Why You Should be Watching Pokemon Best Wishes (Black & White)

This new format is already working nicely. Without having to worry as much about getting posts out, I’ve been able to play more games that I’m backlogged on, and I’m even starting to do a bit of streaming. I’m probably not going to go all hardcore into streaming, but it’s just something fun to do. Maybe I can think up fun events with it or something.

Though in other news I’m still behind on shows. I caught up on a few, but the ones that I haven’t I’m behind by quite a bit. I’ll need to dedicate a day in the near future to doing nothing but catching up. Some shows will probably be dropped, like Zetman and Hyouka. Except I haven’t actually started Hyouka, so it’s more like deciding not to watch than dropping it.

Oh, and I actually probably would have had this out sooner, but this wasn’t actually the original post I had in mind. I just made a last minute call to not do my original idea because considering the topic it makes more sense to wait for the show to finish before writing about it, because I could get unexpected or new information in regards to it. You’ll see what I mean when the post does eventually come out.

It’s safe to say that nearly all anime fans at this point in time grew up with Pokémon, or at least have some sort of attachment to it. However, most people don’t watch it now. Some people just don’t care anymore, or see it as too childish. I don’t really have anything to say to that crowd (except maybe “WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU”), but there are some people who don’t watch it anymore because they think the first “season” with Brock and Misty and such was the best one, and all the later ones have sucked (more on this in a future post). They’re completely drowned in nostalgia to the point ceaselessly praising the first season and endlessly bashing the others, even if they may not have actually seen them.

This post is for you guys.

Also, apologies for the subs in the pictures. They’re hardsubbed.

I’m not even going to try and say anything about better writing or animation or any of that stuff. I could say on how it’s cut down on fillers so that Ash already has 7 badges at around episode 80 (which is like half the time it usually takes), but I won’t. None of these completely true and legitimate points are going to be used because for the crowd I’m addressing, there’s only one point I need to make.

This season is a reboot.

Yes, that’s right, there have been a number of nods to the original series and a few tweaks here and there so that this new series feels like it’s own thing, rather than a sequel. By nods to the original, I mean things like how Ash has caught all of the starters for the region, he saw a legendary in the first episode, and they’re using some BGM that were from the original. Stuff like that.

But it’s the new tweaks that make it far more interesting. The biggest example is how Team Rocket are actually being legitimately evil bastards.

Not enough? Have another!

It doesn’t become obvious until around the end of episode 3, but Team Rocket is done with just trying to nab Pikachu all the time. In fact, they haven’t appeared in quite a few episodes because they’re busy doing evil deeds for the organization somewhere else. A lot of the stuff they’ve done have caused hour-long specials, like when they pissed off those cloud-riding legendaries or when they hijacked the underground railway.

This is also the first season without Brock in it. In his place is one of the first gym leaders from this region, Dent.

Now, I know the immediate reaction is, “What?! No! How am I supposed to enjoy this without Brock being ridiculous like usual?!” Well, it’s actually pretty easy, because Dent has just as much ridiculous enthusiasm as Brock did, but for things other than women.

In fact, he pretty much has it for every activity that isn’t swooning over women.

The other role Brock served was being sort of the link between humans and Pokémon since he wanted to be a breeder, but Dent also fills in that gap. He’s a “Pokémon Sommelier”, so he can detect different “flavors” about Pokémon, or their relationships towards their trainers. It’s where his “It’s tasting time!” catchphrase comes in.

Yes, it’s horrendously camp, but the show somehow manages to make it work. He’s just fun to watch, especially when he claims to be other things, such as a “Fishing Sommelier” or “Subway Sommelier” (see pictures above). Mamoru Miyano may also be reason for it working, but from what I’ve seen of the dub, that voice actor does a good job of it too. Though of course his lines are a bit changed around.

Oh, and the best reason to be watching?

Dawn is coming back for season 2.

Okay, that was not nearly enough Dawn. How about the end-of-the-episode previews for the first three episodes?

This is probably the best season/series of Pokémon. Ever.

Sneak peek of the next Pokémon post to come out in celebration after the second season starts: Why You Should have Watched Pokemon Diamond and Pearl (In the Form of: Why Dawn was the Best Thing to Happen to Pokemon).

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