The Land before Kanto Chapter 3

It was now nighttime, and Little Leaf and his family were sleeping. A large Politoed managed to catch a whole Yanma with its tongue! It woke up Little Leaf and the frog Pokemon hopped away.

"Hey, hopper, come back!" Said Little Leaf.

"You again? Go away!" Said a familiar voice. It was Erin. "That's my hopper." They followed the Politoed into a pond, where there were more Politoed, as well as Poliwag and Poliwhirl. The amphibian Pokemon were hiding in bubbles, so Little Leaf and Erin decided to pop the bubbles to see if they could catch them. Suddenly, they heard loud footsteps. It was Groudon.

"Earthtooth!" Shouted Erin. The two smaller Pokemon started running away and made their way into a thorn bush. Earthtooth was violently trying to find them, but thankfully Little Leaf and Erin were hiding under a large branch. Earthtooth pressed his faced into the branch, pressing it into the ground. Little Leaf and Erin managed to escape, but Erin decided to take a different route.

"Come back! You're going the wrong way!" Pleaded the Chikorita. He chased after Erin, giving Earthtooth a chance to attack. Little Leaf was trying to escape, but he got stuck in some vines. He managed to escape, but the vine snapped back at the Groudon like a slingshot. It damaged his eye. When the Chikorita and Aron were running, Earthtooth managed to spot them. He was about to eat them, but he got hit with a large vine. Little Leaf's mom used Grass Knot.

"Run, Little Leaf!" She told him and Erin. The Groudon and Meganium continued to battle. However, Earthtooth managed to jump on top of Mother Meganium and bit through her skin, leaking out some plant fluids. She used Tackle and pushed Earthtooth into a chasm. This gave her, Little Leaf, and Erin
enough time to run away, but before he fainted, Earthtooth used Fissure, creating a massive earthquake. Herds were divided and families were split in two. Little Leaf was separated from his mother. After the earthquake subsided, Erin heard a familiar voice. It was her parents.

"Mama, daddy!" She said. Erin was on one side of the divide, her parents were on the other.
Author's Note: Meganium can learn the move Grass Knot in the games, but only through a TM.

The Land before Kanto Chapter 2

"Mother?" Little Leaf asked. "Is this all we have left to eat?"

"I'm sorry Little Leaf, but the land has been changing." She replied. "That is why we must walk as far as we can each day until we reach the great valley."

Little Leaf was chewing on sticks, but Mother Meganium showed him a valuable plant specimen: a Sweet Herb.

"It is very special." She said, taking it off the branch and slowly down to the ground. "It'll help you grow strong." Little Leaf cuddled it and started playing with it. "Where we are going has many of these leaves." She continued. "The great valley is filled with green food like this, more than you could ever eat, and more fresh, cool water than you could ever drink. It's a wonderful, beautiful place, where we'll live happily, with many more of our own kind."

"Wow." Little Leaf said. "When do we get there?"

"The bright circle must pass over us many times. We must follow it each day to where it touches the ground."

"Have you ever been to the great valley?"

"No." Replied the mama.

"But how do you know it's there?" Asked Little Leaf.

"Some things you see with your eyes, others you see with your heart." She answered. The Chikorita didn't understand, but the Meganium said he would. Little Leaf was about to take a bite out of the Sweet Herb, but was interrupted by a noise, so he went off to see who it was.

"Don't go too far, Little Leaf." His mom said. When Little Leaf poked his head into the grass to see an Aron chasing a Vikavolt. Her name was Erin, and she was trying to attack the stag beetle Pokemon. After destroying some rocks and a patch of grass, Erin finally had Vikavolt, but it used Thundershock. Thankfully, it didn't hurt Erin that much. Little Leaf couldn't help but laugh.

"What are you laughing at?" Erin asked. She started to charge at Little Leaf, but he decided to join the fun. Aagron, Erin's father, noticed the Aron and Chikorita start to fight, so he stopped both of them.

"Come, Erin." He said. "Aagron do not play with Meganium."

"Aagron never play with Meganium!" Erin said to Little Leaf, but in a taunting way. They were then picked up by their parents.

"A Meganium?" Little Leaf said. "Mother, what's a Meganium?"

"That's what we are, dear." She answered.

"Why couldn't I play with that Aagron?" He asked. "We were having fun."

"We all keep to our kind." She answered. "There's Aagron, Tyrannitar, Haxorus, and Archeops, and we never play together."

"Why?" He asked.

"Well, because we're different." She said. "It's always been that way."

"Well, why?"

"Oh, don't worry so much, dear. When we reach the great valley, there will be many Chikoritas, Bayleefs, and Meganiums for you to play with."

