Warning: SPOILERS for episode #7 of Pokémon HorizonsPokémon Horizon put its new Pikachu at the center of the latest episode, showing how big of a difference there is between Captain and Ash’s Pikachu – especially when it comes to inclusion on a show.
After struggling against Amethio and the adventurers in the previous episode, Riko and Roy decided it was time to take “Pokémon Trainer” literally, and in episode #7 of Pokémon Horizons took the time to practice duels and trained with Sprigatito and Fuecoco, respectively. However, letting the two novices fight each other wouldn’t get them far, so the pair approached Professor Friede and asked him to help them train. What they didn’t expect was that their new training partner would be the sole Captain Pikachu.
Greetings to Captain Pikachu
Captain Pikachu appeared on the battle floor in an incredible flash of thunder, only for the camera to swoop in and stop on his face as he surprisingly revealed an eye under his hat. Then the Captain shouted his name, and a giant, looming figure of Pikachu appeared behind him – the terrifying Riko and Roy. The essence of the training is that if Riko’s Sprigatito or Roy’s companion Pokémon Fuecoco can attack by working together, then the pair will be the winner. Captain Pikachu never even launched an attack, instead choosing to use his well-honed Double Team to create shadow clones, confusing the two starter Pokémon and causing fights Their attack missed. In the end, the match ended with Sprigatito and Fuecoco unconscious from exhaustion – the victory automatically belonged to Captain Pikachu.
Captain Pikachu is clearly a lover of the stage and understands the impact a good entrance can have. While he refrains from attacking, he also doesn’t go easy on low-level opponents, dominating the fight against weaker opponents in a way that Ash’s Pikachu rarely does. Captain Pikachu also seemed quite pleased with the performance afterward, though whether it was because he won or if he accomplished his goal of helping them train remains unclear. After all, it wasn’t a malice; Riko and Roy needed to learn the importance of tracking their opponent’s moves in battle, and Captain Pikachu’s extreme movements with Team Double posed the ultimate challenge in that regard. And, sure enough, Riko and Roy stopped launching random attacks after training, proving that they’ve absorbed that.
While Captain Pikachuperformance is definitely a unique trait, it’s good to see that Pokémon Horizon is trying to distinguish the Captain from what was before, instead of turning him into an identical character with a different hat.