BW083
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Rocking the Virbank Gym! Part 1
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First broadcast
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English themes
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Japanese themes
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Credits
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Rocking the Virbank Gym! Part 1 (Japanese: 激闘タチワキジム！VSホミカ(前編） Fierce Fighting at Tachiwaki Gym! VS Homika!! (Part 1)) is the 83rd episode of Pokémon the Series: Black & White, and the 740th episode of the Pokémon animated series. It first aired in Japan on June 14, 2012 and aired in the United States on October 13, 2012.
Blurb
On their way to the Virbank City Gym, our heroes are surprised to come across several Trainers who are still reeling from their defeat at the hands of the Gym Leader, Roxie, who specializes in Poison-type Pokémon. With Cilan’s help, Ash discovers the Gym in an underground music club, where Roxie is the leader of the punk-rock trio known as Koffing and the Toxics. Roxie accepts Ash’s challenge, on one condition: she wants him to use all six of his Pokémon against her team of three! Ash is a little unsure about this, but she assures him that he’ll appreciate the numbers advantage. He agrees, and the unusual battle begins—in front of a crowd of rowdy fans and with plenty of musical accompaniment!
First up, it’s Roxie’s Koffing versus Ash’s Boldore. But, as the losing Trainers warned, Roxie proves to be extremely powerful and resourceful, and Boldore is quickly eliminated. Ash sends out his Unfezant next, hoping a Flying type will be able to keep up with Koffing’s incredible speed—but it’s just not enough, and Unfezant is knocked out.
Ash’s third Pokémon is Leavanny, much to everyone’s surprise—as a Grass-type Pokémon, it’s at a disadvantage against Poison-type foes. But Ash has a strategy this time, and he directs Leavanny to wrap Koffing up with a String Shot and reel it in for a close-range Energy Ball. Koffing is finally eliminated, and Roxie is one Pokémon down!
Next, she sends out her Scolipede, and it uses Toxic to send Leavanny reeling! Will Ash be able to recover from this poisonous assault and win his eighth Gym badge?
Plot
In order to get his eighth Badge required to enter the Unova League, Ash prepares to challenge the Virbank Gym. While in the Virbank City Pokémon Center, he sees many Trainers entering with poisoned Pokémon. A Trainer explains to Ash that the Virbank Gym Leader specializes in Poison-type Pokémon and that he should watch out for the many Poison-type moves that she uses. Heeding this warning, Ash comes up with a strategy to avoid Poison as much as possible.
Meanwhile, Team Rocket talks to Dr. Zager through a video feed from within their truck hideout. They report that they have lost track of Meloetta since it can disappear. Dr. Zager plans to send them anti-cloaking glasses, which the trio malevolently accept.
The next morning, Ash is running through the streets in search of the Gym. Cilan points out that the Gym is actually beyond an unassuming metal door. The group heads down a flight of stairs and enters the stadium just as a Trainer and his Gothitelle are defeated. The Gym Leader is Roxie, the bassist and frontwoman of Unova's top punk band "Koffing and the Toxics". The band was named after Roxie's main Pokémon, Koffing, which she met at a concert in Kanto. The Gym not only serves as a battlefield, but also a live concert stadium. The screams of an audience that loves both battles and live concerts fill the air, and Ash livens up the stadium with a Thunderbolt from Pikachu. Brimming with confidence and riled up at knowing she could be Ash's eighth badge should he win, Roxie makes the outrageous suggestion that Ash will battle with six Pokémon while she will only use three. Ash attempts to persuade her otherwise given that this type of battle is unfair, but she insists to do it anyway. From behind a stage light, Meloetta observes the upcoming battle.
Roxie chooses Koffing as her first Pokémon, which surprises Cilan and Iris with its incredible Speed. Ash brings out Boldore as his first Pokémon. The band rocks out before the battle begins, and the crowd chants Ash's name, confusing him and his friends. With that, the referee begins the battle. Ash has Boldore use Sandstorm to slow down and cause steady damage to Koffing. Roxie isn't bothered and has Koffing counter with Clear Smog, which blows away the Sandstorm and deals considerable damage to Boldore. However, it stands its ground and uses Rock Blast, but Koffing deflects with Gyro Ball and strikes Boldore for super-effective damage. Koffing uses Sludge Bomb and Boldore counters with Flash Cannon, Koffing following up with a Gyro Ball, which Boldore attempts to defend against with Sandstorm, but Koffing breaks through and knocks Boldore out.
Ash sends out Unfezant next to counter Koffing's speed, starting off with Quick Attack which does considerable damage. Koffing proceeds to use Will-O-Wisp, but a cleverly executed Gust from Unfezant blows the wisps back at Koffing for a lot of damage. Iris and Cilan compliment Ash on his move and Meloetta is shown smiling. Unfezant uses Air Cutter, but Koffing easily dodges and follows up with Sludge Bomb. The smoke clears and it appears that Unfezant has been poisoned as per Roxie's battle style. Koffing uses Clear Smog to ramp up Unfezant's damage. Ash considers withdrawing her, but she lands and stands her ground confidently. Ash is pleased and calls for Aerial Ace. She clashes with Koffing's Gyro Ball and is knocked back. Unfezant tries once more, but this clash renders her unable to battle. With that knockout, Ash is left with four Pokémon.
