Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m thrilled to be continuing one of my most recent Current Projects, as we explore the second episode of Pokemon Sun and Moon. Sun and Moon’s first episode was an end-to-end buffet of charming, flavorful character animation, from the remarkable expressiveness of Ash and his friends, to the unique and energetic movements of the colorful creatures around them. Setting aside the appeal of Pokemon specifically, that episode felt like a celebration of animation as a tool for humor, worldbuilding, and warmth, imbuing the episode with an expressiveness and fluidity that effortlessly brought Alola to life.
Of course, show premieres tend to be more fluidly animated in general, both because productions naturally want to create a strong first impression, and also because first episodes enjoy the healthiest production buffer, and most time to get difficult cuts completed. I doubt that second issue will be as relevant for a show with as rigid and long-running a schedule as Pokemon, but I’m still not expecting a feast to match the first; fortunately, it just so happens that Sun and Moon’s overt narrative offers plentiful hooks as well, from the long-term excitement of challenging each island’s master, to the day-to-day fun of hanging out with one of the franchise’s most endearing casts. Whatever the future holds, I’m happy to get back to Sun and Moon!
Episode 2
And we start back right where we left off, with the whole gang hanging out at the Pokemon School
It seems like each of the leads aside from Lillie essentially has a “signature pokemon,” who just hangs out around them like Pikachu. These signature pokemon seem sorta designed to echo the appeal of an imaginary friend, or a familiar – a friend who’s almost an extension of your own will, and who understands and loves you completely
Wonderful expression shift for Lillie being startled by a pokemon. Her unique hairstyle naturally lends itself to funny exaggeration
The “Pokemon School” feels more like a familial after school club than a genuine educational institute. In general, this world feels more like a playground than a functional society, which is fine – the pokemon anime’s function isn’t “convey a convincing human/pokemon society,” it’s to demonstrate the fun of pokemon
A great deal of very bad criticism seems to start from the assumption “this work of media’s purpose is to create a convincing illusion of a realistic world.” You’ll generally find a lot to complain about that way, because very few stories actually care about conveying that illusion!
“Let Us Attempt to Master Our Z-Move!!”
Ash explains that Kapu-Kokeko gave him a Z-Crystal just for the hell of it, even though he hasn’t passed any island trials. Blatant protagonist favoritism
Lillie further explains that Kapu-Kokeko just does shit like this sometimes, it happens, don’t worry about it
Now Kaki’s explaining the parameters of using a Z-move, which seem to require unity of purpose between master and pokemon. He also says “those emotions need to be focused towards something you’re devoted to,” as well as “only those who hold all life in high regard are permitted to use Z-Moves.” We could be pointing towards a theme here, but I frankly doubt that – the theme of Pokemon seems to mostly be “let’s have fun with Pokemon and our friends”
Aw jeez, this koala pokemon is adorable
The principal presumably stitched his own exeggutor costume specifically for this lecture
This principal’s habit of turning every sentence into a pokemon pun must have been “fun” for the translators
Well, this show is successfully making me want to replay Sun and Moon, so I suppose it’s pretty good at its job
A pair of closeups on mysterious smiles serve as the transition from the professor to Mallow, via their phone conversation. A neat trick that simultaneously gives this transition a sense of narrative/dramatic continuity, and also builds anticipation purely through the impactful, expectant effect of those unexplained smiles
Our expectations are further built up by the rest of the cast dancing around whatever they’re discussing, leading into the ad break. An extremely “better keep watching!” cut
More wonderfully expressive animation returns us to the show, as Ash dashes back to the pokemon school. The animation of his stumbling here neatly balances weight and cartoonish embellishment; his footwork feels convincingly weighted, but his face is free to contort in all sorts of ways
Nice thick-lined reaction frames as Mallow explains this balloon popping game
In addition to its general pitch for the fun of exploring Alola, this episode is also doing a fine job of selling the appeal of all these new pokemon. We’re seeing selling points like “it can absorb lightning and redirect it!” in action
Now Pikachu has to compete against a goddamn seal in a swimming competition? Are they actually hazing Ash and Pikachu here
Ash maintains a very positive attitude throughout all of this though, which is presumably the point. Pokemon’s very nature encourages continuous competition, but Ash’s behavior demonstrates that you should try to find joy simply in the competition itself, and in spending time with friends, rather than only feeling satisfied when you win
Oh my gosh Pikachu looks so adorable with a towel on its head, look at its fat little face
Also, joyful competitions like this are just a good way to make friends. Pokemon working on the relationship basics here
Ooh, nice use of a Dezaki-style picture postcard for Kaki’s win here
Ash’s behavior is full of moral lessons. He is gracious in defeat, and thankful to those who’ve supported him
The gang head to lunch, and are swiftly interrupted by Kapu-Kokeko’s reappearance
Aaand… this time it steals Ash’s hat. Truly a whimsical guardian deity
Once again, this show’s incidental character animation is just absurdly fluid and full of personality. As the gang chase after Kapu-Kokeko, each of their paths over a log in the way is animated differently – Ash’s buoyant steps have him basically bounce over it, Kaki vaults over it in a runner’s form, and Lana picks up her pokemon first, then carefully lifts her own body weight. It really feels like these characters are hanging out in a physical space, and also expressing their personalities through their physical actions, strengths that give this show much of the same slice of life, “hanging out with friends” appeal of something like K-On! Conveying the joy of spending time with friends can be a tricky thing in fiction, since it comes down more to tone than plot, but Sun and Moon is nailing it
“Electric Field” is conveyed through a pretty simple effect – a translucent yellow filter placed over the finished frame
Excellent effects animation for Kokeko’s attack; very fluid smoke and debris. I also like the light use of smears to enhance the impact of these action sequences; they’re more prominent in the more comedic animation, as you’d expect, but still add energy here
Ooh, this cut for the Z-Move is so good. They’re using a ton of match cuts and repeated pose shifts to clearly emphasize Ash and Pikachu’s unity here
Even a couple black and white impact frames for the electricity
Because Ash hasn’t passed the trials, his crystal couldn’t bear the strain of the attack. Once again, his behavior feels designed to be instructive – he stews in that disappointment for just a moment, and then turns it into positive motivation for the future, vowing to complete the Island Pilgrimage
And Done
Well, I was expecting something of an artistic downgrade for Sun and Moon’s followup, but I apparently shouldn’t have worried! This episode was just as bursting with fluid, energetic animation as the first, and did a fine job of developing the bonds between Ash and his new friends. Sun and Moon doesn’t seem too worried about its long-term narrative momentum; it’s happy to revel in varied slice of life adventures, relying on the natural charisma of its cast and energy of its execution to keep things fun. At the same time, this episode offered some very impressive cuts of action animation, with Pikachu’s gigavolt combining all manner of neat visual tricks into a stunning display of power. Sun and Moon remains charming and beautifully realized through its second episode.
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