Recap: Princess VS Princess

I couldn’t help notice my blog hasn’t been nostalgic in a while. I thought I might fix that. Since doing things I enjoy is my standard way of detoxing from things I don’t; I think I’ll take a look at more early Pokémon.

This idea was inspired by a comment on my look at “The Bicker The Better;” saying that I like this episode better despite having the same basic plot elements. I did address that person; but I’m going to elaborate further before I get started. Different people often find different things funny. Apart from me not liking the humor in that episode (barring imagining Veronica Taylor doing dozens of takes of arguing with herself in a recording studio); I didn’t really like the way Oscar and Andi never fell to the same wavelength that the principal characters did. Said characters were also not firing on the usual cylinders either; acting like dicks to each other for no real reason. Also; I still stand by my statement of it being filler; since Oscar and Andi are indeed never seen again; and the “first double battle” took place earlier and better in “All in a Day’s Wurmple;” but that’s not important right now.

What is, however; is the fact that this episode managed to be entertaining for all the reasons that one was not. It helps that I actually like the jokes made here; the situation fits the characters, and the colorful side characters are in the role of mere commentators rather than being references to an event that makes me wish they didn’t survive. Best of all; it’s the first episode of the series’ second season; proving at an early age it had staying power. While the exact placement is debatable (I’ll explain more in a bit); what isn’t is the quality. Let’s open up “Princess VS Princess” and party like

it’s 1999!

I really don’t think I need to say anything else about the Pokémon theme right now; just the fact the opening lyrics should help set the stage. 

I wanna be the very best, like no one ever was!

We open on a city that everyone happens to be passing through; right when it’s a holiday known as “Princess Day;” no doubt based on the real-life Japanese holiday of Girl’s Day. Despite the best efforts of a certain infamous party to shield me from their culture; I only ended up being more interested about what was going on because of the country of origin. This attitude is also what made their actors free agents and their executives collect unemployment checks. Naturally, Misty is ecstatic.

Jessie is similarly pleased; and even amid the numerous edits my associate Dogasu pointed out (go check out his recap and website if you haven’t already); they left a very visible PMS billboard behind her. Oh my!

Of course, we, the men; are doing the heavy lifting. I don’t think Ash and Brock here are that far off from making chocolate pudding at 4 in the morning.

I've lost control of my life.

We get our title card, and it’s one of several where the editor may have left the caps lock on.

The ladies also get specials on lunch; while Ash and Brock just decide to have a drink instead. They’re watching their figures.

One of the more conspicuous edits is of a billboard advertising Fiorello Cappuccino and his new movie Gigantic. From the director of Xenomorphs and The Annihilator! 

Next to it is advertising one of the many sales that the city is having. Yes; I note the video edits are much brighter in this episode. It practically looks like the set of Batman Forever; and I thought Best Wishes and XY had a thing for neon!

Jessie revels in the fact there are so many discounts of clothing! Oh, the ‘90s, a simpler time where we could flaunt our consumerism without guilt! 

Amid all the shopping, the PMS and MS buildings strike back!

Jessie has also procured a selection of gifts for Giovanni; including some fine foods.

Then, who should show up but Lickitung! So, my love for Lickitung began.

He not only eats all the food; but the “original copies of genuine designer fakes” that Jessie bought. On that note; I sometimes pick up packs of Pokémon cards at the flea market. When the series was new; the fakes were pretty easy to spot: washed-out colors, cheap cardstock, full of misspellings and inaccuracies. Now; there’s quite a few that are pretty close to the original.

Jessie catches Lickitung, and it’s back to bargain hunting! Ash laments that he never knew shopping could be so much work. Clearly, you’ve never gone through black Friday.

James also claims he doesn’t think he’s tough enough to be a woman. While, Jessie was always the more take charge of you two.

It is here the highlight of the episode begins to take hold; where Fiorello and a fellow commentator   are emceeing a contest of all the female trainers in the city. Yes, in hindsight, his Italian accent is pretty laughable.

Yo momma del fatto!

The commentator claims the winner must be; and I am including these screen caps to show you:

Poised as a Jynx…

Serene as a Jigglypuff…

…and graceful as an Oddish. By the way, while this is the mildest example of this statement; yes, the Japanese can generally come up with this stuff stone-cold sober. Frankly, I’m not sure they need the help of this type. 

You haven't ingested anything too potent, thankfully.

As the curtain rises; everyone is dressed in kimonos and has their hair done in slick fashions. They are waiting to compete to be crowned Queen of this festival.

What awaits such an honor to the winner? The chance to go out with Fiorello; and a set of one of a kind handcrafted Pokémon princess dolls; with a little snark saying “batteries not included.”

Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back!

As Pikachu looks on at this bounty; I say it’s time once again for an installment of “Shit CEOs say!”

"If we can't merchandise it, it doesn't hold a lot of interest for us." -Alfred R. Kahn

Even Ash is impressed saying he wants a set! He can just call them “action figures” so his buddies don’t get their shorts in a knot.

I’m going to show the set again; just to give an example of how much it’s at stake. It’s every bit as much a linchpin to the plot of this story as a set of Infinity Stones.

Even so, this is not merely a beauty contest: this is a contest of skill and power in Pokémon battle! With this, both Jessie and Misty vow to fight for the glorious honor of being Queen for a day!

You go girls!

Ash and Brock grudgingly agree to lend Misty some of their Pokémon for the tournament, and Pikachu is all too happy to oblige. Yet, Ash scoffs at the idea of associating with a man like Fiorello.

I don't get ornament stars like him. Give me a man's man like Harrison Ford any day!

