 |
|
| Season | Pokémon: Advanced Battle (Season 8) · On to Saffron City: May’s first Kanto Ribbon arc (AG137–AG145) |
| Episode | Season 8, episode 45 · English episode 410 · Japanese episode 414 · Bulbapedia code AG138 |
| English title | Rough, Tough Jigglypuff |
| Japanese title | プリンの歌、パパの歌！ Purin no Uta, Papa no Uta! — “Purin’s Song, Papa’s Song!” |
| First aired (Japan) | 11 August 2005 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 13 May 2006 · Kids’ WB |
| Screenplay | Atsuhiro Tomioka |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | Battle Frontier – Akina Takaya · Pokémon Kazoe Uta (Pokémon Counting Song) – Akiko Kanazawa |
| English opening | Unbeatable – David Rolfe |
| Pokémon Trainer’s Choice | Which one does not evolve? (Ralts / Ursaring / Machop) → Ursaring (outdated since Ursaluna) |
| Previous episode | Hooked on Onix (AG137) |
| Next episode | On Cloud Arcanine (AG139) |
Filler / stand-alone episodeMitch’s JigglypuffNarrator falls asleep
Rough, Tough Jigglypuff is the 45th episode of Pokémon: Advanced Battle, the eighth season of the Pokémon anime, and the 410th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 414, Bulbapedia code AG138). It first aired in Japan on 11 August 2005 and in the United States on 13 May 2006. It falls within the season’s On to Saffron City: May’s first Kanto Ribbon stretch (EP137–EP145).
Synopsis
On the way to the Battle Arena, Ash, May and Brock are scooped up in a net and left dangling from a tree. They blame Team Rocket, but the trap belongs to a man named Mitch and his Loudred, who apologise for the mix-up. At his cabin Mitch hands them a business card showing that he used to be a professional Pokéblock taster for a company, and his Pokémon sample the group’s Pokéblocks, but he is evasive about why he quit. Then a wild Jigglypuff appears. Loudred’s Mega Punch misses, and Jigglypuff’s Cute Charm leaves Loudred infatuated and unable to use Hyper Voice. Jigglypuff scorches everyone with Flamethrower and sings them all to sleep except Loudred, which wakes Mitch as Jigglypuff escapes.
Mitch explains that he left his job six months ago to catch a Jigglypuff for his daughter Lisa’s fifth birthday, which is tomorrow, and he has failed every time; Ash and his friends offer to help. Team Rocket, eavesdropping from their balloon, decide to catch the Jigglypuff themselves, only to be toasted by Flamethrower and sung to sleep. Pikachu battles Jigglypuff with Loudred’s help, but Uproar cannot stop Sing, and Jigglypuff’s Rollout hits Pikachu twice before a third Rollout knocks Team Rocket out of their balloon. Brock’s attempt to lure Jigglypuff with food fails, and Munchlax steals May’s Pokéblocks. Even the narrator is put to sleep by Jigglypuff’s song, as happened once before in the Johto series, when Jigglypuff’s lullaby reached all the way to the storyteller.
Max devises a plan. Mitch provokes Jigglypuff with Hyper Voice and it rolls into the metal-lined cabin, where Ash and Brock shut the door. Pikachu’s Thunderbolt and Jigglypuff’s Flamethrower bounce around the room, and when Jigglypuff sings, the echoing notes put both Pokémon to sleep. Mitch then decides that Jigglypuff belongs in the forest and goes home with only Loudred. Lisa is simply happy to have her father back, but the next morning Jigglypuff turns up, cross that Mitch has stopped chasing it, and Lisa is delighted. Mitch invites it to stay and it agrees, and when Lisa asks it to sing with her, the whole family falls happily asleep. It is the first time the anime shows the infatuation status.
Major Events
- A former Pokéblock taster tries to catch a wild Jigglypuff for his daughter
- Jigglypuff’s Sing puts the narrator to sleep
- First depiction of infatuation in the anime
Trivia
- The English title plays on "rough and tough".
- The screenplay is by Atsuhiro Tomioka.
- This is a stand-alone episode: it can be skipped without losing the thread of the Hoenn story.
Changes in the English Dub
- The echo in the cabin removed
- Instrumental Battle Frontier
Part of our Pokémon: Advanced Battle guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.