Today we drop it down with music exclusively from....the "Pokemon" game franchise. Despite it being f**king "Pokemon", the thing that everyone played during their childhood, the games actually do have some AMAZING songs to back them up. Much like many other RPGs, the battle themes decide the flow of a certain battle, and the battles in "Pokemon" can be really intense because of certain themes.
Gym Leader Themes
Song: Battle! Gym Leader (Kanto & Johto)
From: Pokemon Black 2 & White 2
Artist: Junichi Masuda, Hiromi Sato
Pretty much every gym leader theme from the B&W 2 remix pool is freaking godlike, except for the Hoenn one. Out of the remixes, I feel that Johto's and Kanto's were the absolute best ones, especially Johto's gym leader theme.Up to date, I feel that its still the most suspenseful gym leader theme, and the theme that spells" you're going to get f**ked" like no other. Seriously though, these guys were no joke in the World Tournament, and I could NOT stand Claire and her f**king team of overpowered dragons. As for the Kanto gym leader theme, instead of being suspenseful, its more energetic, with also a tinge of danger added in there, which is great.
Song: Battle! Gym Leader (Sinnoh)
From: Pokemon Black 2 & White 2
Artist: Junichi Masuda, Hitomi Sato
This one is catchy as f**k. I'll say it, Sinnoh is my least favorite region, but its gym leader battle theme is just beyond epic. The entire theme gives off a feel which makes you feel that every one of its gym leaders that you battle is a god on his/her own level. Tension is extremely high throughout the entire song, which makes it even more epic, you feel like you're always on your toes, if you don't focus for a single second, you lose. Easily the most intimidating of all the gym leader themes in the Pokemon games.
Song: Battle! Gym Leader
From: Pokemon X & Y
Artist: Shota Kageyama, Minako Adachi, Hitomi Sato, Junichi Masuda
I must say that they went really ham with X&Y's soundtrack. While I didn't like it at first and felt that the overall theme of the soundtrack itself did not fit Pokemon, I grew to like it. Hell, I grew to LOVE it. Eventually, Kalos's gym leader theme became the sickest shit and I couldn't stop listening to it. I just could not stop headbanging to the awesome techno rave. The only unfortunate thing is that the actual gym leaders themselves are probably the easiest gym leaders in Pokemon history. *Sigh*, a great theme needs awesome gym leaders to go alongside it!
Elite Four Themes
Song: Battle! Elite Four
From: Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire
Artist: Junichi Masuda, Go Ichinose, Morikazu Aoki
Hoenn is my second favorite region, and while the gym leader theme wasn't one of my favorites, the elite four theme knocked everything out of the park for me. While its NOT the best elite four theme IMO, it sounds so powerful and intimidating...EXACTLY how an elite four theme should sound like (IMO, many of the elite four themes sound bland). The ORAS remix only made it sound better by amplifying the bass and trumpets, turning it into a music where you fight these 4 gods to the death before you face the champion.
Song: Battle! Elite Four
From: Pokemon X & Y
Artist: Shota Kageyama, Minako Adachi, Hitomi Sato, Junichi Masuda
If I liked the gym leader theme in X&Y, its only natural that I'd fall in love with the Elite Four theme as well. Unfortunately, they were all pushovers other than Siebold, but whatever. The entire theme has such a great tempo to it as you battle against your opponents, it makes you FEEL like the odds are stacked against you, FOR THE ENTIRE THEME. That, just feels amazing, then for the final few seconds of it, it gives you the hope that you can turn the fight around. The way the song works is just so good....unfortunately though, as I mentioned earlier, its probably going to be the Elite Four on the receiving end of the pain instead of you. *Sigh*
Song: Vs. Elite Four
From: Pokemon Black & White/Black 2 & White 2
Artist: Junichi Masuda, Hiromi Sato
If there was any elite four theme that'd take the cake for being the best...its this one. My absolute FAVORITE elite four group and theme goes to the BW team....just look at them! I love them all design wise, but the way that their typings all counter one another is so smart! Anyway, if there was a definition of a fight to the death with fast and unrelenting music, this is it. I always feel so f**king pumped when I battle against them with this theme in the background. The rematches...OH THE REMATCHES, that's where this theme turns on and kicks in with full throttle.
Champion Themes
No Cynthia's theme, since I've already mentioned it before in another post. My decision still stands, her theme is THE best champion theme of ALL TIME, nothing can change my mind until a new champion theme that's better comes up (which I doubt will ever happen).
Song: Battle! Champion Iris
From: Pokemon Black 2 & White 2
Artist: Junichi Masuda, Hiromi Sato
This is another song I grew to like. I didn't quite enjoy it too much at first. Sure, its a fun song, but this is supposed to be a CHAMPION theme! However....the champion is Iris. Come on, she's like, a little princess girl with BIG ASS DRAGONS. The theme is completely out of place, but with the battle stage background being all space like and Iris being all bubbly the whole time, I couldn't help but bop along to the song. And the song DOES have its epic moments, during the very fast paced segments, it almost sounds like she's going to beat your ass into the ground. She wasn't exactly easy too, her Haxorus was complete BS if you weren't prepared for Focus Sash + Dragon Dance.
Song: Battle! Champion
From: Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire
Artist: Junichi Masuda, Go Ichinose, Morikazu Aoki
Steven may not be the toughest champion, but let's be honest, his theme kicks ass. Like, SO MUCH ASS. They didn't change it too much int he remake, and I'm happy that they didn't. This is a classic, how the guy that helped you so much throughout the entire game turns out to be champion. Amazing. Anyway, the song pretty much spells a close and tight battle between 2 extremely powerful individuals. Instead of feeling overpowered by your foe, Steven's theme makes it sound like the 2 of you are going head to head as equals of great strength, and for that, I love this theme.
