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| Season | Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl (Season 10) · Route 202: Nando, Turtwig & a first defeat arc (DP004–DP009) |
| Episode | Season 10, episode 8 · English episode 472 · Japanese episode 475 · Bulbapedia code DP008 |
| English title | Gymbaliar! |
| Japanese title | なぞのジムのグレッグル！ Nazo no Jimu no Guregguru! — “Gureggru of the Mysterious Gym!” |
| First aired (Japan) | 9 November 2006 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 14 June 2007 · Cartoon Network |
| Screenplay | Yukiyoshi Ōhashi |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | Together – Fumie Akiyoshi · Kimi no Soba de ~Hikari no Tēma~ (By Your Side ~Hikari’s Theme~) – Grin |
| English opening | Diamond and Pearl – Chris “Breeze” Barczynski |
| Previous episode | Like It or Lup It! (DP007) |
| Next episode | Setting The World On Its Buneary! (DP009) |
Plot episodeBrock catches CroagunkA fake Gym
Gymbaliar! is the 8th episode of Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl, the tenth season of the Pokémon anime, and the 472nd episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 475, Bulbapedia code DP008). It first aired in Japan on 9 November 2006 and in the United States on 14 June 2007. It falls within the season’s Route 202: Nando, Turtwig & a first defeat stretch (EP4–EP9).
Synopsis
Somewhere along the road to Jubilife, a disguised Team Rocket have opened a fake Gym. Jessie loses on purpose to a Trainer named Jeffrey from Mocha Town, whose Marowak beats her Dustox with Bonemerang and Bone Club, and James lets him take a “Badge” from the stand. Meanwhile, Meowth notices a wild Croagunk following him back to the Gym; when James pokes at its face, it flattens him with Poison Jab, and Jessie decides to make it her Gym Pokémon. Ash, Dawn and Brock are on the road when a Scizor jumps out, followed by its Trainer Minnie, with whom Brock instantly falls in love. Minnie admits she is a weak battler but has heard of a new Powerzone Gym that promises to train any Pokémon that loses there, and the group go along to see it.
At the Gym they find Croagunk beating a Trainer’s Sandslash with Poison Jab, after which the Trainer hands over the Sandslash’s Poké Ball to be “trained”. Team Rocket panic at the sight of Ash but carry on, with Jessie as “Princess Powerzone” and the Badge exposed as a lump of bottle caps. In Minnie’s battle, Scizor’s Quick Attack, Slash and Metal Claw seemingly knock Croagunk out, but referee James stalls until Croagunk gets back up and wins with Brick Break and Poison Jab, and Minnie surrenders Scizor’s Poké Ball too. After lunch Ash sends in Aipom, which dodges Poison Jab with Double Team and knocks Croagunk out with Swift and Focus Punch before James can stall again. Jessie then insists on choosing Ash’s next Pokémon and calls for Pikachu, and as Pikachu takes the field a mechanical claw drops from the ceiling and grabs it.
Team Rocket burst through the roof in their balloon with Pikachu and the confiscated Poké Balls in a net. Starly’s Quick Attack takes three tries to puncture the balloon, which crashes and sets Pikachu free, and when Meowth notes that the episode still has three minutes left, a single Thunderbolt blasts the trio away. Minnie recovers Scizor and decides to stay at the empty Gym until the other Trainers come back for their Pokémon, having learned how much she still has to learn. Brock begins to declare his love, then notices Croagunk standing behind him, left behind by Team Rocket. After a long, silent stare the two seem to understand each other, and Brock invites the wild Croagunk to join him. It accepts and Brock catches it. When he turns back to woo Minnie, Croagunk pops out of its Poké Ball and jabs him in the side, then drags him down the road as the group wave goodbye.
Major Events
- Brock catches Croagunk. Team Rocket’s fake Powerzone Gym, with Jessie as Princess Powerzone
- The first Generation IV move in the anime, Poison Jab
- The first Diamond and Pearl episode without Piplup
Pokémon making their anime debut
Croagunk#0453 · DP008
Captures and evolutions
- Croagunk#0453 · Brock · left behind at Team Rocket’s fake Gym
Trivia
- The English title plays on “jambalaya, crossed with a Gym and a liar”.
- The screenplay is by Yukiyoshi Ōhashi.
- This is a plot episode: it advances the Sinnoh storyline.
Changes in the English Dub
- Croagunk added to the ending animation
- Lucario score
Part of our Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.