Netflix-style documentary on Pokemon’s controversial GOAT is a must-watch
PokemonA Fan-made Netflix-style biopic on 3x Pokemon world champion Ray Rizzo is gaining widespread praise and attention from the global community.
The documentary, produced by Giovani Costa, covers Ray Rizzo’s transformation from a “shy, unconfident, nerdy kid in high school” who was “unpopular”, to a confident adult who was “talking to fans, being on stage,” and eventually getting flown out on all expenses paid trips around the world by The Pokemon Company International.
Rizzo expresses his hopes for the competitive Pokemon scene that “drastically changed” his life to “grow and grow and grow,” so that it may also “change other young people’s lives.”
The half-hour-long documentary is currently hosted on the YouTube channel of Forbes 30 under 30 contender and Pokemon Master Wolfey Glick. Glick wants the documentary centered around his number one rival and friend to “get the attention it deserves”.
Ray Rizzo documentary details the journey of Pokemon’s greatest
Ray Rizzo started his Pokemon career with “The Originals, Red and Blue” when he was “only 5 years old.” He said he had “never played a game with so much depth.” After starting high school, he started learning about “pro games” on well known competitive website Smogon University.
Reading warstories on Smogon got him “really motivated” to compete, especially at in-person tournaments hosted by GameStop around the country.
Rizzo debuted at the New York Pokemon Regionals, where, on his first-ever attempt, he qualified for his first-ever world championship.
Like a chess player from the Cold War, Ray Rizzo researched and translated Japanese logs of Pokemon battles to better understand their switch-heavy metagame and its players.
The hard work paid off for Rizzo, who received newfound support and love from his parents, high school friends, and online fans for his accomplishment.
Rizzo confessed that his win was aided by luck, but, instead of resting on his laurels, the event heightened his motivation. He sharpened his skills to prove to “doubters” that he could win “because of skill.”
Rizzo returned in 2011 and won the Pokemon World VG Championships effortlessly, despite his rival, a young Wolfe Glick’s luck in match 1. Rizzo attributes this to his team building, which was both imaginative and, unconventional.
Notably, Rizzo brilliantly took advantage of bulky sets on typically offensive Pokemon, like Thundurus. Making use of Thundurus’ Prankster ability, he increased the priority of status move Thunder Wave—effectively allowing him to move first and paralyse at the time even Electric types—Rizzo described the offbeat combo as “busted.”
Tragedy strikes as cheating allegations hit Rizzo
Pokemon In 2014, Ray, who described himself as being at “the top of his game,” at the time, was accused of cheating.
He was traded an Aegislash in a Dream Ball, although it passed hack checks it was, unbeknownst to Rizzo, impossible for a Pokemon X & Y Aegislash to be in a Dream Ball. The person he had trusted to trade him the Pokemon had used a hacked parent to produce the ‘baby Aegislash’.
The allegations and negative press led to Rizzo being painted as a cheater, and receiving death threats. During this low, he found himself wondering, “Is it even worth it?”.
His life changed when, in 2016, Rizzo came back after TPCI began adding casters to its main events and he was invited to join the team. The experience allowed him to once again “get involved” and “enjoy a change of pace,” commentating and viewing battles instead of grinding to compete.
When asked the question on the lips of every competitive player, he responded: “Until someone wins the world a second time, I still have to consider myself the best,”.
Who knows, given Rizzo’s record, a contender for his title may just pull him back into the thriving competitive fray.