XY044

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XY series

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Showdown at the Shalour Gym!

XY044

EP843

シャラジム戦！ピカチュウVSメガルカリオ！！
Shara Gym Match! Pikachu VS Mega Lucario!!

First broadcast

Japan	September 25, 2014
United States	November 15, 2014

English themes

Opening	Pokémon Theme (Version XY)
Ending

Japanese themes

Opening	メガＶ（メガボルト）
Ending	ピースマイル！

Credits

No additional credits are available at this time.
Animation	Team Kato
Screenplay	冨岡淳広 Atsuhiro Tomioka
Storyboard	冨安大貴 Daiki Tomiyasu
Assistant director	冨安大貴 Daiki Tomiyasu
Animation directors	志村泉 Izumi Shimura
Animation directors	田島瑞穂 Mizuho Tajima

Showdown at the Shalour Gym! (Japanese: シャラジム戦！ピカチュウVSメガルカリオ！！ Shara Gym Match! Pikachu VS Mega Lucario!!) is the 44th episode of the XY series, and the 843rd episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on September 25, 2014 and in the United States on November 15, 2014.

Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.

Blurb

Ash's Shalour City Gym battle against Korrina is under way! The battle begins as Ash's Hawlucha faces off against Korrina's Mienfoo. He tries to use the rhythmic battle style he learned from Tierno, but it's not going so well. Finally, he remembers Serena's observation that he has his own unique style, and decides to battle like himself instead!

With this change of tactics, Hawlucha wins. Ash then sends in Fletchinder, who quickly takes down Korrina's Machoke. The Gym Leader has just one Pokémon left, and of course it's her partner Lucario, who Mega Evolves and knocks out Fletchinder and then Hawlucha in short order. But our hero's unique battling style shines, and in the final matchup, Pikachu defeats Mega Lucario!

Ash wins the Rumble Badge, and the gang is off to Coumarine City for his next Gym battle!

Plot

After arriving at Shalour City, Ash is ready to battle Korrina and get his third Kalos Gym Badge. Froakie and the others are going to watch the battle. Gurkinn is the referee and says that this battle is 3-on-3 and only Ash is able to make substitutions.

Korrina releases Mienfoo as her first choice as Serena checks it on her Pokédex. Ash sends out Hawlucha to battle Mienfoo. Ash tries to use Tierno's strategy but Hawlucha gets hit by a High Jump Kick despite using a rhythm to avoid. Mienfoo uses Drain Punch next, Ash tells Hawlucha to block, but it still got hit, getting its energy drained. Ash tells Hawlucha to fight back with Karate Chop, but Korrina tells Mienfoo to block it with a kick. Ash is wondering why the rhythm strategy didn't work despite that Tierno's Squirtle had no problem moving around. Korrina tells Mienfoo to use Force Palm, scoring a direct hit on Hawlucha. Ash asks Hawlucha that it still battle, which it confirms. Ash tells it to use Flying Press as Korrina tells Mienfoo to counter with Swift as Ash states that its not a Fighting-Type move. Ash tells Hawlucha to use a rhythm, but Hawlucha still got hit.

Ash has no idea how he is going to win and while looking up towards Serena, had a flashback about the dancing practice from the other day. Following Serena's advice, Ash decides to use his own Strategy and in the middle of the fight, Mienfoo uses High Jump Kick as Hawlucha waits for the right moment to lure it in. On Ash's orders it perfectly dodges Mienfoo's High Jump Kick (with the latter suffering recoil damage). Hawlucha uses Karate Chop and it hits Mienfoo. Korrina tells Mienfoo to fight back with Force Palm as Ash tells Hawlucha to use Flying Press. It dodged Mienfoo’s Force Palm and scores a direct hit with Flying Press, knocking Mienfoo out.

