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Old January 27, 2012, 01:17:57 PM
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Orange Islands Time!

Orange Islands Episode Review    

EP083 Pallet Party Panic - Another episode that COULD have been devoted to the pokemon league, oh well. Also I'd like to mention that Team Rocket has no gotten old so I will never give shows extra credit with them. Especially since this is the first episode where Ash stupidly falls for Team Rocket's disguises after years of being smart especially since they're so freaking obvious. However it is nice to see the group fight back by using something besides Pokemon. Between Charizard, Team Rocket and Pidgeotto this episode is pretty poorly passed and isn't helped by the fact how we get no expedition set up for the Orange Islands.

2/5

EP084 A Scare in the air - I should start off this by pointing out a huge plot hole, why did Oak send Ash off to the Orange Islands with no plans for how Ash will get there. Oak is a jerk. Also Giovanni owns blips!? Giovanni for once get your plans straight. Your an evil Team Leader not a Travel Agent darn it! I lied seeing Team Rocket antics while trying to trick the gang is pretty funny. However it got old fast.

3/5


EP085 Pokeball Peril - These girls in this episode I'm watching sound exactly like Max. Oddly the girls are more fitting and there voices are more raspy. We also say goodbye to Brock in this episode and it's not very well done. It doesn't matter to much since he ends up returning anyways. Once Team Rocket still pretty funny.

3/5

EP086 The Lost Lapras - Tracy's introduction is weird. Also Ash is basically like screw you Prof Oak I'm becoming a pokemon master. I guess it's also nice that we get some real build up to Tracy starting to travel with Ash. The stuff with Lapras was also pretty nice. Tracy is really ethentric in this episode which is weird since this characteristic is
forgotten in future episodes.

3/5

EP087 Fit To Be Tied - We have our first Orange League "battle" and it's pretty bad. It annoys me slightly how the anime writers are forced into creating random situations in favor of a battle haven we having fighting in an anime based around fighting. The target practice isn't even focused on Ash instead we see Psyduck randomly playing around with the GS Ball. To much time was spent on Team Rocket's typical schemes. This episode has so little focus on this being a Orange Crew episode it seems to almost forget its not a filler this episode almost felt like it was more based around establishing Ash and Lapras' relationship.

2/5

EP088 Pikachu Revolts - Man Ash gets really upset in this episode over Pikachu, it's nice to see them get so concerned over there pokemon showing how strong there bonds are. I think Cassidy and Butch can be pretty fun characters so this episode is pretty good. Team Rocket teaming up with the group is pretty meh though. This episode also has an important moment where Togepi uses it's first move, Metronome.

4/5

EP089 The Crystal Onix - Compared to other episodes most of the people on the island are jerks but if this was the real world it would actually make sense.
Although I don't get why Team Rocket agrees to work after braking the store merchandise, do they have such little faith in themselves they don't even want to bother? I also find it funny how Team Rocket ends up getting caught in there own traps saving us from another unneeded Team Rocket battle. Only for them to escape admiting even the writers don't even know while James has doughts he can win. Who ever wrote this episode feels the same way about Team Rocket that I do. This episode also has a pretty good expedition with the character of the day and I think the idea of a Crystal Onix was handled pretty well. My only problem is the fact is that the character just manages to understand everything by looking into Onix's eye instead of him just practicing or capturing it but whatever it's what should be expected from this episode. Once again nice change to see him not capture it.

4/5

EP090 In the Pink - This episodes start off with a pretty funny establishment to be foreshadowed, Togepi doesn't know any moves. Not that it'll matter though since this is the last time we see Togepi use Metronome. I feel should also give the writers credit for kind of accurately connecting animal isolation to pokemon isolation.

3/5

EP091 Shell Shock -I liked this episode despite how slightly stupid it was. First it's nice to see how Ash is consistently mad at someone for actually try to them which is smart. However, how did this guy now stealing the Kobutops will disturb the island he really just seems, well insane. The moral at the end of this episode also seems to kind of come out of nowhere with our characters changed just like that.

3/5

EP092 Stage Fight - The Raichu subplot in this episode is pretty good. Other then that this episode was pretty good. But I don't get why the smoke screen effects this one guys voice I mean why hasn't this happened before.

3/5

EP093 Bye Bye Psyduck - In this episode Misty thinks her Pysduck will evolve, What you Misty might get a pokemon to evolve so she'd would have an excuse to rant every time it comes out of it's pokeball. No wait it's an anime running gag it won't end unless the character leaves. Misty episodes are always pretty nice though it's pretty cool to see Misty fangirl all over water pokemon. The only problem with this episode is the fact that battle between Team Rocket lingered on.

