Japanese Title: Sekiei Stadium! VS Hiroshi!
Original Airdate: January 14th, 1999
US Airdate: November 27th, 1999
The one where... The anime establishes an infamous pattern.
A twist of fate pits Ash and his new friend, Richie, against each other in the fifth round of the Pokémon League Competition. Both are determined to triumph, but who will emerge victorious? And, can their friendship survive the struggle? Ash and Richie make a promise to each other that because they're friends they will make this the best Pokémon battle that they've ever had. Unfortunately, Team Rocket kidnaps Ash on his way to the tournament and demands he give them Pikachu or he won't make it to the battle at all. Ash is determined to keep his promise (and his Pikachu), and have the best battle of his life!
Tropes
- Break the Cutie: It's not a good episode for Ash. He's late for his battle with Ritchie because he's kidnapped by Team Rocket, and even when he makes it he's not able to give his all like he promised because most of his Pokemon are too tired from fending them off. He loses miserably when he's forced to send out Charizard, who's still disobedient.
- Break the Haughty: Due to his loss, Ash begins his character development, from a lazy and arrogant trainer, to being a hardworking, humble and respectable one further down the line.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: The infamous Sleep equals K.O. moment when Happy uses Sleep Powder on Squirtle. This is the only instance in the series where such a thing happens.
- Five Stages of Grief: Ash goes through all five in order once he sends out Charizard.
- Denial: Ash preemptively celebrates Charizard finally listening to him when he eliminates Ritchie's Charmander, seemingly ignoring that he didn't actually defeat Zippo (he just forced Ritchie to withdraw him) and that he never actually gave Charizard a command.
- Anger: When Charizard refuses to fight Sparky, Ash berates him for napping in the middle of his most important battle yet.
- Bargaining: Ash then begs Charizard to get up and battle, saying he won't have to listen to him ever again after.
- Depression: When Charizard is disqualified and Ash loses, Ash is upset, and though he swallows it for Ritchie's sake, he's moping well into the next episode.
- Acceptance doesn't come until the next episode where Ash realizes his fault in the event begins taking the steps to becoming a better trainer.
- Hero Stole My Bike: Ash "borrows" one from Team Rocket.
- Implacable Man: Team Rocket are relentless here; whenever Ash thinks he's finally shook them off, they just keep coming back and try to kidnap Pikachu again. It took Ash stealing their balloon to finally get them off his case.
- Jerkass: The referee who forces Ash into battle without letting him rest or at least trade out his team for Tauros, Kingler and Muk and has the gall to declare Squirtle unable to battle after the Tiny Turtle Pokémon is put to sleep by Sleep Powder.
- Mid-Battle Tea Break: Charizard decides to take a nap rather than fight Richie's Pikachu. Unfortunately this ends the battle, with Richie being declared the winner.
- Musical Nod: When Ritchie sends out his Charmander against Ash's Pikachu, an orchestral arrangement of the music when you fight your rival in the Pokémon League in Pokémon Red and Blue plays, while Ash finds himself in a similar situation (even though Ritchie is a friendly rival, unlike Blue/Gary.)
- Tempting Fate: When Ash is speaking with Misty and Brock about his upcoming match against Ritchie, Ash says that there would be nothing to keep him from beating Richie. Oh Ash...
- Wham Episode: Ash is eliminated from the tournament. Of course, such had become a sad commonplace in this show later on, but back then this came as a huge surprise.
- Worf Had the Flu: Thanks to the Rockets' shenanigans, Ash had to arrive at the stadium late and with a completely exhausted team.
- Worthy Opponent: Professor Oak believes that Ash's Charizard was fine with battling Zippo since he was a member of his own species and worthy of fighting despite Zippo still only being a Charmander. However, he does not feel the same about Sparky and prefers to take a nap, resulting in Ash's loss.
