PK22

This article is about a Pikachu short from the Pokémon animated series that has not been dubbed into English. As such, its coverage may contain romanized Japanese names, rather than dub names.

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PK22

PK22   ピカチュウのサマー・ブリッジ・ストーリー Pikachu's Summer Bridge Story

First broadcast Japan August 1, 2011 United States Unaired

English themes Opening N/A Ending

Japanese themes Opening None Ending ポケモン言えるかな？ＢＷ

Credits Animation Team Kato Screenplay 大橋志吉 Yukiyoshi Ōhashi Storyboard 浅田裕二 Yūji Asada Assistant director 浅田裕二 Yūji Asada Animation director 中田正彦 Masahiko Nakada Additional credits

(Japanese: ピカチュウのサマー・ブリッジ・ストーリー Pikachu's Summer Bridge Story) is the 22nd Pikachu short of the Pokémon anime. It aired from August 1 to 29, 2011 on even-numbered ANA Nippon Flights. It was later released on DVD in Japan on July 20, 2012.

Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.

Blurb

Pikachu and friends visit a town with a huge draw bridge, but problems arise when they come across Oshawatt and Tepig, who have eaten the fruits that Gothita and Darumaka had collected. They head off to collect fruits from the forest across the bridge, but then Meowth appears and tries to steal the fruits. On top of that, the bridge is raised, blocking their passage. What will Pikachu do? The fight for the fruits begins!!

Plot

Taking full advantage of the sunny weather, Pikachu leads his Pokémon friends across a huge iron drawbridge and into a town for the day. While Pikachu checks a town map, Oshawott and Tepig get themselves into a push-and-shove situation. Consequently, Oshawott's scalchop is knocked out of his grasp. Oshawott, followed by Tepig, chase after it, and they eventually locate the scalchop. The pair also locate a pile of apples in the middle of nowhere. Oshawott happily stuffs his face with the fruit, urging Tepig to follow suit because no one is around.

After finishing a running race, a wild Gothita, followed by its fellow competitors, Drilbur, and Darumaka, go to claim their prize of apples. As Darumaka removes the shrub camouflage, Tepig and Oshawott are discovered to be gourging themselves on the apples. Drilbur is immediately infuriated and confronts the gluttons, demanding answers and an apology. As the situation becomes heated, Pikachu sees everything from nearby and instinctively intervenes. He asks about the situation, learning that Oshawott and Tepig ate all of the apples that belonged to Darumaka and the others. Oshawott and Tepig are embarrassed and try to shrug off the situation. However, Gothita demands that more apples be picked to make up the difference. Pikachu complies, urging his friends to help collect the apples. Snivy is unimpressed with the arrangement, so she decides to stay behind with Darumaka and the others. While Pansage spots some fruit trees on the other side of the lake. Meowth overhears the plan to retrieve apples, so he, with Woobat and Yamask by his side, decide to steal the apple for themselves.

Meowth and his sidekicks put their scheme into action. They soon trap Pikachu and the others in a pitfall trap, hoping it will slow the twerps down. Meowth, Woobat, and Yamask take the lead, and start crossing the drawbridge first. The bridge's sirens begin sounding and the bridge begins raising for a passing ship, blocking their passage. Pikachu and the others return empty-handed to Darumaka, who explains that the drawbridge will stay raised for a long time. So, the group and Meowth's gang are forced to think of another way to cross the water. Oshawott jumps into the water and suggests everyone just swim across, but that idea is quickly dashed when Pikachu points out the exhausting distance. Meowth sits on a park bench to think of a way to cross, when Yamask informs him about a nearby abandoned surfboard. Meowth is pleased, and as he grabs the surfboard he discovers a hiding Minccino behind it. Minccino Sings to Meowth and the others, lulling them to sleep. It is unimpressed and sweeps its sleeping audience into a trash can before running off. Meanwhile, Pansage leads his friends to an unattended construction site, with plenty of wood planks lying around. They grab a plank for themselves, and as expected the wood plank floats in water. Pikachu and the others jump on, with Snivy also decides to come because she feels that she'll be needed if the situation becomes dangerous. Meowth and his associates wake up in time to see Pikachu's group leading the race for the apples, and he is not impressed that he might lose.

Pikachu's group are making good progress on the river, when a Red-Striped Basculin ambushes them from underneath. Pansage uses Bullet Seed to stop their attacker, which hits. Though Basculin is undeterred and launches into an Aqua Jet, which knocks Pansage into the water. Oshawott comes to his rescue. Basculin re-emerges and demands that they at least greet it before leaving its territory. Pikachu and the others are surprised by the demand, but give Basculin a nice farewell anyway. It turns out just to be a ploy, and Basculin again furiously charges at them in an Aqua Jet. Pansage knocks it away with a Bullet Seed. Just as the group think the threat it over, Basculin attacks form underneath. Pansage immediately blasts it with a Solar Beam, and the group hurryingly cross the river. Meowth's group have similar trouble with the same Basculin, who smashes up their surfboard. As Basculin launches into an Aqua Jet, Yamask bundles up Meowth into its arms and hoists him into the air while Woobat uses Air Cutter to knock the would-be attacker. As Yamask and Woobat lift Meowth higher into the air, Meowth admits they should have probably tried flying across. Meowth's group get ahead of Pikachu's plank raft, making sure to mock the twerps in the process.

