Hey Guys! Gerawallstar here, and I am here to review every episode of Pokemon Season 1. Here is Part 3. Enjoy!
51. Bulbasaurs Mysterious Garden
This is almost a perfect episode. Seriously, this episode brings out the best in Bulbasaur. I loved how the festival was used as a way to let the Bulbasaur clan evolve, with Venusaur being the ringleader. The whole festival scene in the mysterious garden was beautiful. The way Ash understands Bulbasaur when it didn’t want to evolve was wholesome. The only reason why this isn’t a perfect episode is because Team Rocket once again interrupted a very powerful moment with the Bulbasaur clan. I wish every episode did not have team rocket in it or at least being there to interrupt things and do their motto. I give this episode a 9.5. Very close to being a 10, though.
52. Princess vs. Princess
I have mixed feelings about this episode. I loved the backstories of both Misty and Jessie making their motivations of winning a Pokemon Festival justifiable. I even loved the battle between Psyduck and the new Lickitung that Jessie captured. The problem with this episode is that it’s boring. Nothing special or exciting happens. I also disliked the one hit knockouts in the battles. It’s just lazy writing. I give this episode a 5.
53. The Purr-fect Kid
This episode is nowhere near as Purr-fect(no pun intended). This episode annoyed me. I understand that the kids acting out are what kids do, but the kids were very irritating. The teacher constantly shouting at the kids was frustrating, and Team Rockets plan capturing Timmy is not only annoying, but it doesn’t make a lot of sense. There are way too many animation errors in this episode. I feel like this episode is unfinished. The only positive I can say about this episode is that I do love seeing Timmy’s love towards Meowth along with the reasoning why Timmy loves Meowth when he got chased by Beedrill. This episode is annoying. I give this episode a 3.
54. The case of the K-9 Caper
This episode has too many highs and little lows. The problems I have with the episode is that the beginning is very boring. The good things about this episode is Team Rockets plan using the voices to get the Growlithe to attack Officer Jenny and the three heroes was very clever. One of their best plans from this show. The Chipmunk voices of the three heroes/Pikachu coming from the smoke was funny. I loved seeing the wholesome moment of Growlithe remembering Jenny from when it was a puppy. I even like that Ash learned a lesson of accepting Pikachu as it is. Great message for kids It’s not as high as I would like it to be but it’s a solid episode, nonetheless. I give this episode an 8.
55. Pokemon Paparazzi
This is another episode where things just happen. Ash Misty and Brock encounter somebody, they help them out with whatever they need help with, team rocket shenanigans happen, they battle them, and they get blast off. Unfortunately, this episode’s filler centered story-line is just annoying and frustrating. Todd is very annoying and even a little unlikable harassing Pikachu to take a picture of him. He literally stalked the three heroes just to take a picture of Pikachu. I also hated how James tried to kill Ash with a bomb when was in a waterfall about to die. That’s dark in the wrong ways possible. The only good thing about this episode is the callback from a better episode Attack of the Prehistoric Pokemon with Todd getting a photo with Aerodactyl. That was cool. Except that why didn’t Todd appear in that episode let alone just for even a small cameo? This episode gets a 3.
56. The Ultimate Test
This episode is not good in the slightest. I mean I like that this episode features alternatives to competing in the Pokemon League by taking an exam instead of just getting 8 badges like a VERY early episode of season 1. The problem with this is that the testing itself is poorly administered with the test consists of having stupid answers for a few multiple-choice questions and people using random Pokemon to battle making it d@#n near impossible to pass. Also, I hated the test administrator guy where all he does is be a total a$$h0!e and being a horrible test provider. I’m getting very sick of these filler episodes. I understand that this is a long series and that they need to keep these episodes to let the show run longer. But the thing is that Ash has battled five gym leaders and he got five badges in a span of the first 25 episodes. And outside of the Koga Battle in the Ninja Pokemon Showdown episode, there has been over 25 episodes that provided nothing but filler. I give this episode a 3.
