BW115

← BW114 : Saving Braviary

Best Wishes series

BW116 : The Fires of a Red-Hot Reunion! →

The Pokémon Harbor Patrol!

BW115   EP772 急げ！ポケモン湾岸救助隊！！ Hurry Up! The Pokémon Gulf Coast Rescue Squad!!

First broadcast Japan February 28, 2013 United States June 1, 2013

English themes Opening It's Always You and Me Ending

Japanese themes Opening やじるしになって！2013 Ending サクラ・ゴーラウンド

Credits Animation Team Kato Screenplay 米村正二 Shōji Yonemura Storyboard 吉村文宏 Fumihiro Yoshimura Assistant director 吉村文宏 Fumihiro Yoshimura Animation director 片山みゆき Miyuki Katayama No additional credits are available at this time.

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

The Pokémon Harbor Patrol! (Japanese: 急げ！ポケモン湾岸救助隊！！ Hurry Up! The Pokémon Gulf Coast Rescue Squad!!) is the 115th episode of the Best Wishes series, and the 772nd episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on February 28, 2013 and in the United States on June 1, 2013.

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

Synopsis

On their journey to the White Ruins, Ash and gang - now joined by N - pass through Virbank City. Cilan hopes that this time they can watch some local films while Iris explains to N that they had visited the city and helped their friend Luke shoot a film. Ash, however, detects a funny smell in the air, to which N points out a rising plume of smoke. Guessing that a fire has broken out, the group rushes to investigate.

Upon arrival, the group find a building on fire, and Ash sends out his Oshawott to put out the blaze with Hydro Pump, but a Watchog gets in their way and prevents them from proceeding. Ash scans Watchog, wondering why Watchog isn't letting them through, and Watchog points out another group of Pokémon nearby with a Trainer. The Trainer orders a Dewott and a pair of Frillish to put out the fire with Hydro Pump, then commands the Frillish to use Psychic and evacuate people left in the building. Using their powers, the Frillish lift out a pair of people that Iris realizes are actually dummies! The group guesses that the fire is really part of a training exercise, and Watchog nods while the rest of the Pokémon puts out the fire as N silently watches.

Suddenly, Watchog rushes over to the other rescuers and gestures at them, prompting the Trainer to tell it off for leaving its post, but a portion of the building's roof suddenly gives way! Watchog pushes everyone out of the way in time, saving them from being crushed. Ash rushes over to the Trainer to see if he's okay, who answers in the affirmative and introduces himself as Halsey. The group points out Watchog saving them from harm, and Iris asks if Watchog can predict the future. Cilan explains that Watchog have naturally heightened senses, and are rumored to also be capable of X-ray vision to see through obstacles and underground. N indicates to a confused Halsey that he heard Watchog's heart, and Iris explains N's ability to Halsey. Halsey formally introduces his team as the Pokémon Harbor Patrol, responsible for performing rescues around the harbor and the Virbank Complex, but Dewott suddenly begins angrily arguing with Watchog. Halsey knows that Dewott is mad at Watchog for leaving its post, and while he knows that Watchog meant well, he nonetheless reminds Watchog that its role is to keep a lookout at all times and prevent civilians from entering the danger zone. Watchog is upset at this, and N reveals that Watchog is saying that it wants to participate in rescues. Cilan agrees with the notion, remarking that since Watchog is a part of the patrol squad it wants to take a more active role. Iris suggests that Watchog be put through an aptitude test to see if it can perform well enough for rescues, and Halsey relents. Meanwhile, the Team Rocket trio watches from afar, planning to steal Pikachu.

Moving onto another part of the training facility, Halsey brings Watchog through a series of tests with Dewott demonstrating. The first test involves lifting a pair of heavy weights, which Dewott accomplishes after a brief struggle. Watchog seems to have much more trouble with the weights, but succeeds in lifting them up using its Strength attack. The second test involves breaking through a huge block, as the squad needs to get around obstacles in rescues. Dewott slices through the block with its Razor Shell, and Watchog does the same with its Cut. The final test is to put out a small fire; a task Dewott easily accomplishes with a powerful Hydro Pump. Watchog tries putting out its fire with Sand-Attack, but its efforts are far weaker in comparison. Iris and Cilan are less than impressed, but Ash continues cheering Watchog on. Flustered, Watchog tries flapping at the fire with its tail in a last-ditch effort, but this only manages to set its tail on fire, forcing Dewott to put Watchog out. Iris is disappointed that Watchog failed its test. Halsey consoles Watchog that Pokémon have different abilities and he still feels that Watchog is still best suited for guard duty. He reminds Watchog that guard duty is an equally important role, and everyone encourages Watchog - until N, finally no longer content with watching silently, speaks up. N admits that he cannot agree with the idea of tasking Pokémon with rescuing humans as it puts the Pokémon in danger. In defense, Halsey points out that humans rescue Pokémon as well, and rescuing should not discriminate between people or Pokémon. Tension is in the air as the two young men glare at each other, but Halsey receives a distress call: a fire has broken out at the industrial complex, and worse still there are students from the local kindergarten visiting. Halsey informs the others that he has to go, and Ash's group convinces Halsey to let them tag along and help with evacuation. At the same time, Team Rocket keeps their sights on Pikachu...

