Pokémon Scarlet and Violet- "Legendary Ride" Reaction and Thoughts.

Hey everyone- Happy Halloween. With November and the release of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet nearly upon us, I thought I would give you my belated thoughts on the games’ “Legendary Ride” trailer. Let’s open it up and talk about it.

The trailer, on top of effectively confirming the filming in Spain earlier this year; shows off a bit more of the open-world setting of the Paldea region. Even at this stage, it looks to be the culmination of everything the main series has been building towards since it went to the third dimension.

Highlights include a Tera Raid Battle against a Lechonk, showing off the starting hub of the Pokémon Academy; and most notably the traversal abilities of our legendaries: Koraidon and Miraidon. These dragons can use their legs and their wheels to cross over land and water, and even leap into the air. Though Cyclizar have yet to be shown in the same fashion; I am liking the detail so far.

Speaking of which, not only have recent promotions shown off more avatar gear; but the customization will be gender-neutral for the first time in the series’ history; much like in the Splatoon and Animal Crossing games. Though the series has been heading this direction as of Pokémon Go and Generation VII (slowly phasing out the memetic “Are you a boy or girl” question in the process); I believe the flexibility I’ve already seen of the customization system will open up countless doors for new and existing players alike. That, and I've always enjoyed customizing characters whether they're as complex as a Soulcalibur fighter  or as simple as a Mii.

I will be paying off the games within the first week of November; and I expect to enjoy them extensively well into 2023. One last thing- I will not send, nor will I accept any leaks about the game ahead of launch. That will be all for now, take care.

Why Digimon Ghost Game Worked Where the Adventure reboot Didn't.

Happy Halloween everyone- seeing as how the spooky season is upon us; I thought I would take the opportunity to not only cover an anime I've been wanting to for a while, but also explore how it succeeded where another recent one did not. Here's why Digimon Ghost Game worked where the Adventure reboot didn't.

1. A More Consistent Tone.

One of the major issues myself and others had with the 2020 reboot was the inconsistent tone. The story structure made it tough to know what attitude to adopt, and the events less believable than its senior. One episode can show the Digimon almost causing a naval flotilla to crash into each other because of their fight messing with the navigation systems; another has Izzy having to rescue Tai from an obsessive fan by solving puzzles like he's in a game of Myst. By contrast, that doesn't really happen in Ghost Game. Sure, it's not without silly moments or cute monsters; but when a serious situation is on screen, it's treated as such. Essentially, this anime is a Digimon horror story; and I will touch on this more in the other points made in this post.

2. How it parallels our world.

Another big missed opportunity of the Adventure reboot was how it could have addressed the change in the landscape since the original saw release in 1999. However, beyond a few cursory acknowledgements (a character on their mobile here, a skeptical online thread there); it just felt like window dressing. Fortunately, Ghost Game manages to fill that void by directly addressing both digital and natural events in current year. The decade is still relatively new and it's already been incredibly turbulent. I'm not saying this anime gets to the level of Black Mirror or Jordan Peele's films; but that is one distinction that sets it apart from the P-word (never made sense to me to compare them, still doesn't)- if the pocket monsters are the escapist fantasy; then the digital monsters are a more grounded breed of science fiction. It's far from the first incarnation of the franchise to hold a reflection of present day society; but it's among the most effective (way more than a glorified fanfic/cloud-yelling manifesto being passed off as a play). One key comparison that incorporates the story so far is that it resembles the previous Digimon Universe: AppliMonsters if its premise was played for horror rather than comedy. Not a tightly serialized story; but definitely one that builds over time. Though both anime have leads different from the series' usual archetypes and partners that can easily pass themselves off as costumed; candy-guzzling children on Halloween night, it's how the stories play out that sets them apart. I won't spoil why; but if you've seen both like I have; you'll know what I'm talking about.

