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| Season | Pokémon DP: Galactic Battles (Season 12) · The snowbound road north arc (DP118–DP125) |
| Episode | Season 12, episode 18 · English episode 585 · Japanese episode 590 · Bulbapedia code DP123 |
| English title | Old Rivals, New Tricks! |
| Japanese title | ポケモンコンテスト！タツナミ大会！！ Pokemon Kontesuto! Tatsunami Taikai!! — “Pokémon Contest! Tatsunami Tournament!!” |
| First aired (Japan) | 16 April 2009 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 5 September 2009 · Cartoon Network |
| Screenplay | Atsuhiro Tomioka |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | Hai Tatchi! (High Touch!) – Satoshi (Rica Matsumoto) & Hikari (Megumi Toyoguchi) · Moeyo Gizamimi Pichū! (Get Fired Up, Spiky-eared Pichu!) – Shōko Nakagawa |
| English opening | Battle Cry – (Stand Up!), Version 2 – Erin Bowman |
| Previous episode | Stopped in the Name of Love! (DP122) |
| Next episode | To Thine Own Pokémon Be True! (DP124) |
Plot episodeKenny wins the Sandalstraw RibbonAmbipom’s last Contest
Old Rivals, New Tricks! is the 18th episode of Pokémon DP: Galactic Battles, the twelfth season of the Pokémon anime, and the 585th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 590, Bulbapedia code DP123). It first aired in Japan on 16 April 2009 and in the United States on 5 September 2009. It falls within the season’s The snowbound road north stretch (EP118–EP125).
Synopsis
Kenny defeats Dawn in the final of the Sandalstraw Town Contest, winning his fourth Ribbon in Ambipom’s last Contest. While Ash, Barry and Ambipom practise for the Ping Pong Tournament, Dawn decides to use Ambipom in both rounds, and Jessie, disguised as Jessilina, borrows James’s Mime Jr. to chase a third Ribbon.
In the Performance Stage, Mime Jr.’s Teeter Dance sets the whole audience dancing, Kenny’s newly revealed Machoke lifts a giant barbell with Strength while Kenny balances on it, and Ambipom dazzles the judges with Double Team, Focus Punch, Swift and Double Hit. All three advance, and in the semi-final Ambipom easily beats Jessilina’s Seviper.
The final between Ambipom and Kenny’s Prinplup becomes a ping-pong-style exchange of Bubble Beam, Focus Punch and Metal Claw, a first in a Contest Battle according to Marian. Prinplup’s direct Drill Peck wins after Ambipom’s Double Hit fails, and Kenny takes the Sandalstraw Ribbon. Dawn is disappointed but praised, Kenny leaves to train, and Barry suggests Dawn enter the Ping Pong Tournament.
Major Events
- Kenny wins the Sandalstraw Ribbon, beating Dawn in the final. Kenny’s Machoke is revealed
- Mime Jr.’s Teeter Dance sets the whole stadium dancing
- Kenny’s fourth Ribbon and the first he is seen winning in person
- Dawn’s first loss to Kenny
- Ambipom’s last Contest
Trivia
- The English title plays on “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”.
- The screenplay is by Atsuhiro Tomioka.
- This is a plot episode: it advances the Sinnoh storyline.
Changes in the English Dub
- An instrumental By Your Side for Dawn’s performance
Part of our Pokémon DP: Galactic Battles guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.