EP029: Difference between revisions

The Punchy Pokémon (Japanese: かくとうポケモン！だいバトル！ Hand-to-Hand Fighting Pokémon! Big Battle!) is the 29th episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on October 14, 1997 and in the United States on October 15, 1998.

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

Synopsis

A shadowy figure is seen in the distance. As it approaches, it is discovered that the figure is a Hitmonchan. It suddenly stops by a nearby tree, while a girl watches the Template:Type2 from behind. Ash and the others are amazed, thinking its a wild Hitmonchan. Ash tells Pikachu that if it can defeat Hitmonchan, it will be a world champion Pokémon. However, Pikachu just imagines itself getting beaten up. Ash says that he will teach Pikachu his secret punch. Misty and Brock are curious about this, and question when Ash became a boxing expert.

Ash challenges Hitmonchan, and Pikachu is wearing little boxing gloves. Hitmonchan smirks at this, but Ash tells Pikachu to attack. Brock and Misty are watching while Ash gives commands. Pikachu sends a glowing glove into Hitmonchan's face. It rubs the spot where it was hit, and Pikachu gets scared. A man runs over, and tells Hitmonchan it should not let its guard down, then tells it to knock out that Pokémon.

Hitmonchan creams Ash's little Pikachu. Much to Ash's disappointment, it was not a wild Hitmonchan. Suddenly, the girl runs out from behind the tree. She calls the man her dad, and begs him to come home, and to give up trying to become a Pokémon trainer. The man tells his daughter, Rebecca, that he won't quit until be becomes the P1 Grand Prix champion. He then informs everyone that he will be at his gym and leaves.

After talking with Rebecca, Ash and the others learn that Anthony is determined to become the P1 Grand Prix champion, and as a result has essentially abandoned his family. Wanting to help Rebecca out, Brock volunteers his and Ash's assistance, saying their Geodude and Primeape will defeat Anthony and his Hitmonchan.

Meanwhile, Team Rocket gets wind of the Grand Prix as well. They decide to enter to win the prize belt. James and Team Rocket, on the other hand, want to win for the all-you-can-eat buffet. Jessie then gets mad at them. When they ask what she would use the money for, she tells them she would go to the salon and go on a shopping spree. When James points out that only Fighting Pokémon can enter, Jessie says that they will have to "borrow" one. They spot a tall man and his Hitmonlee, which James identifies as the Kicking Fiend.

At the P1 Grand Prix, all the competitors are ready. The first battle is between a Machop and Ash's Primeape. Despite Ash's pleas, Primeape refuses to listen, until Machop launches a Seismic Toss and sends Primeape out of the ring. Ash rushes to save it, but misses. He then asks his Pokémon if it's okay. Primeape gives Ash a sad look, then shakes it off and jumps back into the ring. Now listening to Ash, Primeape is able to take control and defeat the Machop with Scratch and Mega Kick.

The next match is Hitmonlee versus Geodude. Brock waves to Rebecca, saying everything is under control. Suddenly, Rebecca tells him to look out, and Brock is hit in the head with his own Pokémon. He sends Geodude back into the ring, where it is kicked mercilessly. Anthony approaches, telling Brock that a real man knows when to admit defeat. Brock throws in the towel, and apologizes to Geodude for making it battle. Ash promises that he and Primeape will take care of the tournament from that point forward.

As more battles are battled throughout the tournament, Primeape, Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee rise to the top of the ladder. The next main match is between Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee. Jessie is ready for anything and to make sure they win. Meowth squirts glue up through the floor of the arena. Hitmonchan steps on the glue and gets stuck, so Anthony has to throw in the towel. Anthony says he is sorry he worried Rebecca and her mother. Misty says that the fighting brought a family back together.

Then the highly anticipated battle between Ash's Primeape versus the stolen Hitmonlee takes place. Primeape blocks multiple rapid kicks from Hitmonlee and manages to sneak through a few hits. Under the arena Meowth tries to pull off another cheating move, but Pikachu spots him and decides to get moving. It finds that Meowth has planted a bomb on the stage.

Meanwhile back on the stage Hitmonlee jumps up, as per plan, Meowth hits the button on the controls, but the bomb does not explode. Hitmonlee falls down, and Primeape grabs it. It uses its Seismic Toss and wins the match. Primeape has now become the new P1 Grand Prix Champion. Ash says he is proud of Primeape. Anthony says it has a lot of natural talent, and asks if he could train it.

Ash wins the championship and leaves his Primeape with Anthony to train. He says he will come back for it someday.

Major events

• Ash gives his Primeape to Anthony.

Debuts

• Poliwrath (cameo)
• Machop
• Machoke (cameo)
• Machamp (cameo)
• Hitmonlee
• Hitmonchan

Characters

Humans

• Ash
• Misty
• Brock
• Jessie
• James
• Anthony
• Rebecca
• Giant

Pokémon

Who’s That Pokémon?: Hitmonchan

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Charmander (Ash's; flashback)
• Primeape (Ash's; leaves)
• Geodude (Brock's)
• Hitmonchan (Anthony's; debut)
• Primeape (Anthony's; new)

Pokémon seen competing at the P1 Grand Prix:

• Poliwrath (debut)
• Machop (debut)
• Machoke (debut)
• Machamp (debut)
• Hitmonlee (Giant's; debut)

Trivia

• Despite it not being a Template:Type2, Brock was allowed to enter his Geodude in the competition. In the Pokémon Trading Card Game, however, Geodude is considered a Fighting type.

Errors

Dub edits

In other languages

• Dutch: Op de P1 Grand Prix
• Finnish: Pokémonien nyrkkipyykki
• French: Un Pokémon qui a du punch
• Italian: Il torneo
• Latin American Spanish: ¡El Pokémon golpeador!
• Portuguese: O Pokémon Lutador
• Iberian Spanish: El Pokémon boxeador

Template:Epstub

This episode article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of the Pokémon anime.