3. Digital Horror Stories

One of my favorite things to do, especially this time of year is to consume and analyze horror stories; especially for younger demographics. As making the stuff of nightmares as well as the stuff of dreams has been a fixture of the franchise for ages; it was something of a letdown the Adventure reboot couldn't really pull that off. Fortunately, this anime managed to pick up the ball Adventure 2020 dropped; and pass it between monsters. I'm not saying this anime reaches the level of the 2018 Gegege no Kitaro; but it does a good job of basing its horror in both modern society, franchise lore and even offering its own take on classical monsters; both in Japanese legends and vintage horror (the picture of Mummymon I used was a far better mummy than Alex Kurtzman did). While horror for my age range tends to be the most effective for me when it's rooted in a real concern (no matter how fantastic it can be); horror for my younger self tended to work best when it's something clearly rooted in fantasy, but placed against a backdrop that resonates with the audience.

4. Terrors breed visual invention

While some of the designs in the reboot did do a solid job of capturing the letter of the franchise; on top of the other issues I mentioned, it lacked its creative spirit. Thankfully, by its very concept; Ghost Game has joined the list of the most visually-distinctive entries in the series. Not just with the new monsters (such as Angoramon and Jellimon in this picture); but with the setting and the human characters as well. Kiyoshiro, for example; has all sorts of charms to ward off spirits like an onmyoji (even wrapping his hand in bandages); and the setting actually makes the unique decision of having the digital world take less emphasis than the real world. Both traditional shrines and gardens and modern cityscapes of neon and OLED displays help make the setting integral to the story; a vital component of the franchise and any good piece of fiction.

5. Shaking up the character status quo

In series of this nature, it's good to have characters that the audience can identify with; even if said characters can be boiled down to archetypes as simple as the redheaded short-tank, the goggle-head or the one with the Brooklyn accent. I was very much not entertained by the caricatures in the reboot; especially as there was a genuine opportunity to expand on the characters in the original. Fortunately, this anime found a way to truly bring this franchise into the new 20s while still respecting its legacy for unique and compelling characters. I brought up Kiyoshiro in the last heading; but another great example is Ruli; whose role in the story is vital as she joins the cast. Even our protagonist, Hiro is motivated by finding out what led to his father's disappearance; and each encounter brings him closer to finding the truth. Yet, his absence still drives him to solve problems in ways that don’t always involve a massive fight. It's incredible how something as simple as giving a digital monster a chocolate bar left a bigger long-term story impact than yet another trip to the Adventure well.

6. Helping move the series in new directions

The last reason I stated for my disappointment with the Adventure reboot was how I genuinely believed it had potential to bring Digimon to a new generation; but it was never realized. So, making this a horror story was going to be a welcome change of pace on its own. That being said, the exact way Ghost Game sold and executed its premise is what Adventure 2020 should have been in terms of quality. Though not every experiment the franchise has tried has worked (I have nothing to add to a potential Frontier follow-up announcement); this is one that does. Though I honestly don’t know what to expect from the 02 movie (deliberately keeping expectations low as someone who wasn't a fan of the last one or the biggest fan of 02), I can say that this anime definitely helped add to the 20-year-plus legacy of the franchise the right way. The Vital Bracelets are even officially coming stateside after their release in Japan being successful (making it a smart toy is a natural progression from its roots in virtual pets), and the video games have been making their way back to NA (a new Digimon World game is coming to PC and console soon). Though not every experiment works, I'm not opposed to them when they do; especially since Ghost Game is exactly the kind of left turn that was needed after the Adventure reboot fizzled.

Anyway, I am prepping for Scarlet and Violet's launch in November; and no matter what happens with Masters Eight; I will have content in mind even if I don't plan on addressing the World Coronation Series at this time. That's all for now, take care.

Review- "The Sunlit Garden: Prelude and Finale" (Revolutionary Girl Utena)

Hey everyone- to lead off this part of my 10th anniversary on this blog; I just want people to know this about my look at "The Sun, the Sea and the Host Club:" if I had known the trajectory the last decade would take; I would have approached that differently. Second, rather than simply revisit those waters; I thought I would do something a bit different by looking at anime of that persuasion I actually like, which happens to be the classic Revolutionary Girl Utena. Let's open up "The Sunlit Garden: Prelude and Finale."

After the intro, the first part opens on a vast, ornate area. Inside, the titular Utena Tenju is dueling with a young man named Miki Kaoru for the "Rose Bride:" Anthy Himemiya. I actually really like the transition here, as Miki is revealed to be playing the piano in the BGM. The song he's playing is called "The Sunlit Garden," which has multiple meanings beyond the title.

