Pokémon Origins (Begins November 15, 2013)

[Yugl]

http://www.animedreaming.tv/anime/pokemon-origins/

If you don't want to DL/prefer to stream.

[Salodin]

So what does the date in the title mean? We got time travelers now?

[Cream Soda]

Very enjoyable, if a tiny bit rushed but that is understandable. Assuming everyone knows what happens anyway as it basically follows the game, I'm not spoiling my comments!

- The fight sequences are real good. In fact, I wonder if they are like this in recent Pokemon episodes. This is how it should've been all along!
- A lot of moves follow their game's counterparts and it looks good, really good. My favourite is by far Swift
- It's better to not think of Red/Green as kids but rather some teens in their early 20s
- Giovanni is a decent character, although how Red managed to singlehandedly storm Rocket's base was a tiny bit too much in my opinion
- Sometimes, I feel there's just a little too much game mechanics talk
- The screen in the background of all gym/tournament arenas was a nice touch
- Misty looks cool here, better to think of her as a teen too lol
- The inclusion of Mewtwo was a little bit of a surprise, I didn't think they'd cover it
- The Mewtwo portrayed here is really good. As with my first point, the fighting/skills it demonstrates here far exceeds the shit that is the first movie, or in any other sequences he was involved in (first movie, vs. Gary, the OVA; not sure of recent stuff)
- One big nostalgic bomb
- I didn't notice it initially, but the more I watched the more the Pokemon looks quite the same as the anime counterparts. Initial glimpses of the trailer didn't feel like that, it felt fresh due to the slight change in style the characters received
- Seeing Red pop out a Victreebell and not having the running gag made me laugh, as the first thing that went through my head was it trying to eat Red
- Red has a weirdass team for winning the Pokemon league

My main issue was Brock and Geo basically handing Red their badges by only battling with 2 Pokemon. Red should have lost both of those battles.

[The Stig]

That was a minor issue for me but I'll agree. However it was handwaved in that Brock sees something in him, and even his disciples ask "why did you lose?"

I did wonder about Giovanni using only 2 Pokemon. I wasn't expecting Rhyhorn there but to see Rhyhorn and then Rhydon was a bit disappointing. I understood Rhydon was his flagship Pokemon, but a Nidoking would've suited the role better as his 2 flagships mons. However he did declare that if he wasn't going to be treated like a gym leader he'll play it differently.

Aside from the fact it's needed for Red to win (he's the hero, bla bla bla), it shows how vastly experienced Giovanni is, something that is a bit missing from the anime. It's nice to see an adult kick ass (I still think if there was a more adult version of Pokemon it'll do rather well), and it was a 2v6 battle.

Also people noted that Green was a prick. Was he really? I didn't find him annoying, or maybe my views have changed since then.

Random note, showing Lance (you know, THE dragon user) and to reduce it to being a montage was slightly obnoxious. They made it seem like a big deal in the trailer!

[Yugl]

Also people noted that Green was a prick. Was he really? I didn't find him annoying, or maybe my views have changed since then.

In the game? Of course. I was almost disappointed until their battle before Pewter City because he didn't appear to be an ass until then.

Random note, showing Lance (you know, THE dragon user) and to reduce it to being a montage was slightly obnoxious. They made it seem like a big deal in the trailer!

Worst part of that was the fucking Doduo against Dragonite. Seriously?

[Souj]

My main issue was Brock and Geo basically handing Red their badges by only battling with 2 Pokemon. Red should have lost both of those battles.

The Brock one was a huge complaint for me. Not the Giovonni fight though.
I just assumed this; For Gym leader stuff he has 6 regular pokemon. Then he also has his 2 super crazy Team Rocket modified Rhydon and Ryhorn that are stronger than all six of the regular pokemon.

[The Stig]

In the game? Of course. I was almost disappointed until their battle before Pewter City because he didn't appear to be an ass until then.

Hm in the game he was a bit of one, but a few random places I checked said Green was at 11 on the prick scale, which I didn't really feel. Sure he's arrogant and stuff, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it was.

Worst part of that was the fucking Doduo against Dragonite. Seriously?

Yeh I know right?! The Persian was icing too. It's just overall a weirdass team to "end" on.

I just assumed this; For Gym leader stuff he has 6 regular pokemon. Then he also has his 2 super crazy Team Rocket modified Rhydon and Ryhorn that are stronger than all six of the regular pokemon.

Giovanni breaches the 6 Pokemon rule! lol

Still, he's badass and deserves more. From his mafia/Yakuza like design and everything, he's one of the chars I would love to see more of.

[Rocl]

Team Rocket killed Marowak with an eletric cattle prod type thing.

Marowak is immune to electric attacks. Immersion broken.

[Deadgye]

They still could have bashed its head in with the stick.

[Serra]

I thought it was just a stick, like the one that breaks knees and what not.

And I actually liked the thing with using fewer Pokemon. One of the running jokes is that early gym leaders are such a pushover and don't even have 6 pokemon. But I felt Origins did a good job of dealing with that by showing how they do have more, they just use pokemon based on where the challenger is at. Red didn't have any badges, Brock knew he was an unskilled trainer, and so he only used two pokemon.

[Kyreth]

I thought it was just a stick, like the one that breaks knees and what not.

