JN041

Pikachu Translation Check... / Up to Your Neck! (Japanese: ピカチュウ アテレコ大作戦！／半分、ヌマクロー。 The Great Pikachu Dubbing Operation! / Half a ) is the 41st episode of Pokémon Journeys: The Series, and the 1,126th episode of the Pokémon animated series. It first aired in Japan on October 16, 2020 and in the United States on March 5, 2021.
==Blurb==
Meowth has a cold, so Jessie and James decide to practice their Pikachu translation skills by watching a video of Pikachu and guessing what it says! Jessie goes first, portraying Pikachu as a snob; James offers a friendlier version. They agree that Pikachu loves them, but Meowth’s not about to reveal the truth…
Then, Ash and Goh find a Marshtomp buried in hard, dry ground! Realizing that it had been playing in the mud when the ground dried out, our heroes decide to help as its friends look on. After some failed attempts, a Ludicolo appears; it uses Rain Dance to soften the ground…but then Marshtomp’s friends get stuck, too!
==Plot==
===Pikachu Translation Check...===
Inside 's Vermilion City secret base, James carefully stacks s to beat his personal record. Jessie is initially impressed by James's hidden talent, before declaring that it really isn't any use to their evil operations. Feeling dejected, James and his Poké Ball stack come crashing down as a result. , meanwhile, emerges with a mask on his face and reveals that he has come down with a sudden cold. Jessie and James suggest he gets some rest, offering him warm blankets and a cool towel. Jessie asks Meowth if he wants anything to eat, but Meowth suspects his teammates plan to slack off while he is sick as they list a heap of treats for themselves. In his weary state, Meowth declares that there is one thing Team Rocket is missing, but he collapses before he can reveal the answer.
As they set Meowth up to rest, Jessie and James try to think of what to do in the meantime. reveals a drone and clicks on the television set, showing Jessie and James some footage of Ash's Pikachu. They marvel at Pikachu's speed before Jessie unveils their next scheme "Operation Get Pikachu For Sure". Jessie explains that they have always needed Meowth to translate Pikachu's speech, but if they dub over the footage, they will truly be able to understand Pikachu for themselves. Meowth overhears the scheme, remarking to himself that it isn’t bad, but worries that he won't be needed by his teammates. Jessie tries to shake Meowth awake, hoping Meowth can review their dubbing efforts, but Meowth instead faints from illness again. Realizing Meowth needs to rest, Jessie orders Wobbuffet to roll the footage. Jessie's attempt at dubbing Pikachu only infuriates James, who declares that she has made Pikachu sound unusually pompous and obnoxious. Jessie is quick to pick apart James's more sincere attempt, criticising him for adding "Pi" to the end of every sentence. The situation quickly descends into an argument. James suggests some closer analysis is in order, so Wobbuffet scrolls for a Pikachu close-up. The scene played shows a Team Rocket blast off with the camera focusing on Pikachu saying something afterwards. James rewinds and replays the footage. He notices the twinkling gaze in Pikachu's eyes, before declaring that Pikachu is nice natured and must be bidding them farewell. James's pure-hearted interpretation brings himself and Jessie to tears, both declaring that they love Pikachu as well. Meowth, meanwhile, remains silent but struggles with the thought of telling his teammates what Pikachu really said.
Meowth has since recovered after a day of rest, so Team Rocket summons the Rocket Prize Master to begin their next scheme. They receive two Poké Balls, and inside they receive only leaflets with the day's two episode titles, and they realize one of them is for the part of the episode that had just ended; breaking the fourth wall.
===Up to Your Neck!===
 and Goh take a walk through the forest, making sure to soak up the sun after several stormy days. They come to a stop when they see a stuck in the ground. Goh scans it with his Rotom Phone, learning that Marshtomp require wet conditions to keep their skin from drying out. Acting swiftly, Ash tries to break open the hardened ground with a stick, but this fails. Goh suggests that he should Marshtomp to free it, but the Ball fails to capture it due to it being firmly stuck in place. Ash spots a group of Marshtomp watching from afar, and suggests having them use to free their friend. The other Marshtomp, however, are too timid and step backwards as Ash approaches. Goh realizes his type could assist, but it instead panics from the pressure and camouflages itself. Next, Goh turns to a bucket relay strategy to free the trapped Marshtomp, by scooping water from a nearby stream with leaves. However this proves tedious, while Ash also trips and spills the first load of water. Ash tries his own Water Gun, but Goh dismisses the idea of carrying water in their mouths as silly.
