BW103

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

← BW102 : Team Eevee and the Pokémon Rescue Squad!

Best Wishes series

BW104 : Mission: Defeat Your Rival! →

Curtain Up, Unova League!

BW103   EP760 開幕イッシュリーグ・ヒガキ大会！サトシ対シューティー！！ The Isshu League Higaki Conference Gets Underway! Satoshi VS Shooty!!

First broadcast Japan November 22, 2012 United States March 9, 2013

English themes Opening It's Always You and Me Ending

Japanese themes Opening やじるしになって！ Ending みてみて☆こっちっち

Credits Animation Team Kato Screenplay 大橋志吉 Yukiyoshi Ōhashi Storyboard 西田健一 Ken'ichi Nishida Assistant director 西田健一 Ken'ichi Nishida Animation director 志村泉 Izumi Shimura No additional credits are available at this time.

Screenshots on Filb.de Preview thread on BMGf Closed Original review thread on BMGf

Curtain Up, Unova League! (Japanese: 開幕イッシュリーグ・ヒガキ大会！サトシ対シューティー！！ The Isshu League Higaki Conference Gets Underway! Satoshi VS Shooty!!) is the 103rd episode of the Best Wishes series, and the 760th episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on November 22, 2012 and is scheduled to air in the United States on March 9, 2013.

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

Synopsis

Template:Incomplete synopsis The historical beginning of the Unova League creates an adrenaline-pumping impact on both our heroes and the other competitors. The qualifying rounds begin, with Stephan, Trip, Bianca and all other rivals coming up with new strategies and oaths to beat their respective opponents. Ash is set to battle his long-term rival, Trip. They exchange looks of determination and confidence, as a prelude to their upcoming battle. Trip sends out Serperior, while Ash, after a moments thinking, commands Pikachu to face him.

Ash starts with a Quick Attack, which is dodged by Serperior. Then, he makes a second attack using Iron Tail, which is countered by Serperior's Dragon Tail. The impact sends Pikachu out of the arena, and he crashes onto the boundary wall. Pikachu is half-conscious, and Ash seems to be at a dead end...

Major events

• Ash and his friends arrive in Vertress City, where the Vertress Conference begins.
• Ash, Trip, Bianca, Cameron, Stephan, and Virgil enter the Vertress Conference.
• Stephan defeats Raul in his first round battle, qualifying him for the next round.
• Bianca, Virgil, and Cameron begin their first round battles.
• Ash begins his battle against Trip.

For a list of all major events in the animated series, please see the history page.

Characters

Humans

• Ash
• Iris
• Cilan
• Professor Juniper
• Nurse Joy
• Officer Jenny
• Trip
• Bianca
• Stephan
• Cameron
• Virgil
• Davey
• Chili (flashback)
• Cress (flashback)
• Lenora (flashback)
• Hawes (flashback)
• Burgh (flashback)
• Elesa (flashback)
• Clay (flashback)
• Skyla (flashback)
• Brycen (flashback)
• Roxie (flashback)
• Freddy O'Martian
• Katharine
• Dino
• Antonio
• Emmanuel
• Flora
• Geraldo
• Ramone
• Manning
• Kenton
• Imotarō
• Raul
• Michael
• Ultimo
• Kenō
• Trainers

Pokémon

Dare da?

Who's That Pokémon?: Audino (Japan)

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Axew (Iris's)
• Audino (Nurse Joy's)
• Serperior (Trip's)
• Emboar (Bianca's)
• Zebstrika (Stephan's)
• Riolu (Cameron's)
• Ferrothorn (Cameron's)
• Eevee (Virgil's)
• Vaporeon (Virgil's)
• Braviary (Raul's)
• Watchog (Michael's)
• Crustle (Ultimo's)
• Eelektross (Kenō's)
• Rattata (Trainer's)
• Cubchoo (Trainer's)
• Corphish (Trainer's)
• Panpour (Trainer's)
• Patrat (Trainer's; ×2)
• Skitty (Trainer's)
• Pidove (Trainer's; multiple)
• Minccino (Trainer's)
• Growlithe (Trainer's)
• Sandslash (Trainer's)
• Lillipup (Trainer's)
• Marill (Trainer's)
• Tranquill (Trainer's)
• Sandile (Trainer's)
• Blitzle (Trainer's; ×2)
• Foongus (Trainer's)
• Deerling (Trainer's)
• Herdier (Trainer's)
• Cottonee (Trainer's; multiple)
• Dwebble (Trainer's)
• Deino (Trainer's)
• Gothita (Trainer's)
• Pidove (multiple)
• Klinklang

Pokémon seen in flashbacks

• Unfezant (Ash's)
• Oshawott (Ash's)
• Tepig (Ash's)
• Boldore (Ash's)
• Krokorok (Ash's)
• Jolteon (Virgil's)
• Flareon (Virgil's)
• Espeon (Virgil's)
• Umbreon (Virgil's)
• Leafeon (Virgil's)
• Glaceon (Virgil's)
• Pansage (Cilan's)
• Pansear (Chili's)
• Panpour (Cress's)
• Herdier (Lenora's)
• Leavanny (Burgh's)
• Tynamo (Elesa's)
• Excadrill (Clay's)
• Swanna (Skyla's)
• Beartic (Brycen's)
• Garbodor (Roxie's)

Trivia

• Professor Oak's Pokémon Live Caster: Serperior
• This episode begins the six-part Vertress Conference arc.
• An instrumental version of Best Wishes! is used as background music.
• The characters start pronouncing Stephan's name correctly as of this episode.
• In the flashback of Ash defeating Lenora, the apron that she wore during the original scene was removed.
• This is the first time in which Ash faced his main rival in a Pokémon League tournament that was not a 6-on-6 battle.
  • This is also the first time when Ash does not call Professor Oak before the beginning of a League.
• Freddy O'Martian's entrance by parachute at the league opening ceremony is likely a reference to the method that Daniel Craig (as James Bond) and Queen Elizabeth II supposedly made their entrance (although in reality they were portrayed by stunt doubles) at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.

In other languages

Language		Title
Mandarin Chinese		開幕合眾聯盟·檜垣大會！小智對修帝！！

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← BW102 : Team Eevee and the Pokémon Rescue Squad!

Best Wishes series

BW104 : Mission: Defeat Your Rival! →

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