AG013

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All Things Bright and Beautifly!

AG013

EP287

ポケモンコンテスト！アゲハントの華麗なバトル！！
Pokémon Contest! Agehunt's Magnificent Battle!!

First broadcast

Japan	February 20, 2003
United States	December 27, 2003

English themes

Opening	I Wanna Be a Hero
Ending

Japanese themes

Opening	アドバンス・アドベンチャー
Ending	そこに空があるから

Credits

Additional credits
Animation	Team Ota
Screenplay	冨岡淳広 Atsuhiro Tomioka
Storyboard	よこた和 Kazu Yokota
Assistant director	大町繁 Shigeru Ōmachi
Animation director	酒井KEI Kei Sakai

All Things Bright and Beautifly! (Japanese: ポケモンコンテスト！アゲハントの華麗なバトル！！ Pokémon Contest! Agehunt's Magnificent Battle!!) is the 13th episode of Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire, and the 287th episode of the Pokémon animated series. It was first broadcast in Japan on February 20, 2003, and in the United States on December 27, 2003.

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

Blurb

Rustboro City is on the horizon, but they're not there yet. Ash, Brock, Max and May have just arrived at a Contest Hall. Janet and Chaz, two experienced Pokémon Coordinators, teach the gang all about Contests. Pokémon Contests are different from battles in that it's not the strength of the attack that matters, but the beauty of its execution. Winners get ribbons instead of badges. The gang decides that they want to try entering today's contest, but they're too late. All is not lost, however, because Chaz offers to teach Pikachu the Iron Tail attack. And Janet lets May assist her with during the contest. During the contest, Chaz and Janet both perform really well and make it to the final round. In the end, Janet's Beautifly steals the show! May is really impressed and she's determined to one day enter a contest herself.

Plot

The group arrives at Rustboro Hall. Ash remarks that he is pumped for his upcoming Gym battle, but Max informs him that the Rustboro Gym is still a day of walking away. Ash comments that it does not seem like anybody is training for a battle and Max assumes they must be preparing for an upcoming Pokémon Contest. Suddenly, a Beautifly lands on May's face before re-positioning itself on her head. May tosses and turns to get the Pokémon off her. Soon its Trainer, Janet, comes rushing towards the group to apologize, accompanied by her friend Chaz and his Venomoth. However, Brock is instantly enchanted by the woman’s beauty and begins flirting with her, only to have Beautifly land on his head. Janet orders Beautifly to stop landing on people. Max asks if they are practicing for the Pokémon Contest and Janet confirms, saying that Beautifly got scared amidst a training session. Chaz further explains that his Venomoth's Whirlwind was far too strong and it scared away Beautifly and deems the attack a complete failure.

Ash is confused to hear Chaz refer to a powerful attack as a failure. Chaz explains that a Contest Battle differs from a regular battle, with Janet adding that it is not the raw power that matters, but the beauty of the attack. She says that as Pokémon Coordinators they train Pokémon to execute an attack in such a way that it increases its visual appeal. May mentions that she has heard of Pokémon Contests before and asks if the winner of these competitions is awarded a Ribbon, a question which Janet and Chaz answer by proudly showing the Ribbons they have won. Inspired by the different form of Pokémon competition, Ash, May, and Brock all decide to take part in the Rustboro Contest, but all three are denied entry as Jessie, after renewing her expired Contest Pass, grabbed the last remaining spot in the limited-entry convention, though they are still able to receive their own Contest Passes so they can enter the arena.

