EP004 - Challenge of the Samurai

EP004 - Challenge of the Samurai

Challenge of the Samurai Boy!

Original Airdates: April 22, 1997 (JP), September 11, 1998 (EN)

Written by: Hideki Sonoda

Synopsis:

Still travelling through the Viridian Forest, Satoshi attempts to catch a Weedle, but it escapes when a strange trainer who calls himself “Samurai” challenges him to a battle.  In the middle of a Metapod vs. Metapod standstill, a swarm of Beedrill attacks, interrupting the fight.  Satoshi’s Metapod gets kidnapped by a Beedrill and ends up in their nest.

Satoshi and Kasumi spend the night in Samurai’s cabin to stay safe, but Satoshi feels bad for abandoning Metapod.  The next day he rescues Metapod by infiltrating the nest and it evolves into Butterfree.  Butterfree uses Sleep Powder to quell the swarm, allowing our heroes to escape.  Samurai considers the prior battle a victory in Satoshi’s favor and leads them out of the forest.

Who’s That Pokémon?

It's Metapod, because Ash abandons his Metapod (and battles another Metapod).

New Character and Pokémon Breakdown

Ash's Butterfree

Part 2 of the Ash's Butterfree saga focuses on its Metapod stage.  Being an immobile pupa, Metapod cannot battle well or defend itself in trouble.  As a result, Ash is forced to leave it behind, giving the creature severe abandonment issues.  Just because it hasn't reached its full potential, it feels inferior.  Fortunately, it is able to induce an early evolution when he sees its trainer in trouble, much as Pikachu finally came through for Ash against the Spearow.  As a Butterfree, he can finally prove that he's a capable fighter...yet he all but disappears after this episode.

Samurai

We meet our first “Character of the Day,” which is a character that only appears in one episode and never comes back, despite promises to return.  Samurai is a memorable COD because he introduces the concept of legal Pokémon battles (not just random Team Rocket attacks).  He is based on the Bug Catchers of Viridian Forest who are the first Trainers in the games (besides the rival).  Usually the problem with COD’s is that they are only there to showcase the Pokémon of the Day making those episodes seem rather meaningless.  Samurai does introduce a new Pokémon (Pinsir) but his Pokémon are not the focus of the episode.  The main plot revolves around the wild Beedrill and Satoshi’s Metapod.  Samurai is a source of chaos unto himself and he is there to put Satoshi’s skills to the test.

Samurai's Pinsir and Metapod

Somehow, the Samurai managed to get a Pinsir this early in his journey (maybe its his starter).  But despite its vast strength, it is still able to be taken out by a Metapod.  Kind of lame (but cool, at the same time).  The Metapod vs. Metapod Hardening battle, however, is a funny concept, but useless to the point of being a little contrived.  What were the Trainers expecting to happen?  Satoshi’s Metapod at least knew Tackle, so the battle could have gone somewhere.  But there was no point in prolonging the standstill.

Weedle, Kakuna, and Beedrill

Ash nearly catches a Weedle, but Samurai disrupts his concentration and the Weedle manages to escape (and possible alert the nest of Beedrill).  We later see more Weedle at the Beedrill nest, eating Team Rocket's...cardboard vehicle?  The Kakuna and Beedrill, like the Spearow, are just forces of nature, bent on destroying anything that disrupts their rest and privacy.  With all of these dangerous Beedrill around, its a wonder anyone makes it through Viridian Forest alive.

Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squritle

In static flashback shots, we see that starter Pokémon that Oak handed out too the other three trainers from Pallet, each one battling with the Samurai.  At this moment, though, we still don't know which one Gary started with, so don't spoil it please!

Japanese vs. American Versions:

- Most jokes are rewritten to moderate effect, but the oddest one is Ash dressed as a cow saying “Cowterpie?” because in the original “Mushi (bug)” is similar to “Ushi (cow).”

Overall Review: A-

            

The humor from the previous episode continues here, as Satoshi and co. find themselves in sillier situations (like the intense little boy who demands to fight with honor).  Team Rocket is used nicely in that they are purely comic relief and they do not overstay their welcome.  By insisting on completing their motto which results in waking the Beedrill, they present a funny variation on the now recurring motto gag.

