DP003

← DP002 : Two Degrees of Separation!

Diamond & Pearl series

DP004 : Dawn Of A New Era! →

When Pokémon Worlds Collide!

DP003   EP469 ライバルバトル！三対三！！ Rival Battle! Three vs. Three!!

First broadcast Japan September 28, 2006 United States April 20, 2007

English themes Opening Diamond and Pearl Ending

Japanese themes Opening None Ending 君のそばで 〜ヒカリのテーマ〜

Credits Animation Team Iguchi Screenplay 冨岡淳広 Atsuhiro Tomioka Storyboard 秦義人 Yoshito Hata Assistant director 秦義人 Yoshito Hata Animation director 船津弘美 Hiromi Funatsu Additional credits

Screenshots on Filb.de

When Pokémon Worlds Collide! (Japanese: ライバルバトル！三対三！！ Rival Battle! Three vs. Three!!) is the third episode of the Diamond & Pearl series, and the 469th episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired Japan on September 28, 2006 and in the United States on April 20, 2007.

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

Synopsis

Ash, Brock and Aipom are continuing their search for Pikachu, now aided by Ash's newly-caught Starly while Dawn, Pikachu and Piplup are retracing their steps hoping to find Ash. Ash and Brock suddenly notice an electric attack in the distance which they go running towards, thinking it must be Pikachu.

However, it turns out that the attack is actually coming from an Elekid which is attacking a flock of Starly. The Elekid's trainer throws a Poké Ball towards one, however the Starly he throws the Ball towards is the one owned by Ash and therefore the capture fails. As the trainer catches the Ball, Ash arrives and calls Starly back before asking the trainer if he's seen Dawn and Pikachu to which he hasn't. The trainer, who saw Ash capture Starly, then asks if he's sure the Starly he caught is the best one. He then throws three Poké Balls which all contain a Starly each. The trainer then explains that by scanning a Pokémon with the Pokédex a trainer can see what attacks it knows thereby saving a lot of time. After scanning the three Starly to see which of them know Aerial Ace, he then returns them all to their Poké Balls. Then, after telling two of the Starly to get lost as they're not needed, he throws two of the Poké Balls which send out the Starly with a blue light, signifying their permanent release. Ash remarks this is an unusual way to treat Pokémon, as he believes any Pokémon has the ability to be strong and the trainer challenges Ash to a three-on-three battle. Unfortunately, Ash has to refuse as he only has Aipom and Starly on him now to which the trainer doesn't take kindly. After calling Ash pathetic he takes his Elekid and leaves.

Before Ash can get too angry about the incident, he and Brock hear the sound of a Volt Tackle in the distance. Knowing that only Pikachu knows that move, the two begin running... however Dawn, Pikachu and Piplup are having their own problems as Team Rocket have reappeared and cornered them with another giant robot. Despite Piplup's best attempts, Team Rocket successfully snag Pikachu to Dawn's horror. With its Bubble attack not working, Piplup charges the mech but is no match and gets knocked out. The robot's hands reach down and are about to grab Piplup when Aipom bursts through the trees and attacks with Swift. Pikachu and Dawn are shocked to see Aipom. Ash realizes Team Rocket are in the machine. They step out onto a platform in front of it and say their motto. Ash climbs a tree and jumps onto the machine's arm, climbing up to Pikachu. Dawn is stunned at the lengths he will go to for Pikachu. Ash tries to force the hand open and the machine begins to malfunction. It explodes as Team Rocket go blasting off.

Emerging from the rubble, Ash, Pikachu, Aipom, and Starly reunite. Ash greets himself to Dawn and scans her Piplup with his Pokédex. Exhausted, Piplup collapses. Brock takes it in his arms, gives it some Potion and it feels better instantly. At the Pokémon Center, the gang make a call to Professor Rowan. He reveals that he has a parcel at the lab from Ash's mom. In the forest, Paul and his Elekid examine Team Rocket's broken robot. Ash is tougher than he thought.

Walking down a road together, Ash, Dawn, and Brock are approached by Officer Jenny who is glad Ash found his Pikachu. At the lab, Ash opens his parcel, surprised to find new clothes, a new hat, new shoes, and a new backpack. After putting them on, he calls his mom, telling her he is all right. He also calls Professor Oak, who chats with Rowan. In the living room, Dawn asks Ash if she could come along with them to which Ash agrees. Piplup, Aipom, and Starly are recalled into their Poké Balls, leading Dawn to ask Ash why he doesn't place Pikachu in it's Poké Ball as well. Ash explains that Pikachu hates traveling in a Poké Ball especially when his shoulder does just fine which amazes Dawn. Professor Rowan explains to Dawn that different Pokémon have different personalities. It's time for the gang to depart, and Ash thanks Professor Rowan for everything he's done. However, just as they leave Ash and Brock find Paul waiting for them. Paul tells Ash that now he has three Pokémon they can have a battle. Ash is now more than happy to accept a challenge from the arrogant trainer, and Professor Rowan offers them use of his back garden for the battle.

As the two face off, Brock offers to act as referee while Paul spells out the rules; it will be a three-on-three battle with no substitutions, the first to reach two wins will get the match. Both trainers release their Starly. Paul's Starly uses Quick Attack. Ash tries to counter with a Wing Attack, but Paul's Starly uses Double Team and Aerial Ace combo and Ash's Starly is knocked out. Ash recalls Starly, as does Paul.

