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I finally got the time to watch the new episode after a busy weekend. I'll say first that I wasn't looking forward to the new arc, because the Lucius stuff is what drew me to Horizons after the dust settled. The filler arc was fine -- it's Pokemon, that's how things go -- but I was really waiting for them to get back to the plot. Suddenly transitioning into adapting the game seemed like a step backwards, although the way they made the transition made sense. I'm glad that it looks like the RVT will still be on screen from time to time, and if they treat this like a training arc rather than an Ashnime-era game adaptation plot, I think I'll like it regardless.
Here are things I liked about the episode:
>SV's artstyle has adapted really well to the anime. I had no idea how people like Larry or Poppi would come across without looking goofy as fuck.
>Friede taking ownership of the Heroes' Pokeballs means that we won't be getting pop-ins to save the kids as much.
>Liko won a battle, straight up, decisively, with little bullshit in the way; a good sign of things to come.
>They explained terastalization mechanics for the anime, and Friede using his Tera Orb one time outside of Paldea doesn't break with the canon in any significant way, meaning the flamebaiter has been btfo'd again.
>The Explorers are still here in pog form.
I don't like Rika talking about the League as if to foreshadow its inclusion. I would hope the climax of Horizons is RVT vs. Explorers, and that they aren't tacking on a League tournament at the end. Doing that when it's not needed dragged down SM.
