using-- I just don't see it, for lack of being able to put the concept to practice with my own hands. I can't exactly say that it would be a battle-breaker, allowing your opponent to switch over one of the Pokemon your lead is weak to, because you have the ability to do the same. Its just... I feel those kinds of battles just come with the overall paranoia and overprediction that can make or break a battle for you.
It brings me back to the comment I made on Triple battles; where it feels like they're just doing all this stuff because they can, but I can see they're really trying to freshen up the way the game is played. The only problem is, its a change I don't personally see myself liking all that much. Which is why I guess I don't have to worry about it, too much. If I don't like it, I've still got Doubles. xD
Next'll be the Miracle Shooter-- a feature that I believe can be used on WiFi by indication that there is your standard connection strength bar in the top corner of the terrible screen shot Serebii have about it. It basically allows you to use items during battle once you have obtained enough points, which you gain over the course of the battle dependant on performance, I believe.
This would be an interesting idea, since items have never been possible to use on WiFi before, and coule be interesting to see how people end up using it. My only issue is that if its possible to access this feature as standard in any battle, without the option to turn it off, you've lost the 'Tournament-like' structure to the battles. If its a separate battle option, or a check boxed item that you can turn on and off when setting up battles, then that'll be okay, but I always end up fearing a 'worst-case scenario' with these kinds of things... while unfortunately I had really high hopes for FFXIII being an awesome game for the length of time it was in development... *sighs* ...whose idea was it to make that game so... linear...
Well... anyway, that's the battle features of Generation V in a nutshell from me. I've no idea what I'll be talking about in the next entry, because I was going to talk about the Shifter and some other features, until I thought I'd round off the battle system.
Cheerio!
-RenegadeFox
I don't know if anyone remembers, but there was one episode of Pokemon Sunday where they made a really big deal out of the fact that there was going to be little details in the background of battles, like the silhouette of a town and such.
Well, if the 'screen shots' from Serebii are anything to go by, it could very well mean that the little novelty detail in the background of battles could very well no longer be used, and your stock DPPt/HGSS backgrounds seem to have crept into the games again.
I just find it a little disappointing and just hope that if the screen shots are real, that the backgrounds are just a temporary filler until the game is complete. I've never really liked the backgrounds used in Generation IV, anyway... just looks like paintbrush splatter if you ask me, with it just managing to represent the location. Wouldn't it be nice if we got a background that was more relative to the location we're in, instead of your standard grunge shots? I certainly think it would. But that's just me.
Well, that was just a small one... I'll probably try updating later today with something a little more... feature-based than this. There are a few features I'd like to talk about still, like the PokeShifter and such, so I'll talk about those when I've got a little more time.
Until then, catch you all later.
-RenegadeFox
"...and you were there... and you... and you as well!"
Okay, I'll stop...
Anyway, this entry is all about the Dream World-- a new feature that will be used in Generation V's Pokemon Black & White. Something we knew early on was that it would allow us to see Pokemon and obtain them in our games. I do believe the first announced were Eevee's evolutions, though more recently, it seems they are password-oriented, and that the Generation I Starters are also going to come to us in dreams.
Then we heard Musharna had something to do with the Dream World, be it invoking it or otherwise. I'd venture to guess it would be invoked, though.
As for the rest of the features:
Much like Kanto and Johto, there's no berry-planting as we once knew it in the Isshu Region. It'll all be done in the Dream World, which is kind of okay, I guess. But really, it just seems like they've taken a feature that was a ton of busy work in the games and planted it into something else-- its still busy work, regardless of where it is. Could end up being frustrating, or maybe I'm just griping about it because the whole Berries thing has been annoying for me since Generation III...
Here's where the Dream World starts to sound like the PokeWalker-- not in function, but in content. You can find Pokemon in both and find items in both, which I suppose makes sense; after all, haven't you ever had a dream about something and you've had it the moment you woke up? No?
...
Moving on, then...
To finish this off, there seems to be house decorating now, too. In the Dream World. Sheesh, its starting to sound like you'll be living in a whole different world in your dreams in this game... which seems to meld in with the real world. I've never really used the decorative features of the games, and I don't think I will here.
