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EP042: Difference between revisions

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(It's less about the irony and more about the games they appear in.)
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==Blurb==
==Blurb==
<!--http://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-episodes/01_39-showdown-at-dark-city/-->
<!--https://www.pokemon.com/us/animation/seasons/1/episode-39-showdown-at-dark-city/-->
<i>In the middle of a terrible desert, our heroes inadvertently wandered into Dark City. With no name but Dark, the city has fallen into ruin. The streets, even at midday, are vacant of people. But suddenly, a rare figure appears and begins to throw stones at Ash and friends. They had heard at a restaurant in town, that this town contains two authorized Pokémon gyms, but that their Masters try to battle traveling Pokémon trainers anywhere within the town. This is said to be the cause of the town's desolation. Will our heroes also be caught up in the whirlwind of these battles?</i>
<i>In the middle of a terrible desert, our heroes inadvertently wandered into Dark City. With no name but Dark, the city has fallen into ruin. The streets, even at midday, are vacant of people. But suddenly, a rare figure appears and begins to throw stones at Ash and friends. They had heard at a restaurant in town, that this town contains two authorized Pokémon gyms, but that their Masters try to battle traveling Pokémon trainers anywhere within the town. This is said to be the cause of the town's desolation. Will our heroes also be caught up in the whirlwind of these battles?</i>


==Plot==
==Plot==
{{Ash}} and {{ashfr}} arrive in [[Dark City]], which appears to be a ghost town, much to {{an|Brock}}'s dismay. They are even more curious to see a parent herding their child off for fear of [[Pokémon Trainer]]s in the area. As Ash, {{an|Misty}}, and Brock ponder why that is, {{AP|Pikachu}} is hit by a rock thrown from the roof of a nearby building. When Ash tells Pikachu to retaliate using a {{m|Thunderbolt}}, they hit three kids on the rooftop. When they go apologize to them, however, they get a cold shoulder treatment, as the kids want the group out of the town. The kids, however, are stopped by a local restaurant owner, who invites them to his restaurant.
{{Ash}} and {{ashfr}} arrive in [[Dark City]], which appears to be a ghost town, much to {{an|Brock}}'s dismay. They are even more curious to see a mother taking her wandering son back indoors for fear of [[Pokémon Trainer]]s in the area. As they ponder why that is, {{AP|Pikachu}} is hit by a rock thrown from the roof of a nearby building. When Ash tells Pikachu to retaliate using a {{m|Thunderbolt}}, it hits three children on the rooftop. When the group goes to apologize to the children, they get hit in the head with sticks, as the children want the group to leave their town. The children are then stopped by a local restaurant owner, who invites everyone back to his restaurant.


At the restaurant, while eating lunch, Pikachu takes a particular liking to eating ketchup from the bottle. The restaurant owner explains to Ash and his friends, as well as a mysterious patron who had happened to overhear, that Dark City has two rival [[Gym|Pokémon Gyms]], the Yas Gym and the Kaz Gym. Both Gyms seek official status, but to do so they would need the approval of the [[Pokémon Inspection Agency|Pokémon League inspector]], who is scheduled to arrive at any moment. As there could be only one official Gym per city, each Gym seeks to eliminate the other before the inspector arrives. The restaurant owner further explains that Pokémon Trainers who have neared Dark City are recruited for the cause of either Gym. At that moment, fighting between the two Gyms breaks out. As Ash, Misty, and Brock watch from the safety of the restaurant, the three note that the fighting is not as much of a [[Pokémon battle]] as it was a gang war. The Yas Gym's {{p|Scyther}} and the Kaz Gym's {{p|Electabuzz}} in particular are dispatching the men of the opposing Gym with ease.
At the restaurant, while eating lunch, Pikachu takes a particular liking to eating ketchup from the bottle. The restaurant owner explains to Ash and his friends, as a mysterious patron listens close by, that Dark City has two rival [[Gym|Pokémon Gyms]], the Yas Gym and the Kaz Gym, lead by [[Yas]] and [[Kaz]], respectively. Both Gyms seek official status, but to do so, they would need the approval of the [[Pokémon Inspection Agency|Pokémon League inspector]], who is scheduled to arrive at any moment. As there can only be one official Gym per city, each of the two Gyms seeks to eliminate the other before the inspector arrives. The restaurant owner further explains that Pokémon Trainers who pass through Dark City are typically recruited for the cause of either Gym. Suddenly, a street fight between the two Gyms breaks out outside the restaurant. The Yas Gym's {{p|Scyther}} and the Kaz Gym's {{p|Electabuzz}} in particular are dispatching the men of the opposing Gym with ease, all the while damaging the town and terrorizing the townsfolk. As Ash and his friends watch from the safety of the restaurant, the three note that the fighting is not as much of a proper [[Pokémon battle]] as it is just a petty gang war.


