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POKEMON ADVANCE BATTLE: SHOCKS AND BONDS (VOL. 7) [ADVANCE REVIEW] |
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Sunday, 18 February 2007 |
 | | ▪ | RELEASED BY: | | VIZ MEDIA | | | ▪ | ASPECT RATIO: | | 4:3 FULL SCREEN | | | ▪ | AUDIO: | | ENGLISH DD 2.0 | | | ▪ | RUNNING TIME: | | 132 MIN | | | ▪ | RATING: | | A | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 03/06/2007 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 02/19/2007 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | SCOTT CAMPBELL |
Pokemon is a series you either love or hate. Either way, it is a multi-million dollar franchise and it isn’t going away anytime soon. Most readers can remember the boom in the late nineties with the original Pokemon adventures, but did you know there has been a stream of new separate seasons since then? Pokemon Advanced Battle is the latest series to be coming out on DVD in North America, and it covers a story arc and geographical area completely different from the original series of old. Pokemon Advanced Battle also includes hundreds of new Pokemon that most of us may have never heard of. So much for remembering them all – now there seems to be about 300 of them rather than the original 150. It just goes to show that if you’re going to keep the interest of the viewers, you’ve got to keep adding to what you have to offer to the viewer and Pokemon Advanced Battle does just that.
Picking up on the seventh volume in the series, Ash and the gang (a whole new crew, save the mainstay Pikachu and Brock) find themselves fooled into another Pikachu capturing trap by the oh-so-inventive Team Rocket. The whole thing goes wrong and the group (now including Team Rocket) gets stranded on a remote island. Through a new friendship with an island survivor and a huge whale Pokemon, everyone gets off the island safely and on to the next destination. Ash and the gang are almost to the Pokemon championships when Team Rocket tries to steal an important torch that signifies the spirit of the tournament. After foiling that attempt, the group arrives at the event and forgoes many very long and involved Pokemon battles to decide the winner. Who triumphs? You’ll have to watch to find out.
Pokemon was always fairly repetitive in its plot and in its conflicts, and Pokemon Advanced Battle sticks with that routine. But that is what makes it so good for kids – it’s not overly complicated, and the “lessons” are always made as apparent as possible. The good guys always win and the bad guys always get booted into the sky with a yelp. Pokemon also teaches a lot of lessons about team work and being a good sport. There are positive things that children or even older viewers can take away from a couple episodes of this show. Even more mentionable are the improved colors and animation. This series is very bright and dynamic with fluid animation compared to the original series. Battles are more involving, and a lot more just seems to be happening in each scene. The Powers That Be are still working hard to make Pokemon worth watching for the next generation, and they appear to be doing a good job of it.
EXTRAS:
Extras include a text preview of Pokemon Advanced Battle adventures to come, as well as the opening and closing theme song sequences.
IN SUMMARY:
Pokemon Advanced Battle is an improved and upgraded version of the original Pokemon series that most viewers are familiar with. This volume covers some involving stories, including the exciting battles of the Pokemon League Championships. Fans new and old should find something they like, and will appreciate the colorful and dynamic animation. |
