AG087

Crazy as a Lunatone

AG087   神秘！宇宙から来たポケモン!? Mystery! A Pokémon from Space!?

First broadcast Japan July 29, 2004 United States August 20, 2005

English themes Opening This Dream Ending

Japanese themes Opening チャレンジャー!! Ending いっぱいサマー!!

Credits Animation Team Ota Screenplay 武上純希 Junki Takegami Storyboard 秦義人 Yoshito Hata Assistant director 秦義人 Yoshito Hata Animation director 志村泉 Izumi Shimura No additional credits are available at this time.

Crazy as a Lunatone (Japanese: 神秘！宇宙から来たポケモン!? Mystery! A Pokémon from Space!?) is episode 87 of Advanced Generation. It was first broadcast in Japan on July 29, 2004 and in USA on August 20, 2005.

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

Synopsis

At the crack of dawn, a meteor crashes on Earth and sends out a shockwave felt for miles. Of course, the PFC (Pokémon Fushigi/Mystery Club), which consists of Ken and Mary, are psyched about this, so they hurry to check it out. Taking out their flashlights and equipment, they use their skills to construct a mechanical vehicles with robotic arms. This mecha has a searchlight as well, so they use that to search for the meteor and successfully spot it. Next, they use a missile-launcher to blast it enough to get samples or maybe discover something.

Out of the meteor comes a bright glow, and within seconds, the Moon Pokémon Lunatone rises up from the rocks. This is the kind of exotic find that would especially spark the PFC’s interest, so now it's time to use the arms to grab Lunatone and study it. Unfortunately for them, Lunatone is very agile and good at dodging and evading the arms. As it sees it's chance, it uses its Psychic to lift the heavy vehicle, thus distracting Ken and Mary. They desperately try zapping it but just Lunatone just absorbs the energy, Lunatone then opens its eye and freezes Ken and Mary in its a red glow of Hypnosis. Lunatone floats away and escapes to the nearby town.

Ash and the others are making their way to Lilycove City and they decide to stop at Valley Town, ostensibly to rest at a Pokémon center. Team Rocket, who are hiding in the nearby bushes and snacking on rice crackers, also heard the crash. They begin spying on Ash and company and of course, they're also interested in the meteor. They actually have an idea of where it landed, so as usual, they’re gonna get it for “the boss”.

Valley Town resembles a ghost town. No people on the streets, tumbleweeds rolling by, and basically a creepy vibe, a bit like Dark City in Kanto. They discover that the Pokémon Center is also deserted, without even a Nurse Joy behind the counter to welcome them. Well… maybe not, it seems she was just in the back room and, having heard them, she came to investigate. However, although Brock doesn’t realize it, she’s not very nice. In fact, she’s acting like she doesn’t know what they’re doing here, and when asked to heal Pokémon or let them stay, she rudely refuses, and tells them that this is a bad choice for a Pokémon Center, and walks out.

Everyone is flabbergasted at Joy’s strange behavior. Brock, however, considers himself the “Nurse Joy expert” and takes out of his backpack something he’s been hiding from us for a long time: a photo album of all the Joys! He claims to know them all very well, and NO Joy would ever act like that without reason. But anyway, since Valley Town Joy is being so stubborn, they might as well enjoy a good meal while at the Center.

People and Pokémon alike chow down, but Lombre suddenly seems to be picking up something but then shrugs and walks away. Seconds later, Brock realizes that Lombre is missing and its dish is still full. Apparently, Lombre heard something in the nearby bushes and decided to investigate, only to be grabbed by two suspicious-looking people, who have now caught everyone's attention. They instantly suspect TR, but are shocked to realize that these people have a PokeDex machine they are using to get info on Lombre. After getting the info, they decide to remove their masks, and reveal themselves as Ken and Mary from the PFC. Ash and Brock sure remember them from back when they helped that Cleffa. Ken and Mary tell them about the meteor crashe and how they were the first to get to it. After much investigating, they found a mysterious Pokémon emerge, which must mean there are more Pokémon in outer space. Thinking fast, they say their goodbyes and rush off to look for it.

The person most interested in this seems to be Max, who can’t wait to discover it. Brock explains since it was been discovered that Clefairy came from outer space, so it’s possible that other Pokémon also come from outer space. Then, they realize that with such an incident as this one going on, its no wonder Joy would be busy, she’s probably studying data! They get back to the Pokémon Center to help, but are are careful not to annoy Joy.

Team Rocket are also just as interested, so while spying on them in the bushes, they decide to follow them to the center. Unfortunately for TR, it's closed by the time they get there, so they will have to get in through the window. With a simple ladder, it’s pretty darn easy for them. However, they make a bit too big of a crash when landing inside. Naturally, Ash and company investigate the crash and come to a long hallway. They see a rather disturbing shadow, and Max wonders aloud if that is the Pokémon from outer space. But it's only Team Rocket who are threatening to get to the meteor before anyone else does. Joy's voice interrupts them. Nervously, Team Rocket and Team Twerp go into hiding, afraid to be caught by Joy.

