Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 43

Hello all, and welcome the heck back to Wrong Every Time. Today I am thrilled to dive into a Sun and Moon episode that I’ve been assured is a scorcher, featuring an actual gym battle with Ash’s old companion Misty. Sun and Moon has been relatively light on gym battles as a whole, which has suited its slice of life style nicely – but when they do appear, the production holds nothing back, and dazzles with action animation that any show would be proud to call its own.

As for this episode in particular, the credits couldn’t possibly be more stacked. The animation director is Satoshi Nakano, one of Sun and Moon’s actual character designers, and the series’ chief animation director, who along with this episode only handled key animations on the OPs, as well as Sun and Moon’s final episode. Normally, Nakano is reserved for animation direction on actual Pokemon movies – something he shares in common with this episode’s overall director, Masakatsu Ijima. This is one of only three episodes where Ijima handled not just the storyboard, but directorial duties as well, so we can be certain this episode will possess a holism of art design and fluidity of animation that’s the rival of anything in the series. We’re in for riches I can’t even begin to imagine, so let’s not waste a moment more, and get back to Sun and Moon!

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Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 42

Hello everyone, and welcome the heck back to Wrong Every Time. You all ready for some Sun and Moon? It’s been a few weeks on my end since I last indulged in a pokemon episode, and life’s troubles have been dutifully piling up on my back in the meantime, so I think it’s past time I let down my burden, and just let Sun and Moon be good for a while. The show’s last episode was a delightful tribute to Speed Racer, and also a celebration of the humble Charjabug, as Sophocles received his requisite level-up episode to match Lana, Kaki, and Mallow’s recent adventures. Given how these cycles go there’s a fair chance we’ve got a Lillie episode approaching, but Sun and Moon is full of surprises, and they’re pretty much all pleasant ones. Let’s not waste another moment then, and dive right back into Sun and Moon!

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Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 41

Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. I’ve spent the first half of today proofreading and messaging and formatting and emailing, and goddamnit, I’ve earned some Sun and Moon. As much as I love my work, the busywork inherent in being a full-time freelancer can get pretty stifling; fortunately, the upside of this is that my actual “core labor” mostly involves laughing and clapping at Pikachu. I’m eager to get back to that critical business, and hope you’ll join me for whatever delights Sun and Moon shares with us next. With most of Ash’s other companions having experienced some sort of trainer powerup over the last set of episodes, my idle prediction is that it’s Sophocles’ turn – but Sun and Moon is never in any narrative rush, so I could just as easily see us simply enjoying a day at the beach. Either way, the sun is out and the pokemon have been fed, so let’s go sample the sights of Alola!

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Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 40

Hello all, and welcome the heck back to Wrong Every Time. You folks ready for some Pokemon? It’s been a few weeks since I last checked in on Alola on my side, since I’ve been trying very hard to push through a variety of my ongoing projects, and make sure everyone’s getting some articles to enjoy. But goddamnit, sometimes you have to play favorites, and it’s hard to deny that Sun and Moon is one of mine.

Rather than the slow deterioration in production quality you tend to expect from long-running productions, Sun and Moon’s last episode was actually one of its greatest so far, elevated by Masaaki Iwane’s stunning animation work. Like Precure, Sun and Moon possesses a stable of top shelf talent that many shows would kill for, and I’m delighted to see them apply their talents to concepts as inspired as Mallow’s drunken finger role. Whether we’ve got more luxurious animation or simply fun times with friends ahead, I’m here for it. Let’s get back to Sun and Moon!

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Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 39

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. You all ready for a dash of Sun and Moon? I’ve got Pokemon on the brain at the moment, as The Pokemon Company just announced their slate of 2021/22 Pokeproperties. I never played Diamond and Pearl, but I’m hyped as hell for a Breath of the Wild-inspired open world Pokemon game. Frankly, that’s the Pokemon I’ve been hoping for ever since Nintendo started developing 3D consoles; I wish it hadn’t taken us a quarter of a century to get here, but I’m still alive, and I’m still pumped for open world Pokemon. And it’s also just nice to see Breath of the Wild inspiring more designs; I genuinely think that game “solved” open world design in a way that had never been done before, and I’m looking forward to seeing even more “post-BotW” games in the future!

Anyway, right, Sun and Moon. When last we left off, Jessie and Mimikyu were having a lovely outing at a local mall, only to be rudely interrupted by some shitty birds. That was more or less the literal plot of last episode, and it was delightful, so I hope you’ll understand when I say this show’s narrative choices are a little beyond my predictive abilities. I just know we’re undoubtedly in for a good time, so let’s not waste a moment, and dive right into Pokemon Sun and Moon!

