(N) Pokemon (Pocket Monsters)

[Lukes YGO & WS on YT]

I wasn't expecting Steven's Pokemon to be so weak they would all lose by just a single hit.

I can't see Ash beating Cynthia, she has always been shown to be incredibly strong whenever she had had battle in the past.

[alex_drian]

Originally Posted by Lukes YGO & WS on YT

I wasn't expecting Steven's Pokemon to be so weak they would all lose by just a single hit.

I can't see Ash beating Cynthia, she has always been shown to be incredibly strong whenever she had had battle in the past.

You are seeing it backwards. Is not that Steven's Pokemon are weak, is that Ash Pokemon have become strong like that, Champion-tier strong. Do you remember old episodes when some fight an Elite 4 or Champion and got one-shotted everytime? Remember when Paul try to fight Cynthia but his full time got one-shotted without even so much as give a scratch to Garchomp despite got hit by Blizzard? Well, not more, as Ash Pokemon are now able to tank attacks and deliver serious damage to Champion-tier opponents. That much was shown in the battles with Drasna and Raihan.

Steven Pokemon wasn't weak. Heck, Dracovish fell down to a Heavy Metal. In fact they were such nastily defensive fuckers that I'm not sure no one apart of Cynthia and Leon cold take down Mega Metagross that we have seen how strong it is in the Mega Evolution specials. Leon with his Dynamax than can nuke the whole field and Cynthia Garchomp if it still knows Sandstorm.

So to analize the battle:

Dracovish damaged Metagross with Fishinous Rend a lot more than it was damaged by Psychic. Retarded strengh was a bad matchup for Metagross so was swithed by Aggron who was such physical defense that not feel so much of Dragon Rush while Dracovish fell to STAB Heavy Metal.

Gergar used Will-O-Wisp to bypass Aggron defense with status continuos damage and reduce the power of physical attacks. Defended and hurt him with Dazzling Gleam that is not effective but still is probably his overall better attack and also bypass physical defense. Finally Aggron fell down to status damage.

Cradily attacked and defended and incapacitated with Power whip while recover all the damage that recived of Gengar with Ingrain so it was a carrer against time. Still that's not Recover so damaged recovering was slow and after take advantage of Pikachu agility it went down to Super Effective Iron Tail.

We have seen Mega Metagross feats before, being able to carry battle with the Primal Legendaries. Probs to Pikachu who barely tanked STAB Meteor Smash and Psychic. However, it was nothing more him could do there. Is not so much that Mega Metagross is faster as that it can calculated and predict moves so Pikachu can't land Thunderbolt. Can engage in meele for the same reason + Mega Metagross fly + Psychic. Dynamax is an option but then it becomes an big target for Meteor Mash. So the only feasible choice was the Z-Move.

Still Mega Metagross, being the first time, try to dodged it, as normally whenever this Z-Move is used opponents go in a power competition against Pikachu so is the first time we see what happens when someone try to dodge, the result is that the move can divide and pursuit so it blocked Flash Cannon (that definitely was gonna finish Pikachu as that slamed Primal Kyogre in the ground). Z-Move grab Mega Metagross and slammed him agaisnt the ground.

Probs to Mega Metagross as is the first one to being able to stand up after the Z-Move even if it only was hit for like 60% of the full power. Still it was almost done after that so it only needed an one more hit to go.

So yeah, after 20+ years of anime I'm glad to still being here to seeing this. Battles are not more XY quality of animation but oh well.

For Cynthia. I really don't think there is much different between Steven and Cynthia in terms of level as I explained before. Probably is the turn of the other half of the team so is the turn of Lucario and Ash aura powers.

[AP24]

Some pokemon magazine article confirms the semifinals will be 6-vs-6 battle. Leaked episode titles and description confirm that Leon vs Diantha will be 1 episode and Ash vs Cynthia will be 3 episodes.

[AP24]

https://youtube.com/watch?v=oiXsBEOp8V8

In some scenes you can see the stadium’s big screen which the list of pokemon used by Ash and Cynthia and their status are visible. The battle’s progress will be like this:

Spoiler for Ash vs Cynthia:

Cynthia’s first 4 pokemon will be Spiritomb, Roserade, Togekiss and Gastrodon. Gastrodon will be the first one to be knocked out and Spiritomb will be second.

