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| Season | Pokémon: Indigo League (Season 1) · The Indigo Plateau Conference arc (EP74–EP80) |
| Episode | Season 1, episode 77 · English episode 77 · Japanese episode 79 · Bulbapedia code EP077 |
| English title | The Fourth Round Rumble |
| Japanese title | くさのフィールド! いがいなきょうてき! Kusa no Fīrudo! Igai na Kyōteki! — “Grass Field! Unexpected Rival!” |
| First aired (Japan) | 1 January 1999 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 13 November 1999 · Kids’ WB |
| Screenplay | Yukiyoshi Ōhashi |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | Mezase Pokémon Master (Aim to Be a Pokémon Master) – Rica Matsumoto · Type: Wild – Rica Matsumoto |
| English opening | Pokémon Theme – Jason Paige |
| Who’s That Pokémon? | Bellsprout (US) · Beedrill (Japan) |
| Previous episode | Fire and Ice (EP076) |
| Next episode | A Friend in Deed (EP078) |
Plot episodeRound 4Gary eliminated
The Fourth Round Rumble is the 77th episode of Pokémon: Indigo League, the first season of the Pokémon anime, and the 77th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 79, Bulbapedia code EP077). It first aired in Japan on 1 January 1999 and in the United States on 13 November 1999. It falls within the season’s The Indigo Plateau Conference stretch (EP74–EP80).
Synopsis
The crowds are cheering in anticipation as our fourth round winner is about to be decided, but this time our heroes are cheering in the stands as spectators, waiting to see if Gary will emerge victory. Gary and a trainer called Melissa both have one Pokemon left each, Gary’s Nidoking faces Melissa’s Golem and after Nidoking’s Horn attack fails Golem uses a Seismic Toss to win the battle and secure Victory for Melissa. Gary is defeated and is out of this years Pokemon League competition. Gary packs up his car and cheerleaders, and gets ready to go as Ash approaches him, Gary hides how upset he is, says the trainer was lucky and that the girls will get over it, says goodbye and drives off. Ash sees now how tough the competition here really is and considers quitting while his ahead, Brock tells him that he’s a great trainer and Ash won’t be quitting while he’s around. Misty then calls then both over as Ash’s fourth round match is about to begin.
Team Rocket meanwhile are have sneaked back into the Pokemon League venue and are running a goods stall as a cover while they wait for an oppurtunity to steal some Pokemon. However Jessie and James seem to be enjoying doing a normal job a little bit too much and Meowth reminds them what they’re there to do. At the same time Ash is on the grass field and about to start his next match against a trainer named Jeanette fisher. This time Ash doesn’t have Misty and Brock in his corner, he’s asked them to stay in the crowds as spectators to prove he can win alone. The battle begins, Jeanette sends out Beedrill against Ash’s Bulbasaur, and it’s obviously well trained, it looks as though Beedrill has the edge until Bulbasaur lands a leech seed which knocks Beedrill out of the air, and Bulbasaur finishes it off with a tackle attack. It’s 1-0 to Ash but Jeanettes cheerleading squad cheer as though she’d won. Next Jeanette sends out Scyther, who comes straight at Bulbasaur with its slash attack and then goes at it even more with a quick attack, Bulbasaur manages to dodge many of the attacks and tries to counter with the vine whip, but can’t get a connection with Scyther. Jeanette then commands Scyther to use Double Team and Bulbasaur is faced with three images of Scyther, only one of which is real. Things look really bad for Ash who tells Bulbasaur to use Vine whip, but gets the wrong target twice. Scyther continues to use its agility against Bulbasaur, evading both it’s Razor Leaf and Vine Whip and then connecting with a quick attack, Bulbasaur is thrown into the air, Ash works out that Scyther is weak on defence while using its Double Team and tells Bulbasaur to hit all of them with it’s Vine Whips, one of them connects and knocks Scyther to the ground, claiming victory. It’s 2-0 to Ash and Jeanette only has one Pokemon left.
The scene changes to the crowds outside of the stadium in the Pokemon Village, and Team Rocket use their Balloon, with a load of attached Pikachu balloons as a distraction to try and steal all of the trainers Pokemon. There plan falls a little short when a couple of Officer Jenny’s spot there balloon and order a Growlithe to burn it out of the air, they defiantly continue to try and use their Pokéball suction device to steal from the trainers but another pair of Officer Jenny’s have a) turned it off and b) given them a ticket.
Back in the battle Jeanette selects her final Pokemon; to everyones surprise its a Bellsprout, this makes Ash even more overconfident, sending Bulbasaur straight in for a tackle, Jeanettes badly balanced Bellsprout leans back and easily dodges it, an angry Bulbasaur charges it again and Bellsprout uses the force of Bulbasaurs own attack against him, eventually claiming victory. It’s now 2-1 to Ash, Ash chooses Pikachu as his next Pokemon who attacks with a thundershock, but Bellsprout is more agile than it looks and somehow despite its terrible balance evades the attacks before returning fire with a Razor Leaf. Pikachu dodges it, and hits Bellsprout with a Thunderbolt – Bellsprout uses its legs as mini lightning rods and is completely immune to the electric attacks. Pikachu tries to attack Bellsprout hand to hand but is beaten by one strong root to the head. It’s 2-2 and Ash has just one Pokemon left. Just then Professor Oak and Ash’s mom arrive in the crowds and sit next to Misty and Brock, they add to the pressure on Ash by shouting that he’s the only trainer left from Pallet in the competition since Gary was knocked out. Ash then sends out his final Pokemon which is also a big surprise to everyone; it’s Muk! Apparently Ash had actually thought ahead and asked Professor Oak to transfer his Muk over for this very battle.
Bellsprout relentlessly attacks Muk with everything it has, but Muk is completely unaffected. Muk lands one body slam attack on Bellsprout and pins it under its toxic body, eventually incapacitating it and winning the match for Ash. The Fourth Round Victory goes to Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town and the crowd goes nuts.
Jessie, James and Meowth sold out all of their souvenirs and are satisfied with their days semi-honest work. Meowth again mocks the fact that they enjoy normal work and suggests they open a fast-food joint, Jessie and James entertain the idea and start thinking of rhymes to do with it. Ash, his mom, Oak and his friends celebrate his victory.
Major Events
- — Grass Field vs Jeanette Fisher (Bulbasaur beats Beedrill and Scyther
- Bellsprout beats Bulbasaur and Pikachu
- Muk’s Body Slam wins — Muk’s only official win)
- Gary eliminated Top 32 by Melissa (male in Japan). Followed in Japan by a 2-hour clip show. Banned in South Korea. Lecture: venue (1).
Trivia
- The screenplay is by Yukiyoshi Ōhashi.
- This is a plot episode: it advances the Kanto storyline.
- The Who’s That Pokémon? segment features Beedrill in Japan, where it almost always matched the episode, but Bellsprout in the US, where 4Kids picked the Pokémon at random.
Changes in the English Dub
- “Pockemon” shop sign altered and Meowth dolls removed
- Obento/juusu banners wiped
- Swift called Quick Attack; Growlithe called Arcanine
- Yoshiki (male) becomes Melissa (female)
- Dub ending: Pikachu’s Jukebox — Viridian City
Part of our Pokémon: Indigo League guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.