AG151

← AG150 : May's Egg-Cellent Adventure

Advanced Generation series

AG152 : On Olden Pond →

Weekend Warrior

AG151   EP425 ライバルはサラリーマン！？ Rival is a Salaryman!?

First broadcast Japan November 10, 2005 United States September 23, 2006

English themes Opening Battle Frontier Ending

Japanese themes Opening バトルフロンティア Ending GLORY DAY 〜輝くその日〜 ③

Credits Animation Team Ota Screenplay 松井亜弥 Aya Matsui Storyboard しのゆきひろ Yukihiro Shino Assistant director ながはまのりひこ Norihiko Nagahama Animation directors 広岡歳仁 Toshihito Hirooka 山下恵 Megumi Yamashita No additional credits are available at this time.

Screenshots on Filb.de A salaryman is a salaried employee, i.e. an office worker.

Weekend Warrior (Japanese: ライバルはサラリーマン！？ Rival is a Salaryman!?) is the 151st episode of the Advanced Generation series, and the 425th episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on November 10, 2005 and in the United States on September 23, 2006.

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

Blurb

It's time for the Silver Town Pokémon Contest, and May is ready to win! As the show starts, one last competitor arrives late: a businessman named Jeremy. He doesn't look like much, but after May makes her big entrance with Squirtle, she's surprised to see Jeremy dressed up like a rock star onstage with Butterfree! However, Jeremy's wife and son show up and demand that he stop his embarrassing Contest antics.

With encouragement from May, Jeremy stands up to his family and explains how important Contests are to him. No matter what, he's going to compete! Both May and Jeremy make it to the finals, but will Jeremy's family come back to watch? Outside the Contest, his wife remembers how she met him back when he was a real musician. As she reminisces, she starts to think what Jeremy's doing isn't so silly after all.

Back at the Contest, Jeremy sends his trusty Venusaur to battle May's Combusken. As a Fire-type Pokémon, Combusken should have the advantage, but Venusaur is too tough to be defeated that easily. Venusaur also has a powerful Frenzy Plant attack, and soon May is losing points fast. She risks it all on one last Sky Uppercut and Combusken knocks Venusaur out just before time is up. Victory goes to May! And Jeremy may not have won the ribbon, but his family finally respects him as a Pokémon Coordinator. A happy ending all around—except for Team Rocket, who goes hunting for berries and finds Beedrill instead!

Plot

The episode begins in the middle of Silver Town, which is getting ready for the excitement of the upcoming Contest. Many people have gathered around the Contest Hall, working with their Pokémon and watching the fireworks in the sky. May is also preparing and calls out her Squirtle and the rest of the group. May wonders how to improve Squirtle's entrance, telling it that she'll be relying on it for the Appeals Round, and then asks Combusken if it's ready for the Contest Battles. Combusken seems more than ready. Suddenly, May loses her Squirtle.

In the Contest Hall, a young man and older woman are walking down a hallway looking for someone. May then runs up to the pair and asks them if they have seen her Squirtle. The young man says that they haven't, and that they are busy looking for someone themselves. At this, the woman says that they should continue looking and the young man bids May goodbye. Just then, Ash, Brock and Max appear and Ash asks what's wrong to which May explains that she's lost Squirtle. Brock smiles and tells her that Squirtle is right here. At this, Squirtle appears from behind Brock's leg wearing lots of flowers. May hugs her Squirtle happy that it's okay.

Outside, Team Rocket have just found a poster for the Contest. James asks Jessie if she's going to enter, but Jessie says there's more important things to do right now.

Back in the Contest Hall, Lilian is making her grand speech to the audience who have come to watch. Ash is still amazed at how lively the Kanto Contests are. Lilian continues, drawing the audience in and getting them excited. She then introduces the three judges for the Contest. They are the Chief of the Pokémon Activities Committee, the Head of the Pokémon Fan Club, and Nurse Joy of Silver Town.

All of the Coordinators for the Contest are then brought in and introduced, and the crowd cheer. Just as Lilian is about to get the Contest underway, a man runs up to Lilian and whispers something in her ear. Lilian nods and then tells the audience that one of their Coordinators is a little late. Then the Coordinator in question, wearing a suit and carrying a heavy bag, bursts through the door and tells her to stop, worried that he's been disqualified for being late. Lilian asks if he is Jeremy, and he says that he is. He apologies over and over for being late, and Lilian says that it's okay, and he should line up with the other Coordinators. However, he trips causing the audience to laugh. May smiles, knowing the embarrassment of doing something like that.

