Back to the series' strengths.

The episodes on this DVD keep the overacting to a minimum, focusing on the fight scenes and easily-solvable relationship problems that arise.

Though the mother's reluctance to see her daughter seems absurd to my Western eyes, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt, assuming that in Japan such people exist. There are certainly other points where belief must surely need to be suspended, even for the original audience.

The plot remains simple enough for children to follow and colours remain pretty enough. I do still question the morality of all these 'artificial' fights within post-Pokemon stories though.