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title_en=Cruisin' for a Losin' |
title_en=Cruisin' for a Losin' |
title_ja=ポケモンコンテスト!ルイボス大会!! |
title_ja=ポケモンコンテスト!ルイボス大会!! |
title_ja_trans=Pokémon Contest! Ruibosu Tournament! |
title_ja_trans=Pokémon Contest! Ruibosu Tournament!! |
screen=yes |
screen=yes |
broadcast_jp=May 27, 2004 |
broadcast_jp=May 27, 2004 |
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epstaffpage=AG071-AG080 |
epstaffpage=AG071-AG080 |
footnotes=*{{filb-eppics|ag|078}} }}
footnotes=*{{filb-eppics|ag|078}} }}
'''Cruisin' for a Losin'''' (Japanese: '''ポケモンコンテスト!ルイボス大会!!''' ''Pokémon Contest! {{tt|Ruibosu|Rubello}} Tournament!'') is the 78th episode of the {{series|Advanced Generation}}, and the 352nd episode of the [[Pokémon anime]]. It was first broadcast in Japan on May 27, 2004 and in the United States on May 14, 2005.  
'''Cruisin' for a Losin'''' (Japanese: '''ポケモンコンテスト!ルイボス大会!!''' ''Pokémon Contest! {{tt|Ruibosu|Rubello}} Tournament!!'') is the 78th episode of the {{series|Advanced Generation}}, and the 352nd episode of the [[Pokémon anime]]. It was first broadcast in Japan on May 27, 2004 and in the United States on May 14, 2005.  
<!-- Short summary goes here. -->


{{spoilers}}
{{spoilers}}


==Synopsis==
==Blurb==
<!-- Detailed synopsis goes here. -->
<!--http://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-episodes/07_38-cruisin-for-a-losin/-->
It’s Contest Day in [[Rubello Town]] -- and the episode opens with Jessie being kicked out the Pokémon Contest for trying to enter with a fake, comically large Ribbon -- quashing her dream of entering this Pokémon Contest. Inside the Contest center, {{an|May}} and [[Savannah]] watch [[Vivian Meridian|Vivian]] kick off the festivities. May is as determined as ever to win, and with her victories in {{to|Fallarbor}} and [[Verdanturf Town]] she is extremely confident and calm, while Savannah is still suffering from a bad case of nerves. Drew is also waiting backstage, and he smirks as May gives advice to Savannah. Meanwhile, outside, a stranger asks if she can purchase Jessie's fake Ribbon as a decoration for her {{p|Azurill}}. Jessie gains a steely glint in her eye and what's worse -- an idea.
<i>The Rubello Pokémon Contest begins! Savannah is still nervous, but May is overconfident. Both of them do well in the first round performances, and while waiting in the locker room, May brags that once you have at least one ribbon, all the rest come easily. Drew tells her off.


Back inside the competition center, May and {{TP|May|Beautifly}} take the stage and open with a {{m|Morning Sun}} technique, followed by {{m|Silver Wind}}. The MFP cheer May on, and Savannah later complements May for her good work, remarking that she hopes she can do as well herself (scores are not shown). Savannah starts off to a rocky start, missing her cue, but she makes up for her mistake quickly. Savannah elects to start with her {{p|Flareon}}, which uses a {{m|Fire Spin}} attack to create flaming hoops which it then tackles through. Savannah follows those theatrics with a combination {{m|Swift}} and {{m|Ember}}, turning the Swift stars red. Offstage, Sandra claims that the maneuver was her idea. After Savannah yields the stage, May compliments her but remarks that after winning a few Ribbons, winning becomes easy. Drew scoffs at her hubris, and advises her to forget what she's won and concentrate on the future -- a remark that May doesn't understand. Before he can explain, Drew is called to take the stage. He starts with his {{TP|Drew|Roselia}}, which bursts from its Poké Ball with an explosion of flower petals. Drew snaps his fingers and Roselia appears (the MFP go wild), and Savannah remarks backstage that Drew is amazing. May is less impressed.
Jessie tries to enter the contest by making her own ribbon, but instead a woman offers to buy the ribbon, giving Jessie the idea to start selling them. She puts James and Meowth to work.