Meanwhile, Team Rocket shows up and are planning to steal Pokémon while the others are distracted during Ash and Korrina's battle. As Korrina recalls Mienfoo, she sends out Machoke. Ash recalls Hawlucha and sends out Fletchinder. Fletchinder starts with Flame Charge but Machoke managed to avoid it and attacks Fletchinder with Brick Break and sends it tumbling to the ground. Fletchinder managed to get up, but it also got hit by Machoke's Low Sweep. Still hanging in there, Fletchinder use Steel Wing, but Machoke blocked it. Machoke managed to throw Fletchinder, but it still managed to hold on and launches a Razor Wind which Machoke blocks but got hurt a little and Fletchinder comes again with Flame Charge with Machoke preparing to use Focus Blast, but Fletchinder dodges and hits Machoke, knocking it out.

Korrina recalls Machoke and sends her last Pokémon, Lucario. After sending Lucario out, Korrina Mega Evolves it. Ash decides to keep Fletchinder in since it has a type advantage against Lucario. Fletchinder attacks with Flame Charge while Lucario uses Metal Sound. Fletchinder struggles a little bit, but still manages to score a hit on Lucario. Team Rocket, while watching the battle, waits for the right moment to do their evil deed. Lucario uses Aura Sphere, but Fletchinder managed to block with Steel Wing. While the smoke clears, Lucario comes up behind Fletchinder and uses Power-Up Punch, knocking Fletchinder out.

Ash recalls Fletchinder and sends Hawlucha again to battle Korrina's Lucario. Ash tells Hawlucha to use Karate Chop. As Ash's friends cheer for him and Hawlucha, Team Rocket is running down the hall, and going to steal Pikachu. When they are about to go further, Froakie sees them and uses its Frubbles to stop them in their tracks. The friends also noticed them and asked them why they're here. Team Rocket states their just doing their job and tells the friends to stay out of their way. Froakie (according to Meowth) states to the bad guys that they are the ones in the way of the battle. The friends also tell them that they're not going to interfere with Ash's battle. Team Rocket, wasting no time, sends out Pumpkaboo and Inkay to battle. As the Pokémon is about to hit the friends with Shadow Ball and Psybeam, Froakie steps in and uses its Frubbles to block the attacks, much to Team Rocket's shock. Quickly, Clemont sends out Chespin and Serena sends out Fennekin. By their Trainers' orders, they use Pin Missile and Flamethrower to send Team Rocket blasting off.

During the battle, Ash, who is still battling and didn’t notice Team Rocket, asks his friends did something happen. But Serena says that nothing happened. As the others cheer, Hawlucha attempts to use Flying Press but Lucario hits it hard with Bone Rush. Before Hawlucha can strike back, Lucario uses Aura Sphere which sends Hawlucha flying into the wall. After the smoke clears, Hawlucha is knocked out.

After recalling Hawlucha and states that Korrina and Lucario have gotten much stronger from training, Ash sends out Pikachu as his last Pokémon to battle Lucario. Serena asks why neither Ash nor Korrina is making a move yet because Clemont states that their Pokémon can’t afford to lose the battle and that they’re being extra careful. Starting off, Ash tells Pikachu to use Quick Attack as Korrina tells Lucario to draw it in. Still running, Pikachu prepares to use Electro Ball while Lucario uses Bone Rush. Pikachu manages to strike but Lucario’s Bone Rush sends the attack flying towards the ceiling. Pikachu uses Iron Tail next, but Lucario blocked it and send Pikachu flying. Ash, while Pikachu still in mid-air, tells him to use Thunderbolt. Pikachu scores a direct hit on Lucario, much to Korrina’s surprise. Lucario uses Aura Sphere and Pikachu got hit but still manages to hang in there as he releases lightning bolts for determination. Lucario uses Metal Sound, immobilizing Pikachu. Thinking fast, Pikachu uses Thunderbolt to stop Lucario’s Metal Sound. Lucario also uses Aura Sphere, but Pikachu manages to deflect it with his Iron Tail, as Clemont states that’s the same Draco Meteor Climb Strategy from the Cyllage Gym Battle with Grant. Korrina tells Lucario to use Bone Rush as Ash tells Pikachu to use another Iron Tail to block. During the collision, they’re both hurt but standing. Lucario uses Power-Up Punch as Pikachu uses Iron Tail and both attacks clashed. Pikachu uses Electro Ball while Lucario uses Aura Sphere and the attacks also clashed. And then Pikachu uses a Thunderbolt that hits Lucario which it wasn't able to dodge and Lucario is knocked out while returning to its normal Form. Ash congratulates his Pokémon to the hard work they did and Ash receives the Rumble Badge from Korrina.