At that point, the safety of the restaurant is shattered when {{TRT}}, hired by the Kaz Gym as elite bodyguards, invades the restaurant in disguise and demand food. They send out {{TP|Jessie|Arbok}} and {{TP|James|Weezing}} to deal with the restaurant owner when he refuses because of the Kaz Gym having run up a large tab. Ash sends Pikachu and Misty her {{TP|Misty|Starmie}} to intercept Team Rocket, but they are beaten by Brock, whose {{TP|Brock|Vulpix}} quickly forces Team Rocket out of the restaurant with a {{m|Flamethrower}}. Vulpix has now garnered the attention of a female Yas Gym recruiter, who tries to recruit Ash and his friends for their cause. At the advice of Misty, who claims that taking sides would ruin their reputations as Trainers, Ash introduces himself as Tom Ato, Misty as Ann Chovy, and Brock as Caesar Salad. They are then taken to the Yas Gym.
At that point, the safety of the restaurant is completely shattered when {{TRT}}, hired by the Kaz Gym as elite bodyguards, invades the building in disguise and demands food. They send out {{TP|Jessie|Arbok}} and {{TP|James|Weezing}} to deal with the restaurant owner when he refuses due to the Kaz Gym having run up a large tab. Ash sends out Pikachu and {{an|Misty}} her {{TP|Misty|Starmie}} to intercept Team Rocket, but they are beaten to the punch by Brock, whose {{TP|Brock|Vulpix}} quickly forces Team Rocket out of the restaurant with a {{m|Flamethrower}}. Vulpix garners the attention of a female Yas Gym recruiter, and when she thanks the group for their efforts, Ash tries to take credit for the whole thing before Misty shuts him down and reminds him that it was Vulpix alone who stopped Team Rocket. The recruiter then tries to recruit Ash and his friends for their cause. At the advice of Misty, who claims that taking sides would ruin their reputations as Trainers, Ash, looking at Pikachu's ketchup bottle, introduces himself as Tom Ato, followed by Misty as Ann Chovy, and Brock as Caesar Salad. They are then taken to the Yas Gym.


The Yas Leader is introduced to the trio, and proceeds to judge how powerful he is by suddenly releasing his Scyther to attack Pikachu. The Scyther's {{m|Cut}} attack, however, is blocked by Pikachu's ketchup bottle. This resulted in Scyther getting squirted in the eyes with ketchup, blinding it and making it attack its own Trainer. Surprised, the Yas Leader recalls Scyther and asks Ash to join him. When asked why the Yas Gym wanted to be an official Gym, the Yas Leader responds that it is simply a means to earn money quickly, as with official Gym status comes prestige and funding. Because Ash does not see this as a worthy cause, he declines. However, the Yas Leader, mad at Ash for refusing, orders his underlings to physically beat him up with a {{p|Hitmonchan}}, {{p|Hitmonlee}}, {{p|Machoke}}, and {{p|Mankey}}. Ash, aided by Misty and Brock, flee to the restaurant. There, Misty is curious as to why he was able to escape the Yas Gym so quickly and uncovers the answer from Ash's [[Pokédex]]: Scyther and Electabuzz are color-sensitive, and the color red in particular will send the two into an outrage. Knowing this, Ash and his friends devise a plan to stop the fighting once and for all by defeating both the Yas and Kaz forces in one fell swoop.
[[Yas]] is introduced to Ash and his friends. To judge Ash's strength as a Trainer, the unofficial Gym Leader proceeds to release his Scyther to attack Pikachu. However, Scyther's {{m|Cut}} attack is blocked by Pikachu's ketchup bottle, to Pikachu's pure devastation. This results in Scyther getting squirted in the eyes with ketchup, blinding it and causing it to attack its Trainer. Surprised, Yas [[recall]]s Scyther and asks Ash to join him. When asked why the Yas Gym wanted to be an official Gym, Yas responds that it is simply a means to earn [[Pokémon Dollar|money]] quickly, as with official Gym status comes prestige and funding. Because Ash does not see this as a worthy cause, he declines. However, Yas, angry at Ash for refusing, orders his underlings to physically beat him up with several {{type|Fighting}} Pokémon. While the Pokémon are busy trying to attack Ash, his friends rescue him and they flee.  


