Pokémon Ranger and the Kidnapped Riolu! (Part 1) (Japanese: ポケモンレンジャー！波導のリオル！！(前編)Pokémon Ranger! The Wave-Guiding Riolu!! (Part 1)) is the 71st episode of the Diamond & Pearl series, and the 537th episode of the Pokémon anime. It aired in Japan in a one-hour special on March 20, 2008, the day that Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia was released. It and Pokémon Ranger and the Kidnapped Riolu! (Part 2) were released on DVD in Japan on June 20, 2008. It aired in the United States on November 1, 2008.
Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.
As the episode begins, an explosion is seen at a research facility. Several men are seen fleeing the premises with a Riolu. Building workers come out, saying the Riolu is a priceless research tool, and must be recovered. The kidnappers' Golem fires a blast at the building, and they escape on a passing truck with their boss inside. Riolu is put in the back. As the truck is moving, Riolu uses its aura abilities to hear the words spoken by the henchmen and a man with sunglasses, their boss. They say that they tricked Riolu into thinking they would bring it home. Upon hearing it, Riolu uses Aura Sphere on the truck's back door. The truck skids to a halt and Riolu escapes. The henchmen are ordered to find Riolu and bring it back. The man with sunglasses sees the might of Riolu's power, having broken through reinforced metal on the door, and says he wants its power for himself. Ash finds Riolu, and finds out it is hurt. Soon after, they meet Kellyn, a Pokémon ranger. Kellyn tells them his mission is to bring Riolu home. Pokémon hunter J's thugs find them, and attempt to steal Riolu. Hunter J uses her bracelet to attempt to freeze Riolu. Ash and the others jump in the river, and take out their Water-type Pokémon. Kellyn uses his Vatonage Capture Styler on a Floatzel, and they swim away. Riolu's little doll falls in the water. Riolu chases after it, but falls down into the river. Ash quickly rescues Riolu. Ash hears Hunter J near by, and runs away. J's Salamence fires Flamethrower everywhere in the forest surrounding Ash, Pikachu and Riolu. The episode then ends.
The Japanese name is a reference to an alternate translation of the Japanese name of Lucario and the Mystery of Mew: Mew and the Wave Guiding Hero: Lucario.
When the title Crossing Paths was revealed, several sources incorrectly believed it to be the dub title for this episode.
Details of the North American airing were made known by Nintendo Power.
This is the first dubbed TV episode to not only retain all of its Japanese background music, but also use no American-made music (unless one counts The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon as a dubbed TV episode).
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