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| Season | Pokémon: Battle Frontier (Season 9) · Commerce City, Gardenia & the Battle Tower arc (AG166–AG170) |
| Episode | Season 9, episode 24 · English episode 441 · Japanese episode 445 · Bulbapedia code AG169 |
| English title | Talking a Good Game! |
| Japanese title | タワータイクーン、リラ登場！！ Tawā Taikūn, Rira Tōjō!! — “Enter the Tower Tycoon, Lila!!” |
| First aired (Japan) | 23 March 2006 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 25 November 2006 · Cartoon Network |
| Screenplay | Shōji Yonemura |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | Supāto! (Spurt!) – Satoshi (Rica Matsumoto) · GLORY DAY ~Kagayaku Sono Hi~ (That Shining Day) – GARDEN |
| English opening | Battle Frontier – Jason Appleton |
| Previous episode | Three Jynx and a Baby! (AG168) |
| Next episode | Second Time’s the Charm! (AG170) |
Plot episodeAnabel debutsFirst Frontier defeat
Talking a Good Game! is the 24th episode of Pokémon: Battle Frontier, the ninth season of the Pokémon anime, and the 441st episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 445, Bulbapedia code AG169). It first aired in Japan on 23 March 2006 and in the United States on 25 November 2006. It falls within the season’s Commerce City, Gardenia & the Battle Tower stretch (EP166–EP170).
Synopsis
Racing toward the Battle Tower in search of his sixth Symbol, Ash and Pikachu are attacked by a Beedrill until a girl named Anabel steps in and calms it, explaining that it is only protecting its young. Moments later a Gyarados bursts out of a lake, and Anabel soothes it by pulling a twig from its side. Watching from hiding, James and Meowth are impressed by how she treats Pokémon, but Jessie reminds them their target is Pikachu. As Ash and Anabel chat on the shore, a net snatches Anabel and Pikachu into the air and Team Rocket recite their motto far earlier than usual. Corphish’s Bubble Beam cuts the net, Ash dives in after Pikachu, and as May, Max and Brock arrive, Anabel sends out her Alakazam. Its Psychic turns Cacnea’s Pin Missile back on Team Rocket, its Psybeam confuses Seviper and Cacnea into attacking each other, and Pikachu’s Thunderbolt finishes the job.
Over refreshments at Anabel’s house, she remarks on the close bond she saw when Ash shielded Pikachu from Poison Tail, but before she can say more he dashes off to find the Frontier Brain, and his friends follow. At the Battle Tower, Ash asks to challenge the Brain, and an assistant introduces him to the Salon Maiden: Anabel. The three-on-three battle begins under referee Maron, and Ash soon realises Anabel gives her Pokémon no spoken orders at all, communicating with them telepathically so that he has no way of predicting their moves. Corphish opens with Crabhammer, but Alakazam catches it in mid-air with Psychic and throws it back, blocks its Bubble Beam with Psybeam, and knocks it out with a Focus Punch followed by one last Psybeam, all without Anabel saying a word.
Ash’s second choice is Tauros, borrowed from Professor Oak specially for this challenge, but Alakazam lifts it, drops it, launches it skyward with Focus Punch and finishes it with Psybeam. Pikachu, Ash’s last Pokémon, lands a Thunderbolt that Alakazam heals with Recover, trades Iron Tail for Focus Punch, and is confused by Psybeam, charging out of control toward a wall with Volt Tackle until Ash throws himself in its path to cushion the impact. The shock snaps Pikachu out of its confusion, and its Thunderbolt overpowers Psybeam to knock Alakazam out. Anabel’s second Pokémon, Metagross, redirects Thunderbolt with Psychic, blocks Quick Attack with Iron Defense and pounds Pikachu with Meteor Mash, and when Pikachu tries Volt Tackle, Hyper Beam strikes first. Maron declares Pikachu unable to battle, and Ash suffers his first defeat in the Battle Frontier.
Major Events
- Battle Tower, first attempt. Salon Maiden Anabel and the referee Maron debut
- Anabel commands her Pokémon telepathically
- Ash borrows Tauros
- Alakazam beats Corphish and Tauros
- Metagross beats Pikachu
- Ash’s first Battle Frontier defeat
Trivia
- The English title plays on "talking a good game", for a Frontier Brain who never says a word in battle.
- The screenplay is by Shōji Yonemura.
- This is a plot episode: it advances the Kanto storyline.
Changes in the English Dub
- “the other day” for “yesterday”
- The Japanese narrator’s slip calling the Symbol a “sixth Badge” is corrected
- The Japanese Battle Frontier as background music
Part of our Pokémon: Battle Frontier guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.