Ash surprises everyone when he brings out his third Pokémon, Leavanny, a part Grass-type. Ash feels confident about his choice and has Leavanny use Energy Ball. The attack hits and has a secondary effect on Koffing: lowering its Special Defense. Roxie goes for a head-on attack with Gyro Ball, but Leavanny ensnares it in his String Shot. Koffing tries to use Sludge Bomb but misses when Leavanny begins swinging it around. Ash has Leavanny reel it in and finish it off with a close-range Energy Ball that knocks Koffing out at last.
Roxie brings out her next Pokémon, Scolipede. Leavanny fires Razor Leaf, but the move hits with no observable effect. Scolipede responds with Toxic, making Leavanny badly poisoned. Leavanny falls to the ground, unable to stand due to the poison's effects.
Major events
- Ash and his friends meet Roxie, the Virbank Gym Leader.
- Ash begins his battle with Roxie.
- For a list of all major events in the animated series, please see the history page.
Debuts
Humans
Pokémon debuts
Characters
Humans
Pokémon
- Pikachu (Ash's)
- Meowth (Team Rocket)
- Axew (Iris's)
- Unfezant (Ash's; female)
- Leavanny (Ash's)
- Boldore (Ash's)
- Audino (Nurse Joy's)
- Koffing (Roxie's)
- Scolipede (Roxie's)
- Mienfoo (Trainer's)
- Watchog (Trainer's)
- Gothitelle (Trainer's)
- Swanna (Trainer's)
- Meloetta (anime)
- Blitzle
- Foongus
- Pidove (×2)
- Patrat (×2)
- Deerling
- Sandile
- Lillipup
Trivia
- Professor Oak's Pokémon Live Caster: Sigilyph
- Due to being shown back-to-back with Rocking the Virbank Gym! Part 2, there is no Professor Oak's Pokémon Live Caster following this episode.
- Prior to the start of the episode in the original Japanese airing, a clip of Ash, Pikachu, and the text "Pokémon Movie & TV Anime 15th Anniversary" (Japanese: ポケモン映画＆ＴＶアニメ １５周年), with multiple anime characters saying "Pokémon Anniversary", is presented. This was also shown the airing before the episodes after BW084.
- This is the first time Ash has battled with a Gym Leader and used a different amount of Pokémon than them since his rematch with Whitney in A Dairy Tale Ending.
- This episode marks the first physical appearance of a pre-Generation V Pokémon in Unova other than Pikachu and Meowth.
- This two-part episode marks the first time an episode has received a known dub title before airing in Japan, as the titles were revealed two days before this episode aired.
- This episode marks the first time that the status condition "badly poisoned" is seen in the anime.
- This episode is the first in Pokémon the Series: Black & White to feature a pre-Generation V Pokémon in the dubbed version of Who's That Pokémon?. In the original, this happened in the previous episode.
- This was the first new episode to air after the English release of Pokémon Black and White Versions 2.
- In this episode and the next one, Roxie says "Let's turn it up to eleven", referencing the movie This Is Spinal Tap.
- Despite making its debut in the second episode, this episode marks the first time Koffing has received a Pokédex entry in the anime.
Errors
- When Roxie approaches the Trainer with the Gothitelle she had just defeated, the bottoms of her shoes are purple instead of blue.
- In one scene for a split-second, the pupil in Roxie's right eye is missing.
- In the Polish dub, Ash's Unfezant is incorrectly referred to as male.
Roxie's shoes error
Roxie's right pupil error
Dub edits
In other languages
| Language | Title | |
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| Mandarin Chinese | 激戰立湧道館！VS霍米加！！（前篇） | |
 Danish
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Rock og rul i Virbank-salen! (Del 1) | |
 Dutch
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Lol trappen in de Virbank Gym! (Deel 1) | |
 Finnish
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Virbankin sali rytisee! (Osa 1) | |
 European French
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Un combat d'arène Rock and Roll ! (1ère partie) | |
 German
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Es rockt in der Vapydro-Arena! (Teil 1) | |
 Greek
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Χορεύοντας στο Στάδιο Βίρμπανκ! (Μέρος 1) | |
 Italian
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Sfida alla Palestra di Zondopoli! (Parte prima) | |
 Korean
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격투 모란만체육관! 지우 VS 보미카!! (전편) | |
 Norwegian
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Sjokkerer Virbank Gym! (del 1) | |
 Polish
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Koncertowe starcie w Virbank! (Część 1) | |
| Portuguese |  Brazil
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Um Show de Batalha no Ginásio de Virbank! (Parte 1) |
 Portugal
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Dando Música ao Ginásio de Virbank! (1ª Parte) | |
 Russian
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Выступление в гиме Вирбанк. (Часть 1) | |
| Spanish |  Latin America
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¡Sacudida en el Gimnasio Virbank! (Parte 1) |
 Spain
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¡Rock and Roll en el Gimnasio Hormigón! (1ª Parte) | |
 Swedish
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Det rockar loss på Virbank-gymmet! (Del 1) | |
 Thai
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การต่อสู้อันดุเดือดที่ทาจิวาคิยิม! ปะทะ โฮมิกะ!! (ตอนต้น) | |
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This episode article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation. |