Lilian then starts the appeal round. May is introduced and allowed to do her appeal. May starts things off by sending out Squirtle. As soon as Squirtle comes out of its Poké Ball, it starts to use Ice Beam while spinning around rapidly. This creates a beautiful rain of sparkles which rain down on Squirtle as it lands and bows. The crowd cheers, and Brock comments on how cute Squirtle looks. May then orders Squirtle to use Bubble, and Squirtle does so, creating lots of beautiful bubbles.

The crowd look on in wonder as Squirtle creates a huge bubble which floats in mid-air above the Contest stage. May then calls for an Ice Beam, and Squirtle uses the attack to burst all the bubbles and create lots of icy sparkles before finishing up by using Ice Beam on the huge bubble to create a large ice sculpture. The crowd claps loudly, as do the judges.

Lilian then asks for Jeremy to enter, and the crowd laughs, remembering his antics from before. The laughing stops however, when the lights go dim and rock music starts to play as Jeremy walks in wearing heavy metal gear with a pair of shades. Jeremy calls out his Butterfree, and orders it to use Stun Spore and PoisonPowder, creating a huge wave of orange and purple pollen. The whole Hall is then lit up by a beautiful green light as Butterfree uses its most special move but it's interrupted by the young man and woman that May talked to before, who ask what in the world is he doing.

Jeremy looks at both of them, and runs over with his appeal ruined. The three argue, and the crowd look on in wonder as they bicker. The woman, who is Jeremy's wife, tells him to stop this nonsense and come back home. Jeremy tries to explain that being a Coordinator and entering Contests, is something he enjoys doing. As he talks, he notices that the audience is watching him, all of them interested in his speech and what he has to say. He thinks to himself that maybe he is being silly, and that he should listen to his wife.

However, May jumps in and tells Jeremy about how he should be doing what he enjoys. Jeremy thanks her and says that she's right, he has to follow his dream. He says that he wants to create a great performance, and become a great Coordinator. Jeremy bows to the audience, and asks them if they will forgive him and accept his appeal. One of the men in the crowd begins to clap, and the rest of the audience follow, all touched by his emotional speech.

In the Contest Hall, the next stage has begun as four contestants are chosen to do battle. May and Combusken go up against a Coordinator and his Exeggutor, which she easily defeats with Fire Spin. Jeremy and his Venusaur also do well in their battle, going up against a girl and her Vileplume. Jeremy's son watches the battle and is amazed by his father's battling skill.

The crowd cheers and Lilian announces the two finalists; May and Jeremy. Jeremy thanks May for her help earlier. May smiles, saying she was happy to help.

Outside, Jeremy's son runs up to his mother and tells her that he managed to get to the final. She doesn't look too happy, however, and her son tries to cheer her up. She remembers she went to a rock concert with Jeremy up on stage. She then remembers another time from her early days, walking through a forest with Jeremy and his Ivysaur while asking him about being a Pokémon Trainer. Thinking back all those years, and remembering her husband's love for Pokémon makes her realize and accept Jeremy's feelings.

Back in the Contest Hall, the Final Battle is about to begin. May sends out Combusken and Jeremy sends out Venusaur. Jeremy doesn't waste anytime, though, and orders Venusaur to use Razor Leaf. May counters by telling Combusken to use Fire Spin, which burns Venusaur's leaves to ashes. Before the attack can get to Venusaur, Jeremy tells Venusaur to use Vine Whip. Venusaur fires its vines straight into the attack and ripping the flames apart. This attack lowers May's point's bar, much to her distress.

Max looks at his sister worried, seeing his sister's points go down. As the crowd cheers, Jeremy decides to get serious and orders Venusaur to use Frenzy Plant. Lifting itself up and slamming hard on the ground, Venusaur makes several thorny vines to burst out of the floor. May and Combusken stare at the attack in shock, and Brock tells her to look out, realizing the attack is dangerous. The attack is very fast however and the vines rip towards Combusken and smack it hard even as it tries to dodge. Combusken falls to the ground, hurt. May's point counter decreases by a large amount. May asks Combusken if it's okay, and Combusken struggles to get up.

Brock makes a remark about how strong Frenzy Plant is. In fact, it's a wonder Combusken was even able to get up after such a strong attack. Ash shouts at May to focus. May wonders what he could be talking about, but looks at Venusaur and realizes that after such a strong attack, it must recharge leaving it open to be attacked itself. Without a moment to spare, she orders Quick Attack, and then Peck. Combusken charges at Venusaur and then stabs away at its health. Jeremy grits his teeth as he remembers the draw-back to using Frenzy Plant.

