|
| Foocha! is a non-profit Web site. We do it for kicks, not for cash. If you're interested in writing for the site, click here |
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
| TV,
Jerry Carpenter,
20 January 1999 |
Rating: F4
|
|
| |
| |
|
For the first time this century I choose to rise up regardless of flaming hangover early BOTH Saturday AND Sunday. Have I found organised religion? Am I supplementing my income with a paper round ? Hell no ! – I’m watching fin de siecle fantasy cock fighting for kids, and I LOVE it.
Pokemon is the show of the game from the Gameboy that saved Nintendo’s tush. Twice weekly we catch up with hyperactive Ash on his quest to become a Pokemon master. This means kidnapping scores of cute multicoloured creatures in his magic red and white tennis ball thing, and pitting them against other Pokemon trainers’ Pokemon in wild kinetic beat-em up battles. Hanging out with Ash on his ramblings are spunky water Pokemon loving Misty and tight-eyed cool guy Brock. Ash’s bestest buddy of course is his top Pokemon Pickachu, who eschews traditional Pokemon style by travelling on foot outside of the ball.
Twelve episodes in on terrestrial and our gang are still en route to Vermilion City, where there’s some BIG Pokemon action afoot. Ash is two badges up with a hefty team of greenie Pokemon in the ball. As always Team Rocket (the baddies!) are two steps behind and always cooking up some Heath Robinson-esque plan to snag Pickachu.
This is great manga, the animation is fast and choppy with sackfuls of over-the-top loony styling - blazing eyes, much thumping on the head, plentiful shrieking and gurnying in front of zappy graphic backgrounds. Pickachu is uber-cuteness defined, and I’d buy clingfilm-wrapped turds if his mug was printed on ‘em. Team Rocket’s weekly intro is a blast. The re-occurring Joy character is a cool tip of the hat to Deborah Kerr in ‘Cornel Blimp’. The boys have great style in wind-cheaters. Pokemon Rap is the new speed-garage. All this and more make it a sharper sweeter kick in the morning than a pint of blood orange juice.
That said, the computer franchise is still a blatant rip off – yellow special edition eh? You cheeky Nintendo monkeys.
ITV Sat/Sun 09.30 GMT
WPIX Mon-Sat 07.00 & 16.00 ET/PT
Top Home |
|
|
|
|
