Pokémon (XY) Season 18 (2013)
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Pokémon Season 18 Review
The 18th season of Pokémon is XY. It is an entirely new arc that introduces a new generation of Pokémon as well as some new characters.
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“I don’t care if my clothes get dirty“
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So obviously this season begins a new arc so it is major as it introduces many changes. Let’s discuss them step by step. First off, the new Pokémon. Gen VI is actually not a bad generation from what I can see by now. Chespin is okay, Froakie is uninspired and Fennekin is easily the cutest of the starter Pokémon. Fletchling is just another bland bird for Ash and all of the others are forgettable and not all too present, for now at least.
Let’s talk about the new characters. Clemont is actually pretty solid as the new companion for Ash. At first I found him bland and so dull, but eventually he somewhat grew on me as his scientific persuasions and consistent bad naming of new inventions can be quite amusing. He is good, but his sister Bonnie is way too forgettable.
As for Serena, she is an interesting character for sure and a polarizing one on me, again for now at least. She is cute and definitely very likable, but her shyness is overwhelming and her constant obsession with Ash is again too overwhelming. Ash is interestingly very gentle to her and thus the two can be considered to be the first real couple of the show as evidenced by a couple of gentle moments they get in some episodes here. Weird, but interesting for sure.
Team Rocket is pretty good here, not great, but at least finally they are back in full swing as they are present in almost every episode here which I loved. But again they went back to their old habits and incompetent buffoonery for better and for worse.
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The adventures here are lacking and the fights are most certainly too sparse for my personal liking. The season has way too many episodes and although some are very good, such as the first couple of them, most are either weak or solid. The animation is particularly polished though and a major step up from the first seasons. Excellent backgrounds and use of color.
So in the end, this season is an okay start for the new arc, but not great owing to too many fillers and an over-reliance once again on older Pokémon. The new characters though are pretty interesting and Team Rocket is back in full swing which I liked quite a bit. But Mega Evolution, though an important concept, is not well explained here at all.
Worst Episodes: Giving Chase at the Rhyhorn Race, A Rush of Ninja Wisdom and Battling Into the Hall of Fame.
Best Episodes: Kalos, Where Dreams and Adventures Begin, Lumiose City Pursuit, A Conspiracy to Conquer and Heroes – Friends and Faux Alike.
