AG079

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Advanced Generation series

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Pearls are a Spoink's Best Friend

AG079   EP353 バネブーのさがしもの！？ Baneboo's Lost Object!?

First broadcast Japan June 3, 2004 United States May 21, 2005

English themes Opening This Dream Ending

Japanese themes Opening チャレンジャー!! Ending スマイル ②

Credits Animation Team Ota Screenplay 大橋志吉 Yukiyoshi Ōhashi Storyboard 浅田裕二 Yūji Asada Assistant director 浅田裕二 Yūji Asada Animation director 岩根雅明 Masaaki Iwane Additional credits

Screenshots on Filb.de

Pearls are a Spoink's Best Friend (Japanese: バネブーのさがしもの！？ Baneboo's Lost Object!?) is the 79th episode of the Advanced Generation series, and the 353rd episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on June 3, 2004 and in the United States on May 21, 2005.

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

Synopsis

The episode opens not with Ash and his friends but with Jessie, James, and Meowth, for another installation of the trials and tribulations of Team Rocket. Team Rocket report in to Giovanni. Though they don't have anything new to report, Giovanni becomes very angry with them because the secret base they were working on was destroyed in A Six Pack Attack!. He says that they're failing their mission in the Hoenn Region which he has been funding, and if they don't improve, he'll send in Butch and Cassidy to finish the job instead.

Meanwhile, continuing the trek to Fortree City, Ash and the gang come across a Spoink, a Psychic-type Pokémon. Most Spoink use the Pearls on their heads to channel their formidable physic powers, but this Spoink is upset after losing its Pearl. Being the good Samaritans that they are, the group decides to help the distressed Spoink locate its lost pearl. Though they look hard for it, the Spoink tries to put any round objects it sees on its head, (including an Igglybuff, a Voltorb, and an Electrode). When the Pearl is found, however, Team Rocket, working with renewed vigor after Giovanni threatened to replace them, attack the group. Though they use a traditional pitfall trap, they introduce themselves as the "new Team Rocket" and say that they're going for a fresh start -- however, they end up blasting off as usual. This time, though, Meowth manages to grab the Spoink's pearl which blasts off with them. Ash and the gang soon notice the absence of the pearl and chase after Team Rocket.

After blasting off, Team Rocket comes across a fair, and Ash and company chase Team Rocket onto the fairgrounds, where they initially lose sight of each other. Spoink tries a few more round objects, like a juggler's balls and a fortune teller's crystal ball. Team Rocket, meanwhile is approached by the same Magikarp salesman who has made James' life a misery in the past and offers to trade Feebas for the Pearl. Though James is wary of the known swindler, the Magikarp salesman reveals that Feebas evolves into Milotic, the most beautiful of all Pokémon, Jessie becomes dazzled by the possibilities. James and Meowth are still reluctant and question the salesman on the source of his information, which he says he got from Professor Oak (the information on Feebas' evolution is accurate). He also regales them with a tale of his family life (he has many children to support, etc.) and that he has given up a life of crime. This story finally convince Team Rocket to make the trade.

Jessie is eager to get the Feebas to evolve, so they let their new Pokémon go for a swim in a nearby river. Soon, Feebas' color begins to change...but not with the glow of evolution. Feebas is just a Magikarp painted with a Feebas' colors, revealing that they have been swindled yet again! Ash and company find Team Rocket at this point, who quickly explain what happened, and both groups head back to the fair to find the crooked salesman. When they find him, he's trying to sell "Feebas" to passersby, so Brock calls out Mudkip to use Water Gun on the "Feebas" which is quickly revealed to be a Magikarp beneath some paint. When the salesman tries to flee, Ash and company corner him and in the ensuing struggle, the pearl slips out of his bag. Team Rocket arrives only moments later and a battle ensues, but Spoink (reunited with its Pearl) uses its powerful Psychic attacks to blast off Team Rocket. During the commotion, the Magikarp salesman escapes...to swindle another day. But as Ash remarks at the end, at least they found the pearl!

Major events

• Jessie buys a Magikarp disguised as a Feebas from the Magikarp salesman, but eventually releases it after the disguise comes off.
• Ash's Torkoal is revealed to know Body Slam.

For a list of all major events in Pokémon the Series, please see the timeline page.

Debuts

Pokémon debuts

• Spoink (recurring)

Characters

Humans

• Ash
• May
• Brock
• Max
• Jessie
• James
• Giovanni
• Magikarp salesman

Pokémon

Pokémon Trainer's Choice

Pokémon Trainer's Choice: Steelix

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Wobbuffet (Jessie's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Corphish (Ash's)
• Torkoal (Ash's)
• Skitty (May's)
• Mudkip (Brock's)
• Seviper (Jessie's)
• Dustox (Jessie's)
• Cacnea (James's)
• Persian (Giovanni's)
• Magikarp (Jessie's; new; released)
• Spoink (anime; debut)
• Voltorb
• Electrode
• Igglybuff
• Feebas (flashback)

TCG cards

• Spoink
• Seviper
• Skitty
• Lotad
• Mudkip

Trivia

TCG cards

• The dub title is a play off the song "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend."
• This episode is featured on the Volume 7: Psychic copy of Pokémon Elements.
• On Pokémon.com, the title of this episode is erroneously spelled as "Pearl's Are a Spoink's Best Friend".
• This is the fifth time the Magikarp salesman has appeared in the anime, and the second time Team Rocket has acquired a Magikarp from him.
• Advance Adventure is used as background music.

Errors

• In a brief moment, Spoink's nose is shown on its back.

Dub edits

• The footage of James looking up a Spoink TCG card is cut in the dub. Cards seen included Spoink, Seviper, Skitty, Lotad, and Mudkip.

Pokémon Trainer's Choice

• Question: Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Electabuzz?
• Choices: Steelix, Cacnea, Shiftry
• Answer: OK, Trainers! If you chose Steelix, you were right!

In other languages

Language		Title
Mandarin Chinese		跳跳豬尋找的東西！
Finnish		Spoinkin parhaat ystävät
European French		Spoink, une perle rare
German		Perle, wem Perle gebührt!
Hebrew		'הפנינה של ספויקhapnina shel Spoink
Italian		La perla perduta
Portuguese	Brazil	Pérolas são as Melhores Amigas de um Spoink
	Portugal	As Pérolas São as Melhores Amigas de um Spoink
Spanish	Latin America	¡Las perlas son las mejores amigas de Spoink!
	Spain	Las perlas son las mejores amigas de Spoink
Swedish		En sån pärla!

← AG078 : Cruisin' for a Losin'

Advanced Generation series

AG080 : That's Just Swellow →

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