2004-09-09
"The kids are heading to Maisie Island on a ferry when they spot a Spoink floating on a log. They quickly realize it's the same Spoink they helped before. When they save it and bring it aboard, it trips, dropping its pearl overboard. Ash's Pok\u00e9mon go looking for the pearl with no luck.\n\nWhen they arrive on the island, they meet a scientist named Isaiah who is doing research on Clamperl and their pearls\u2014which end up as Spoink pearls. The jewel of his collection is a rare blue pearl.\n\nTeam Rocket sneaks in and tries to steal the blue pearl, only to be beaten out by Spoink stealing it first. Everyone goes looking for the little Psychic-type Pok\u00e9mon. Meanwhile, the blue pearl accidentally gets switched with the pink pearl from a wild Clamperl. When this fact is discovered, everyone goes looking for the Clamperl and Team Rocket steals it away.\n\nTeam Rocket is trying to get the Clamperl open when the kids catch up to them. Spoink protects the Clamperl, who uses Water Gun to send the thieves blasting off. The Clamperl returns the blue pearl to Isaiah, and in exchange for the Psychic-type Pok\u00e9mon's help, gives its pink pearl to Spoink."
2004-09-16
"The kids are relaxing at the Grand Wazoo Resort on Wazoo Island when a man emerges from the water completely covered in seaweed. His name is Adam, and he is a treasure hunter who believes he has just uncovered the location of the King Neptune, a cargo ship that was wrecked long ago.\n\nAdam and the kids go searching for the wreck in a sub, secretly followed by Team Rocket in their Magikarp sub. Team Rocket fires a missile at them and zips ahead. Adam and the kids manage to find their way to the cavern where the ship is located, where lots of Relicanth have made their home. Adam finds a trunk. Team Rocket shows up again to take the trunk, also destroying the ship.\n\nTeam Rocket then destroys the exit to the cave as they leave, and heads to the surface. Adam's sub follows the Relicanth out and catches up with Team Rocket. Angry at the destruction of their home, the Relicanth use Hydro Pump on Team Rocket, while Pikachu finishes them off with Thunder.\n\nOpening the trunk, Adam discovers that the King Neptune was only carrying lots of Green Shards. Aside from that, he does have one real treasure to show for this adventure\u2014the friendship of the Relicanth."
2004-09-23
"En route to the ABC Islands, Ash and the gang are passed on the way to Island A by a group of children racing on top Huntail or Gorebyss. It turns out that there is a fierce rivalry between the citizens of Islands B and C: Clamperl evolve into Gorebyss on Island B, while they evolve into Huntail on Island C. The children all attend school on Island A, and fight often during class.\n\nAt the Pok\u00e9mon Center they find Professor Birch in a pool. He is studying the different Clamperl Evolutions, and the kids travel with him to a cave on Island C where Clamperl are known to evolve. They are followed by a boy named Keith from Island B. They travel to a similar cave on Island B, followed by Nancy from Island C. When everyone returns to the Pok\u00e9mon Center on Island A, they find out that Keith actually wants a Huntail and Nancy wants a Gorebyss. After doing some research, Birch reveals that the Evolution is dependent on the items Deepseatooth and Deepseascale, but he doesn't know how.\n\nTeam Rocket attacks them at the PC, but Keith and Nancy's Clamperl use Water Gun while Pikachu drives them off with Thunderbolt. Professor Birch and the kids return to Island B, where they put a Deepseascale on Nancy's Clamperl. On Island C they put a Deepseatooth on Keith's Clamperl. Neither Pok\u00e9mon evolves, so Birch beams them to the Pok\u00e9mon Center for further research.\n\nBack at the PC, when the kids take out their Clamperl, both Pok\u00e9mon evolve: Nancy's into a Gorebyss and Keith's into a Huntail. Team Rocket attacks again, but the newly evolved Pok\u00e9mon drive them off with Confusion and Screech.\n\nThe rivalry between Islands B and C ends and the people start trading their Clamperl back and forth to get the evolved Pok\u00e9mon they want. Ash and friends leave on a ferry for their next destination."
2004-09-30
"The kids land on Muscle Island, where another ferry will finally take them to Mossdeep City. Team Rocket also lands on the island, fleeing their sub because they think it will explode. It sinks instead.\n\nAsh and friends run into a group of people working out. The head of the camp, a guy named Rocky, offers food and the opportunity to train with them. Everyone except for May (who gets dragged in) decides to take up the workout offer.\n\nTeam Rocket also starts exercising when James decides that it will help them catch Pikachu better.\n\nElsewhere, Rocky challenges Ash to a battle, bringing out Walrein and Quagsire. Ash chooses Pikachu and Grovyle. Pikachu can't hit Walrein because Quagsire blocks every attack, immune to electricity because of its dual Ground-and-Water-type. Walrein retaliates with Ice Ball, which hits Ash's Pok\u00e9mon hard. Ash then realizes that Ice Ball gets slower the more it's used, taking advantage of that delay to let Grovyle use Leaf Blade and Pikachu use its Thunder attack to win.\n\nThe kids and Team Rocket manage to scam out of exercising more, and everyone departs on the ferry to Mossdeep City. On board, Team Rocket tries to grab Pikachu again, but in the tug-of-war that ensues, Pikachu shocks everyone and sends both its friends and Team Rocket flying overboard."
2004-10-07
"The kids are floating on logs at sea when a red submarine appears beneath them, belonging to Team Magma. At the floating Magma base, the kids are taken into custody. Team Magma Leader Maxie explains to them about how he has the Blue Orb in his possession, allowing him to control Groudon. Unfortunately, the Legendary Pok\u00e9mon they currently have in their possession is Kyogre.\n\nA disguised Shelly of Team Aqua sneaks away and unlocks Kyogre, setting off an alarm. Kyogre awakens and busts out of the floating base, causing it to begin sinking. In the chaos, the kids try to grab the orb, and Pikachu accidentally absorbs it and goes berserk.\n\nAsh is separated from his friends and attacked by a Team Magma member. He meets what appears to be another member of Team Magma\u2014but it's really Lance of the Elite Four in disguise! Lance has also sent his red Gyarados to go help Ash's friends.\n\nBoth Teams Magma and Aqua end up on Monsu Island, along with Team Rocket, who wants to steal both Legendary Pok\u00e9mon. Of course, it's no good, as Kyogre is under the control of the Red Orb, which is currently in Team Aqua's possession..."
2004-10-14
"Team Magma and Team Aqua continue to fight on Monsu Island. The Red Orb, which can control Kyogre, is currently held by the Team Aqua Leader Archie. Archie merges with the orb and now crazed as a result, orders Kyogre to sink the island.\n\nEveryone tries to flee into the ruins on the island, while Lance challenges Kyogre with his Dragonite. Dragonite's Hyper Beam is not strong enough to stop the ancient Pok\u00e9mon.\n\nTeam Rocket still wants to steal Groudon, restrained inside the Team Aqua base. Instead, they are attacked by a possessed Pikachu, who awakens Groudon. The giant Ground-type leaves the base and begins a massive battle with Kyogre, but the two are evenly matched.\n\nThe kids find a way to distract Kyogre, which gives Groudon the opportunity to defeat the Water-type. The orbs leave the bodies of Archie and Pikachu, floating up in the air until they merge and then disintegrate. Archie and Pikachu both come back to their senses, while the two Legendary Pok\u00e9mon retreat back into their ancient slumber."
2004-10-21
"Ash and friends finally arrive in Mossdeep City and head straight to the Pok\u00e9mon Gym\u2014only to find it empty because everyone in town is at the Space Center for the shuttle launch, including the Gym Leader.\n\nAt the Space Center, the kids begin snooping around, and Ash stumbles upon a Pok\u00e9mon battle between two siblings named Tate and Liza, who are there because their father is piloting the shuttle. They are the twin Gym Leaders of Mossdeep, who promise to battle Ash after the shuttle launch. For now, they take Ash and friends on a tour of the center. Corphish wanders off when Ash isn't looking, sneaking on board the shuttle.\n\nTeam Rocket breaks into the shuttle and heads for the cockpit, only to encounter Tate and Max! They tie the two boys up, and the shuttle takes off. Before they get very far, the shuttle is grabbed by the Baltoy that live in the Space Center. Corphish frees Max and Tate, and Tate's Solrock takes out Team Rocket with Psychic.\n\nTate must now land the shuttle, and he and Max manage to get it safely to the ground. May and Liza attack Team Rocket when they emerge from the shuttle, and Pikachu sends them blasting off.\n\nThe shuttle is launched with Commander Jin at the controls, and then it's time for a Gym battle!"