Meowth, Yamask and Woobat make landfall first. As the trio start scouring the trees for fruit, they again encounter Minccino. Its rendition puts them all to sleep, so Minccino sweeps them into a bush in frustration. Pikachu and his friends pass them by before continuing on their search. They make their way up a hill, and with giant leaves, they slide their way down. A mostly smooth ride, with Snivy saving Axew before he crashes into a large boulder. On Meowth's own attempt, he is unable to turn in time and strikes the boulder headfirst. The next obstacle is a river crossing. Before Axew tries to cross on the plank bridge, Pikachu tests it out first to avoid calamity, which causes the bridge to instantly break up. They turn their attention to a nearby tree and use a vine to swing their way over the crevasse. Tailing them, Meowth tries his luck, only for the vine to break. Luckily, Woobat and Yamask are on standby, and swoop into the save him from the fall.

Pikachu and his friends are first to discover the apple-filled trees, after Axew accidentally walked into one. Using their attacks, the group quickly load up a loot sack full of fruit. However, their efforts are noticed by a wary Mandibuzz who orders them to leave the fruit to her. Mandibuzz attacks with an onslaught of Air Cutter attacks, before striking Pikachu with a Brave Bird. Pansage defends his friend, and lashes Mandibuzz with a Bullet Seed. Mandibuzz is infuriated and tries to swoop on Pansage, who manages to Dig for cover and land another hit as well. Pikachu then uses Electro Ball to send Mandibuzz flying, ending the confrontation. The group are jubilant with excitement, and now have safely secured the apples. Pikachu then realizes there might be a problem, the heavy weight of all the apples will be hard to move. Pansage already has a plan in mind; they can use the carts from the nearby waterwheel house to assist them. As Pikachu and the others rush to retrieve the carts, they abandon their loot and leave it for an opportunistic Meowth to snatch. Meowth and his associates decide to simply carry the loot away. When they return, Pikachu and his friends discover all the apples are missing. Having carried the loot some distance, Meowth is ecstatic while Woobat and Yamask try to catch their breaths from hauling the load. Meowth is initially paranoid with this rare success, absolutely certain something is going to go amiss. He gives it a few moments before continuing to celebrate. As Meowth loosens the loot bag, an unexpected visitor, the singing Minccino, is found hiding amongst the apples. Minccino again lulls Meowth and the others to sleep, leaving the stolen fruit to be recovred by Axew and friends.

By the time Pikachu and his friends reach the drawbridge, which is thankfully down for a smooth crossing, it is evening. Another cruise ship is approaching, and the drawbridge sirens sound once again and the sides begin lifting. Pikachu is determined they make the crossing, so everyone rushes the cart up the raising bridge section and holds onto tight. Before Oshawott launches a Water Gun, Tepig uses Ember, a Solar Beam from Pansage and a final push from Axew's Dragon Rage successfully propels them across. Meowth, Woobat and Yamask, however, are struck down by the attacks and the raised side keeps them at bay.

Pikachu and his friends present the fruit to Darumaka and the others. Drilbur is impressed by the group's efforts, admitting that Pikachu and friends managed to get much more fruit than they originally had picked. Cheered up, Gothita invites everyone to join them for the scheduled fireworks celebration. By nightfall, Pikachu and the others sit by the riverbanks with their new friends, enjoying the bright fireworks overhead and munching on apples. Watching from atop the bridge, Meowth is disappointed by the day, but admits at least the fireworks are nice. Minccino reappears once again, and prepares to Sing.

Characters

Pokémon

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Axew (Iris's)
• Oshawott (Ash's)
• Tepig (Ash's)
• Snivy (Ash's)
• Pansage (Cilan's)
• Woobat (Jessie's)
• Yamask (James's)
• Swanna (×2)
• Basculin (Red-Striped)
• Darumaka
• Drilbur
• Gothita
• Minccino
• Mandibuzz

Trivia

• This Pikachu short was released between BW040 and BW041 in Japan. However, these are Club Battle episodes and the short cannot take place then, or the arc would otherwise be interrupted.
• In several scenes, a Minccino puffs up angrily upon putting Meowth, Woobat, and Yamask to sleep with Sing, and then sweeping them away with its tail. This action is a direct parody of Jigglypuff's reaction when its audience falls asleep.
  • The same goes for Marill from PK18, PK19, PK20, and PK21, who also puffs up angrily upon putting its audience to sleep.
• This is the only Pikachu short to not feature any Generation II Pokémon.
• The airplane featured flying overhead during the evening in this Pikachu short is the 2011 commemorative Peace Jet.
• This is the last Pikachu short to be aired on ANA Nippon Flights.

Errors

• Cilan's Pansage hits a Mandibuzz with Dig, even though the latter is a Flying-type Pokémon and, hence, immune to Ground-type moves.

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Pikachu short

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This episode article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation.