DP074: Pika and Goliath!

is the 22nd episode of Pokémon: DP Battle Dimension.
==Synopsis==
Before he can get to Pastoria City, Ash has to battle a slang-talking Trainer named Sho. Sho wants to collect a Pikachu evolution set and he already has Raichu and Pichu, so he has his eye on Ash's Pikachu—but Ash isn't about to trade. Instead, they have a battle: Sho's Raichu vs. Ash's Pikachu. Raichu isn't afraid to go head-to-head with Pikachu, and it also knows Hyper Beam, a move that Pikachu can't learn unless it evolves. Not only does Raichu beat Pikachu, Paul drops by just long enough to sneer at Ash for not having evolved his Pikachu.
While Pikachu gets some serious rest and recuperation at the nearest Pokémon Center, Ash takes out the Thunderstone he received in Vermilion City. Back at the Vermilion Gym, Lt. Surge's Raichu beat Pikachu and forced it to consider whether it wanted to evolve; even though Pikachu decided to remain a Pikachu, what if it's changed its mind since then? Team Rocket saw the whole thing unfold and they still think Pikachu should stay the same, so they swipe the Thunderstone when no one is looking.
It's just as well, since Pikachu decides to beat Raichu itself. After some special training, it's time for a rematch. Instead of relying on raw power, Ash has Pikachu use strategic moves and spinning tricks to beat Raichu. Sho admits that Ash's Pikachu is pretty good—but if they ever meet again, the result will be different!
==Episode plot==
The heroes are having lunch, when Piplup accidentally pushes Pikachu's food away, so they go to search it. When they find it, a Pichu eats it. The heroes go find them and see Pikachu is fighting a Raichu. The man who owns Raichu and Pichu notices Pikachu is not a wild Pokémon and wants to trade. Ash is not interested, so the man tells him he is not interested in anything, though he would like to complete his "full-power evolution set" with a Pikachu. To prove him wrong, Ash challenges him to a battle.
Ash introduces himself, while the man is Sho. Sho wants them to attack first, so Pikachu uses Thunderbolt, but does not seem to have affected Raichu, who shows off some real Electric-type power of its own with Thunder. Pikachu and Raichu collide with Volt Tackle and follow with Iron Tail. Pikachu uses Quick Attack, but does not seem to affect Raichu. For the grand finale, Raichu uses Hyper Beam, so Pikachu tries to dodge, but Raichu binds him to a rock with its tail and fires... Pikachu is badly hurt by this move and Sho leaves, telling Ash he is pathetic. Paul comes as well and also confirms Ash is pathetic, but proposes Pikachu should evolve. Dawn recalls Pikachu needs a Thunderstone to evolve. Suddenly, Pikachu collapses, so the heroes go to the Pokémon Center.
Nurse Joy immediately treats him. Team Rocket is also touched by the events and thinks Pikachu should not evolve. Pikachu remembers his memories of himself and Ash. Thinking of the last battle, Pikachu falls into a coma. Nurse Joy electrocutes Pikachu and after several times, Pikachu is stabilized. Later, Pikachu wakes up and goes away, but Ash gets him, though he wants a re-match. Ash remembers the Thunderstone Nurse Joy from Vermilion City gave to him for his Gym Battle against Lt. Surge. He places the stone near Pikachu, in case he wants to evolve. During the night, Pikachu wakes up and sees the stone and thinks awhile. The heroes enter the room and see Pikachu and the stone are gone, so they go to search.
Ash sees some lightning and finds Pikachu safe. Team Rocket also appears with the Thunderstone that they secretly stole to show its support, but leaves. Ash promises Pikachu to train it tomorrow. Next day, the heroes go and see Paul, who leaves without a word. Ash trains with Pikachu by spinning and see lightning, so they go towards it. They find Sho training his Raichu and Ash challenges him to a battle. Sho accepts, but thinks that it will not change the outcome. Ash wants Sho to attack first, so Raichu uses Iron Tail, but Pikachu evades and runs in circles. Still, one attack hits Pikachu and pushes him in air. Raichu charges with Volt Tackle, but Pikachu stops it using Iron Tail. Raichu uses Volt Tackle, but Pikachu spins to dodge.
Team Rocket watch the battle and cheer for Pikachu, although secretly. Raichu uses Iron Tail, but Pikachu evades running in circles and gets hit by Quick Attack. Raichu uses Iron Tail, but Pikachu spins and follows suit. Next, Pikachu charges with Volt Tackle and uses Iron Tail to deal massive damage to Raichu. Raichu uses Hyper Beam and binds Pikachu to the tree, though Pikachu uses Thunderbolt for protection. Sho is surprised, but Ash tells him size does not matter this time. Raichu uses Iron Tail and Pikachu does the same, but Pikachu links the tail and throws Raichu to a tree. Raichu uses Hyper Beam, but fails to bind Pikachu to the tree. Pikachu spins and uses Iron Tail, defeating Raichu.
The heroes and Team Rocket are happy to see Pikachu won, while Paul goes away. Team Rocket plan to sell the Thunderstone, hoping to make money off of it. Sho congratulates on Ash's victory, but promises the next time they clash, the result will not be the same.
==Trivia==
*Electric Shock Showdown premiered over a decade before this episode. The Thunderstone Ash received from Joy is not mentioned at any point between the two episodes although Ash was also given another Thunderstone by the Eevee brothers.
*113, Chansey's National Pokédex number, was often shown on the defibrillator used by Nurse Joy and Chansey in the Pokémon Center. In addition, 74, the number of this episode in the Diamond & Pearl series, is also shown just before Pikachu's health is brought up. It could also be a reference to the animation production joke A113.
*To My Best Friend and Pokémon Symphonic Medley were both used as background music for this episode.
*The dub title is a reference to David and Goliath.
*Ash makes an appearance in each of his previous outfits through still paintings of his memories from the day he met Pikachu.
*Pikachu's spinning aerial Iron Tail is visually identical to Pikachu's neutral-aerial attack in the Smash Bros. series. Red's Pika also imitated this technique in the Pokémon Adventures manga.
*Team Rocket doesn't blast off or recite their motto in this episode; instead they quietly watch the events from the sidelines in secret with high hopes for Pikachu.
*Team Rocket says they don't want Pikachu to evolve, but they tried to evolve it 53 episodes earlier.
*Professor Oak's Pokémon lecture: Paul's Electabuzz
===Dub differences===
In the Hindi dub, when Pikachu quickly tries to rush off to get Raichu during his recovery in the Pokémon Center, Ash asks Pikachu if he really does want to evolve into Raichu. However, in the original as well as in the English dub version, Ash just says that it needs to rest.
==Gallery==
==References==
Category:Episodes focusing on Ash
Category:Episodes focusing on Pikachu
Category:Episodes in which a main character's Pokémon refuses to evolve