DP081

← DP080 : The Thief That Keeps on Thieving!

Diamond & Pearl series

DP082 : Cream of the Croagunk Crop! →

Chim - Charred!

DP081   EP547 灼熱のヒコザル！ The Scorching Hikozaru!

First broadcast Japan May 29, 2008 United States October 25, 2008

English themes Opening We Will Be Heroes Ending

Japanese themes Opening Together2008 Ending 風のメッセージ (PokaPoka Version)

Credits Animation Team Iguchi Screenplay 冨岡淳広 Atsuhiro Tomioka Storyboard 浅田裕二 Yūji Asada Assistant director 浅田裕二 Yūji Asada Animation director 岩根雅明 Masaaki Iwane Additional credits

Screenshots on Filb.de

Chim - Charred! (Japanese: 灼熱のヒコザル！ The Scorching Hikozaru!) is the 81st episode of the Diamond & Pearl series, and the 547th episode of the Pokémon anime. It aired in Japan on May 29, 2008 and in the United States on October 25, 2008.

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

Synopsis

The episode begins with Ash facing off against Dawn in a training match, while Brock and his Pokémon watch on. Ash commands Pikachu, Buizel, and Turtwig, while Dawn commands Piplup, Staravia, and Chimchar.

After the training session, Gligar gets excited and hugs Ash, but ends up knocking him down. Brock offers a training match of his Sudowoodo against Ash's Gligar, to calm its excitement.

Before they can start, a strong wind blows Gligar onto Team Rocket's air balloon, sending them flying.

The scene changes to Paul and his Electabuzz shocking a wild Drapion, in an attempt to catch it. This fails, however, as Ash's Gligar falls from the sky, right in front of Paul and the Drapion escapes. Ash's Staravia leads Ash and co. to Gligar...and Paul.

Paul brings up Ash's performance in the Wallace Cup, and Ash defends himself by saying he entered under Wallace's recommendation, and that he saw it as a chance to help his Pokémon to become stronger. Paul retorts that's exactly why Ash criticized him for entering the Hearthome City Tag Battle Tournament which just makes Ash angry who responds that Paul only entered the Tag Battle Tournament so that he could force his Pokémon to become stronger while Ash entered to win. He criticizes Paul, saying that while they both share the dream of winning the Sinnoh League and challenging Champion Cynthia their training methods couldn't be more different and Ash raises his Pokémon with love and trust. They reflect on Cynthia's helpful advice back at Amity Square. Ash is determined to show Paul he's a good trainer and asks for a battle, however Paul begins to walk away from Ash and co. Chimchar (who previously even after being released still felt fear of its old master) runs after Paul and yells at him. This seems to amuse Paul who reconsiders Ash's offer for a battle.

It's decided the match will be three-on-three. Dawn uses the Coin Toss option on her Pokétch. Ash wins the toss and asks his Pokémon which one wants to battle, to which Gligar can't volunteer quick enough. Ash agrees and allows Gligar to participate in its first proper battle. Paul responds by choosing his Gliscor, and Gligar is very nervous about facing its evolved form.

The battle begins and Ash tells Gligar to use X-Scissor, however Gliscor pounds back with Knock Off. Gligar begins to cry on the ground, when Ash tells it to try Sand-Attack. Gligar gets up and starts to throw sand in Gliscor's face, but the Fang Scorp Pokémon is unaffected by the attack. Paul then commands Gliscor to use Guillotine, and Ash tells Gligar to counter with Steel Wing but it's no good as Gliscor scores a direct hit and slams Gligar into the ground, knocking it out. Ash takes Gligar out and kindly tells it that's it ok and to and cheer for him with the rest of the team. Paul tells Ash that it's a good time for Gligar to learn that being defeated in battle in all the trainer's fault, which Ash's Pokémon don't take kindly to.

Paul sends out his Ursaring next. Ash's Chimchar volunteers to fight next. The battle begins with Chimchar's Flamethrower. Ursaring uses Focus Blast. Chimchar uses Dig. Ursaring uses Hammer Arm on the ground, unearthing Chimchar and knocking him into the air. Chimchar dives down with a Flame Wheel, but Ursaring catches him. Ursaring uses Secret Power at close range. Due to the mysterious power of Ursaring's Secret Power attack, Chimchar was flinched and can't attack. Despite encouragement from Ash and co., Ursaring uses Hammer Arm on Chimchar, burying him in a pile of rubble. Chimchar emerges in a flaming fury, having accessed Blaze, although it's not like any Blaze anyone's seen before. Paul notes that Chimchar is finally awake, as this is the power he was trying to unlock all along. Brock suggests that Chimchar is trying his best to defeat Paul, and has accessed Blaze due to the encouragement from Ash and the other Pokémon. Ursaring is ordered to use another Focus Blast, however Chimchar's Flame Wheel smashes through it and collides with Ursaring knocking it out.