Elsewhere, Utena and a classmate have to retake a math test they failed; and Anthy is accosted by others for allegedly causing Miki to pull out of a music competition. As we're about to find out; the truth is far more complicated than that. After Miki breaks them up, he discovers a sheet of music in with Anthy's books. 

Spotting them from the window, Miki is also found out later in the library by Juri of the student council. He's correcting one of the aforementioned math tests, and we'll touch on that more in a bit. It was Anthy's test; and this will be particularly important later. This is especially true as Utena realizes Miki is part of the student council.

Miki continues playing the Sunlit Garden; and we get a glimpse of one of the other meanings of the song: an actual garden where he played the song in years past; which will be vital in the next part of this story.

As Miki looks over a photo of Anthy, trouble begins to brew. This leads to one of the signature elements of this anime: the shadow puppets elaborating on the plot, which has been homaged many times over the years; as has Utena itself.

Miki arrives to help study for the makeup test, with another student named Nanami in tow. Inside their dorms; she makes her move to try and discredit Anthy as a weirdo. Her first attempt is to hide a snail in her pencil case.

This doesn’t work as planned, as her case is actually full of the mollusks! Moreover, Miki feels no differently towards Anthy.

Nanami's second plan is to plant a snake in the desk; having caught it for just such a purpose. Heading towards the desk, she makes her next move.

This also goes to pot when a mongoose that was in the desk eats the snake, and Miki's view on Anthy still doesn't change; much to Nanami's disappointment.

Nanami then goes for the Hail Mary on her third plan: to plant an octopus in Anthy's closet! What could possibly go wrong?

Surprise surprise! Rule of three means a much bigger octopus float is in the closet, with Miki's opinion of Anthy none the worse for wear.

To top it all off, a mouse named ChuChu eats all their refreshments, and while the others take a snack break, Nanami laments how much animals have it out for her. It's definitely something that comes up later; but I'm getting ahead of myself. After a round of shaved ice, Nanami finally lets slip why she's there; but Miki's reasons for his affections toward Anthy are much more complex than initially believed.

Anthy goes to play the piano, and the others (sans Nanami) are impressed by her musical ability. In particular, Miki recognizes the song as the "Sunlit Garden" that he used to play with his sister! To be continued, right now.

The second part of our story picks up about where the first leaves off, with a fencing match. Would you believe that actually isn't the most on-the-nose foreshadowing in this episode?

Miki defeats Juri in battle, leading us to our title card. After that, we see Anthy tending the garden as she's given a watering can by Miki. As she waters the roses, we get another flashback to when Miki was in the garden. Utena enters, following ChuChu on his skateboard. How is this not making sense to you all?

After Utena asks if she's interrupting anything, she watches Anthy practice the piano with Miki. It's honestly a pretty touching scene, all things considered. Especially as Miki recalls "The Sunlit Garden" while Anthy plays. One day, Miki was bedridden with measles; preventing him from playing a concert with his sister. His sister was so devastated that not only did she leave the venue, she never played the piano again after that. It was only when Miki met Anthy that he met the desire to make music again; and perhaps something more?

As Utena and Anthy wonder about this; Miki approaches the student council to call for their dissolution! Though kind of heady a scene, there is some good symbolism with the fruit; and I do like the music here.

After the council meeting (and a tense meetup with his sister outside the music room), Miki enters to find the councilor leaning over the piano with his shirt open; as Anthy comes in too. Before the councilor leaves and the next practice stars; he tells Miki that the fiancee of the Rose Bride can control their destiny. He also tells Miki that even if he did agree to the council's dissolution; he would still have to make his own play for the Rose Bride.

Utena continues studying for her makeup exam; and Miki has some fantastic dramatic timing, entering the room as people start asking who Utena is being tutored by. He hands Utena a white rose, saying he'll see her in the arena after class. Usually it's a gloved gauntlet, but other than that; no notes.

The shadow puppets return, this time in the livery of pirates. Having officially started Punk Hazard (about caught up on the manga), I can now vouch for this being only the second strangest sea I've sailed.