Misty, however; has a greater desire for the dolls; and not for the reasons you think. As a little girl, she was the youngest of her sisters. In fact; her character arc over the course of the original series was essentially about gaining their respect as a trainer, with this being a key example of that. Even in such a big family; she never felt so alone. This is a key reason why I included her in my top 13 anime women.

When the boys express incredulity at this; Misty clocks Ash for his slight.

Make fun of me again, and I'll knock you into a crappy battle of the sexes story!

So, Ash officially gives her Pikachu and his support. Now if he can just get the feeling in his legs back after that.

Ash and Brock encourage Pikachu, Bulbasaur, and Vulpix to do their best; and Misty has Starmie to rely on her water Pokémon. She is very eager to win!

Y'all ready for this?!

Misty wastes no time in the preliminaries, easily having Bulbasaur defeat a Kingler in a suggestive manner; among other opponents. 

Get your mind out of the gutter!

Jessie then eyes Meowth for help in the tournament in a rather competitive way.

Also, Meowth does indeed only have three fingers on each hand. Which does he use to point? That’s right! The middle finger! Same to you, buddy! (With apologies to James Rolfe for using that joke.) That’s also the fans’ reaction to Viz omitting the Jynx episodes from their new DVDs.

I hope you can see this, because I'm doing it as hard as I can.

With this, the tournament thunders along with some fast pacing and slick animation for its time; until only Misty and Jessie remain! 

As each division’s champion; they face off against each other in the finals.

You ready, kinky boots? "Whenever you are, kiddy sneakers!"

Also, this part often slipped by me whenever I watched it as a kid; but apparently Meowth takes his Chicagoland gangster impressions very seriously. Reminds me of the Weasels in Roger Rabbit.

What should we do with the wallflower?

Yet, Jessie feels the need to play fair for once.

You see, Jessie has her own past about Princess Day; as she never had the things that made it so wonderful for those around her. This is another example of how her background drove her to villainy because of the circumstances (being shuttled around in foster care due to her mother going missing, presumed dead on her missions). 

The commentators are hammy as ever; reminding me of the emcee on Smash TV.

I'd buy that for a dollar!

So, the battle between the two starts off as it usually does; with a Pikachu sweep.

Yet, when Lickitung enters the space; the battle becomes a comedic goldmine. His tongue manages to stop Pikachu in its tracks; and the music!

Also, apparently; Fiorello parodied then-popular celebrity Fabio, who hawked I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter as well as appeared on one of my NES guilty pleasures; Ironsword: Wizards and Warriors II. Personally, I got more of a vibe of a Fight Club-era Brad Pitt in hindsight.

Nobody knows they saw it, but they all did.

Ash tells Misty to use your Bulbasaur. Pronoun trouble, sorry.

The Bulbasaur that I am letting you use!

Lickitung also makes short work of Bulbasaur and Vulpix; but Misty is determined to win! 

Then, she slips up and tries to send out Staryu. Consistency? What’s that?

Even more, Psyduck is sent out; in a variation on the gag where he pops out at inopportune moments. Jessie wonders if this is supposed to be a joke. No, this is! That’s right, Psyduck is immune to the effects of the tongue! The comedic potential from this fight is boundless as a result!

Yet; I’m starting to agree with Dogasu’s statement about Fiorello’s bad Italian accent in hindsight. Good gravy; Mario was a less cartoonish Italian than this wop! (Apologies to any Italian readers I may have.)

Psyduck’s headache gets so bad that he’s able to use Confusion to bowl Lickitung and Team Rocket out! 

With Misty as the victor; she has the dolls; and they’re wonderful.

So, she decides to send them back to home to Cerulean; pleased she has some to call her own; I have to send my 3DS to get fixed again; this helps.

I'm going to have every last stitch to myself!

Jessie is distraught that she lost; lying on the ground before Lickitung. I know there’s a joke here; but I’m above it.

So, we close on Team Rocket taking part in their own display of “living dolls.” Like OC cosplays of Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch.

Yet, that’s not all! This is also the first appearance of the Pikachu’s Jukebox segments in lieu of the Pokérap as before. Basically, they included songs from the 2BA Master album; which I never had when I was younger, but these tunes were catchy all the same. They’re essentially like early versions of AMVs. The track for this segment? “My Best Friends;” which easily symbolizes everything the series stands for in one song. 

As for where to put this episode: I’m not entirely sure. While Japan generally is pretty good about having consistent 52-episode seasons; with the releases here: it’s complicated, and not just because of Viz now declaring some episodes apocryphal. Generally, I’ve tried my best to get the 81 episodes of the Indigo League in chronological order; but the snafu of Electric Soldier Porygon screwed up their plans. On top of that, just imagine watching “So Near, Yet So Farfetch’d” as a kid without any knowledge of this episode. As a best guess, however; I’m placing this episode after “Bulbasaur’s Mysterious Garden;” but before “Case of the K9 Caper;” as with its companion piece; “The Purr-Fect Hero”; which I’ll probably look at in the near future, but not right away.

For now, though; “Princess VS Princess” is a great episode from back in the day. With flashy animation and a plot that actually suits the characters rather than trying to transplant them into a situation that doesn’t have them act like themselves; it’s the ideal episode to have a woman’s touch. I usually don’t do tournaments; but the one here was energetic and fluid for such a short buildup. Above all; it also shows how the dub’s attempts to protect me from other cultures failed; since it got me more interested instead, and it is wonderful.

As for what I want to do next; I’m not sure. I think I’ll go see Ultron a second time; and then celebrate Mother’s day with mine; who was once a little girl in Japan like Misty and Jessie. I encourage everyone else to do the same if they can. Bang.