GS050: Two Hits and a Miss

Two Hits and a Miss (Japanese: カポエラーＶＳフシギダネ！かくとうたいけつ！！, Hepburn: Hitmontop VS Bulbasaur! Fighting Showdown!! ) is the 9th episode of Pokémon: Johto League Champions.

Synopsis

While on their way to Ecruteak City Ash and the gang encounter a trainer whose Tauros is out of control. When Ash tries to stop it with his Bulbasaur, an old man is impressed with his skill. He introduces himself as Kenzo and takes Ash to his dojo. There they meet Chigusa, his granddaughter, who only focuses on her moves rather than power, which Kenzo sees as ridiculous. He then announces that Ash will be the new Shihan of the dojo, but Chigusa won't take that lying down. Then a challenger named Shiro challenges Kenzo but Chigusa takes his place. After an interruption by Team Rocket, Shiro decides to postpone the battle until tomorrow. Will Chigusa be able to see the flaw in her battle style? And will she be able to prove to her grandfather that she is worthy of being Shihan?

Episode Plot

As the heroes continue their journey, they move from the road as a Tauros passes by, who disobeys his trainer. Ash sees that Tauros is running to an old man and goes to warn the old man. The old man looks behind and grabs a Poké Ball from his robe, but Ash comes and brings Bulbasaur, so the old man watches. Bulbasaur uses Vine Whip, pushing Tauros away, then dodges Tauros' attack. Using Vine Whip to knock its feet down, Bulbasaur calms Tauros down with Sleep Powder. The trainer comes and apologises, as he was training with him and calls Tauros back. The old man is excited how Ash battled and proposes a job for him. He brings him, Misty and Brock to his home, a dojo and presents a school for Fighting Pokémon. The heroes watch a Hitmontop, who presnts how it fights - he goes on his head and spins, showing defense and offense at same time.

The old man thinks the woman who trains Hitmontop is turning the place in a circus. The students that came bow before the old man, as he is the Shihan. Ash thinks it is a food from a Chinese restaurant, but Misty, Brock and the old man, Kenzo, fall over and tell him Kenzo is the leader of the dojo. Chigusa, the woman who trains Hitmontop, greets them all, but Kenzo tells Ash will take his place as shihan, causing everyone to be surprised. Chigusa tells she should be shihan, but Kenzo replies she cannot be if she does not teach traditional methods of battling, unlike these new, which he calls ballet dance. Ash proposes to settle this with a battle and Chigusa accepts his challenge, but Ash tells that he does not want to battle. Chigusa asks him to choose his Fighting Pokémon, but Ash tells he has none, so Kanzo thinks Bulbasaur should be chosen, as Bulbasaur has more fighting skills than her Hitmontop. Chigusa will prove that Hitmontop and her can defeat Bulbasaur any day.

A trainer comes, who introduces himself as Shiro. Chigusa recognizes him to be the "Dojo Destroyer", since he challenges shihan to a battle and destroys their dojos. Kenzo asks what is his purpose and is told Shiro wants to gain respect from his students once he opens his own dojo. Shiro shows him the path to the battle field. Team Rocket witness this and plan to capure that Hitmontop for the boss. Shiro sends Hitmonlee and Kenzo Machoke. However, Kenzo and Machoke get a cramp in their back, so Chigusa proposes to battle Shiro instead. Kenzo refuses, but seeing he has no choice, complies to her wish. Hitmonlee starts with Rolling Kick, but misses. Hitmontop uses Rolling Kick, but Hitmonlee defends. Hitmonlee uses Rapid Spin, though Shiro recognizes how it moves and tells Hitmonlee to dodge. Hitmonlee uses Double Kick to stop Hitmonlee from spinning and kicking it away. Hitmonlee uses Jump Kick, followed with a Hi Jump Kick. Hitmontop stands up, so Hitmonlee goes to finish the battle.