Honoring Miki's request, Utena shows up for the duel after class as promised. The ensuing fight is preceded by Utena's ascent up the chambers; and it's a great buildup. The duel between Miki and Utena also parallels the fencing match that opened this part perfectly, and the animation in this whole third act is simply incredible.

Utena wins the duel, and Miki realizes his error in the moments before the final blow is dealt! Though it would never work out between them, Miki agrees to better himself and Anthy says it's OK if they can still be friends; or at the very least study partners. We close on his sister continuing to practice; and Miki vowing to do more for his next duel.

Though I openly admit shojo isn't really my field, I do consider Utena to be a worthwhile anime; and "The Sunlit Garden: Prelude and Finale" is a great example of how. Everything from the art direction to the character work is what I wanted Ouran to be; and I again apologize if what I said in years' past hits differently now. Had I known what trajectory the decade would take, I would have approached things another way. My next review will be in a bit more familiar waters, but you'll just have to wait and see which ones. I will see you all again soon, take care.

"The Search for the Legend" Review (Pokémon Chronicles)

This is how Pokémon Chronicles, the first spinoff outside the main series ends: not with a bang, but a mild whimper. There were a handful of Pichu Bros. spinoffs under this banner as well; but as for ones that fit that bill, this anime started with a disappointing use of a Legendary and ended with one. Let's open up "The Search for the Legend" and find out how it all went wrong. 

"This is but one of the legends of which people speak..."

It's yet another showcase for Ritchie, and while I reiterate he's not a bad character; you honestly couldn't find another character to focus on? Even by this point in the series, the anime and games had scads of them you could have used! Throw a dart and pick one!

Regrettably, that's not even the biggest missed opportunity of this episode. It centers around a hunt for Moltres; and an older trainer named Silver. (sighs)

On top of me preferring the one that's Giovanni's son; others have speculated this is Ash's biological father, but I don't buy that. The looks and personality are so diametrically opposed that it just raises further questions than it answers. I personally place more odds on Giovanni, or Samuel Oak or even Red for that matter.

The two are then accosted by two suspicious characters from the "Bogus Institute of Fake Science." So, a diploma mill like ITT Tech was then. Guess "Suspiciously Heightened Intellect Terms" and "Fully Unified Course Knowledge Source" didn't make it past censors. 

In the only scene I could see coming from the games' Silver; he threatens to have their hands fed to Salamence if they touch him again. Our hero, ladies and gentlemen! Can't imagine why this anime has yet to be officially rereleased in the US.

Anyway, the search takes place at Mt. Ember; but since I never played Fire Red and Leaf Green, I'm only bringing it up because I'm probably going to get people asking if I don't. My understanding of the Sevii Islands is about as much as the target audience getting the reference to Butch and Cassidy's aliases of Satchmo and Louis Armstrong. Yes, really.

Everyone reaches the island, and they disembark before heading up the mountain. Silver continues acting like a blithe braggart (reminds me of people winging about the sandwiches in Generation IX); and despite Butch's claims; I find him harder to buy as a scientist than a con artist posing as a doctor, lawyer or pilot.

I also don't buy Cassidy's claims about wanting to use Moltres as a power source- it took over a decade for that with Eternatus; and in a much more logical way in a better story too.

The real kicker is that they want Silver to battle Moltres so they can study its flames... even though his partner is a Chikorita. Oh dear, this is going to hurt.

Bottom line- the episode is far less focused on Moltres; and more on the duel of nattering between Silver and Ritchie. Call me crazy, but this isn't really selling me on the premise of this spinoff. It's making me want to shut this off and go play Death Stranding Director's Cut; but I digress.

Night falls, and Silver makes camp for the night. Ritchie then asks Sparky if he remembers when they went through Mt. Moon. No, I don't, because that happened to Ash (not helping the case of you being his Skrull); and that actually might be a more interesting story.

Ritchie catches wind of Butch and Cassidy wanting to steal Moltres for Dr. Namba, and narrowly avoids being spotted and falling off the cliff. Yep- definitely feel more like delivering packages with Norman Reedus while chugging cans of Monster.

