EP217

The Perfect Match

EP217   サトシVSカスミ！うずまきカップさいごのたたかい!! Satoshi vs. Kasumi! The Final Battle in the Whirlpool Cup!!

First broadcast Japan September 27, 2001 United States November 2, 2002

English themes Opening Born to Be a Winner Ending

Japanese themes Opening めざせポケモンマスター (Whiteberry) Ending 前向きロケット団！

Credits Animation Team Ota 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 No additional credits are available at this time.

The Perfect Match (Japanese: サトシVSカスミ！うずまきカップさいごのたたかい!! Satoshi vs. Kasumi! The Final Battle in the Whirlpool Cup!!), is episode 217 in the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on September 27, 2001 and was first broadcast in USA on November 2, 2002

Episode guide

Looks like Ash and Misty were always destined to fight one way or another, and here's where that fate meets. This time, whoever wins will be in the semi-finalists, and neither will want to lose.

Block A: Round 12 Ash VS. Misty This time the rules are changed, instead of one Pokémon, it's two on two. Misty first calls out Poliwhirl and Ash sends out Totodile. Ash starts it off by having Totodile use Water Gun, but Poliwhirl dives underwater to evade it. Poliwhirl makes some swift movements and Misty commands it to use Aurora Beam. Poliwhirl jumps out and fires the Aurora Beam, dazing Totodile for a while. Poliwhirl attmepts to come back with a Double-Slap but Totodile does the Matrix dodge and headbutts it back to a pillar. Poliwhirl isn't finished yet, he kicks off the pillar and then does a high speed dive towards Totodile and goes for a Double Slap again, knocking Totodile out. Ash recalls Totodile and sends out Kingler. Misty again commands Poliwhirl to unleash another Aurora Beam but Kingler dishes out a Crab Hammer attack. A energy sphere is sent across the arena causing the water to make Whirlpools. The enregy hits Poliwhirl sending it tossing with the whirlpools and Kingler uses another Crab Hammer attack, knocking Poliwhirl out. With this easy win, Ash feels sure enough luck is on his side. Misty then tries to call out Corsola but instead, Psyduck comes out. Ash just shrugs and tells Kingler to go up for a Vice Grip attack. Kingler swims its way towards Psyduck and then clamps it on the head. Looks like Psyduck can't do anything for a while... except it starts to glow. Both sides remember about that now and Ash gets worried. Using this to her advantage, Misty tells Psyduck to use Confusion. Pysduck makes a explosion of psychic energy which sends Kingler bashing right into Ash. Misty ends up winning the match!

During that fight, Team Rocket is still figuring out how to get Maya's staff... but the problem is, security keeps increasing. They might as well figure something else out.

Later that evening, Oak calls the PokeCenter for Ash. Looks like he had a rough time with Bayleef, who the knocks him away telling Ash she wants to be with him. Ash quickly trades off Kingler for Bayleef and Bayleef is happy once again. Another trainer comes in which looks like Misty knows her. The trainer is Katami, one of the better water Pokémon trainers and her next opponent for the finals. Misty still respects her and all because Katami is pretty good, but Misty worries is she really going to beat her?

Block A: Semi-Finals Misty Vs. Katami Same rules as the other round. Misty once agains starts off with Poliwhirl, Kitami using Gyarados. Even Misty gets scared at this point but she doesn't give up. Misty tells Poliwhirl to use Aurora Beam but Katami tells Gyarados to use Hyper Beam. Gyarados quickly charages up and fires the Hyper Beam, knocking the Aurora Beam away and blasting Poliwhirl for a one hit KO. Looks like the situation is grim... very. Calling back Poliwhirl, Misty sends out Corsola. Katami commands Gyarados to use Hydro Pump. Gyarados fires a powerful stream of water but Misty tells Corsola to counter it with Mirror Coat. The Hydro Pump is sent back but Gyarados fires Hyper Beam, blowing the water away and still going straight for Corsola. Corsola dives down and the beam blows up behind her. Waiting a while, Misty finishes Gyarados off with Spike Cannon. It may look like a brush of luck but Corsola is burned out from the fight. Katami then sends out Chinchou. Katami tells Chinchou to use Spark, which it does but instead, sends the electricity to sky. The electricity is then fired down on Corsola but Corsola uses another Mirror Coat, but she didn't hold out for long, not to mention Chinchou didn't even flinch. Katami says to use Confuse Ray, Chinchou fires a wave but Corsola dives underwater to avoid it. Chinchou uses it again but underwater, this time Corsola gets confused. With Corsola out, Chinchou finishes her off with a Water Gun, Katami winning.

Team Rocket then can't figure out any other way to get close enough to Maya, way too much security. Fed up, the only way is by air.

That evening, Katami meets with the gang at the Center. Misty congratulates her and tells her good luck for the next round.

Finals - The battle is set, the winner for Block A Vs. the winner for Block B. Katami sets out using Golduck, her opponent using a Feriligatr. Just before the battle begins however, Team Rocket shows up in their balloon. Jessie uses a fishing rod to snag the staff but Pikachu comes in and uses a Thundershock to snap the line. It's now a no-win situation for them, Ash and Misty send out Totodile and Poliwhirl and them and the two trainers in the arena have all their Pokémon use Water Gun. Pikachu then finishes off with Thunderbolt. (and they skip the battle)

During the award ceremony, it looks like Katami's opponent won the pendant. Maya then again puts her staff up towards the setting sun and it starts to glow. The next day, Katami and the gang watch the once again flooded coliseum as now they have to go their own ways. Looks like it's back to where they started, the Johto League!