In conclusion, despite some sugar-coated features in berry-planting and house decorating, I'd say the Dream World is sizing up to, not be a key feature for Pokemon gamers, but certainly a nice little distraction-- it gives you some cool alternate Ability Pokemon, and that's a plus. But it does come with the horrible side-effect of me wanting a Hydration Vaporeon, now... *sigh*
-RenegadeFox
Oh hey! More Pokemon! I'm afraid I'm too lazy to add any pictures this time, because its a pretty lengthy process I can't really be bothered to do for an update that has been a long time coming.
I'm not lazy, at all... *cough*
Emonga
Something we've all been waiting for, I think-- and that's another Pokemon that isn't a Legendary to come along and knock Zapdos off of the Uniquely-Typed list... and it was something me and octaneblue (iirc, I've seen a few people say it, after all) have been expecting. A flying Squirrel Pokemon!
However, I for one was expecting it to be an evolution of Pachirisu, and while it still could be, I'm not really 100% convinced. (something like 60%-70%) Things that could indicate it may be an evolution of Pachirisu would be the black marks coming from the top of its head-- they look somewhat similar to those on Pachirisu's, and though a very flimsy similarity, its eyes do kind of look the same as Pachi's, as do its cheek pouches (which also happen to be the same colour as well, just to point that out).
But then I look at its ears and think, "Well, that's pretty different..." and its tail is a lot different from Pachirisu's, as well. But then again, when a Pokemon evolves, they do undergo extreme changes, in some cases. So I guess we'll just have to wait and see what else gets said about Emonga. It also has Static as its only listed ability at the moment, of which I believe Pachirisu also had Pick-Up, as well.
I do like it, though-- even if it doesn't turn out to be a Pachirisu evolution.
Swana
Awesome. A freaking SWAN Pokemon. About time, and nice to see another Water/Flying Pokemon, even if Electric Pokemon are going to be absolutely evil towards her...
It might look plain, but I personally love the design of Swana. I'll probably try using her as my Flyer, if she's early enough in the game. Otherwise, she'll definitely be part of my first Generation V team.
Miruhoggu
My opinion hasn't changed about this Pokemon from itd basic to its evolution. The design reminds me a lot of Bidoof & Bibarel and I absolutely HATED those two...
Gigaiasu
Well crud. I guess Sturdy is going to be a commonly used ability in Generation V, now that it certifies Focus Sash-like possibilities without having to use the the held item for the effect.
But anyway, as for the Pokemon itself, I think I'm a little indifferent to it. It doesn't seem to be the evolution of anything and adds to the quota of pure Rock-typed Pokemon. Not really got much more to add.
Mamanbou
This really looks like an evolution of a Pokemon don't you think? More specifically, I feel this may be an evolution of Luvdisc, due to the design and colour scheme it has adopted, at least for the most part. I get the feeling its a female-only Pokemon though and if it is an evolution of Luvdisc, maybe there's also a male version of Luvdisc hidden to us, hmm?
The only problem with that would be it would take up another valuable slot, when a simple gender difference could sway my opinion for it solely being a Luvdisc evolution. Who knows...
Shikijika
You know a game is awesome when they start making new features like they did in Generation II. The seasons system that is going to be in the games, and the fact that said system will affect what Pokemon appear, as well as the appearance of Shikijika, has had me smiling through even my unhappy times, during this past week or so.
As with Swana, Shikijika looks a little plain and isn't really anything amazingly special, except for the fact its appearance during certain seasons. But I suppose that's kind of what I like about both of them-- they're simple in their execution and aren't outragiously over the top. I probably won't use Shikijika in-game, but there's a long while until the games hit the US and UK-- I could end up using it, if I feel like it.
Unless I get a Japanese copy of the game next month, lol */unlikely*
Kurumiru
Its a bug.
What? You were expecting more?
...okay... it kind of makes me think of a fusion between Burmy and Caterpie, and I don't really have a strong opinion on it, either way. No doubt it will be our token Bug-type Pokemon of the Generation.
Darumakka
The basic form of, or the baby form of Hihidarumma, it would seem. I don't have much of an opinion on baby Pokemon either, to be honest, so I can't really say much. Other than it kind of looks like a Burmy that would end up evolving into a Bug/Fire-type.