3/5

EP094 Joy of Pokemon -This episode was pretty pointless. Basically proof that pokemon and humans can coexist which is shoved in and practically the entire point of this show! Really uneventful episode. With a mandatory Team Rocket appearance.

1/5

EP095 Navel Adventures - Eww the 30 something year old gym leader in this episode and Misty are attracted to each other. The Orange Island Gym "Bsttles" are pretty weak once again but at least this one had a lot more focus then the first "battle". However I think its a little stupid for all the objectives to be based around physical strength and not real pokemon battling and blah blah blah. It just real annoys me because battles are what we've come to expect out of this show and it's just pretty disappointing.

3/5

EP096 Snack Attack - Snorlax is probably my favorite of Ash's pokemon. This episode has some pretty fun shenanigans even though we've already had a Snorlax episode like this. However instead of them trying to wake up a Snorlax in this episode they're trying to put it asleep.

4/5

EP097 A Ship full of Shivers - This episode was pretty forgettable even though many think of t as being pretty memorable which I can understand since the stuff with Haunter and Gastly was kind of good. The part where Ash watches the Orange League battle seemed pretty pointless though.

2/5

EP098 Meowth Rules - Team Rocket centered episodes are pretty good. I found it surprisingly believable that Team Rocket went out of there way in this episode. Still a pretty basic but memorable episode.

3/5

EP099 Tracy Gets Bugged - Well this is another pretty basic episode but this one is still pretty good as it's focused on Tracy and not some one over used.

4/5

EP100 A Way Off Day Off - My god this has to be the worst episode out of the last 99! The episode is just plain awful! It's boring an uneventful there no point at all! And of course this episode has yet another pointless Team Rocket and Jigglypuff moment. It's like they copied and pasted random moments in other episodes and pasted them into this one it's so terrible.

0/5

EP101 Mandarin Island Mismatch - This episode stars Prima's breasts costarring Prima. This episode is a lot better then Bruno's episode as we see some real battles with rather then having her depicted as a looser. Man this episode is a step up for the last one.

4/5


EP102 Wherefore art though Pokemon - The team rocket scheme is stupid even for there standards and that's pretty low. This episode is still pretty good since goes over theme that's rarely used in the show, "romance".

3/5

EP103 Get along, little pokemon - This is a boring basic episode with Team Rocket and the gang and character of the day are left to save the day.

2/5

EP104 The Mystery Menace - The string of poorly done fillers continues. This episode is basically no exceptions. But a plot about a corrupt leader who willing to do whatever means to protect the citizens, doesn't that sound familiar. This episode also has the most insane conclusion so far.

2/5

EP105 Misty Meets Her Match - Another Orange Island battle with "gasp" an actual battle! To bad it's pretty poorly written. This episode was pretty good character development for Misty who get a lot this season which is great. Also Team Rocket is used minimally isn't great?

4/5

EP106 Bound for Trouble - Eh basic Meowth and Pikachu episode.

3/5

EP107 Charizard Chills - This episode is probably one of the best episodes of the Orange Islands. Since we get some character development and finally see what we've been waiting for, Charizard obeying Ash! It's pretty emotional episode with a good pay off.

4/5

EP108 Water Pokemon War -The first half of this episode was pretty good since it focused on Squirtle. But the second half SUCKED it was way to focused on Team Rocket who are not interesting when they're just sitting around.

3/5

EP109 Pokemon Food Fight - This is basically a copy of the other two Snorlax episodes but this time with a Team Rocket abuse. The character of the day was also pretty bad too.

2/5

EP110 Pokemon Double Trouble - Another episodes with to much focus on Team Rocket and this is the final gym battle of the Orange League darn it! Also the part about how Pikachu and Charizard having a rivalry didn't strike me as to believable since it was never established before. So this battle is pretty poorly done.

2/5

EP111 The Wacky Watcher - First of all why did the dub make the character of the day in this episode sound like Gracho Marx. I'm pretty sure there weren't to many 5-12 year olds watching black and white 1920's films. Man this dub is also pretty bad I mean there's so much bad random dialogue I feel like I'm watching the dub to digimon. However at least this episode leaves Team Rocket pretty minimally

4/5

EP112 Stun Spore Detour - Once again another decent episode with focus only on Misty. Team Rocket was over used way to much in this episode but at least some of there antics were pretty funny.

4/5

EP113 Hello Pumello - Well we get a basic set up for our final battle for the Orange League and a great battle between Drake and Ash or at least a good battle for this series.

4/5

EP114 Enter the Dragonite - After the last episode our battle continues it still seems like the writers have no idea how to pace a battle. I'm not sure why because we have a couple filler episodes after this and Johto started in Japan 2 months before GS came out. I guess the writing team just had no idea how to execute a battle since we didn't have a real one the entire season. Also Team Rocket trying to steal Dragonite was so freaking unnecessary. The ending was also pretty anticlimactic.

