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| Season | Pokémon Master Journeys: The Series (Season 24) · Ultra Class battles & the first token arc (JN076–JN083) |
| Episode | Season 24, episode 29 · English episode 1157 · Japanese episode 1163 · Bulbapedia code JN077 |
| English title | Ultra Exciting from the Shocking Start! |
| Japanese title | 超電磁ハイパークラスバトル！ Chōdenji Haipā Kurasu Batoru! — “Super Electromagnetic Hyper Class Battle!” |
| First aired (Japan) | 20 August 2021 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 26 May 2022 · Netflix |
| Screenplay | Atsuhiro Tomioka |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | Wan, Tsū, Surī (One, Two, Three) – Karaage Sisters · Batsugun Taipu (Supereffective Type), Version 1 – Pokémon Music Club |
| English opening | Journey to Your Heart – Haven Paschall |
| Previous episode | All Out, All of the Time! (JN076) |
| Next episode | Detective Drizzile! (JN078) |
Plot episodeAsh vs Volkner, rank 6410,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt
Ultra Exciting from the Shocking Start! is the 29th episode of Pokémon Master Journeys: The Series, the twenty-fourth season of the Pokémon anime, and the 1157th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 1163, Bulbapedia code JN077). It first aired in Japan on 20 August 2021 and in the United States on 26 May 2022. It falls within the season’s Ultra Class battles & the first token stretch (EP76–EP83).
Released on Netflix in the US on Thursday 26 May 2022 with the rest of Part 3; Teletoon had premiered it in Canada on 25 December 2021, followed by e.tv in South Africa on 15 February 2022, POP in the UK on 7 March 2022 and Australian television on 29 April 2022.
Synopsis
In his first Ultra Class battle, Ash takes on Sinnoh’s Electric-type Gym Leader Volkner and wins with Pikachu’s 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt Z-Move, climbing from 99th to 64th in the World Coronation Series. Ash arrives at the Sunyshore Gym for a rematch with Volkner, whom he battled years ago on his Sinnoh journey, and Volkner notices the Z-Power Ring on his wrist, which Ash explains holds a Z-Crystal made just for him and Pikachu. Goh and Grookey cheer from the stands, where the crowd’s applause for Volkner drowns out the welcome for Ash. When the Drone Rotom starts the three-on-three battle, Ash sends out Lucario and Volkner chooses Luxray, which sets up Electric Terrain and blasts through Lucario’s Aura Sphere with a boosted Rising Voltage. Ash switches to Gengar, which dodges Snarl, hurls Luxray around with Psychic and strikes with Night Shade, so Volkner recalls Luxray and sends out his speedy Fan Rotom.
Rotom trades Air Slash with Gengar’s Night Shade, dodges Ice Punch and paralyses Gengar with Thunder Wave, then knocks it out with a Hex doubled by the status condition. Pikachu traps Rotom with Electroweb, but Volkner switches to Electivire, whose Motor Drive Ability absorbs Pikachu’s Thunderbolt and boosts its Speed; it hits Pikachu with Fire Punch and wins an Iron Tail clash with its two tails, so Ash brings back Lucario. Lucario’s Aura Sphere meets Fire Punch, Double Team dodges Wild Charge, but Electivire swats back every Aura Sphere and paralyses Lucario with Thunder Punch. Volkner switches to Rotom to exploit the paralysis with Hex, but Lucario endures Air Slash and knocks Rotom out with Reversal, shaking off its paralysis. Luxray returns and resets Electric Terrain, and Lucario’s Aura Sphere and Luxray’s Rising Voltage strike at the same moment, knocking both Pokémon out.
With one Pokémon each left, Pikachu faces Electivire again. Motor Drive rules out Electric moves, so Ash relies on Iron Tail, but Electivire overpowers it with Wild Charge, ignoring the recoil. In their next clash, though, Pikachu strikes Electivire on the head and makes it stagger. Ash tosses Pikachu his cap, draws power from his Pikashunium Z, and the pair unleash 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt; Electivire pushes Motor Drive to its limit to absorb it, but the Z-Move overloads it, and when the smoke clears Electivire has fainted. The crowd finally gives Ash the cheer he was missing as his rank climbs from 99th to 64th. Volkner, impressed, learns that Ash had decided to finish with his strongest Electric move the moment he knew his opponent. He predicts that Ash will shake up the Ultra Class and even the Master Class, and reveals that Sinnoh Champion Cynthia is one of the Masters Eight.
Major Events
- Ash vs Volkner. Sunyshore Gym, Sinnoh
- Ash’s first Ultra Class battle: Lucario, Gengar and Pikachu beat Volkner’s Luxray, Fan Rotom and Electivire
- Pikachu’s 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt is Ash’s first Z-Move outside Sun & Moon, and the Pikashunium Z is named for the first time
- Ash rises from 99th to 64th
- Cynthia is revealed as one of the Masters Eight and Bea owns a Dynamax Band
- Eyecatches replace Who’s That Pokémon?
Trivia
- The screenplay is by Atsuhiro Tomioka.
- This is a plot episode: it advances the Kanto, Galar & beyond storyline.
Changes in the English Dub
- The on-screen caption naming 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt is removed
- Most TV guides and iTunes list the episode as Excitement From the Ultra-Shocking Start!
Part of our Pokémon Master Journeys: The Series guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.