Once again, fighting breaks out on the streets of Dark City between the Yas and Kaz forces. Scyther, using a {{m|Swords Dance}} boosted {{m|Cut}}, manages to destroy Kaz's forces and city buildings with ease. While Electabuzz and {{m|Thunder Punch}} manages to do the same against the Yas forces. When Ash sees an opening, he tells Misty, Brock, the restaurant owner, and the kids to dump tomato ketchup that were stored in barrels on the roofs of various buildings, on all the Trainers, soaking them. This makes Scyther and Electabuzz go into a rage, and they begin to attack their own Trainers. Yas and Kaz, the two leaders, are at Ash's mercy, and Ash decides to end this by having {{AP|Bulbasaur}} {{m|Vine Whip}} two barrels of tomato sauce on Scyther and Electabuzz, soaking both. When the two turn to attack each other due to the rage, they run into each other, knocking the two out.
Back at the restaurant, Ash gets treatment for his wounds and comments that both the Yas and Kaz Gyms only see Pokémon battles as regular fighting rather than an honored sport, and Brock asserts that unless they're stopped, it could make all Pokémon and their Trainers look bad. Misty is curious as to why they were able to escape the Yas Gym so quickly and uncovers the answer from Ash's [[Pokédex]]: Scyther and Electabuzz are color-sensitive, and the color red in particular will send the two into a rage. Knowing this, Ash and his friends devise a plan to stop the fighting once and for all by defeating both the Yas and Kaz Gyms in one fell swoop.


When Ash asks whether the two Leaders have learned their lesson and resolved their differences, the two leaders finally agree to team up and deal with Ash. In response, Ash orders Pikachu to unleash {{m|Thunder}}, shocking both sides. Before any more damage can be done, however, the mysterious patron appears. The patron reveals herself to be [[Nurse Joy]], the Pokémon League inspector, and tells everyone that neither Yas nor Kaz deserved to be an official Gym because street fighting would not be tolerated. However, Nurse Joy allows the two Leaders a second chance, and tells the two that Ash would make a fine tutor with regards to how to be a proper Pokémon Trainer and how to start over as one united Gym, but even "Tom Ato" is at a loss of words with regards to how to be one. However, Ash does manage to tell the two Leaders to repair all the damage to the city that they had caused, and they quickly get started on the restoration.
Once again, fighting breaks out on the streets of Dark City between the Yas and Kaz Gyms. Scyther, with a boost from {{m|Swords Dance}}, manages to use Cut to destroy Kaz's forces and claimed buildings with ease. Meanwhile, Electabuzz's {{m|Thunder Punch}} manages to do the same against the Yas Gym's Pokémon. When Ash sees an opening, he tells his friends, the restaurant owner, and the children from earlier to dump a bunch of ketchup barrels from the rooftops onto all the Trainers below, covering them in the sticky red sauce. This enrages Scyther and Electabuzz as they proceed to attack their own Trainers. Yas and [[Kaz]] are at Ash's mercy, and Ash decides to end the conflict by having his {{AP|Bulbasaur}} use {{m|Vine Whip}} to throw a pair of buckets filled with ketchup to soak Scyther and Electabuzz. Both Pokémon try to attack their counterpart, only to run into each other, knocking the two of them out.