...Meanwhile, {{TRT}} has started manufacturing bows like Jessie's earlier adornment, apparently having developed a temporary taste for legitimate business. However, Jessie is demanding perfection in the workmanship, which neither James nor Meowth (nor Wobbuffet) seem able to give.
The finalists in the contest are announced: May, Savannah, Drew, and Sunny. Ash tries to offer some advice, but May snaps at him.


Elsewhere, in the competition center, it's announced that Savannah, Drew, and May (plus a here-to unheard-of "Sonny") have advanced to the finals. May remarks that she was never very worried, and the MFP cheer for both Drew and Savannah. May is paired to face Savannah, while Drew is slated to fight Sonny. May will be using her {{TP|May|Bulbasaur}} for the battle, while Savannah will be using her {{p|Lairon}}. May starts giving Savannah advice for the upcoming match, but are interrupted by the arrival of Ash, Max, Brock, and Sandra. Ash suggests that if Savannah needs any help, she should probably ask him, which causes May's temper to flare. Sandra recommends that Savannah needs no advice, and that she should just battle the way she always does. Meanwhile, Ash tries to give May some Bulbasaur-related advice, but May snaps at him. Drew watches the exchange and shrugs.  
Drew's Masquerain takes down Sunny's Girafarig with a three-move combo. The next battle is May's Bulbasaur versus Savannah's Lairon. Bulbasaur gets nervous, and doesn't dodge Lairon's attacks. Bulbasaur takes a bad pounding but May refuses to accept defeat, and the judges yell at her.


Drew and Sonny's battle is first. Sonny sends out his {{p|Girafarig}} while Drew chooses his {{p|Masquerain}} that he showed May the previous evening. A brief exchange (Girafarig's {{m|Iron Tail}} versus Masquerain's {{m|Bubble}}), Masquerain uses {{m|Ice Beam}} to freeze its own Bubbles, and then {{m|Hidden Power}} to launch the guide at Sonny's Girafarig, which is then knocked out. Drew thus gains a quick victory over Sonny and advances to the finals. That leaves May versus Savannah, and May determined to win. May's Bulbasaur and Savannah's Lairon take the stage but each Trainer has an immediate problem -- Savannah continues to suffer from stage fright and nerves and May's Bulbasaur is unfamiliar with the big city, and is dazzled by the Contest stage and roaring crowd. Bulbasaur quickly retreats to behind May for cover. In the audience, Brock speculate that's May's angry outbursts backstage upset Bulbasaur. Unfortunately, May is also none too kind in telling Bulbasaur to take the stage, and Bulbasaur reluctantly steps forward to face Lairon.
May goes outside, and Ash talks with her. The two of them go back inside to watch Savannah face off against Drew. Drew beats Savannah by a lot of points, and wins his fourth ribbon.


With the battle joined in earnest, Savannah orders Lairon to use {{m|Take Down}}. May calls for Bulbasaur to dodge, but it freezes before the bright lights and unfamiliar stage -- possibly compounded by May's anger. Bulbasaur takes the attack head on. May orders a counter-attack with {{m|Vine Whip}}, which Bulbasaur supplies, but Lairon counters with a surprise and electric-type {{m|Shock Wave}}, which traces the Vine Whip and shocks Bulbasaur. Sandra reveals, at this point, that she was also the architect of the Shock Wave combo and that because of Vine Whip's direct contact, Lairon paralyzed Bulbasaur. Savannah orders a coup de grace with {{m|Metal Claw}}, which makes contact and causes the judges to call the battle against Bulbasaur. May declares that she's not done, but the judges rebuke her harshly, declaring that she has disregarded the well-being of her Bulbasaur. May has lost the battle (thus receiving her tragic downfall, as episode's title might have implied), and Savannah continues to the finals.  
Team Rocket is trying to sell the ribbons they made, but no one buys one, and even the woman who bought one before wants to return hers.