2004-10-28
"Ash's battle with the Mossdeep Gym Leaders is set to begin. He calls out Swellow and Pikachu versus Tate's Solrock and Liza's Lunatone, taking into account the strange planet-filled aerial battlefield they will be using. Pikachu and Swellow appear to be at a disadvantage, but it is quickly negated by the fact that Tate and Liza aren't working together. Their Pok\u00e9mon's attacks cancel each other out, and the two even collide head-on when attacking.\n\nTeam Rocket interrupts the battle, capturing Lunatone and Solrock with their robot and then escaping in their balloon. Swellow and Pikachu destroy the balloon, freeing the two Rock- and Psychic-types.\n\nThe Gym battle must resume, but the Gym has been destroyed\u2014so it is decided they will battle by the water. Unfortunately for Ash, Tate and Liza now have their teamwork back, and they deliver a real pummeling to Ash's Pok\u00e9mon. Each of his attacks is countered successfully, until he charges his team with Pikachu's Thunder and they break through Lunatone's Light Screen, finishing off the opposing team with Iron Tail and Aerial Ace and winning Ash his Mind Badge!"
2004-11-04
"Ash is battling with another Trainer by the waterfront, not realizing he is being watched by a mysterious sailor. After he wins, Ash is confident and boastful. The kids decide to grab something to eat.\n\nTeam Rocket is currently working in a small restaurant, when the old sailor walks in and demands some hot milk. While he is there, Ash and friends sit down outside and talk about battling. The man approaches them, and Max recognizes him as Drake of the Elite Four!\n\nDrake invites all of them (including the disguised Team Rocket) to his boat, where he challenges Ash to a battle. Drake sends out his Shelgon, and though it is slower, it waits for Pikachu to get just close enough to take it down with Dragonbreath and Dragon Claw.\n\nAsh calls out Grovyle against Drake's Altaria, and though Grovyle has a better time leaping on the masts of the ship, it gets knocked out by some powerful moves from Altaria, including Aerial Ace and Solar Beam.\n\nTeam Rocket takes advantage of a weakened Pikachu to steal it, but Drake calls out his Salamence. It uses Dragon Claw and Flamethrower to send the thieves blasting off. With Team Rocket thwarted and a few lessons learned, Ash and friends have dinner with Drake and his crew on the boat."
2004-11-11
"The kids travel to Wales Island, where both Ash and May have plans to train. May is thrilled when her Bulbasaur learns a new attack\u2014Petal Dance. She shows it off to the others by having Bulbasaur blast through an ocean wave.\n\nMax is gathering twigs in the forest when he is surprised by a Cradily. He tells the others but they don't believe him, because Cradily are extinct. Max goes searching by himself, and eventually finds a lab full of Lileep.\n\nAsh and the others eventually run into the Cradily, along with a scientist named Annie. She takes them back to the lab, where they are reunited with Max. There, Professor Proctor and Annie explain to the kids that all of the Pok\u00e9mon there were cloned from fossils. Someday Professor Proctor hopes to make the island a fossil Pok\u00e9mon amusement park.\n\nOne of the Anorith at the lab is about to evolve, so they bring it out and watch it become an Armaldo. Team Rocket shows up, and grabs the newly-evolved Armaldo in a net. It blasts them away on its own, but freaks out and starts trashing the lab, running off.\n\nThe kids try to corral it with their Pok\u00e9mon, but Armaldo won't be beaten. It heads to the tip of the island to find some fruit that it can eat. There, Team Rocket appears in a giant tank and grabs it again. It can't break out, and none of the other Pok\u00e9mon's attacks affect the tank. May has her Bulbasaur use Petal Dance on the cliff above the tank which landslides, causing the tank to roll over. Armaldo breaks out, and Bulbasaur and Pikachu destroy the tank, sending Team Rocket blasting away. Armaldo finally reaches the berries, while everyone enjoys the sunset."
2004-11-18
"The kids are still headed for Izabe Island, where May will compete in her next Pok\u00e9mon Contest with Bulbasaur. Meanwhile, Team Rocket has just bought a cartload of berries to make Pok\u00e9Blocks out of. Unfortunately, they aren't a type that Pok\u00e9Blocks can be made out of.\n\nOn board the boat, May meets a Trainer named Harley and his Cacturne. He is quickly annoyed by her though, because she doesn't recognize what a Cacturne is, nor does she bestow highest compliments on his cookies!\n\nJust prior to the Purika City contest, Max is nowhere to be found, until he runs up alongside Harley. May goes out and impresses the crowd with her Bulbasaur's Razor Leaf and Vine Whip, while Harley's Cacturne stuns the crowd with its lightning-fast Bullet Seed. Both of them progress to the next round.\n\nIn the next round, Cacturne quickly takes out an Azurill. Harley tells May that her opponent, a Surskit, is slow in battle, so her Bulbasaur moves in close to the Surskit. She is surprised when Surskit's Quick Attack deals a beating to her Bulbasaur\u2014in fact, that Surskit is known for its impressive speed! May eventually recovers enough to claim victory.\n\nIn the next round, May faces off against Harley, and she's doing well with a strong combo of Vine Whip and Tackle. Just then, a recording plays over the loudspeakers\u2014it's Max, telling an embarrassing story about May to Harley. She is mortified and angry, allowing Cacturne to hit Bulbasaur hard. Ash calls out to May, giving her focus. She combines Petal Dance and Razor Leaf for a beautiful knock-out blow. May wins the ribbon, and the kids head off. Meanwhile, Team Rocket is dreaming of being highly-successful Pok\u00e9Block vendors..."
2004-11-25
"Ash and friends continue their journey across Izabe Island, where they spot a giant stone Pok\u00e9 Ball atop a cliff. They meet a sage named Sigourney, who tells them the story of the giant ball. Once upon a time, a great destructive power was released, but was sealed inside a giant stone Pok\u00e9 Ball by a powerful sage and left in the lake.\n\nTeam Rocket overhears this and of course, wants to steal the giant Pok\u00e9 Ball. They show up at the lake and drop bombs on the stone ball, breaking it open. A huge Claydol emerges and headed toward the village, blasting energy that destroys everything in its path. Ash tries to catch it in a regular Pok\u00e9 Ball, but it doesn't work, and neither does attacking it.\n\nThey realize they need to lure the Claydol toward the other giant stone Pok\u00e9 Ball. Team Rocket wants to help too, though they have their own wicked motives. Sigourney reads from an old book that Claydol likes eggplants, so Ash and James dress up as eggplants to lure the Claydol to the rock. It turns out Claydol actually hates eggplants, and they escape just in time. Next, they try to use beautiful maidens to lure the Pok\u00e9mon in (also from the book), with May, Jessie, Meowth, and Wobbuffet dressing up. The Claydol ends up chasing Wobbuffet down a crevasse toward the Pok\u00e9 Ball. The kids push the Pok\u00e9 Ball down the hill, where it gets stuck. A combined attack from Mudkip, Lombre, and Pikachu frees it, and the stone ball finally rolls down to Claydol, capturing the giant Pok\u00e9mon inside.\n\nTeam Rocket then tries to get away in their balloon with the giant Pok\u00e9 Ball, but it's too heavy and they crash elsewhere. The ball rolls away, ending up in the middle of the lake."
2004-12-02
"Ash and friends continue their journey across Izabe Island, where they spot a giant stone Pok\u00e9 Ball atop a cliff. They meet a sage named Sigourney, who tells them the story of the giant ball. Once upon a time, a great destructive power was released, but was sealed inside a giant stone Pok\u00e9 Ball by a powerful sage and left in the lake.\n\nTeam Rocket overhears this and of course, wants to steal the giant Pok\u00e9 Ball. They show up at the lake and drop bombs on the stone ball, breaking it open. A huge Claydol emerges and headed toward the village, blasting energy that destroys everything in its path. Ash tries to catch it in a regular Pok\u00e9 Ball, but it doesn't work, and neither does attacking it.\n\nThey realize they need to lure the Claydol toward the other giant stone Pok\u00e9 Ball. Team Rocket wants to help too, though they have their own wicked motives. Sigourney reads from an old book that Claydol likes eggplants, so Ash and James dress up as eggplants to lure the Claydol to the rock. It turns out Claydol actually hates eggplants, and they escape just in time. Next, they try to use beautiful maidens to lure the Pok\u00e9mon in (also from the book), with May, Jessie, Meowth, and Wobbuffet dressing up. The Claydol ends up chasing Wobbuffet down a crevasse toward the Pok\u00e9 Ball. The kids push the Pok\u00e9 Ball down the hill, where it gets stuck. A combined attack from Mudkip, Lombre, and Pikachu frees it, and the stone ball finally rolls down to Claydol, capturing the giant Pok\u00e9mon inside.\n\nTeam Rocket then tries to get away in their balloon with the giant Pok\u00e9 Ball, but it's too heavy and they crash elsewhere. The ball rolls away, ending up in the middle of the lake."