Ash’s first 3 pokemon will be Dragonite, Gengar and Pikachu. Dragonite and Gengar will be the first two to be knocked out and Pikachu is third.

The halfway point is Spiritomb and Pikachu knock each other out, leaving Ash with Sirfetch’d, Dracovish and Lucario while Cynthia is left Roserade, Togekiss, Milotic and Garchomp. Although, during this point Ash’s remaining 3 pokemon haven’t battled at all while Cynthia’s 2 out of 4 remaining pokemon already battled and might have taken some damage.

Lucario will be Ash’s last pokemon standing while Togekiss and Garchomp will be Cynthia’s last two pokemon standing.

[Lukes YGO & WS on YT]

Cynthia needs to win convincingly, Ash is not on her level.

I hope it doesn't come to a one on one, it's not believable.

They made Steven's pokemon look weak in the last round, they have always made Cynthia look very strong in the previous battles she has been in and has to win this.

[WingedAccelerator]

Ash is gonna win the tournament and you will hate it. But I don't really care about him at this point. There won't be another better opportunity to conclude his anime journey, so they better use it.

Considering Scarlet and Violet will have another freaking battle gimmick, which will look shit in animated format, I don't think they can cook up a convincing argument why this tournament happened before the new games with no representative trainers from the next region present. So it would be better to just start it anew with someone else, finally, for the love of God. Please!

[Honoakari]

One thing I do not understand about this anime is... Where are the legendaries?

A "World Tournament" where the strongest trainers gather... you'd expect the contest to be primarily about who has caught the largest number of Legendary/Mythical/Ultras, and who has trained them better... considering we have been shown time after time in the anime that they are much stronger than regular Pokemon...

Does #1 Leon have any legendary Pokemon on his team? It feels like Tobias would wipe the floor with this "champion"...

[Lukes YGO & WS on YT]

Ash beating Cynthia is one of the most ridiculous and dumbest things I have ever seen in my life.

It should have been complete destruction like the first semi final, this result made absolutely no sense whatsoever.

Ash is not of the same level as Cynthia and never should have beaten her.

The only way this could ever make sense is if Ash wins the entire tournament and then is retired from the entire series as there is nothing more you can do once you gain the title of the strongest and best in the world.

If there is a new series coming with a brand new protagonist and no Ash anymore then it is fully understandable.

If Ash doesn't beat Leon then what was the point of this battle and result?

[alex_drian]

Originally Posted by Honoakari

One thing I do not understand about this anime is... Where are the legendaries?

A "World Tournament" where the strongest trainers gather... you'd expect the contest to be primarily about who has caught the largest number of Legendary/Mythical/Ultras, and who has trained them better... considering we have been shown time after time in the anime that they are much stronger than regular Pokemon...

Does #1 Leon have any legendary Pokemon on his team? It feels like Tobias would wipe the floor with this "champion"...

Catching legendary is not easy feat and you can only capture the lesser ones not the nature force ones because they gonna kick your shit or you capture them while in a weakened state and they are definitely not gonna obey you. Is not worth the problem instead of..don't know, train the Pokemon of your preference until it is strong as fuck.

Tobias case is weird because I'm not sure if he is legitimately a good trainer or he is carried for his legendaries. Pretty sure Cynthia Spiritomb could solo Darkrai and Latios. Ash himself have a legendary/mythical and it wasn't really impressive. Also for what is worth Leon defeated base Eternatus.

[alex_drian]

Originally Posted by Lukes YGO & WS on YT

Ash beating Cynthia is one of the most ridiculous and dumbest things I have ever seen in my life.

It should have been complete destruction like the first semi final, this result made absolutely no sense whatsoever.

Ash is not of the same level as Cynthia and never should have beaten her.

The only way this could ever make sense is if Ash wins the entire tournament and then is retired from the entire series as there is nothing more you can do once you gain the title of the strongest and best in the world.

If there is a new series coming with a brand new protagonist and no Ash anymore then it is fully understandable.

If Ash doesn't beat Leon then what was the point of this battle and result?

