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| Season | Pokémon: Advanced Battle (Season 8) · Izabe Island: Harley, Ludicolo & Snorunt arc (AG102–AG109) |
| Episode | Season 8, episode 11 · English episode 376 · Japanese episode 379 · Bulbapedia code AG103 |
| English title | A Cacturne for the Worse |
| Japanese title | イザベ島ポケモンコンテスト！ライバルに気をつけろ！！ Izabe Shima Pokemon Kontesuto! Raibaru ni Ki o Tsukero!! — “Izabe Island Pokémon Contest! Beware of the Rival!!” |
| First aired (Japan) | 18 November 2004 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 26 November 2005 · Kids’ WB |
| Screenplay | Aya Matsui |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | Challenger!! – Rica Matsumoto · GLORY DAY ~Kagayaku Sono Hi~ (That Shining Day) – GARDEN |
| English opening | Unbeatable – David Rolfe |
| Pokémon Trainer’s Choice | What is Larvitar’s final evolution? (Armaldo / Tyranitar / Dragonite) → Tyranitar |
| Previous episode | Where’s Armaldo? (AG102) |
| Next episode | Claydol Big and Tall (AG104) |
Plot episodePurika RibbonHarley debuts
A Cacturne for the Worse is the 11th episode of Pokémon: Advanced Battle, the eighth season of the Pokémon anime, and the 376th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 379, Bulbapedia code AG103). It first aired in Japan on 18 November 2004 and in the United States on 26 November 2005. It falls within the season’s Izabe Island: Harley, Ludicolo & Snorunt stretch (EP102–EP109).
Synopsis
On the ferry to Izabe Island, May is practising with Bulbasaur when a flamboyant Coordinator named Harley introduces himself and his Cacturne. His smile sours when May calls Cacturne scary and gives his homemade cookies only lukewarm praise, and out of sight he pastes her photograph into his scrapbook and marks it with a skull and crossbones. Meanwhile Team Rocket haul berries up a hill to make Pokéblocks to sell, only to find the berries useless and their Pokéblocks hopelessly misshapen. At the Purika City Contest Hall, Max goes missing and comes back with Harley, who claims he only wanted to hear stories about May. In the Appeals Round Bulbasaur shows off Razor Leaf and Vine Whip, while Cacturne’s rapid Bullet Seed carves a skull and crossbones into the stage, and both advance alongside Kent and an Azurill Coordinator.
In the battle rounds, Cacturne’s Poison Sting pops the Azurill’s protective bubbles and Bullet Seed knocks it out, sending Harley through. Harley then sidles up to May and “helpfully” assures her that Kent’s Surskit is slow, and May goes into her semi-final expecting an easy match. Instead Surskit’s Quick Attack hits Bulbasaur over and over, and its Double Team leaves Bulbasaur swinging at empty air. May recovers her composure with Razor Leaf, Vine Whip and Petal Dance and wins on points as time runs out. In the final Harley plays a secret recording of Max telling a childhood story about May’s terror of Tentacool, and while May is frozen with embarrassment in front of the whole hall, Cacturne’s Feint Attack strikes Bulbasaur from behind and drains her points.
Ash shouts encouragement from the stands, and May shakes off the humiliation. Bulbasaur’s Vine Whip hoists Cacturne into the air, and a combination of Razor Leaf and Petal Dance knocks it out, winning May the Purika Ribbon, her fourth. Harley storms off, vowing that he will beat “Miss Tent” one day, the mocking nickname he has given her after Max’s story, and he becomes May’s most devious rival. Max apologises for blabbing, and the group plan some sightseeing on Izabe Island before moving on. Team Rocket never meet the heroes at all this time: their Pokéblock business simply collapses, and they neither recite their motto nor blast off. It is also the first episode in 325 episodes with no Generation II Pokémon in it.
Major Events
- Purika Ribbon. May’s fourth Ribbon, won by Bulbasaur against Kent’s Surskit and Harley’s Cacturne
- Harley debuts and calls May Miss Tent
- Team Rocket never meet the heroes and neither recite their motto nor blast off
- First episode in 325 with no Generation II Pokémon
- Cacturne debuts
Pokémon making their anime debut
Cacturne#0332 · AG103
Trivia
- The English title plays on "a turn for the worse".
- The screenplay is by Aya Matsui.
- This is a plot episode: it advances the Hoenn storyline.
Changes in the English Dub
- Harley’s skull-and-crossbones scrapbook mark changed to a sad smiley (Kids’ WB airings only)
- Caroline’s cleavage removed
- The dub implies that Contests are held every year
- Harley’s face changes twice when he mimics May’s “kamo”
Part of our Pokémon: Advanced Battle guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.