As Ash, Misty, Brock, and Pikachu leave Dark City, they are met again by the kids from in town. They had quickly become fans of Pikachu and decide to become Pokémon Trainers themselves. Meanwhile, Team Rocket, having been covered in red ketchup just as a building falls on them during the battle, are run out of town by Scyther and Electabuzz in their red-induced rage.
When Ash asks whether the two Leaders have learned their lesson and resolved their differences, they finally agree to team up, but only to fight back against Ash and his friends. In response, Ash orders Pikachu to unleash {{m|Thunder}}, shocking both sides. Despite this, the Leaders refuse to give up and prepare to attack the heroes with sticks. However, the mysterious patron from before appears and reveals herself to be [[Nurse Joy]], the Pokémon League inspector, and tells everyone that neither Yas nor Kaz deserve to be an official Gym, as their street fighting will not be tolerated by the [[Pokémon League]]. However, she allows the Leaders a second chance, and tells the two that Ash would make a fine tutor with regards to how to be a proper Pokémon Trainer and how to start over as one united Gym, but Ash admits he is at a loss of words with regards to how to be one. However, Ash does manage to order the Leaders to repair all the damage to the town that they had caused, as they promptly proceed to get to work on the restoration.
 
As Ash and his friends begin to leave Dark City, they are met again by the children from earlier. They have quickly become fans of Pikachu and exclaim that they have decided to become Pokémon Trainers themselves. Meanwhile, Team Rocket, having been covered in ketchup during the battle, are run out of town by the enraged Scyther and Electabuzz.


==Major events==
==Major events==
Line 93: Line 95:
* {{p|Scyther}} ([[Yas]]'s; debut)
* {{p|Scyther}} ([[Yas]]'s; debut)
* {{p|Electabuzz}} ([[Kaz]]'s; debut)
* {{p|Electabuzz}} ([[Kaz]]'s; debut)
* {{p|Raticate}} (Kaz Gym's)
* {{p|Mankey}} (Yas Gym's)
* {{p|Mankey}} (Yas Gym's)
* {{p|Machoke}} (Yas Gym's)
* {{p|Machoke}} (Yas Gym's)
* {{p|Hitmonlee}} (Yas Gym's)
* {{p|Hitmonchan}} (Yas Gym's)
* {{p|Raticate}} (Kaz Gym's)
* {{p|Golem}} (Kaz Gym's)
* {{p|Golem}} (Kaz Gym's)
* {{p|Kingler}} (Kaz Gym's; debut)
* {{p|Kingler}} (Kaz Gym's; debut)
* {{p|Hitmonlee}} (Yas Gym's)
* {{p|Rhydon}} (Kaz Gym's)
* {{p|Hitmonchan}} (Yas Gym's)
* {{p|Rhydon}} (Kaz Gym's; debut)