And I actually liked the thing with using fewer Pokemon. One of the running jokes is that early gym leaders are such a pushover and don't even have 6 pokemon. But I felt Origins did a good job of dealing with that by showing how they do have more, they just use pokemon based on where the challenger is at. Red didn't have any badges, Brock knew he was an unskilled trainer, and so he only used two pokemon.

Honestly, I thought that was pretty much a "Gym restriction"- that you couldn't drown a young trainer under a pile of Pokemon when he likely hasn't trained up many competent ones himself.

[Rocl]

I thought it was just a stick, like the one that breaks knees and what not.

While I don't dispute the bashing its head in (though I was always under the impression the skull helmet was supposed to be 2tuff2crack) it did crackle with electricity after the grunt extended it.

The fucking sound track and save screen w/ 150 caught gave me a fucking serious case of the nostalgia and bleary eyes. I thought I was gonna end up hating the Mega Evolution deus ex machina shit but the fucking seeing him as Charmander man, GOT THOSE FEELINGS.

It certainly felt like an anime version of the game and so that succeeded.

[Serra]

[Koul]

I want more. It would've been cool if it was started a week before release and each day a new episode aired. Felt like it went too fast

[Ratatapa]

[Odin'sLaw]

Very enjoyable, if a tiny bit rushed but that is understandable. Assuming everyone knows what happens anyway as it basically follows the game, I'm not spoiling my comments!

- The fight sequences are real good. In fact, I wonder if they are like this in recent Pokemon episodes. This is how it should've been all along!
- A lot of moves follow their game's counterparts and it looks good, really good. My favourite is by far Swift
- It's better to not think of Red/Green as kids but rather some teens in their early 20s
- Giovanni is a decent character, although how Red managed to singlehandedly storm Rocket's base was a tiny bit too much in my opinion
- Sometimes, I feel there's just a little too much game mechanics talk
- The screen in the background of all gym/tournament arenas was a nice touch
- Misty looks cool here, better to think of her as a teen too lol
- The inclusion of Mewtwo was a little bit of a surprise, I didn't think they'd cover it
- The Mewtwo portrayed here is really good. As with my first point, the fighting/skills it demonstrates here far exceeds the shit that is the first movie, or in any other sequences he was involved in (first movie, vs. Gary, the OVA; not sure of recent stuff)
- One big nostalgic bomb
- I didn't notice it initially, but the more I watched the more the Pokemon looks quite the same as the anime counterparts. Initial glimpses of the trailer didn't feel like that, it felt fresh due to the slight change in style the characters received
- Seeing Red pop out a Victreebell and not having the running gag made me laugh, as the first thing that went through my head was it trying to eat Red
- Red has a weirdass team for winning the Pokemon league

go check your blue/red cartage and tell us your winning team the first time, i bet it'll look weird as well (only person i knew to train up a dragonite for the pokemon league was my sister and it took her 70ish hours to beat the pokemon league took me 37 :/

[Sunrider]

Kind of weird they'd stick so fiercely to a gen 1 adaptation, only to drop Mega Charizard X in at the end.

I would've preferred an adaptation off FireRed/LeafGreen (that way we would have gotten Blue as well), but it was good nonetheless. Oh, how I wish it would have been about eight episodes longer; the gyms, Rocket fights, and Elite Four deserved better screen time.

(also that scream when Charmander was getting beat on by Squirtle was fucking horrifying)

[The Stig]

go check your blue/red cartage and tell us your winning team the first time, i bet it'll look weird as well (only person i knew to train up a dragonite for the pokemon league was my sister and it took her 70ish hours to beat the pokemon league took me 37 :/

Umm, thinking about it, it would probably be something like (I don't have that stuff anymore):

1 Overpowered Charizard
and some HM tool Pokes lol

In hindsight, it's possible they applied the same logic here... Lapras for Surf, Scyther for Cut, Dodrio for fly, Jolteon for Strength, Persian for Flash ..... Victory Road required all 5 to be able to progress to some extent.

I would've preferred an adaptation off FireRed/LeafGreen (that way we would have gotten Blue as well), but it was good nonetheless. Oh, how I wish it would have been about eight episodes longer; the gyms, Rocket fights, and Elite Four deserved better screen time.

Yeh, some of the more important fights were skipped. I considered Lance one of them. Also I thought the whole Pokemon Tower sequence was a bit too much; would've preferred to swap that with the abandoned mansion (along with 1 or 2 more other significant scenes, due to how it's all no-action) instead... had they not plugged in Charizard X with an excuse to use the stones I think it would've turned out slightly differently.

[Salodin]

Yo, fuck you if you think pokemon tower should have been left out. The feels when the baby runs to the mama...god damnit...

[Kyreth]

(also that scream when Charmander was getting beat on by Squirtle was fucking horrifying)

Fun fact: By that time, not only did that frickin' Squirtle have to be at least L22, Green had been deliberately holding back evolving it to Wartortle to do it- and likely just so he could grind how "weak" Red was into his face.

Why, oh why has Nintendo not done an animated series like this before? This could fly on Adult Swim.

Also, odd me for doing so, but the whole thing with Brock?

I used to teach kids the TCG at a Wizards of the Coast shop. I kept getting flashbacks watching Red to what it was like when they'd do their first badge challenges. Right down to the awkward mix of common-card Pokemon with Charmanders, because Charizard duh. This Brock's a teacher, not a lame girl-chasing dweeb.