In the next scene, May is outside tending to her Bulbasaur. She is soon joined by Ash and Pikachu, who invite her inside to watch the final round. Ash tells May that everyone gets carried away with wanting to win sometimes, and that the most important fact of battling, Contest or Gym, is that Trainer and Pokémon must be in sync to succeed. Meanwhile, Drew and Savannah are fighting fiercely. In the final seconds of the match, Drew scores an unavenged hit with Hidden Power -- and time expires before Savannah can counter with a Shock Wave. The victory goes to Drew (who courteously shakes hands with his opponent after the battle), and he gains the Rubello Town Contest Ribbon, bringing his total to four (five being necessary to enter the [[Hoenn Grand Festival|Grand Festival]]).
Back at the Pokémon Center, Savannah doesn't feel bad about losing, and even May realizes that she can't take her wins for granted.</i>


Elsewhere, Team Rocket is having trouble selling their carefully crafted Ribbons, and in the greatest irony, the stranger who purchase one earlier asks if she can return hers.
==Plot==
It's {{pkmn|Contest}} day in [[Rubello Town]], except for [[Jessie]]. Despite her attempt to enter with a comically-large fake [[Ribbon]], her dream of entering this Pokémon Contest is quashed. Inside the [[Contest Hall]], {{an|May}} and [[Savannah]] watch [[Vivian Meridian|Vivian]] kick off the festivities. May is as determined as ever to win, and with her victories in {{to|Fallarbor}} and [[Verdanturf Town]] she is particularly confident, while Savannah is still suffering from a bad case of nerves. [[Drew]] is also waiting backstage, and he smirks as May gives advice to Savannah. Meanwhile, outside, a stranger asks if she can purchase Jessie's fake Ribbon as a decoration for her {{p|Azurill}}. Jessie gains a steely glint in her eye and what's worse&mdash;an idea.


The episode ends with Ash and company, Savannah, and Sandra sitting around a table. Savannah declares that though she wanted the Contest Ribbon today, she didn't want it so badly that she took her existing Ribbon for granted. May realizes that she did exactly that -- take her other Ribbons for granted in her pursuit of yet another, and vows she never will do so again. In the end, May learned something from Savannah (rather than the reverse) and the narrator concludes that for May this defeat was a learning experience.
Back inside the competition center, May and {{TP|May|Beautifly}} take the stage and open with a {{m|Morning Sun}} technique, followed by {{m|Silver Wind}}. The [[Mothers for Pokémon]] cheer May on, and Savannah later complements May for her good work, remarking that she hopes she can do as well herself. Savannah starts off a bit shaky, missing her cue, but she makes up for her mistake quickly. Savannah elects to start with her {{p|Flareon}}, which uses a {{m|Fire Spin}} attack to create flaming hoops which it then {{m|Tackle}}s through. Savannah follows those theatrics with a [[Contest combination|combination]] of {{m|Swift}} and {{m|Ember}}, turning the Swift stars red. [[Sandra]] informs the boys that the maneuver was her idea. After Savannah yields the stage, May compliments her but remarks that after winning a few Ribbons, winning becomes easy. Drew scoffs at her hubris, and advises her to forget what she's won and concentrate on the future&mdash;a remark that May doesn't understand. Before he can explain, Drew is called to take the stage. He starts with his {{TP|Drew|Roselia}}, which bursts from its {{i|Poké Ball}} with a blizzard of {{m|Petal Dance}}. Drew snaps his fingers and Roselia appears, making the MFP go wild, and Savannah remarks backstage that Drew is amazing. May, however, is less impressed. Meanwhile, {{TRT}} has started manufacturing bows like Jessie's earlier adornment, apparently having developed a temporary taste for legitimate business. However, Jessie is demanding perfection in the workmanship, which neither [[James]], {{MTR}} nor {{TP|Jessie|Wobbuffet}} seem able to meet.
 
Later, Vivian announces the contestants advancing to the next stage, the [[Contest Battle]] rounds, as Drew, May, [[Sonny]] and Savannah. May remarks that she was never very worried, and the MFP cheer for both Drew and Savannah. May is paired to face Savannah, while Drew is slated to fight Sonny. May will be using her {{TP|May|Bulbasaur}} for the battle, while Savannah selects her {{p|Lairon}}. May starts giving Savannah advice for the upcoming match, but she is interrupted by the arrival of the boys and Sandra. {{Ash}} suggests that if Savannah needs any help, she should probably ask him, which causes May's temper to flare. Sandra recommends that Savannah needs no advice, and that she should just battle the way she always does. Meanwhile, Ash tries to give May some Bulbasaur-related advice, but May snaps at him. Drew watches the exchange and shrugs.
 
