#sm144

I LOVE ALOLA I LOVE ALOLA I LOVE ALOLA I-

S&M144′s preview!

[ Warning: Incoherent gushing ahead. ]

I’m. Fucking. Speechless.

Okay, no I’m not. This was easily in the TOP 3 best Pokéani episodes of all time. Like I’m not even joking this was some quality shit here. I’ve never felt more emotionally attached to an episode in all 20+ years of watching this damn series. Bra-fucking-vo.

Ok, ok, so Tapu Koko vs. Naganadal. Yeah, knew the latter would go down quick. But damned if it didn’t go down like a champ. This was all throughout the episode but the animation was GOD-TIER. For real, the aerial battle was a thing of beauty. Talonflame vs. Unfezant battle ain’t got nothin’ on this. Rock on, Naganadel.

Now, Pikachu vs. Tapu Koko. Animation was still out of this world, but don’t get me started on Kukui going all proud papa on Ash and the latter being so overwhelmed with joy. I love their relationship so damn much. 

Then the interlude. All the Tapus congregating for some beautiful almost deus ex machina. Jk, but still, did you see how fucking starstruck Kukui and Ash were? My boys were so damned thrilled for this privilege. 

Ok, enough stalling. The FUCKING CLIMAX. Just a z-move vs a z-move, but holy shit this had me on the fucking edge of my seat. The animation skyrocketed by 263132%. Did you see how beautiful Guardian of Alola was? Did you see how raw 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt looked? Team Kato went absolutely hard on this, and I have so much respect for them. This is one for the animation history books.

But for real, it wouldn’t have mattered if not for how emotionally invested I was. Ash giving Pikachu a high/tail-five, his hat, and the accumulation of everything they’ve experienced in Alola. It didn’t feel like “nakama power”. It was straight-up respect for the traditions and warmth Ash and Pikachu felt while here, and having it come down to a Kamehameha was the fucking icing on the cake. These two are just perfect together.

And then. Ash won. He FUCKING WON. Yeah, I thought they would have him lose ‘cause like “being champion was already too good for him, we gotta off-set it lol”, but NO. None of that bullshit. My boi earned that win, hands down. The Tapu Koko vs Pikachu rematch was coming down to this, you know it. Spoil this kid, writing team, I don’t care. He EARNED this.

Bro, Rika’s voice acting while Ash was on the ground all spent had me SHOOK. Ya’ll know that was genuine heartfelt emotion there. She will always be best Ash.

And the crowd goes WILD. Oak, Delia, Mr. Mime and Burnet are so damn proud. The Alolan Twerps went ballistic. Sophocles being that “you see?? you see?? He won!” kid was perfect. God, I’m gonna miss my babies so much.

And it all ends with Kukui and Ash ribbing each other. Just as it should. Just two guys cooling down after having the time of their lives. I don’t know how the Pokeani can follow up on this but fuck it. This was the Pokéani AT ITS CORE. And I am so happy to be alive for it. 

WOW wow wow.

Gotta say I was preparing for the hype but it still managed to completely blow me away. I expected Nagandel to go down pretty quickly but what I got was a incredibly intense high speed arieal battle that was amazingly animated. That UB got GOOD time to shine before going down.

But that last battle THAT LAST BATTLE. When type wild started I cheered, when 100 million volts started I cheered. My heart was racing I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I can't believe I got yo witness what was probably the best collection of Ash/Pikachu moments all in one episode, all those emotions all those feelings. Alola being so lovingly well...LOVED by its characters it's such an amazing region, so much culture and bonds with nature and all that stuff and it all felt amazingly represented here. TYPE WILD being the climax song was what I was waiting for this ENTIRE LEAGUE and I got it in the most satisfying way possible. And the animation....that animation...what can I say. It's incredible.

SM143: Conclusion! Gaogaen VS Nyaheat!!

Airs: October 13, 2019

SM144: Alola’s Strongest Z! Kapu-Kokeko VS Pikachu!!

Airs: October 20, 2019

SM145: The Sun, the Moon, and Every One’s Dreams!

Airs: October 27, 2019

Ash VS Professor Kukui will continue throughout SM143 and SM144 and it seems that Professor Kukui might have caught Tapu Koko, because he will be using it against Ash. Also, SM145 is likely the final episode of the series.