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| Season | Pokémon Journeys: The Series (Season 23) · A tour of the regions arc (JN006–JN011) |
| Episode | Season 23, episode 8 · English episode 1088 · Japanese episode 1094 · Bulbapedia code JN008 |
| English title | The Sinnoh Iceberg Race! |
| Japanese title | 負けるなポッチャマ！シンオウ地方の流氷レース！！ Makeru na Potchama! Shin’ō Chihō no Ryūhyō Rēsu!! — “Don’t Lose, Pochama! The Drift Ice Race in the Sinnoh Region!!” |
| First aired (Japan) | 12 January 2020 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 12 June 2020 · Netflix |
| Screenplay | Michihiro Tsuchiya |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | Wan, Tsū, Surī (One, Two, Three) – After the Rain · Pokémon Shiritori (Pikachu → Mew Ver.) – Pokémon Music Club |
| English opening | The Journey Starts Today – Walk off the Earth |
| Who’s That Pokémon? | Piplup (US) · Piplup (Japan) |
| Previous episode | Serving Up the Flute Cup! (JN007) |
| Next episode | Finding a Legend! (JN009) |
Filler / stand-alone episodeIceberg RaceGoh catches Mantyke
The Sinnoh Iceberg Race! is the 8th episode of Pokémon Journeys: The Series, the twenty-third season of the Pokémon anime, and the 1088th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 1094, Bulbapedia code JN008). It first aired in Japan on 12 January 2020 and in the United States on 12 June 2020. It falls within the season’s A tour of the regions stretch (EP6–EP11).
Synopsis
A runaway Piplup brings Ash and Goh to Snowpoint City in Sinnoh, where its rivalry with its Trainer’s new Croagunk comes to a head in the Pokémon Iceberg Race and Goh catches a Mantyke. Off the coast of Vermilion City, Ash pokes a Tentacool and takes a Bubble Beam to the face, and Goh catches one with a curveball throw. Moments later a thin Piplup leaps out of the sea and collapses. At the Cerise Laboratory it devours mountains of food and swims laps in the bath until a call comes in from its Trainer, Lauren, who says that it swam away from Snowpoint City for no reason. Piplup looks unhappy to see her on screen, but Professor Cerise promises to send it home, and Ash and Goh volunteer to take it. On the voyage north Goh spots a poster for the upcoming Iceberg Race, while Team Rocket pedal after them in their Magikarp submarine, grumbling that their budget will not stretch to an electric model.
At Snowpoint’s port, Scorbunny kicks a block of ice into the sea to startle a passing Mantyke, and Goh catches it easily to applause from the crowd. Lauren arrives late, having dropped her glasses; Piplup refuses to be patted, but when her glasses fall again it fetches them from the water. Then her very affectionate Croagunk appears and the two Pokémon glare at each other. Lauren explains that she met Piplup a year ago when it returned her glasses, that the two won last year’s Iceberg Race together, and that she met Croagunk only a month ago after losing her glasses in the sea once more. Competing for her attention has turned the pair into bitter rivals. Goh guesses that Piplup ran away to train so that it could beat Croagunk in a swimming contest, and sure enough Piplup returns with two race-entry stickers, one for itself and one for Croagunk. Goh enters his new Mantyke and Ash enters Pikachu.
Chinchou light the icy course and an Octillery waves the starting flags. Masaya’s Empoleon, last year’s runner-up, takes the lead with Piplup and Croagunk close behind, while Pikachu struggles to hop between ice floes until Mantyke courteously swims back to help him. As Empoleon tires, the rivals take the lead at the turn—until Team Rocket’s submarine nets most of the racers. Pikachu frees them with Iron Tail, and the Rocket Prize Master gives Jessie and James a Machamp and a Beartic, which bombard the racers with ice. Mantyke dodges with Agility, but Beartic’s Thrash rocks the spectator ship and throws Lauren over the rail; as she clings to the bow, her glasses splash into the water. Hearing the splash, Piplup and Croagunk turn back just short of the finish: Piplup frees an inflatable lifeboat and Croagunk knocks it to Lauren with Poison Jab. Scorbunny’s Double Kick and Pikachu’s Thunderbolt blast Team Rocket away, and although the race is cancelled, Lauren is happy to see her Pokémon getting along. After the boys leave, she drops her glasses again and meets a Psyduck, to Piplup and Croagunk’s dismay.
Major Events
- The Iceberg Race. First trip to Sinnoh, at Snowpoint City
- Goh catches a Tentacool and a Mantyke, his only Generation IV catch and the first Baby Pokémon caught by a main character since DP038
- Lauren’s rival Piplup and Croagunk compete in the Iceberg Race, which is cancelled after Team Rocket’s Machamp and Beartic attack
Captures and evolutions
Mantyke#0458 · Goh · his only Generation IV catch, after a Tentacool
Trivia
- The screenplay is by Michihiro Tsuchiya.
- This is a stand-alone episode: it can be skipped without losing the thread of the Kanto, Galar & beyond story.
Changes in the English Dub
- Dub error: Croagunk’s Japanese voice can be heard
Part of our Pokémon Journeys: The Series guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.