2004-12-09
"Lost in a desert, Ash and his friends see lots of identical pits in the ground\u2014Trapinch burrows! A young woman named Elisa warns them they're trespassing on hazardous territory: these burrows connect to the many caves of the Trapinch Underground Labyrinth.\n\nEnter Hal, a Pok\u00e9mon researcher and Elisa's old friend. He's being chased by a Donphan, but Elisa's Meganium clams Donphan down. It turns out that Hal once fell into a Trapinch burrow and discovered a lake in the Labyrinth\u2014a lake where Trapinch gather and evolve into Vibrava! Now he's attached a transmitter to a Trapinch so he can find the lake again.\n\nTeam Rocket appears and seizes Pikachu with their Diglett Supreme machine. But after Brock's Ludicolo breaks it and more Trapinch chew the machine to bits, Team Rocket and Pikachu don't have a leg (or machine) to stand on, and they fall into a burrow! Ash, Elisa, and Trapinch jump in after them, followed by Hal. As Max, Brock, and May wonder what to do, they fall into the burrow themselves and meet Elisa, Ash, and Trapinch.\n\nTrapinch wanders away just before the tunnel floods with water, sweeping Ash and his friends into the underground lake where Pikachu is already waiting. Trapinch strolls in, followed by Hal, and a happy reunion follows. Everyone watches a nearby group of Trapinch evolve into Vibrava\u2014until Team Rocket swoops in and nets all the newly-evolved Pok\u00e9mon.\n\nBrock and Elisa use Ludicolo and Meganium to free the trapped Vibrava, who then use Supersonic to deflect Team Rocket's attacks. Pikachu sends Team Rocket blasting off, the Vibrava fly everyone back to the surface, and all's well again as Ash and his friends head for the next town!"
2004-12-16
"Ash is approaching the next town on Izabe Island when a sudden surge in the river destroys the bridge he was about to cross. An Absol is spotted in the wreckage, and the locals arrive to capture it. The town's bridges were mysteriously destroyed after the usually reclusive Absol began to appear in town about a month ago, so people now blame Absol for the disasters.\n\nAbsol escapes, but the town has hired Absol hunters: Team Rocket in disguise! One boy, Nicky, still believes Absol is harmless\u2014his brother, Gordon, set out to prove Absol's innocence weeks ago but never returned. Ash joins Nicky to find the truth, and they spot Absol just before a geyser erupts from a cliff, stranding Nicky, Max, and Pikachu. To everyone's surprise, Absol helps save the day, as does a Heracross that turns out to belong to Gordon.\n\nGordon has finally returned after learning more about Absol. With his help, our heroes figure out that Absol was trying to warn the townspeople about the spring that feeds the river. There's much more water in the spring than usual, which means it could burst and flood the town. Sure enough, the water bursts out of the rocks, and it takes everyone's Pok\u00e9mon working together with Absol to divert the flood with a giant boulder.\n\nA soggy Team Rocket makes a half-hearted attempt to nab Pikachu, but Absol puts a quick stop to that. With their homes now safe, the locals realize that Absol was harmless after all, and everyone is now a little wiser for the experience."
2004-12-23
"In a snowy region of Izabe Island, Ash and his friends take a rest at a Pok\u00e9mon Center. As they're greeted by Nurse Joy, a Snorunt steals Ash's badges right out of his backpack! Nurse Joy explains that this mischievous Snorunt is just having fun, but Ash certainly isn't. He sends Corphish and Pikachu to get his badges back, and the chase is on!\n\nThe chase leads to the kitchen, where Team Rocket is busy helping themselves to all the food. Snorunt sends the thieves packing before leaping out the window, hotly pursued by Ash. As Snorunt taunts Ash, it slips and falls down an icy slope. Ash manages to save it, but he's knocked out in the process and his friends are unable to find him before a blizzard forces them back indoors.\n\nAsh awakens in a snug snow shelter built by Snorunt. It swipes his hat and takes it to the Pok\u00e9mon Center, alerting Ash's friends. They follow Snorunt back to the shelter on snowmobiles but just as they reach Ash, Team Rocket grabs Snorunt and Pikachu! Snorunt breaks free, then helps Ash stop Team Rocket and save his friend.\n\nIt seems Snorunt stole Ash's badges because it wanted to play with him. Ash invites Snorunt to join him, but first he must prove he's capable of capturing this wily Pok\u00e9mon. With Pikachu's help, he does capture Snorunt\u2014although it looks like this Pok\u00e9mon may still be a real handful!"
2005-01-06
"As Ash and his friends are taking a break, Max hears a cry for help and finds a sick Ralts. It's too weak to walk but needs to be treated at a Pok\u00e9mon Center, so Max decides to carry it there. However, Team Rocket wants Ralts for themselves, dressing up as Gardevoir and Kirlia to steal it. When the Pok\u00e9dex sees through Meowth's disguise, Team Rocket decides to fight, and Max must take Ralts and run while his friends fend off Team Rocket.\n\nRalts becomes too ill to travel at all, but Max doesn't know what to do until Snorunt makes him an ice pack for Ralts fever. Now they can set off again, but Team Rocket makes another grab for Ralts. To everyone's surprise, they're sent packing by a real Gardevoir and Kirlia. They want Ralts returned, and its a tense stand-off until Gardevoir decides Max can be trusted and lets him continue.\n\nBy the time Max reaches the Pok\u00e9mon Center, Ralts is terribly sick. When Ash and the others arrive, Max bursts into tears and runs to May. Its a tense wait until Nurse Joy predicts a full recovery for Ralts.\n\nOnce Ralts is well again, Max takes it outside and calls for Gardevoir and Kirlia. This summons Team Rocket's fakes again, but Ralts is healthy enough to take care of them itself. The real Pok\u00e9mon appear and though Ralts doesn't want to leave, Max knows it must. But first he promises that when he's old enough to be a Trainer, he'll come back and find Ralts again so they can travel the world together."
2005-01-13
"Our heroes have arrived in Sootopolis at last, and Ash is ready to earn his eighth badge\u2014but first it's time to watch the Sootopolis Gym Leader, Juan, put on an impressive water show! Team Rocket tries to snatch Juan's Water Pok\u00e9mon with an electrified net, but his Pok\u00e9mon work together to free themselves from Team Rocket's net and foil the plan.\n\nAsh challenges Juan to a battle, and of course Juan accepts. As a former champion Pok\u00e9mon Coordinator, he intends to fight an elegant match. First Ash will face him in a 2-on-2 battle, followed by a second round of 1-on-1 battles. It's Snorunt and Pikachu against Sealeo and Seaking in the first round, and Ash is surprised by the speed with which Juan's Pok\u00e9mon battle. Even Sealeo's Ice Ball attack is much faster than expected. Snorunt is knocked out and replaced by Corphish, and together Corphish and Pikachu manage to triumph over Sealeo and Seaking for a first round victory.\n\nIn the second round, Ash sends out Grovyle to face Juan's Luvdisc. Luvdisc is an agile opponent, but more than that, it surprises Ash and Grovyle with Sweet Kiss. Grovyle is confused, and it might not be the only one\u2014elsewhere in Sootopolis, Team Rocket has disguised James as Juan in preparation for another money-making scheme. What's Team Rocket up to, and how can Ash counter Juan's Luvdisc? These questions will be answered in the next episode!"
2005-01-20
"We rejoin the action in the middle of Ash's match against Juan, the Sootopolis Gym Leader. Ash's Grovyle has been confused by Luvdisc's Sweet Kiss and before it can snap out of it, Luvdisc knocks it out with Water Gun! Corphish must step up to take Grovyle's place.\n\nTeam Rocket has dressed James up as Juan to attract an audience for their Water Illusion show, but back at the Gym, it's a tense back and forth as Corphish confronts Luvdisc. Luvdisc is fast, and when Corphish's attack creates a rain-like shower of water, its Swift Swim makes it even faster! But once that effect dissipates, Corphish wins the round, only to be defeated by Juan's next Pok\u00e9mon, Whiscash.\n\nWith no Water Pok\u00e9mon and no talent, Team Rocket's Water Illusion is a very poor Water Pok\u00e9mon talent show, but they've got a Plan B: sell merchandise and autographs! Naturally Team Rocket tries to swindle all their customers, but it turns out that Juan's fans include some tough Water Pok\u00e9mon Trainers\u2014never mess with a lady and her Blastoise! Team Rocket's plan is now officially all wet.\n\nAfter Swellow defeats Whiscash, Juan sends out his secret weapon: Milotic! Milotic takes down Swellow and then faces off with Pikachu. Milotic's Restore ability makes this a tough battle, but in the end Pikachu takes advantage of the water-filled battle stage to score a victory. Ash has earned his eighth badge and it's time to prepare for the Hoenn League!"
