XY052
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A Stealthy Challenge!
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First broadcast
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English themes
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Japanese themes
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Credits
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A Stealthy Challenge! (Japanese: 忍法対決！ゲコガシラ対ガメノデス！！ Ninja Arts Showdown! Gekogahshier VS Gamenodes!!) is the 52nd episode of the XY series, and the 851st episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on December 11, 2014 and in the United States on February 28, 2015.
Blurb
Ash and friends spot their ninja friend Sanpei and his Greninja floating down a river, unconscious! After they mount a rescue, Sanpei explains that he’s on a mission for his ninja master, Saizo, but a masked ninja and his Barbaracle partner keep trying to interfere.
The gang decides to help Sanpei on his mission, but soon Ash and Sanpei are separated from the others—just as the masked ninja strikes again! Froakie and Greninja team up to fight him off, and when the battle seems to be going against them, Froakie evolves into Frogadier!
The masked ninja then directs Ash and Sanpei to the manor where their friends are waiting. There, they discover their pursuer is none other than Saizo, who has been using their encounters as a test of Sanpei’s skills—and Sanpei has passed with flying colors! With everyone safely reunited, Ash challenges Sanpei to a battle, and soon our heroes are off once again to Coumarine City.
Plot
The episode begins when Ash trains his Froakie and Pikachu, who use Water Pulse and Thunderbolt. As Ash's friends admire his spirit, Bonnie and Dedenne notices something floating in the river. Ash sees that it's his friend, Sanpei, and immediately dives to save him. Soon Sanpei wakes up while Clemont feeds his Greninja a berry to cure its poisoning. Sanpei thanks them, while the heroes notice Greninja evolved from his Frogadier. They are curious why Greninja was poisoned, but soon hear a voice. An enemy ninja and his Barbaracle appear, who attacked Sanpei and wants their secret document.
Barbaracle uses Razor Shell, but is countered by Froakie's Cut. Pikachu uses Thunderbolt on Barbaracle, who is not hurt. Team Rocket observes and focus on taking the advantage of this situation by capturing Pikachu. Clemont proposes they need to get away, so Sanpei uses his ninja power of leaf concealment to escape from the enemy ninja. Later, the heroes are safe, but Clemont remembers the enemy ninja mentioned a secret document. Sanpei replies Saizo, a his instructor, ordered him to deliver this document to a certain mansion before sunset. He accepted the task and went with Greninja, but was ambushed by that enemy ninja.
His Barbaracle used Razor Shell, so Greninja countered it with Smokescreen. The enemy ninja blew the wind to gust the Smokescreen away, so Greninja used Quick Attack. Barbaracle took the hit and poisoned Greninja with Poison Jab and hit it again with Razor Shell. Greninja was thrown away and Sanpei tried to save it, but fell in the river. Sanpei does not know why the enemy ninja wants his document, but has to deliver it. The heroes decide to help Sanpei, as they are his friends. Clemont sees they need a plan first. His glasses shine, as he presents a machine which will leave footprints over the forest, for that should distract the enemy ninja looking for them as they go onwards.
Team Rocket try to find the twerps. They notice footprints and hear them approaching. Jessie and James start their motto, but are interrupted by TRMeowth ([[{{{2}}} (move)|{{{2}}}]]), who points out it is a machine. Jessie is angry and kicks the machine, causing it to explode and they all got covered in soot. Sanpei shows the map, where the route is being noted. However, he knows they won't make it if they took the route. He remembers there is a shortcut, but it is quite dangerous, but Ash replies they will take it, for nothing should scare them. They take a narrow path. Clemont takes a step, but the wooden support breaks, causing him and Serena to fall. Greninja uses its tongue and Froakie its Frubbles to save them and pull them up.
They climb up and Sanpei points at a tunnel, which should lead them to the other side, though they are being watched. The heroes take the tunnel, which goes downhill. Suddenly, Golbat wake up and use Air Slash to hit the heroes. Greninja uses Smokescreen to distract Golbat as the heroes and Sanpei escape. However, the Golbat use Air Slash on Clemont. Ash and Sanpei come out and see the mansion Saizo spoke of. However, they see their friends are gone, while Barbaracle and the enemy ninja appear. Sanpei orders Ash to escape, but he responds he will stay by his side and defeat the enemy ninja, then search for others.