May is disappointed that she will not be able to participate, so Max suggests that she assists Janet or Chaz during the competition, and Janet agrees. Meanwhile, Brock learns from Chaz that Coordinators keep their Pokémon looking good by feeding them Pokéblocks, nutritious snacks made from Berries. Max comments that Janet's Pokéblocks must be the reason why Beautifly's wings are so beautiful and Janet thanks him for the compliment. After that, Chaz asks if the group is heading to Rustboro City for a Gym battle and Ash and May confirm it. Ash comments that he plans on using Pikachu. Chaz and Janet explain that he might face some difficulties since the Rustboro Gym is a Rock-type Gym. Max informs May that she and Torchic will have trouble as well, but Chaz offers to teach Pikachu and Torchic an attack that would be effective against Rock Pokémon. Ash gladly accepts the offer, but May declines, still not sold on the idea of journeying across Hoenn challenging Gym Leaders. Chaz sends out his Sentret to show Ash and Pikachu the Steel-type Iron Tail attack, which can deal a lot of damage to Rock-type Pokémon.

Meanwhile, Jessie is reading a book hoping to learn how to win battles with stylish attacks. Meowth asks why she wants to learn about that and she explains that she found out that people can become famous by winning Pokémon Contests. She adds that her new celebrity status may result in recruiting new Team Rocket members.

The Rustboro City Pokémon Contest gets underway as the announcer introduces the panel of judges, formed by the Director of the Contest Committee, Mr. Contesta; the President of the Pokémon Enthusiasts Club, Mr. Sukizo; and the operator of the local Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy. He also displays the prize that will be given to the winning Coordinator, the Rustboro Ribbon, and states that any Coordinator who wins five Contest Ribbons may enter the Grand Festival, similar to how eight Badges may be used to enter the Pokémon League Conference.

Backstage, May is amazed by the Pokémon Contest environment as Janet explains to her how the Appeals Round works. She reveals that first impressions are really important and that the judges will use criteria such as the level of cooperation between a Coordinator and Pokémon to evaluate each performance and assign points to the contestants. May is very impressed by everything she is learning and realizes how fascinating Pokémon truly are. Meanwhile, outside the Contest Hall, Ash and Pikachu are trying to perfect Iron Tail and this causes them to miss Chaz's performance, during which Chaz commanded his Venomoth to use Confusion to psychically pour tea from a teapot, earning 29.5 from the judges.

Ash arrives in the Contest Hall in time for Janet's performance, which begins with Beautifly using Flash and then uses String Shot to shatter some plates that were thrown by May and Max. The performance ends with a Hidden Power to create a glittering shower effect over the crowd, scoring Janet a perfect 30.0 points. The last contestant in the Appeals Round is Jessie, who is competing under the alias of "Mademoiselle Jessica" and using her Seviper. Her presentation turns out to be a fiasco as she commands Seviper to use a variety of moves that it cannot learn, such as Sacred Fire, Blaze Kick, and Luster Purge. The crowd begins to boo and the judges are looking bored. Meowth advises Mademoiselle Jessica to call for a Poison Tail attack, but Seviper uses it to launch Mademoiselle Jessica out of the Contest Hall. Her appeal - or lack thereof - earns her a grand total of zero. The announcer apologizes for Mademoiselle Jessica's lackluster performance and reveals the four highest-scoring Coordinators moving on to the Battle Round, which includes Janet and Chaz. Outside, Jessie, who is still in her disguise, apologetically hugs her Seviper and declares that its Poison Tail was incredible. Meowth announces his latest scheme, to steal the Pokémon belonging to the winning Coordinator. Jessie is thrilled by the idea, admitting that she was just about to mention it herself.

Back in the Contest Hall, Janet and Chaz are about to face off in the finals. The battle begins with Venomoth using Stun Spore, which Beautifly counters with Gust. Both Coordinators lose points, but Chaz loses a little bit more than Janet. Max explains that although Venomoth's Stun Spore worked at first, it was blown black by Beautifly's Gust. He adds that Gust was worth more points because the judges evaluate more than just the attack, they also take into account the way a Pokémon defends itself. Brock concludes that in a Contest Battle both sides must work to reduce each other's points and the one with the most points left at the end of the five-minute time limit wins. He comments that this variation of Pokémon battling is something they have never seen before and May agrees, still mesmerized by the competition. The battle wages on, as Beautifly eventually gets the upper hand after a well-controlled Hidden Power hits its mark. Venomoth's scores a direct hit with Psybeam, causing Janet to lose a large number of points. Beautifly returns to the air once again thanks to a Morning Sun, and the dazzling light show leads to Chaz losing some more points. May is also impressed and wishes she could enter a Pokémon Contest and battle just like Janet and her Beautifly. When time runs out, the announcer calls attention to the scoreboard, which shows Janet to be just ahead of Chaz on points. With that, Janet is declared the winner of the Rustboro Contest.

