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| Season | Pokémon DP: Galactic Battles (Season 12) · South through Twinleaf Town arc (DP134–DP142) |
| Episode | Season 12, episode 36 · English episode 603 · Japanese episode 608 · Bulbapedia code DP141 |
| English title | Challenging a Towering Figure! |
| Japanese title | タワータイクーン！その男、クロツグ！！ Tawā Taikūn! Sono Otoko, Kurotsugu!! — “Tower Tycoon! That Man, Kurotsugu!!” |
| First aired (Japan) | 3 September 2009 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 23 January 2010 · Cartoon Network |
| Screenplay | Atsuhiro Tomioka |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | High Touch! 2009 – 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 | Historical Mystery Tour! (DP140) |
| Next episode | Where No Togepi Has Gone Before! (DP142) |
Plot episodeAsh loses to PalmerTwinleaf Festival, part 4
Challenging a Towering Figure! is the 36th episode of Pokémon DP: Galactic Battles, the twelfth season of the Pokémon anime, and the 603rd episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 608, Bulbapedia code DP141). It first aired in Japan on 3 September 2009 and in the United States on 23 January 2010. It falls within the season’s South through Twinleaf Town stretch (EP134–EP142).
Synopsis
Ash wins the Twinleaf Festival Battle Challenge but loses an exhibition match to Palmer, the Tower Tycoon of the Sinnoh Battle Frontier. Barry explains his father’s title, Palmer confirms the next day’s tournament, and on the final festival day Johanna opens the event, while Palmer is found eating at Team Rocket’s stall.
Ash beats Barry’s Empoleon with Pikachu in the final to win the Gold Trophy, and in the one-on-one exhibition he sends Grotle against Palmer’s Rhyperior. Rhyperior’s Solid Rock shrugs off Energy Ball, and it uses Rock Polish, Sandstorm and Rock Wrecker, while Grotle heals with Synthesis and clears the storm with Razor Leaf.
When Megahorn forces Grotle to swallow its own Energy Ball, it gains a temporary green-glowing power boost, raises a rock mountain with Rock Climb and drives Rhyperior back, but a point-blank Rock Wrecker knocks it out. Palmer suggests Ash challenge the Sunyshore Gym after Dawn’s Lilypad Contest, hinting that Volkner may be in for a shock, and Barry races ahead.
Major Events
- Ash wins the Twinleaf Festival tournament and loses to Palmer. Twinleaf Festival, part 4: Pikachu beats Barry’s Empoleon in the final
- Palmer’s Rhyperior beats Grotle, which swallows its own Energy Ball for a power boost
- Palmer points Ash to the Sunyshore Gym
- The only mention of the Sinnoh Battle Frontier
- Rhyperior’s TV debut
Pokémon making their anime debut
Rhyperior#0464 · DP141
Trivia
- The English title plays on a towering figure, for the Tower Tycoon.
- The screenplay is by Atsuhiro Tomioka.
- This is a plot episode: it advances the Sinnoh storyline.
Changes in the English Dub
- Barry’s “Daddy” becomes “Dad”
- Palmer is no longer called “the strongest Frontier Brain”
- James and Meowth gain lines about Octillery snacks
- The Japanese Battle Frontier song becomes an instrumental in the dub
- Barry’s Pokémon Ondo is replaced by a different song, “Come On!”, and his lips no longer match
Part of our Pokémon DP: Galactic Battles guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.