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Pokémon Ranger and the Kidnapped Riolu! (Part 2) (Japanese: ポケモンレンジャー!波導のリオル!!(後編)Pokémon Ranger! The Wave-Guiding Riolu!! (Part 2)) is the 72nd episode of the Diamond & Pearl series, and the 538th 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 1) were released on DVD in Japan on June 20, 2008. It aired in the United States on November 8, 2008.
Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.
Pokémon Hunter J has trapped Ash and a kidnapped Riolu in the heart of a blazing forest fire so she can capture Riolu for her client—and Ash is unable to stop her from seizing Riolu and flying away! In another part of the forest, Top Ranger Kellyn recruits some Blastoise to quench the flames, but Ash must rely on Chimchar's Dig to keep him safe. As soon as the coast is clear, Ash sneaks onboard Hunter J's ship and confronts her in person, only to discover that she already knew he was there. Hunter J then ejects Ash from the ship in mid-air, but a timely rescue by Kellyn and Staraptor keeps the show from coming to a premature end.
As Ash and his friends consider their next move, Ash realizes he can use his Aura connection with Riolu to sense its location. Everyone saddles up on some Dodrio and sets off in pursuit, hoping to intercept Hunter J before she can hand off Riolu to her client. They reach Hunter J's rendezvous point, but they're too late: the client has already gotten Riolu, and he leaps on a Fearow and takes off with his prize! While Dawn, Brock, Officer Jenny, and Solana hold off the client's troops, Kellyn and Ash spur on their Dodrio in pursuit.
Kellyn's Dodrio leaps onto Fearow to bring it down, yet it still doesn't convince the client to give up Riolu. He flees into a cave and blocks the path behind him, not realizing that Kellyn can recruit a Donphan to clear the way and Ash can use Aura to find Riolu. The client is finally cornered and knocked out by Pikachu's Volt Tackle, his men are subdued and put in custody. As for Pokémon Hunter J, she escapes to hunt another day, but Riolu is safely headed home to the Paradise Kingdom. So for now, Ash and his friends are happy with a job well done as they continue down the road to Pastoria City!
Plot
This plot summary is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this plot summary to add missing sections and complete it.
Hunter J continues to burn down the forest, and succeeds in capturing Riolu in the process. Dawn and Brock help all the Pokémon escape the forest, and Kellyn enlists three Blastoise to use Rain Dance to put out the fire. Meanwhile, in the forest, Ash escapes with the help of Buizel's Water Gun and Chimchar's Dig. Ash sneaks aboard J's ship, but J knew about Ash sneaking on board and ejects him herself by first having Drapion grab him,then when Pikachu and Ash kicked Drapion, and landed, the ground parted, causing Ash to fall out of the ship. Freefalling, Kellyn uses a Staraptor to catch Ash in midair. Kellyn learns from Solana that J's client also escaped.
With J's ship hidden and with no other leads it is left to Ash's unique sense of Aura and Kellyn's abilities as a Pokémon Ranger to help them find it. Ash and friends ride Dodrio to get to the rendezvous point, where the client picks up Riolu. After delivering Riolu, J and her troupes leave the client to battle Ash and company on his own. Ash uses Staravia to cut the tires on the van so the client can't escape; instead, he summons his Fearow and flies away on its back. Solana and Officer Jenny arrive, offering to take care of J's client; Brock and Dawn stay with them. The client runs into a cave and blocks the entrance with Aggron. He then finds the cave littered with tunnels. Outside, Kellyn and Ash follow the client inside the cave, yet the find the main entrance blocked by Aggron's Rock Smash attack. Ranger Kellyn sees a Donphan and captures it. Using Donphan's Rollout, they knock down the barrier, only to find the tunnels all covered up with rocks. Ash uses Riolu's Aura connection to find which tunnel the client went through, then uses Donphan's Rollout to knock down the tunnel on the farthest left leading to the client and Riolu.
The client, surprised that Ash and Kellyn found him and asks how they found him. Ash briefly states that Riolu told him. The client then send out Aggron to battle. Using Pikachu's Volt Tackle, Ash is able to knock Aggron out and knock Riolu out of the client's arms. Ash then picks Riolu up and lets it out of the case.
Later, Officer Jenny arrested J's client. Riolu's owner finally reunites with Riolu and thanks Ash, Solana, Dawn, and Brock for returning Riolu. Ash then remembers that he still has the little doll Riolu owns. He gives it back to Riolu and steps back only to get caught in its Aura communication saying to Ash Thanks for returning the doll to it.
Major events
For a list of all major events in the animated series, please see the history page.
Due to Ash's sensitivity to Aura, which was first introduced in Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, he is able to sense Riolu from far distances, making the movie at least partially canon.
Solana has a different uniform than the one she had in her past appearances. The one she wears in this episode is based on Kate's from Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia.
For an unknown reason, Plusle is not seen with Solana.
This is the second 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).
This episode marks one of the extremely rare instances that Ash ever intentionally hurts a Pokémon, as he kicks J's Drapion in the face in order to escape from its claws.
Errors
Ash's missing hair
Part of Ash's hair disappears in the closing scenes. This can be seen when Ash is talking to Riolu's Trainer.