Drew and Sonny's battle is first. Sonny sends out his {{p|Girafarig}} while Drew chooses his new {{p|Masquerain}}. Girafarig swings for a {{m|Iron Tail}}, but Masquerain avoids the attack and responds with {{m|Bubble}} attack. Masquerain follows up with {{m|Ice Beam}} to freeze its own Bubbles, and then adds {{m|Hidden Power}} to the mix. The Hidden Power energy bounces between the spheres of ice before knocking Girafarig out. Drew thus gains a quick victory over Sonny and advances to the finals. That leaves May versus Savannah, and May determined to win. May's Bulbasaur and Savannah's Lairon take the stage, but each Coordinator has an immediate problem&mdash;Savannah continues to suffer from stage fright and nerves and May's Bulbasaur is unfamiliar with the big city, and is dazzled by the Contest stage and roaring crowd. Bulbasaur quickly retreats to behind May for cover. In the audience, Brock speculate that's May's angry outbursts backstage upset Bulbasaur. Unfortunately, May is also none too kind in telling Bulbasaur to take the stage, and Bulbasaur reluctantly steps forward to face Lairon.
 
With the battle joined in earnest, Savannah orders Lairon to use {{m|Take Down}}. May calls for Bulbasaur to dodge, but the bright lights and unfamiliar stage fills her with fear, which is compounded by May's anger. Bulbasaur therefore takes the attack head on. May orders a counterattack with {{m|Vine Whip}}, which Bulbasaur supplies, but Lairon counters with a surprise and {{type|Electric}} {{m|Shock Wave}}, which traces the Vine Whip and shocks Bulbasaur. Sandra reveals, at this point, that she was also the architect of the Shock Wave combo and that because of Vine Whip's direct contact, Lairon paralyzed Bulbasaur. Savannah orders a ''coup de grace'' with {{m|Metal Claw}}, which makes contact and causes the [[Contest Judge]]s to call the battle against Bulbasaur. May declares that she's not done, but the judges rebuke her harshly, declaring that she has disregarded the well-being of her Bulbasaur. Savannah continues onto the finals, while May ventures outside to tend to Bulbasaur.
 
She apologizes to her Pokémon for losing sight of what was important, and Bulbasaur easily forgives her. Ash and {{AP|Pikachu}} approach her, inviting May inside to watch the final round. Ash assures May that everyone gets carried away with wanting to win sometimes, and that the most important fact of battling, Contest or [[Gym]], is that {{pkmn|Trainer}} and {{OBP|Pokémon|species}} must be in sync to succeed. Meanwhile, Drew and Savannah are fighting fiercely. In the final seconds of the match, Drew scores an unavenged hit with Hidden Power, and time expires before Savannah can counter with a Shock Wave. The victory goes to Drew who courteously shakes hands with his opponent after the battle. The brief brush with Drew only makes the other MFP members jealous. Having now earned his fourth Ribbon, Drew is one Contest win away from qualifying for the [[Grand Festival]]. Elsewhere, Team Rocket is having trouble selling their carefully crafted Ribbons, and in the greatest irony, the stranger who purchase one earlier asks if she can return hers.
 
Overnight, Ash, {{ashfr}}, Savannah, and Sandra return to the [[Pokémon Center]] cafeteria to enjoy a meal together. Savannah declares that though she wanted the Contest Ribbon today, she didn't want it so badly that she took her existing Ribbon for granted. May realizes that she did exactly that&mdash;take her other Ribbons for granted in her pursuit of yet another, and vows she never will do so again.