Silver pulls Ritchie from the ledge with Chikorita; and Ritchie warns him about what he heard. Silver doesn't even bat an eye at this, and just wants to battle Moltres. OK, that's going to be very awful given what happens later; but here is the issue I have with this character: it's entirely possible to age up a character without losing sight about what made them appealing to begin with. If I had to age up Ash or others, my model would be less like this guy and more like Goku or Luffy (about to start Punk Hazard, should be fun).

After a brief occurrence of the gag where Dr. Namba is misnamed, Ritchie and Silver sit by the fire. The two talk about their experiences; and this would have been way more effective if the first half of the episode hadn't depicted Silver as so arrogant.

Day breaks, and everyone heads to the top of the volcano. However, it turns out Moltres has been 

nerfed and is less powerful than usual. The animation doesn't help- pretty sure steam from a volcano doesn't look like someone fiddling with the warp tool on Photoshop.

Silver engages Moltres to find this out the hard way, and Butch and Cassidy make their move! They started by nerfing a legendary, and they're ending with one. Honestly don't expect anything more at this stage.

Prepping a net launcher, Butch and Cassidy send out Tentacruel and Cloyster to finish the job with Moltres. Butch and Cassidy out themselves; and Silver finally realizes he's been had. Even further reason why I prefer the Silver from the games.

A second net is fired at Silver and Richie, and there's still somehow 7 minutes left of this to go. I sincerely question those who consider this better than the main anime when this finale effectively sent similar spinoffs into cold storage for years.

Chikorita cuts through the nets, and since Salamence is still in play; Silver finally realizes he's been had. Sparky sends Butch and Cassidy blasting off; and while I would normally complain about this being an anticlimax, I will give it some leeway as it makes the episode shorter.

Moltres dives into the volcano; and its strength is restored! Regrettably, it's done over another pan of a still shot. When Pokémon Snap on N64 did this scene better; you know you fell short.

Silver engages Moltres with Salamence, and the monster flies off in a puff of smoke and flames. To be fair, no worse than my lone encounter with Galarian Arcticuno via daily incense.

The volcano erupts; forcing everyone in the vicinity to evacuate. That's an underwhelming ending; and a waste of potential. We close this episode and spinoff on Ritchie heading back on a ferry, Silver staying behind to train for Moltres' return; and Ritchie to battle again. With nearly two full decades having passed since this came out; I don't think that's going to happen, and this is a year where Bleach of all anime came back after a decade at minimum.

"The Search for the Legend" is the worst kind of bookend to find- part of me does still think that this spinoff had potential; but more often that not, that potential was squandered. Making a spinoff without an "anchor" protagonist isn't the same as making one without a coherent story or consistent tone; and I'm glad later spinoffs understood this more. 

Going against the grain of this spinoff's defenders; I do not think other ones should follow this model. I would prefer if Origins, Generations, Evolutions; Twilight Wings and the Detective Pikachu movie were the template for tone and structure going forward. Pokétoons and Hisuian Snow also work well as anthologies.

Post-review follow-up: most annoying character of the episode goes to Butch and Cassidy, one last time for their hare-brained scheme. Dishonorable mention goes to Silver for vastly overstating his importance to a degree where even Leon would go "Yeah, no" and taking screentime that would have been better served by the game character with the same name.

After some consideration, I have decided to do one big look at the episodes featuring the Pichu Bros. in November; which should make a fitting bookend to The Legend of Thunder. First, I need something that's a bit more apropos for the Halloween season. That will be all for now.

"Those Darn Electabuzz" Review (Pokémon Chronicles)

One down- two to go. Not counting the Pichu Bros. shorts or the Christmas one I haven't done; my endeavor to analyze why Pokémon Chronicles failed as a spinoff is nearing its end. This also makes the last showcase for Casey, so let's open up "Those Darn Electabuzz," and figure out what the damned problems are, dang it.

Casey is watching the Electabuzz; who have not been performing well even among their standards. Casey laments that they were once number one. First off- erm, no they weren't; the whole point of her being into them was that they're underdogs like her. Second, I once again question this spinoff being for fans; who'd typically notice a detail like that being wrong like I just did.