Ash then questions where he shall go next and Gurkinn says to him that he should go to Coumarine City where, according to Serena, there’s a monorail. Ash and his friends set off to Courmarine City to get his fourth Gym Badge. Before leaving, Korrina bumps fists with Ash and tells him to come back soon and Ash agrees. Pikachu and Lucario also bumped fists hoping that they should meet again someday. After saying goodbye, the heroes will continue their journey.

Major events

Ash has a Gym battle against Korrina and wins, earning the Rumble Badge.
Ash learns that the next Gym is located in Coumarine City.

For a list of all major events in Pokémon the Series, please see the timeline page.

Debuts

Pokémon debuts

Characters

Humans

Pokémon Quiz

Ash
Serena
Clemont
Bonnie
Jessie
James
Korrina
Gurkinn
Tierno (flashback)
Summer Camp Trainers (flashback)

Pokémon

Who's That Pokémon?

Who's That Pokémon?: Mienfoo (US and international)
Pokémon Quiz: Machoke (Japan)

Trivia

File:Title Card XY Korrina.png

The title card segment focuses on Korrina for this episode

Mairin's Mega Evolution Journal: Mega Metagross
The next episode preview is narrated by Clemont, Bonnie, and Ash.
Music from Genesect and the Legend Awakened is used in this episode.
This is the first episode to show Korrina's Lucario in its Poké Ball.
This is the first time where Focus Blast was not portrayed as a light blue ball of energy. Korrina's Machoke's Focus Blast was instead portrayed as a glowing bright yellow ball of energy, making it identical to how it is portrayed in the games.
Right before Korrina Mega Evolves her Lucario, she poses and says, "命爆発 Life Explosion", spelling the kanji on-screen as well. This is a line taken directly from the games, which she says before the player battles her at the Tower of Mastery. This scene also marks one of the very rare instances, and the first time in the XY series, that Japanese text can be seen.
Mega V (Volt) is used as an insert song during the battle's conclusion.

Errors

Ash's Hawlucha took damage from Mega Lucario's Bone Rush despite being immune to Ground moves.
When Pikachu discharges electricity after Ash asks him if he can get up, Gurkinn isn't present when the camera moves behind Korrina to show the entire field.

Dub edits

File:Title Card XY Ash.png

The dub's title card

The title card segment focuses on Ash in the dub instead of Korrina.
The kanji 命爆発 (Life Explosion) that appeared during Korrina's poses are removed and replaced with her close-up poses in the dub.
For an unknown reason, the title card lacks the characters' shadows in the Polish dub.

In other languages


Language		Title
Chinese	Cantonese	娑羅道館戰！比卡超對超級路卡利歐！！
Chinese	Mandarin	娑羅道館對戰！皮卡丘VS超級路卡利歐！！
Dutch		Confrontatie in de Shalour Gym!
Finnish		Yhteenotto Shalourin salilla!
European French		Danse à l'arène de Yantreizh !
German		Kräftemessen in der Yantara-Arena!
Italian		Scontro finale alla palestra di Yantaropoli!
Norwegian		Oppgjørets time på Shalour Gym!
Polish		Rozgrywka w sali Shalour!
Brazilian Portuguese		Confronto no Ginásio de Shalour!
Russian		Время боя в гиме Шалур!
European Spanish		¡La Hora de la Verdad en el Gimnasio Yantra!
Thai		ศึกชาล่ายิม! ปิกาจู ปะทะ เมก้าลูคาริโอ้!!