==Major events==
==Major events==
* {{an|May}} loses her fourth Contest.
* {{an|May}} and [[Drew]] enter the [[Rank (Contest)|R1]] [[Rubello Town]] [[Pokémon Contest]].
* [[Drew]] wins another Contest.
* [[Drew]] wins the Rubello Contest and earns his fourth [[Ribbon]].
* [[May's Beautifly]] is revealed to know {{m|Morning Sun}}.
* [[May's Beautifly]] is revealed to know {{m|Morning Sun}}.
{{animeevents}}
{{animeevents}}


===Debuts===
===Debuts===
====Pokémon debuts====


==Characters==
==Characters==
Line 69: Line 80:
* [[Jessie]]
* [[Jessie]]
* [[James]]
* [[James]]
* [[Nurse Joy]]
* [[Drew]]
* [[Drew]]
* [[Vivian Meridian]]
* [[Vivian Meridian]]
* [[Raoul Contesta]]
* [[Raoul Contesta]]
* [[Mr. Sukizo]]
* [[Mr. Sukizo]]
* [[Nurse Joy]]
* [[Savannah]]
* [[Savannah]]
* [[Sandra]]
* [[Sandra]]
* [[Sonny]]
* [[Sonny]]
* [[Mothers for Pokémon]] members
* {{pkmn|Coordinator}}s
* Audience


===Pokémon===
===Pokémon===
[[File:PTC AG078.png|thumb|200px|right|Pokémon Trainer's Choice]]
[[File:PTC AG078.png|thumb|200px|Pokémon Trainer's Choice]]
[[Pokémon Trainer's Choice]]: {{p|Camerupt}}
[[Pokémon Trainer's Choice]]: {{p|Camerupt}}
* {{p|Pikachu}} ({{OP|Ash|Pikachu}})
* {{p|Pikachu}} ({{OP|Ash|Pikachu}})
Line 91: Line 105:
* {{p|Lairon}} ([[Savannah]]'s)
* {{p|Lairon}} ([[Savannah]]'s)
* {{p|Girafarig}} ([[Sonny]]'s)
* {{p|Girafarig}} ([[Sonny]]'s)
* {{p|Azurill}}  
* {{p|Azurill}} (Coordinator's)
* {{p|Seedot}}
* {{p|Seedot}} (Coordinator's)
* {{p|Shroomish}}
* {{p|Shroomish}} (Coordinator's)


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
[[Image:Older Max look-a-like.png|thumb|200px|right|The Max look-a-like on the right]]
[[Image:Older Max look-a-like.png|thumb|200px|right|The Max look-a-like on the right]]
* Music from ''[[M01|Mewtwo Strikes Back]]'' and some music from ''[[M02|The Power of One]]'' was used in this episode.
* Music from ''[[M01|Mewtwo Strikes Back]]'' and some music from ''[[M02|The Power of One]]'' was used in this episode.
* The English dub title is based on the phrase, "cruising for a bruising".
* The English dub title is based on the phrase "''cruising for a bruising''".
* In the crowd watching the Contest, an older-looking Max look-a-like can be seen.
* In the crowd watching the {{pkmn|Contest}}, an older-looking [[Max]] [[Doppelgänger|lookalike]] can be seen.
* In this episode,Team Rocket doesn't blast off or speak their {{motto}}.
* In this episode, {{TRT}} doesn't blast off or recite their {{motto}}.


===Errors===
===Errors===
* The Pokémon Trainer's Choice states that Camerupt would be the best choice to battle Ludicolo. It would actually be the worst choice because Ludicolo's {{type|Water}} [[Move|attacks]] would be effective on Camerupt as it is a {{t|Fire}}/{{type|Ground}}. Ground-type attacks are not very effective against Ludicolo and Fire-type attacks are normally effective. Both Duskull and Mightyena would be normally effective on Ludicolo.
* The [[Pokémon Trainer's Choice]] segment states that {{p|Camerupt}} would be the best choice to battle {{p|Ludicolo}}. It would actually be the worst choice because Ludicolo's {{type|Water}} [[Move|attacks]] would be four times more effective on Camerupt as it is a {{t|Fire}}/{{type|Ground}}. Ground-type attacks are not very effective against Ludicolo and Fire-type attacks are normally effective. Both {{p|Duskull}} and {{p|Mightyena}} would be normally effective on Ludicolo.


