New Sunday Specials in February (Rangers) (2024)

Serebii had it first, but on Pokemon Sunday they said that specials would be airing starting on February 14th, exclusive to Pokemon Sunday.

They're most likely Ranger related, but I thought it was worth posting.

Re: New Specials?

Probably new Mystery Dungeon shorts or another Ranger special to advertise the new game. We've been getting new Mystery Dungeon specials every so often.

I doubt its anything like the old hoso specials, those died back in 2005.

Re: New Specials?

I don't think we can assume this to be more than a one-off thing. It's probably based on the new Ranger game, in the same idea as those those Mystery Dungeon episodes, though it's a tad early if it is. (The game comes out on March 6.)

Maybe it'll be a Valentines episode.

Re: New Specials?

Considering the Ranger/Riolu 2-parter was done as part of the show, if this Ranger special is separate then it may not have Ash in it.

But I agree its likely for the new Ranger game whatever the case.

Re: New Specials?

I find it odd that Sunday decided to be the host of new specials. Not that I don't welcome it, it's just unprecedented. I have the same suspicions as everyone else, and I'm willing to believe that this may be a one time only thing. Sunday already shows old reruns of the anime along with all the other things they do, so I don't think they could have a regular side series going on.

Re: New Specials?

Isn't that just double episode?

If not, just hope that it isn't Dungeon. We've got enough milking for that series. I'd prefer something Ranger-related for now.

Re: New Specials?

It'll be the umpteenth Mystery Dungeon short with "To be Continued" at the end which never actually gets another episode.

*yawns*

Re: New Specials?

Mystery Dungeon WiiWare should get a special!

Re: New Specials?

jinglejoe said:

Mystery Dungeon WiiWare should get a special!

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They should?

Re: New Specials?

It'd be cool if they were specials connected to the plot of the movie, similar to how One Piece had a month of specials in the lead up to 'Strong World'. Febuary is the month were Coro Coro starts spilling the beans afterall.

That and, truthfully, I wouldn't be too enthusiastic about more Ranger twaddle. Speaking strictly from a story/character standpoint, I wasn't all that fond of the games, and from what we've seen of them in the show, I've been less than impressed. Not a big fan of that impecable ability to have just the right pokemon with just the right technique pop out of nowhere just at the nick of time.

Don't get me wrong, the Riolu episodes were damn good. But it sure as hell wasn't because of the Rangers.

Re: New Specials?

Grave-E said:

It'd be cool if they were specials connected to the plot of the movie, similar to how One Piece had a month of specials in the lead up to 'Strong World'.

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Releasing a special prequel to lead up to the movie would honestly make more sense than giving away two thirds of its script via the manga adaptation. Sadly, precedent for that only exists in Movie 1's case.

Re: New Sunday Specials in February (possibly Rangers)

Like most of us, I agree it's probably only a one time thing and will probably be either MD or Ranger ep - though if that's Ranger, I'll wonder why they didn't simply use the new Rangers in the regular show like happened with the last two...
I doubt they'll randomly make MD eps since we don't know about upcoming ones and the last ones for the WiiWare would've get it by now if they wanted to make eps for them...
Whatever it is - that's good! it can't hurt to get a "special" from time to time, no matter what it'll be, I'll be happy we got it over nothing...

Re: New Specials?

Grave-E said:

It'd be cool if they were specials connected to the plot of the movie, similar to how One Piece had a month of specials in the lead up to 'Strong World'. Febuary is the month were Coro Coro starts spilling the beans afterall.

That and, truthfully, I wouldn't be too enthusiastic about more Ranger twaddle. Speaking strictly from a story/character standpoint, I wasn't all that fond of the games, and from what we've seen of them in the show, I've been less than impressed. Not a big fan of that impecable ability to have just the right pokemon with just the right technique pop out of nowhere just at the nick of time.

Don't get me wrong, the Riolu episodes were damn good. But it sure as hell wasn't because of the Rangers.

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Meh, a Ranger episode would still be million times better than another MD. There's nothing in those MD episodes that made me interested about them. They were totally immemorable.