Song: Vs Lance/Red
From: Pokemon Heart Gold & Soul Silver
Artist: Junichi Masuda
Lance was just a faggot with a ton of Dragonites, nothing much there. We all know that this theme is for Red, who's probably the biggest badass in Pokemon history. The HG/SS arrangement was just my favorite one among all the officials releases of this theme. Its a slow, epic theme between 2 player characters that happened in a cannonical setting, THIS should happen more dammit (I was halfway expecting to face either Hilbert or Hilda in BW2)! This song just oozes with awesomeness, and the battle between Gold and Red will never be forgotten. Come on, a level 88 f**king Pikachu. What, the, f**k. If there were a Pokemon battle with leveling power spikes, this would be it.
Song: Battle! Champion (Kanto)
From: Pokemon Black 2 & White 2
Artitst: Junichi Masuda
I may be the only one here, but the 2nd most badass champion theme (out of Cytnhia's theme) belongs to Blue/Green/Gary/douche/scumbag... or whatever you want to call him....oak. This guy...this...f**king...guy. His theme sounds like its just belittling you to no f**king end! Considering his character, I think its freaking amazing and very fitting of him. There are so many high beats and trumpets, portraying this high and mighty asshole that thinks you are beneath him. Kicking the snot out of him is satisfying, but boy is he one hell of a tough customer! There's a reason why this theme is reused in X&Y as the multiplayer champion battle theme, because it's that f**king good!
Other Great Themes
Song: Vs.Rival
From: Pokemon Heart Gold/Soul Silver
Artist: Junichi Masuda
While I didn't really like Silver as a rival, I have to admit that he has one of the sweetest rival themes in the series. This shit gets you PUMPED. In a way, he's a lot like Blue/Green, he's an asshole. As an asshole, he looks down on you, and this theme makes it sound like you're battling someone who's on an equal standing with you, but it a lot more determined in crushing you than you are crushing him. While Blue/Green's theme made it sound like he was belittling you, Silver's Rival theme sounded like he thinks he's already won, and he wants you to know that he's coming to sodomize you. Fortunately, he's one of the tougher rivals around, I like that.
Song: Battle! Rival Hugh
From: Pokemon Black 2 & White 2
Artist: Junichi Masuda
Probably one of the only 2 likable rivals (the other being Wally, and no I do not consider Cheren/Bianca/Serena or any of the fools in X & Y to be rivals) in the Pokemon games in my opinion. It felt like Hugh got my back the entire game, and I genuinely liked him as a character, he had drive, he had a goal, he didn't just want to be the best, he had to be good for a reason. Let's be honest here, until Wally's new theme got released in ORAS, he held the best rival theme bar none. This shit is so upbeat, epic and awesome. During the entire theme, it felt like Hugh didn't want to lose, and you were on the back foot. While Hugh's battles weren't particularly hard except for his post game fight, it was still great battling him every time to listen to this.
Song: Battle! Wally
From: Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire
Artist: Junichi Masuda, Go Ichinose, Morikazu Aoki
I am speechless. I never thought they'd pull it off, a heavy rock/metal theme for Pokemon. And for all characters, they did it for Wally. F**KING WALLY, the wimpiest, the pitiful kid in all of Pokemon history! This bugger's so sad that you'd need to feel for him no matter what! No matter, you get to face in the most epic, badass fashion possible, right before the elite four, and while he wasn't as tough as his original gen 3 counterpart, his theme is so freaking badass. Its epic beyond all proportion, he is like, the last boss before the elite four. Despite being a handicapped, weak little kid, you respect him because he started off so pathetically weak, but here he is, standing right before you, getting to this point before YOU did. This theme tells the story of a kid who turns into a man, and its f**king amazing.
Song: Battle! PWT Finals
From: Pokemon Black 2 & White 2
Artist: Junichi Masuda
As an avid player of BW2's PWT, I cannot express my love for the entire thing. It was so frustratingly tough, yet satisfying. The few times I made it to the finals, the game just has to get me even more pumped up by playing this theme. Its just so majestically good, it feels amazing just having a final stand against the god you are now facing. WHOEVER you fight, EVERYONE is a tough opponent in the PWT, and since you can lose ANYTIME, this music is perfect for having a tight, close battle as the crowd cheers both sides on. Its like you're living the fight in an anime, and you feel that nothing in the world can stop you. Win or lose, you fought your hardest, and you know it. This is THE theme that submerges you in complete immersion of the PWT, and I effin love it.
Song: Battle! Zinnia
From: Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire
Artist: Junichi Masuda, Go Ichinose, Morikazu Aoki
How...how do they do it? Every time I think Pokemon music can't get any better, these guys prove me wrong ALL the time. Hands down, Zinnia's battle theme is the best Pokemon battle music...there is just no contest. I mean, this is the song of ages, I'D SAY IT EVEN TOPS CYNTHIA'S THEME. This sounds like the final boss theme of a Pokemon game, I'd be totally cool with it if Zinnia was the champion and this was the theme that played at the very final battle of the game, that'd be so f**king awesome! The music sounds like you're battling a god of sorts, and you're going to get completely demolished by one of the more powerful trainers that ever existed. I'd assume that's how Zinnia was supposed to be portrayed, but come on...she's too easy! At least give her a rematch with Red's or Barry's level of power!
