Talkback: "Pokémon Battle Frontier" - January (Spoilers)

[Duke]

http://fridays.toonzone.net/talkbacks/premiere.gifhttp://library.toonzone.net/talkbacks/pkmnbf.jpg
Pokémon Battle Frontier
January, 2007

Ash and May continue their journies in Kanto, as May competes in the Kanto Pokémon Contests, and Ash takes on the Battle Frontier and the Frontier Brains!

Time: 9:00am & 9:30am Saturdays
8:00pm Monday-Thursday
(All times in Eastern)
4
January 6th, 2007
Aipom and Circumstance!

As our heroes continue their journey, they come across a random town that looks like its ready for a race. In fact, a race is what they're doing, but the goal isn't some simple piece of tape, it's a gold crown that names them king of the village! Ash and friends decide to compete as well, but when Aipom gets the crown stuck to its head, the villagers turn into a mob and hunt down the monkey Pokémon! What is Ash going to do?
Comments: Aipom is essentially the new Chikorita, only more flashy.
4
January 6th, 2007
Strategy Tomorrow - Comedy Tonight! http://www.toonzone.net/schedule/new.gif

Ash and company are traveling along, continuing their journey, they meet a Pokémon Comedian who has a musical note-shaped Pokémon called a Chatot, who seems to be running away for some odd reason. Though the boss has no real use for it, Team Rocket wants it anyway because they're desperate, but would even Team Rocket decide to attack a children's hospital? Speaking of which, why is Chatot at a children's hospital anyway?
Comments: This will be the first appearence of Chatot in the US, although Japanese viewers saw it in the 9th Movie.
4
January 13th, 2007
Duels of the Jungle http://www.toonzone.net/schedule/new.gif

Continuing their search for the Battle Pyramid, the gang comes across an injured Weavile. However, when the gang tries to help it, the Pokémon attacks them and runs away! After learning about where Weavile's injuries come from, they decide to help the Pokémon, but will the Weavile accept Ash's help?
Comments: This is pretty much "Tracey Gets Bugged" except with a newer Pokémon.
4
January 20th, 2007
Overjoyed http://www.toonzone.net/schedule/new.gif
Ash has finally reached the Battle Pyramid, and challenges Brandon to another match. However, before he does, Ash decides to get some training in with his Torkoal, allowing it to learn a new technique. The Pokémon will need it too, for Ash faces off against the powerful Registeel!
Comments: Torkoal fans should be please to see the Pokémon get some respect.
4
DJanuary 27th, 2007
The Unbeatable Lightness of Seeing http://www.toonzone.net/schedule/new.gif
May and Drew have had a healthy rivalry these past few years, and when they meet up on the way to the final Battle Pyramid site, it seems as though the rivalry may be at an end, as Drew is leaving Kanto for new frontiers! Will May follow the boy? Either way, she's not letting him go until they have one final battle to determine who's better than who!
Comments: Is it just me, or is Pokémon USA getting lazy with their episode titles?
4
NOTES

This is the debut season of Pokémon U.S.A.'s new dub, and the first Pokémon season not to be dubbed by 4Kids.
If the episode's title is a link, then it will lead you to that episode's edit list, courtesy of Dogasu.
Debuts this month: We get the TV series debut of Perap and Weavile!
[i]Pokémon Battle Frontier is now airing Monday-Thursdays at 8PM!
Time to start the Diamond & Pearl pimpage!
I guess you could also say it's Movie 9 pimpage too.
Ash vs. Brandon: Round II!
May vs. Drew: The Final Battle!
Next month: With 5 more episodes left in the saga, it looks like we'll be done by early March! That is, if CN's actually delaying Diamond & Pearl instead of rushing right into it. Anyway, next month we get an episode based on the Pokémon Center, the first appearence of Gary since the end of Johto (unless you count Chronicles), the final round between Ash and Brandon, and...the final battle between Ash and May!?
If you want to see what Pokémon episodes are airing on Cartoon Network, check out the Miguzi (http://www.toonzone.net/schedule/index.php?browseNetworkID=15), Toonami (http://www.toonzone.net/schedule/index.php?browseNetworkID=13), and Other Premieres on CN (http://www.toonzone.net/schedule/index.php?browseNetworkID=6) schedules.

[RomanMack]

Ahh, yes. Though I believe the English name for Perap is "Chatot".