Basurao
I get the feeling this Pokemon is going to be like Carvahna from Generation III, mainly because it looks like a Pirahna. I'd venture to guess that this Pokemon will probably have Rough Skin as one of its abilities. Looks interesting enough, I suppose. Though the image I've seen isn't all that big...
Tabunne
To quote my sister, "It kind of looks like a rabbit thing with bells on its ears."
I honestly didn't notice the small orb thing that seems to be dangling from its ear in the small image of the Pokemon that we've got. But I'd have to agree-- it kind of does look like that.
This is another Pokemon I don't really have a strong opinion of yet.
Victini
Its a shame this Pokemon is an early event for the games... because I have this nagging feeling that I'll probably not be able to get the games in time to download it, even with the UK release. (since I've not even got a job, yet...)
I can guarantee that if I had one, I'd be running around killing stuff just to be able to say, "V for Victory!" like Precis from Star Ocean: Second Evolution. xD
Overall, I like the design. Though it does kind of look a little off, in Pokemon terms... or maybe its just me. *shrugs*
A Note on Hatooboo
I like how we've seen nothing about this Pokemon since that one screen shot...
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Anyway! Keep an eye out for the next entry, which'll probably be about the 'Dream World' and a few other features planned for the games.
-RenegadeFox
At the moment, I don't really have time to talk about the many Pokemon that have been released recently... so you'll have to settle for my thoughts on a few of the features that are to be included in Pokemon Black and White.
I think at this moment in time, I'll talk about the seasonal changes.
This is probably the next best change that could be made to the Pokemon games and has probably been a long time coming, too-- Generation II was the last time we had something like this added to the games, in the form of a night and day mechanic, so in some ways, Generation V could be the Generation II of modern Pokemon games. Looking at it like that gives me the hope of Pokemon Black & White being really good games.
Apparently each season will last about a month, and to be fairly honest, that sounds like a good amount of time to have each season last for in a game-- it gives players a chance to experience the games at different times of the year without having to wait real-time seasons to do it.
I'll not talk about Shikijika in this entry, because I'd rather talk about it in the Pokemon entry that I'll make later, but the fact that seasons are now coming into play in the Pokemon games just makes me smile and hope that there will be plenty to do with each one. Maybe there are events that occur in-game that only occur in each season or something. I think that would be pretty cool.
Oh, and another note on Team Plasma, from the last entry-- most probably don't know, but in my experimental stages, I've actually been writing a Poke'fic to work on my writing. Funnily enough, one of the options I'd chosen for the obligatory villainous team was actually Team Plasma-- and this was back in December of last year, when nothing had really been said about Pokemon Black & White. (heck, I don't think it was even announced back then) I'm just really glad I didn't end up going with the name, because as of this moment, the Teams' name actually hasn't been used in the story yet and would have just looked like I copied it from the latest announcements of the games if I were to.
Anyway, my next entry will either be about some more features of Generation V or it will actually be about the Pokemon I am yet to talk about.
Until then, have fun.
-RenegadeFox
Okay! It looks like I've been neglecting this for a while... but its all because I've had a lot of stuff going on, right now. I've been keeping up to date with all the updates that have been coming out for Pokemon Black and White though, but I haven't actually been able to say anything about them.
Anyway, here is where I say, "If you still think Pokemon Black and White is going to be based in a location in or around Japan... you need punching in the eye socket and be forced to watch all the stupid moments Ash has done as a twisted form of torture a la Clockwork Orange-style.
Just check out Team Plasma, for example:
Yeah. The bad guys are dressed like medieval knights. Frikking. Awesome.
Notice the female member isn't wearing ANYthing like what the other members of the past have.
Well... maybe except for Team Rocket, but they all had miniskirts, anyway... and... Team Galactic Grunts don't wear any...
Shut up!
My main focus is the actual design of the clothing, really. As this Lord British cosplayer is demonstrating:
All Team Plasma are missing are decorative swords to go with those fancy clothes of theirs.
--Anyway, as a secondary note, I'll update on my thoughts on the newer Pokemon that have been released later. There are some I'd like to pass comment on anyway, but after seeing the design for the villains in this Generation, I just couldn't wait to say something.
I just wish I could import the Japanese version...
-RenegadeFox