57. The Breeding-Center Secret
This episode is refreshing from a couple of abysmal episodes I have been given lately with the exception of the K-9 Caper episode. Butch and Cassidy are awesome and threatening coming from Team Rocket. The choice of using a fake breeding center to capture the Pokemon was brilliant. I loved that Jessie and James helped the three heroes out to beat Cassidy and Butch. I want to see more of Cassidy and Butch someday. The only problem I have with this episode is Misty’s behavior was extremely bratty. She literally trespassed into a building to get Psyduck in order to get a free buffet. I find that very out of character for her. I give this episode a 9.
58. Riddle Me This
YES! FINALLY, A GYM LEADER EPISODE! Like the title of the episode, this is an awesome episode. It’s not the greatest, because I hated Blaine’s attitude at the end of this episode. But the riddles, the gym fight, meeting up with Gary, etc. makes this episode really good. It’s been a long time since we got a gym battle episode this good. I hope it goes well in the next part. Excellent buildup for the gym fight. I give this episode an 8.
59. Volcanic Panic
This episode is even better than the last one. Blaine was a very competent gym leader. I loved the fight between Charizard and Magmar. It gives me chills to this day. It’s very, very refreshing to see Ash fight in order to get his badge, instead of gym leaders giving it to him. The whole scene where Ash, Misty and Brock help Blaine save his Volcano style gym was cool. I give this episode a 10.
60. Beach Out Blastoise
This episode is good. It was entertaining seeing Jigglypuff and the Squirtle Clan in the episode. The writers did an incredible job utilizing Blastoise in this episode. The problems I have with the episode is that it sometimes drags, and I was kind of bored in some places. I give this episode a 7.
61. The Misty Mermaid
I was not feeling anything with this one. We get another episode where things happen and team rocket shows up. It was nice seeing Misty’s sisters again, but this episode is truly boring. The animation in this episode was even absurdly poor. I give this boring episode a 5.
62. Clefairy Tales
Unlike the last boring episode, this episode is insane and has too many things going on. . I found it hard to believe that the Clefairy build the ship. I hated how Ash let the Scientist Oswald stay in the spaceship to let him almost die when the spaceship took off in an explosion. That’s our protagonist right there. It was cool seeing Jigglypuff again. The rivalry between it and Clefairy was funny. Those were the saving graces of this episode. Watch the better Clefairy-Centered episode Clefairy and the Moon Stone. I give this episode a 5.5
63. The Battle of the Badge
The final Kanto gym battle. Its…. a little disappointing. Does that make up for it by being a good episode? Yes! Gary was a well-developed character in this episode. Finally, we get a side of him where he is selfless and doesn’t treat Ash like crap. It’s refreshing to see his arrogance be his downfall when Giovanni used an OP Mewtwo-like Pokemon to take out all of Gary’s Pokemon. Speaking of Mewtwo-like Pokemon, I loved how this episode gives us a preview of the Mewtwo that will actually be in the first movie. Lastly, I will give this episode a benefit of the doubt that Ash does try to battle in order to get the badge. Now this episode is disappointing because we don’t get to have an Ash vs Giovanni battle. That really sucks. Another issue I have with the episode is that when Togepi gets lost and is found by Team Rocket, Giovanni refuses to accept the Pokemon they were trying to give him. Togepi is THE rarest Pokemon at the time. That was so f@%$*n stupid for Giovanni to take it away. I give this episode an 8.
64. Its Mr. Mime Time
This episode is a whole lot of fun. I loved seeing Ash’s Mother in here. The jealousy between Ash and her Mr. Mime was cute. I loved how both Stella’s and Ash’s mother’s Mr. Mime helped together out making barrier shields to trap Team Rocket in. This is a fun filler episode surprisingly. I give this episode an 8.
65. Holiday Hi-Jinx
This was an incredible Christmas episode. I loved the backstory of Jessie not getting the Christmas present she wanted. The pacing was awesome, and I loved the whole Christmassy feel this episode gives. I give this episode a 9.
