Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 13

Well folks, the people have spoken, and they demand more Sun and Moon. As your humble entertainer, my hands are bound by the will of my readers – fortunately, there is almost nothing I’d rather do than return to the shores of Alola myself, and see what our trainers-in-training are up to this time. Sun and Moon’s last episode might have been my favorite episode so far, as Team Rocket got to take center stage like never before, and make delightful fools of themselves in the context of the actual team’s beach trip. Combining slice of life relaxation with lots of great comedy beats and terrific animation flourishes, episode twelve was a Sun and Moon highlight, and also one of Team Rocket’s most successful gambits across their long and less-than-illustrious career. I expect they’ll need some time to recuperate from their last battle, so let’s see what the rest of the cast are up to in another episode of Sun and Moon!

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Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 12

Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m delighted to be returning to Pokemon Sun and Moon, and also pleased to report that I have no real clue what we’ll actually be doing this episode. Given Ash just recently completed his first Grand Trial, followed by Kaki’s somewhat delayed focus episode, my assumption is that we’ll be getting the gang back together this time, and enjoying another ensemble episode with the whole class. Beyond that, it’s also been quite some time since Team Rocket made anything but a cursory appearance, so I’m guessing we’re about due for another of their dubious schemes. But however things play out, I’m sure the sun will shine brightly, waves will lap gently, and pokemon will battle fiercely through another Alolan day. Let’s get to it!

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Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 11

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!

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Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 10

Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time! It has been far too long since we visited the islands of Alola, at least from my perspective, and I’m eager to dive into another episode of Pokemon Sun and Moon. And we’ve got a genuinely climactic episode in store for us, as Ash at last takes on his first Grand Trial, and hopefully completes the first major step of his island pilgrimage. Last episode saw Pikachu and Rowlet teaming up to conquer this island’s Totem Pokemon, offering perhaps the strongest demonstration yet of this production’s ability to turn the rigid, turn-based combat of the Pokemon games into energetic, tactically rewarding action scenes. Given how well this show’s art design has elevated even its slice of life material, I’m eager to see how the show illustrates its major battles, and also just happy to check in with this show’s charming cast again. Let’s get to it!

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Why It Works: Why You Absolutely Need to Check Out Pokemon: Twilight Wings!

As is often the case for Why It Works posts, the title says it all here. The new Pokemon shorts they’ve been producing to promote Sword and Shield are phenomenal, blessed by a terrific core team and the freedom to seemingly tell any sort of vignette within Sword and Shield’s universe. They’re a fantastic collection, and they’re each only about six minutes, so there’s not much excuse to check them out. But if you still need convincing, here’s my article!

Why You Absolutely Need to Check Out Pokemon: Twilight Wings!

Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 9

I’m sorry everyone, but nothing you can do will stop me from treating myself to another episode of Pokemon Sun and Moon. I personally feel like I’ve been very good these past weeks, and have been doing my level best to introduce more of the ambitious projects like One Piece, Evangelion, and Land of the Lustrous into my active writeup rotation. But along with those projects, anime to me represents comfort and adventure, and few properties embody those concepts more than Pokemon. Pokemon Sun and Moon is a lively, lighthearted day at the beach, a trip to get burgers with friends, a warm walk in the park; it is comfort incarnate, and blessed with flexible character designs and gifted animators, it’s also a lively visual adventure as well. I’m happy as ever to be writing for you folks, and hope you’ll join me as we explore another episode of this lovely show!

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Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 8

Strap yourselves in folks, we’re catching a flight to the sunny shores of Alola, for one more episode of Pokemon Sun and Moon! Sun and Moon’s last episode was essentially constructed as a tiny adventure film composed from the perspective of a cat, so, you know, that was fantastic. I’m not expecting episode eight to match a conceit as strong as “full damn episode about an adorable cat,” but I’m certainly looking forward to reuniting with Sun and Moon’s larger cast, and am particularly hoping that Team Rocket have a fun role in this one. However this episode plays out, Sun and Moon has been a charming and nostalgic journey so far, and as long as we continue to explore the delightful Alolan scenery, I’ll probably have a fine time. Let’s get to it!

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Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 7

Folks, it has been altogether too long since we visited the shores of Alola, and I’m very happy to be returning. When last we left off, Ash and Sophocles had just survived their own electric adventure, wherein the two of them got trapped in a locked-down mall courtesy of a fairly dubious plan by Team Rocket. As usual, the narrative itself was mostly just an excuse for rambling escapades and Pokemon-centric competitions across the main cast, and though it was a fun episode on the whole, its mall setting meant it really didn’t get to fully embrace Sun and Moon’s usual visual charm. I can go to a mall any old time – it’s the beaches and forests of Alola that I’m here for, and I’m guessing we’ll be visiting them soon. Let’s explore episode seven of Pokemon Sun and Moon!

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Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 6

Pack it in folks, we’re watching more friggin’ Pokemon. I’m currently stationed at the cold, wintery boundary line of 2019, watching this hell year come to a close with all the composure I can still muster, and I’m eager to watch something bright and joyous. Sun and Moon has turned out to be some incredibly tasty comfort food, bringing to mind many fond memories of my own childhood experiences with the Pokemon show and games, but also succeeding as a very well-executed children’s anime in its own right. Sun and Moon’s narrative pretensions aren’t particularly ambitious, and it’s not rife with diverse life lessons in the style of something like Ojamajo Doremi, but its aesthetic strengths, energetic pacing, alluring worldbuilding, and eminently likable characters all combine to make for a resoundingly pleasant, inviting, and relaxing experience. With my own Galar pokedex pushing towards the three hundred mark, I’m currently basking in Pokemon saturation, and couldn’t be happier about it. Let’s check out another episode of Sun and Moon!

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Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 5

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Why It Works. As the winter season continues its grisly course, today I’d like to once more escape from the muck and snow of my own chilly New England, off to the sun-kissed beaches and alluring jungles of Alola. Pokemon Sun and Moon has been a delightful ride so far, with its colorful, intricate background art and playful, expressive animation combining to create an aesthetic experience as joyous and energizing as Pokemon itself.

In narrative terms, the show’s mostly just been introducing key characters so far, though that process has of course been accompanied with plenty of small individual narratives and Pokemon battles. Sun and Moon’s overall structure seems most closely aligned with the slice of life genre; the focus is on having fun with friends, and though Ash is technically determined to become a Pokemon master, that goal currently seems roughly as realistic as Yui’s dreams of Budokan. “Fun with friends” also seems to be this show’s thematic heart – Ash loses more often than he wins, and thus finding satisfaction and camaraderie in simply competing is consistently emphasized. It’s a fine lesson for this show’s presumed audience, but I’ll be interested in seeing if the show complicates its narrative, now that most of the key players have presumably been introduced. Either way, it’s cold here and I’m ready for the beach, so let’s get back to Sun and Moon!

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