AG052

← AG051 : Come What May!

Advanced Generation series

AG053 : Game Winning Assist! →

Cheer Pressure

AG052   EP326 プラスルとマイナン！応援の道！？ Plusle and Minun! Road Assistance!

First broadcast Japan November 20, 2003 United States November 6, 2004

English themes Opening This Dream Ending

Japanese themes Opening アドバンス・アドベンチャー Ending スマイル

Credits Animation Team Ota Screenplay 武上純希 Junki Takegami Storyboard 辻初樹 Hatsuki Tsuji Assistant director 渡辺正彦 Masahiko Watanabe Animation director 志村泉 Izumi Shimura Additional credits

Screenshots on Filb.de

Cheer Pressure (Japanese: プラスルとマイナン！応援の道！？ Plusle and Minun! Road Assistance!) is the 52nd episode of the Advanced Generation series, and the 326th episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on November 20, 2003 and in the United States on November 6, 2004.

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

Synopsis

As Ash and his friends continue their journey, May admires her first ribbon, won in Fallarbor Town. Excited at reaching the next town, Ash accidentally takes the wrong path. He stumbles across a group of people. Among them, Thatcher and his Plusle and Minun. He tells Ash and the others that he joined a pep squad that believes in the power of cheering. The leader of the pep squad, Sheridan, invites Ash and friends to join him in a battle to show the power of cheering. They readily accept the challenge.

The first match is Brock against James, who is in disguise. Brock sends out Forretress to battle Cacnea. Once it appeared that Cacnea had fallen, Sheridan and the others began cheering. Unbeknownst to the group, Sheridan whispers "Helping Hand" into a microphone. Out of nowhere, Cacnea regains health and defeats Forretress. Ash and May are dumbfounded, but Max thinks something is wrong.

The next match is Ash vs. Jessie, also in disguise. While she begins thinking of how to attack Pikachu, the Electric mouse begins attacking her Seviper. Angered, Jessie demands Sheridan begin to cheer, but he silences her, requesting patience. As soon as Seviper appears to have lost all energy, the cheering starts. Once again, Sheridan whispers Aromatherapy into a microphone. A Roselia and Vileplume are shown to be inside one of the drums. Both unleash their attacks.

Now convinced something is seriously wrong, Max decides to investigate. He overhears Sheridan whispering "Helping Hand," and Max realizes that he is giving Pokémon directions for attacking. Meanwhile, Seviper has now regained health and is attacking Pikachu. Just as Pikachu is about to lose, Max shoves the drums over, revealing the Roselia, Vileplume, Makuhita, and Shroomish that were inside.

Sheridan is stunned that his scheme has been revealed. After Thatcher and the other pep squad members demand a refund, Sheridan takes off running, and Team Rocket attempt to steal Pikachu. However, their plan fails and they are sent blasting off again.

Although disappointed, Thatcher tells Ash that he really admires his work with Pikachu. He promises to work hard and start from scratch to eventually become as great a Trainer as Ash someday, inspiring some of his fellow squad members to do the same. The group bids farewell to Thatcher and heads off on their next adventure.

Major events

• Ash and his friends meet up with Thatcher again.
• Brock's Forretress is revealed to know Tackle.

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

Characters

Humans

• Ash
• May
• Brock
• Max
• Jessie
• James
• Thatcher
• Sheridan
• Cheering Squad

Pokémon

Pokémon Trainer's Choice: Torkoal

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Wobbuffet (Jessie's)
• Forretress (Brock's)
• Seviper (Jessie's)
• Cacnea (James's)
• Plusle (Thatcher's)
• Minun (Thatcher's)
• Vileplume (pep squad's)
• Shroomish (pep squad's)
• Makuhita (pep squad's)
• Roselia (pep squad's)

Trivia

• Smile replaces Because the Sky is There as the ending.
• The title is a pun of "peer pressure".

Errors

• The opening sequence shows May's Ribbon to be in the top left slot, whereas in the previous episode she placed it in the middle slot. However, she could shift slots being enthusiastic about this Ribbon all the way since gaining it.
• In the last episode, when May closed the box of the ribbons, there was no symbol. In the opening scene, there was a symbol when May opened the box.
• While Torkoal is said in the Trainer's Choice to be the best choice against Shiftry, it is actually as equally effective as Taillow, because both have a type advantage against Grass types.

Pokémon Trainer's Choice

• Question: Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Shiftry?
• Choices: Swampert, Taillow, Torkoal
• Answer: OK, Trainers, if you chose Torkoal, you were right!

In other languages

Language		Title
Mandarin Chinese		正電拍拍與負電拍拍，應援之道？
Finnish		Pokémon-kannustuksen voima
European French		Des supporters difficile à supporter
German		Der falsche Meister
Hebrew		לעודד או לא לעודדleoded o lo leoded
Italian		Altro che tifo!
Portuguese	Brazil	Pressão da Torcida
	Portugal	Alegre Pressão
Spanish	Latin America	¡Escuadrón de animadores!
	Spain	El poder de la animación

← AG051 : Come What May!

Advanced Generation series

AG053 : Game Winning Assist! →

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