Being the strongest is not Ash goal is being a Pokemon Master. Being the strongest is only a sub-product, a stepping stone.

[WingedAccelerator]

The current portion of episodes will be called Pokémon Ultimate Journeys in the dub, consisting of 54 episodes.

This means that even if we argue about the math of 16-21 episodes remaining, whatever they have in story for Scarlet and Violet, the anime won't start before or around the same time as the games come out.

Hopefully, this is a sign of them really thinking about retiring the old cast, not just Ash, but also Team Rocket, while they are also thinking about how to approach the new games in animated format. Make Nemona the new protagonist and we are good.

Update: Apparently now they say the episode count was an error. So this could still end in November.

[AP24]

The final match will be 4 episodes. It’s going to be the longest battle in the history of the anime if it begins near the start of the first episode. 4 of Leon’s pokemon are starters.

[WingedAccelerator]

The odds are heavily against Ash in the last phase of the battle.

Leon has a Libero Cinderace in the back that can turn into a Ground-type. Plus of course, his ace, Charizard.

Ash has Pikachu, already took damage.

Even if Pikachu beats Charizard, I don't see it beating Cinderace. Unless bullshit, plot armor etc. etc., you know the drill already. I just want Ash's retirement above everything. If he is 2nd place, then he is 2nd place. Just don't bring him to Paldea after he gets PTSD from type-changes.

[alex_drian]

Originally Posted by WingedAccelerator

The odds are heavily against Ash in the last phase of the battle.

Leon has a Libero Cinderace in the back that can turn into a Ground-type. Plus of course, his ace, Charizard.

Ash has Pikachu, already took damage.

Even if Pikachu beats Charizard, I don't see it beating Cinderace. Unless bullshit, plot armor etc. etc., you know the drill already. I just want Ash's retirement above everything. If he is 2nd place, then he is 2nd place. Just don't bring him to Paldea after he gets PTSD from type-changes.

Yeah, I think this is all for Ash. Pikachu has received a shitton of damage already and is out of juice because of the use of his Z-Move. While there is still Charizard the strongest Pokemon (no legendary) in the series so far and worst of all there is still Cinderace with 0 damage, Libero and type advantage meaning half of Pikachu moveset is useless.

[Guido]

Originally Posted by WingedAccelerator

Even if Pikachu beats Charizard, I don't see it beating Cinderace. Unless bullshit, plot armor etc. etc., you know the drill already. I just want Ash's retirement above everything. If he is 2nd place, then he is 2nd place. Just don't bring him to Paldea after he gets PTSD from type-changes.

Power of friendship that they abused way back in Kalos to the point that it turned into a crime and a torture to watch.

So, why the writers wouldn't use it?

Pokemon TV anime has been in stagnation for the last 10+ years, so it will not come as a surprise that they decide to transfer Ash to Paldea in the next series.

[grecefar]

Well one could've hoped that some day ash would complete his duty and be done with his story. I think this has been the closest to a closure and acomplishment if he were to beat leon.

Pokemon adventures should've been animated a long time ago...

[Chosen_Hero]

^I would rather it hadn't been animated at all and instead we had gotten a proper season in Galar where Ash went through what is the most interesting version of the Pokemon Gym challenge so far... but no, the writers had to cram in unnecessary Pokemon Go bullshit that breaks continuity (instead of making a separate series for it), then had Ash speed run all the regions he had just gone through in the last few months (because apparently from Kanto to Alola it has only been a few months in that same first years, which again, breaks continuity), created the worst character in the entire series in gary stu Gou, the went the fanfiction route and had Ash not only catch every single fan requested Pokemon from every past season, but also had a super convenient tournament that let him speed run through his past battles too only to end up exactly where a proper Galar series would have, but much more believable, much more focused and more within continuity.

If Ash wins this is going to be worse than Alola where he basically had to cheat to win, here he will win just because the writers are writing fanfiction, not because it makes sense.

These last two seasons where they just gift Ash victories are an insult to the fans intelligence.

[AP24]

Spoiler for Tournament end:

Ash is now the strongest trainer in the world. Nice to hear the first OP theme during the battle.

[grecefar]

That's BS, but in the end let's see if he is going to retire.

[Frontier]

Spoiler:

He did it !