The Totodile Duel – Pokémon Season 3, Episode 35

Plot episodeAsh catches TotodilePoliwag evolves

The Totodile Duel is the 35th episode of Pokémon: The Johto Journeys, the third season of the Pokémon anime, and the 151st episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 153, Bulbapedia code EP151). It first aired in Japan on 8 June 2000 and in the United States on 5 May 2001. It falls within the season’s On the road to Goldenrod stretch (EP148–EP155).

Synopsis · Major Events · Trivia · Dub Changes · All episodes

Synopsis

Today we find our friends taking a breather on a lush bank of a lazy river, the group are fishing but without much luck, Misty seems to be enjoying herself a bit more than Ash or Brock. After fishing a little while longer they encounter a Pokemon; it’s a Totodile. Misty is celebrating the prospect of adding a new water Pokemon to her collection but Ash doesn’t agree and wants it for himself.

Ash shocks Totodile and tries to catch it in his Pokéball, but it breaks out. Misty then has another go at catching it but that doesn’t work out too well either. Totodile dives back into the water and disappears. Team Rocket are in the woods nearby when they are approached by the Totodile who steals their food and bites Jessie’s arm in the process, after a minor scuffle Totodile sends Team Rocket blasting off pretty quick with its water gun before proceeding through the forest.

Pikachu spots Totodile and Misty and Ash attempt to catch it using their Lure Balls that Kurt made them, as they’re apparently the best way to catch Water Pokemon. Both Misty and Ash throw their Pokeballs, but Totodile falls into the bushes so it was unclear which trainers Pokéball actually caught it, an argument begins and Brock breaks it up stating that he’ll look after Totodile and the two can have a best of three battle to decide who gets it.

Ash sends Pikachu first and Misty sends out Togepi, knowing full well Pikachu won’t attack it, she sends Togepi in to give Pikachu a big hug, Togepi then uses its charm attack and renders Pikachu unwilling to battle, the first round goes to Misty. Next up Ash sends Chikorita to face Misty’s Staryu, despite being at a level disadvantage Chikorita prevails. The next battle is the decider and it comes down to Ash’s Bulbasaur vs. Misty’s Poliwag. Team Rocket are floating by in the river when they spot Ash and Misty battling; and begin plotting on how to steal Pikachu. Back at the battle Bulbasaur manages to defeat Misty’s Poliwag… but it then evolves into Poliwhirl and the battle resumes. Ash gets Bulbasaur charging up for its Solar Beam attack but it takes a while to charge… Poliwhirl pelts Bulbasaur with its bubble attack but Bulbasaur is able to withstand it long enough to launch it’s solar beam, knocking Poliwhirl right out of the battle. Victory goes to Ash who wins the Totodile.

Just as Brock hands the Pokéball containing Totodile over to Ash two women arrive posing as auxiliary ladies, but its quickly revealed to be Team Rocket.. Team Rocket try to seize the opportunity to attack while Ash and Misty’s Pokemon are tired, but they didn’t anticipate Ash’s new Pokemon…. He sends Totodile to battle them. Jessie and James send Arbok and Weezing to battle but Totodile makes quick work of Arbok, dances its way around Weezing’s sludge attack and then defeats Weezing too before finally sending Team Rocket blasting off with its water gun (and then carrying on dancing). Totodile comes over to greet his new companions Pikachu and Bulbasaur.

Misty appears to bare no hard feelings toward Ash about not getting Totodile, as shes still overjoyed that her own Poliwag evolved into Poliwhirl just for her.

Major Events

• Ash catches Totodile (Lure Ball) after beating Misty 3-on-3
• Misty’s Poliwag → Poliwhirl (Body Slam)
• Togepi’s first battle (Charm)
• Bulbasaur’s first Solar Beam since EP051

Captures and evolutions

• Totodile#0158 · Ash · Lure Ball
• Poliwag → Poliwhirl#0061 · Misty · mid-battle

Trivia

• The English title plays on the duel between Ash and Misty for Totodile.
• The screenplay is by Atsuhiro Tomioka.
• This is a plot episode: it advances the Johto storyline.
• The Who’s That Pokémon? segment features Totodile in Japan, where it almost always matched the episode, but Pichu in the US, where 4Kids picked the Pokémon at random.

Changes in the English Dub

• Routine cover-ups: Misty’s prayer to the “god of Water Pokémon” and the rice balls.
• Rice balls become a “delicious but non-nutritious snack treat”.
• The dub narrator says the heroes are on the road “to Johto”, although they are already there.
• Pokémon Karaokémon: “Two Perfect Girls” (Eric Stuart as Brock).

Part of our Pokémon: The Johto Journeys guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.