At the complex, everyone quickly evacuates the children and their teacher. Halsey confirms from some workers that there are other workers still further in the complex. Ash convinces Halsey to leave evacuation to them, allowing Halsey, Dewott and Frillish to go put out the fire. Wearing gas masks, Halsey and his team (sans Watchog) venture into the building where the fire broke out, and discover the source: a burning fuse box. Dewott slices the box open with Razor Shell, allowing the three Pokémon to blast it with Hydro Pump. Meanwhile, Ash and the others gesture to the escaping workers towards the exit, including a disguised Team Rocket. James tells Ash to go into the complex to rescue other workers, but as soon as Ash's back is turned, Team Rocket captures Pikachu in a capsule. Ash, turning around, demands an explanation as Team Rocket reveals themselves and recite their motto. James sends out Yamask and orders a Will-O-Wisp, which Ash counters with Oshawott's Hydro Pump. Jessie retaliates with Woobat's Air Slash, but Iris orders a Dragon Rage from Axew, which bursts through the Air Slash and sends the capsule holding Pikachu flying. Oshawott breaks the capsule open with Razor Shell, freeing Pikachu, but Jessie orders a barrage of Hidden Power orbs from Woobat. Pikachu expertly dodges the attacks, but the attack ends up hitting a power generator, setting it on fire! Back in the basement, Halsey succeeds in putting out the fire, but due to the new fire above ground, a fuse trips causing the fire alarm to sound and the surrounding doors to commence lockdown, shutting Halsey's team in!

Pikachu tries to attack Team Rocket, but they dodge all its attacks and taunt Ash before flying away on jetpacks. Iris and Cilan gesture to Ash, saying the fire is starting to get worse and must be put out. Oshawott tries its Hydro Pump, but fails to make significant headway. Ash calls Halsey using the complex's intercom and finds out that Halsey is trapped. Halsey asks Ash and his group to evacuate, but Ash insists on staying to help Halsey. Cilan suggests digging an escape tunnel to Halsey using Iris's Excadrill while Ash tries to hold back the fire as best as he can. Iris sends out Excadrill and orders a Dig, but Excadrill quickly resurfaces. N reveals that Excadrill has hit solid rock that it can't dig through, and everyone is troubled as to how to proceed.

At the entrance, security personnel and Watchog hold back a group of concerned locals, when N approaches Watchog asking for its help. N brings Watchog back to Excadrill's dug tunnel, explaining that Watchog can use its senses to detect where it's possible to dig through underground, and N can relay that information to Iris who can direct Excadrill. The plan is put in motion with Watchog concentrating hard, closing its eyes to hone its senses and pass the information onto N, Iris and Excadrill. Finally, Excadrill makes a breakthrough into the passage where Halsey's team is.

Back at the fire, Ash encourages Oshawott to keep up its efforts, but eventually Oshawott's Hydro Pump peters out as it is exhausted. However, Halsey and his group arrive on the scene, with him ordering not only a Hydro Pump from Dewott and Frillish, but also a Sand-Attack from Watchog, and in no time the fire is extinguished. Everyone is glad that disaster has been averted, and Halsey thanks N for his quick thinking in relying on Watchog's senses, remarking that perhaps his opinion of Watchog's rescue abilities is wrong. Likewise, N explains that his opinion has also changed - Watchog isn't rescuing people because it's being forced to, but because it wants to from the bottom of its heart and help both people and Pokémon. Dewott and Frillish feel the same way, and N concludes that the Harbor Patrol is doing people and Pokémon a great service. With their differences settled, Halsey and N shake hands.

That evening, Halsey bids the gang farewell as they continue their journey towards the White Ruins.

Major events

• Jessie's Woobat is revealed to have learned Hidden Power.

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

Characters

Humans

Dare da?

• Ash
• Iris
• Cilan
• Jessie
• James
• N
• Halsey

Pokémon

Who's That Pokémon?

Who's That Pokémon?: Watchog

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Axew (Iris's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Oshawott (Ash's)
• Excadrill (Iris's)
• Woobat (Jessie's)
• Yamask (James's)
• Watchog (Halsey's)
• Frillish (Halsey's; ×2; male and female)
• Dewott (Halsey's)

Trivia

Jessie's gloves are colored like her skin instead of black.

• Jessie's Woobat uses a new move (Hidden Power) for the first time since its debut.
• This is also the first time since temporarily leaving Unova that Team Rocket retreats instead of blasting off.
• Music from the fourteenth movie is used.

Errors

• After being hit by Axew's Dragon Rage, Jessie's gloves are colored like her skin tone for a few frames.
• The Virbank Complex was referred to by its Japanese name when Halsey got a call saying that there was trouble there.

In other languages

← BW114 : Saving Braviary

Best Wishes series

BW116 : The Fires of a Red-Hot Reunion! →

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