Anyway, this episode largely follows Casey trying to help team member Cory DiMario and his Pokémon regain their confidence. He has a Charizard who gets temporarily stuck inside a piece of playground equipment like in the Pikachu's Vacation short movie. It's a bit more timid than most, its name is Don. There's also a young man named Benny; which doesn't inspire much confidence.

I'm not really sold on the story they're trying to tell with Don. After seeing the elder Charizard, Charlie in "Blossom's Dream" (we'll talk another time); this isn't really working for me. I don't know why, it doesn't have the same appeal to me as a wilder beast; or even anything I can't get from those fanarts of a Shinx with Intimidate spooking a Tyranitar; or a Timid Gengar and a Brave Clefable.

Bottom line- Casey is going to be the one to help whip Cory and Don back into shape. In other words- we're in big trouble.

Shockingly, Casey's attempts to motivate Don don't work; and the Charziard runs off in a huff. Stop. Don't. Come back. Not even halfway through this thing.

Regrouping over a meal at Cory's father's ranch; Casey tries to determine her next move with Don. His father also reveals that Cory injured himself and his performance hasn't been the same since then; which is another reason that makes me want to shut this off and watch Dennis Quaid's The Rookie instead.

Sadly, Casey ropes Cory's dad into her scheme along with Benny. However Mrs. DiMario would have fit into this; I can't imagine. Yet, somehow, it starts getting through to Cory and Don. Honestly not the worst part of this- that comes later.

The shout therapy gives way to a cheerleading session; complete with matching uniforms. It's only the second weirdest attempt I've seen: first is still Elite Beat Agents.

While Cory's spirits start to lift; Don still needs to work on his flight. He's up to jumping; but still needs work. There's also a flashback to an umpire at a training camp who was kind of a piece of trash barking orders like they're in the corps. It's not really important, and I'm sparing you the scene.

Casey then decides to reignite Don's fighting spirit by using him in battle; which should have been their opener. Cory's dad sends out Ampharos, which Casey; as a big fan of yellow striped monsters adores. OK, I'll give them that one.

Regrettably, the animation is full of still shots and flashes to white; looking like editing I would do in Windows Movie Maker. Halfway through this, just barely. 

After the battle, an argument takes place between Casey and the others; further undermining the weight this holds as an alternative to the main series. Simply swapping one character for another doesn't automatically solve the problem with the protagonist; if anything, it can just create a different one.

This scrap causes Cory and Don to just leave; leading to the infamous "Where have you gone, Cory DiMario?" line. Again, I get this joke; but what 10-year-old would get a reference to Simon and Garfunkel? Granted, I reference songs from the '80s and '90s a lot; but I try to keep some context whether it's Ozzy or A Tribe Called Quest.

As Cory and Don do their own training exercise, Casey, Benny and Mr. DiMario try to search for them in the vicinity. They climb the hills to a waterfall; and every passing minute just makes me miss the nuance of "Charmander: The Stray Pokémon" more and more.

After some truly horrendous off-model shots of Don, Cory gives into Casey's insults; and orders Don to jump the gorge. It goes marginally better than Homer's attempt; and gives me yet another chance to use my Speed Racer clip.

Once the aforementioned reference to The Graduate is made, everyone does another sweep for Cory and Don. They find Cory and Don in the gorge (called Gloom Canyon, because we're stacking cliches on top of each other this time); and after Casey falls in, Cory hoists her out, finally sparking Don's flame and having him take flight!

With Cory and Don's confidence now restored, we close on Casey once again cheering on her team. She may not have been my favorite side character (personally wouldn't go beyond more than an Easter egg in the background in my story); but even she deserved a better finale than this.

"Those Darn Electabuzz" is a damn shame of an episode of this danged spinoff. Very little to justify its existence, with some very middling animation and a story that doesn't make for a good outing for even Casey. Moreover, there's numerous other Johto characters that could have been much better to focus on; like Sakura and the Kimono girls. I will especially be getting on that in my next Chronicles review. If you want a better episode with baseball elements, go watch "Pulling Out the Pokémon Base Pepper" from the Sun and Moon series instead.

