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| Season | Pokémon the Series: XYZ (Season 19) · Mastering the bond & the Iceberg Badge arc (XY114–XY122) |
| Episode | Season 19, episode 22 · English episode 910 · Japanese episode 915 · Bulbapedia code XY115 |
| English title | Battling at Full Volume! |
| Japanese title | セレナ、サトシになる！最強ピカチュウ対決！！ Serena, Satoshi ni Naru! Saikyō Pikachū Taiketsu!! — “Serena Becomes Satoshi! The Strongest Pikachu Showdown!!” |
| First aired (Japan) | 14 April 2016 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 16 July 2016 · Cartoon Network |
| Screenplay | Aya Matsui |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | XY&Z – Satoshi (Rica Matsumoto) · Puni-chan no Uta (Puni-chan’s Song) – Eureka (Mariya Ise) |
| English opening | Stand Tall – Ben Dixon and The Sad Truth |
| Who’s That Pokémon? | Kirlia (US) |
| Previous episode | A Keeper for Keeps? (XY114) |
| Next episode | The Synchronicity Test! (XY116) |
Filler / stand-alone episodeSerena disguised as AshJimmy and Spike
Battling at Full Volume! is the 22nd episode of Pokémon the Series: XYZ, the nineteenth season of the Pokémon anime, and the 910th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 915, Bulbapedia code XY115). It first aired in Japan on 14 April 2016 and in the United States on 16 July 2016. It falls within the season’s Mastering the bond & the Iceberg Badge stretch (EP114–EP122).
On sale on iTunes and Amazon Prime Video from 15 July 2016, a day before the US premiere.
Synopsis
When Ash falls ill with a fever, Serena disguises herself as him to accept a challenge from Jimmy, a self-styled “Pikachu Trainer,” and battles with Ash’s Pikachu until Team Rocket try to steal both Pikachu. After a night of hard training at a stream, in which Greninja splits Pikachu’s Electro Ball with Cut and the blast soaks Ash, he wakes up feverish and collapses into Serena’s arms. Meanwhile Meowth wakes from a dream in which Giovanni showers him with rewards, and a guitar-playing Trainer named Jimmy appears with his Pikachu, Spike, demanding to know where Ash’s supposedly strong Pikachu can be found. Clemont and Bonnie go to town for medicine while Serena nurses Ash, whose temperature is climbing. When Jimmy arrives and challenges Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town, Serena realises that Ash would leap out of bed to accept even while sick.
So Serena puts on Ash’s hat and jacket, introduces herself as Ash, copies his catchphrase and sends out Pikachu, who is happy to help. The two Pikachu clash with Quick Attack and Thunder Punch, and when Spike escapes underground with Dig, Serena panics until she asks herself what Ash would do and orders an Iron Tail into the ground, followed by a second that knocks Spike down. Jimmy is thrilled, and Serena keeps up the act while amazed that it is working. Watching from a tree, Team Rocket plan to capture both Pikachu once the battle weakens them. Clemont and Bonnie return and briefly mistake Serena for Ash; Bonnie nearly blows her cover, and Clemont takes the medicine to Ash, leaving Serena to keep battling. Bonnie teases her by wishing “Ash” luck.
As both Pikachu charge with Quick Attack, mechanical hands snatch them, and Team Rocket burst out of a stage truck in disguise, sing a song and reveal themselves. Jessie suspects that “Ash” is really Serena. The truck drives off, but Water Shurikens stop it in its tracks: Ash has recovered thanks to his friends’ medicine and arrives with Greninja. He thanks Serena for battling in his place, and she apologises to Jimmy and hands Ash back his hat. Ash’s Water Shuriken and Serena’s Braixen, Pancham and Sylveon hold off Inkay and Gourgeist, Greninja’s Cut frees the two Pikachu, and a double Thunderbolt from Pikachu and Spike blasts Team Rocket away. Jimmy admits that he dislikes being lied to but praises how well Serena handled Pikachu, and Ash, who has not eaten all day, postpones their rematch until after lunch. Jimmy blushes when Serena invites him to eat with them.
Major Events
- Serena as Ash. While Ash lies ill with a fever, Serena disguises herself as him to battle Jimmy and his Pikachu, Spike
- Debut of Jimmy
Trivia
- The screenplay is by Aya Matsui.
- This is a stand-alone episode: it can be skipped without losing the thread of the Kalos story.
Changes in the English Dub
- The dub substitutes an Ash title card, read by Ash
Part of our Pokémon the Series: XYZ guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.