Once the drama kicks in, things begin to get a little uneven.  The abandoning Metapod plot comes a little out of nowhere.  Satoshi is so upset with himself, but, he really had no other choice.  He would have gotten himself killed had he tried to save Metapod earlier.  He acts as if he was a horrible person who made many mistakes, but it really was just the one.  And, despite what Samurai would have him believe, Weedle getting away was totally Samurai’s fault.  Satoshi needn't be so hard on himself.  But he grows.

My favorite aspect of this episode is the attention to detail given to the various Pokémon, treating them like actual animals rather than completely fantastical creatures.  The sights of Kakuna and Metapod evolving are quite stunning as they actually break out of their hard shells as opposed to glowing and transforming.  I wish later episodes had kept this dynamic.

This is a very well-balanced episode and it shows a level of quality and attention to detail of both the characters and the world around them.  It's a solid and funny episode that moves along quickly and develops Satoshi’s character in a positive way.

Route 2 and Viridian Forest

Bulbapedia Article for Route 2

Bulbapedia Article for Viridian Forest

Viridian Forest Theme

At this point, we only have access to the western half of Route 2.  Outside of a few patches of grass (with redundant Pokémon), there is nothing of interest on the actual route itself.  But once you pass through the building, we encounter the first "dungeon" of the game: Viridian Forest.

Viridian Forest is big, long, filled with poisonous Pokémon and trainers who automatically battle you.  If you aren't prepared, you could fall here.  Make sure to pick up items you find laying on the ground and be sure to add to your collection.  This is probably the closest part of the game to Tajiri's initial idea of Pokémon, searching in the woods for bugs.

 Caterpie - Lv. 3-6 - Red/Green/Blue/Yellow 

While you can first catch them on Route 2 in Green/Blue, you'll be seeing these guys everywhere in Viridian Forest.  You can also find their evolved form, Metapod, but it will only know Harden, making it difficult to battle with.  It's better to evolve it from a Caterpie so it can continue to fight with Tackle.  If you want a Butterfree, go right ahead and catch a Caterpie.  Butterfree will be useful once it learns Confusion, as it can take care of Pewter Gym and Mt. Moon.  But save for a battle against Erika later, Butterfree won't be cutting it as a long-term teammate.  He's a must catch in Yellow though, as he learns all of his moves earlier and helps with the trickier sections.

 Weedle - Lv. 3-5 - Red/Green/Blue 

Weedle is most common in Red, appearing on Route 2 in addition to the Forest, and it doesn't appear at all in Yellow (another reason why you should pick up a Caterpie there).  Like with Metapod, Kakunas also appear in the Forest.  Despite having the great Twineedle attack upon evolution, Beedrill can't really handle anything aside from Erika (maybe it can get a quick hit in on Sabrina, but it won't last long due to its part-Poison typing).  Again, you can catch both bugs, or choose your favorite, but Caterpie probably would be the stronger decision of the two.

 Pikachu - Lv. 3-5 - Red/Green/Blue 

While rare, Pikachu can be found in the Viridian Forest for non-Yellow players.  While he doesn't learn as many level-up moves as his Yellow counterpart, he can do quite well with the library of TMs.  Plus, this Pikachu can evolve into Raichu, making him much stronger in the long run!  Ultimately, you'll probably keep Raichu on your team all the way to the end (helping you through Seafoam Islands and against Lorelei), which can't be said for the starter Pikachu.  It provides some great balance to your team early on, so it's worth sticking around in the Forest in order to find one.

In addition to some new Pokémon, we also get to meet our first average trainers!  They come in multiple varieties and each class has an identical sprite, making them similar to Nurse Joys, Officer Jennys, or Pokémon themselves!  As a result, you'll have similar tactics for battling each type.

Boy Encounter Theme

Girl Encounter Theme

Trainer Battle Theme

Trainer Victory Theme

 Bug Catcher 

This is our first encounter with a common trainer.  Bug Catchers basically carry stronger versions of the wild bugs found in the Forest.  In Red/Green/Blue, you'll find their collective teams consist of one Caterpie, one Kakuna, and four Weedles, with the final Lv. 9 Weedle being the strongest opponent in the Forest.  Yellow Bug Catchers have a different arsenal, to reflect the lack of Weedles.  They instead have three Metapods and five Caterpies, with a Lv. 10 Caterpie now being the final challenge.  Although there is an additional Catcher added (possibly as a reference to the Samurai character from the anime) the challenge is lowered as Caterpies and Metapods go down a lot easier than Weedles (save for the additional Catcher's Metapod that actually knows Tackle).

