DP078: Pruning a Passel of Pals!

Pruning a Passel of Pals! (Japanese: 激闘！それぞれのバトル！！, Hepburn: Fierce Battles! Each and Every Respective Battle!!) is the 26th episode of Pokémon: DP Battle Dimension.

Episode plot

May learns that Dawn was inspired by her mom to become a Coordinator. Zoey asks May how did she start. May responds it got rough in the beginning, but she managed to learn a lot and became a great Coordinator. Dawn wants to know how are the Contests in Johto, but something stirs. They rush and see Ash hit his head, as he dreamt of a tough battle. Since he has trouble sleeping, Ash goes outside. Ash is glad that Buizel is having a great time with the Cup, and seems it learns some things. Suddenly, Ash and Pikachu notice there is something in the air, a spirit that flies around and goes back into the water.

Ash rushes back and tells Brock what just happened. Since he was freaking out, Piplup calms him down like it did with Dawn - using Bubble Beam. He explains there was a spirit that appeared to him and disappeared. Dawn recalls back when she started her journey she saw a similar spirit at Lake Verity. Dawn tells that they had similar experiences, as they might have seen a Legendary Pokémon. May tells that during her time in Snowpoint City, the Lake Acuity near the town has the similar rumors of containing a Legendary Pokémon. Zoey also heard this when she was young. This Pokémon that is rumored to live in the lake appears to time to time in form of a spirit, rumors that are actually the same in Lake Valor and Lake Verity.

Brock believes it might be connected to the legend. Dawn promises to contact Rowan in the morning. Next day, the second round is about to begin. May notices Dawn is not so stressed and is relaxed. The screen displays the matches. Dawn sees she is the first. Dawn tells Piplup to wait, as she goes to the stage. Dawn faces another Coordinator, having her Buneary fight the Wailmer. Wailmer starts with Brine, so Buneary uses the chance to bounce on the attack. Now, Buneary bounces on Wailmer, so Wailmer retaliates by surfing. Buneary eaves by spinning, then uses Dizzy Punch. Wailmer uses Hidden Power, however Buneary dodges and goes on Wailer, to have the Hidden Power attack it instead of her. Buneary uses Ice Beam, canceling Wailmer's Body Slam. Since Dawn has more points left, she advances to next round.

Ash, May and Zoey battled other Coordinators and managed to succeed to defeat them. Jessie is sad to see she did not make it. James and Meowth have a plan to cheer her up - to be reporters. Hearing this, Jessie takes the job. Dawn has succeeded to beat her second opponent, securing her a place in the semi-finals. Ash battles a Coordinator named Kyle. Ash sends Buizel and Kyle his Lanturn. Lanturn charges itself. So, Buizel's Sonic Boom pushes Lanturn out of the water. However, Lanturn uses Thunderbolt. Kyle has the advantage, as he can now predict Buizel's moves, since Ash did not change any of his Pokémon. Lanturn uses Ice Beam, but Buizel goes at it and uses the move to power itself even more, using Ice Aqua Jet Dawn wanted to use before to evade Lanturn's Thunderbolt and hit it severely.

Lanturn uses Hydro Pump, attacking Buizel. Buizel retaliates with Water Pulse, but it gets countered by Thunderbolt, getting Ash and Buizel soaked. Time is up, and unfortunately for Ash, Kyle wins because Ash lost more points. Jessie reports Ash for the recent battle, but she focuses on herself more than on him. Zoey and May won the other battles using their Misdreavus and Venusaur. Now, May faces Zoey and Dawn Kyle. Marian sees Jessie, dressed as the reporter and thanks her for the reportage, recognizing her as the same reporter who reported the Grand Festival in Kanto. The heroes are sad to see Ash lost, but are quite amazed by the move Ice Aqua Jet he pulled. Ash admits the Contest battles are tougher than he thought, but inspires himself and Buizel they are going to win the next Gym Battle. Ash tells Dawn she will be cheering for her, but Brock reminds him Zoey and May are not yet defeated.

Now, Dawn knows she will be facing either Zoey or May in the finals. Next day, the semi-finals begin. First are Dawn and Kyle. Dawn tells Piplup she will use it. She calls it back and comes out, sending Piplup against Crawdaunt. Piplup starts with Bubble Beam, but gets countered by Sludge Bomb

Debuts

Pokémon

• Kyle's Lanturn
• Kyle's Crawdaunt
• Azelf (spirit form)

Trivia

• Instead of Professor Oak's Pokémon lecture, the end of the episode featured a memorial to Celebi: Voice of the Forest. This is part of a countdown to Giratina and the Sky Warrior.
• Wallace and Ash narrate the preview for the next episode.
• After Ash's encounter with Azelf, May tells of a story she heard about a mysterious, Legendary Pokémon, Uxie, during her pit stop at Snowpoint City.
• It is revealed that Zoey is from Snowpoint City.
• Neither Dawn, May, Zoey or Jessie are seen in regular outfits throughout this episode.
• Team Rocket doesn't blast off or recite their motto in this episode.

Mistakes

• In Dawn's first match, Buneary's capsule has a Foamy Seal, but then it changes to a Heart Seal when it opens.
• When Zoey's Finneon emerges from Waterfall, its tail fins are seen upside down.
• May's belly button disappears multiple times.
• In the scene where Paul appears, a Sunflora has petals the same color as its body and a face the shade of yellow its petals should be.

Gallery

Ash got his head hurt

Ash and Pikachu see a spirit

Dawn gets inspired

Buneary bounces on Brine

Buneary spins around

Wallace cup ash.png

Buizel's Ice Aqua Jet

Ash and Buizel got soaked

Jessie's reportage

Venusaur attacks Azurill

The three ladies became rivals