Even though it won the battle, Chimchar's fury appears to be rising. Ash tells Chimchar it's time to stop, however Chimchar instead powers up another Flame Wheel and charges at Ash who is able to get out of the way. Chimchar then goes for Paul who is able to narrowly avoid being hit. Now Chimchar is bouncing all around, setting fire to the forest, as well as sending Team Rocket blasting off. Dawn's Piplup uses Whirlpool to put out the fires, while Ash's Buizel backs it up with Water Gun. Chimchar is now completely uncontrollable and attempts to get away, however he is blocked by Ash who begs Chimchar to stop. Chimchar's escape then blocked by Pikachu then Piplup, Buizel, Turtwig and Staravia causing Chimchar's fury to grow. Ash, knowing he needs to stop Chimchar here and now, grabs the Chimp Pokémon and holds him close and screams at him to stop, but Chimchar shows no sign of calming and bites him in the shoulder causing Ash intense pain. Dawn and the other Pokémon move to help Ash, but Brock and Pikachu stop them knowing Ash is able (and needs) to handle this alone. The intense heat caused by Chimchar begins to hurt Ash, but he refuses to let go and keeps begging Chimchar to stop. Eventually, under Ash's encouraging words, Chimchar finally calms down and regains control.

Chimchar is once again terrified, this time of Ash's anger, but Ash compliments Chimchar on it's power, and says that he believes in Chimchar's power. Paul however asks what Ash will do the next time Chimchar ends up accessing Blaze, and if he will ever be able to control it. Ash believes Chimchar has the ability to handle the power it possesses. The rest of Ash and Paul's battle is called off, and Paul tells Ash he's a fool to believe that Chimchar can handle Blaze. Brock mentions that trainers need to trust their feelings, and that Chimchar's ability to control itself will have a massive effect on Ash's future in the Sinnoh League.

The episode ends with Ash embracing Chimchar and Paul walking away, both knowing that the two will battle again someday...

Major events

• Ash challenges Paul to a three-on-three battle but it gets called off.
• Electabuzz is revealed to have rejoined Paul's team.

Characters

Humans

• Ash
• Brock
• Dawn
• Jessie
• James
• Paul
• Cynthia (flashback)

Pokémon

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Wobbuffet (Jessie's)
• Turtwig (Ash's)
• Staravia (Ash's)
• Chimchar (Ash's)
• Buizel (Ash's)
• Gligar (Ash's)
• Piplup (Dawn's)
• Sudowoodo (Brock's)
• Croagunk (Brock's)
• Electabuzz (Paul's)
• Ursaring (Paul's)
• Gliscor (Paul's)
• Drapion (wild)
• Zangoose (flashback)

Trivia

• Jessie's Yanmega has been added to the opening credits.
• At the end of the episode music from Lucario and the Mystery of Mew can be heard playing in the background. This could reference the fact that the memorial at the end of the next episode was to that movie.
• The next episode preview is narrated by Brock.
• Instead of Professor Oak's Pokémon lecture, the end of the episode featured a memorial to Destiny Deoxys. This is part of a countdown to Giratina and the Sky Warrior.
• As of this episode, the opening animation that accompanies Together and Together2008 has been used in more episodes than Aim to Be a Pokémon Master's original accompanying animation, making it the anime's longest-used opening animation, but not the anime's longest used opening theme, an honor which Aim to Be a Pokémon Master still holds.
• This episode, along with the previous episode, is rather infamous for a hoax put up on Pokéani in regards to episode titles and summaries. This episode's hoax summary involved Mamoswine, and was speculated by the fans to be the episode where Dawn captures Swinub.
• When Ash is training with Dawn, the background music is that of the battle against Red, Ash's game counterpart, from Generation II.
• All of the Pokémon Ash has on hand remain outside of their Poké Balls throughout this episode.

In other languages

• Chinese (Taiwan): 灼熱的小火焰猴！
• Czech: Chimcharův skrytý potenciál
• Dutch: Chimchar in vuur en vlam!
• French: Un Ouisticram tout feu tout flamme !* German: Panflam in Flammen!
• Italian: Il Chimchar infuocato!
• Korean: 불꽃숭이! 뜨거운 불꽃 작렬!
• Polish: Palący problem
• Latin American Spanish: ¡Achimcharrado!
• Iberian Spanish: ¡Chim - Charmuscado!
• Brazilian Portuguese: Chim-Chama!

← DP080 : The Thief That Keeps on Thieving!

Diamond & Pearl series

DP082 : Cream of the Croagunk Crop! →

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