Pokemon: Twilight Wings

Nekus Aug 11, 2020

6

Pokemon: Twilight Wings is well worth the little time investment it asks of you (about 40 minutes) and while it's great both for kids and adults that grew up with pokemon it can be enjoyed by everyone. (The ones that will enjoy it the most are the ones that played Pokemon Sw/Sh since it has characters from that game and I have to say that I don't fall in such category.)Considering that's it's from 2 newer studios and both director and character designer are novices the show is extremely solid, doesn't lack polish in any aspect and makes me interested in whatever other projects they are gonna work on in the future. The story is divided into 7 episodes in which only the 1st, 6th and 7th are connected and are about a little boy John while the other 4 are episodic and each about different characters. This weird idea is my main problem with the show itself.Some of the episodic episodes are extremely well made and written, the episode Hop and Wooloo managed to make me care and cry for characters I knew for like 5 minutes, incredible stuff.But then we have 3 whole episodes dedicated to John. I liked John and his story, It's not like it was bad in any way, and the finale was nice, but I don't get why he got 3 episodes instead of 1. Sure his story was a bit longer and maybe 2 would have worked better but I don't see the point of 3. And why were they spaced out? I think that sticking to all episodic or all John (with more stuff to make him do and more events) would have worked better, this half-episodic thing seems half-assed.The slice of life aspect, showing us everything from children, teens, young adults to adults worked great. It makes it clear that everyone has struggles and doesn't try to make anyone's life look any easier than anyone else's which is refreshing. The animation quality goes from slightly above average to stellar in some episodes but the photography and art direction are consistently high quality with beautiful scenic shots and nice use of the twilight time to conclude some scenes, the shows managed to remain faithful to the pokemon aesthetic while upgrading it on all aspects. While the OST was nice enough during the viewing, after just a couple days I don't remember a single track from it so I can't say it was good, but that might also have to do with the shorter running time. The characters are a hit or miss in development being exceptional in episode 3 and 4 with Hop/Wooloo reaffirming their bond and showing how much they care for each other and Nessa revaluating and having doubts about her career situation before deciding to double down with more effort.And then there is stuff with Bea in episode 2 where she loses a match, punches a couple of rocks and "Oh yeah I will train harder to win"... wow, riveting writing right there, definitely never done before. The show lacks an overall cohesion, both in the episodes model and in it the lack of theme. You could say that it portrays different struggles from different ages. Or that it tells you to pursue your dreams. Or to appreciate the great things you already have. Or to never give up. Or.. whatever was episode 5 with Oleana/Olivia was trying to say.. that episode was weird.  Or more simply it doesn't have a coherent theme. Trying to give so many different life lessons in 40 minutes just doesn't work. I doubt anyone will walk away from this show with a different perspective on anything or remembering a particularly memorable moment, which is a shame and makes me unable to give it a higher rating.In conclusion, while this show will not be remembered much in some time, it is a great easy-going experience that I would recommend anyone to watch, and I think will be a great start in a stand-out career by its creators in the future.

MadamOtaku Apr 17, 2023

7.5

This delightful series of short stories is a nice introduction to the world of Pokemon. For life long fans that haven't followed the series for a long time, it's also a nice, inviting way to return. Seven episodic stories are sweet and inspirational for a young audience but enjoyable for all. It's an easy, quick watch with each episode only about 6-7 minutes long.  We mostly follow two boys in a childrens' hospital, John and Tommy. In episode 4: Early-Evening Waves, we also see young yet mature Nessa, beloved Galar region Gym Leader and model. The art and voice acting are miles ahead of the what we've grown up with; backgrounds are fantastic, the art is clean, bright, and gives off an nice friendly atmosphere. It's really showcased in episode 4.  Family friendly and free to binge on YouTube.