Janet receiving the Rustboro Ribbon

Before Janet can be awarded the Ribbon, a disguised Team Rocket appears saying they are there as part of a congratulatory committee. The trio of crooks manages to distract Janet and Chaz with a bouquet containing a hidden smoke bomb. When the smoke clears, the Rocket trio remove their disguises and recites their motto with both Beautifly and Venomoth captured in bug-catching nets. Ash and his friends stand up out of their seats. When Jessie sends out Seviper, Ash commands Pikachu to use Iron Tail, but the move fails. May, however, has Torchic ram into Seviper before using Ember to free Beautifly and Venomoth, and the two Bug-type Pokémon combine their Gust attacks to send Team Rocket blasting off. When all is resolved, Mr. Contesta awards Janet with the prestigious Rustboro Ribbon, her third Contest Ribbon overall. May asks to see the Ribbon and assures Janet that she will enter a Pokémon Contest someday and win herself a Ribbon.

Janet and Chaz wish May and Ash good luck in their future endeavors as the Rustboro City Pokémon Contest comes to a close. As it turns out, the Pokémon Contest was just as eventful for Ash and May as it was for Janet and Chaz. May will be leaving the Contest Hall having learned more about the charms of Pokémon, while Ash has learned a new attack for Pikachu, which will come in handy during his next Gym challenge.

Major events

Ash and his friends go to see a Pokémon Contest for the first time.
Jessie is revealed to own a Hoenn Contest Pass, which she renews.
Ash, Brock, May, and Max receive a Hoenn Contest Pass each.
Ash learns that the first Hoenn League Gym is a Rock-type Gym.
Ash begins to teach Pikachu Iron Tail in preparation for the Gym battle.
Jessie competes in the Rustboro City Pokémon Contest and loses.
May becomes interested in Pokémon Contests.

For a list of all major events in the animated series, please see the history page.

Debuts

Humans

Pokémon debuts

TV episode debuts

Flaaffy

Characters

Humans

Pokémon

Who's That Pokémon?

Who's That Pokémon?: Magcargo

Pikachu (Ash's)
Meowth (Team Rocket)
Wobbuffet (Jessie's)
Taillow (Ash's)
Treecko (Ash's)
Torchic (May's)
Seviper (Jessie's)
Beautifly (Janet's)
Venomoth (Chaz's)
Sentret (Chaz's)
Jynx (Coordinator's; Japanese version only)
Flaaffy (Coordinator's)
Ninetales (Coordinator's)
Persian (Coordinator's)
Marill (Coordinator's)
Slugma (Coordinator's)
Smeargle (Coordinator's)
Elekid (Coordinator's)
Poochyena (Coordinator's)
Lotad (Coordinator's)

Trivia

The announcer

The English dub title is a reference to the song "All Things Bright and Beautiful".
This episode contradicts a lot of what later became canon or frequent about Pokémon Contests:
- The Pokémon Contests are called "Pokémon Competitions" in the English dub of this episode only.
- This is the only Pokémon Contest in Hoenn not to be hosted by Vivian Meridian.
- Mr. Sukizo wears a different outfit than his usual one, a sweatshirt with a Poké Ball print on it.
- It is mentioned that when a Coordinator has five Ribbons, they earn the title of Top Coordinator. However, it would later be established that only a Coordinator who has won the Grand Festival earns that title.
This episode features the first time one of Ash's Pokémon has used a Steel-type move.
This episode marks the only time in Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire that Seviper is seen participating in a Contest.
Jessie and James's disguises are the same ones they used as stylists in Pokémon Fashion Flash.
Advance Adventure is used as background music.
When the series came to Prime Video in Japan in 2017, the version featured used the updated design of Jynx in its current purple coloration. This version has not been dubbed into English.

