XY017: A Rush of Ninja Wisdom!

is the 17th episode of of , and of .
==Synopsis==
During our heroes’ journey to Cyllage City, Ash and Froakie meet a young ninja named Sanpei and his Frogadier. Ash challenges them to a battle, and Frogadier defeats Froakie with an impressive Quick Attack. Sanpei is about to take his leave when Ash asks him for some special training. He’s never seen anything like Frogadier’s Quick Attack, and he wants Sanpei to teach Froakie how it’s done!
Sanpei agrees, and Froakie enters ninja training. Thanks to Serena’s costume skills, Bonnie, Dedenne, and Pikachu get to play ninja too! Sanpei takes Froakie through a series of exercises designed to increase its speed, including chasing Frogadier as it jumps swiftly from rock to rock, leaping through the trees at an incredible pace, even moving its feet fast enough to run on water. As the drills conclude, Froakie is finally ready to try its own Quick Attack.
Just then, their training is interrupted by Jessie, James, and Meowth, who have grand plans to nab Froakie and Frogadier and form their own ninja Pokémon squad for Team Rocket. They manage to net Frogadier and Pikachu, but Froakie is just too quick for them—so quick, in fact, that it creates an illusion of being in many places at once. This unexpected Double Team attack overwhelms the villains and sends them blasting off again!
With all the Pokémon safely returned, Sanpei thanks our heroes for saving Frogadier. Ash reminds him that without his generous training regimen, Froakie wouldn’t have acquired the skills that allowed it to rescue Frogadier. And so, saying their goodbyes, our heroes once again hit the road for Cyllage City, site of Ash’s next Gym battle!
==Episode plot==
Ash is at a waterfall training Froakie, who uses Frubbles, Water Pulse and Bubble on the rocks. A voice tells them they still need a lot to train. Froakie notices something and uses its frubbles on a tree. It is actually covered by paper, behind which a boy is located and commends them for noticing him. The heroes are surprised, for that is a ninja, who vanishes. Froakie releases Frubbles onto some leaves. Ash and Froakie head there, but see a Pokémon, Frogadier. Froakie's evolved form. Frogadier, as well as its master, the ninja boy, leap through the trees. The ninja's name is Sanpei, while Ash, seeing Frogadier's skills, challenges Sanpei to a battle. Sanpei did want an opponent for Frogadier to battle against, but he thinks Froakie will not be powerful enough and lacks strength, angering Ash, who replies he does not know Froakie's battling strength. Sanpei sees that he may be right, so he accepts the battle.
Froakie starts with Bubble, though Frogadier evades and leaps on a tree. Froakie jumps to pound Frogadier, who dodges. Froakie repeats the attacks, but misses every time. He uses Water Pulse, but Frogadier vanishes using Smokescreen. Froakie remains calm and senses Frogadier, then uses Water Pulse. However, that was a decoy log with Frubbles, for Frogadier comes out of the water and uses Bubble. Froakie uses Bubble to counter, but gets hit, including the Water Pulse attack. Froakie tries to uses Water Pulse again, but Frogadier dodges the attack and leaps around Froakie using Quick Attack, which makes both Bonnie and Dedenne dizzy, and attacks Froakie before he could dodge. Froakie is hit hard against the tree, Sanpei tells As that the battle is over as no one has withstand Frogadier's Quick Attack, but Froakie stands up, still wanting to fight. Frogadier uses Quick Attack, but Sanpei feels something wrong about Froakie and used Ninja Leaf Shroud to teleport Frogadier to him. Sanpei tells Ash the battle is over as he gives Ash his Froakie, while Ash is not pleased that they lost.
Later, Ash has Froakie drink some water, thinking it is his own fault for not developing a good strategy. Sanpei comes and tells he is correct: they lack training. Ash is frustrated about this, but Sanpei gives Ash a pill made from Energy Roots. Froakie swallows that and is outraged, for it tastes bitter, but it felt much better. Sanpei laughs, for it did work. He leaves, but Ash stops him, wanting to know Sanpei's tactics. Sanpei decides to teach Ash, but lets him know first he has to train well and strict. Ash is still up for the idea, while Bonnie asks to become a ninja. Serena opens her kit and soon has Pikachu, Dedenne and Bonnie are dressed as ninjas. While the three "ninjas" train, Sanpei lets Ash know Froakie has to have its muscles as springs to learn Quick Attack.