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Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 38

Hello all, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’ll be journeying back to the islands of Alola, as Ash and company continue their island pilgrimage. It hasn’t really felt like much of an island pilgrimage until recently – for the first thirty episodes or so, Ash was mostly just hanging around and making friends, with an occasional pokemon battle tossed in for spice. But since the team journeyed to Akala, things have really picked up speed – Lana’s gained a Z-crystal, Kaki’s caught a Marowak, and Ash has gained a Z-crystal, conquered an island trial, and evolved his Rockruff into a Ultra Rare Limited Edition Dusk Lycanroc.

I keep assuming the next episode is going to cool things down, and I keep being emphatically proven wrong in that assumption, so I’m gonna stop letting Sun and Moon own me and just say I’m happy to be here. Sun and Moon is delightful, both its action-packed and carefree episodes are a treasure, and I’m perpetually thankful that my work allows me to be your tour guide through this wonderful show. Let’s see what’s waiting on the islands of Alola!

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Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 37

Hello everyone, and welcome the heck back to Wrong Every Time. This week I surged ahead on projects and actually improved my buffer, inching myself back towards that “one full month of prepped articles” that I try to maintain. And with my Why It Works articles for the next three weeks in various stages of prepping, I’m feeling exceptionally on top of things at the moment, almost like I’m a genuinely mature adult or something. And as a genuinely mature adult, it is my privilege to spend the rest of today writing about Pokemon, where I’m sure Ash and his friends are already embarking on a new adventure.

Last episode was a barn-burner, as Ash at last faced off against Akalan Queen Olivia, and completed the next stage in his Island Pilgrimage. Considering the last two episodes were both dominated by high-tension battles, I’m expecting we’ll be slowing things down a bit this week, and leaning back towards the show’s slice of life model. Fortunately, Sun and Moon tends to actually be at its best when things slow down, and it can indulge in the plentiful pleasures of the Alolan peninsula. Whatever comes, I’m sure there’ll be charming character moments and beautiful animation cuts aplenty. Let’s dive back into the world of Sun and Moon!

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Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 36

IT’S TIME. After braving the forests of Akala in order to take down the island’s Totem Pokemon, Ash has at last earned the right to challenge Olivia, and compete in her Grand Trial. It’s been a solid twenty-five episodes since Ash last fought in a Grand Trial, and since then he’s gained both Iwanko and Nyabby, along with plenty of fighting experience. Sun and Moon never disappoints when it comes to its action setpieces, and given the clear significance of this Grand Trial, I’m expecting some spectacular feats of animation. 

So far Sun and Moon has rarely focused on the tactical interplay of pokemon battles, which makes sense. This isn’t truly an action cartoon, it’s more of an adventure/slice of life production, and thus the stakes of its conflicts tend to focus more on character emotions and personal resolutions than combat supremacy. Characters generally “win” by growing or learning something new – but last episode, Ash’s Totem battle embraced some genuine tactical interplay, leaving me hopeful that this fight will also supplement its visual flare with some crunchy tactics. Either way we’re in for a visual feast, so let’s not waste any more time, and charge forward to the Grand Trial!

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Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 35

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time! This is my first episodic article written after winter break, so I’m planning on easing back into the rhythm of work with some lighthearted Sun and Moon. When last we left off, Kaki had joined Lana in ascending to a new power level, having rescued his home island’s ceremonial crown, and even scoring himself a powerful Marowak in the bargain. With two of Ash’s companions having essentially conducted their mid-journey evolutions, I’m guessing it’s now time for Mallow or Sophocles to earn a similar boost – or else we could just frolic on Akala for a while, and maybe check out the local beaches. Look, when you format your anime as a perpetual vacation, you end up with a lot of options for showing the audience a good time. Let’s not waste a moment then, and see what awaits us back in Alola!

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Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 34

Hello all, and welcome the heck back to Wrong Every Time. We’re just about due for another trip to Alola by my watch, so I hope you’re all prepped and ready for more adventures on Akala Island – thermoses filled, compasses secured, and tiny ball-bound creatures prepped to smack the holy terror out of each other. Last episode was a ridiculous highlight, as Lana once again proved her power and ferocity by personally besting the Lord of the Lake. In the wake of that victory, Lana earned both a Z-crystal and the wrist guard for it, as well as a new move for Popplio. Given all that Lana powerleveling, I’m expecting the story to transition to another member of our team this time – but wherever the story takes us, I’m happy to return to Sun and Moon!

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