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
[[File:Pikachu Ketchup.png|thumb|200px|{{AP|Pikachu}} crying over a broken ketchup bottle]]
[[File:Pikachu Ketchup.png|thumb|200px|{{AP|Pikachu}} crying over a broken ketchup bottle]]
* {{Ash}} and {{ashfr}} decide to use fake names for sake of safety. Since they are in a restaurant, they use food as inspiration for their false names: Ash uses the name Tom Ato, derived from {{wp|tomato}}; {{an|Misty}} uses the name Ann Chovy, derived from {{wp|anchovy}}; and {{an|Brock}} uses the name {{wp|Caesar salad|Caesar Salad}}. In the Japanese version, they use names derived from ketchup, chicken rice, and curry rice, respectively.
* {{Ash}} and {{ashfr}} decide to use fake names for sake of safety. Since they are in a restaurant, they use food as inspiration for their false names in both English and Japanese versions (see dub edits for more details).
* {{AP|Pikachu}} reveals his fondness for ketchup. The next time he does so is in ''[[AG002|A Ruin with a View]]'', 234 episodes later.
* {{AP|Pikachu}} reveals his fondness for ketchup. The next time he does so is in ''[[AG002|A Ruin with a View]]'', 234 episodes later.
* This episode reveals {{p|Electabuzz}} and {{p|Scyther}}'s apparent dislike towards the color red.
* This episode reveals {{p|Electabuzz}} and {{p|Scyther}}'s apparent dislike towards the color red.
** Ironically, both are [[Game-exclusive Pokémon|exclusive]] to {{game|Red and Blue|s|Pokémon Red}}.
* The story of this episode is [[List of references to popular culture in Pokémon|based on]] the famous 1961 Japanese samurai film ''{{wp|Yojimbo}}''. In it, a lone samurai warrior played by {{wp|Toshiro Mifune}} puts an end to rival gang fighting in a small, desolate town.
* The story of this episode is based on the famous 1961 Japanese samurai film ''{{wp|Yojimbo (film)|Yojimbo}}''. In it, a lone samurai warrior (played by {{wp|Toshirō Mifune}}) puts an end to rival gang fighting in a small, desolate town.
* This is the first episode in which an [[HM]] move is used, as [[Yas]]'s Scyther uses {{m|Cut}}.
* This is the first episode in which an [[HM]] move is used, as [[Yas]]'s Scyther uses {{m|Cut}}.
* {{TRT}} isn't seen in their regular uniforms throughout this episode.
* {{TRT}} isn't seen in their regular uniforms throughout this episode.
* In the English [[dub]], the title card is written in {{wp|all caps}}.
* This episode may serve as a reference to [[Pokémon Adventures]] manga, as the Yas and Kaz Gyms share its more violent battle style. Both sides' Pokémon are shown to attack other Trainers directly, and the two "Gym Leaders" show no apparent qualms in killing each other's Pokémon or severely injuring each other.
* This episode may serve as a reference to [[Pokémon Adventures]] manga, as the Yas and Kaz Gyms share its more violent battle style. Both sides' Pokémon are shown to attack other Trainers directly, and the two "Gym Leaders" show no apparent qualms in killing each other's Pokémon or severely injuring each other.


===Errors===
===Errors===
* When Ash apologizes to the young boys, one of the boys' left arm is disconnected from his body.
* During one of the ketchup scenes, Pikachu's red cheeks are missing.
* During one of the ketchup scenes, Pikachu's red cheeks are missing.
* When Yas first tells his Scyther to attack, the clips on his uniform are missing.
* When the Yas Gym underlings send out their Pokémon, the Poké Balls disappear into thin air.
* When [[Kaz]] sends out his Electabuzz during the final fight, the "K" on his shirt is colored blue like the rest of the shirt instead of red.
* Shortly after [[Nurse Joy]] reveals herself as the Pokémon League Inspector, the two [[Gym Leader]]s are no longer drenched in ketchup.
* Shortly after [[Nurse Joy]] reveals herself as the Pokémon League Inspector, the two [[Gym Leader]]s are no longer drenched in ketchup.
* In one scene, the "z's" on Ash's cheeks are missing.
* In one scene, the "z's" on Ash's cheeks are missing.


===Dub edits===
===Dub edits===
* [[PokéRap]]: Day 2
* [[Kanto Pokérap]]: Day 2
* During the ketchup scene<!--Which one?-->, Pikachu was voiced by [[Rachael Lillis]] because the lines are muffled by the human conversation.
* During the ketchup scene<!--Which one?-->, Pikachu was voiced by [[Rachael Lillis]] because the lines are muffled by the human conversation.
* When supplying fake names to Officer Jenny, Ash uses the name Tom Ato, derived from {{wp|tomato}}; {{an|Misty}} uses the name Ann Chovy, derived from {{wp|anchovy}}; and {{an|Brock}} uses the name {{wp|Caesar salad|Caesar Salad}} in the English dub. In the Japanese version, they use names derived from {{wp|Omurice}} with ketchup, chicken rice, and curry rice, respectively.
** Similarly, Ash gives a fake name of "Ketchup" (inspired by his ruined dish) in the English version when asked by a Yas recruiter for his identity. In the Japanese version, he instead gave his name as {{wp|Naporitan|Napolitan}}, causing the recruiter to ask if he was of Italian origin.
* Although Team Rocket's pun on the various stages of cooked meat upon being roasted by Brock's Vulpix was largely kept intact in the English dub, James manages to use the correct terminology of "Well-done" in the dub, whereas in the Japanese version, he mistakenly says "Well come", causing Jessie to berate him for screwing up the punchline as they flee.