2005-01-27
"Ash is now three months away from Ever Grande City and the Hoenn League, while May is gearing up for her next contest in. But after they stop for a rest, two of May's Pok\u00e9 Balls suddenly vanish! All evidence points to a Linoone as the culprit. Ash tracks it to a house and meets Kimmy and his family. Kimmy is a boy whose Linoone, Token, is obsessed with collecting round objects\u2014even if they're not his! Kimmy and his parents help search, but there's no sign of May's Pok\u00e9 Balls until Token appears with the Pok\u00e9 Balls still in his mouth.\n\nTeam Rocket, impressed by Token's Pickup ability, capture Token and fly off in their balloon. Kimmy tries to stop them but falls and gets hurt, which startles Token into dropping the Pok\u00e9 Balls. Pikachu frees Token but Team Rocket simply grabs Pikachu instead and flees.\n\nToken chases Team Rocket's round balloon\u2014it likes round objects because it used to play Fetch with Kimmy when it was still a Zigzagoon. James' Cacnea tries to stop Token with Needle Arm, but this accidentally pops the balloon and lets Token rescue Pikachu. Team Rocket come back for more, so Token and Pikachu hit them with a double Thunderbolt and blast them off at last! Kimmy now understands that even though Token changed when it evolved, the two of them are still friends."
2005-02-03
"When Ash and May see Drew training his Masquerain, May can't resist the challenge of a practice match. Beautifly and Masquerain battle it out in a Silver Wind showdown that's interrupted by who else but Team Rocket and their Magikarp submarine! They use a giant vacuum to snatch the Pok\u00e9mon but accidentally snatch the Trainers as well, and in the confusion, Max bumps the sub's engine switch. The submarine rockets off until it hits an island, sending everyone flying!\n\nNow Jessie, James, and Meowth need to find Wobbuffet. Brock, Max, and Ash need to find Drew and May. And Drew and May are found by Roderick, a one-time coordinator who knows the ins and outs of Mirage Island. But when Drew and May try to get a closer look at Mirage Island's famed Liechi Berries, they fall into a river!\n\nWynaut to the rescue! A herd of Wynaut rescue the pair and shelter them in their cave, where they've got plenty of Liechi Berries to eat. Elsewhere, Wobbuffet reunites with Team Rocket, and they're inspired to steal the Liechi Berries from the Wynaut. May is kidnapped when she tries to stop them, but Drew and the Wynaut come running. Roderick and Ash's group realize foul play is afoot and show up just in time to help Drew battle Team Rocket.\n\nTeam Rocket is no match for teamwork\u2014once Drew and May have their Pok\u00e9mon perform a perfect double Silver Wind, it's all over! Team Rocket blasts off and Roderick helps everyone off the island. He also gives May a sweet souvenir that will help her in her upcoming contests: a basket of Liechi Berries to make great Pok\u00e9block!"
2005-02-10
"May and her friends are headed to Pacifidlog Island for the last Pok\u00e9mon Contest before the Grand Festival. But their boat has engine trouble and the pilot, Carlos, lands on a nearby island. To reach Pacifidlog in time, our heroes must cross the island to the port and take a ferry. But the island is full of Donphan, and it's breeding season\u2014all the male Donphan perform a Roll Out dance of love to impress the females, which can be dangerous for any Trainers who happen to be in the way!\n\nAlong the way, May and her friends cheer on a Donphan who wants to impress a brown female Donphan. Snorunt's Ice Beam turns the ground into an ice skating rink, and Donphan trips. Ash chases Snorunt, who won't go back into its Pok\u00e9 Ball, but just as he gets it back, the Donphan send everyone running! May and Ash make it to the port as the last ferry is about to leave... and May bravely decides to turn around and look for Max.\n\nMay's Grand Festival debut will have to wait another year, but everyone is reunited, along with their Donphan friend and the brown Donphan. Donphan does a dance of love that wins her heart, but Team Rocket shows up and captures them both. May, fed up with Team Rocket's constant schemes, calls on her Pok\u00e9mon to free the Donphan and stop Team Rocket. Once the Donphan are freed, they Roll Out together and Team Rocket blasts off yet again.\n\nCarlos finds May and her friends sadly standing at the port. His boat is fixed, and he takes them to Pacifidlog. Now it's up to May to win her fifth ribbon!"
2005-02-17
"Pacifidlog at last! May is practicing for her contest, and Ash wants Snorunt to practice Ice Beam. But Snorunt's wild aim hits Team Rocket instead and scares another Coordinator's Aipom. Skitty chases it, and May chases Skitty. She finds Skitty playing with another Coordinator, Joshua, and the two talk about the upcoming contest. Erica, a Coordinator who really likes Joshua, loses her cool when she sees them together and gives May a piece of her mind.\n\nAsh and the others show up, but so does Team Rocket! The villains grab Pikachu and Snorunt, so May and Joshua team up to stop them. Erica's so mad that May and Joshua are working together, she has Jynx use Hyper Beam to send Team Rocket flying. Then it's time to register for the contest, where Team Rocket also has a plan to enter the contest\u2014with Meowth!\n\nThe first competitor in the Pacifidlog Contest is the Jester and her Meowth. Both of them look awfully familiar, as does the Giovanni ice sculpture Meowth carves using Fury Swipes! Joshua, Erica, and May all do well and move onto the second round along with the Jester. To May's shock, she'll be facing Joshua in the second round! Erica wants Joshua to win so they can win the ribbon together, but there's no way May is going to give up!"
2005-02-24
"The second round of the Pacifidlog Contest begins! Erica and her Jynx face a suspiciously familiar team\u2014the Jester and Meowth. Meowth is afraid of Jynx, so the Jester orders him to use Transform. Meowth disguises himself as a Sunflora, then a Kirlia, and finally a Wailord, but the scam is uncovered. The Jester reveals herself as Jessie and Team Rocket tries to snatch Jynx, but its Hyper Beam puts a stop to that!\n\nErica jealously watches Joshua and Houndoom battle May and Skitty. The winner depends on which attack is stronger: Houndoom's Flamethrower or Skitty's Blizzard! They're well-matched, but Houndoom finally stumbles. With time up, May is ahead of Joshua in the points.\n\nOn the final contest stage, Erica realizes May and Joshua both gave it their best. That matters more than petty jealousy, so Erica apologizes and shakes May's hand. Once their battle starts, Skitty has a hard time with Jynx's attacks so May decides to use Assist again and again, with mixed results... and she's running out of time! But Skitty's Assist finally comes up with Fire Spin, an attack that Jynx is weak against, giving May the advantage she needs to win!\n\nAfterward, Erica and Joshua promise to keep training separately so they can become great rivals as well as great partners. May and her friends say goodbye, then it's off to the Grand Festival and the Hoenn League!"
2005-03-03
"The kids are now headed to Slateport City. But while eating berries, Ash bites into a Tamato Berry and burns his mouth!\n\nThey reach a Pok\u00e9mon Center and Ash goes off to practice Ice Beam with Snorunt, while May goes off to make Pok\u00e9Block. In the garden, Team Rocket is trimming hedges to earn money, but they're stepped on by an unrepentant Munchlax. They notice the Berry Blenders and get an idea.\n\nBrock and Max watch people make Pok\u00e9Block. May comes in with her killer top-secret recipe for Pok\u00e9Block: May's Purple Surprise! But it tastes terrible to Brock and Max. The Pok\u00e9mon also hate it. But Munchlax wanders in and loves it!\n\nTeam Rocket shows up dressed as professional Pok\u00e9Block tasters who claim to know all the secrets. Meowth and Wobbuffet then steal the Pok\u00e9Block while everyone's distracted. Oddly enough, Jessie also likes May's Pok\u00e9Block. But then the kids notice all of the Pok\u00e9Blocks are missing and they blame it on Munchlax. It goes out into the garden and eats all the berries, but May stands up for it to the other kids.\n\nShe tries to capture Munchlax but nothing works. James bites into a Tamato Berry and runs away in pain; the kids see him and realize he must be a fake. Backed into a corner, Team Rocket grabs Pikachu. Munchlax jumps into the Team Rocket balloon to eat all the Pok\u00e9Block. With Snorunt's help, the kids defeat the thieves.\n\nMay tries to catch Munchlax; she throws the ball but Munchlax eats it. But it works, and she now has a new friend!"
2005-03-10
"Our friends have stopped to eat, but Munchlax won't stop eating! Ash is training when he sees a sandwich come rolling down a hill, and Munchlax gulps down the sandwich. That's how Ash ends up meeting Morrison, the sandwich's owner, who decides to have a Pok\u00e9mon battle with Ash: his Beldum against Ash's Pikachu!\n\nPikachu's Iron Tail and Beldum's Take Down are evenly matched\u2014it's a tie! After the battle, Morrison, who plans to enter the Hoenn League tournament, shows off his seven badges. When Ash tells him he needs eight badges to enter, he runs off to find a Gym. But since there's no Gym on the island, he ends up at the same Pok\u00e9mon Center that Ash and his friends are staying at. The two Trainers constantly compete over everything, even which spot they're going to train in!\n\nJust as they reach a truce, however, Team Rocket kidnaps Pikachu and Beldum. Though they have no other Pok\u00e9mon with them, Ash and Morrison chase the thieves down, then battle Team Rocket's Seviper and Cacnea by themselves! Pikachu and Beldum are freed and with their help, Team Rocket is quickly sent blasting off again.\n\nNow Ash is headed to Slateport with his friends, but as Morrison goes off to earn his eighth badge, the two rivals promise to meet each other again at Ever Grande!"