Edited shot of Jynx
Edited shot of Jynx

Errors

When May says that Beautifly on her is not funny, Beautifly's white face turns gray several times.
- In the same scene, the pattern on May's bandanna has its colors reversed. This also happens when she recalls what Pokémon Contests are about.
When Brock proposes to Janet, the straps on his bag are colored blue like the rest of the bag instead of black.
Jessie's expired purple Contest Pass turns into the new green Contest Pass in one shot when she is registering for a Pokémon Contest.
When Ash opens a door, Pikachu's tail passes through a wall.
When the group is watching Janet and Chaz's battle, Brock's shirt sleeves are given an orange lining.
When the battle reaches its final minute, May’s shirt collar is missing its navy blue pattern.
This is yet another episode that states that Electric-type Pokémon have a disadvantage against Rock types. This is likely because every Generation I Rock-type Pokémon, excluding those resurrected from Fossils, have Ground-type secondary characteristics.
After Pikachu's Iron Tail fails, Ash is missing the spikes in his hair.
In the English dub, the Slugma is heard saying "Magcargo" instead of its own name.
In the Polish dub, when Jessie apologizes to her Seviper, she mistakenly calls Poison Tail "Poison Fire".

The miscolored bandanna
Jessie's Contest Pass's miscoloration
Brock's miscolored sleeves

Dub edits

Deleted scene

In the original Japanese version, a Coordinator is shown using a Jynx. However, because Jynx still had black skin instead of purple, the scene was cut from the English dub. This was also the last time Jynx appeared in the anime in her original design.
The Team Rocket fantasy involving winning a Pokémon Contest was heavily edited (most likely because the grunts in the fantasy were doing a salute similar to the "Heil Hitler" salute of the Nazis).
The ellipsis in the To be continued message was painted away.
In the original Japanese version, the building for the contest had a sign that said "Pokémon Contest", while in the English dub, it was changed to "Pokémon Competition".
In the English dub, when Jessie is asking her Seviper for moves it can't actually learn, she asks for a Luster Purge. In the Brazilian dub, however, she asks for Jato d'Água (a common name for Water Gun back then). This seems to have been intentional, as the other moves Jessie mentions were directly adapted from their English names, and was probably done to promote a better understanding for Brazilian audiences.

Original Japanese version
Dubbed English version

In other languages

Language		Title
Mandarin Chinese		神奇寶貝華麗比賽！狩獵鳳蝶的華麗戰鬥！！
Danish		Et yndefuldt angreb!
Dutch		Beeldschone Beautifly!
Finnish		Sirot liikkeet
European French		La beauté du jeu
German		Pokémon-Eleganz
Hebrew		זוהר הביוטיפלייzohar haBeautifly
Hindi		एक अनोखा पोकेमोन काँपीदीशन! Ek Anokha Pokemon Competition! *
Italian		Forza e bellezza
Korean		화려한 포켓몬 콘테스트
Norwegian		Vidunderlige Beautifly!
Polish		Wszystko piękne i cudowne
Portuguese	Brazil	Tudo Lindo e Brilhante!
Portuguese	Portugal	Um Belo Beautifly
Russian		Изящество и Бьютифлай
Spanish	Latin America	¡Todas las cosas brillantes y hermosas!
Spanish	Spain	El alucinante brillo de Beautifly
Swedish		Fjärilar i magen!
Thai		โปเกมอนคอนเทสต์! การต่อสู้อันงดงามของอาเงฮั้นท์!!