HZ020

← HZ019 : The Bittersweet Truth

Pokémon Horizons: The Series

HZ021 : The Lonely Hatenna →

Kabu's Battle Training!

HZ020   EP1252 カブさんのバトル修行 Kabu's Battle Training

First broadcast Japan September 1, 2023 United States May 10, 2024

English themes Opening Becoming Me Ending

Japanese themes Opening ドキメキダイアリー Ending RVR〜ライジングボルテッカーズラップ〜[フリードVer.]

Credits Animation Team Kato Screenplay 土屋理敬 Michihiro Tsuchiya Storyboard 齋藤徳明 Noriaki Saitō Assistant director 森山愛弓 Ayumi Moriyama Animation directors 倉員千晶 Chiaki Kurakazu 服部奈津美 Natsumi Hattori 萩原慶汰 Keita Hagiwara Additional credits

Preview thread on BMGf Closed Original review thread on BMGf Dub review thread on BMGf

Kabu's Battle Training! (Japanese: カブさんのバトル修行 Kabu's Battle Training) is the 20th episode of Pokémon Horizons: The Series, and the 1,252nd episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on September 1, 2023, in the United Kingdom on February 27, 2024, in Australia on March 26, 2024, in sub-Saharan Africa on April 19, 2024, and in the United States on May 10, 2024.

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

Blurb

Still in Motostoke, Liko and Roy are surprised to see Gym Leader Kabu at the Battle Café, but they’re disappointed when he leaves before Roy can ask him what he knows about the black Rayquaza. So they head to the Gym, where Kabu tells them that they need to become stronger if they want to eventually battle and catch Rayquaza. He leads Liko and Roy in a training exercise with their Pokémon, then challenges them to a Multi Battle alongside Wakaba, an aspiring Gym Trainer. The result is a fiery bout in which Kabu pushes Liko, Roy, and even Wakaba to give it their all—no matter what!

Plot

Liko and Roy have just met Kabu at the Motostoke Battle Café, where the Gym Leader compliments Liko and Sprigatito's Leafage. As Roy is about to ask about the Black Rayquaza, Kabu goes for a run back to the Motostoke Stadium, with Liko and Roy following behind. The two arrive and are greeted by Wakaba, a Gym Trainer apprentice. As Wakaba takes Liko and Roy to Kabu, she tells them that he's someone who works very hard. Liko also observes how much in common Wakaba has with Roy. The group meets up with Kabu at the battlefield, where he is doing some stretches. Roy and Liko ask about the Black Rayquaza, with Roy showing Kabu the Poké Ball it came out of, and Liko wanting to find out more about the Legendary Pokémon for bringing her as far as she's come.

Seeing the resolve of the two young Trainers, Kabu puts them through a training test to strengthen their partners' basic moves in creative ways. Liko and Roy must compete against each other to either extinguish or light up the flames on a group of Litwick, with the one who manages to do so on every Litwick present before the other is declared the winner. During the competition, Liko has Sprigatito use Leafage in different ways depending on how fast or tough their candles are to blow out. Kabu and Wakaba admire Liko and Sprigatito. Roy, noticing the score going down, has Fuecoco keep on using Ember at a rapid pace. However, Fuecoco soon tires out and gets hungry, so a snack break is taken. After Roy gets some reassurance from Kabu, the competition is resumed. Liko has Sprigatito use Leafage like before, while Roy and Fuecoco recover from their struggle, turning the tables on Liko lighting more Litwick candles. Liko sees a bunch of Litwick huddled up together, but after seeing Roy's renewed confidence, Liko stops to admire his progress for a crucial moment, which doesn't go unnoticed by Kabu. Sprigatito snaps her back into the competition, but when Liko turns around, she doesn't know which Leafage to use, which costs her the competition.

