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Description
Show: Pokemon
Episode: 542
Year: 2008

Writer(s): Shōji Yonimura
Director(s): Masaryk Koyama, Izumi Shimura

Lets just get the point here, this episode is one of the most blatant ripoffs of the entire show. This episode tried to recreate the intensity and drama of "Electric Shock Showdown" from WAY BACK in the Indigo League and failed on every single level. Anybody with a BRAIN at this point knows Pikachu will NEVER EVER EVOLVE so there's absolutely no tension as opposed to that earlier episode when the show was still young. That yellow rat is on every other piece of Pokémon merchandise! You know The Pokémon Company would never allow their mascot to ever evolve! It'd be like Team Rocket's Meowth evolving into Persian, it just isn't right...

While Shou's whole shitick of collecting the whole Pikachu evolution line is unique (hardly) this kid is fucking obnoxious, especially in the dub where he talks like a STREET TROLL! I know he's the antagonist of the episode and all, but the kid just can't take a hint or acveot that Pikachu already has an owner, or that Ash isn't gonna trade his FRIEND for shit! No means no! Team Rocket are legitimate villains so of course they don't care, Shou is a regular everyday trainer and a complete ass trying too hard to be cool. And unlike Lt. Surge who actually has a right to be arrogant being a Gym Leader, his eventual defeat and change of heart isn't believable to me.

The only legitimately good thing about this episode is that Team Rocket actually succeeded at stealing something for once: that stupid Thunderstone! I don't even get why Ash still has that thing for so long beyond it being in-service to the plot. It's not like he's smart enough to ever get something that actually WANTS to use the Thunderstone or anything! Maybe give it to something in need of actually evolving like he did with his Sun Stone, or even have something accidentally take it for evolving like when Misty's Poliwhirl took his King's Rock. I'm sorry, it's just, Ash even considering evolving Pikachu after so long just on the off chance of beating a random asshole bothers me more than it should.

"Electric Shock Showdown" worked as an episode because it was able to help us see the first signs of development for Ash and truly have him work towards actually EARNING a gym badge for once! Pikachu' decison not to evolve gather actually carried weight and began the affirmation (for better or worse) that Pokémon evolving doesn't always make them better. This plot doesn't have any weight whatsoever. Who CARES if this jackoff nearly murdered your best friend! It isn't worth trying to kill yourself over a nobody, unlike Paul whose supposed to be your main rival. Oh yeah, and Paul's here too... he's a douche... I never bought him respecting Ash after he was finally beaten for a second.

The idea of Pikachu ever evolving kinda bothers me. How strong would he even be as a Raichu? His level has reset twice so his strength is very hard to actually gauge. Let's just hope they don't ever try shit like this again! Fuck Paul, fuck Shou, Fuck ASH for even considering evolving his friend! But praise be to Team Rocket for getting that stone and sctuslly pulling a successful theft for once!

Cringe-Inducing Audio: 1
Cringe-Inducing Visuals: 0
Lakcluster Writing: 8
Annoyance: 5
Disturbing Content: 0
Unnecessary Cruelty: 5
Rancid Morality: 0
Low Production Values: 2
Unfortunate Implications: 0
Character Derailment: 6

Final Score: 27/100

Pokemon is owned by Nintendo, Game Freak and The Pokémon Company.

Animated Atrocities is from

Regulas314

Description
Show: Pokemon
Episode: 542
Year: 2008

Writer(s): Shōji Yonimura
Director(s): Masaryk Koyama, Izumi Shimura

Lets just get the point here, this episode is one of the most blatant ripoffs of the entire show. This episode tried to recreate the intensity and drama of "Electric Shock Showdown" from WAY BACK in the Indigo League and failed on every single level. Anybody with a BRAIN at this point knows Pikachu will NEVER EVER EVOLVE so there's absolutely no tension as opposed to that earlier episode when the show was still young. That yellow rat is on every other piece of Pokémon merchandise! You know The Pokémon Company would never allow their mascot to ever evolve! It'd be like Team Rocket's Meowth evolving into Persian, it just isn't right...

While Shou's whole shitick of collecting the whole Pikachu evolution line is unique (hardly) this kid is fucking obnoxious, especially in the dub where he talks like a STREET TROLL! I know he's the antagonist of the episode and all, but the kid just can't take a hint or acveot that Pikachu already has an owner, or that Ash isn't gonna trade his FRIEND for shit! No means no! Team Rocket are legitimate villains so of course they don't care, Shou is a regular everyday trainer and a complete ass trying too hard to be cool. And unlike Lt. Surge who actually has a right to be arrogant being a Gym Leader, his eventual defeat and change of heart isn't believable to me.

The only legitimately good thing about this episode is that Team Rocket actually succeeded at stealing something for once: that stupid Thunderstone! I don't even get why Ash still has that thing for so long beyond it being in-service to the plot. It's not like he's smart enough to ever get something that actually WANTS to use the Thunderstone or anything! Maybe give it to something in need of actually evolving like he did with his Sun Stone, or even have something accidentally take it for evolving like when Misty's Poliwhirl took his King's Rock. I'm sorry, it's just, Ash even considering evolving Pikachu after so long just on the off chance of beating a random asshole bothers me more than it should.

"Electric Shock Showdown" worked as an episode because it was able to help us see the first signs of development for Ash and truly have him work towards actually EARNING a gym badge for once! Pikachu' decison not to evolve gather actually carried weight and began the affirmation (for better or worse) that Pokémon evolving doesn't always make them better. This plot doesn't have any weight whatsoever. Who CARES if this jackoff nearly murdered your best friend! It isn't worth trying to kill yourself over a nobody, unlike Paul whose supposed to be your main rival. Oh yeah, and Paul's here too... he's a douche... I never bought him respecting Ash after he was finally beaten for a second.

The idea of Pikachu ever evolving kinda bothers me. How strong would he even be as a Raichu? His level has reset twice so his strength is very hard to actually gauge. Let's just hope they don't ever try shit like this again! Fuck Paul, fuck Shou, Fuck ASH for even considering evolving his friend! But praise be to Team Rocket for getting that stone and sctuslly pulling a successful theft for once!

Cringe-Inducing Audio: 1
Cringe-Inducing Visuals: 0
Lakcluster Writing: 8
Annoyance: 5
Disturbing Content: 0
Unnecessary Cruelty: 5
Rancid Morality: 0
Low Production Values: 2
Unfortunate Implications: 0
Character Derailment: 6

Final Score: 27/100

Pokemon is owned by Nintendo, Game Freak and The Pokémon Company.

Animated Atrocities is from

Regulas314