Post-review follow-up: Most annoying character of the episode goes to Casey for alternating between fangirl and nattering coach. Dishonorable mention goes to Benny for basically being superfluous at best.

Next Chronicles review will be on "The Search for the Legend," and I would instead advise a search for a better spinoff. That's all for now, take care.

"Luvdisc is a Many Splendored Thing" Review (Pokémon Chronicles)

Only a few more episodes of Chronicles remaining; and apart from the Christmas special I haven't done, none of them are that good. This one I have a particular dislike for: let's open up "Luvdisc is a Many Splendored Thing" and explore why. Also, a word of caution- if you try to do shots every time they say "love" in this episode, you're likely going to be pretty darned hammered by the end of it.

The episode opens on Butch and Cassidy being tasked to steal a Luvdisc for Dr. Namba, and the message is hidden in an ice cream parfait this time. Not only is that somehow even a worse hiding spot than the fries last time (cold and electronics don't mix, nor do machines and hot fudge); I once again lament that when it does the Mission Impossible self-destruct, that it doesn't set off the sprinklers like in The Incredibles.

Also, rather than using it for his research; the plan is to, no kidding; "remove love from the world." Dude, have you heard of the things people say and do in some of these online imageboards? Much easier to disseminate that way,

Back in Cerulean City, Tracey has once again stopped by the gym to give a hand to Misty and Daisy. This time, it's because Violet and Lily are having a day of beauty; though depending on which version you're watching, it's either a pedicure or massage Lily is getting. Either way, glad I finally have an excuse to use this joke.

As for Misty's outfit in this episode- I don't much care for it. Yeah, some actually prefer this one to her standard outfit in Generation III; but I am not among them. It's a bit too preppy for my taste. Honestly prefer if she had her game counterpart's swimwear instead; or even a wetsuit variation (kind of like the one Lara Croft wore in the past). I mean, if you must diverge from her original gear; at least pick something that doesn't make her look like she's selling cookies outside a Safeway. 

Anyway, Daisy is trying to organize a new water show with two Luvdisc called Lovarin and Kasirin; but it turns out their real personalities are impacting their performances. Out of all the episodes that used this plot before and since, this has to be my least favorite. At least this Misty facepalm makes a good summary, and is easily the best part of a pretty lousy episode.

"Better than the main series? You all must be joking."

Before that happens, Butch and Cassidy abscond with the Luvdisc, causing Daisy to give chase with Misty and Tracey! Daisy takes up the role of "High-Speed Hannah" before going after Team Rocket in a car chase that's actually one of the more tolerable parts of the episode.

Going underwater, the chase continues by boat; which Daisy just happened to have in her car. How convenient! Turns out that Butch and Cassidy anticipated this; and trap them inside! Even though they only have the Luvdisc to bail them out; Butch and Cassidy don't really actively keep watch over Misty, Daisy and Tracey. They don't even leave them with the one inept guard.

Conveniently, Kasarin and Lovarin reconcile just in time to escape and send Team Rocket blasting off; in lieu of their other monsters back at the gym. We close on the new play being a big hit; with special thanks to the Luvdisc rekindling their relationship. OK, I'll give it that at least.

"Luvdisc is a Many Splendored Thing" is less "The Notebook" and more a cheesy Hallmark Channel special in terms of quality; sporting some banal plotting and truly mediocre animation. I once again question those watching it as an alternative to the main series actually paid much attention to it; and will even go so far to suggest those who think it's better than the main anime clearly haven't actually seen the problems with it as I have. What truly makes it disappointing is that this is the final performance of Rachael Lillis as Misty in the dub; before she was recast along with everyone else going forward. Once again, I'm not going to even acknowledge that as such; and instead choose her departure as "Gotta Catch Ya Later" as a better story and better performance. There's some occasional decent moments, but you're honestly not missing anything if you skip it.

Post-review follow-up: most annoying character of the episode goes to Butch and Cassidy for their plan; yet again. I'm actually kind of glad that Journeys showed they finally retired from Team Rocket to become a baker and a conceptual artist.

Next Chronicles review is on "Those Darn Electabuzz," the final damned appearance of that dang Casey. That will be all for now.