[YoshiAngemon]

Well, I'm sure we can use the anime as a means of waiting for the Manaphy Mission Password to be released on the official website. And it will provide us with information regarding the Sinnoh Starters, Elekibull, and other Sinnoh Pokémon.

[Dogasu]

The Parrap episode is my least favorite episode of all time. I hope PUSA can pull a "Claydol Big and Tall" on us and make the English version funnier than the Japanese version.

[yoshirider13]

I liked the part where the bags were laughing at Jessie because they lost the CHATOT lol

[CyberCubed]

The only good part of this episode was the Sceptile Vs. Dustox battle at the end. Aside from a few funny Chatot moments, I agree with Dogasu, the episode sucked.

But hey, they can't all be winners. The good thing about AG is that when you have a bad episode like this, its surrounded by plenty of great eps to make up for it, whereas in Johto you have a string of lackluster episodes like this in a row until something important happened which made people fall asleep.

If this ep didn't feature an "exciting new D/P Pokemon" nobody would have cared about it.

[yoshirider13]

The only good part of this episode was the Sceptile Vs. Dustox battle at the end. Aside from a few funny Chatot moments, I agree with Dogasu, the episode sucked.

But hey, they can't all be winners. The good thing about AG is that when you have a bad episode like this, its surrounded by plenty of great eps to make up for it, whereas in Johto you have a string of lackluster episodes like this in a row until something important happened which made people fall asleep.

If this ep didn't feature an "exciting new D/P Pokemon" nobody would have cared about it.
Atleast this one was better then "an olden pond" That was the worst AG eppie ive seen.

[CyberCubed]

Atleast this one was better then "an olden pond" That was the worst AG eppie ive seen.

The Battle Frontier ep with Caterpie and the giant Butterfree was even worse. :eek:

[Hyper Shadow X]

I missed seeing this one oh well.

[Game Freak 4]

I am getting sick of rap. It's all I hear from my cousins. Hearing that rap crap in the episode totally lost me. And is this the second time I see a human hospital in the Pokemon World.
Strangely, I wanted to hear Chatot say it's name. Or squawk.

[Shift]

I liked it pretty well. Grabted, the comedy wasn't all that, and I question the quality of that "rap", but it was entertaining all in all. As far as Chatot, at first I was very opposed to the switch from Parrap. But later, it seemed like the name matched it better than the old one, I'm not sure why.

[Duke]

I would've liked this episode a bit more if Ada's voice wasn't so damn loud. At times it sounded like her VA was screaming into the mike (the little girl's VA too).

[Mr. Ralph]

i would've liked it a bit more if it was a better episode.

[Hyper Shadow X]

Really enjoyed the new eppy today.

[CyberCubed]

This is one of the last real fillers of the Battle Frontier saga, and at least its a good one. Weevile is like the new Scyther, in fact, this entire episode was very similar to the episode where Tracey caught Scyther back in the Orange Islands.

Does anyone else think PUSA makes Ash act out of character at times? He's a lot more arrogant and harsh toward Pokemon in this dub than he was back in the 4kids version. Likewise, at the end of the episode he said, "That Aipom is nuts," whereas if 4kids was dubbing this, they would never have Ash say that about one of his own Pokemon. Its a pretty sharp contrast, I think.

Otherwise a nice episode with the highlight being the Weevile battles of course. Jessie has wanted a Sneasel ever since Johto, nice to see she still desperately wants one and its evo all the way now.

[Mr. Ralph]

i think he was just kiddin around when he said aipom is nuts. you know, since it's always running away and getting into trouble

[Game Freak 4]

To me, this episode isn't any different from previous epis.

[Freedom Fighter]

So, I missed the show last week and caught up today, so I'm killing two birds with one stone, so to speak...

"Strategy Tomorrow - Comedy Tonight!" (4 out of 5): Surprisingly good in some parts, bad in others. The 'Pikachu' rap was good the first time around, not so much the second. Probably has to do more with the delivery than anything else. Anyway, you would've thought this would've been bad when Ada mentions the Comedy Grand Prix she and Chatot were training for was in Johto... but it was okay.

I was more amazed to see a Pokémon who didn't say anything but his own name, speaking only through mimics, and that adorable hospital of sick children. As for the comedic stylings of the See-saw Chat-alots... well, maybe they'll win a 'Participation Award' or 'Miss Congeniality and Pokémon.'