Pikachu leads everyone back to the trapped Marshtomp, scaring its friends away in the process. Fearing that the situation is going to get worse, Ash and Goh struggle to think of an alternative plan. A passing offers them hope, but it proves to be an absent-minded individual. It fails to understand Ash and Goh's command for a and instead summons the glaring sun with . Goh pleads with Ludicolo to use Rain Dance, but the message still doesn't get through. Ludicolo stares at the helpless Marshtomp for a few moments before beginning to dance and clap on the spot as it finally performs Rain Dance, summoning rain clouds. The rainwater soaks into the parched ground, allowing Marshtomp to struggle free of the mud. Ludicolo pulls Marshtomp out, before twirling it around as it continues its Rain Dance. The other Marshtomp are overjoyed and start dancing alongside their rescued friend and Ludicolo. Ash and Goh are pleased with the result, and soon leave the wild Pokémon to enjoy the rainy weather.
Ash and Goh return to the same spot the next day. Much to their astonishment, they find all of the Marshtomp now buried in the ground and no Ludicolo in sight to help.
==Major events==
* Goh tries and fails to a .
===Debuts===
====Pokémon debuts====
==Characters==
===Humans===
* 
* Goh
* Jessie
* James
* s (video)
===Pokémon===
Who's That Pokémon?: 
* ()
* ()
* ()
* ()
* ()
* (Professor Cerise's; Rotom Phone)
* (; voice only)
* (; video)
* (Trainer's; video)
* (Trainer's; video)
* (; )
* (multiple)
* 
==Trivia==
* Get Inspired! Let's Solve a Poké Riddle!!: 
* This was the last episode to air before The Crown Tundra was released for Pokémon Sword and Shield.
* Goh does not appear in the first segment.
* This episode reconfirms the fact seen in Rise and Shine, Starship! that a Poké Ball will fail to a Pokémon if it is too firmly attached to the ground.
* The two Pokémon featured in the second segment, Marshtomp and , are two Pokemon species caught in Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire.
* The episode's opening theme and title cards are shown in between the two segments, instead of at the beginning of the episode. The first segment's title card is shown after the segment ends, which then leads to the opening theme and the second title card.
* In this episode, Jessie and James read the first title card, and Ash and Goh read the second title card.
* breaks the fourth wall when the Rocket Prize Master gives them the episode's two titles, and they realize one of them is for the part of the episode that had just ended.
* Instead of , and appear on the title cards; Wobbuffet appears in the first one, and Meowth appears in the second one.
* This episode marks one of the rare occasions in which a member of Team Rocket refers to one of the main protagonists by name. In this occasion, James mentions by his name while dubbing over Pikachu.
* Ash, Goh, and Pikachu narrate the preview for the next episode.
JN041 Title Card Part 1.png|The title card featuring 
JN041 Title Card Part 2.png|The title card featuring 
===Errors===
* Several times when Team Rocket is planning their next scheme, the sound of Wobbuffet popping out of his Poké Ball can be heard, despite already being out.
* In the first segment of the episode, when Jessie points at the television screen while proposing the idea of a game, her glove is missing.
* The episode listing only contains the title for the first part of this episode.
===Dub edits===
* The opening and the first title card are moved to near the beginning of the episode, appearing when Meowth makes his realization of what Team Rocket needs to succeed.
** As a result, Meowth doesn't appear during it to inform the audience of the next segment.
* Unlike in the Japanese version, Wobbuffet's voice is heard during the first title card.
* In the n dub, James mentions already having dubbed over Pikachu's voice before. This is a reference to James's voice actor, José Antonio Macías, also voicing in the Latin American version of .
==In other languages==
041
Category:Episodes written by Deko Akao
Category:Episodes storyboarded by Kaori Higuchi
Category:Episodes storyboarded by Kunihiko Yuyama
Category:Episodes directed by Yoshitaka Makino
Category:Episodes animated by Yoshitaka Yanagihara
Category:Episodes animated by Akihiko Oka
Category:Episodes by multiple storyboarders
Category:Episodes by multiple animation directors
Category:Episodes focusing on Team Rocket
Category:Episodes with two segments
de:Pikachu ergibt Sinn ... Bis zum Kinn!
es:EP1130
fr:LV041
it:EP041
ja:新無印編第41話
zh:宝可梦 旅途 第41集