Froakie and Greninja use Double Team, surrounding Barbaracle. Froakie uses Water Pulse and Greninja uses Water Shuriken, though Barbaracle dodges, causing Greninja and Froakie to hit each other. Pikachu uses Electro Ball, but is countered by Razor Shell. Suddenly, a net is released, but Pikachu dodges, as Team Rocket has arrived. Meowth releases another net, but the enemy ninja and Barbaracle cut it, as they were the ones that want Sanpei and Ash. Wobbuffet and Meowth charge to attack, but are hit by Barbaracle's Razor Shell. With Froakie and Greninja's Water Pulse and Water Shuriken, Team Rocket blasts off.
The enemy ninja continues his battle, as Barbaracle uses Poison Jab, but Greninja avoids it. Froakie uses Double Team, followed with Cut, along with Pikachu's Iron Tail. Barbaracle smudges them all using Mud-Slap, negating the attacks. Barbaracle uses Poison Jab, intending on finishing Greninja and Pikachu. Froakie struggles in the rocks and sees this. While causeing a major blast, Froakie evolves into a Frogadier and takes the hit. Barbaracle uses Razor Shell, which Frogadier counters with Cut. Barbaracle uses Poison Jab, though gets attacked by Frogadier's Aerial Ace. The enemy ninja uses the leaf concealment power and escapes, telling them they can find their friends at the mansion. Sanpei knows even if it is a trap, they still have to continue.
They come to the mansion and are shocked to see Serena, Clemont and Bonnie. The enemy ninja appears and takes his disguise, so Sanpei recognizes him as Saizo. Saizo explains he was testing Sanpei, while he saved their friends from the Golbat. Saizo is pleased, for Sanpei acted quickly and smart in many situations. Serena sees Froakie evolved, while Bonnie wishes Frogadier could change back so she can see it evolving as Clemont states that evolving doesn't work that way. Ash proposes a battle against Sanpei, who accepts, as their Frogadier and Greninja fight.
Major events
- Ash and his friends meet up with Sanpei again.
- Sanpei's Frogadier is revealed to have evolved into a Greninja.
- Ash's Froakie evolves into Frogadier and learns Aerial Ace.
- For a list of all major events in the animated series, please see the history page.
Debuts
Pokémon debuts
TV episode debuts
Characters
Humans
Pokémon
Who's That Pokémon?: Barbaracle (US and international)
Pokémon Quiz: Barbaracle (Japan)
- Pikachu (Ash's)
- Meowth (Team Rocket)
- Wobbuffet (Jessie's)
- Dedenne (Clemont's)
- Froakie (Ash's; evolves)
- Frogadier (Ash's; newly evolved)
- Greninja (Sanpei's)
- Frogadier (Sanpei's; flashback)
- Barbaracle (Saizo's; debut)
- Golbat (multiple)
Trivia
- Professor Oak's Pokémon Holo Caster: Skrelp
- Serena and Grace narrate the preview for the next episode.
- This episode marks the first time when a Water-type starter Pokémon in Ash's team evolves.
- This is also the first time since Round One - Begin!, 777 episodes ago, when a Water-type Pokémon has evolved under Ash's ownership.
- Frogadier remains outside of its Poké Ball for the entire episode.
- Team Rocket use a variation of their motto in the episode.
Errors
- When Clemont healed Sanpei's poisoned Greninja with a Pecha Berry, he said it was badly poisoned in the original. Poison Jab inflicts regular poison to the target, not badly poison. This was fixed in the dub.
- In one scene, Greninja's mouth is colored blue instead of cream.
- In one scene, the pupil in Greninja's eyes are colored black instead of white.
- When Clemont and Serena were falling, Clemont was to the left while Serena was to the right. When Greninja saved Serena and Froakie saved Clemont, Clemont and Serena swapped places despite Greninja's tongue and Froakie's Frubbles not crossing each other's paths.
- When Saizo confronts Ash and Sanpei after they leave the cave, he incorrectly refers to the secret scroll as a sacred scroll.
- When Saizo orders his Barbaracle to use Razor Shell on Team Rocket, the middle finger on Barbaracle's face is colored the same way as its face.
- When Barbaracle used Mud-Slap, it shot up two streams of mud off the ground, yet Pikachu, Greninja, and Froakie each got hit in the face by a different stream of mud, meaning a third stream appeared out of nowhere to hit Froakie.
Greninja's face error
Greninja's pupils error
Barbaracle's finger error
Dub edits
- In the dub, Clemont correctly states that Greninja was poisoned by Poison Jab, not badly poisoned.
- In the dub, Ash's Pokédex states that Greninja is the evolved form of Frogadier. In the original, it states that Greninja is the final evolution of Froakie.
In other languages
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