"Duels of the Jungle!" (3 out of 5): So let me get this straight... new guy comes into tribe, kicks the tribe leader's butt and sends him running to the hills. Ex-leader trains himself for a rematch, beating up little lowlifes along the way. New leader confronts old, the two battle again, the old guy wins, and status quo is restored.

Sigh.

Didn't really like the story at much, but it was fun to see Ash complain about Aipom jumping around on his head, Jessie falling head over heels for Weavile, and Meowth wanting to punch its face in.

But otherwise, pretty forgettable.

[Dudley]

The episode with Chatot is the last episode I saw in Japan. I didn't enjoy it because Chatot was annoying (since I'm not fluent in Japanese I didn't get any of the jokes). It's interesting that not many people like the episode here, showing that it's a universally bad episode.

Looks like I'm going to have to wait till they air the new eps in the evening because it comes on too early for me.:sad:

[Duke]

Wow, not only was Carrigan useless, but he also had a horrible dub voice to boot...

[Duke]

In case you haven't been paying attention, Dogasu's gotten a bunch of edit lists up this past week or two, the latest being From Cradle to Save (http://dogasu.bulbagarden.net/comparisons/battle_frontier/ep157.html) (hint: Dogasu's not a big Bonsly fan).

And if you haven't been to the site lately, then you've probably missed this little gem (http://dogasu.bulbagarden.net/bashing/genitalia.html) Dogasu's added to the Pokémon Bashing page. And you thought the guy who played the first theme backwards to find a hidden message was nuts.

Oh, and he's updated the Video Game Cliches (http://dogasu.bulbagarden.net/features/cliches.html) page.

[yoshirider13]

In case you haven't been paying attention, Dogasu's gotten a bunch of edit lists up this past week or two, the latest being From Cradle to Save (http://dogasu.bulbagarden.net/comparisons/battle_frontier/ep157.html) (hint: Dogasu's not a big Bonsly fan).

And if you haven't been to the site lately, then you've probably missed this little gem (http://dogasu.bulbagarden.net/bashing/genitalia.html) Dogasu's added to the Pokémon Bashing page. And you thought the guy who played the first theme backwards to find a hidden message was nuts.

Oh, and he's updated the Video Game Cliches (http://dogasu.bulbagarden.net/features/cliches.html) page.
OHHHH Naughty Duke!!!!!!!!!!! Everyone knows there is no advertising on the forums :p

[Duke]

Dogasu's site is the sponsor for these talkbacks, so it's OK. :P

[Dogasu]

Really? That's news to me :p

Back on-topic...um...that recent Weavile episode is really the last filler episode we get until D/P starts. After that, we'll get one good episode after another until the series finale.

[CyberCubed]

Don't you just love those Nurse Joy's that stand out and are different than the rest? This was one of them. :D

Isn't it funny that we're 450 something episodes into this show, and this is the very first time we've ever seen a Chansey in a normal battle? Chansey has never done anything but hang around Pokemon Centers, yet this one defeated Ash's Corphish.

So we have our Brandon rematch after a long time, and now we get to see Registeel. Ash's Torkoal returns after not beeing seen since the Hoenn league, and redeems itself with a very nice battle. You would have thought Ash had it in the bag too, but surprisingly, it seemed like Brandon won just because this season had a few more episodes left. The battle was a very good one overall, I'm glad Torkoal got one last chance to shine before AG ended.

Anyone notice that Brandon said he was off to the sealed chamber? If you played the R/S games, that's where the Regi trio is.

We also have May depressed and wondering about her goal, which is foreshadowing for the next episode and the end of AG.

[Duke]

This seemed like 2 different episodes, with the first half focusing on the fighting Chansey (It took over 400 episodes, but we finally got a battling Chansey), then the second half focused on Brandon (who never even appeared in the first half) and his fight against Ash's Torkoal. I wished this had been a 2-parter instead.

[yoshirider13]

Don't you just love those Nurse Joy's that stand out and are different than the rest? This was one of them.

Isn't it funny that we're 450 something episodes into this show, and this is the very first time we've ever seen a Chansey in a normal battle? Chansey has never done anything but hang around Pokemon Centers, yet this one defeated Ash's Corphish.