 Lass 

Yellow players get another additional trainer in the Forest.  Lasses usually appear slightly later in the game and carry common Pokémon.  This Lass has both a male and female Nidoran and for a while, I struggled to understand this addition.  Unlike most of the changes in Yellow, this is not a reference to the anime.  But I realized that since Nidorans are crucial for Yellow players to defeat Brock, it serves as a hint to new players who may have missed out on the early Nidoran to retrace their steps and catch one.

Once you're through the Forest, your next stop is Pewter City.  We'll return to the hidden goodies on Route 2 once we have traveled across the map and received the necessary items.

Other Thoughts

- Replacing the Weedles, Kakunas, and Pikachu, Yellow players get more Pidgeys and a Lv. 9 Pidgeotto available for capture.  This is to mimic the anime, where Ash caught his Pidgeotto in Viridian Forest (although there were also Weedle and Kakuna there too).  As I said before with Pidgey, you're better off sticking with Spearow, although Pidgeotto is a stronger option than both, stat-wise.  It will still take a while to be useful, but at least you don't have to wait for the first evolution.

- Although it doesn't effect this stage of the game, much later we'll see evidence in other canons of Viridian Forest stretching all the way over to Celadon territory.  If you look at the map, you'll see that it's nothing but uninhabited forest between the two.  I would have liked for a pathway to open up connecting the two later in the game, possibly revealing a new part of the forest that had stronger Pokémon (as seen in the various manga and anime).  In Hey You, Pikachu, this area is revealed to be home to quite a few different types, including a Togepi!  But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Pocket Monsters: PM007 and PM008

PM007 - Get Rid of the Ghost Pokémon!!

PM007 - Exorcise the Ghostly Pokémon!!

Synopsis: Traveling through Lavender Town, Red's group gets caught in a thunderstorm.  They seek shelter in a giant, spooky mansion that is filled with gravestones.  Clefairy discovers a coffin and a Gastly appears from it.  It tries to get the trio to leave, but Clefairy attempts to fight it.  However, none of Clefairy's attacks are able to affect the transparent ghost. Clefairy ultimately succeeds in exorcising the spirit and his approached by an older couple who own the mansion.  They explain that their son Blue has been haunted by Ghost Pokémon and would like Red to complete the job of expelling the phantoms.  They meet the melancholy Blue who attacks with his Haunter.  The Haunter eventually evolves into an invisible Gengar, but Clefairy is able to use Blue's Silph Scope to see the ghost and lull it to sleep.  After vacuuming up the spirit, Blue is revived, but still angry at Red for damaging his room.

New Character and Pokémon Breakdown

Blue

Since Red and Green were based on the heros of Red and Green, a new character was needed to represent the new Blue version.  While Pokémon Adventures used the official female trainer, Anakubo created a completely new character who is obsessed with the color (and emotion) blue.  He is inserted into the Pokémon Tower segment from the games, possessed by the various Ghost types.  He'll reappear a couple of times as another rival for Red, actually owning his own Pokémon.

The Ghosts: Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar

Gastly first appears and attacks of his own free will, while Haunter/Gengar appears to be under Blue's control (even though he is under their control).  Like Charmander's evolution into Charizard, Haunter is commanded into becoming Gengar, making evolution more like another attack.  The ghosts behave mostly the way they do in all canons, being mischevious spirits that can disappear at will.  Clefairy actually has to use an elaborate statue of Buddha to exorcise Gastly, and it works, suggesting that these Pokémon aren't only effected by other Pokémon moves.

Blue's Parents

Unlike in the games, Pokémon Tower is actually a residence for Blue's family.  There are still many gravestones and crosses, which may be explained in the dialogue but I'm just guessing.  I wonder if Blue's father is also supposed to represent Mr. Fuji.  If Mr. Fuji doesn't appear in this manga, I'll assume that they are one and the same.