"I wish we were there, now."

"Well, it's a long way, past the big rock that looks like a Meganium and past the mountains that burn. It's a long way, but we'll get there."
Author's Notes: I am aware that Mother Meganium should call Little Leaf a Chikorita, and Daddy Aggron should call Erin an Aron, but this was before humans existed, so the Pokemon named themselves.
The Sweet Herb is an alternative to Bitter Herb, which can be made into powerful medicine, but tastes very bitter to Pokemon. However, the Sweet Herb is something I made up, so it doesn't exist in the games.
Vikavolt is a Bug/Electric-Type Pokemon that will appear in the next Pokemon game, Pokemon Sun and Moon.
 
In the original treatment, however, Erin was chasing a Beedrill, and it used String Shot on her. However, when I heard about Vikavolt, I decided that it would be a better fit.

The Land before Kanto Chapter 1

Pokemon is owned by Nintendo and GameFreak.

The Land before Time is owned by Universal Studios and Amblin Entertainment.

Once upon this same planet, beneath the same sun. Long before you. Before the Aipom and the Donphan as well. Before the Mightyena, the Bouffalant, and the Wailord. Before the Mamoswine and the Musharna, in the time of the Prehistoric Pokemon.

"Come on!" Bellowed an Aagron.

Now the Pokemon were of two kinds: some had flat teeth and ate the leaves off of trees. Others had sharp teeth for eating meat, and they prayed on the leaf eaters. But then it happened, the leaves began to die, and the Pokemon were ruled, in proof, by the leaf.

Desperate for food, some Pokemon herds struck out towards the west, searching for the great valley, a land still lush and green. It was a journey toward life. It was a march of many dangers. Tyratrum stalked the herds, waiting to seize any who strayed. The herds only stopped to hatch their young.

In a nest of a Haxorus, two legs, a head, and a tail popped out of an egg: it was an Axew. It saw a Mothim and rolled out of its nest, with the shell still on. It followed the Mothim and broke out of its shell. The Axew then noticed a Patrat and pounced on it, but ran into a Torterra. Before it chomped the baby, a Haxorus picked up the Axew and put it back in its nest.

"Mama." It said. The other Axew eggs have already hatched.
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In a heard of Aagron, three Aron were being chased by another Aron, with its shell still on. When it head-butted into its father, the Aron's shell cracked and the egg opened up. It started to rain, and it scared the Aron, so she hid under her father.
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However, even hatching could be dangerous, as an Arbok tried to steal a Chikorita egg. Thankfully, a Meganium bonked it on the head, but the egg rolled through a tunnel, fell into the water and off a waterfall, and finally landed back in the nest, though it scared some Treekos. This herd had only a single baby, and they called him Little Leaf.

"Here I am." Said a Meganium, with this one being his mother. It looked down at the newly hatched Chikorita, but Little Leaf got scared. Meganium then licked Little Leaf, and he wasn't as afraid. Other reptilian Pokemon, like Snivey, Scraggy, and Helioptile, came to gawk at the newly hatched Grass-type, but Little Leaf got scared.

"Don't be frightened." The mommy said to him, who ran behind her foot. "Come out." And Little Leaf came out. He was then picked up by Meganium. All that remained of his herd were were his mother, grandmother, and grandfather. The grandparents were a Meganium and a Tropius. Little Leaf knew them by scent, by sight, and by love. He knew they would be together always. Mother Meganium placed Little Leaf on her back and he slept on her.

"Beautiful Little Leaf." The mom said.

Movie Review: Kung Fu Panda 3

Movie Review: Kung Fu Panda 3                                                                                       8-5-2016
 
In Po's third big-screen adventure, our favorite panda meets a panda named Li Shan, who happens to be Po's long-lost father. He comes from a village inhabited by pandas, just behind the Valley of Peace, who are as clumsy and gluttonous as him. The pandas are said in legend to heal Master Oogway when he was injured. Now Po must teach his people to fight like the Dragon Warrior so they can help defeat the evil wildebeest Kai.
Now what do I think of the movie? Well, I found Kung Fu Panda 3 a little slower than the previous films, but it has beautiful animation and action-packed fight scenes. While not as good as How To Train Your Dragon 2, Kung Fu Panda 3 will make at least one fan smile.
Rating: 3 1/2 stars out of 5.

Story Announcement #4

As a final tribute for Pokemon's 20th Anniversary, I decided to post one more Pokemon story: The Land Befoe Kanto.
Sorry. There isn't much of a story behind the story this time around. I simply made The Land before Kanto (named after the region in the very first Pokemon game) to practice my writing skills.

