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| Season | Pokémon: Indigo League (Season 1) · Bulbasaur, Charmander & Squirtle arc (EP8–EP14) |
| Episode | Season 1, episode 14 · English episode 14 · Japanese episode 14 · Bulbapedia code EP014 |
| English title | Electric Shock Showdown |
| Japanese title | でんげきたいけつ! クチバジム Dengeki Taiketsu! Kuchiba Jimu — “Electric Shock Showdown! Kuchiba Gym” |
| First aired (Japan) | 1 July 1997 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 25 September 1998 · first-run syndication |
| Screenplay | Atsuhiro Tomioka |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | Mezase Pokémon Master (Aim to Be a Pokémon Master) – Rica Matsumoto · Hyakugojūichi (One Hundred Fifty-One) – Professor Oak & the Pokémon Kids |
| English opening | Pokémon Theme – Jason Paige |
| Who’s That Pokémon? | Raichu (US) · Raichu (Japan) |
| Previous episode | Mystery at the Lighthouse (EP013) |
| Next episode | Battle Aboard the St. Anne (EP015) |
Plot episodeThunder Badge
Electric Shock Showdown is the 14th episode of Pokémon: Indigo League, the first season of the Pokémon anime, and the 14th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 14, Bulbapedia code EP014). It first aired in Japan on 1 July 1997 and in the United States on 25 September 1998. It falls within the season’s Bulbasaur, Charmander & Squirtle stretch (EP8–EP14).
Synopsis
Ash and friends finally arrivev at the Vermillion City Gym, with Ash very enthusiastic to prove he is a strong enough trainer to defeat Lt. Surge but Pikachu and everyone else are exhausted so they head to the Pokemon Center first for a rest. At this point the Pokemon Center is full of badly injured Pokemon who have tried to take on Lt. Surge, another Pokemon is rushed in at which point Nurse Joy says its the 15th one this month. Seeing this makes Pikachu rather reluctant to want to take on the Vermillion Gym Leader.
Ash enters the gym to find several tough looking trainers, before the extremely huge Lt. Surge approaches and assumes Misty to be the challenger, calling her cute. She then points out that Ash is the challenger, Surge then refers to Ash as ‘baby’ and calls Pikachu a ‘baby Pokemon’ and it soon becomes apparent why when Surge’s massive Raichu comes out of it’s ball! Ash and Pikachu, driven by the insults and taunting from Surge and Raichu are intent on battling, Pikachu most of all, wanting to prove it can take on it’s evolved form. The battle ensues and Pikachu is swiftly overpowered by Raichu’s powerful electric attacks, but manages to get back up before swiftly being knocked down again and defeated. Team Rocket are watching through the window and scheming as usual, contemplating that if Pikachu is defeated then maybe they’ve wasted their time trying to steal him all along. Pikachu wakes up in the Pokemon Center, angry and upset about how he was overpowered by the Raichu. Nurse Joy overhears the conversation and offers Ash a Thunder Stone which would evolve it into a Raichu. Ash, faced with the decision to keep his pal exactly as he is, or evolve it for the sake of battle decides to give Pikachu the choice; Pikachu thinks for a moment then slaps the Thunder Stone to the ground, intent on beating the Raichu just the way it is! Pikachu and Ash vow to find a way to win. Brock points out something that Surge said, he evolved his Pikachu right away in order to get the strongest electric attacks quicker, meaning Raichu may have missed out on learning some moves that can only be learned in the Pikachu stage…. armed with this knowledge Ash and Pikachu return to the gym to face Lt. Surge once more.
The battle ensues and Ash and Pikachu take on a new strategy, although at the start of the battle it looks bad, Pikachu starts to use it’s speed and agility attacks. Raichu is powerful but slow and is quickly outmanouvered, becoming dizzy as it tries to keep up with Pikachu’s speed. Raichu completely runs out of electricity as he kept missing Pikachu, and Pikachu manages to defeat a tired Raichu with a quick attack and tail whip finisher. Ash and Pikachu claim the Thunder Badge in their proudest victory yet.
Major Events
- — Thunder Badge (first won by defeating a Leader)
- Ash loses to Lt. Surge’s Raichu, Pikachu refuses the Thunder Stone, learns Agility and Quick Attack, wins rematch. Debuts: Lt. Surge
- Raichu. First Team Rocket disguise.
Pokémon making their anime debut
Raichu#0026 · EP014
Trivia
- The screenplay is by Atsuhiro Tomioka.
- This is a plot episode: it advances the Kanto storyline.
Changes in the English Dub
- City sign → “Vermilion City”
- Shot lengths trimmed/extended
- Raichu’s Thunderbolt shot shortened
- Dub ending: the Kanto Pokérap (Thursday segment)
- The dub adds music under Pikachu’s decision not to evolve, where Japan used silence
Part of our Pokémon: Indigo League guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.