EP078

← EP077 : The Fourth Round Rumble

Original series

EP079 : Friend and Foe Alike →

A Friend In Deed

EP078   ライバルとうじょう！ Rival Enters!

First broadcast Japan January 7, 1999 United States November 20, 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 米村正二 Shōji Yonemura Storyboard 井上修 Osamu Inoue Assistant director 井上修 Osamu Inoue Animation director 梶浦紳一郎 Shin'ichirō Kajiura Additional credits

A Friend In Deed (Japanese: ライバルとうじょう！ Rival Enters!) is the 78th episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on January 7, 1999 and in the United States on November 20, 1999.

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

Major events

• Ash and co. meet Ritchie and his Pikachu.

Debuts

• Ritchie

Characters

Humans

• Ash
• Misty
• Brock
• Jessie
• James
• Ritchie
• Delia
• Professor Oak
• Nurse Joy

Pokémon

Who’s That Pokémon?: Diglett (US and international), Matadogasu (Japan)

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Togepi (Misty's)
• Pidgeotto (Ash's)
• Bulbasaur (Ash's)
• Muk (Ash's; flashback)
• Arbok (Jessie's)
• Weezing (James's)
• Charmander (Ritchie's; nicknamed "Zippo")
• Pikachu (Ritchie's; nicknamed "Sparky")
• Butterfree (Ritchie's; nicknamed "Happy")
• Scyther (Jeanette's; flashback)
• Bellsprout (Jeanette's; flashback)
• Slowbro (unnamed Trainer's)
• Drowzee (unnamed Trainer's)
• Magikarp (unnamed Trainer's)
• Magikarp (Pokémon League's)

Trivia

• This episode as well as the next two episodes both have the word "friend" in the title, referencing Ash's ongoing friendship with Ritchie.
• This marks Ritchie's first appearance in the anime.

Errors

• When it turns dark in the lift, Professor Oak's eyebrows turn gray.
  File:EP078er.PNG

  The error
• Though the power goes out while the characters are in the elevator, when they emerge into the lobby, all the lights are on.
• Ash initially cannot find his Poké Balls, save for Bulbasaur. However, after Pikachu and Sparky defeat Team Rocket, he immediately calls on Pidgeotto.
• Although Jessie and James appear to have all the Poké Balls when Jessie tries to take Pikachu a trainer can be seen with a full belt of Poké Balls.

In other languages

• Czech: Opravdový přítel
• Finnish: Ystävä hädässä
• French: Un nouvel ami
• German: Echte Freundschaft!
• Hebrew: חבר בצרה chaver betsara
• Hungarian: Az igaz barát
• Italian: Chi trova un amico, trova un tesoro
• Mandarin: 勁敵登場
• Portuguese:
  • Brazilian Portuguese: Amigo de Verdade
  • European Portuguese: O Amigo Verdadeiro
• Russian: Настоящий друг
• Spanish:
  • Iberian Spanish: Un amigo de verdad
  • Latin American Spanish: ¡Amigos y héroes!

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← EP077 : The Fourth Round Rumble

Original series

EP079 : Friend and Foe Alike →

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