Anyway, for Littlefoot, the long-neck protagonist of the movie, I used Chikorita, who would later evolve into a Bayleef. I know some people would've chosen Amaura, because I feel like it doesn't grow as quickly.

For Cera, a stubborn three-horn who isn't afraid of predators, I used Aron, who would later evolve into Lairon. I know some people would've chosen Shieldon, but I used its evolved form Bastiodon as Rooter, the Scolosaurus who teaches Littlefoot about the 'Circle of Life'.

For Ducky, the adorable 'big-mouth' dinosaur, I used Axew. I am aware that it may not be able to swim, but the only other Water-Type reptiles I can think of are Squirtle, Tirtouga, and Lapras.

For Petrie, the pterosaur who wants wants to fly, I used Archen, the First Bird Pokemon.

For Spike, a spike-tail with a big appetite, I used Larvitar. However, instead of eating grass, Lars, who I will name this character, will eat rocks. I am aware that Larvitar and Axew are the exact same size, but in one chapter, I will state that he grew from two feet to five feet.

And finally, for Sharptooth, the bloodthirsty Tyrannosaurus Rex, I used Groudon, a Ground-Type Legendary. I am aware that there's already a T-Rex Pokemon, Tyrantrum, but I felt like Groudon would be more intimidating.

For all the other characters and creatures, I used Pokemon that would've existed during the Mesozoic Era, mainly insects, reptiles, and amphibians. The only Pokemon I used that probably didn't exist back then are Patrat and Avalugg. There will also be a cameo of a Pokemon from an upcoming game, Pokemon Sun and Moon.
The Land before Kanto was completed in February 2015 as a followup to Steven and Phoebe, though it wasn't as much as an experience.
I will begin posting The Land before Kanto on August 7th.

Cartoon Network vs. Nickelodeon: Breakdown Showdown

Breakdown Showdown

Well, it's finally here: The Breakdown Showdown! I'll tally up the results and determine which channel is better!

Battle 1 (The Rugrats vs. The ORIGINAL! PowerPuff Girls)- Cartoon Network

Battle 2 (Ren and Stimpy vs. Cow & Chicken)- Cartoon Network

Battle 3 (Invader ZIM vs. Billy and Mandy)- Cartoon Network

Battle 4 (Jimmy Neutron vs. Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends)- Cartoon Network

Battle 5 (Camp Lazlo vs. Harvey Beaks)- Nick

Battle 6 (Catsrcatch vs. My Gym Partner's a Monkey)- Nick

Battle 7 (SpongeBob SquarePants vs. Chowder)- Nick

Battle 8 (Hey Arnold! vs. Steven Universe)- Nick

Battle 9 (Avatar: The Last Airbender vs. Over the Garden Wall)- Nick

Battle 10 (We Bare Bears vs. The Loud House)- Nick

Bonus Round (Rocko's Modern Life vs. Dexter's Laboratory)- Nick

And the winner is... Boy, this certainly surprised me. The winner is Nickelodeon! A few years ago, many people felt like a lot of TV channels, especially Nickelodeon, lost their spark. With the surplus of live-action shows with unlikeable characters and, what the silly creatures (humans)  refer to as 'baby shows' (the Nick Jr. Block), Nick has probably turned from orange to green. However, after requiring the rights to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Nicktoons veterans Chris Savino, Craig Bartlett, CH Greenblatt, and Stephen Hillenburg returning, it seems like Nick managed to get back on their feet. Congratulations, Nickelodeon! Let's hope the long-awaited series finale for Hey Arnold, the fabled 'Jungle Movie', turns out to be a success! We'll have to wait until next year for that one.

For the Nicktoons fans at home, just try avoiding The Mighty B, Breadwinners, Pig, Goat, Banana, Cricket, and newer episodes of The Fairly OddParents.

Don't feel left out, Cartoon Network! I know you didn't win this time, but I have a score sheet containing nine shows that I left out, four of which were NOT produced by Cartoon Network Studios.

Johnny Bravo: While not as memorable as early Cartoon Network shows like Dexter's Lab or The PPGs, Johnny Bravo has its own charm. However, I do have one question that bothers me: How come Johnny Bravo, who is an adult, is living at home with his mother, but not in college or his own apartment?

Courage the Cowardly Dog: Me and my sister honestly found this show a bit scary and creepy when it was on, but I can see why people like it.

Ed, Edd n Eddy: This was the pinnacle of my childhood. Pure comedy gold.

Samurai Jack: Only seen a handful of episodes, but I thought it was awesome.

Codename Kids Next Door: The only reason this show got in here was because my friend at school would talk about it non-stop. However, I do think some of the villains are funny, especially the Toilenator.