2005-03-17
"May is traveling to Slateport City in style: onboard a giant cruise ship that has the Grand Festival's prize Ribbon Cup on display! Officer Jenny reveals that even though Team Magma and Team Aqua have disbanded, a former Team Magma member\u2014Brodie the Phantom Thief\u2014is onboard and intent on stealing valuables.\n\nWhen May goes to see the Ribbon Cup, Munchlax bumps the display case, breaking the Cup and revealing that it's a fake. And without the Cup, the Grand Festival will be called off! Brodie must have stolen it, so a \"Golden Pok\u00e9 Ball\" is put on display as a lure. Disguised as the Captain, Brodie distracts May and her friends and steals the Pok\u00e9 Ball, but Officer Jenny had a tracking device installed in it and they set off in hot pursuit.\n\nThey chase Brodie through the ship, finally cornering him on deck. Brodie has now disguised himself as Officer Jenny and the only way to distinguish between the two is with Brock's keen eye for lovely ladies. Once his ruse is rumbled, he escapes and Team Rocket tries for the Ribbon Cup instead. But Officer Jenny and Ash are up to the job, and Team Rocket's plans are thwarted."
2005-03-24
"This is a clipshow Unaired outside of Japan of Satoshi's (Ash's) gym battles and Haruka's (May's) contest battles. "
2005-04-07
"May has arrived in Slateport City for the Grand Festival. Her mother, Caroline, has come to cheer her on, and her friends sent notes to wish her luck. With 247 competitors in the preliminary matches and only 64 slots in the main competition round, May will need more than just luck\u2014especially when Drew and Harley are among the competitors, too!\n\nHarley is friendly towards May, but her friends are suspicious of the advice he gives her. Meanwhile, Team Rocket has dressed James up as Norman and offers free counseling sessions. When Trainers show up, their Pok\u00e9mon are stolen! Harley sees this and drags May off to see \"Norman.\" When she and her friends see the false Norman, Team Rocket's number is up.\n\nWith Team Rocket's plan foiled, it's back to the competition. May uses Silver Wind just as Harley suggested, and it works great. She advances to the next round along with Harley and Drew. But Drew is still skeptical of Harley's motives as they prepare for the main competition."
2005-04-07
"The Grand Festival is underway in Slateport. Harley asks May if they can train together for the main competition, and May agrees. She's not the only one training; Ash is also training Snorunt, but its Ice Beam hits a Pok\u00e9mon coordinator named Anthony. Anthony was planning to compete in the Grand Festival with his Swalot... until three people stole his ribbons!\n\nThe first round of the main competition begins with single Pok\u00e9mon performances. Harley shows off his scary Banette as Jessie prepares to take the stage\u2014as Anthony! She took his ribbons and disguised herself as him, but Officer Jenny, Ash, and the real Anthony are all waiting for her. Before she can get in a fight, James and Meowth exercise the better part of valor and drag her away.\n\nNow it's May's turn. Following Harley's advice, she has Skitty use Assist over and over, until Skitty performs a Petal Dance and confuses itself! Harley is delighted; Drew, who overhears him, is not. May orders Skitty to Double Slap itself back to normal and finish off with an impressive Blizzard. She apologizes to Harley for going against his advice, but Drew reveals that Harley was only pretending to be her friend to sabotage her.\n\nDrew and his Masquerain receive perfect scores for their performance, as does Robert and his Milotic. May just makes it into the second round, where she'll face Harley in a double-battle!"
2005-04-07
"May and Harley face off in the main competition of the Grand Festival! It's Harley's Banette and Cacturne against May's Beautifly and Bulbasaur. May's team gets in the first hits, but Harley makes a comeback and it takes some quick thinking for May to beat Harley and move onto the semifinals.\n\nElsewhere, Jessie wants to impersonate a coordinator and sneak into the competition. Team Rocket decides to kidnap Robert, but Ash interrupts them as they make their move. Snorunt is hit by Team Rocket's Pok\u00e9mon and evolves into a Glalie! Jessie thinks it's adorable, James thinks it's creepy, but either way, Glalie easily sends them packing.\n\nBack on the stage, May defeats Anthony's Pinsir and Combusken, but her next opponent will be an even greater challenge: Drew! And Drew has brought a Flygon he trained especially for the competition. Flygon and Roselia are up against Combusken and Skitty. It's a close fight but Roselia hits May's Pok\u00e9mon with Stun Spore, followed by a Steel Wing from Flygon, and takes the win.\n\nNow it's Drew and Robert in the finals. To May's surprise, Robert earns the victory and wins the Festival. But Drew isn't upset\u2014that night, even though there's a party, he goes right back to training. Impressed by his example, May sets her sights on next year's Grand Festival!"
2005-04-14
"Ash is ready to board the ferry to Ever Grande City when May comes running up\u2014she's won four plane tickets to Ever Grande! Except once the kids are onboard, the flight crew turns out to be Team Rocket in disguise, and the plane is headed for Team Rocket headquarters! Now if only Team Rocket had thought to fill up the fuel tank first...\n\nOut of fuel, the plane makes an emergency landing on an island in the middle of the ocean. As Ash and his friends exit the plane, they meet Robin, a traveling salesman who's been stranded on the island for ages. Luckily, he also made a Wailmer friend to help him out! But Wailmer wasn't strong enough to carry Robin past the whirlpools that surround Wailmer Island, as Robin now calls it. Team Rocket tries to swim for it themselves, and find out firsthand how dangerous the whirlpools are!\n\nBrock realizes that with help from their Pok\u00e9mon, the group can convert the airplane to a ship. Once the ship is finished, Team Rocket grabs Pikachu and steals the ship, but once again they've forgotten about the need for fuel. The ship ends up wrecked in a whirlpool, and Wailmer helps Ash save Pikachu just in time.\n\nTogether, Wailmer and Pikachu stop Team Rocket, and Wailmer evolves into a huge Wailord! Now Wailord is strong enough to carry Robin, Ash, and his friends through the whirlpools and safely back to the ferry. But Robin, who realizes he never truly enjoyed his job in the city, decides to return to Wailmer Island with Wailord and live life to the fullest. As he departs, Ash and company turn their sights towards Ever Grande and the Hoenn League competition two weeks away!"
2005-04-21
"Ash and his friends have finally arrived in Ever Grande city for the Hoenn League Championships, but they're mobbed by a group of Murkrow as they're looking for a place to eat. A snappily-dressed Meowth and its Trainer, Tyson, jump into save the day. After introductions and a friendly lunch together, it's time to see the torch carried to the stadium. Tyson himself turns out to be the torch bearer!\n\nWhile Tyson heads for the stadium, Ash makes his preparations for the Hoenn league and wonders where Morrison is. Team Rocket is also making their preparations\u2014to steal the torch, which burns with a legendary flame! When Tyson brings the torch to a storage room before the ceremonies, a disguised Team Rocket grabs the torch and runs! Officer Jenny, Nurse Joy, and our heroes all give chase and finally corner Team Rocket.\n\nTyson's Meowth seizes the torch and dares Team Rocket's Meowth to try and take it back. Meowth, its pride wounded, takes up the challenge, but is quickly defeated by its new rival before Team Rocket is sent blasting off as usual. With the torch recovered, now the Hoenn League championships can get underway!"
2005-04-28
"Where's Morrison? That's the question on Ash's mind as he trains his Pok\u00e9mon in preparation for the big tournament in Ever Grande City. When Morrison finally makes his appearance, he and Ash immediately start up their friendly rivalry again, which leads to them falling into a Team Rocket pit trap! Tyson and his Meowth in boots show up just in time to help out\u2014Tyson's Meowth defeats Team Rocket's Meowth once more, using Iron Tail to send the villains flying.\n\nOnce everyone is registered for the tournament, the one-on-one preliminary rounds get underway. Morrison and Beldum face a Trainer with an Electabuzz, and Morrison is relying solely on Beldum's Take Down attack. This doesn't work too well until Beldum evolves into Metang and wins the match. As for Tyson, his Meowth takes some hits from a Persian, then comes back to win its first round. But once Persian is knocked out, Meowth charges after it and Tyson must recall it to its Pok\u00e9 Ball.\n\nTyson later explains why his Meowth is so troubled. When he met Meowth, it was lying hurt in a forest after a Persian defeated it in a battle for leadership. Tyson took care of Meowth, which was how it got its boots\u2014originally they were just to help protect its injured legs. But to this day it still has a grudge against Persian.\n\nAnd now it's Ash's turn to battle! Pikachu handily wins its round, so all three Trainers can look forward to their next challenge in the Hoenn League."
