AG065 : Gulpin it Down!
Advanced Generation series
AG067 : Go Go Ludicolo
Exploud and Clear!
AG066.png
AG066   EP340
一触即発!バクオングVSジュプトル!!
Critical Situation! Bakuong VS Juptile!
First broadcast
Japan March 4, 2004
United States February 19, 2005
English themes
Opening This Dream
Ending
Japanese themes
Opening アドバンス・アドベンチャー
Ending スマイル
Credits
Animation Team Ota
Screenplay 松井亜弥 Aya Matsui
Storyboard 誌村宏明 Hiroaki Shimura
Assistant director ながはまのりひこ Norihiko Nagahama
Animation director 徳田夢之介 Yumenosuke Tokuda
Additional credits

Exploud and Clear! (Japanese: 一触即発!バクオングVSジュプトル!! Critical Situation! Bakuong VS Juptile!) is the 66th episode of the Advanced Generation series, and the 340th episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on March 4, 2004 and in the United States on February 19, 2005.

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

Ash and friends are eating lunch in the woods when they notice that Treecko has wandered off. After failing to convince the Grass-type to come down from a tree, lunch is disrupted by a rampaging Loudred. Its Trainer, Guy finally catches up with his Pokémon and makes it stop.

Ash and Guy decide that both troublesome Pokémon need exercise, so they battle. While battling, both Pokémon evolve at the same time, into Exploud and Grovyle. The battle continues, but Exploud won't listen to Guy. It hits Grovyle hard and runs off.

Grovyle catches up with Exploud at a waterfall, and the two begin to battle again. Exploud still won't listen to Guy. Team Rocket interrupts, trying to capture Exploud, but Guy protects his Pokémon. Pikachu and Exploud send Team Rocket blasting off.

Guy and Exploud reconcile, and Ash and Guy decide to finish the battle.

Plot

The gang is nearing Petalburg City and Ash is excited about his upcoming battle with Norman. During a picnic, Max points out that Treecko is secluding himself up in a tree and appears to be in an unhappy mood. Ash climbs up the tree and tries to cheer Treecko up, but it doesn't work. Corphish then runs up the tree and knocks Ash away, and attempts to cheer Treecko up, but it again doesn't work.

After this, the gang begins hearing a Pokémon rampaging across the picnic area that is revealed to be a Loudred. Loudred destroys the gang's picnic site and continues dashing along toward its Trainer, Guy. Guy attempts to calm Loudred down but it does not work, until he jumps on it and makes it fall asleep.

Next, Guy introduces himself to the gang and reveals that he is on a journey to enter the Hoenn League, and Ash says that he is on his journey for the same reason. Guy says that not very long ago, Loudred has grown to be a big bulldozer that sometimes has trouble listening to his commands. Ash compares this to Treecko's current behavior and suggests a battle between Treecko and Loudred.

Treecko commences the battle with a Quick Attack that appears to do no damage and Loudred counterattacks with a Stomp that traps Treecko, but then he manages to break free by using Bullet Seed. After this, Loudred responds with a Supersonic that knocks Treecko back and then follows it up with Earthquake. Treecko dodges and sends Loudred flying into a tree with a powerful Pound attack. After this, both Pokémon glare at each other and evolve at the same time. As everyone seems to be awed and surprised that Treecko and Loudred simultaneously evolved, Ash's newly evolved Grovyle reveals that he has learned Leaf Blade. The battle continues and Grovyle charges in with another Leaf Blade when Guy commands his newly evolved Exploud to dodge. But instead of dodging, Exploud sends Grovyle back with its newly learned Hyper Voice attack.

After this, Exploud begins rampaging once again and Grovyle tries to stop it with a Bullet Seed, but it does nothing. Grovyle then uses Quick Attack but Exploud hits him away and continues charging, and the gang then goes after Exploud. Next, Team Rocket is shown starving and exhausted. Jessie, James and Meowth all run to the foot of the cliff and see Guy's Exploud drinking from a waterfall, and realize that it is the evolved form of Loudred, a Pokémon with which they have had many troubles in the past. Just as Jessie and James are about to walk away, Meowth stops them and fantasizes about how giving Exploud to Giovanni will be beneficial for them.

The gang and Guy start to call Exploud's name but get no response, when Guy explains to the group that Exploud was his very first Pokémon and he caught it as a Whismur. He says that Whismur used to be somewhat of a cowardly crybaby, but it became a lot gutsier and more enthusiastic when it evolved into Loudred. However, not long after, Loudred became quite disobedient and dangerous to be around.

Next, Exploud falls asleep in front of the waterfall and Team Rocket successfully captures it. But not long after, Exploud breaks free and blasts Team Rocket off, releasing a loud cry in the process. Grovyle hears this cry and proceeds toward it. Grovyle makes it to the waterfall and stares Exploud down for a while, until they resume their previous battle as the sun comes out.

Grovyle charges in, and Exploud uses Stomp. Grovyle dodges and uses Pound only to provoke Exploud to strike back with Hyper Voice. After taking the hit, Grovyle lands a direct hit with Bullet Seed that knocks Exploud down. The rest of the gang then arrives at the waterfall and the real battle begins. Ash commands Grovyle to use Leaf Blade while Guy commands Exploud to dodge. But instead of dodging, Exploud takes the hit head on when Grovyle goes in for another Leaf Blade and Guy again commands Exploud to dodge. Exploud again ignores Guy's command and stops Grovyle's attack, while Grovyle breaks free using Pound. After Guy scolds Exploud to listen to his commands, it walks away just as Team Rocket prepares for another ambush.

Just as Guy notices Team Rocket in the bushes, James fires five heat-seeking corks at Exploud, but Guy pushes it out of the way just in time. As the corks return toward Exploud, Pikachu uses Thunderbolt to destroy them. Next, Team Rocket once again gets blasted off by Pikachu's Thunder and Exploud's Hyper Voice.

Exploud helps Guy up and it explains that it wants to continue training with him, making the two hug each other. After this, Grovyle and Exploud continue their long-awaited battle.

Major events

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

Debuts

Pokémon debuts

Characters

Humans

Pokémon

Pokémon Trainer's Choice

Pokémon Trainer's Choice: Medicham

Trivia

  • The English dub is based on the phrase "Loud and Clear"
  • While Team Rocket was trying to catch Exploud, James says, "Normally I say gotta catch 'em all but I think I'll pass on this one." He is referring to the original catchphrase of Pokémon, which had mostly been dropped from the franchise by this point.
  • Grovyle remains outside of its Poké Ball for the entire episode.

Errors

  • When Exploud was drinking the water from the waterfall, it was saying Loudred instead of Exploud.

Dub edits

  • The crosshairs in Team Rocket's bazooka are removed for the Kids' WB! airing. This was left unaltered for the Cartoon Network airing and the DVDs.
  • During the Boss fantasy scene, the glass that Giovanni is holding is slightly altered so it does not resemble a wine glass. The color of the glass's contents is also changed to be waterlike in appearance.

Pokémon Trainer's Choice

  • Question: Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Numel?
  • Choices: Heracross, Pichu, Medicham
  • Answer: OK, Trainers! If you chose Medicham, you were right!

In other languages



AG065 : Gulpin it Down!
Advanced Generation series
AG067 : Go Go Ludicolo
Project Anime logo.png This episode article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation.