Pokemon Company
Airdate: March 6, 2003
Summary: Our crew is finally in Rustboro City.. and Ash has a weird getup. Ash says the getup was a joke when Max spots a scared Poliwag under a table with a band around its tail. A woman named Ms. Roxanne comes and locates the Poliwag, a mean kid yells at Kenny who is afraid of his Poliwag on the class trip. Ash says he is here for a battle at the Rustboro Gym, Roxanne says the gym is right next to her training academy. The crew goes to the academy, where they are given a tour of medicine, contests, and battling seminars. Ash just wants a battle, but May is absolutely enamored with the contests. Max wants to go to the beginner’s class while Team Rocket wants to open up a tourist trap. Prof. Oak is giving a lecture in Roxanne’s class, when he sees Max and recognizes him, Oak tells Ash that Roxanne is the gym leader and a former student of the school. Max is a no-it-all, but only after being provoked by a mean student named Tommy. Max is offered a chance to join them for a full day, he keeps mentioning May’s gym battle which tweaks her out. Team Rocket hears from Roxanne and Max through the wall that the Trainer School’s Pokemon obey anyone that controls them in the school, Ash works on Iron Tail with Pikachu. Max is reading a guidebook about Pokemon and sits by a girl named Anita, who is a bit sad that she is in Pokemon school. Anita says Kenny and her both don’t really like Pokemon much, Tommy challenges Max. May goes to the contest class while Ash and Brock show all the students their Pokemon.. Lotad continues to be a bit derpy. Ash tries to get Kenny to like Pikachu, but Tommy steps on Poliwag to hit Kenny with a Water Gun… Anita sells him out. Max and Tommy are set to battle each other, Tommy has a Magby while Max has Poliwag. Magby uses Flamethrower while Poliwag uses Defense Curl and Belly Drum, but Max isn’t using offensive attacks.. But just as the battle continues the bell rings because all the school’s Pokemon have been stolen by Team Rocket. Ash and Pikachu try to get the balls back, so does Forretress, but Seviper’s Poison Tail hits it hard. May’s Wurmple uses String Shot but it is stopped by Cacnea’s Pin Missile. Jessie sends out Wurmple but decides to not battle. Max wants Poliwag to battle, Kenny steps up and tells Max to use offensive moves, Tommy and Max work together and finish the battle with strategic help from Kenny to blast off Team Rocket. Kenny is no longer afraid of Pokemon, and all the kids are friends… Now it’s time to battle!
Best Trainer/Pokémon: Poliwag, anytime there is a Poliwag I will 100% give it this award.
Worst Trainer/Pokémon: Tommy, I know he is young but screw that guy.
One thing I learned: Roxanne is a single (mom?) who works two jobs.
Who is that Pokémon?: Croconaw, love this starter line just a bit less than the Chikorita line, but still top-10 in the region.
Best Quote: “I just wanna say I read all your books, and watched your tv shows, and read your papers” – Max, glazing as usual here.
Best Scene: Poliwag’s Belly Drum, I love that move and the red glow around them is awesome!