===Dub edits===
===Dub edits===
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{{Epilang|color=9999FF|bordercolor=FF7777
{{Epilang|color=9999FF|bordercolor=FF7777
|zh_cmn={{tt|神奇寶貝華麗大賽!長壽大會!|Pokémon Contest! Chángshòu (Rubello) Convention!}}
|zh_cmn={{tt|神奇寶貝華麗大賽!長壽大會!|Pokémon Contest! Chángshòu (Rubello) Convention!}}
|nl={{tt|Een leerzaam verlies|An Instructive Loss}}
|da={{tt|Tab og vind|Lose and win}}{{tt|*|Vind can mean both win and wind, possibly making it a pun}}
|de={{tt|Probieren geht über studieren|Losing is more important than studying}}
|de={{tt|Probieren geht über studieren|Losing is more important than studying}}
|fi={{tt|Unohtumaton tappio|The unforgottable defeat}}
|fi={{tt|Unohtumaton tappio|The unforgottable defeat}}
Line 121: Line 137:
|pt_br={{tt|Aprendendo com a Derrota|Learning with the Defeat}}
|pt_br={{tt|Aprendendo com a Derrota|Learning with the Defeat}}
|pt_eu={{tt|Uma Derrota Surpresa|A Surprise Defeat}}
|pt_eu={{tt|Uma Derrota Surpresa|A Surprise Defeat}}
|ru={{tt|Гордость и падение|Pride and fall}}
|es_la={{tt|¡Un paseo para perder!|A stroll to lose!}}
|es_la={{tt|¡Un paseo para perder!|A stroll to lose!}}
|es_eu={{tt|Experimentando la derrota|Experiencing the defeat}}
|es_eu={{tt|Experimentando la derrota|Experiencing the defeat}}
|sv={{tt|Prioriteringar|Priorities}}
|sv={{tt|Prioriteringar!|Priorities!}}
|ko={{tt|포켓몬 콘테스트! 루이보스 대회|Pokémon Contest! Rubello Competition}}
|hi=कौन जीतेगा Rubello Town का पोकेमोन काँटेस्ट? {{tt|''Kaun Jeetega Rubello Town Ka Pokemon Contest?''|Who will win the Rubello Town Pokémon Contest?}} {{tt|*|Hungama dub}}
}}
}}
{{-}}
{{-}}
Line 134: Line 153:
colorscheme=Hoenn}}
colorscheme=Hoenn}}
{{Project Anime notice}}
{{Project Anime notice}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:0352}}
[[Category:Advanced Generation series episodes|078]]
[[Category:Advanced Generation series episodes|078]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Atsuhiro Tomioka|352]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Atsuhiro Tomioka]]
[[Category:Episodes storyboarded and directed by Yoshito Hata|352]]
[[Category:Episodes storyboarded and directed by Yoshito Hata]]
[[Category:Episodes animated by Kumiko Shishido|352]]
[[Category:Episodes storyboarded by Yoshito Hata]]
[[Category:Episodes with Contests|352]]
[[Category:Episodes directed by Yoshito Hata]]
[[Category:Episodes focusing on May|352]]
[[Category:Episodes animated by Kumiko Shishido]]
[[Category:Episodes with Contests]]
[[Category:Episodes focusing on May]]
[[Category:Episodes in which May loses a Contest]]


[[de:Verlieren geht über studieren! (Episode)]]
[[de:Verlieren geht über studieren!]]
[[es:EP354]]
[[fr:AG078]]
[[ja:AG編第78話]]
[[ja:AG編第78話]]
[[pl:AG078]]
[[zh:精灵宝可梦 超世代 第78集]]

Revision as of 04:28, 31 August 2019

AG077 : A Fan with a Plan
Advanced Generation series
AG079 : Pearls are a Spoink's Best Friend
Cruisin' for a Losin'
AG078.png
AG078   EP352
ポケモンコンテスト!ルイボス大会!!
Pokémon Contest! Ruibosu Tournament!!
First broadcast
Japan May 27, 2004
United States May 14, 2005
English themes
Opening This Dream
Ending
Japanese themes
Opening チャレンジャー!!
Ending スマイル
Credits
Animation Team Ota
Screenplay 冨岡淳広 Atsuhiro Tomioka
Storyboard 秦義人 Yoshito Hata
Assistant director 秦義人 Yoshito Hata
Animation director 宍戸久美子 Kumiko Shishido
Additional credits

