So, at the height of the Pokémon craze of 1999, an album was released. Despite being a "soundtrack" to the show, it was comprised of mostly new material that was ultimately incorporated into short music videos at the ends of episodes as well as the stage show version of the cartoon. It's as corny as you'd expect, but man, does it have some killer nostalgia grasps on my mind grapes.
So today, we're just listening to the 2.B.A. Master album.
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Ah, that classic theme! We heard it every weekday morning before school and every Saturday morning after school was out. I've done some extensive comparisons between the two Pokémon anime versions (Japanese and English) and while the English dub failed in a lot of ways, it definitely beat Japan for having a kickass theme song! A+
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"2.B.A." doesn't actually stand for anything, so I have no explanation for that notation. Also, the song clearly just has random Pokémon words thrown in without much care or thought. But any 10-year-old worth his/her weight in 1st Edition Charizards would stand proud with this song blaring in the background. B+
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I legitimately use this as a pump up song. It perfectly captures the spirit of preparing for an adventure (especially if that adventure happens to involve electric mice). A
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Eh...it has a good idea that then falls apart when the singer just starts rapping about different Pokémon making stupid puns and rhymes. They do say that Muk will "kick your grass." I get it. C-
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See, these are the kind of songs that I like. Rather than focus on the specifics of Pokémon, the song just explores friendship and teamwork. It can apply to many situations, not just those of the magical monster variety. If I made a friendship mix, I'd include this one. A
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This is the worst song the album. It's based on a Pokémon evolution and uses it to talk about how everything changes. Yeah, so, what's the point? Is that a good thing? A bad thing? To make matters worse, it includes a "scene" involving the characters from the show where Brock comments on Ash's Metapod evolving into a Butterfree. Ahem! Brock wasn't present for that in the show! I hope somebody got fired for that blunder. D
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If "My Best Friends" was a good general friendship song, then "The Time Has Come" is a great farewell song. Pikachu isn't actually present in the song, but it was used in the episode "Pikachu's Goodbye," a.k.a. the first cartoon to make me cry. Just listening to this song brings tears to my eyes... A
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If any dance club anywhere plays this song, I want to know about it. This song was usually used in the background of commercials, but it is a sweet jam that deserves the spotlight. Did you know that the singer behind hits such as "Turn the Beat Around" performed this? It's incredible! A+
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It can always be awkward when television characters start singing on their own spinoff album (ahem, The Simpsons Sing the Blues) but Jessie, James, and Meowth take this expansion of their usual motto in an awesome direction. It's in character and hella tight....I'll see myself out. A
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Okay, so this is kind of just "My Best Friends, Part 2" but again, I'm a fan of these types of songs. I don't care if the message of long-lasting friendship is repeated twice on one album. A-
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This one is for all you PokéShippers out there. Finally, an "official" product that endorses the fanship of Misty and Ash. And, like some of the better songs on the album, it also works outside of the context of the show. You just have to look past the fact that Misty's internal voice sounds different than her speaking voice. (Fun Fact! I first heard this song at a weekly TCG match at a Wizards of the Coast store. The nostalgia is strong with this one.) A-
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Looking back at it now, the PokéRAP was kind of just pointless filler. But at the time, it was an endurance test! Could you actually list all 150 Pokémon?! You had to catch each episode in a 5-day week to get all the parts. Now I know it all by heart, but I doubt that'll impress the ladies anymore. B+
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It's a shame that the album ends with a comparatively bland entry. It's a general song about determination, but it doesn't really feel like a Pokémon song. It's harmless and inspiring, but it seems as if it was the reject track to a self-help easy-listening CD. That being said...it's got a strong James Taylor/"House at Pooh Corner" vibe which is pretty sweet. B+
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