Regular Show: I know that there's lots of people out there that love Regular Show, but I honestly don't really like it that much. The character Benson makes me want to scream like Boo from Monsters Inc.

The Amazing World of Gumball: This show is honestly hit-and-miss, and shares quite a few similarities to The Simpsons if you think about it.

Gumball Watterson- Bart Simpson

Darwin Watterson- Martin Prince (the fat kid who happens to be quite intelligent)

Anias Watterson- Lisa Simpson

Nicole Watterson- Marge Simpson (kind of)

Richard Watterson- Homer Simpson

Granny Jojo- Abraham Simpson (Homer's father)

Jaimie- Nelson Muntz (the 'Ha-ha!' bully kid)

Principal Brown- Principal Skinner

Deputy Doughnut- Chief Wiggum
Rob (the distorted CG cyclops)- Sideshow Bob
Larry- Jeremy Friedman (the squeaky-voiced teen) as well as Moe Syzslak

Uncle Grandpa: Sorry, Cartoon Network, but this show is as stupid as a clam. The plots are ridiculous, the characters are dumb and recycled (except for Mr. Gus), and the jokes are unfunny and make no sense.

Clarence: I enjoy this show because it gives me a nostalgic feel. Like I said in one of my Author's Notes for Steven and Phoebe, Clarence is best described as a cross between Ed, Edd n Eddy and Hey Arnold. Clarence, which premiered in Spring 2014, is different from previous Cartoon Network shows because it's more down-to-Earth and has more realistic situations and characters. In fact, Clarence (the character) reminds me of me. I personally wish there were more people out there that liked Clarence, because it makes me laugh like a weasel.

Well, that about ties it for my month-long event, Cartoon Network vs. Nickelodeon. However, I have a special announcement tomorrow.

Cartoon Network vs. Nickelodeon Tie Breaker Round

Cartoon Network vs. Nickelodeon Tie Breaker Round

Bonus Round: Rocko's Modern Life vs. Dexter's Laboratory

I know what some of you are thinking. 'How is a show about a super-genius boy with a top-secret lab similar to a show that featured anthropomorphic animals?' Well, I have three good reasons.

1. While only appearing appearing in a few episodes, the show within the show in Dexter/Rocko is quite funny.

 

The 'show within the show' in Dexter's Laboratory was simply called TV Puppet Pals. It featured two puppet characters that looked a lot like Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street. However, the humor is based off of Punch & Judy, a British puppet act that dates back to the 17th Century. The Puppet Pals also appeared on The PowerPuff Girls. Below is a photo of Punch and Judy.
 

The 'show within the show' in Rocko's Modern Life was called The Fatheads. It was created by Ralph Bighead, long-lost son of Ed Bighead (the Squidward of the show). Anyway, the Fatheads was about a married couple of toads who were constantly fighting. It was meant to be a parody of the characters Ed and Bev Bighead, but if you ask me, they remind me of Itchy and Scratchy from The Simpsons.

2. Both have an episode that uses almost no dialogue, and they're executed perfectly.

The Rocko episode that doesn't use any dialogue is called 'Fatal Contraption', in which Rocko buys a defective walking blender machine and then banishes it to the desert. It's safe to call this episode a predecessor to the SpongeBob episode 'Reef Blower', which had a similar sense of humor.

The Dexter's Lab episode that didn't use almost any dialogue was simply called 'DiM'. In this episode, Dexter notices a shorted-out light bulb on the ceiling of his lab, so he heads with his mom to the department store to purchase a new bulb. However, by the end of the episode, Dee-Dee tells him that they'll all eventually burn out, and the episode fades to black.

3. Both have a banned episode that may be questionable to single-digit viewers.

The banned Rocko episode was called 'Leap Frogs', in which Bev wanted to win Rocko's affection after being neglected by Ed. This episode is banned from airing on Nickelodeon for its adult content.
 

There were actually two banned episodes of Dexter's Laboratory, but one episode I find too dirty to put on this website, which was called 'Rude Removal'. The episode I am thinking of is 'Barbequor', in which Dexter's pet superhero monkey must save the planets of the Solar System from being skewered by Barbequor, a parody of Galactus. This episode was believed to be banned for having a homosexual character named the Silver Spooner, a parody of the Silver Surfer.

In reality, however, the episode was banned because people at Marvel felt like it was a misuse of the character.
Boy. Once again, I chose two tough combatants. I honestly have to choose Rocko because I find the characters Rocko, Heffer, and Filburt to be relatable and funny. However, Dexter's Laboratory is a stroke of genius, and it would be a disgrace not to include something from Genndy Tartakovsky in this countdown.
Tomorrow will finally be the day: The Breakdown Showdown!