The School of Hard Knocks! (009)

[Ronnie7]

*sigh* I miss the days when the show didn't take itself so seriously as it does now and this episode is a shining example, so many cut aways and whacky gags that are completley off the wall.

Misty day dreaming about Paris only to be interupted by a japanese style slurping of green tea by Ash was done brilliantly, the over dramatic anger with large screaming heads and obvious statement of collapsing on the floor and cascades of worrriment on the side of the head, this stuff I miss, now we're lucky if Dawn farts and makes a facial reaction.

Bring back this style of animation I say!

rant over.

 

[Tadashi]

I saw this episode not too long ago, and I just have one thing to say; brilliant.

Pokemon Tech has been one of barely a handful of actual schools discussed in the Pokemon Universe, and with good reason. No other school-centric episode could live up to this one.

The episode had lots of awesome stuff: Pikachu running on a treadmill, Giselle, and lest we forget, great dialogue between Ash and Misty ("Stay out of this, Misty! I don't need your help!" "You're right, Ash. You know, it's pretty brave of you to take on all six guys at once. I'll be over here, on the sidelines, waiting to drag your carcass away...")

Oh, and I almost forgot. This is the only episode in which we have a definite (read: only) listing for girls that Ash finds attractive. Definitely a classic episode.

 

[PenguinBeam]

This episode had lots of awesome stuff: Pikachu running on a treadmill, Giselle, and lest we forget, great dialogue between Ash and Misty ("Stay out of this, Misty! I don't need your help!" "You're right, Ash. You know, it's pretty brave of you to take on all six guys at once. I'll be over here, on the sidelines, waiting to drag your carcass away...")

LOL, I forgot completely about when Misty was telling Ash that stuff after he refused her help. But that Pikachu on a treadmill scene is one that I will never in a million year forget! XD I think that's one of the funniest things in the entire series.

As others are saying, this is a great, classic episode. Even if it is just a filler, it is probably one of the best examples of what Pokemon episodes used to be like.

 

[getto89]

lol this one is another with brocks humor that made me laugh out load, where joe shows ash misty and brock the picture of giselle and Brock says: She can violate my rights anytime lol Im sad that eric stuart doesn't do the voice acting for James and Brock anymore

 

[Igottapoo]

Yeah I really like that line that Brock said. This was a good episode, but another dumb example of how Pikachu can beat ground types.

 

[Raikipper]

The basic concept of this episode was interesting, though it was rather a disappointing debut for one of my very favourite pokemon. I tell ya, I'm in LOVE with Cubone. His voice, his design, his mannerisms...to me, he easily rates as one of the most interesting and endearing of all pokemon. I couldn't help but feel that this episode gave him something of a negative press. Being an opponent's pokemon is one thing, but it seemed as though Ash took particular exception to Cubone's attack methods - calling bonemerang a "dirty trick" and such. I really don't see how that attack is any more of a "dirty trick" than is Pika's zapping his opponents with Thundershock...both pokemon are simply using the attack methods which come naturally to them. If anything, some of Pikachu's tactics therein are more likely to be considered foul-play - twisting Cubone's helmet and such - since they do not conform to any recognised attacks. Of course, in a sport in which the objective is to beat your opponent senseless, it's difficult to judge what qualifies as foul-play and what doesn't.

EDIT: I assume that Cubone/Marowak's original character arc in the game was considered too dark for usage in the anime?

 

[CliveKoopa]

I was wondering, is this the only episode in the whole anime what mentions levels?

 

[Raikipper]

I was wondering, is this the only episode in the whole anime what mentions levels?

This is the only episode that I know of to focus upon them extensively...nonetheless, I do seem to recall them being referenced elsewhere from time to time. In "Enter the Dragonite", for example, I'm sure I can remember Drake commenting, upon Ash's Charizard, "This one's at a higher level than I thought." I can also recall Misty once taunting Ash with the statement, "My Staryu's at a much higher level than your Chikorita!" Such references possibly aren't intended in the same strictly numerical sense as they were in SOHK.

Of course, since I only followed the anime up until the latter half of Johto, I cannot vouch for the rest of the series.

 

[Mad.as.a.Hatter]

This episode was always my favorite. For some reason, I really liked the Starmie/Weepinbell/Graveler battles...

 

[Blue Snover]

I think this episode was good because it showed that if a pokemon is trained right, they can overcome type advantages.

But i feel sorry for Weepinbell

 

[Littlemyuu]

I like this epi, my favorite Pokemon ever shows up..Cubone =3
hope i see this epi again someday

 

[Zucht]

This ep was cool.^^ because I never heard it again about Pokemons levels. Some how the school kids were kinda annoying with that Pikachu couldn't do that attack because he was low leveled.

 

[Icefiyre]

This episode is very good and special because you will see that Ash fall in love with a girl and is the first time that you will see this and maybe the last.

 

[the1stpkmnfan]

Even though I haven't seen this episode in a long time, I still loved watching it. Plus, this was the first episode that aired on my Birthday! Though, I cant quite remember what happened during that same day.

I though it was funny of Ash to ask Misty why they can get along like that. And Misty gets all mad. Ahhh...true love. (sort of)

 

[powerprotector]

This is the first episode to connect a pokemon battle to the games that gets forgotten sometime in Johto.
Giselle is one of my least favorite characters in the first season and is worst than Gary in bragging.
;000;

 

[Vipsoccermaster]

This episode was cool, the battle between Pikachu and Cubone was great, especially Pikachu didn't use any electric attacks.

 

[glowing_light010]

Mehh...I really didn't care for this episode much. I did think Cubone was really cute & I liked the way it battled, but why the heck did Ash battle it? I thought he learned that mistake back at the Pewter Gym? I guess it just goes to show you that Ash will always be naive.

I give this episode a:
4.3/10

 

[Ash-kid]

Pikachu was very brave vs Cubon.

i loved how Misty defeated the boy with the Weepinbell, it was great.

9/10

 

[Locormus]

@Glowing light010... Yes.. Ten episodes in the animé and you can tell that Ash would still be the same naive, dumb, knucklehead even ten years later!

Wow, This is one episode that always kinda sticks in your head, after you think back to the Kanto days.. I'm still left wondering about what the first episode was that I watched.. but this might actually be it.. although I did see the first gymbattle.. but I don't know if that was a rerun or not.. back then here in Holland all eps got mixed up a lot.. and rerunned a lot as well.. One day.. they said that it was the last chance to catch up on the animé starting from PalletTown again.. while they still showed Johto eps as well.. but then.. a couple of months later... I still saw the first Sabrina ep.. *they showed daily here, not weekly )

 

[Lorde]

Great episode. I remember watching it first in Spanish lol.

Loved how the students were smarter than Ash and how most outranked him when it came to how many badges they were worth.

Loved the the girl (Giselle) and her Cubone. She still lost to Ash despite being smarter. 7/10