Suddenly, the field is being covered by smoke, as Team Rocket took Hitmontop and Hitmonlee. Team Rocket fly away, but the net Hitmonlee and Hitmontop were in is cut by Bulbasaur's Razor Leaf. Jessie sends Arbok and James Victreebel. Arbok uses Poison Sting on Hitmontop, but misses. Hitmonlee uses Jump Kick, but falls asleep due to Victreebel's Sleep Powder. Victreebel goes to attack, but gets pushed by Pikachu, while Bulbasaur tosses Arbok to the balloon via Vine Whip. Using Razor Leaf, Bulbasaur blasts Team Rocket off. Shiro calls Hitmonlee back and tells they will finish the match tomorrow. Later, Chigusa is confident she will win the battle, but Kenzo is skepctical and orders Chigusa to train, so tells Ash he could teach his granddaughter with Bulbasaur. At the field, Chigusa and Ash bow to one another and start the match. Bulbasaur spins its Vine Whip like Hitmontop's Rapid Spin and dodges Hitmontop's Jump Kick. Hitmontop uses Rapid Spin, followed by Triple Kick. However, Bulbasaur dodges all attacks and counterattacks with Vine Whip, binding Hitmontop. With a Tackle attack, Bulbasaur hits Hitmontop. Kenzo stops the match, declaring Ash the winner.

Chigusa asks Ash how did he know when to dodge. Ash admits it is hard to say, but Kenzo senses they are a team. He clarifies that Hitmontop spinning causes him to be put in danger, since the next move cannot be predicted. Kenzo tells as long as they are not a team, Chigusa will never become a shihan. Chigusa falls to her knees and tells Hitmontop she was occupied how the move looked rather than worked. She asks of him to give her one more chance, to which he agrees to, so Ash and Chigusa train. Next day, Chigusa and Shiro continue their battle. Hitmonlee and Hitmontop punch each other. Hitmontop spins, so Hitmonlee uses Rolling Kick, but Hitmontop evades by Chigusa's orders. Hitmonlee uses Double Kick, but does not stop Hitmontop. Hitmonlee goes to use Hi Jump Kick, but Hitmontop spins vertically, so Hitmonlee barely dodges. However, Hitmontop jumps and kicks Hitmonlee, defeating him. Shiro admits he was not expecting this as he calls Hitmonlee back and sees this dojo is as good as the reputation proceeds.

Team Rocket arrive in their machine and take Hitmontop away. Bulbasaur cuts the robot arm with Razor Leaf, but Meowth releases another to take Bulbasaur away. Hitmontop uses Rapid Spin, reflecting the attack back to the robot. With Thunderbolt, Team Rocket blast off. Chigusa apologises to Ash for the trouble they caused, but Ash sees there was no actual trouble. Chigusa asks of her grandpa to teach her how to be shihan. Kenzo tells he is too old to be a trainer, so is reminded they need to keep tradition, but admits he can show her a thing or two. The heroes wave goodbye as they continue the journey.

Debuts

Pokémon

Hitmontop

Move

• Rolling Kick
• Jump Kick
• Hi Jump Kick
• Triple Kick

Quotes

• Misty: "Why did all those trainers bow to you?"
  

Kenzo: "Because I am the Shihan of this dojo."
Ash: "Shihan? I think I had that once in a Chinese restaurant."
Everyone but Ash falls over.
Brock: "Don't you know anything?! A Shihan is the master teacher in a dojo."
Ash: "I thought it was chicken in a garlic sauce."
Kenzo: "You're confusing me with General Tso."

• "All right, if you want to be the one to take over here... You're gonna have to beat the two of us first!"
  

Chigusa.

• "I guess we're both a little rusty."
  

Kenzo after he and his Machoke throw out their backs.

• Kenzo: "You need training!"
  

Chigusa backs off.
Chigusa: "What kind of training?"

Trivia

• The dub title was quite accurate about this episode: The "Two Hits" being Hitmonlee and Hitmontop and the "Miss" being Chigusa.
• The "Who's that Pokémon?" is Slowking.
• The Tauros' trainer was voiced by Marc Thompson.

Mistakes

When the heroes are about to say goodbye to Kenzo and Chigusa, Pikachu's nose was missing.

Gallery

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