Your idea with a movie-related episode is good, indeed. And such episode would be interesting, most likely. But I don't feel that it's neccessary. The movies not being connected to the main anime plot is one of the few things in the Pokemon anime which I'm completely okay with. Movies are supposed to be something that's supposed to drag us into the screens for one and half hour and be more memorable than normal episodes. But they really don't contribute into the story at all. They're also not based on the games, thus they're not part of what I call "universal canon". This makes their association with the main anime even less needed.

As for Ranger episode, I'd like it to be set ENTIRELY in Oblivia. So we could see both main characters (not just one), Hastings, villains and all those. It'd be something new, different from the main anime and more effective advertisem*nt-wise. However, it'd be better if such episode aired AFTER the release of the game. February 14 is still month before a release. They wouldn't reveal too much as of that early. That'd restrain the amount of material used in the episode and make it less "complete".

Generally, I'd love some a series of episodes based on spin-off games (not neccessarily Ranger) like TCG GB (I do realize that it's too late) or Colo/XD (also too late). But alas, we got entirely special episodes only for the series that interest me the least (maybe lack of human characters makes me prejudiced, I really dunno).

Re: New Specials?

Grave-E said:

It'd be cool if they were specials connected to the plot of the movie, similar to how One Piece had a month of specials in the lead up to 'Strong World'. Febuary is the month were Coro Coro starts spilling the beans afterall.

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The difference here is that "Strong World" is a tenth anniversary movie and had direct involvement from the creator of the series. "Phantom Ruler Z," on the other hand, is just another Pocket Monsters movie.

Re: New Sunday Specials in February (possibly Rangers)

What is with Japan's love-affair with the Ranger/Mystery Dungeon series? Those spinoffs got stale fast, and now that they're making excessive sequels to them you can tell how limited the concept is.

I also don't understand why they're so heavily promoted in the anime.

Re: New Sunday Specials in February (possibly Rangers)

Scott85 said:

What is with Japan's love-affair with the Ranger/Mystery Dungeon series? Those spinoffs got stale fast, and now that they're making excessive sequels to them you can tell how limited the concept is.

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Well, think of it this way. This is airing as a special on Pokemon Sunday and not an actual episode. With no Ash and co. to hog up the screentime, we can finally delve into generic Ranger stuff. The other Ranger specials felt like a legendary pokemon crisis that involved the main characters, with the Ranger character only tagging along for the ride. Hopefully this one is different.

Scott85 said:

I also don't understand why they're so heavily promoted in the anime.

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The main purpose of the anime is to promote the games; whether or not you like said games, the anime will still promote them one way or another.

Re: New Sunday Specials in February (possibly Rangers)

Scott85 said:

What is with Japan's love-affair with the Ranger/Mystery Dungeon series? Those spinoffs got stale fast, and now that they're making excessive sequels to them you can tell how limited the concept is.

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It's hardly a 'love-affair'. The games sell quite well, both in Japan and in the west, so it's only natural that they'll keep putting out more games as long as they sell.

Re: New Specials?

Grave-E said:

It'd be cool if they were specials connected to the plot of the movie, similar to how One Piece had a month of specials in the lead up to 'Strong World'.

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Some random-ass plot unrelated to anything else that mentions the movie character in the last 15 seconds of the 4th episode, you mean?

Re: New Sunday Specials in February (possibly Rangers)

Scott85 said:

What is with Japan's love-affair with the Ranger/Mystery Dungeon series? Those spinoffs got stale fast, and now that they're making excessive sequels to them you can tell how limited the concept is.

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Mystery Dungeon perhaps, but the main series could take a lesson from the plot and characterization that the Ranger games have.

The Deoxys Crisis and Kidnapped Riolu specials were both above-average episodes, but what tied them down was being so strongly linked to the main series. Though this was remedied somewhat in the Riolu special by using Hunter J and her client in place of Team Dim Sun, this new special will probably be well served to be set in Oblivia and use all Ranger-canon characters (Prof. Hastings, Murph, the Pokémon Nappers, etc)

Re: New Sunday Specials in February (possibly Rangers)

Well if it doesn't have Ash, and uses both Ranger protagonists and the villains from the game, it'll definitely feel different enough from what's been done in the regular episodes.

It just seems like every year or so there's another 1-hour Ranger special airing, and another Mystery Dungeon short.

Makes me wonder if the writers are being forced to advertise these games in the anime by the higher-ups, rather than if its what they want to do.