Folks, I am watching more Pokemon and there is absolutely nothing you can do to stop me. While I did indeed only recently watch Sun and Moon’s previous episode, that episode turned out to be entirely taken up by Ash’s first Grand Island Trial. And while I certainly enjoyed watching Ash compete in his first major battle of the series, twenty minutes of straight action meant I’m still feeling criminally deficient in the style of slice of life, vacation-centric shenanigans that I actually love most about this show. Sun and Moon has an incredibly charming core cast, a beautiful aesthetic, and a fundamental understanding that Alola itself can serve as an inherent dramatic reward, whether we’re exploring its towns, beaches, or mysterious jungles. Wherever this episode takes us, I’m hoping the show finds some new ways to celebrate its inviting setting and terrific ensemble cast as we return to Sun and Moon!
Episode 11
Ooh, excellent. The introduction is provided by Kaki this time, and the Pokemon Question has to do with what they serve on their farm. Cozy farm adventures, HERE WE GO
I love the cool purples and pinks of the Alolan sky at daybreak. This show’s backgrounds are excellent on the whole, and scenes like this are able to draw us even further into Alola, by illustrating what makes it uniquely beautiful at this special time of day
Sun and Moon seems to have realized that opening on Rockruff and Pikachu being adorable together is always a safe bet
Time for Rowlet to try a Z-move! Looks like these Z poses are going to be a spot where Sun and Moon sneaks in a bit of bank footage, though this time with Rowlet adorably trying to match the arm poses with his wings
I haven’t seen other shows use Sun and Moon’s approach to bank footage before, but it makes sense. Characters use the same moves repeatedly in pokemon battles, so that’s the easiest place to save on new animation while also ensuring every episode displays a few of the show’s most impressive action cuts. As people watching every episode straight through, the bank footage obviously stands out to us in a negative way – but for people who are just catching one episode on television every now and then, reliably excellent cuts of attack animation are much appreciated
And as a consequence, the show is also able to invest in lots of dynamic new cuts for unique situations, like this dramatic sequence of Rowlet essentially parting the sea
Having completed precisely one task, Rowlet is all tuckered out and needs a nap. I relate to this lazy bird
They spot Kaki overhead, running milk deliveries on a goddamn Charizard
I remember hearing one of the Pokemon franchise producers saying how every Pokemon, no matter how scary, is designed so that at least one person could decide they want it as a friend. Sun and Moon really demonstrates that policy in action
“Satoshi Visits Kaki!” Yep, Kaki’s finally getting his own focus episode
This pelican pokemon looks exceedingly proud of itself
Nice to get a birds-eye view of island life
Ahaha, Team Rocket are still just lounging in the forest, counting ride pokemon as they pass by overhead. I’m pretty sure they’ve been on vacation for four straight episodes at this point, and good for them. They deserve a break
Kaki lives on an island with an active volcano
“I need to bake a cake for my mom’s birthday.” See, this is the scale of conflict I’m asking for. Will they be able to procure enough flour? WILL THE ICING TURN OUT RIGHT!?!
After the relatively constrained settings of the last few episodes, it’s wonderful to see all these shots panning across the Alolan hilltops and countryside. You get a unique sense of the world’s vastness on a small island like this; Alola feels simultaneously full of mystery and cozily familiar
Kaki’s mother arrives. I can see the family resemblance!
Ash and Pikachu have some terrific “ice cream hell yes” faces
Kaki’s dad getting flustered about Rotom taking a picture of him is adorable
Oh my god, Kaki’s sister Hoshi is adorable too. This family is as charming as Lana’s
This production gets some nice comedic mileage out of its loose, slapstick world. Ash getting kicked by the donkey is an obvious joke, but Kaki more and more resignedly explaining why Ash shouldn’t do that as Ash is actively flailing through the sky really sells it
This cut of Pikachu moving a bail of hay just healed my wounds and invigorated my crops. More cuts of Pikachu doing chores adorably, please
Oh my gosh he did it again, I love this tiny creature
I already understood that Pikachu is cute and an excellent mascot for this franchise in general, but only with Sun and Moon have I begun to fully appreciate just how cute a Pikachu can be
More distinct pink and orange tones as we move towards nightfall. We get a beautiful shot from the hilltop, as our heroes survey Kaki’s home
Kaki studiously carrying out all of the daily mechanics of caring for their farm pokemon makes me wonder how the pokemon who spend 97% of their lives stuck in tiny balls feel
I like this quick, incidental beat of Ash praying to the volcano with this family. I wonder if respecting different spiritual traditions is a more frequent lesson in Japanese children’s media; my gut assumption would be that growing up in a culture where Shintoism is so prevalent would naturally inculcate respect for the diversity of spiritual expression, since Shintoism is practiced in so many different ways. Kaki’s family seem to essentially be practicing their own variant of Shintoism, focused on reverence for their local volcano spirit
When everyone else goes to sleep, Kaki sneaks outside and does sweet martial arts poses while his pokemon breath fire. Living the life
“Wield not fire that destroys life, but fire that cultivates it, like the flames of the Wela mountains.” Kaki feels like the first trainer here aside from Ash who’s genuinely dedicated to training as a pokemon master, and seeking further glory. It will be interested to see how the two collide as their journeys continue
Sleepy Pikachu is also phenomenal. You’re doing terrific, Pikachu
Ash and Kaki’s morning flight allows plenty more opportunities for beautiful shots of the island as a whole, as the two surge forward into the pinkish morning sun
Oh shit, the Skull Gang shoot down Ash’s ride pokemon. These islands have a glut of villains, but none of them seem particularly threatening
I mean, you can only look so tough trying to steal milk from the milkman, anyway
Pikachu at last uses an electric Z-move, showing off with some impressive impact frames as he powers up his move
Ash is a good kid. His first response to the battle ending is not to celebrate his new achievement, but to make sure his ride pokemon is okay
Oh shit, I completely forgot about the cake. WE WERE PROMISED CAKE
And Done
Heck yeah, that was just what I was hoping for. Not only did we return to Sun and Moon’s comfortably laid-back slice of life tone, we actually got to see a bunch of beautiful new places across Alola, as Kaki and Ash flew from island to island. Additionally, while earlier episodes’ ensemble approach meant the relatively serious Kaki couldn’t really stand out as an individual, this episode let all the positive aspects of his personality shine, from his personal commitment to improving as a trainer, to his charmingly protective concern for his little sister. Also, we got to watch Pikachu bail hay and eat ice cream, which feels basically worth the price entry all by itself. Sun and Moon continues to offer a delightful respite from our daily troubles!
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