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| Season | Pokémon: Advanced Challenge (Season 7) · To Lilycove: Aerial Ace & the Lilycove Ribbon arc (AG086–AG092) |
| Episode | Season 7, episode 51 · English episode 364 · Japanese episode 367 · Bulbapedia code AG091 |
| English title | Lessons in Lilycove |
| Japanese title | ポケモンコンテスト！ミナモ大会！！ Pokemon Kontesuto! Minamo Taikai!! — “Pokémon Contest! Minamo Tournament!!” |
| First aired (Japan) | 26 August 2004 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 10 September 2005 · Kids’ WB |
| Screenplay | Atsuhiro Tomioka |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | Challenger!! – Rica Matsumoto · Ippai Samā!! (Full of Summer!!) – Naomi Tamura & the Himawari Chorus |
| English opening | This Dream – David Rolfe |
| Pokémon Trainer’s Choice | Which Pokémon is best against Flaaffy, misspelt “Flaafy” on screen? — Swinub |
| Previous episode | Pokéblock, Stock, and Berry (AG090) |
| Next episode | Judgment Day! (AG092) |
Plot episodeLilycove Contest – May’s third Ribbon
Lessons in Lilycove is the 51st episode of Pokémon: Advanced Challenge, the seventh season of the Pokémon anime, and the 364th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 367, Bulbapedia code AG091). It first aired in Japan on 26 August 2004 and in the United States on 10 September 2005. It falls within the season’s To Lilycove: Aerial Ace & the Lilycove Ribbon stretch (EP86–EP92).
Synopsis
The runaway Fire Spin threatens to engulf May, but Combusken shields her and uses Peck to scatter the embers across the stage. Thinking fast, May has it gather the sparks into a fireball with another Fire Spin and smash it with Sky Uppercut, bringing down a shower of fire that delights the crowd. Her improvised appeal earns 23.6, which Jessie, disguised as “Jessafina”, reckons will keep May out of the next round. Kelly’s Grumpig then shows off its tail and juggles Pokéblocks with Psychic before tossing them to the audience, earning 27.7. Jessafina follows with James’s Chimecho, whose soothing Heal Bell turns into a startling Astonish when she yanks its tail. To everyone’s surprise the judges award a perfect 30, with Raoul Contesta praising the daring of the performance.
May squeezes into the battle rounds along with Kelly and Jessafina, and in the semi-final Combusken faces Chimecho. Chimecho’s Wrap is broken with Peck, Fire Spin traps Chimecho, and when Jessafina orders Double-Edge, Combusken counters with Sky Uppercut and knocks it out. Outside the hall, Ash continues training with Vladimir, and Swellow finally masters Aerial Ace, though one later attempt misses its target and crashes into Team Rocket, blasting them off without a motto. The final pits Combusken against Kelly’s Grumpig. Combusken catches Grumpig’s Iron Tail in its claws and costs Kelly points, but Grumpig seizes its Fire Spin with Psychic and hurls it back as a fiery dragon, and although Sky Uppercut smashes the dragon, Combusken is caught in a psychic trap.
Kelly orders Grumpig to Bounce towards May, and May answers by aiming Fire Spin at the ceiling, raining flames down that damage Grumpig. Both Pokémon fall from the air, and Combusken uses another Fire Spin to slow their descent and save them both. When time runs out, May has more points remaining and wins the Contest. She receives the bubble-patterned Lilycove Ribbon, her third, leaving her two short of the five needed for the Grand Festival. Kelly congratulates her and vows to come back stronger, and May promises that next time she will use Pokéblocks of her own design. With the Contest won and Swellow’s Aerial Ace mastered, the group are ready to cross the sea to Mossdeep City for Ash’s seventh Gym battle, and Swellow’s new move will soon be put to the test.
Major Events
- Lilycove Contest — May wins her third Ribbon. Combusken beats Jessafina’s borrowed Chimecho, which scored a perfect 30 in the appeals, and Kelly’s Grumpig
- Swellow masters Aerial Ace
- Torchic becomes the first Hoenn subject of Professor Oak’s Pokémon Lecture
Trivia
- The English title plays on the alliteration of lessons and Lilycove.
- The screenplay is by Atsuhiro Tomioka.
- This is a plot episode: it advances the Hoenn storyline.
Changes in the English Dub
- The dub implies that Contests are held once a year
- Pokémon Trainer’s Choice (dub only, in place of Who’s That Pokémon?): which Pokémon is best against “Flaafy” (Flaaffy)? Answer: Swinub (misspelt)
Part of our Pokémon: Advanced Challenge guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.