==In other languages==
==In other languages==
{{Epilang|color=AFA|bordercolor=FAA
{{Epilang|color=AFA|bordercolor=FAA
|ar={{tt|المدينة المهجورة|The abandoned city}}
|zh_cmn={{tt|神奇寶貝道館的決鬥 / 神奇宝贝道馆的决斗|Pokémon Gym Showdown}}
|zh_cmn={{tt|神奇寶貝道館的決鬥 / 神奇宝贝道馆的决斗|Pokémon Gym Showdown}}
|cs={{tt|Zápas v Temném městě|Match in the Dark City}}
|cs={{tt|Zápas v Temném městě|Match in the Dark City}}
Line 146: Line 156:
|sv={{tt|Uppgörelsen i Dark City|The showdown in Dark City}}
|sv={{tt|Uppgörelsen i Dark City|The showdown in Dark City}}
|uk={{tt|Сутичка у Місті Темряви|Fight in the City of Darkness}}
|uk={{tt|Сутичка у Місті Темряви|Fight in the City of Darkness}}
|tr={{tt|Karanlık Şehir'deki Karşılaşma|Showdown in Dark City}}
}}
}}
{{-}}
{{-}}
Line 170: Line 181:
[[it:EP042]]
[[it:EP042]]
[[ja:無印編第42話]]
[[ja:無印編第42話]]
[[zh:精灵宝可梦 第41集]]
[[zh:宝可梦 第41集]]

Latest revision as of 00:22, 9 March 2024

← EP041 : Wake Up Snorlax!
Original series
EP043 : The March of the Exeggutor Squad →
Showdown at Dark City
EP042.png
  EP042  
たいけつ！ポケモンジム！
Showdown! Pokémon Gym!
First broadcast
Japan April 30, 1998
United States October 29, 1998
English themes
Opening Pokémon Theme
Ending
Japanese themes
Opening めざせポケモンマスター
Ending ポケットにファンタジー
Credits
Animation Team Ota
Screenplay 武上純希 Junki Takegami
Storyboard 横田和 Kazu Yokota
Assistant director 大町繁 Shigeru Ōmachi
Animation director 武田優作 Yūsaku Takeda
Additional credits

Showdown at Dark City (Japanese: たいけつ！ポケモンジム！ Showdown! Pokémon Gym!) is the 42nd episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on April 30, 1998, and in the United States on October 29, 1998. It was initially intended to air in Japan on January 27, 1998, but was rescheduled following the EP038 incident.

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

Blurb

In the middle of a terrible desert, our heroes inadvertently wandered into Dark City. With no name but Dark, the city has fallen into ruin. The streets, even at midday, are vacant of people. But suddenly, a rare figure appears and begins to throw stones at Ash and friends. They had heard at a restaurant in town, that this town contains two authorized Pokémon gyms, but that their Masters try to battle traveling Pokémon trainers anywhere within the town. This is said to be the cause of the town's desolation. Will our heroes also be caught up in the whirlwind of these battles?

Plot

Ash and his friends arrive in Dark City, which appears to be a ghost town, much to Brock's dismay. They are even more curious to see a mother taking her wandering son back indoors for fear of Pokémon Trainers in the area. As they ponder why that is, Pikachu is hit by a rock thrown from the roof of a nearby building. When Ash tells Pikachu to retaliate using a Thunderbolt, it hits three children on the rooftop. When the group goes to apologize to the children, they get hit in the head with sticks, as the children want the group to leave their town. The children are then stopped by a local restaurant owner, who invites everyone back to his restaurant.