Ash throws a Poké Ball and his Aipom emerges. Paul throws out his Chimchar, which Ash scans with his Pokédex. Aipom launches a Swift attack, but Chimchar counters with Ember, and the two attacks explode on contact. Aipom prepares to use Focus Punch, but Chimchar uses Flame Wheel, stopping the attack, as Rowan explains Focus Punch fails if the Pokémon is hit when the attack is charging up. Aipom uses Double Team, but an Ember destroys all the clones, and the real Aipom is slashed by Chimchar's claws. Ash orders another Focus Punch, as Paul prepares to intercept it, but Aipom jumps into the air, dodging the Flame Wheel. Aipom smashes down into Chimchar with Focus Punch, knocking the fire monkey out. The trainers recall their Pokémon.

Ash then sends out Pikachu and Paul sends out his Elekid. Ash starts things off by ordering Pikachu to use Thunderbolt, but Elekid simply absorbs the attack. Paul then tells Elekid to use Thunder. Elekid revolves its arms and fires off a huge electric bolt at Pikachu, who takes the attack as well. Ash then tells Pikachu to use Volt Tackle. Paul tells Elekid to use Protect to stop the attack. Pikachu is sent flying back, and Dawn wonders why Pikachu took damage. Professor Rowan explains that while Volt Tackle is a powerful move, it also damages the user.

Pikachu gets up however, and Ash tells it to use Iron Tail. Pikachu jumps towards Elekid, and the two exchange blows for some time, before Elekid manages to land a ThunderPunch attack. However, the strain of the battle takes its toll on both Pokémon, and Pikachu and Elekid fall down at the same time, defeated. Brock announces that the battle was a tie, and that the whole 3-on-3 battle was also a tie, with both trainers with one win, one loss and a draw. Ash takes Pikachu into his arms, telling his partner that as he was the first to go down Ash considers it a loss, however Paul walks over to him and says that as it was called a draw, a draw is what it is. Then Paul pulls a Poké Ball from his belt and releases his last remaining Starly. Ash asks what he did that for, and Paul tells him that there will be other Starly even stronger than this one. He then bows to Professor Rowan, before walking off. Ash stares at him angry on seeing such disrespect to Pokémon.

And so, having made a new friend and a new rival, Ash and Pikachu prepare for their adventures in Sinnoh, not knowing what awaits them...

Major events

• Ash meets Paul, his newest rival.
• Paul captures three Starly and releases two, keeping the one that knows Aerial Ace only to release it later.
• Ash and Brock find Pikachu and meet Dawn for the first time and in the middle of a Team Rocket battle.
• Team Rocket changes to a new motto.
• Ash changes to his Diamond & Pearl series outfit.
• Ash and Brock decide to travel with Dawn.
• Paul challenges Ash to a 3-on-3 battle which ends in a tie.
• Ash decides to head for the Gym in Oreburgh City first after the Jubilife Contest.

Debuts

Pokémon debuts

• Paul's Chimchar
• Paul's Elekid
• Paul's Starly (multiple)

Characters

Humans

• Ash
• Dawn
• Brock
• Jessie
• James
• Paul
• Professor Oak
• Professor Rowan
• Officer Jenny
• Delia

Pokémon

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Piplup (Dawn's)
• Wobbuffet (Jessie's)
• Mime Jr. (James's)
• Aipom (Ash's)
• Starly (Ash's, new)
• Elekid (Paul's)
• Starly (Paul's, ×3, all eventually released)
• Chimchar (Paul's)

Trivia

• This originally aired as a two hour special on September 28, 2006, together with Following a Maiden's Voyage! and Two Degrees of Separation!.
• Paul's Pokédex is dark blue.
• Music from Jirachi: Wish Maker and Lucario and the Mystery of Mew are used as background music.
• The eyecatches featured Ash (in his Advanced Generation series clothes), Dawn, and Brock.
• The ending credits consisted of DP001, DP002 and DP003.
• The title card music for the English dub has changed and will stay the same until Jumping Rocket Ship!.
• The title of the episode may have come from one of the multiple pieces of media titled "When Worlds Collide."

Errors

• The Pokédex incorrectly refers to Chimchar as the Monkey Pokémon, when it is really the Chimp Pokémon.

Dub edits

When the first three episodes aired together on April 20, 2007, they were made into a TV movie, cutting several parts out. All of these were restored when the episodes aired separately in reruns.

• When the narrator recaps what happened in the previous episode in the beginning, it was cut out. Instead, it shows Ash's Starly searching in mid-air.
• The episode title is cut out once more.
• At the end of this episode, the very last scene is slowed down so the "TO BE CONTINUED..." isn't present.

In other languages

• Chinese (Taiwan): 勁敵對戰！三對三！
• Finnish: Pokémon-maailmat kohtaavat
• French: Deux visions opposées
• German: Endlich vereint!
• Brazilian Portuguese: Quando os Mundos Pokémon Colidem!
• Italian: Alla ricerca di Pikachu & Un avversario alquanto insolito
• Dutch: Botsende Pokémonwerelden!
• Polish: Starcie dwóch światów
• Russian: Когда сталкиваются миры покемонов
• Czech: Co trenér, to originál
• Latin American Spanish: ¡Cuando los Mundos Pokémon Chocan!
• Iberian Spanish: ¡Dos Mundos Pokémon Opuestos!

← DP002 : Two Degrees of Separation!

Diamond & Pearl series

DP004 : Dawn Of A New Era! →

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