This episode is essential viewing because: Ash defeats Greta and earns the Guts Symbol.

It starts on a typical day, Ash and Co are at a Pokemon Centre discussing about the next challenge: The Battle Area. Ash is all hyped up, so are the rest of the gang, Scott sitting on the table drinking coffee, calls over to him to talk, (now the episode is in Japanese so what I type here is in pure speculation)

Scott: ASHY-BOY? WHATS UP DAWWWG.

Ash: Scott? Lyke, lyke I r the ready 4 new symbol lol

Scott: THAT’S MY DAWG. THAT’S MY DAWG. RIGHT THERE!

Ash: lets us go already lol

What this really means is Scott is telling Ash about the new Symbol, Ash looks exicited and...

Credits roll here.

It starts with Arena Captain Kogomi, or Arena Tycoon Greta for those who can’t be bothered to learn all the Japanese names, doing some form of aerobics with her dojo outside the main arena, somehow Team Rocket, dressed in Martial art customs, managed to get in the class , no doubt to decided a new plan to capture Pikachu, you’d think after nearly 400 episodes, they wouldn’t just buy one from the Celedon Game Cornor or something. Anyway, Jessie gets annoyed and stops doing the aerobics and starts whining to James. Greta, being the strict Tycoon she is gets pretty upset at them stopping and decides they need to be punished, By balancing rice bowls on their head, although it seems to be going well, the trio fall over and smash the said bows on the floor. Before Greta has a chance to anything, she’ told there’s a challenger, looking eager she does karate style movements.

Ash, Scott, Max, May and Brock are sitting down, Scott looks happy while he discussus the next Frontier Brain, Ash learns she is a martial artists and remembers back to Brawny and Chuck. They soon make there way to the Arena where Scott calls Greta to let them in, they enter trough the huge gates and Greta is standing in front of her class, she does some martial-art style movements again and introduce herself. They then spin a huge wheel which lands on two dots, Greta then tells Ash they will be using two Pokemon each – but they must be outside their balls during the battle and cannot be swapped. The Battle is then waged in inside in the wall less arena, with her class sitting and watching, while Team Rocket are scrubbing the tiles outside, however, seeing May holding Piakchu they decide to secretly join in with the audience.

Greta has out a Hariyama and a Medicham, while Ash has a Snorlax and a Grovyle, clear winner right? Remember this IS Pokemon and we have just under 20 mins for an episode..

Anyway, the match starts and Ash’s Grovyle is using it’s speed over Greta’s Hariyama, doing fierce moves like Leaf Blade and Quick attack, both Pokemon trainers are ever so keen to knock each other out, Grovyle manages to get Hariyama on the floor, when it seems over for it, wouldn’t you know it Focus Punches Grovyle with such a force it’s flown up to the very high ceiling.

Scott gives his 2 cents while the others look a bit worried, but not our Ashy-Boy, he gets right back in there with Snorlax. The battle wages on with Hariyama giving Snorlax fierce double slaps, which, typically, does nothing to it, it tries to Focus Punch it, but Snorlax used Harden, causing the Hariyama to wrench it’s hand in pain, the Snorlax then finishes it off an Ice Punch, freezing it, making it unable to battle. The others look on happy, and Scott, the man who seemingly never stops smiling, comments on Ash’s skill.

The battle carries on now with Medicham, after a fierce Focus Punch and a High Jump Attack, the Snorlax is thrown into the air, in lands of the floor with quite a thud, Medicham attacks is again, just being missed by a mean attack from Snorlax, punching it in the air again, near the audience, all by Team Rocket scatter from the Snorlax’s landing path, causing them to be thrown into the Arena in their normal clothing revealed for all to see.

They do their routine motto, and this is has to be seen to believed. No seriously, its spectacular, with over 400 episodes of over-planned tactics to grab Pikachu, this, is just, awesome. They jump for Pikachu. Yes, no over-priced mech, no clever disguises, they just jump for Pikachu. Ash orders a thunderbolt and their blasting of again.

After, Medicham and Snorlax are both locked together with Ice Punches, Medicham gets the upper hand and Snorlax is put on ice. Medicham then starts to chip away at Snorlax with hard punches, then focuses punches the top of the ice for Snorlax’s head to be free, with another kick it shatters the ice and starts to brutally beat up Snorlax.

As seems to go well for Greta until Ash commands a flamethrower attack, sending Snorlax flying in the air, much like a jetpack, he orders a Body Slam and Medicham is crushed. Ash celebrates with the other twerps and Scott joining in, even Greta seems happy.

The day ends at a sunset outside the arena, Greta preasents Ash with the Guts Symbol and they do a cross arm respect for each other, they say their goodbyes and on to the next symbol.

This episode guide has been written by .

Characters appearing in this episode

Ash

Brock

Max

May

Jessie

James

Meowth

Ash's Pikachu

Pokémon appearing in this episode

• Pikachu belonging to Ash
• Meowth