3/5

EP115 Viva Las Lapras - Well this episode was pretty bad and good. The whole pirate sub plot is pretty stupid. But I do like how the tension is raised higher by them and the fact that Lapras is unsure if he'll see his family again.

3/5

EP116 The Underground Round-Up - In this episode we have a young Clint Eastwood impression. Yay? Seriously I've never noticed this as a kid it's pretty strange now. It was probably the writer's attempt to be "western" even though they don't seem to know to much. Overall this is a pretty classic episode but other then the random Clint Eastwood guy and Togepi's random tearful good bye there's nothing to special about it.

3/5

EP117 A Tent Situation - Yay Brock is now back! We never get a real explanation what happened to him and Prof Ivy but I think we're better off not knowing. My only problem is that this episode feels a little to much like ******** at Po-ke Oak Corral. We have Ash return home and see the same pokemon from the previous episode but with Tracy and a pointless Team Rocket attack. The battle we see with Muk is pretty good. Something strange about this episode though is the fact that Team Rocket is the least funny aspect of this episode. I'm not saying that in a bad way though, because it leaves the show a refreshing for not just relying on Team Rocket for humor.

4/5

EP118 A Rivalry Revival - Took them more then 100 episodes but we now finally get to see Ash and Gary "gasp" battle! To bad it's only a few minutes but it's still pretty good. The scene were Gary was walking passed Team Rocket seemed really unnecessary like. YOU WANT THIS GAME SO BADLY YOU WILL WALK RIGHT PASSED THAT TO JOHTO. Team Rocket showing up in this episode seemed a little pointless but still a little fun.

4/5


Pokemon 2000 The Power of One    

Man this movie is a lot better then the previous movie.
For one I like how we see a lot of pokemon panicking it really rises the tension of the events here. How awesome can your movie be when a presidential candidate uses a line from this movie?


Character Analayses    

Ash - Ash kind of took a back seat this season, while I'm not saying he didn't do much, he did a lot but a lot more focus was put on other characters. As I said earlier the Orange Island battles don't feel like actual gym battles they feel more like random filler which is because Ash wasn't growing to much as a character from them in fact it felt like he was growing less. But man does Ash get harmed a lot in this season to go out of the way for other pokemon. He nearly drowns to death trying to save Lapras, electrified to death by Pikachu while under mind control, and let's not forget the amount of times Charizard tried frying Ash. But in a way this is still how our character acts being the character who goes in without any thought about the consequences which is what makes him both a good and bad battler. Charizard Chills is probably the best example of this as he stays up a night trying to keep Charizard warm so he won't die despite his disloyalty. You could also say it was shown in his final battle with Drake but it so poorly done I'm honestly not sure. As the show develops though Ash does calm down but here compared to how he acted last season there's still little to no change. He's still really immature such as constantly demanding for Prima to battle him but that trait disappears with time.

Pikachu - Even less focus seemed to be put on Pikachu this season, with Ash mostly relying on his other pokemon like Lapras, Charizard and Squirtle. The only episode were he reseaved focus was Bound for Trouble were Meowth
and Pikachu were separated from there trainers and are forced to work together. While at first he refuses to work with him he's still willing to except as an equal as they continue on through the episode, only to blast off Meowth in the end. Pokemon Double Trouble also had some development of Pikachu's stubbornness with him having trouble working with Charizard because he was self-centered but it felt pretty hashed since the battle was pretty poorly done in the first place. The only bug battle Pikachu had done this season was against Dragonite who in an easy win manged to take down
a powerful Dragonite, this will be the first many of Piakchu's inconsistent victories though.

Bulbasaur - He basically did absolutely nothing this season, aside from one quick loss from Drake's Electabuzz he didn't do anything. This probably the reason why he's the only one besides Pikachu who will stay for another 2 seasons.

Squirtle - Unlike Bulbasaur Squitle did a lot in this season. His biggest battle up to this point was probably his battle with Rudy where he gained victory by learning Hydro Pump which would take out many opponents in the future. We also get some slight foreshadowing of future events in pokemon water war. Squirtle basically gets involved as he wants to help out the other pokemon put out the fire feeling slightly helpless which doesn't help his pride to much either only to eventually get over it.

Charizard - Charizard spends more then half the season still disobeying Ash. This is only finally changed when after he looses a battle to a Poliwrath and his flame is almost burnt out Charizard realizes how much Ash cares for him. While he may be a bad trainer, he is still a good person even when he was saved as a Charmader. This makes him willing to battle together again and becomes willing to try to defeat Poliwrath again. There are other moments with him in this season too like how he refused to help out Ash build an ice sled or his pointless rivalry with Tracy's Syther but that's it. We does end up putting a powerful fight against Drake's Dragonite only to eventually loose but he becomes one of Ash's strongest pokemon for the future.

