DP029

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DP028 : Drifloon On the Wind!
Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl
DP030 : Some Enchanted Sweetening!
The Champ Twins!
DP029.png
DP029   EP495
サトシとヒカリ!タッグバトルで大丈夫!?
Satoshi and Hikari! Any Need to Worry in a Tag Battle!?
First broadcast
Japan April 12, 2007
United States September 22, 2007
English themes
Opening Diamond and Pearl
Ending
Japanese themes
Opening Together
Ending 君のそばで 〜ヒカリのテーマ〜 PopUp.Version
Credits
Animation Team Iguchi
Screenplay 大橋志吉 Yukiyoshi Ōhashi
Storyboard 秦義人 Yoshito Hata
Assistant director 古賀一臣 Kazuomi Koga
Animation director 船津弘美 Hiromi Funatsu
Additional credits

The Champ Twins! (Japanese: サトシとヒカリ!タッグバトルで大丈夫!? Satoshi and Hikari! Any Need to Worry in a Tag Battle!?) is the 29th episode of Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl, and the 495th episode of the Pokémon animated series. It first aired in Japan on April 12, 2007 as part of a one-hour special with DP028, and in the United States on September 22, 2007.

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

Ash and his friends have come across a newsworthy diversion: two notorious Pokémon Trainers who've won 16 battles in a row, attracting the attention of Rhonda the reporter and her Sinnoh Now news team. Ash wants to battle these Champ Twins, Bryan and Ryan, but they only have tag battles. So while the cameras are rolling, Ash and Dawn team up to battle Bryan's Croconaw and Ryan's Quilava with Turtwig and Piplup.

Ash and Dawn are eager to show their stuff, but their teamwork could use much more work! The two of them don't coordinate moves so soon Piplup and Turtwig are getting in each other's way, and once Ash and Dawn are arguing too, the battle's as good as lost. Bryan and Ryan win the battle, which only starts another argument between Ash and Dawn—and Turtwig and Piplup too! Once they come to their senses, they apologize and resolve to take on the Champ Twins again, this time as a real tag team.

One small problem with this plan: Team Rocket has lured the Champ Twins into a pit trap and stolen their Pokémon! When Ash and Dawn discover the theft, they show off their new teamwork and defeat Team Rocket to get Croconaw and Quilava back. Now Ash and Dawn can battle the Champ Twins again, and this time their improved coordination wins the day!

Plot

On their way to Eterna City, Ash and his friends are approached by Sinnoh Now reporter Rhonda. Dawn explains to Ash that Sinnoh Now is the most popular television show in the whole Sinnoh region. Rhonda says that she is doing a news story on a Pokémon Training Camp ahead and also tells them that her main focus is two Trainers that truly test the strength of all their challengers. Suddenly, however, she is interrupted by her boom operator, Jack, who drops the microphone on her head. Rhonda scolds Jack for his incompetence, after which Jessie appears in front of the camera with a blatant cowgirl disguise, with James and Meowth in similar disguises nearby. After showing off in front of the camera for a while, Jessie is dragged off by one of the Sinnoh Now staff.

The group arrives at the camp, and come across two Trainers who are talking about their recent loss to the two Trainers that Rhonda had mentioned before. Whilst searching for them, the group see a few Pokémon who had just lost against two twin boys with a Croconaw and a Quilava. They introduce themselves as the "Champ Twins", Ryan and Bryan. When requested to battle, they tell Ash that they only participate in Tag Battles. After Brock provides an explanation, Dawn agrees to pair up with Ash. Ash and Dawn send out Turtwig and Piplup, respectively, and are ready to battle when the Sinnoh Now staff appear again to introduce the twins to the camera. Jack drops the microphone on Rhonda's head again, who angrily warns him not to do it again. The Trainers agree to let Rhonda film the battle.

