EP271

← EP270 : Can't Beat the Heat!

Original series

EP272 : Johto Photo Finish →

Playing with Fire!

EP271   バシャーモふたたび！ハヅキとのたたかい!! Bursyamo Returns! Battle Against Hazuki!

First broadcast Japan October 24, 2002 United States October 4, 2003

English themes Opening Believe in Me Ending

Japanese themes Opening Ready Go! Ending ポケッターリ・モンスターリ

Credits Animation Team Ota Screenplay 冨岡淳広 Atsuhiro Tomioka Storyboard 鈴木敏明 Toshiaki Suzuki Assistant director 鈴木敏明 Toshiaki Suzuki Animation director 志村泉 Izumi Shimura Additional credits

Playing with Fire! (Japanese: バシャーモふたたび！ハヅキとのたたかい!! Bursyamo Returns! Battle Against Hazuki!) is the 271st episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on October 24, 2002 and in the United States on October 4, 2003.

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

Synopsis

Ash has chosen Pikachu to battle Harrison's Kecleon. Kecleon uses its Color Change ability to escape detection, while lashing out at Pikachu with its tongue. Pikachu manages to catch Kecleon's tongue and use a Thunderbolt, knocking it out!

Harrison then sends out Sneasel, the same one he captured before the tournament opened. Pikachu uses another ThunderShock, but Sneasel leads with a Metal Claw, knocking out Pikachu.

Ash takes a second to collect Pikachu from the field, then sends out Totodile. Totodile dances around Sneasel's Metal Claw, then uses a Water Gun to take Sneasel out of the fight.

Harrison chooses Hypno to fight next. Totodile uses Scary Face, but Hypno is unaffected. Hypno uses a Psychic attack to knock Totodile out of the field!

Ash sends out Snorlax... but Snorlax is still asleep! Hypno takes the advantage, and uses Dream Eater on Snorlax. Snorlax then wakes up, angry at having its dreams stolen. Snorlax blasts Hypno with a Hyper Beam, knocking it out.

There's a five minute intermission now that Harrison has lost three of his Pokémon.

As the second half begins, Ash takes out Noctowl and Harrison chooses Steelix. Noctowl tries to use Confusion, but Steelix counters with a combination of Dig and Iron Tail. Noctowl is defeated.

Ash sends Snorlax back out. Steelix is able to trap Snorlax with a Bind attack, but Snorlax is able to launch an Ice Punch and knock it out.

Harrison's next Pokémon is Houndoom. Snorlax uses Hyper Beam once more, but Houndoom uses Counter to deflect the blast, taking Snorlax out of the fight for good.

Ash's next Pokémon is... Bayleef?! Everyone is shocked that he's using a Template:Type2 to battle a Template:Type2. Houndoom's Flamethrower manages to damage Bayleef before Ash gets the idea to use Vine Whip and prevent Houndoom from using more Fire attacks. Bayleef takes Houndoom down with a Body Slam.

Harrison is down to his last Pokémon- Blaziken. Ash is worried, thinking that Bayleef might not be able to beat a second Template:Type2. Bayleef tries to use Razor Leaf, but Blaziken merely incinerates the leaves. Blaziken leads with a Fire Punch to take out Bayleef!

Now Ash is also down to his last Pokémon. And he chooses Charizard.

The episode ends as the two Fire Pokémon square off....

Major events

• Ash continues his battle with Harrison, and the two get down to their last Pokémon.

Characters

Humans

• Ash
• Misty
• Brock
• Jessie
• James
• Gary
• Harrison
• Professor Oak
• Delia

Pokémon

Who's That Pokémon?: Ariados (English), Kabigon (Japanese)

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Togepi (Misty's)
• Wobbuffet (Jessie's)
• Charizard (Ash's)
• Muk (Ash's; recap)
• Snorlax (Ash's)
• Heracross (Ash's; recap)
• Bayleef (Ash's)
• Totodile (Ash's)
• Noctowl (Ash's)
• Psyduck (Misty's; recap)
• Politoed (Misty's)
• Blastoise (Gary's; recap)
• Arcanine (Gary's; recap)
• Scizor (Gary's; recap)
• Golem (Gary's; recap)
• Blaziken (Harrison's)
• Kecleon (Harrison's)
• Sneasel (Harrison's)
• Hypno (Harrison's)
• Steelix (Harrison's)
• Houndoom (Harrison's)
• Machoke
• Machamp

Trivia

• This episode can be found on the second GBA video.

Errors

• When Ash sent out Totodile, he threw a Poké Ball, despite the fact that he captured it with a Lure Ball.
• The narrator said that Ash has never seen a Kecleon before, although he saw two in The Kecleon Caper.
• Harrison's Steelix hits Ash's Noctowl with Dig which shouldn't be possible since Noctowl is a Flying-type and as such should not be affected by a Ground-type move.

In other languages

• French: Un match brûlant
• German: Spiel mit dem Feuer
• Italian: Il torneo della vittoria (terza parte)
• Latin American Spanish: ¡Jugando con fuego!
• Iberian Spanish: Jugando con fuego
• Swedish: Eld mot Eld
• Brazilian Portuguese: Brincando com Fogo!

← EP270 : Can't Beat the Heat!

Original series

EP272 : Johto Photo Finish →

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