66. Snow way out
Get your tissues ready. I never expected this series to go off on an emotional baggage like that. I legit cried when Ash’s Pokemon all huddled up around him in the blizzard. Pikachu resisting to go in its Pokeball just to help Ash was touching. I got goosebumps seeing Pikachu about to die twice on a snowy hill. Team Rocket cracked me up in this episode as well. This is a stellar episode so far. I give this episode a 10.
67. Showdown at the Poke-Corrall
This episode is great, but man does it disappoint big time. It does a great job establishing how Pokemon function in the universe. I loved the rivalry dynamic between Ash and Gary. I enjoyed seeing Prof Oak and his day by day routine at his Laboratory. I also love the last appearance of the Mewtwo from the first Pokemon movie. This episode disappoints me because we don’t get to have a Gary/Ash rival battle. I exempted that issue from the Viridian gym episode. However, this time there’s no excuse. Team Rocket interrupts important things a lot lately and I’m starting to get sick of it. I give this episode an 8.
68. The Evolution Solution
This episode is okay. I loved the concept of evolution. It was an excellent idea of showcasing the reason why Slowpoke evolves into a Slowbro using a Shellder’s Tail. I also loved Psyduck as always. The issues I have with the episode is that despite this episode showing an incredible way of Slowpoke evolving, the way/reasoning Slowbro uses its attacks are confusing. I also disliked seeing the three heroes insulting both Slowpoke and Psyduck. That was mean coming from the protagonists. I give this episode a 6
69. The Pi-Kahuna
Oh, my word. I LOVE this episode. I love the backstories of Victor, Puka and Jan. The lore of Humanga-Dunga was fascinating. The message at the end of the episode was effective. The story and characters in this episode are astounding. I really want to see more of these characters in the future. I give this episode a 10.
70. Make Room For Gloom
This episode is boring. It’s another one of those episodes where nothing happens. I found the ending to be mean spirited. The only good thing about the episode is Brock supporting Florinda and her growth in battling with her Gloom. This episode disappoints me as it is filled with mediocrity. I give this episode a 5.
71. Lights Camera Quacktion
This was a disappointing episode looking back. I was bored by this episode. The movie director was kind of annoying, and I didn’t like the fact that the main characters were the movie stars. Psyduck was cool, but that’s all the praise I can give this episode. This episode gets a 5.
72. Go west Young Meowth
Man, what an episode this is. I never expected Meowth to get a backstory. I love it when the bad guys on any show get the most deep and complex backstories. The writing in this episode is stellar. Takeshi Shiudo did an amazing job writing this episode. The way that we get to see how Meowth can talk is interesting and excellent. It makes his motivation in joining team rocket a saddening one. I feel so bad when he was rejected by the shallow cat Meowzie repeatedly. I was so happy seeing him have some people that do care for him (Team Rocket). It was incredible seeing the three protagonists in the background throughout the episode since this season and series is all about them. This is one of my favorite episodes. Easily S tier ranking episodes. I give this episode a 10.
73. To Master the Onix-Pected
Coming from an deep and superb episode that we had previously, This one was a huge disappointment. There was so much wasted potential, because that this is the episode where we get to meet one of the members of the elite four. All this episode is about Elite Four Bruno ordering the three heroes around to do his dirty work. I even found this episode really boring. It sucks that we don’t get to have an elite four battle. I give this episode a 5.5.
74. The ancient puzzle of Pokemopolis
This episode is awesome. The episode is full of mystery and it’s a great mystery. I loved how the Gengar and Alakazam battle in giant form and I loved how there was a giant Jigglypuff that stopped both of them by singing when the normal one failed to sing to them. I give this episode a 10.
75. Bad to the Bone
I had a lot of fun with this one. The story was great through and through. I loved the recaps of Ash getting his badges as it represented a reminder of how far the season has come since the first episode. I loved the relationship between Marowak and Otashi. The backstories of them were interesting. Team Rocket were even executed very well in the plot. I give this episode a 9.
Next post will be the League Battle episodes.
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