Ryan's Quilava begins the battle by using Flame Wheel, which Ash's Turtwig dodges. Quilava attacks again, but this time when Turtwig dodges, it accidentally runs into Dawn's Piplup. Ash and Dawn start arguing over the knock over, and in their haste to recover, Piplup trips and collides with Turtwig. The two Trainers argue even more, with their Pokémon exchanging attacks. Even when Bryan's Croconaw attacks them both with Water Gun, they continue to attack each other. Croconaw and Quilava attack again, until both Turtwig and Piplup are knocked out, and the twins are declared the winners, extending their winning streak to 17 in a row.

Afterwards, Ash and Dawn continue to argue, and as do their Pokémon. Pikachu,who is having none of it, uses its Thunderbolt to break up the brawl, causing Turtwig and Piplup to make up. After some encouragement from Brock and their Pokémon, Ash and Dawn apologize to each other. The two agree to battle the twins again, and try to work out a strategy.

Meanwhile, Team Rocket is sitting in the forest, and sets Ryan and Bryan's Croconaw and Quilava as their next targets. Later, Ryan and Bryan walk through the forest, and see lots of fruit arranged on a table. They run towards it, when suddenly they fall into a pit trap. Team Rocket arrives in their balloon, reciting their motto, then they grab the twins' Pokémon. The twins pursue Team Rocket, and when they encounter Ash and his friends, they tell them that their Pokémon had just been stolen. Ash sends out his Staravia, who punctures the balloon with its Quick Attack. The situation piques Rhonda's interests, so she orders the camera keep rolling. When the group catch up with Team Rocket, Jessie and James send out Seviper and Carnivine to battle. Seviper and Carnivine attack, but Turtwig and Piplup dodge and strike back with a Razor Leaf and Bubble Beam combo, sending Team Rocket blasting off.

Ash and Dawn begin their rematch against the Champ Twins, but this time combining their moves and dodging most of the twins' attacks, with Rhonda reporting all the while. Quilava spins into action with Flame Wheel, and after Turtwig dodges, Dawn has Piplup counter with a Bubble Beam. Croconaw leaps up to dodge Turtwig's Bite, but is sturck by Piplup's Bubble Beam instead. After Flamethrower and Hydro Pump miss their marks, Ryan calls for a Flame Wheel which strikes its opponents. Turtwig and Piplup narrowly dodge Quilava's Swift attack. Croconaw follows up with a Water Gun, though Turtwig uses Razor Leaf to combat it. Croconaw opts for a more powerful Hydro Pump, but Turtwig carries Piplup to safety and the attacks misses. Piplup takes a direct Flamethrower as he charges up his Bide attack, retaliating against Quilava. After taking a Bite attack from Croconaw, Turtwig uses Synthesis to replenish its health. As it tries to recover, Croconaw aims a Hydro Pump at it, though Piplup intervenes with a Bubble Beam to protect his ally. Turtwig is soon back to full and tosses Croconaw away using Bite. Piplup follows up with a Whirlpool, trapping Quilava in the vortex. Turtwig Tackles Croconaw into Whirlpool before attacking the Champ Twins' Pokémon with a Razor Leaf. The double attack defeats Quilava and Croconaw, breaking Bryan and Ryan's winning streak. The twins shake hands with their opponents and rush off into the forest to build up another streak. Rhonda assures the group that she is only going the air the second battle because it was more action-packed, to which Ash and Dawn are pleased.

Major events

Ash and Dawn's first Tag Battle
For a list of all major events in the animated series, please see the history page.

Debuts

Humans

Pokémon debuts

Characters

Humans

Pokémon

Trivia

Errors

Dub edits

  • In the English dub, Ryan and Bryan call themselves "The Champ Twins". They don't have a nickname in the original Japanese version; instead, they just say that they are brothers and what their names are.
  • In the English dub, when the cameraman hits Rhonda in the head with the boom mic, she tells him that she will send him back to the mailroom. In the original Japanese version, she just yells at him to stop hitting her with the boom mic.

In other languages



DP028 : Drifloon On the Wind!
Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl
DP030 : Some Enchanted Sweetening!
Project Anime logo.png This episode article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation.