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Title Information:
Distributor: Pioneer Animation
Street Date: 05/19/1998
Review Date: 02/05/2002
Price: $24.95
Length: 65 Minutes
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Region: 1
Disc Rating:
3 &UP
· Mild Violence
Cover Art:
Audio Options:
· English DD 2.0
Subtitle Options:
· None.
Disc Extras:
· Full Length PokeRap
· Pokemon Mini-Comic
Disc Gradings:
· Audio: B+
· Video: B+
· Packaging: B
· Menus: B-
· Extras: B
· Content: A-
Pokemon Vol. #05: Thunder Shock!
· Episode #13: Mystery at the Lighthouse
· Episode #14: Electric Shock Showdown
· Episode #15: Battle Aboard the St. Anne
AUDIO: B+
This DVD is dubbed-only, so we only get an English track. Which is fine with me, since I like the dub of this show too. The sound is very clear, and there are no drop outs. But, I find it strange that Pioneer has released some Spanish language videos for this series, yet there is no Spanish language here. A Spanish track would be fun to hear.
VIDEO: B+
I knew that Pioneer used the VHS masters on this DVD, which is okay, since the picture is still very nice. I swear though, everytime I watch this disc, I feel like I'm watching the VHS. I only noticed artifacting everytime we see the logo (the opening, the eye-catchers, the Pokerap, and the logo at the end of the credits). Overall, it was a good transfer.
PACKAGING: B
I loved the front cover, it's of Ash and Pikachu looking across to the GYM leader and his Raichu. Very nice picture. The spine has a cute picture of Pikachu on the bottom like all the VHS and DVDs do. Though this particular picture is very cute. Pikachu eating an apple. The back, in my opinion, was very boring. No screen captures... just Krabby... The insert is a screen capture of the menu of the disc, listing the episodes. The disc has a nice silk-screen picture of Pikachu on the right, and Raichu on the left.
MENUS: B-
The menu was boring. It only listed the chapters (and each chapter is one episode). The only other menus are the Pioneer and Viz information menus. Though, I found the sounds which play when you select a chapter (IE - Pikachu calling out - "Pika!") quite amusing.
EXTRAS: B
Well, I'm starting to suspect K-mart and Target opened these cases and purposely took out the mini-comics. Where's mine? I'm counting the Pokerap as an extra, because that's not usually something you find on TV too often. I somewhat enjoyed it (repeats the Pokerap chapter).
CONTENT: A-
This time, only one episode is considered a filler. I had found this episode boring as well, so I don't watch it much ("Mystery at the Lighthouse"). The last two episodes on this disc are very entertaining though. Let's start the content review.
(SPOILER WARNING)
In episode 13 ("Mystery at the Lighthouse"), Ash recently catches a Krabby, and tries to find a phone to call Professor Oak to check on it. Since, a trainer can only carry 6 Pokeballs, the other Pokemon are transported to the one who gave Ash his Pokedex. Ash, Misty, and Brock find a lighthouse and enter to ask to use the phone. After a conversation with Oak, Ash and his friends meet Bill (it's funny how he's in a Kabuto outfit and Ash mistakes him for a Pokemon). Later, Bill tells Ash and the others about how he has been wanting to meet a rare Pokemon. After playing the sounds he recorded one night, the Pokemon shows up again, before it could say anything to Bill, Team Rocket interferes and drives the Pokemon away. The next morning, Ash, Pikachu, Misty, and Brock leave the Lighthouse and onto Vermillion City.
In episode 14 ("Electric Shock Showdown"), Ash and the gang finally arrive in Vermillion City, but after seeing all the injured Pokemon at the Pokemon Center, Ash and Pikachu are frightened to battle the GYM leader. After one failure against Raichu, Ash begins to consider evolving Pikachu. But, Pikachu stands up for itself and decides note to evolve. When Ash and Pikachu return to the GYM they have a rematch with the GYM leader. Since Raichu was evolved too soon, it was not able to have the same speed as Pikachu has now. So Raichu looses and Ash recieves a Thunder badge.
In episode 15 ("Battle aboard the St. Anne"), Ash, Misty, and Brock are given free tickets for a cruise on the St. Anne, except the free tickets were a scam by Team Rocket. On the cruise, Ash battles a man with a Raticate. After sending out Butterfree to battle Raticate, the man stops the fight as Ash was winning. Later the man asks Ash if he wanted to trade Butterfree for Raticate. Ash agrees and they trade Pokemon. James, who is also on the cruise sees a salesman selling Magicarp and easily tricks James into buying one. Team Rocket ruins the party and tries to steal all the Pokemon, but the people decide to react and battle them. After successfully defeating Team Rocket, the boat begins to sink and the passengers begin to load up the life boats. Ash decides to trade back Raticate for Butterfree, the man accepts his offer. After the trade is done, the moving of the ship causes Ash to loose his Pokeball, so he goes after it. As soon as the passengers are in the life boats, Ash, Pikachu, Misty, and Brock along with James, Jessie, and Meowth are all stuck in the St. Anne.
The last episode was a cliffhanger, so you'd need to get the next volume to see what happens. This is a great series, and this DVD has some great episodes. So, give it a try!
· Philco 21" TV
· APEX AD-1500 DVD Player
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