At the restaurant, while eating lunch, Pikachu takes a particular liking to eating ketchup from the bottle. The restaurant owner explains to Ash and his friends, as a mysterious patron listens close by, that Dark City has two rival Pokémon Gyms, the Yas Gym and the Kaz Gym, lead by Yas and Kaz, respectively. Both Gyms seek official status, but to do so, they would need the approval of the Pokémon League inspector, who is scheduled to arrive at any moment. As there can only be one official Gym per city, each of the two Gyms seeks to eliminate the other before the inspector arrives. The restaurant owner further explains that Pokémon Trainers who pass through Dark City are typically recruited for the cause of either Gym. Suddenly, a street fight between the two Gyms breaks out outside the restaurant. The Yas Gym's Scyther and the Kaz Gym's Electabuzz in particular are dispatching the men of the opposing Gym with ease, all the while damaging the town and terrorizing the townsfolk. As Ash and his friends watch from the safety of the restaurant, the three note that the fighting is not as much of a proper Pokémon battle as it is just a petty gang war.

At that point, the safety of the restaurant is completely shattered when Team Rocket, hired by the Kaz Gym as elite bodyguards, invades the building in disguise and demands food. They send out Arbok and Weezing to deal with the restaurant owner when he refuses due to the Kaz Gym having run up a large tab. Ash sends out Pikachu and Misty her Starmie to intercept Team Rocket, but they are beaten to the punch by Brock, whose Vulpix quickly forces Team Rocket out of the restaurant with a Flamethrower. Vulpix garners the attention of a female Yas Gym recruiter, and when she thanks the group for their efforts, Ash tries to take credit for the whole thing before Misty shuts him down and reminds him that it was Vulpix alone who stopped Team Rocket. The recruiter then tries to recruit Ash and his friends for their cause. At the advice of Misty, who claims that taking sides would ruin their reputations as Trainers, Ash, looking at Pikachu's ketchup bottle, introduces himself as Tom Ato, followed by Misty as Ann Chovy, and Brock as Caesar Salad. They are then taken to the Yas Gym.

Yas is introduced to Ash and his friends. To judge Ash's strength as a Trainer, the unofficial Gym Leader proceeds to release his Scyther to attack Pikachu. However, Scyther's Cut attack is blocked by Pikachu's ketchup bottle, to Pikachu's pure devastation. This results in Scyther getting squirted in the eyes with ketchup, blinding it and causing it to attack its Trainer. Surprised, Yas recalls Scyther and asks Ash to join him. When asked why the Yas Gym wanted to be an official Gym, Yas responds that it is simply a means to earn money quickly, as with official Gym status comes prestige and funding. Because Ash does not see this as a worthy cause, he declines. However, Yas, angry at Ash for refusing, orders his underlings to physically beat him up with several Fighting-type Pokémon. While the Pokémon are busy trying to attack Ash, his friends rescue him and they flee.

Back at the restaurant, Ash gets treatment for his wounds and comments that both the Yas and Kaz Gyms only see Pokémon battles as regular fighting rather than an honored sport, and Brock asserts that unless they're stopped, it could make all Pokémon and their Trainers look bad. Misty is curious as to why they were able to escape the Yas Gym so quickly and uncovers the answer from Ash's Pokédex: Scyther and Electabuzz are color-sensitive, and the color red in particular will send the two into a rage. Knowing this, Ash and his friends devise a plan to stop the fighting once and for all by defeating both the Yas and Kaz Gyms in one fell swoop.

Once again, fighting breaks out on the streets of Dark City between the Yas and Kaz Gyms. Scyther, with a boost from Swords Dance, manages to use Cut to destroy Kaz's forces and claimed buildings with ease. Meanwhile, Electabuzz's Thunder Punch manages to do the same against the Yas Gym's Pokémon. When Ash sees an opening, he tells his friends, the restaurant owner, and the children from earlier to dump a bunch of ketchup barrels from the rooftops onto all the Trainers below, covering them in the sticky red sauce. This enrages Scyther and Electabuzz as they proceed to attack their own Trainers. Yas and Kaz are at Ash's mercy, and Ash decides to end the conflict by having his Bulbasaur use Vine Whip to throw a pair of buckets filled with ketchup to soak Scyther and Electabuzz. Both Pokémon try to attack their counterpart, only to run into each other, knocking the two of them out.

