EP152

Hot Matches! File:HotMatches.jpg

EP152   エアームドVSヒノアラシ！はがねのつばさ!! Airmd VS Hinoarashi! Wings of Steel!!

First broadcast Japan June 15, 2000 United States May 12, 2001

English themes Opening Pokémon Johto

Japanese themes Opening OK! Ending ポケモンはらはら²リレー

Credits Animation Team Ota Screenplay 米村正二 Shōji Yonemura Storyboard 井上修 Osamu Inoue Assistant director 井上修 Osamu Inoue Animation director 佐藤まさふみ Masafumi Satō

Hot Matches! (Japanese: エアームドVSヒノアラシ！はがねのつばさ!! Airmd VS Hinoarashi! Wings of Steel!! ) is the 152nd episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on June 15, 2000 and in the United States on May 12, 2001.

Ash meets a trainer with a powerful Skarmory. Impressed by her training techniques, he does some intense training with his Cyndaquil.

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

Major events

• Cyndaquil learns to ignite the flame on its back easily.

Debuts

• Skarmory

Characters

Humans

• Ash
• Brock
• Misty
• Jessie
• James
• Miki
• Growlithe's trainer

Pokémon

Who's That Pokémon?: Aipom

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Togepi (Misty's)
• Wobbuffet (Jessie's)
• Cyndaquil (Ash's)
• Vulpix (Brock's)
• Skarmory (Miki's; debut)
• Growlithe (Trainer's)
• Beedrill

Trivia

• Exciting² Pokémon Relay replaced Exciting Pokémon Relay as the ending.
• Skarmory's voice is dubbed in this episode, but in every other appearance after this one (until AG174), it keeps its Japanese voice.

Dub edits

• When it first premiered on Kids' WB!, the part which shows Ash training with Cyndaquil to the part where he gets a bite to eat was cut out in order to make room for Pokérap GS. In future airings, the uncut version would be shown.

In other languages

• French: Chaud devant
• Italian: Sfide e rivincite
• Latin American Spanish: ¡Duelos calientes!
• Spanish: Combates ardientes

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