So we have our Brandon rematch after a long time, and now we get to see Registeel. Ash's Torkoal returns after not beeing seen since the Hoenn league, and redeems itself with a very nice battle. You would have thought Ash had it in the bag too, but surprisingly, it seemed like Brandon won just because this season had a few more episodes left. The battle was a very good one overall, I'm glad Torkoal got one last chance to shine before AG ended.

Anyone notice that Brandon said he was off to the sealed chamber? If you played the R/S games, that's where the Regi trio is.

We also have May depressed and wondering about her goal, which is foreshadowing for the next episode and the end of AG. lol I like how you type the same exact message on serebii XD'

Lol

"Noooooooooo!" Yay he said it again :D :D :D :D

[CyberCubed]

Brandon's voice actor sounds like he belongs in FUNI's Season 3 DBZ dub.

Seriously.

[PC!]

Brandon's voice actor sounds like he belongs in FUNI's Season 3 DBZ dub.

I was thinking something similar as I watched. :p

Poor Ash, not only did he lose to stinkin' Nurse Joy and Chansey, he also lost against Brandon...again! Always new lessons to learn, I suppose.

[Mr. Ralph]

anyone know when this episode replays again???

[yoshirider13]

anyone know when this episode replays again???Next saturday before the new episode.......

[Jacob T. Paschal]

Wow, not only is Zoppi a better James, but this Nurse Joy is friggin' bloodthirsty!

What the GUNK? Since when can Chansey do Solar Beam? Not only that but with the hands?? That's stupid!

Giovanni--the next Italion Stallion?

Looking at this Corphish scene, what the heck is up with the fact that Ash is learning pratically the SAME friggin' lesson over and over again?

And what the heck's up with the cross on thier nurse hats being blue?

And Team Rocket...just senseless filler? You bet.

EDIT: Zoppi as Oak is...odd...
EDIT 2: Zoppi as Torkoal?????????
EDIT 3: Again, Ash haven't you learned this somewhere before already????????????

[PC!]

Zoppi as Oak is...odd...

His voice is still ear-grating, but IMO, it's still an improvement over Mastermind of Mirage Pokemon.

[Mr. Ralph]

Next saturday before the new episode.......

i mean any time before that

[Dogasu]

And what the heck's up with the cross on thier nurse hats being blue?

The crosses have always been different colors depending on the Joy. Check any of the post-Jouto episodes...you'll see that the color of the crosses vary from episode to episode.

i mean any time before that

No. A week isn't that long of a wait anyway.

[Game Freak 4]

I wonder what would the other Nurse Joys and Chanseys be like without their nurse hats.

[Duke]

What the GUNK? Since when can Chansey do Solar Beam?
It can learn it via TM. Of course, Chansey doesn't really have the stats to fire a damaging Solar Beam (its max special attack is 185 if all the DVs go your way), but that's never stopped the anime before (especially since the only way Chansey can truly kill something in the games is by using Counter).

EDIT: Zoppi as Oak is...odd...
He actually sounded a bit more like Stan Hart than he did way back in the Mastermind special.

[Freedom Fighter]

Wow... so this would be the first time Ash has ever lost to somebody twice, right? Also, first time he's lost in back-to-back battles, period.

The Joy in this episode reminded me of the Joy from the Orange Islands... y' know, the tanned one who could easily swim from island to island. I wonder... what's in those nurse's caps. Joy and Chansey are mild-mannered with them on, and when they're off... they're all gung-ho!

Not to mention Joy's apparently a Ash and May fangirl!

And I feel sorry for Torkoal. I thought the writers were bringing it back because they felt it didn't get enough respect. I think Torkoal did succeed in getting more of it, but it still lost the battle. Granted, it was to Brandon's super-tough Registeel, but a loss is a loss.

"Overjoyed!": 4/5.

[Duke]

They did bring it back in order to give it some more screen time, but if Torkoal had won, then Ash wouldn't have been able to battle Regice.

[PC!]

Harley: "I give you my word, man to man...and I use the term loosely."

XD Ain't that the truth.

It was great to hear an old voice in Gary's...even though the joy was lessened since Zoppi plays so many characters nowadays that sound similar.

[CyberCubed]

Is anyone else happy the writers let us see Beautifly and Skitty one more time before AG ended? I always loved those two, it was sad to see them left behind after Hoenn ended.