Lapras - Probably Ash's most prominent pokemon in the Orange Islands, Lapras. Who is well a pokemon. In its introduction episode it is shown to be afraid of humans after being washed on the beach and attacked by the ruffians. At first Lapras is afraid of humans due to this trama but when Ash saves it from Team Rocket it ends up becoming a member of his team. In the end it spends the entire season just carrying around Ash, Misty, and Tracy. Lapras would still hold up good in it's only battle against Drake's Gengar despite ending in a tie. The following episode however would have him returned to his family as he wished and we say goodbye to Lapras.

Snorlax - Was another one of Ash's pokemon in this saga that would become his strongest. Despite being asleep for most of the time his use has alfor either battling, or just having another episode like wake-up Snorlax other then that nothing.

Misty - One of the biggest aspects of the Orange Islands would be the emphasis that was put on PokeShipping. This started when Ash and Misty were kidnapped by Team Rocket and called them "lovebirds" only to quickly deny it while blushing. One of the biggest developments in Misty's character was in the Meridian Island Mismatch, after Misty has gotten close to the gym leader of the Island, Rudy. Seeing how polite and mature he is Rudy offers Misty to stay on the island with him and even get married (Which was only in the Japanese version) However during Ash's battle with Rudy she decides that she wants to continue journeying with Ash. While fans might say this comes to a final conclusion in the Orange Islands, I must disagree because after that it just doesn't seem to go anywhere. Misty was also displayed as being determined to save her friends in Stun Spore detour, an episode that focuses entirely on her. While Misty did do a lot in this season it still showed she was willing to stay with her friends and care for them. This might be because there's a lot less slap stick now but it's still character development darn it!

Tracy - Tracy does probably less then Brock. His entire role in the series is to;
1. Draw Pokemon
2. Fanboy over Prof. Oak
Of course while taking the role of Brock he also has to explain everything in the series to people who no little about pokemon which isn't needed to much. It's also explained that he knows a lot about the Orange Islands despite how we have little back story from him it left him as a pretty boring character. He only had to episodes focused on him.
One was Tracey gets Bugged were his entire capture of Syther felt more like something Ash could have done. The other one was Wacky Watcher which didn't establish much about his character anyways. This is Tracy's only season since he ends spending the rest of the series staying with Prof Oak but is nice to see him towards the end of every series though.

Team Rocket - Team Rocket get a lot less focus in this season which is easily a good thing. Team Rocket has gotten very repetitive as I mentioned earlier and it's always better for them to be used as less as possible or least have material that's kind of funny. Watching them just using an over sized machine to grab Pikachu for 100th is not amusing! It's just boring! This episode did start the trend of an entire episode just focused on Team Rocket though and seeing them not trying to capture Pikachu is pretty amusing. It had also tested the groups loyalty to Meowth. As Meowth had to decide of whether living an entire life life of pleasure or continuing with Jessie and James. While I do believe the idea Meowth returning to them after finding out that it was there only coins that had saved them. I don't beileve that Team Rocket would be willing to save Meowth by doing that but oh well character development is character development.

Final Verdict    

The Orange Islands was not only one of the shortest seasons but also one of the most memorable for most nostalgia fans. Personally I can understand because overall it is slightly better then the Indigo League. While some of the episodes terrible it almost left the series feeling consistent like they were consistent with the amount of terrible episode to good episode ratio. However probably the best aspect of the Orange Island is one major change for the series, and that is more emphasis on other characters. I liked this because it left our other character and there pokemon a lot more interesting rather then having them just stand around and do nothing. Another thing that's different about this series is that when production on this series started the writers had kept in mind that this would be released internationally. However the writer's attempts to be "Western Friendly" are pretty bad such as having characters like Clint Eastwood or Grucho Marx. Apparently I think the writers knew as much about our culture then 4kids knows about there's. There's also a big change in the amount battling, most of them only lasting of few minutes with them poorly done. I can understand were they are coming from since last season didn't have to many good battles either but it still feels like wasted effort since the entire game this show is based off of is fighting! If there's something that hasn't changed it would be the quality of the voice acting and the animation. Well the animation is kind of better with relying less on constantly reusing the same animation of Ash turning his hat backwards and more diverse background although the writers weren't afraid to reuse animation when they had the chance.
Overall with more focus put on other characters, semibad episodes and improved animation the Orange Islands was okay.

3/5


4 To Watch
Pikachu Revolts
Pokemon Food Fight
Mandarin Island Mismatch
Misty Meets Her Match

3 To Skip
Joy of Pokemon
A Way Day Off
Get Along Little Pokemon

Last edited by Magmaster12; January 7, 2018 at 07:01:15 PM.