Cruisin' for a Losin' (Japanese: ポケモンコンテスト!ルイボス大会!! Pokémon Contest! Ruibosu Tournament!!) is the 78th episode of the Advanced Generation series, and the 352nd episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on May 27, 2004 and in the United States on May 14, 2005.

201
Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.
201

Blurb

The Rubello Pokémon Contest begins! Savannah is still nervous, but May is overconfident. Both of them do well in the first round performances, and while waiting in the locker room, May brags that once you have at least one ribbon, all the rest come easily. Drew tells her off.

Jessie tries to enter the contest by making her own ribbon, but instead a woman offers to buy the ribbon, giving Jessie the idea to start selling them. She puts James and Meowth to work.

The finalists in the contest are announced: May, Savannah, Drew, and Sunny. Ash tries to offer some advice, but May snaps at him.

Drew's Masquerain takes down Sunny's Girafarig with a three-move combo. The next battle is May's Bulbasaur versus Savannah's Lairon. Bulbasaur gets nervous, and doesn't dodge Lairon's attacks. Bulbasaur takes a bad pounding but May refuses to accept defeat, and the judges yell at her.

May goes outside, and Ash talks with her. The two of them go back inside to watch Savannah face off against Drew. Drew beats Savannah by a lot of points, and wins his fourth ribbon.

Team Rocket is trying to sell the ribbons they made, but no one buys one, and even the woman who bought one before wants to return hers.

Back at the Pokémon Center, Savannah doesn't feel bad about losing, and even May realizes that she can't take her wins for granted.

Plot

It's Contest day in Rubello Town, except for Jessie. Despite her attempt to enter with a comically-large fake Ribbon, her dream of entering this Pokémon Contest is quashed. Inside the Contest Hall, May and Savannah watch Vivian kick off the festivities. May is as determined as ever to win, and with her victories in Fallarbor and Verdanturf Town she is particularly confident, while Savannah is still suffering from a bad case of nerves. Drew is also waiting backstage, and he smirks as May gives advice to Savannah. Meanwhile, outside, a stranger asks if she can purchase Jessie's fake Ribbon as a decoration for her Azurill. Jessie gains a steely glint in her eye and what's worse—an idea.

Back inside the competition center, May and Beautifly take the stage and open with a Morning Sun technique, followed by Silver Wind. The Mothers for Pokémon cheer May on, and Savannah later complements May for her good work, remarking that she hopes she can do as well herself. Savannah starts off a bit shaky, missing her cue, but she makes up for her mistake quickly. Savannah elects to start with her Flareon, which uses a Fire Spin attack to create flaming hoops which it then Tackles through. Savannah follows those theatrics with a combination of Swift and Ember, turning the Swift stars red. Sandra informs the boys that the maneuver was her idea. After Savannah yields the stage, May compliments her but remarks that after winning a few Ribbons, winning becomes easy. Drew scoffs at her hubris, and advises her to forget what she's won and concentrate on the future—a remark that May doesn't understand. Before he can explain, Drew is called to take the stage. He starts with his Roselia, which bursts from its Poké Ball with a blizzard of Petal Dance. Drew snaps his fingers and Roselia appears, making the MFP go wild, and Savannah remarks backstage that Drew is amazing. May, however, is less impressed. Meanwhile, Team Rocket has started manufacturing bows like Jessie's earlier adornment, apparently having developed a temporary taste for legitimate business. However, Jessie is demanding perfection in the workmanship, which neither James, Meowth nor Wobbuffet seem able to meet.