Setting

Lavender Town and Pokémon Tower

As stated earlier, the Tower is more of a mansion, but the creepy atmosphere from the games is carried over into this story.  We don't see the rest of the town's inhabitants, though, so it's unclear if everyone is aware of the ghosts, or if this is just an isolated incident.

Overall Review: A-

Aside from creating a new character, the actions of this story are very streamlined with their influence from the games.  The ghosts behave based on their Pokédex entries, and the Silph Scope even comes into play as a helpful plot point.  The story also gets started a lot quicker with less Clefairy/Pikachu antics (save for lightning bolts being attracted to Pikachu's tail).  The story makes sense and the "horror" aspect is not lost, although the scariest moments are the grotesque faces that Clefairy and Pikachu make throughout their encounters with the ghosts.  With little filler and a solid tale, I have very little issue with this issue.

PM008 - Catch That Pokémon Thief!!

PM008 - Catch That Pokémon Thief!!

(Note: From this point forward, I shall be reviewing the issues somewhat blindly.  I haven't found any thorough translations for the rest of the series, so my analysis will be based on the stories I believe the images are portraying.  Wish me luck.)

Synopsis: After traveling for days, Red discovers an oasis in the form of the Celadon Department Store.  Brimming with activity and goodies, Red prepares to go on a shopping spree.  Unfortunately, a Machoke crashes into the story with a small army of Pokémon and attempts to rob it.  Clefairy steps up to defend the store and uses the items available to him to help foil the robbery.  First, he gets rid of the Bug Pokémon by spraying them with a repel. Then he attempts to tie them up, accidentally grabbing Ekans as a rope.  Ekans attacks and Clefairy is able to use an antidote to stave off the Poison attacks.  Finally, the Machoke challenges Clefairy by evolving into Machamp.  Clefairy manages to hide in on a shelf of Poké Dolls and attack him as a surprise.  Ultimately, he tries to use a bicycle to tire out the Machamp.  Red then tries to catch the Pokémon, and finally succeeds by using an Ultra Ball.  The store is saved, but Clefairy's bike ride has carried him to a far away desert.

New Character and Pokémon Breakdown

Machoke/Machamp

Red finally catches another Pokémon!  Unlike Clefairy and Pikachu, Machamp won't be appearing in every chapter, but at least it is a new permanent member of the team.  From Pewter to Celadon, Red hadn't been doing a good job of team building.  Now he has a powerhouse of a Machamp who is not afraid to use its strength to finish the job.  I know all Pokémon talk in this manga, but Machoke/Machamp is very human in this issue, appearance- and personality-wise.  It makes it kind of weird that Red captures him, because it feels like he just caught a strange looking person.

Machoke's Gang: Caterpie, Kakuna, Butterfree, and Ekans

Why does Machoke hang out with bugs and a snake?  It's not really clear, but it allows for the clever moments in which Clefairy can use the stores many items against them.  It kind of feels like this should have been the gang that harassed our heroes back in the Viridian Forest.  Also, why a Kakuna and not a Metapod (or why not Weedle and Beedrill, which are usually portrayed as the menacing bugs of Viridian Forest)?  So many questions.

Celadon Citizens and Their Pokémon: Sandshrew, Sandslash and Chinmi

Alright, Sandshrew is pretty evident and Sandslash, while horribly off model can still be described as a Sandslash (with bird-like features).  But I want to take this opportunity to focus on the black and white creature in the center of the frame.  It's appeared in every issue so far in little cameo roles.  Apparently it is a Pokémon-ized caricature of creator Kosaku Anakubo's cat Chinmi (meaning "rare taste" or "delicacy"), who has unusual markings on its face, making it look like it has a big smile.  It would be tedious to chronicle every tiny appearance, but he appears multiple times in this issue, so I thought it was time to acknowledge this mystery figure.

Setting

Celadon City Department Store

For a series that likes jumping from set point to set point, we are finally going to slow down a bit in Celadon City.  I can tell because we haven't met Erika yet.  So, at the moment, we only get to focus on the Department Store.  It seems as if it's located far away from the rest of the city, but it is a very popular location.  We still have this tropical setting, but I think I just didn't realize how omnipresent palm trees are in Japan.

Bethlehem

It's just for a gag, but Clefairy rides his bike all the way to the Middle East to meet up with the Magi.  Apparently, Chinmi is among those traveling to meet the savior.