Everyone winds up hiding in the Center's storage room. A rustling sound coming from some nearby boxes causes James to turn his flashlight in that direction and he discovers Lunatone. Ash checks the PokeDex for info, and gets a lot more than just that—it classifies it as the “Meteor Pokémon”, and says that it is said to have come from outer space! But why is it in the storage room? Maybe so that nobody else can find it.

Suddenly, the light clicks on, and Joy appears in the doorway. She’s definitely surprised they found Lunatone and is even more surprised when Team Rocket threaten to capture it. Sending out Cacnea and Seviper, they try a combined Needle Arm and Bite. Lunatone opens its eye and easily takes care of them with a Psychic, knocking them both out. However, after such a powerful attack, Lunatone collapses on the floor, tired out. Brock offers to help Joy with Lunatone before she asks for any help. Meanwhile, Meowth is conversing with Lunatona in the corner. He actually seems to feel quite sorry for it, and wants to help it. However, he is overruled by his human partners, who insist on using force. They command their respective Pokémon to use Needle Arm and Poison Tail. Realizing that Lunatone is too tired to battle, Ash has Pikachu interfere and blast all three of them off (including Meowth) through the roof with a Thunderbolt.

While examining Lunatone at the table, Joy declares that it’s in a really weak condition, and there’s only one way they can heal it. They will have to expose it to moonlight. However, Joy tells them that the best place in the area to be exposed to bright moonlight is on Camerupt Mountain. It’s not hard to miss, as it's just over the river and through an area with twin mountains that look like the formation of a Camerupt’s back. That would be no trouble for them, seeing as they saw a Camerupt recently and have a basic idea in their mind of what the mountain would look like.

As they embark on their journey through the mountains, they bring Lunatone with them in a big cardboard box on wheels, along with some other aid equipment. Pikachu is in there too, to keep an eye on Lunatone and make sure it’s okay, and that it doesn’t go crazy. Suddenly, they run into the PFC once again, who ask if they’ve seen the meteor or the mysterious Moon-shaped Pokémon. Not sure if PFC is on the level, Team Twerp explain that they have no idea where the Pokémon is. Then, they lead Ken and Mary on a wild goose chase, giving random directions, and then passing by, glad to get them out of their way. Ken is a little suspicious, so they take out their kit and once again build a machine to help them find it.

The twerps have nearly reached the top, and Max is the first to notice a distant formation in the rocks which looks exactly like the back of a Camerupt. Being the Pokémon expert, they trust them, but Joy confirms him correct anyway. As they let Pikachu and Lunatone out, Joy checks her watch, and says that the moon should rise right about now. A big round yellow thing rising above the mountains proves only to be J&J in their balloon, still not having given up.

As they stretch out their mechanical claw to grab Lunatone, Ash tries jumping in between the claw and Lunatone, but is stopped by the fact that the claw from the PFC mecha has already come between Team Rocket and Lunatone. After a bit of verbal arguing, Ken and Mary’s vehicle shakes Team Rocket's balloon up a bit, since the PFC vehicle is heavier. But they don’t let go! Not like that’s a problem, seeing as how both arms are made of metal, they’re easily able to zap the balloon and send TR off.

Now, Team Twerp has to stop the PFC. Pikachu tries an Iron Tail, but is knocked back by the machine’s arm. Mudkip tries a Water Gun, hitting them a little, but suffers the same fate. May tries a different strategy, using her long lost Beautifly’s Silver Wind, dealing them a lot of damage! Mudkip still has some energy, so it helps with Water Gun. As does Pikachu, who helps a bit with Thunderbolt. Not much damage is done to the machine, unfortunately. Suddenly, Joy notices that the moon is rising. Everyone watches as it slowly rises, and Lunatone uses its Moonlight technique, replenishing all its energy back to normal. Lunatone is back now, and stronger than ever!

Now that it's stronger, it’s a perfect target for the PFC. As they make one final attempt to grab it, Lunatone uses its Hidden Power, destroying the machine, and blasting it off! Ash sure feels proud, being involved in solving such a huge mystery, and helping an exotic Pokémon like Lunatone. However, it’s time for them to part, as Lunatone is headed back to its home on the Moon. Everyone waves and slowly watches as Lunatone drifts off, until they can’t see it anymore.

Major events

• We meet the Pokémon Fushigi/Mystery Club.
• We see Lunatone in action, using Moonlight and Hidden Power

Debuts

• Lunatone

Characters

Humans

• Ash Ketchum
• Brock
• Max
• May
• Pokémon Mystery Club:
  • Ken
  • Mary
• Jessie
• James
• Nurse Joy

Pokémon

Pokémon Trainer's Choice: Gulpin

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Swellow (Ash's)
• Grovyle (Ash's)
• Corphish (Ash's)
• Torkoal (Ash's)
• Combusken (May's)
• Beautifly (May's)
• Skitty (May's)
• Bulbasaur (May's)
• Forretress (Brock's)
• Mudkip (Brock's)
• Lombre (Brock's)
• Wobbuffet (Jessie's)
• Seviper (Jessie's)
• Cacnea (James's)
• Chimecho (James's)
• Lunatone

Trivia

Dub edits

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