Seeing how Liko and Roy are improving, Kabu challenges them to a Multi Battle, with Wakaba as his partner. The battle begins, with Liko's Sprigatito and Roy's Fuecoco facing Kabu's Centiskorch and Wakaba's Rolycoly. Fuecoco starts with Ember on Centiskorch, but its Flash Fire Ability cancels it out. After an ineffective Leafage from Sprigatito, Centiskorch strikes back with Flame Wheel and Bug Bite, while an intimidated Wakaba can only watch. Liko commands Sprigatito to blind Centiskorch with a big Leafage and run in with Fuecoco using Quick Attack and Tackle, respectively. However, Centiskorch fires a Flamethrower straight ahead, blowing them back hard and leaving Liko afraid for her partner getting hurt. Roy sings with Fuecoco, giving it the strength to get up as Centiskorch charges for another Flamethrower. Roy commands Fuecoco to counter with Ember, but it uses a newly learned Flamethrower instead. However, it is still not enough to overpower Centiskorch, whose Flamethrower knocks it out.

Seeing Roy's partner faint, Kabu leaves Liko to Wakaba, telling her to consider it her test to become a Gym Trainer. Sprigatito overpowers Rolycoly's Smack Down with Leafage. Next, Wakaba commands Rolycoly to use Rapid Spin, which Sprigatito dodges and hits Rolycoly with a sharp Leafage. Seeing Wakaba's frustration and determination to win, Liko suddenly forfeits the match. Upset by the possibility of winning by default without actually getting stronger, Wakaba runs off, refusing to become a Gym Trainer so easily. Kabu speaks with Liko about her hesitance stemming from her compassion for others' feelings, having noticed that she let Roy win in the training before too. He tells Liko that she is clearly a kind girl, but she must also consider how her opponent feels since they are trying their hardest to win. He also tells Liko to think of Sprigatito, who was also denied the chance to get stronger. Liko realizes how upset Sprigatito is with her and apologizes, then heads off to find Wakaba, who immediately apologizes for how she acted. Liko apologizes as well, telling her she hadn't fully considered her feelings. The two make up and Wakaba decides to make a fresh start and resume her training.

Kabu tells Liko and Roy that he saw the Black Rayquaza several days ago during his morning run, flying over Motostoke before heading west, towards the Galar Mine. When Liko and Roy return to the Brave Olivine, the Rising Volt Tacklers decide to delay their planned trip to Hammerlocke to check out the mine first. That night, Liko is left in deep thought by Kabu's departing words, telling her that winning battles is not the only path a Pokémon Trainer can take. She begins to wonder about the path her own journey should take.

Major events

• Roy's Fuecoco learns Flamethrower.
• Liko and Roy have an unofficial Multi Battle with Kabu and Wakaba, with Roy losing and Liko forfeiting.
• The Rising Volt Tacklers find out that the Black Rayquaza is at the Galar Mine.

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

Debuts

Pokémon debuts

• Rolycoly

Characters

Humans

• Liko
• Roy
• Kabu
• Friede
• Mollie
• Orla
• Murdock
• Dot (voice)
• Mitchell
• Wakaba
• Citizens

Pokémon

• Sprigatito (Liko's)
• Rotom (Liko's; Rotom Phone)
• Fuecoco (Roy's)
• Pikachu (Friede's; Captain Pikachu)
• Alcremie (Murdock's; Strawberry Ruby Swirl)
• Rayquaza (Lucius's; Black Rayquaza; flashback)
• Centiskorch (Kabu's)
• Rolycoly (Wakaba's; debut)
• Noctowl (Rising Volt Tacklers')
• Litwick (Motostoke Stadium's; ×20)

Trivia

• Professor Friede's Pokémon Seminar: What does Centiskorch's body burn to generate heat?
  • Choices: Water, gas, stones
  • Answer: Gas
• The first eyecatch features Liko and her Sprigatito, and the second features Kabu and his Centiskorch.
• This marks the first time Bug Bite has been used in the anime since Battling For The Love of Bug-Types!, 572 episodes earlier.
• This episode marks the first time that a main character's Fire-type first partner Pokémon has learned Flamethrower since Serena's Fennekin learned the move in A Pokévision of Things to Come!, 432 episodes earlier.

In other languages

Language		Title
Danish		Kabus kamptræning!
Finnish		Kabun ottelutreenit
Italian		Lotta di allenamento con Kabu!
Norwegian		Kabus kamptrening!
Polish		Bitwa treningowa Kabu!
Brazilian Portuguese		O treinamento de batalha do Kabu!
Latin American Spanish		El entrenamiento de Naboru
Swedish		Kabus stridsträning!

← HZ019 : The Bittersweet Truth

Pokémon Horizons: The Series

HZ021 : The Lonely Hatenna →

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