EP079

Friend and Foe Alike File:FriendorFoeAlike.gif.png

EP079   セキエイスタジアム！VSヒロシ！ Sekiei Stadium! VS Hiroshi!

First broadcast Japan January 14, 1999 United States November 27, 1999

English themes Opening Pokémon Theme Ending

Japanese themes Opening めざせポケモンマスター Ending タイプ・ワイルド

Credits Animation Team Ota Screenplay 園田英樹 Hideki Sonoda Storyboard 福本潔 Kiyoshi Fukumoto Assistant director 福本潔 Kiyoshi Fukumoto Animation director 福本勝 Masaru Fukumoto No additional credits are available at this time.

Friend and Foe Alike (Japanese: セキエイスタジアム！VSヒロシ！ Sekiei Stadium! VS Hiroshi!) is episode 79 of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on January 14, 1999 and in the United States on November 27, 1999.

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

Synopsis

After foiling one of Team Rocket's heists in the last episode, Ash and Ritchie are battling against each other in the round five battle! Brock, Misty and Nurse Joy think Ash is lucky he gets to battle a friend, and he and Ritchie vow to make it the best battle they've had. Unfortunately for Ash, a funny thing happens on the way to his battle, thanks to Team Rocket's sneaky tricks. The funny thing Ash speaks of? Team Rocket kidnapping him and demanding he surrenders Pikachu to them or be unable to battle Ritchie in Round 5. Can Ash fend off Team Rocket and still make it to his battle?

Major events

• Ash battles Ritchie.
• Ash loses to Ritchie.

Characters

Humans

• Ash
• Misty
• Brock
• Jessie
• James
• Ritchie
• Delia Ketchum
• Professor Oak
• Referee

Pokémon

Who’s That Pokémon?: Aerodactyl (US and international), Pikachu (Leon) (Japan)

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Togepi (Misty's)
• Pidgeotto (Ash's)
• Bulbasaur (Ash's)
• Squirtle (Ash's)
• Charizard (Ash's)
• Weezing (James')
• Chansey (Joy's)
• Charmander (Ritchie's; nicknamed "Zippo")
• Pikachu (Ritchie's; nicknamed "Sparky")
• Butterfree (Ritchie's; nicknamed "Happy")
• Magikarp (Pokémon League's)

Trivia

Errors

• In the English dub both Professor Oak and Brock refer to Charmander as a "Flame-type" when it's actually a Fire-type.

In other languages

• French: Amis ou ennemis?
• Italian: Amici nemici
• Latin American Spanish: ¡Amigos y enemigos por igual!
• Spanish: Igual amigos que enemigos

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