Pokémon Mega Voltage Ep. 1 Review “Roy’s Turn to Shine”

 

Written by Yongma Lee

Ever since 2023 when Horizons first debuted, I felt rather hesitant and uncomfortable about both main characters sharing the role of protagonist. There are some harsh words I would say about Liko but, it’s not like I don’t like girls as protagonists. It’s more along the lines of her character. The fact that Liko always portrayed herself as a sheltered rich girl who gets me rather annoyed if I have to be honest. Most of her journey, I felt that her role as a protagonist was underdeveloped. I would get that she somewhat improved. However as of episode 89, Friede died and she fell back to a square zero matter as she falls into depression. Something tells me that she had to bottle all that pain beneath the smile.

Skipping to what transpire 1 year, the anime appear to be shifting its focus to Roy despite countless reminders that it’s about Liko and Roy. And yet, I feel like Horizons’ would no longer cater to just children after what transpires on episode 89 especially where Spinel assumed his status as chairman of Exceed and framing the Rising volt tacklers for the destruction of Laqua. I also see that there’s a serious rift between the two as their paths would diverge with what appears to be Liko’s desire to expose the truth about the Explorers sounds more like she would be conducting her revenge while Roy want to move forward after the RVTs disbanded after the Laqua incident.

Time to dive in as the story now shifts to Roy.

Plot synopsis

On Episode 90, Roy continues his training alongside Ult who keeps bothering him for another battle challenge. However, Roy was investigating Rakurium behavior in Kalos and felt that he needs to see Liko again and ask her to help him. Liko, meanwhile, wound up running into her own troubles with talks about the Rising Volt Tacklers from what the students read only to have Ann to stand up to defend them.

On Episode 91, Roy manages to meet up with Liko asking her to join him on a journey. However, she refuses to go along with him as her Terapagos hasn’t come out of its Poke Ball after all that Transpires in Laqua as well as the Friede’s death. But decides to come along with him after her battle with him but not before she admits she’s also a member of the Rising Volt Tacklers as well and want to expose the truth about the Explorers.

New Opening: Get Back by YUZU

             The opening did sound a bit heroic briefly but suddenly halted for a somber opening. And then return for a heroic finish in a round repetition while the opening showcases the diverging paths. The opening started off with Liko sitting in the shade while she sees the others kids are playing and Pagogo being in a Terastal form in the middle of the night. It seems that Liko want everything to go back to the way things were before but where I see, her exposing the Explorers sounds more like she wants revenge as she battles against Coral and Sidian alone in a building what appears to be the Exceed headquarters.

             Roy, on the other hand, appears to be moving forward as Friede’s end play a pivotal role in forcing him to grow up. As he take on a mature role while Ult felt a bit bitter from Roy keep ditching him from all the battle challenges and his halt on competing with Ult when it comes to trying to catch the black Rayquaza. I’m also curious in Ult’s backstory why that is. Despite the positive finish. I can already notice that their paths will diverge and astray from one another.

             This opening did some major foreshadowing just like what happened to Only One story during the Laqua part.

Drastic changes between Liko and Roy

             After what happened at Rakua both of their paths have completely diverge with Liko winding up with PTSD and retreated back to square one while Roy forcing upon himself to grow up. Both of them are taking different paths as their loss of Friede is far too great to handle. Let’s start with the former, shall we?

A whole year has passed and Liko has returned to Indigo Academy wanting to live whatever life to her fullest. But that would be difficult especially when her classmates keep talking about the Rising Volt Tacklers being villains and the Explorers being heroes, which worsen her situation. After what has transpired I also noticed that she’s talking to Terapagos still inside the Poke Ball in a means of trying to cope with her feelings. She continues to hide her problems under a fake smile. And after the battle against Roy, she wants to expose the truth about the Explorers. I also noticed after she revealed to her classmates that she’s a member of the Rising volt tacklers, her intent was dropping out at school. As for the mail, It be possible that she let her parents, her grandmother know of this. But other than that, I honestly don’t know who else she has on her contacts. Even after she send that anonymous message, I hear that ominous and spine-chilling track fearing something frightening is about to happen. I fear that she actually wants revenge against the Explorers as I cannot blame Liko due to Spinel framing the RVTs and what has transpired at Laqua. I only hope that it’ll take more than just her Pokémon to prevent her from doing the unthinkable.

Roy on the other hand has been training alongside Ult at the Kalos region where for some strange reason, Roy wound up catching a shiny Lucario. Roy continues to push himself to grow up as he wanted to revive the Rising Volt Tacklers still believing that Friede’s still out there. The way he handle Ult, it appears that Roy is growing up even faster. I also noticed that Roy’s handle him in a mature fashion in contrast to the impulsive Ult. It shows that Roy want to move forward from the tragedy. I cross my heart and would see how Roy will handle being protagonist as the story shifts to him.

Final Thoughts

             I did admit that I don’t like Liko. Not because she’s a girl as a protagonist, but it’s her character that tends to bug me since Episode 1. I’m also glad that the story shifts to Roy and pray it would be on a permanent note. It’s because after what happened to Friede, I’m actually worried about Liko and what she’s going to do to the Explorers should things are left to her own devices. I understand that Spinel is a very terrible villain for what he did at Laqua and Framing the Rising Volt Tacklers but ending his life would mean Liko would be no better than him despite Terapagos and her other Pokémon and her friends try to help with this situation. Regardless, I’m actually more interested in see how the show handles with Roy being the new focus as protagonist.
             Mega Voltage has successfully pacify my Bring Ash Ketchum Back campaign for the time being and be rather curious in the event that the Pokémon Company, OLM Inc. and TV Tokyo decide to keep him for Gen 10. For the time being with Mega Voltage having a strong start, I’m giving the pilot episode special, 8.0 out of 10 stars. It might be enough to possibly save horizons through legal channels including VPN. Congratulations for the story shift to Horizons and to Roy.

 

 https://www.deviantart.com/saiboro2/journal/Roy-s-Turn-to-Shine-1184488026