When Ash asks whether the two Leaders have learned their lesson and resolved their differences, they finally agree to team up, but only to fight back against Ash and his friends. In response, Ash orders Pikachu to unleash Thunder, shocking both sides. Despite this, the Leaders refuse to give up and prepare to attack the heroes with sticks. However, the mysterious patron from before appears and reveals herself to be Nurse Joy, the Pokémon League inspector, and tells everyone that neither Yas nor Kaz deserve to be an official Gym, as their street fighting will not be tolerated by the Pokémon League. However, she allows the Leaders a second chance, and tells the two that Ash would make a fine tutor with regards to how to be a proper Pokémon Trainer and how to start over as one united Gym, but Ash admits he is at a loss of words with regards to how to be one. However, Ash does manage to order the Leaders to repair all the damage to the town that they had caused, as they promptly proceed to get to work on the restoration.

As Ash and his friends begin to leave Dark City, they are met again by the children from earlier. They have quickly become fans of Pikachu and exclaim that they have decided to become Pokémon Trainers themselves. Meanwhile, Team Rocket, having been covered in ketchup during the battle, are run out of town by the enraged Scyther and Electabuzz.

Major events

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

Debuts

Pokémon debuts

English dub debuts

Characters

Humans

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Pokémon

Who's That Pokémon?

Who's That Pokémon?: Scyther

Trivia

Pikachu crying over a broken ketchup bottle
  • Ash and his friends decide to use fake names for sake of safety. Since they are in a restaurant, they use food as inspiration for their false names in both English and Japanese versions (see dub edits for more details).
  • Pikachu reveals his fondness for ketchup. The next time he does so is in A Ruin with a View, 234 episodes later.
  • This episode reveals Electabuzz and Scyther's apparent dislike towards the color red.
  • The story of this episode is based on the famous 1961 Japanese samurai film Yojimbo. In it, a lone samurai warrior played by Toshiro Mifune puts an end to rival gang fighting in a small, desolate town.
  • This is the first episode in which an HM move is used, as Yas's Scyther uses Cut.
  • Team Rocket isn't seen in their regular uniforms throughout this episode.
  • In the English dub, the title card is written in all caps.
  • This episode may serve as a reference to Pokémon Adventures manga, as the Yas and Kaz Gyms share its more violent battle style. Both sides' Pokémon are shown to attack other Trainers directly, and the two "Gym Leaders" show no apparent qualms in killing each other's Pokémon or severely injuring each other.

Errors

  • When Ash apologizes to the young boys, one of the boys' left arm is disconnected from his body.
  • During one of the ketchup scenes, Pikachu's red cheeks are missing.
  • When Yas first tells his Scyther to attack, the clips on his uniform are missing.
  • When the Yas Gym underlings send out their Pokémon, the Poké Balls disappear into thin air.
  • When Kaz sends out his Electabuzz during the final fight, the "K" on his shirt is colored blue like the rest of the shirt instead of red.
  • Shortly after Nurse Joy reveals herself as the Pokémon League Inspector, the two Gym Leaders are no longer drenched in ketchup.
  • In one scene, the "z's" on Ash's cheeks are missing.

Dub edits

  • Kanto Pokérap: Day 2
  • During the ketchup scene, Pikachu was voiced by Rachael Lillis because the lines are muffled by the human conversation.
  • When supplying fake names to Officer Jenny, Ash uses the name Tom Ato, derived from tomato; Misty uses the name Ann Chovy, derived from anchovy; and Brock uses the name Caesar Salad in the English dub. In the Japanese version, they use names derived from Omurice with ketchup, chicken rice, and curry rice, respectively.
    • Similarly, Ash gives a fake name of "Ketchup" (inspired by his ruined dish) in the English version when asked by a Yas recruiter for his identity. In the Japanese version, he instead gave his name as Napolitan, causing the recruiter to ask if he was of Italian origin.
  • Although Team Rocket's pun on the various stages of cooked meat upon being roasted by Brock's Vulpix was largely kept intact in the English dub, James manages to use the correct terminology of "Well-done" in the dub, whereas in the Japanese version, he mistakenly says "Well come", causing Jessie to berate him for screwing up the punchline as they flee.

In other languages



← EP041 : Wake Up Snorlax!
Original series
EP043 : The March of the Exeggutor Squad →
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