RS119: Less Is Morrison

"Less Is Morrison"
Information
Series	Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire
Season	Pokémon: Advanced Battle
№	394
Opening(s) and Ending(s)	Japanese Opening Pokémon Symphonic Medley Ending GLORY DAY ~That Shining Day~ English Opening Unbeatable Ending Unbeatable
Staff credits	脚本(きゃくほん) (Screenplay) 米村正二 (Shōji Yonemura) 絵(え)コンテ (Storyboard) 大山和弘 (Kazuhiro Ōyama) 助手(じょしゅ)監督(かんとく) (Assistant director(s)) 渡辺正彦 (Masahiko Watanabe) 作画(さくが)監督(かんとく) (Animation director(s)) 広岡歳仁 (Toshihito Hirooka)
In other countries
Japan	Title ライバル登場！マサムネとダンバル！！ Airdate March 10, 2005
Japan	Title ライバル登場！マサムネとダンバル！！ Airdate March 10, 2005
Anglosphere	Title Less Is Morrison Airdate(s) February 11, 2006 Notes ^ a: Signifies that it only applies to the US, UK, CA, AU, NZ and SG
Anglosphere	Title Less Is Morrison Airdate(s) February 11, 2006 Notes ^ a: Signifies that it only applies to the US, UK, CA, AU, NZ and SG
Details
Main	Ash Ketchum, May, Max, Brock
Recurring	Jessie, James, Morrison, Nurse Joy
Minor	Various Trainers
Character(s) of the Day	Morrison
Pokémon	Ash's Pikachu, Team Rocket's Meowth, Jessie's Wobbuffet, Ash's Swellow, Ash's Grovyle, Ash's Corphish, Ash's Torkoal, Ash's Snorunt, May's Combusken, May's Beautifly, May's Skitty, May's Bulbasaur, May's Munchlax, Brock's Forretress, Brock's Ludicolo, Brock's Marshtomp, Jessie's Seviper, James' Cacnea, Morrison's Beldum, Oddish, Hoothoot, Crobat
Badges or Classes
Major event(s)	Ash and co. meet Morrison, who becomes Ash's rival. Morrison is revealed to have a Beldum.

Less Is Morrison (Japanese: ライバル登場！マサムネとダンバル！！, Hepburn: The Rival Enters! Morrison and Belldum!!) is the 27th episode of Pokémon: Advanced Battle.

Synopsis

On the last leg of his journey to enter the Hoenn League Championships, Ash runs into another trainer in a similar position. Though Ash holds one more badge, both are heading toward Slateport where the championships will be held. Perhaps overly excited about the upcoming event, the two become instant rivals, challenging one another at every turn—comparing not only Pokémon battling skills, but also spirit, determination, and arm-wrestling acumen. When Team Rocket interrupts their battle and steals both of their oldest Pokémon, however, the two forge an unlikely alliance.

Episode plot

The heroes are having lunch. Ash quickly eats his meal, as he needs to teach Snorunt to use Ice Beam properly. May also wants to train her Pokémon, but is angry when sees Munchlax eating all of her Pokémon's food. Suddenly, Munchlax goes away. Snorunt goes to use Ice Beam, but fails. Suddenly, Ash catches a rice ball and a guy comes yelling to give his rice ball. However, as he was running down a slope, he bashes into a tree. As Ash goes to give his rice ball, they see Munchlax eating it in an instant. The guy screams and tells them "he fells better now". The guy introduces himself as Morrison, who wants to participate in the Hoenn League. Ash introduces himself, as he also wants to win the League.

Morrison also tells him he plans to become the Pokémon Master, just as Ash wants. However, they begin to argue, so they decide to have a battle. Ash sends Pikachu and Morrison a Beldum. Beldum starts with Take Down, but Pikachu dodges and uses Quick Attack. Beldum uses Take Down once more, which surprises May. Max points out Take Down is the only attack Beldum knows, which shocks May, wondering how would Morrison win. Pikachu evades and counterattacks with Thunderbolt. Beldum charges with Take Down, so Pikachu dodges, but this time Beldum attacks Pikachu and hits him. Pikachu is knocked out, but stands up and goes away as another Take Down is initiated, but Beldum hurts Pikachu again. Beldum uses Take Down once more and Pikachu counters with Iron Tail, but both Pokémon are defeated. Both trainers go to their Pokémon, as they both lost.

Morrison thinks he has more badges than Ash does, showing he has seven of them. However, Brock tells him that the Hoenn League is 2 months before it starts, which shocks Morrison. Ash shows his and Morrison counts all eight badges. Morrison runs off, to get the final badge. While the heroes think Morrison needs to cool down, Munchlax is not seen again. Team Rocket is starving, having only one cookie. James thinks they need to split it, but Jessie tells them they need to play rock, scissors and paper. Unsurprisingly, they fail, but they do notice their cookie gone. Team Rocket begins to suspect each other in the group stole it and they start fighting each other. However, Munchlax took the cookie. The heroes find Munchlax and see it eating someone's cookie May calls it back and wonders what it should do with it. Brock proposes "May's Purple Surprise", but May thinks it is like feeding a bottomless hole.