2005-05-05
"The preliminaries are over, and now the Hoenn League Championships begin in earnest! The qualifying round is all double battles, and Ash goes to watch Morrison's match against muscleman Gavin. Morrison's Growlithe and Gligar are up against Marowak and Machamp, and no punches are pulled in this all-out battle! It's not looking good for Morrison until Gligar uses Guillotine to knock Machamp out. But Marowak defeats Growlithe, and Gligar finally wins.\n\nAsh is jogging along after the match, minding his own business, when he falls into another Team Rocket pit trap. But just as they finish their motto, their new boss catches them in the act and shouts at them to get back to work. Team Rocket runs away and Ash wonders what's going on, but not for long\u2014he's up next in the qualifying round!\n\nAsh sends out Torkoal and Corphish. His opponent Dominic sends out Swalot and Tropius, which may grant him an aerial advantage. But Ash's trusty Torkoal gives it all it's got, and takes down Tropius in a double KO. As for Swalot, its resilient body resists Corphish's attacks. Finally Corphish charges in, throws Swalot, and gets up close and personal to deliver a Bubble Beam that knocks its opponent out! Tyson has also won his first match, and now our Trainers move on to round 2!"
2005-05-12
"Ash, Tyson, and Morrison are all aiming for the top of the Hoenn League, but first they have to qualify for the Victory Tournament stage of the competition. In the third and final double battle qualification round, Ash sends out Glalie and Groyle against Clark, a conductor with two strong Fire-type Pok\u00e9mon\u2014Charizard and Quilava. Grovyle and Quilava are knocked out first, and it's an icy hot battle as Charizard and Glalie battle for victory! Thanks to Ash's quick thinking, Glalie bounces back for the win.\n\nMorrison and Tyson advance to the Victory Tournament, too. In fact, the only ones not getting anywhere are Team Rocket. It's hard to steal Pikachu when they're busy selling snacks at the stadium, but honest work has its rewards... a delicious dinner they didn't even have to steal! Meanwhile, the Trainers have a day off to see the sights and do some extra training.\n\nNow the Victory Tournament begins: 32 competitors, one winner! Ash's first opponent is Katie, a strategic Trainer who takes full advantage of type weaknesses and strengths. She starts out with Venomoth, but switches in Golduck to put Ash's Torkoal out of the match. Next up is Pikachu, but Katie counters with Dugtrio and sends Pikachu flying! Glalie knocks out Dugtrio, but is stopped by Misdreavus and its Destiny Bond attack. With Ash down three Pok\u00e9mon and Katie only down two, will he be able to hang on to this match?"
2005-05-19
"The first round of the Victory Tournament finds Ash in a tight spot. He has three Pok\u00e9mon remaining; Katie, his opponent, has four. Katie's Golduck faces Corphish on a water field and uses its attack to confuse Corphish. Luckily, even confused, Corphish is one tough Pok\u00e9mon! Its haphazard attacks manage to defeat Golduck. Then it's a tense series of battles as Ash rallies and knocks out all of Katie's Pok\u00e9mon until only her Walrein remains!\n\nWalrein knocks out Swellow and Corphish with no problem, but Ash's spur of the moment tactics and Groyvle's fighting ability are still a force to be reckoned with. Walrein's Ice Beam has the side effect of freezing over the water, which means it can no longer dive to avoid attacks, and Grovyle takes full advantage of the situation to strike fast and hard. Victory to Ash!\n\nThe next round draw is completed, and to their mutual shock, Ash and Morrison will be battling each other. Morrison runs off, stunned by the thought of battling his friend. And where has Team Rocket been all this time? Still working hard to sell snacks at the stadium! Their boss will even take them out for dinner if things keep going well. Will the promise of food actually keep Team Rocket out of trouble?\n\nThe next day, Morrison and Ash begin their match. Morrison doesn't have the heart to battle, and his Girafarig is quickly beaten by Corphish. Will he recover in time to make it a good match, or will this experience affect his friendship with Ash?"
2005-05-25
"Morrison and Ash are battling each other in the Hoenn League, and Morrison is so upset he can't bring himself to choose his next Pok\u00e9mon after his Girafarig is knocked out! He's almost disqualified before he decides to send Growlithe out against Ash's Corphish. But Morrison doesn't have Growlithe attack, and his Pok\u00e9mon is quickly knocked out. Ash angrily demands to know why Morrison isn't fighting, which makes Morrison realize his Pok\u00e9mon are counting on him to give it his best, too.\n\nHe rallies and brings out Swampert\u2014both it and Corphish unleash their strongest attacks, resulting in a double KO! It's time for a battlefield change and Morrison apologizes to Ash. Then, Pikachu and Morrison's Steelix take to the grass battlefield. Another head-to-head battle results in Pikachu out of the match, and Torkoal is defeated as well! It's up to Grovyle to beat Steelix, but Morrison's agile Gligar gets the better of their aerial battle. Gligar and Ash's Swellow have another double KO, so this match will be decided by Glalie and Metang. Some clever strategy wins the day for Ash, who becomes one of only 8 semifinalists!\n\nElsewhere, Team Rocket's work as snack sellers pays off when their boss takes them to the all-you-can-eat buffet as a reward. But is he making a big mistake in trusting them? And Ash and Tyson will face each other in the semifinals, in a match that begins with a real bang!"
2005-06-16
"It's the battle between Ash and Tyson to decide who moves on to the final four of the Hoenn League, and Glalie and Sceptile are already out! Tyson's Shiftry is ill-matched against Ash's Torkoal and its fiery attacks, but Tyson sends in Hariyama to beat the heat and defeat Torkoal. Corphish is next, but Hariyama defeats it too!\n\nAt the halftime break, Morrison tries to give Ash a pep talk. When the match resumes, Swellow and Hariyama battle until Swellow is the victor. Swellow then goes on to beat Tyson's Donphan, but Tyson has a powerful Metagross waiting! Despite Swellow's determination, Metagross knocks it out\u2014but Swellow did some damage, and Ash sends Grovyle out to hammer on that weak spot. Grovyle still can't stop Metagross but Pikachu finishes the job, so Tyson sends out the ace up his sleeve: his Meowth!\n\nTeam Rocket's Meowth cheers its fellow Pok\u00e9mon on from the stands. Tyson's Meowth can counter Pikachu's Thunderbolt with one of its own, so the battle comes down to Iron Tail vs Iron Tail. Exhausted, both Pok\u00e9mon finally fall to the ground, and though they get back up, Pikachu cannot continue. Team Rocket's Meowth is delighted, but not for long\u2014Jessie and James have been caught stealing Pok\u00e9mon by their new boss, who sends all three flying! Tyson goes on to win the Hoenn League and Ash, happy that he battled his best, can now look forward to his next big adventure."
2005-06-23
"The Hoenn League has ended and our friends must go their separate ways. Tyson and Morrison are off to new adventures; May and Max return to Petalburg while Ash and Brock head back to Kanto. Even Team Rocket goes back to headquarters and reports to a thoroughly unimpressed Giovanni. Butch and Cassidy show off their cool new jetpacks, so Team Rocket demands they get something cool too\u2014and end up with pogo sticks.\n\nAsh is now alone, Brock having headed home to Pewter City. In Viridian City, Ash encounters Scott, a flashy fellow who wants to talk about the Battle Frontier. But first Ash ends up challenging the new Viridian Gym Leader, a woman named Agatha. With typical confidence, Ash sends Pikachu to battle Agatha's Gengar and forgets that as a Ghost-type Pok\u00e9mon, Pikachu won't be able to hit it with normal attacks.\n\nAlthough Ash quickly adjusts his strategy and Pikachu does its best, it just can't beat Gengar. Still, Agatha is impressed that Ash at least showed some spirit. It's now that Ash learns Agatha is also one of the Elite Four, so it's great that Pikachu managed to last that long in the first place! Scott encourages Ash to try for the Battle Frontier, a series of seven challenges, but they're briefly interrupted by Team Rocket's latest short-lived Pikachu-snatching attempt.\n\nOnce Ash finally makes it back home, he finds Misty and her new Azurill waiting for him\u2014and Professor Birch and Max show up as well! A memorable get-together is in the works..."
2005-06-30
"Ash has returned to Pallet Town to find a reunion of friends! May stops by Ash's house but Ash has left for Professor Oak's lab, where Max, Misty, and Tracey are getting to know a trio of Kanto starter Pok\u00e9mon. Max upsets the Squirtle, which goes running to May just as she arrives with Ash's mother. May wants to know what Max is doing there when he should be at home\u2014it seems he's a guest of Professor Birch, who enters with Professor Oak and Ash in tow.\n\nAs everyone takes this opportunity to discuss their plans for the future and meet Ash's other Pok\u00e9mon, Team Rocket shows up to ruin the fun with their new Sucker for Punishment, a giant vacuuming robot! Ash calls on his old pal Snorlax to knock Team Rocket down a notch, and with the help of May, Misty, Tracey, Team Rocket's plan to nab Pikachu is foiled once again.\n\nWith that excitement over, Ash prepares to depart for the Battle Factory. Glalie and Torkoal will stay behind, but Phanpy wants to tag along for the trip. As for May, her Beautifly and Skitty are living the good life at home, but her new friend Squirtle makes a perfect addition to her team. Misty will travel with her friends on her way home too, and they just can't leave without Brock, who catches up to them as they're leaving Pallet Town! Together again, our intrepid group of Trainers sets off in search of another adventure."
