Japanese Title: Jiguzaguma and Short-pantsed Boy! Haruka's First Battle!!
Original Airdate: December 19, 2002
US Airdate: November 22, 2003
Max and Nicholai come to an understanding.
Max is out for blood when a rival trainer insults May—and their father—after she loses her first trainer battle. But he might've bitten off more than he can chew after he upsets a herd of Zigzagoon.
This episode contains examples of the following tropes:
- Berserk Button: Max is furious after Nicholai openly insults his father Norman. (whom he idolizes) To the point where he actively tries to sabotage his attempts at catching a Zigzagoon purely out of spite.
- Combat Pragmatist: Max doesn't see the point of making friends with other trainers you would be battling.
- Curbstomp Battle: Thanks to lack of experience and type disadvantage, May's Torchic doesn't even land a hit on Nicholai's Mudkip and instead goes down to a single water gun.
- In Harmony with Nature: Nicholai has a penchant to dress up as the Pokémon he is currently battling with.
- Jerkass Realization: Both Max and Nicholai go through this after the latter saves the former from the irritated Zigzagoon; Max realizes he shouldn't have taken Nicholai's insults so personally and tried to sabotage his Zigzagoon search in revenge, while Nicholai admits that he shouldn't have said those insults in the first place.
- Sore Loser: May doesn't take her first loss well, but this does become justified, as the rival trainer insulted May and her father.
- Unsportsmanlike Gloating: After clobbering May in her first Pokémon battle, Nicholai boasts that earning the Balance Badge from her father will be a breeze. Max does NOT take it well.Nicholai: Unreal! Who knew a Gym Leader's daughter would be so bad? I'll bet getting a badge at the Petalburg Gym'll be a piece of cake!Max: Take that back!Nicholai: But first I have to catch a Zigzagoon. Then once I've bagged that little creature, getting my badge'll be a walk in the park! So long, my two fellow knickerbockers!Max: [growling angrily]