Later, Vivian announces the contestants advancing to the next stage, the Contest Battle rounds, as Drew, May, Sonny and Savannah. May remarks that she was never very worried, and the MFP cheer for both Drew and Savannah. May is paired to face Savannah, while Drew is slated to fight Sonny. May will be using her Bulbasaur for the battle, while Savannah selects her Lairon. May starts giving Savannah advice for the upcoming match, but she is interrupted by the arrival of the boys and Sandra. Ash suggests that if Savannah needs any help, she should probably ask him, which causes May's temper to flare. Sandra recommends that Savannah needs no advice, and that she should just battle the way she always does. Meanwhile, Ash tries to give May some Bulbasaur-related advice, but May snaps at him. Drew watches the exchange and shrugs.

Drew and Sonny's battle is first. Sonny sends out his Girafarig while Drew chooses his new Masquerain. Girafarig swings for a Iron Tail, but Masquerain avoids the attack and responds with Bubble attack. Masquerain follows up with Ice Beam to freeze its own Bubbles, and then adds Hidden Power to the mix. The Hidden Power energy bounces between the spheres of ice before knocking Girafarig out. Drew thus gains a quick victory over Sonny and advances to the finals. That leaves May versus Savannah, and May determined to win. May's Bulbasaur and Savannah's Lairon take the stage, but each Coordinator has an immediate problem—Savannah continues to suffer from stage fright and nerves and May's Bulbasaur is unfamiliar with the big city, and is dazzled by the Contest stage and roaring crowd. Bulbasaur quickly retreats to behind May for cover. In the audience, Brock speculate that's May's angry outbursts backstage upset Bulbasaur. Unfortunately, May is also none too kind in telling Bulbasaur to take the stage, and Bulbasaur reluctantly steps forward to face Lairon.

With the battle joined in earnest, Savannah orders Lairon to use Take Down. May calls for Bulbasaur to dodge, but the bright lights and unfamiliar stage fills her with fear, which is compounded by May's anger. Bulbasaur therefore takes the attack head on. May orders a counterattack with Vine Whip, which Bulbasaur supplies, but Lairon counters with a surprise and Electric-type Shock Wave, which traces the Vine Whip and shocks Bulbasaur. Sandra reveals, at this point, that she was also the architect of the Shock Wave combo and that because of Vine Whip's direct contact, Lairon paralyzed Bulbasaur. Savannah orders a coup de grace with Metal Claw, which makes contact and causes the Contest Judges to call the battle against Bulbasaur. May declares that she's not done, but the judges rebuke her harshly, declaring that she has disregarded the well-being of her Bulbasaur. Savannah continues onto the finals, while May ventures outside to tend to Bulbasaur.

She apologizes to her Pokémon for losing sight of what was important, and Bulbasaur easily forgives her. Ash and Pikachu approach her, inviting May inside to watch the final round. Ash assures May that everyone gets carried away with wanting to win sometimes, and that the most important fact of battling, Contest or Gym, is that Trainer and Pokémon must be in sync to succeed. Meanwhile, Drew and Savannah are fighting fiercely. In the final seconds of the match, Drew scores an unavenged hit with Hidden Power, and time expires before Savannah can counter with a Shock Wave. The victory goes to Drew who courteously shakes hands with his opponent after the battle. The brief brush with Drew only makes the other MFP members jealous. Having now earned his fourth Ribbon, Drew is one Contest win away from qualifying for the Grand Festival. Elsewhere, Team Rocket is having trouble selling their carefully crafted Ribbons, and in the greatest irony, the stranger who purchase one earlier asks if she can return hers.

Overnight, Ash, his friends, Savannah, and Sandra return to the Pokémon Center cafeteria to enjoy a meal together. Savannah declares that though she wanted the Contest Ribbon today, she didn't want it so badly that she took her existing Ribbon for granted. May realizes that she did exactly that—take her other Ribbons for granted in her pursuit of yet another, and vows she never will do so again.

Major events

For a list of all major events in the anime, please see the history page.

Debuts

Pokémon debuts

Characters

Humans

Pokémon

Pokémon Trainer's Choice

Pokémon Trainer's Choice: Camerupt

Trivia

The Max look-a-like on the right

Errors

Dub edits

Pokémon Trainer's Choice

In other languages



AG077 : A Fan with a Plan
Advanced Generation series
AG079 : Pearls are a Spoink's Best Friend
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