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| Season | Pokémon: Indigo League (Season 1) · Bulbasaur, Charmander & Squirtle arc (EP8–EP14) |
| Episode | Season 1, episode 9 · English episode 9 · Japanese episode 9 · Bulbapedia code EP009 |
| English title | The School of Hard Knocks |
| Japanese title | ポケモンひっしょうマニュアル Pokemon Hisshō Manyuaru — “Pokémon Certain Victory Manual” |
| First aired (Japan) | 27 May 1997 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 18 September 1998 · first-run syndication |
| Screenplay | Takeshi Shudō |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | Mezase Pokémon Master (Aim to Be a Pokémon Master) – Rica Matsumoto · Hyakugojūichi (One Hundred Fifty-One) – Professor Oak & the Pokémon Kids |
| English opening | Pokémon Theme – Jason Paige |
| Who’s That Pokémon? | Cubone (US) · Cubone (Japan) |
| Previous episode | The Path to the Pokémon League (EP008) |
| Next episode | Bulbasaur and the Hidden Village (EP010) |
Filler / stand-alone episodeFillerPokémon Tech
The School of Hard Knocks is the 9th episode of Pokémon: Indigo League, the first season of the Pokémon anime, and the 9th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 9, Bulbapedia code EP009). It first aired in Japan on 27 May 1997 and in the United States on 18 September 1998. It falls within the season’s Bulbasaur, Charmander & Squirtle stretch (EP8–EP14).
Synopsis
While lost deep in a forest shrouded by a thick mist our heroes decide to take a break from being lost for a minute and have a rest. Ash goes to take a look for some firewood when he overhears a commotion so he goes to investigate. He finds a young boy (Joe) being bullied by five seemingly older boys. It turns out that all of them are pupils at a preparatory school for Pokemon Trainers, where succesful graduates get to enter the Pokemon League without requiring any gym badges. The five older boys were bullying the younger boy because his knowledge of Pokemon wasn’t good enough, making him a disgrace to their prestiged school; PokéTech. Ash, Misty and Brock follow Joe to the building where he states that even him as the bottom of the class is more powerful than someone with Two Gym Badges. Ash is about to battle him to prove him wrong then Misty steps in and battles him instead (taking great offence to this comment as she was taught in a proper gym), with her much stronger Starmie easily overwhelming Joe’s weaker Weepinbel despite the type advantage. Giselle, the top student sees this and continues to lay into Joe about how embarassing he is to PokéTech.
Misty confronts Giselle for her attitude and they end up battling, Giselle being so overconfident that she chooses a Graveller despite the type advantage, and quickly beats Misty’s Starmie. They then move outside by the pool so Giselle can beat Misty in an area which would be to her advantage, but Giselle starts taunting Ash and he battles her instead. After it looking very much like defeat for Ash against Giselle’s Cubone, Ash and Pikachu manage to turn it around and win the battle. Team Rocket show up shortly after but are quickly repelled by Giselle and the other students. Giselle, humbled by her defeat by Ash becomes a better human being and the journey continues.
Major Events
- Jessie and James revealed to have flunked Pokémon Tech
- First fourth-wall break
- First punning English title. Debuts: Weepinbell, Graveler, Cubone
- Pidgeot (fantasy).
Pokémon making their anime debut
Pidgeot#0018 · EP009
Weepinbell#0070 · EP009
Graveler#0075 · EP009
Cubone#0104 · EP009
Trivia
- The English title plays on the saying "the school of hard knocks" — Bulbapedia counts it as the first referential English title.
- The screenplay is by Takeshi Shudō.
- This is a stand-alone episode: it can be skipped without losing the thread of the Kanto story.
Changes in the English Dub
- Misty’s log-hit on Brock cut (~4 s; Brock’s line stretched)
- Wooden cup → prune-juice can
- Mt. Moon water bottle → mountain picture
- Seminar flyer → B&W photo with blurred French
- Giselle’s note on Joe’s photo erased
- “Training Room” → five Poké Balls
- “Razor Leaf” label → HP bar
- Computer noises added
- Brock’s “she can violate my rights any time” cut from the Kids’ WB! airing
- Bancha tea becomes prune juice
- Brock’s “she can violate my rights any time” cut from the Kids’ WB! airing
- Dub ending: the Kanto Pokérap (Thursday segment)
Part of our Pokémon: Indigo League guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.