2005-07-07
"Ash and his friends are on their way to the Battle Frontier, and Misty joins them for a while as she heads back to Cerulean City. But Daisy calls to ask if she can start giving away Gym Badges\u2014Misty just can't get a break! Brock has left his Ludicolo at home, May is delighted with her new Squirtle, and Max is eager to see Pok\u00e9mon that live on nearby Mt. Moon, like Cleffa. Sure enough, a Cleffa appears.\n\nSo does Team Rocket and their Pok\u00e9-Vac 5000, which manages to vacuum up all of the kids' Pok\u00e9mon except for Pikachu. Except Team Rocket accidentally ejects the Pok\u00e9mon right back out, the Pok\u00e9-Vac breaks, and in the confusion as Team Rocket blasts off, Cleffa, Misty, Max, Pikachu, and Azurill all fall in a river!\n\nMisty and Max get back onto dry land and start to look for their friends. Easier said than done, as they run from Beedrill and take cover from a rainstorm. Meanwhile, a Clefairy and Clefable team up with Ash and May to find Cleffa. Just as they find Misty, Team Rocket shows up to spoil the reunion.\n\nClefairy, Clefable, and Cleffa call for backup, and Team Rocket is on the receiving end of a super-powerful Metronome\u2014Solarbeam combo, with Munchlax on the assist. That's it for Team Rocket until next time! That night, Ash and his friends watch a Pok\u00e9mon moondance, and in the morning he and Misty go their separate ways once more."
2005-07-21
"The Battle Factory is Ash's next destination\u2014if he can find it, that is. He and his friends have become lost, but they see snow and an Articuno flying overhead, followed by a plane in distress. The group winds up at a Pok\u00e9mon Center, where Scott gives them a ride to the Battle Factory. There they meet Noland, who's not just the Factory Head but also a bit of a mechanical mastermind, and the pilot of the plane they saw last night.\n\nAsh can pick which of Noland's Pok\u00e9mon he wants to battle. Noland has befriended an Articuno whom he helped once, and he takes Max and Pikachu up in his plane to fly with the Legendary Pok\u00e9mon. Team Rocket wants Articuno for themselves, and they show up in their own plane to steal it. It's no match for Articuno, who quickly sends them on their way.\n\nImpressed, Ash decides he wants to battle Articuno. What's more, he wants to battle it with Charizard! It looks like this is shaping up to be quite a match..."
2005-07-28
"Ash has opted to battle Articuno with Charizard in his Battle Factory match. Now he's busy training with Charizard, who has gotten even stronger during its time in the Charicific Valley. Team Rocket, secretly watching from the roof of the Battle Factory, are hopeful they can snatch the impressive Pok\u00e9mon for themselves. But when the battle gets underway, the roof of the Battle Factory opens and they fall into the main chamber where everyone can see them.\n\nArticuno and Charizard waste no time in clearing out the intruders before Noland and Ash get down to business. This Articuno is tough and knows a Water-type attack, so Charizard is in for a rough time. The two Pok\u00e9mon wage a fast-paced flying battle that looks like it might end in Noland's favor as Articuno ices up Charizard's wing. Good thing for Ash that Charizard has a new trick in store: Overheat!\n\nArticuno also packs a powerful Steel Wing, but Charizard grabs it mid-attack and turns the move into a Seismic Toss. Articuno tries to get back up and battle, to no avail. Ash is awarded the Knowledge Symbol along with a Frontier Folio to hold his Battle Frontier Symbols, and Noland congratulates him on a battle well-fought. Next stop, the Battle Arena!"
2005-08-04
"Ash's Battle Factory victory has him eager to reach the next Battle Frontier stop right away, but even he has to stop for food and water. Munchlax takes care of the Pok\u00e9mon food by eating it all, which sets off a squabble that disturbs the local Geodude. The Geodude chase Ash and May's Pok\u00e9mon, and some of them are separated in the commotion. Ash and May have to find their missing Pok\u00e9mon!\n\nAn Onix leads the Rock-type Pok\u00e9mon that live in the area, and they're none too happy about the intruders. Team Rocket sees this and convinces Onix that Ash and his friends are up to no good. Phanpy and Squirtle reunite with Pikachu, Corphish, and then Munchlax, but they're captured by Rock Pok\u00e9mon working with Team Rocket. Elsewhere, Brock is captured as well!\n\nAsh finds Onix and Team Rocket, but now all his friends and their Pok\u00e9mon have been snagged! Ash tries to tell Onix that he's not a villain, and Onix decides that they'll battle. If Ash wins, his friends go free. If Ash loses... well, he'd better win! Ash choses Grovyle, who has a type advantage against Onix, and wins the round.\n\nTeam Rocket tries plan B: steal all the Pok\u00e9mon outright. But Ash tells Grovyle to defend Onix against their attack, and it's clear now who the good guys are. May and the others are freed, and together everyone protects the wild Pok\u00e9mon from Team Rocket. Once the villains are sent flying, Onix makes amends by giving our heroes an escorted ride out of its valley."
2005-08-11
"On their way to the Battle Arena, Ash and his friends are snagged by a net trap. But for once, it's not Team Rocket\u2014it's a fellow named Mitch and his Loudred, and they're tyring to catch Jigglypuff! Mitch used to be a company executive until his daughter Lisa requested a Jigglypuff for her birthday, and for six months he's been in the woods trying to get one. Every Jigglypuff comes to tease him, and every day Jigglypuff gets away scot free. Plus, Lisa's birthday is tomorrow!\n\nAsh decides to help Mitch out, but Jigglypuff puts everyone to sleep, even Team Rocket. What's more, it's tough, and it's not impressed when they try to lure it with food! So they trick it into battling Loudred and using Rollout, which rolls it right into the cabin\u2014now covered in sound-reflecting panels. Pikachu battles Jigglypuff until it uses Sing, and the echoes of its attack put it to sleep.\n\nNow Mitch can catch Jigglypuff, but he realizes it belongs in the forest after all. He and the kids return to town, where Lisa is happy to have her dad home even if he didn't bring a Jigglypuff. Just then, Jigglypuff comes flying in, angry at Mitch for leaving. It turns out that Jigglypuff liked playing with Mitch, and it decides to stick around. So now Lisa has two new Pok\u00e9mon friends!"
2005-08-18
"May and Ash are waiting on line outside a popular bakery when an Arcanine runs past. May wants to catch it, but she sees that Drew is chasing it too! Thanks to Extremespeed, Arcanine easily escapes. May catches up to it while it's eating and sends out Combusken, but Arcanine outruns her Pok\u00e9mon. So Ash and his friends stop to ask a woodsman about Arcanine, and he points them to locations where it sometimes appears\u2014but he also told Drew the same information about an hour ago.\n\nMeanwhile, Team Rocket has been fired from the bakery for eating the merchandise, and a combination of Wobbuffet and hunger leads them to a Pecha grove. Ash and his friends are waiting in the grove; when Arcanine shows up, they send it towards May and Squirtle. Arcanine uses Roar on Squirtle, and May sends out Munchlax to use Metronome. Metronome gives Munchlax Extremespeed, speed it uses to eat all the Pecha berries. By the time Team Rocket arrives, the trees have been picked clean! They do spot Arcanine, however, and decide to nab it for the boss.\n\nMay and Drew again run into each other on a high ledge and see Arcanine run off again. Irate, May challenges Drew to see who gets Arcanine, and Drew's Flygon quickly defeats May's Squirtle. Both Coordinators chase after Arcanine anyway, only to find it feeding Pecha berries to its young Growlithe.\n\nTeam Rocket kidnaps Arcanine and the Growlithe, but Drew and May team up to free them and defeat Team Rocket. May and Drew then decide not to break up Arcanine's family, and they let it go on its way. Drew goes on his way too, but not before he tells May to try the Pok\u00e9mon Contest in Saffron City. Excited, our heroes set their sights on their next destination!"
2005-08-25
"A Psyduck is frantically running from a Machop, Machoke, and Machamp when it hurls headlong into Ash and friends, on their way to the Pok\u00e9mon Contest in Saffron City. Ash sends out Phanpy, who drives off the three Superpower Pok\u00e9mon. Brock feeds the Psyduck, who makes fast friends with Phanpy and Pikachu.\n\nMeanwhile, the Superpower Pok\u00e9mon trio returns to their Trainer, a rich girl named Emily who orders them not to return unless they have Psyduck in tow. They dutifully head out again.\n\nThe kids and Psyduck walk along until they reach a hill where a disguised Team Rocket coerces them into trying out \"grass-sledding.\" But as they're coasting down the grassy hill, Jessie activates a trap that sends the kids barreling around like pinballs and then Meowth catches Psyduck and Phanpy in a net. Team Rocket begins to escape with the two Pok\u00e9mon using their balloon, but Machop, Machoke, and Machamp show up just in time to pull them back down. Team Rocket is sent blasting off, and Emily arrives to take her Psyduck home.\n\nBack at Emily's mansion, everyone notices that despite the posh surroundings, Psyduck is not happy there. Ash and May have a practice battle on the grounds, and they find out that Emily never lets Psyduck battle. Brock speculates that it's lonely. Team Rocket shows up again, and this time Psyduck eagerly steps up to the plate to drive them off. Emily doesn't know how to battle, so Max gives her some advice. Psyduck holds its own against Cacnea, Seviper, and Meowth, just before Pikachu sends the thieves off with Thunderbolt.\n\nEmily realizes that she needs to bond with her Pok\u00e9mon more, and considers going on her own Pok\u00e9mon journey as the kids resume their own travels."