They found Pokémon Center, but see Morrison as well. Morrison tells them there is no need to rush and there is no Gym on the island, so goes to the Center to give Beldum a rest. Ash goes to do with Pikachu the same. Ash and Morrison walk and begin to run, having a competition. However, they continue running and end up bashing themselves on the counter near Nurse Joy. Nurse Joy is worried about the two, who show Beldum's Poké Ball and Pikachu, whom Joy takes to treatment. During the evening, Ash goes to eat, so Morrison tells him he can eat twenty of them. Ash raises the stakes and Morrison does the same. During the bath time, Ash goes to go with Max and Brock. Morrison tells him he can't overcome the heat, so Ash takes the challenge, as they both go deeper into the hot water. Morrison turns the heat up and soon they drown. Next, they are seen cooling down and Joy gives Morrison and Ash the Pokémon they gave for treatment. Morrison and Ash give her all their Pokémon for treatment.

Ash thinks it is time for sleep and Morrison goes to do the same, but outside. May asks if it isn't dangerous to sleep on a tree, but Morrison tells Beldum takes care of him. He asks if anyone wants to sleep on the tree, so Ash accepts this offer. Morrison sends Beldum, who pulls him up to his hammock. Ash tells that he has Pikachu who will keep him, but falls down, though Beldum catches him. Per Morrison's proposal, Ash ties one of Morrison's hammocks. Morrison claims Ash is the stubborn one, but Ash thinks the same about Morrison. Ash admits it is good to sleep on the tree, so Morrison tells him that he has a lot of friends: Beldum, the leaves, stars and the wild Pokémon. During the morning, May mixes the berries for "her pink surprise", a recipe made by Professor Oak, and gives it to Munchlax. Munchlax eats and has its belly full. Max tells he has a lot of Pokéblocks in the Pokéblock Case, so it only needs to ask him. However, Munchlax is asleep and didn't hear a thing.

Ash and Morrison search for a field to train. Unsurprisingly, they both picked the same spot and begin to argue. They begin to arm wrestle with right and left hands, which both win and fail at two tries. So, they go to race to the top of the mountain. Team Rocket spots them and Meowth sees Beldum; he thinks it would massage their boss after a long day, so James and Jessie are convinced to capture it. Ash trips over and falls down. Morrison begins to laugh at him, but falls down as well. Their stomachs begin to growl and seeing an apple, they race to get it. Still, each one gets a half of the apple and they both admit the other one is good. Suddenly, their Pokémon are stolen and they are trapped inside a cage, as Team Rocket arrives. Team Rocket flies away on the balloon, so Ash and Morrison try to go out of the cage by smashing and tackling it, but with no effect.

They charge together and escape the cage. Next, they run to jump across a gap. Morrison begins to fall, but Ash grabs his hand and pulls him up. Ash and Morrison charge and get to the top of the balloon, while Team Rocket is disappointed the twerps don't know when to quit. Morrison and Ash pierce the balloon up by biting on the ears. Ash and Morrison demand their Pokémon, but Jessie and James know they have no Pokémon. This doesn't stop them and they fight using themselves. Jessie sends Seviper, who uses Poison Tail. Ash and Morrison stand up and use take down. James sends Cacnea, who uses Sandstorm to push them. Seviper wraps Ash and Morrison and pushes them down. Ash and Morrison stand up once more and charge towards Seviper and Cacnea, "by using Take Down". However, Cacnea and Seviper are pushed on the cage and Pikachu and Beldum are freed. Team Rocket does not give up as well, as Seviper goes to bite and Cacnea attacks with Pin Missile. Pikachu hops on Beldum, causing Seviper and Cacnea to miss. Beldum charges with Take Down to Cacnea and Pikachu uses Iron Tail on Seviper. Pikachu attacks Team Rocket with Thunderbolt and Beldum blasts them off with Take Down.

Morrison and Ash congratulate each other and their Pokémon. Morrison goes on a ship to get the eight badge, while the heroes needs to go to Slateport City for May's Grand Festival. Ash and Morrison promise to meet each other in the Hoenn League.

Debuts

Character

• Morrison

Pokémon

• Beldum (Morrison's)

Trivia

• This episode's name is a pun to the statement "Less is more."
• Featured Pokémon: Trapinch, Noctowl, Loudred

Gallery

Ash found a big rice ball/sandwich

The guy bashed into a tree

Munchlax eats the giant rice ball/sandwich

Pikachu uses Quick Attack on Beldum

Beldum takes Pikachu down

Pikachu and Beldum clash

Beldum and Pikachu are defeated

Team Rocket plays "Rock, Paper, Scissors"

Ash and Morrison bashed into the counter

Beldum lifts Morrison to the hammock

Beldum saved Ash from the fall

May's Pink Surprise made Munchlax full

Meowth thinks the Beldum would heal the boss' pain

Ash and Morrison spot an apple

The apple splits into two pieces

Ash tackles the bars

Ash saves Morrison from the fall

Seviper wraps Ash and Morrison

Morrison and Ash attack Team Rocket's Pokémon

Pikachu and Beldum attack Seviper