I really liked how PUSA handled the dialouge and everything. All the May/Drew scenes were written extremely well, and its a nice climax to the 4 year rivalry they've been having on the show. (that we get to see, anyway)

Haha, Harley proves he is the best rival on this show. I loved his line to Jessie.

Harley: So you always want to be a loser? Get out of your rut, hun!

Jessie: I like my rut very much, thank you!

:D

Of course the nostalgia in this episode was nice, from the footprints of Ash's old Pokes, Misty's lure, and of course Gary. Episodes like this really make you realize how long this show has gone on, and how many characters it has now. (And it adds many more new characters in D/P as well)

All in all a nice way to wrap up the loose ends of AG before it ended, and give May a happy ending. It also makes you realize how far May has come since she was first introduced on the show some 4 seasons ago, and I think her new voice actor was able to drive the point home more than Veronica did, her new voice really did the emotion well and made it look like she matured.

Haha, May/Drew/Harley are one big happy family. May is either going to be extremely happy or extremely disturbed by the time she reaches her teens. :D

[Lutochris]

Am I crazy, or did they actually use a Japanese title for this episode? Could this be the end of pun-titles?

[Mr. Ralph]

Am I crazy, or did they actually use a Japanese title for this episode? Could this be the end of pun-titles?

according to the episode list at wikipedia this isn't the original title

also i have no idea what the heck the unbeatable lightness of seeing is supposed to mean.

[Duke]

After so many years on this show, they FINALLY give us the butterfly Pokémon (Butterfree and Beautifly) using Psychic-type attacks. It's about freaking time that happened, and was one of the things that always bugged me about Ash's Butterfree.

It was nice seeing the May/Drew battle pairing as their starter Pokémon + a butterfly Pokémon.

Plus, we get our first mention of Sinnou. Yay!

[Jacob T. Paschal]

What bugs me is that htey actually changed Shinnô to Sinno, they've kept all of the other regions' names, why change this one?????


Why cannnot Pokémon be as good as this whole season has been?

[CyberCubed]

The title of this ep is different in the dub.

In Japan this episode was called, "May Vs. Drew! Rivals Forever!" which IMO, was pretty damn fitting since the whole point of this episode was to show that May/Drew/Harley are a set and will continue their rivalry with each other forever and ever.

Shame they don't leave good titles like that alone, its much better than the dub title.

[Duke]

What bugs me is that htey actually changed Shinnô to Sinno, they've kept all of the other regions' names, why change this one?????
Sinnou is the official romanization, much like Johto.

[Jacob T. Paschal]

Sinnou is the official romanization, much like Johto.

Ah, I see, but still...'si'? I'd have prefered 'shi' simply because that's what they teach at my school >.>

[Hyper Shadow X]

Finallu got to see the second battle pyramid eppy and the battle was nice.

[Rolling Cloud]

The title of this ep is different in the dub.

In Japan this episode was called, "May Vs. Drew! Rivals Forever!" which IMO, was pretty damn fitting since the whole point of this episode was to show that May/Drew/Harley are a set and will continue their rivalry with each other forever and ever.

Shame they don't leave good titles like that alone, its much better than the dub title.

Technically, the Japanese title is: "Haruka vs. Shuu! Rivals forever!" But you were right too.

[Freedom Fighter]

To be frank, "The Unbeatable Lightness of Seeing!" is probably the strangest dub episode title of a show where the episode titles aren't directly translated! Boy... that was a mouthful.

So in all, we get a nice up-to-date on how certain characters are doing, while we look ahead to what the future holds. Leave it to Drew to get May out of her rut, but I didn't expect Harley to show up there as well. Or, as James refers to him in this episode, 'Little Miss Sunshine!'

Then again... I know May has to 'get back up on the horse,' so to speak, but Drew clocked her almost as well as Soledad did in the Kanto Grand Festival. The only thing it shows is that what Drew said immediately after the Hoenn Grand Festival still holds true... Coordinators never stop training or coming up with new strategies and combinations. Looks like May has a decision to make... Drew and Harley are heading to Johto.

Will she follow them?

If she doesn't mind tailing a guy she might have affections for and a guy who went so far as to cosplay as her...

"The Unbeatable Lightness of Seeing!": 3.5/5.

[Christopher Soul]

Uh I seen a promo for 2/10
And WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME CHARIZARD comes back!!?
ITS CHARIZARD!!!!!