#imite

[chaoparty]

Duplica!

[lunaticobscurity]

imite/duplica is cool

also, there’s a weird feeling to watching subbed episodes of g1 pokemon. something so familiar, but also slightly different to how you remember it. or maybe it’s just the slightly fuzzy quality of the old rips the subbers use that gives it a particular nostalgic warmth

[tobiasdrake]

Episode 37 - Ditto and the Copycat Girl

Taking shelter from a rainstorm in the mysterious Mimic House/House of Imite, where they meet a young girl about Ash's age named Imite/Duplica. She's raising the gimmick Pokemon Ditto!

Ash offends Duplica by implying that Ditto doesn't sound like a very good Pokemon and she challenges him to a match. He's right in his assessment; Ditto's Transform gimmick is neat, but having to burn a turn using it while your opponent gets a free move in means you're ultimately always trying to use the same approach your opponent's using but a turn behind.

Sorry, Duplica, but Ditto is always at a disadvantage in every possible encounter by design. Competitively, they're among the worst Pokemon ever. Your opponent pretty much has to be a total clod to lose to them.

This is a fight Ash should easily win. Naturally, that means he loses. Ditto imitates Bulbasaur, then defeats Bulbasaur with their own Vine Whip after Razor Leaf, a move with 95% accuracy, misses. Stupid cheating game.

Follow Duplica's lucky victory, she reveals that she's not actually trying to be a competitive Trainer. Her aspiration is to perform costume shows to entertain passing travelers. However, her Ditto has an unfortunate quirk that prevents them from being able to properly imitate a Pokemon: They can't copy faces.

Then Team Rocket shows up and steals Ditto. They have a plan: If they can get Ditto to impersonate the Dratini from the banned Safari Zone episode, they can defraud Giovanni into thinking they're good at their jobs. (I love these assholes. XD)

But before they do that, Jessie uses Ditto to make a grown-up Deepfake of her first childhood boyfriend out of curiosity. Due to Ditto's quirk, this does not go well.

Team Rocket manages to solve Ditto's problem, fortunately. It turns out, all they needed to be able to Transform fully was some good ol' violent threats and abuse. Heartwarming?

Team Rocket is fended off, of course. But the fruits of their efforts mean Duplica and her Ditto are able to reopen the Mimic House for passing travelers! Some actual net-positive as a result of these hucksters for once!

[pauperprintspoetry]

May I take your picture?

. . . so I might, remember you better.