Clemont's eyeglasses shine, as he introduces the newest invention, the "Muscle Mass Magnifying Machine". Basically, one has to wear the shoes with springs, which allow double the height to be jumped away. Clemont takes a step to show how it is done, but, by accident, he jumps so high he blasts off. At any rate, Sanpei shows a course of rocks and trees, which Frogadier jumps and leaps on. Froakie manages to do the same, while Sanpei, Ash, Bonnie and Pikachu also exercise. Sanpei and Frogadier speed up, as do Pikachu, Ash and Bonnie, though that makes the latter dizzy. Ash and Sanpei continue, while Froakie managed to become much faster. The next course is walking on water. Clemont replies that is almost impossible, by science. However, Frogadier demonstrates it actually can walk on water.
Froakie attempts to do it, but sinks in, while Frogadier laughs, which angers Froakie. Ash tries to do that, but he sinks as well. Sanpei tells that is impossible, even for him, while Froakie could do that if he repeats rotating the legs. Froakie bounces a bit and tries again, but fails. Froakie tries to do this two times, but fails. Frogadier demonstrates again, making Froakie frustrated. By Ash's advice, Froakie channels the frustration into the course and succeeds in walking on water. Everyone cheers for Froakie, but Frogadier is not too amused, making Froakie even more angry. Team Rocket observes this and plans on catching Frogadier. Ash asks for next course, but he and Sanpei are hungry. Clemont, Serena and Bonnie prepare lunch and everyone eats. Sanpei enjoys the food, especially the Fried Noddles and cookies, seeing it comes from the tales of his village.
Everyone goes for a nap. Ash wonders about Sanpei's village, while Sanpei replies there his eldest brother, Ippei, lives, with Greninja, as well as the other brother, Nihei, with Venusaur. Sanpei has a dream about defeating his brothers and be the best Trainer of the village. Ash replies he wants to be a Pokémon Master, while Serena thinks despite their different goals, they make good rivals. After the nap, the next course is leaping the trees. Sanpei and Frogadier leap and Sanpei tells Ash he needs to predict on which branch he should leap. Ash and Froakie manage to go well through the course, but they accidentally leap beyond the final tree on the end of the cliff. Sanpei throws the rope and binds Ash, warning him he should be aware of his surroundings when leaping.
The final course is to use Quick Attack to smash boulders. Frogadier displays, through speed, to smash the rock. Froakie increases his speed to smash the rock, but fails. Froakie repeats again and speeds up and tries to predict the next move, but the rock remains untouched. Frogadier tries to demonstrate, but it and Froakie dodge an attack, for Team Rocket appears in their mach, which looks like a robotic Meowth in a ninja suit. Team Rocket's machine flashes out, so Froakie and Frogadier barely dodge their attack. Frogadier releases the frubble, causing the flashlight to be covered and cannot flash out. Sanpei advises Ash to combine forces to defeat Team Rocket. The machine attacks by firing ninja blades at the two Pokémon, though Froakie and Frogadier use Quick Attack to dodge. Froakie lags behind, while Frogadier attacks the machine. The machine releases the net, catching Frogadier and Pikachu, though the latter tried to use Iron Tail.
Team Rocket attacks Froakie, who increases his speed. Remembering the training courses, Froakie creates illusions, using Double Team. Team Rocket does not know which Froakie is the real, allowing Froakie to use Water Pulse. Frogadier and Pikachu are freed, the latter uses Thunderbolt. Using Water Pulse and combing them, Froakie and Frogadier blast Team Rocket off. Later, Sanpei and Frogadier thank Ash and Froakie for the intervention. Ash thanks them, for their help, Froakie learned Double Team. Serena, Clemont and Bonnie think Double Team will help in Ash's future battles. Ash asks Sanpei for more battles the next times he meets him. Sanpei promises that and bids the heroes farewell. Froakie also bids farewell to Frogadier, then runs off to Ash.
==Debuts==
===Character===
*Sanpei
===Pokémon===
*Frogadier
*Greninja
==Trivia==
*"Who's That Pokémon?": Frogadier (US)
*"Pokémon Quiz": Frogadier (JP)
===Mistakes===
*When Froakie is dashing to hit the boulder once again, its hands are completely colored blue instead of white.
*The Vs. screen that appears before Ash and Sanpei's battle depicts Pikachu instead of Froakie.
*When Sanpei explains the final course, the front bit of Ash's hat is discolored.
==Gallery==
==References==
Category:Episodes featuring a main character's Pokémon learning a new move
Category:Episodes focusing on Ash