2005-09-01
"Chasing after a hungry Munchlax, Ash and his friends end up at Rhonda's, a restaurant run by a girl named Rhonda with Mr. Mime as its head chef. Team Rocket stumbles across another restaurant, Rhoda's, run by a girl named Rhoda with Sneasel as its head chef. Meowth quickly takes a disliking to Sneasel, but Jessie and James want it for Team Rocket.\n\nBack at Rhonda's, Mr. Mime puts on a fantastic show for Ash and company, but the food is terrible. Over at Rhoda's, Sneasel's food looks terrible, but it tastes fantastic\u2014except for Meowth's, because Sneasel purposely made him a horrible meal. The two start to fight, breaking through the restaurant wall and right into Rhonda's. Rhonda and Rhoda are actually twin sisters who split up the family restaurant; Rhoda accuses Rhonda, and they challenge each other to see who deserves to run the place.\n\nTeam Rocket coaches Sneasel while Brock advises Mr. Mime, and after a night's practice it's time to allez cuisine! Mr. Mime's presentation is great, but now Sneasel also puts on a show. It looks like a close battle until Team Rocket steals the chefs and Pikachu too! Team Rocket hops in their balloon to make a getaway, but Rhonda tells Mr. Mime to use Trick and Psychic. This frees all three Pok\u00e9mon, who head home and send Team Rocket packing along the way.\n\nImpressed, Rhoda leaves the restaurant to Rhonda. But Rhonda makes Rhoda co-manager and Sneasel the head chef; with everyone working together, the restaurant is now better than ever! And after a wonderful meal, Ash and his friends can happily continue on their way."
2005-09-08
"On their way to Saffron City, Ash and his friends encounter a Caterpie and its Trainer-in-training, Xander, who mistakes them for lab robbers. Fortunately, Dr. Gordon, the lab owner and Xander's teacher, shows up and things are sorted out. The kids visit Dr. Gordon's lab, where he makes all kinds of strange inventions. Of course, Team Rocket wants to steal them all!\n\nCaterpie helps catch them in the act, but in the process, Dr. Gordon's briefcase opens and blue candies roll out. Caterpie eats some and grows until it's big enough to send Team Rocket blasting off. The Mystery Candy Complete keeps Caterpie growing until it's bigger than a building! The giant Caterpie heads into town as people flee in a panic. Climbing the local radio tower, it then evolves into Metapod.\n\nElsewhere, Team Rocket discovers that Wobbuffet stole some Mystery Candy too, so they head back into town and kidnap Dr. Gordon. The Candy makes Dustox and Cacnea huge\u2014Dustox is so big that Team Rocket hops on its back and flies away with Dr. Gordon! Metapod evolves into a giant Butterfree just in time for Ash and Xander to give chase.\n\nAfter some aerial maneuvers, Dustox suddenly shrinks back to normal size. Butterfree catches it but Team Rocket plummets into a pond. No sooner do they emerge than Officer Jenny arrives with Ash's friends, and when Team Rocket puts up a fight, Pikachu and Butterfree send them on their way once more. Eventually Butterfree returns to normal size too, and Ash says farewell to Xander and his newly-evolved friend\u2014as well as Dr. Gordon, who's now more enthusiastic about his inventions than ever!"
2005-09-15
"May and friends arrive in Saffron City, where May is so excited about the upcoming Pok\u00e9mon Contest that she heads straight for the Contest Hall. She sees people going in to check out the hall, so she goes inside too. On stage is a woman who looks suspiciously like Vivian from the Hoenn region, practicing with an Espeon. May's Squirtle gets so excited that it runs on stage. It turns out that the woman is actually Lillian, Vivian's younger sister.\n\nMay takes her Pok\u00e9mon to the Pok\u00e9mon Center for a check-up, and is surprised to meet Nurse Joy's new assistant\u2014Harley! Harley is overwhelmingly nice to May, and even tells her that she can switch Pok\u00e9mon during the contest, which turns out to be true. Harley also tells her that she can register with her Hoenn Contest Pass until 11 the next day\u2014which isn't true. But May believes him since he was telling the truth before.\n\nMeanwhile, a disguised Jessie registers for the Pok\u00e9mon Contest, and asks James if she can borrow Cacnea. But when Jessie tries to form a bond with Cacnea, it ends up getting stuck in her hair and James and Meowth rush her to the Pok\u00e9mon Center. At the PC, they get the idea to steal everyone else's Pok\u00e9mon so Jessie can win by default.\n\nMay and Ash begin to battle outside when James and Meowth fly over in their balloon and start snatching Pok\u00e9mon. May ends up teaming up with Harley to free the Pok\u00e9mon, and even more unexpected help comes from Squirtle, who uses a newly-learned Ice Beam to send the thieves blasting off.\n\nWhen May finally goes to register, she turns out to be too late. Luckily, Lillian happens to be walking by, and after hearing mention of May's heroics, the attendant lets her register for the contest."
2005-09-22
"The contest in Saffron City is about to begin! Harley ends up apologizing to May, but it rings hollow given his history of hating May. He goes first, and really impresses the crowd with his Cacturne's combination of Cotton Spore and Needle Arm. A disguised Jessie comes up to the stage, impressing and horrifying the crowd when she embraces James' Cacnea, followed by a firework-laden Pin Missile. May brings Combusken up, performing a great combination of Fire Spin and Sky Uppercut. All three of them make it to the next round.\n\nJessie and Harley are opponents next, and Jessie's strategy is to send in Wobbuffet knowing that its defensive moves could knock out Harley's Ariados. Harley is quite aware of this, and orders his Pok\u00e9mon to do nothing. Frustrated and annoyed, Lillian issues them yellow cards, knocking down their points. Harley finally strikes, using String Shot to tie up Wobbuffet and move it like a helpless puppet. Eventually Wobbuffet is thrown in the air and knocked out of battle.\n\nMay makes through her next battle fine, and faces Harley in the finals. May has elected to use Squirtle, and the little Pok\u00e9mon has a rough start, especially when it uses an Ice Beam that is too strong for it! Harley tries String Shot again, stringing up Squirtle near the ceiling. Ariados then uses Spider Web to cover the entire stage. May orders Squirtle to use Ice Beam again, which frees it from the Spider Web and freezes the stage\u2014and Ariados! With the Bug-and-Poison-type out of the way, May wins the Saffron Ribbon. May is thrilled, and Ash is hyped for his next Frontier battle."
2005-09-29
"Before they leave Saffron City, the kids have different things they want to check out. May and Brock want to try some awesome noodles. Ash and Max want to check out a Fighting-type Pok\u00e9mon dojo. Unable to fully agree, the two groups split up.\n\nMay and Brock arrive at the noodle place only to see the chef, Kyle, being dragged away by a girl named Terri. May, desperate for food, follows them with Brock. Meanwhile, Team Rocket have come up with their own noodle cart scheme, but abandon it when they see Ash and Max headed for the dojo.\n\nAt the dojo, Ash and Max are quickly drafted by Master Hamm into being students at the dojo, even though they just wanted a demonstration. Terri happens to drag Kyle in while Ash, Max, and Pikachu are cleaning the dojo's floors. After May and Brock arrive, it is finally explained that Kyle is the son of Master Hamm, and that Hamm wants Kyle to take over the dojo. Kyle would rather make noodles. Unwilling to compromise, they decide to have a Pok\u00e9mon battle to sort it out. Master Hamm's back gives out as they start, so Ash offers to take his place. Kyle doesn't like this, so May takes Kyle's place.\n\nAsh and May both practice, using Master Hamm and Kyle's Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan. They soon begin a formal battle, but are interrupted by Team Rocket, determined to steal the Fighting-type Pok\u00e9mon. Terri steps in with her Hitmontop, freeing Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan just before Pikachu sends Team Rocket blasting off.\n\nEveryone is disappointed that the battle wasn't finished, and Kyle admits he's been trying to make noodles as good as his father's all along. Terri offers to take over the dojo, since it happens that managing a dojo like that was her dream. It turns out that Master Hamm's dream was to sell noodles from a cart. In the end, everyone gets what they want, including May, who gets to try some delicious noodles made by Master Hamm!"