We’ve reached the end of the first major arc Pokémon: Horizon The animation ends on a high note. It’s impressive how Rico, Roy, and Dot as characters step out of their comfort zones and fully embrace a lifestyle they initially thought was impossible. Liko embraces the adventure of becoming a trainer in hopes of fulfilling Lucius’ dream. Roy hopes for a rematch with the symbol of his journey, Black Rayquaza, while Dot finally learns to stand up for himself properly and fight for a better life outside the room. Seeing them play against the Explorers during the climax of the season, seemingly a complete 180° from who they were at the beginning, there are significant differences between the Rising Volt Tacklers and the Explorers.
The Explorer seems to embody the idea of accomplishing your agenda by any means necessary. While they do work for the leader, they don’t get along well and seem to work to exploit each other rather than build something together. This is in stark contrast to the Rising Volt Tacklers, who still feel like a family. Their trust in each other is evident, especially when our main child characters willingly put themselves in dangerous situations. I know I could joke about adults leaving the dangerous stuff to kids, but when you consider what everyone goes through on their journey, the show earns that confidence.
Granted, this season doesn’t feature any incredibly over-the-top combat animations compared to previous installments, but it’s still incredibly consistent and high-quality. The way combo moves are used allows for different forms of creativity, and the impact of each attack feels strong. It’s a shame that the battles aren’t any more exciting thanks to the use of the show’s music. I don’t think the Americanized soundtrack is bad, but it seriously lacks exciting battle themes. The soundtrack works best when it uses a familiar leitmotif from the game or a very soft piano melody to set the mood. However, when this soft music is used during combat it really takes away a lot of the tension and I hope we hear more exciting tracks in future episodes.
Another drawback is that while the last three episodes were very strong and worthwhile, I can’t say the same for the beginning of this arc. There are some strong character moments, my favorites being those where the focus grabs her second Pokémon When Dot rebels against her mother. However, it will take a while before the show can be rebooted before that happens. The first three episodes of Part Four feel like filler, and while there are some cute moments, they’re not as strong as some of the other filler episodes we’ve had before.
That being said,Pokémon: Horizon Still quality Pokémon content. We see a type of character progression that’s been missing in other installments franchisethe journey and the overall mystery remain compelling. The writing could be more compact, but with passion and respect for the material and its readers. It seems that the next main plot will focus on Terastallization, which I am very much looking forward to. Until we do that, any Pokémon Fans, young and old, should sit down and watch this arc, because if you haven’t, you’re seriously missing out.
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