anime "Dealing with Defensive Types" Episode Discussion

[pokemonfan]

So recently this episode aired in the USA at 8:00 A.M central time to 8:30 A.M central time. This episode held the long awaited battle between gym leader byron and Ash. Each of them used 3 pokemon and I found it to be a battle to behold. Here are the pokemon they used and a description of the battle.

Ash

-chimchar

-buizel

-glyscor

Byron

-bronzor

-steelix

-bastiodon

The battle started out with chimchar against bronzor. Ash knew that bronzor would be weak against fire type attacks however, he was wrong. Byron had put long hours of training into his bronzor plus bronzor's ability was heatproof so the powerful flamethrower was hardly felt by bronzor. Bronzor then followed with Rain dance to weaken chimchar but chimchar tried to stay safe with dig. However, instead of using it to attack he used it to defend against the rain dance and then pop up when the rain was through and use flamethrower.

Needless to say gyro balls thrown about by bronzor and flamethrowers by chimchar covered the battlefield until chimchar used flamewheel head on against bronzor using gyro ball. The result was a powerful collision hurting both chimchar and bronzor bringing them down to low health. However, bronzor collapsed. Ash then returned chimchar and sent out buizel.

Now it was buizel vs steelix, ash got to call the first move and it was the only one buizel pulled off plus it didn't do any damage! Water gun was used but was countered by a powerful screech which knocked buizel totally off balance. It was then followed by powerful bides and iron tails eventually sending buizel to the ground where he stayed until ash sadly returned him.

Ash knew that he wasn't in good shape and he sent out chimchar, but our little monkey friend was on a role. Powerful iron tails and flamethrowers were tossed around but some how with constant dodging chimchar came out on top again!

Another rant of how byron loved defense and bastiodon soon followed and then out came bastiodon vs chimchar. Ash knew that chimchar wasn't going to make it and he hoped that once chimchar was down glyscor would cover and win! Bastiodon, as expected, easily fainted chimchar and out came glyscor. X scissor and steel wing were uneffective and bastiodon had total control of the battlefield until glyscor latched onto the back of bastiodon and pulled off 2 fire fangs. Glyscor was thrown off and bastiodon charged with iron head. Glyscor eventually was able to sneak around bastiodon and use sand attack. Then glyscor launched himself into the sand and used firefang crushing bastiodon. The sand cleared with bastiodon still standing, but he was shaking. Bastiodon then collapsed and it was all wonderful for ash. Glyscor's gym debut was an excellent one and I'm sure ash will use him more in the future.

So what did you think of this episode. I thought it was great and am looking forward to glyscor's next appearance. I also liked to see that little monkey overcome some of his fears that paul gave him from the intense training. Seeing glyscor finally battle the right way was a thriller too!

I rate it a 10/10

[Ziz]

1/10

It SUCKED. Byron kept shouting I LOVE *insert Defense or Pokemon Name here* in his generic sore throat voice. Plus, that man was brain-dead stupid. I did like Gliscor though, nice moves . Though Chimchar dominated two of Byron's Pokemon.

[pokemonfan]

I'm going to rate most gym battles ten out of ten because I love battles. That's why I watch pokemon. Yeah byron always shouting I LOVE DEFENSE and I LOVE BASTIODON got really annoying after a while. I did like to see chimchar own two of byron's pokes. I also loved to see glyscor battle. Seriously glyscor is so awesome! I love saying glyscor just like on the show. Try it sometime...GLYSCOR! Its so much fun to say. Bastidon honestly though I thought had it in the bag against glyscor. But the bat pulled it off anyways.

[ParaDoX65]

I like Bronzor His Gyro Ball was so cool. :3 *spin spin spin spin spin*

[pokemonfan]

That was cool too and I was surprised when chimchar was able to bring it down with flamewheel. Plus...why didn't he use dig to attack? Bronzor cant shut you down with levitate if its ability is heatproof. Someone needs to teach ash that a good defense is also a good offense *refers to how byron said that dig is a defensive type move* at least it saved the flaming monkey from the rain dance.

[randomspot555]

That was cool too and I was surprised when chimchar was able to bring it down with flamewheel. Plus...why didn't he use dig to attack? Bronzor cant shut you down with levitate if its ability is heatproof. Someone needs to teach ash that a good defense is also a good offense *refers to how byron said that dig is a defensive type move* at least it saved the flaming monkey from the rain dance.

Dig, in both the games and anime, is basically an open invitation to the opponent "Please switch so Dig won't do any damage at all"...

that and a lot fo Pokemon in the anime seem to by default levitate, always, regardless of ability. See almost every single Water Poke.

I can safely say that the Japanese version was no less annoying with I LOVE DEFENSE. But the battle was very well done, and nice to see Ash win a clear victory.