This episode was alright. I was looking forward to seeing Mawile, and Corpish is always good for a laugh. However, it did have some things that bugged me.
Meh, Mawile is one of my favorite pokemon. I just felt that making its personality into an extremely girly/flirty/ribbon-waving lovesick pokemon was... I dunno... wrong. It's a deceptive pokemon that's a steel-type and it can learn some very strong dark attacks too. I know pokemon are like animals in that they all have different personalities, but I would think that a debut for a pokemon should showcase its usual nature.
Now, as for Lombre and Corphish, they were fun to watch. I just wish they could have gotten Lombre to look a little more animated. I mean, all this stuff was happening to him, and he just... sat there with the same expression for most of it. I know the guy's a little slow, but he's not Psyduck. And even that dim-witted pokemon has expression at appropriate parts. Corphish was cute. Poor guy though... he didn't get the girl.
Brock... oh Brock... why is watching you so painful nowadays?? -_- I used to find his girl-flirting antics amusing, but after so many years, it just gets... kinda stale. I don't like it when he tries to force pokemon to get the girl either... you'd think that Brock would be respectful of a pokemon's feelings and private matters. I mean, if this is what he acts like when pokemon like/don't like each other... what kind of a breeder will he be? Oh well, at least he got to do something. ^-^
Team Rocket, of course, did nothing really of conseqence in this episode. They really need to make a few more Rocket-centered episodes, I crave those like I crave pizza on Friday nights! ;_;
You know what DoubleWide? I would have been reeeeeallly ticked off if some person's Lombre stole my Water Stone. Those things are rare! As for the animation... I don't really remember. Sometimes it seems a bit funny-looking. *shrug*
Lastly, on a lighter note, was anyone else a bit surprised that Ash had like no reaction to his Corphish being thrown by Mawile's jaws about 2 miles away? Maybe he was looking at May's chest at the time and wondering how her parents have managed to keep the secret that she's really 13? XD
I give this episode a 6/10.
EDIT: Oh, I forgot to mention... why on Earth did 4Kids decide to have Eric Stuart voice Ludicolo?! O_O It sounds like Brock is talking to himself! Only, it would be a Brock that smoked for about 5 years and thought he was a Ludicolo... but it would still be Brock. It's just... weird to have a pokemon with the same voice actor as their trainer. *coughForretresscough*