Phantom Masked Coordinator ep preview.

[Zak]

www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/anime/pokemon_ag and click the middle pic of May, for those who don't know...

Clip and first thoughts:

Well, we see a trainer with a Dusclops Mask and an actual Dusclops, and this guy is clearly "The Phantom Coordinator". Also, it shows him as a kid, and how he used to have a Duskull... kinda like a repeat of the last ep. But the last one with Skitty/Delcatty was really good, and I'd love to see something about the history of a trainer's Duskull/Dusclops. Also, I believe that attack of a blue fireball is Will-O'-Wisp. Only other time we've ever seen a Dusclops was in movie 6 belonging to Butler, and it used a blue fireball attack which was indeed Will-O'-Wisp. This is the first appearance of Dusclops in the main Anime, though

Text:

Well, here's a rough translation, put into my own words. But it pretty much summarizes the text:

The day of the Vertanturf pre-Contest-Convention and Contest has come, and May is ready, having done a lot of training with help from a Legendary Coordinator. As they make a visit to the Contest Hall Pokemon Center, they see Shuu and his Roselia, who is injured badly. Then, Shuu explains that he was totally beaten in a battle by some mysterious masked Pokemon Trainer, who happens to be a Coordinator too. Therefore, with Roselia needing time to heal and that mysterious person in the contest, Shuu will not be participating in this contest. Ash then asks Shuu what this guy was like, because being the spirited battler he is, he's eager to find this trainer and challenge him to a battle...


Final thoughts:

So, this contest will be Shuu-less! Heh, that should be interesting, but even though Shuu is a jerk, Roselia is pretty cool. Oh well... Dusclops is cooler anyways =D. Wonder who Ash will use in this battle against Dusclops. Maybe Torkoal and it'll win this time... or maybe Treecko and it'll evolve . As for the contest, knowing the writers and what they've been doing as of late, it's unpredictable whether May will win or lose.

Time will tell.

Evidence May will win:

-She won at Fallarbor against a frikkin Medicham!
-The hero/heroine usually beats someone no one can beat.
-Slateport was only her first one.
-She's using Skitty, and it beat Ampharos!

Evidence May will lose:

-The writers like surprising us.
-Sometimes when a trainer is said to be really good, a few times the hero actually DOES lose, believe it or not. Richie.... Harrison... Trinity... and even Shuu at Slateport. Brawly and Wattson, too. Same with Gary in the end of Orange Islands.
-She lost at Slateport, and she's probably gonna lose at least one more contest. If not here, then Lilycove.
-She's using Skitty for the first time, and Beautifly lost the first time and won the second time.

Well, time will tell.

[Chris 2.1]

Sounds good. Apparently this guy goes Masked because he does contests without his parents permission. Hmmm..

Everybody thought Duskull....and it was Dusclops that he owned! I like this guy. I hope May can win, although I seriously doubt it. Maybe with Blizzard...

Also, if May won once with Beautifly and changed the Poke she used, why has Shuu won 3 with Roselia and still goes for a 4th? Does he maybe win each one with Roselia, then another, then another? Hmmm

[JazzJazz]

We could see May lose and this Phantom Masked Coordinator will turn out to be a good guy who really cares for his dusclops and treats it really well... kinda like AJ with his sandshrew.

[Chris 2.1]

I fail to see why he'd not care for his Pokemon in the first place, JazzJazz....

[Light_Togetic]

Yes, I agree with Brit Chris. I don't think the Masked dude is evil or anything. He's just good at training or something. *Shudders at Dusclops* I don't really like Dusclops, but I won't let that get in my way of enjoying the episode!

I am however, a bit confused about Pokemon Contests in the anime. Do they have levels like in the games or not? They must not, because there's no way May could just start at any one house. It would have to be the first level (whatever it's called... Normal?). Am I right? Do they not have levels?

[Pewter City Geodude]

My guess is, each contest house in the anime holds contests for each level (Normal, Super, etc) and coordinators sign up for the appropriate one at the reception desk. Just a guess though.

[Chris 2.1]

Ayane has a Master Rank Trophy, I think. Maybe you need to beat a contest to enter at another level. That seems suiting.

In the games, they have Normal, Super, Master and probably others. I'm guessing

[Nikku-San]

I am however, a bit confused about Pokemon Contests in the anime. Do they have levels like in the games or not? They must not, because there's no way May could just start at any one house. It would have to be the first level (whatever it's called... Normal?). Am I right? Do they not have levels?

Actually, I recall in several episodes, someone stating that a Pokemon learns a certain attack at a certain level. I know for sure that one of the questions in "Will The Real Oak Please Stand Up" was "What attack does Slowbro learn at Level 42?" The answer was Amnesia, which James got right by accident. ^_^;;

On topic: Yay, contest eppie! I love contests now that I've actually seen how innovative they are. ^_^ And Dusclops is sure to be interesting. He can learn a lot of good attacks, IIRC. I hope this guy's Dusclops doesn't know Earthquake like that girl from the Elite 4's, cuz if it does, May is screwed... Unless she uses Beautifly. ^_^

[Gravy]

Said it before, and I'll say it again. I love the contest episodes more than the gym battles.
And this contest certainly looks very interesting. Skitty against Dusclops just seems like such an uneven match, on account of both size and attack power. And the way they let us compare the damage of both Skitty and Dusclops certainly makes this all the more interesting.

I didn't see any sign of the 'show-off' segment, or the first round battle during the preview. If they don't show either, that would be quite a shame, as I'd have liked to see how Skitty would use its Assist attack to create a decent combination and impress the judges.

I have a feeling that Haruka is a little relectant to battle Kimimaro at first. If he reveals his identity to his mother/father/whatever before the contest, he'll want to prove to them that contests are worhtwhile etc.