Both Coordinators know that how fast Venusaur recharges will decide the battle, and May knows that she'll have to finish it off before it can attack again. But Venusaur recovers and pushes Combusken away. Jeremy then orders another Frenzy Plant. May tries to attack Venusaur with Combusken's Fire Spin, but the Frenzy Plant blocks the attack and rips through the air again towards Combusken. May orders Combusken to use Quick Attack to go straight at Venusaur.

Jeremy thinks he's got her now, and tells Venusaur to use Frenzy Plant to hit Combusken. The vines smash straight into Combusken, and May is left with barely one point. That one point is enough, and May orders Combusken to use Sky Uppercut. Combusken jumps onto one of the vines and runs straight at Venusaur. Reaching its target, Combusken uses Sky Uppercut on Venusaur and sends it crashing to the ground. Venusaur is declared unable to battle and the crowd cheers.

All the Coordinators gather, and Lilian presents May with her Ribbon. May celebrates with Squirtle and Combusken over their new Ribbon.

Outside, Jeremy walks away before he is stopped by his wife and son. They congratulate him on such an awesome battle and say how proud and impressed they were. The three walk off together, ready for home.

Team Rocket are shown still looking for Berries. Jessie mistakes a Beedrill's stinger for a Berry and the episode ends as Team Rocket is chased away by the Beedrill Swarm.

Major events

May holding the Silver Ribbon

• May wins her second Kanto Ribbon in the Silver Town Pokémon Contest.

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

Debuts

Humans

• Jeremy
• Mandy
• Nicholas

Characters

Humans

• Ash
• May
• Brock
• Max
• Jessie
• James
• Lilian Meridian
• Raoul Contesta
• Mr. Sukizo
• Nurse Joy
• Jeremy
• Mandy
• Nicholas
• Coordinators
• Contest audience
• Concert audience
• Jeremy's fellow band members

Pokémon

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Wobbuffet (Jessie's)
• Mime Jr. (James's)
• Combusken (May's)
• Squirtle (May's)
• Ivysaur (Jeremy's; flashback)
• Venusaur (Jeremy's)
• Butterfree (Jeremy's)
• Vileplume
• Exeggutor
• Beedrill (×3)
• Machop
• Farfetch'd
• Bellossom
• Marill
• Shroomish
• Breloom

Trivia

• Smile is used as background music in the ending scenes.
• This is the first episode to use music from Destiny Deoxys, at the start of the episode. However, the background music is replaced in the dub.
• As a rocker in his youth, Jeremy bears a strong resemblance to Giovanni.
  • On another note, his other appearances look like other characters as well. He somewhat resembles Mr. Sukizo in his working clothes and Scott in his rocker clothes.

Errors

The coloring error

• A light blue Marill, a blue-and-green Breloom and a Shroomish with spots the same color as its head appear as extras. These are not Shiny, but rather just coloring errors, like Pidgey on the cuckoo clock in Pokémon Emergency!.
• In the same scene a Linoone is shown in the background. Its body baring the Shiny Linoone stripes but its main body is orange, also a possible coloring error.
• When Jeremy tells Butterfree to use Poison Powder and then Stun Spore, Butterfree used Stun Spore before Poison Powder.
• When Butterfree created the Poison Powder and Stun Spore, the Stun Spore came out of its left wing while the Poison Powder came out of its right wing. When Butterfree was about to merge the two powder moves, they swapped places.
• In the Latin American and Dutch dub versions, Jeremy mentioned in his flashback that he had a Venusaur, but in the flashback he has an Ivysaur, its pre-evolution.

In other languages

Language		Title
Mandarin Chinese		對手是上班族！？
Dutch		Weekend Strijder
Finnish		Viikonloppusoturi
European French		Coeur de rockeur *
German		Rock´n`Roll
Hebrew		לוחם ליום אחד Lohem le'yom ehad
Italian		La Gara della Città d'Argento
Portuguese	Brazil	Guerreiro do Fim de Semana
	Portugal	Guerreiro de Final de Semana
Spanish	Latin America	Guerrero de fin de semana
	Spain	Fin de semana marchoso
Swedish		Fritidskrigare

← AG150 : May's Egg-Cellent Adventure

Advanced Generation series

AG152 : On Olden Pond →

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