GS024: Wired for Battle!

is the 24th episode of of , Season 3 of , and of .
==Synopsis==
When the most promising trainee at a Pokémon dojo abandons battle altogether, opting to gather information for his comprehensive Poké-database instead, it's up to Ash and friends to convince him that battling, and life for that matter, is more than just a matter of probability.
==Episode plot==
As the heroes continue their journey, Team Rocket plan their next move - to catch Pikachu and dig a hole. Meowth is pleased about the idea, but Jessie and James keep him quiet, since their foes will be alerted. As they go to sneak on them, a man approaches them, asking for battle, to which Team Rocket gladly accept. They soon see something moving in the trees and the thing appears to them, making Team Rocket scream. Ash stops, as he heard a scream, making the gang worried a bit. Team Rocket are defeated and run away from the man and his Pokémon. Ash, Misty and Brock hear a noise and see the Pokémon Team Rocket saw. Pikachu goes to attack, but Brock warns Ash that Scizor waits for Pikachu, so any wrong move will be devastating. Ash asks what to do and Brock admits he does not know, as it might be a wild Pokémon. The man appears, telling them he is the Pokémon's trainer.
Everyone relaxes down, but Pikachu slumps down in exhaustion, making Misty angry, as she yells at the man for letting his Pokémon loose. The man responds they were doing some training, so Misty yells more, as he should train himself, making Brock pull her away. The man apologizes and introduces himself as Muramasa, which is Pokémon is a Scizor named Masamune. Muramasa is impressed by Ash and Pikachu, seeing he was the trainer he was looking for. Muramasa shows them his training center, whose role is to get the trainers a safer victory in their battles. The heroes greet a student, who tells of Muramasa as a great trainer who decided to pass his knowledge to younger students. His Scizor was also named as the Crimson Streak, due to its power. Team Rocket observe and see that it is no wonder he has a Crimson Streak, while they have a losing streak. Ash compliments his Scizor, though a boy does not think so. Muramasa tells the boy, Shingo, to challenge Ash to a battle. Ash introduces himself to Shingo, who searches Ash's data on his laptop, making Muramasa frowning about that.
Team Rocket see they need to download info from the kid's laptop to research other trainers, but Jessie asks what does download mean. Shingo reads that Ash uses his Pokémon's power and often does he use rash decisions, which Misty and Brock confirm that. Shingo reads more and learns he lost at the Indigo Plateau, since his Charizard wouldn't obey him back then, so he was lucky to be ranked Top 16. Ash responds he is much better now then he was then and challenges him to a battle. Shingo replies that he will lose, making Ash riled up, but the other students know that he may be right, since he told them they'll lose and they actually did. He tells that he has the data that teaches him more than he'd learn through battling, so asks of his teacher, Muramasa, to find a challenger who can teach him more than he already knows. Ash is frustrated at those words.
Muramasa tells them Shingo is like that for a year; ever since he has that database, he sees the outcome of the battles and forgot the meaning of battles, choosing to study numbers and statistics instead. Ash stands up and promises to challenge him to a battle, to see the statistics are not correct in a battle. Muramasa thanks him, as he sees that he picked a good trainer to get Shingo back. Ash asks Shingo for a battle, but he refuses, since he knows everything and can win as long as he has the laptop. Ash pulls him to get him out, so Meowth plugs the cable into Shingo's laptop and signalizes Jessie and James he is ready. James goes to download the data, but Jessie pulls the cable. Meowth sees the laptop will fall down, so he gets it, only hurting to fall down himself. Jessie pulls the cable and sees it is cut. They see Scizor cut the cable and got Meowth, so he screams. Shingo and Ash heard the scream and see Team Rocket intimidated by Scizor.
James lets the heroes know they are after the data, so he and Jessie sends their Pokémon in battle. Shingo sees his computer and goes to get it. Arbok strikes, so Masamune appears and defends Shingo. Ash tells Shingo he will battle Jessie, but sees he is analyzing Team Rocket using the laptop. Shingo sees there is no data about them, so Team Rocket say that he does not have them and, as such, the database is incomplete. Shingo is insulted by these words and goes to prove them why they shouldn't be in the database. He sends his Scizor, Blade, whom Shingo knows it has never lost a battle. He uses the laptop to study Team Rocket, telling them to make the first move. Their Pokémon attack, so Shingo orders a Quick Attack. Blade hits Team Rocket and blasts them off along with their Pokémon. Muramasa is glad to see Shingo back to battling. Ash tells Shingo that he has to battle stronger trainers to become better, not analyzing data, like Shingo does. With those words, Shingo accepts Ash's battle.
Ash sends Heracross against Shingo's Blade. Blade starts with Quick Attack, who disables Heracross from using Leer. Heracross gets hit by Metal Claw. Blade goes to throw it, but Heracross manages to get down before being thrown away, surprising Shingo. Heracross uses Horn Attack, damaging Scizor before Shingo warned it. Shingo goes to analyze which move should he use, though Ash tells him he learned by guts. Heracross uses Take Down, but fails, as Scizor gets too fast due to Agility. Heracross relaxes, so Shingo is frustrated, since he needs to watch the battle and his data. Heracross uses Fury Attack, knocking out Scizor before it could use Metal Claw. Shingo orders Blade to stand up, so Heracross continues to use Fury Attack, so Shingo sees Heracross is much faster. Scizor uses Quick Attack, stopping Heracross before it used Tackle. Ash and Shingo compliment each other's Pokémon, so go to finish the battle. Scizor uses Quick Attack, but Heracross crouches, then gets Scizor on its horn. Scizor uses Agility and goes to finish the battle with False Swipe. However, Heracross takes the hit, then throws Scizor off balance, defeating it with Horn Attack.
Ash wins the match. Shingo sees Blade and tells his teacher he does not need his computer anymore. Muramasa sees Shingo has not forgotten what battling is truly like. Ash and Shingo admit they learned more today. Shingo tells he'll analyze the battle without the computer and will train harder, so he and Ash will have a rematch. Brock feels next time their Pokémon will be stronger as well. Meanwhile, Team Rocket limp away after their recent blastoff, with Meowth wishing the computer crashed instead of them.
==Debuts==
===Character===
*Muramasa
*Shingo
===Pokémon===
*Scizor
===Move===
*Metal Claw
*False Swipe
==Quotes==
:"Reaction speed .34. To Blade that's like standing still." - Shingo
:"Ok, Quick Attack will do it." - Shingo
:"Don't try to chase after it, Heracross. Relax and let it come to you." - Ash
:"Blade, stand up! STAND! They can't win!" - Shingo
==Trivia==
*Some shots of the Heracross and Scizor battle are digitally colored, foreshadowing the animation style of episodes from Pokémon: Master Quest onward.
*Masamune and Muramasa are both names of famous Japanese swordsmiths who lived long ago.
**Masamune was also the name of a warlord during the time of Nobunaga, who would appear as the Warlord of Avia in Pokémon Conquest.
*This is the first episode to feature another -type Pokémon other than Magnemite or Magneton.
*The "Who's that Pokémon?" in this episode is Cyndaquil.
===Mistakes===
*During the "Who's That Pokémon?" segment, Cyndaquil's arm was missing.
*False Swipe doesn't knock out a Pokémon, even though Shingo had Blade use the attack to do so.
===Dub changes===
*In original version Muramasa is Shingo's father. In the English dub he is only his teacher.
==Gallery==
==References==
Category:Episodes focusing on Ash