Overall Review: A

This manga is going to continue at least until the present day, so Anakubo had to start slowing down the pace of the story at some point.  Filling time with a fun plot and a Pokémon capture isn't a bad way to go.  I like how well-orchestrated Clefairy's fight against the robbers is.  It reminds me of the tricks used in Pokémon Adventures battles where it's more than just sheer force and type-advantage that wins battles.  Machamp is a great new character, who I wish would return more often (as he could definitely win many battles for Red).  My favorite bit of humor is Clefairy's Poké Doll disguise.  The weird thing about items is that they weren't really officially designed until the TCG (and they rarely appear in the anime), so for a while, I never knew that all Poké Dolls were supposed to be Clefairy shaped.  But this manga embraced that knowledge and got a pretty good action sequence out of it.

Card of the Day: Base Set Beedrill

Beedrill #17 (Base Set)

HP:  80   Retreat Cost:  0   Weakness:  Fire   Resistance:  Fighting

80 HP is a little low for a Stage 2 Pokémon (considering it doesn't gain health through evolution), but a Resistance and no Retreat Cost are wonderful additions that help balance the creature.  (Apparently, the designers saw the wings and assumed Beedrill gets the standard Resistance that all Flying-types receive.  I'm not complaining.)

Twineedle (3C):  30x

This is Beedrill's standard attack.  Nothing special, outside of the Colorless cost, which means that Beedrill can assist in non-Grass decks.  And the chance of hitting 60 damage is nice, but I would stick with the more reliable Poison Sting.

Poison Sting (3G):  40

40 for 3 Energy is already a good deal, but the possibility for Poison makes this attack even better.  I once foun myself in possession of 4 Beedrills, and I realized that I could cause so much havoc just by Poison Stinging all of my opponents.  One Beedrill alone may not do the trick, but multiple working together can be a nightmare.

Strategies Against Beedrill

Take out the Weedles as soon as you can.  Kakuna will not fall down easily, and once Beedrill is in play, make sure you have some Full Heals on hand.  Fortunately, the weak HP means a Basic or Stage 1 Fire Pokémon like Charmeleon or Magmar can take it down.  But you have to make sure that you strike it down in own fell swoop, because it can retreat without penalty if it is in danger.  Unfortunately, not many non-Fire types can consistently deliver 80 damage points.

Kakuna Overview

HP:  80   Retreat Cost:  2   Weakness:  Fire   Resistance:  None

Kakuna's primary goal is to stall until Beedrill is available.  With a whopping (for a Stage 1 Pokémon) 80 HP and Stiffen, which can prevent damage, Kakuna can hold on for a long time.  Poisonpowder is just a weaker version of Beedrill's Poison Sting, but at least it can ensure that your opponent is taking damage while Stiffen is guarding Kakuna.  Kakuna is a well-oiled machine and staller for any Grass deck.  C+

Weedle Overview

HP:  40   Retreat Cost:  1   Weakness:  Fire   Resistance:  None

Weedle is the Beedrill's weak spot.  It can set up an early Poisoning with Poison Sting, but it won't last beyond 3 rounds.  Among the Basics it will be encountering early on, it is one of the weakest choices.  Better keep it on the bench until it is ready.  D-

Sample Beedrill Deck

You'll want many Beedrills attacking in full force.  In order to stall and protect the Weeles, I've enlisted some Seels and Staryus.  The Staryus can take out weak Fire Pokémon while the Seels are mini-walls.  And Dewgong is a powerhouse unto itself.  But with up to 4 Beedrills flying, they will experience little hassle.

4 - Beedrill

4 - Kakuna

4 - Weedle

2 - Starmie

3 - Staryu

2 - Dewgong

3 - Seel

4 - Bill

3 - Pokémon Trader

4 - Energy Removal

3 - Professor Oak

12 - Grass Energy

8 - Water Energy

4 - Double Colorless Energy

Final Grade: B+

As much as I enjoy Beedrill, I must admit that there are stronger Pokémon out there.  If you use the Poison well and time your Retreats perfectly, then Beedrill can be an annoying battler to come up against.  The weak Weedle is really the only thing holding this back from "A" territory for me, though.  Give Beedrill a try.  It's worth it.