EP143

Going Apricorn! (Japanese: クヌギダマとボングリのみ！うらやまのたたかい！！ and the ! Backyard Battle!!) is the 143rd episode of the Pokémon animated series. It was first broadcast in Japan on April 13, 2000, and in the United States on March 10, 2001.
==Blurb==
Ash delivers the mysterious GS Ball to a renowned Pokémon expert, but Team Rocket wreaks trouble when they attempt to harvest the Apricorns essential to local Poké Ball production.
==Plot==
 and talk with Kurt and his granddaughter Maizie over some drinks. Maizie thanks the trio for helping to save the Slowpoke Well and her grandfather. Ash brings up 's errand, the GS Ball, and hands it to Kurt, but the trio are left shocked when Kurt just declares that the GS Ball is some kind of Poké Ball. Kurt apologizes for not knowing much about it, but reassures them that he will look at it closer. Ash and his friends make a video call to Professor Oak and inform him that Kurt is now inspecting the GS Ball. Professor Oak is pleased and urges them to report any new findings as soon as possible. Ash asks about Kurt's expertise, and Professor Oak explains that Kurt is a famous craftsman who makes special Poké Balls using Apricorns. When Ash asks what an Apricorn is, Professor Oak tells him to look at the tree growing next to Kurt's house. Having spotted the tree in question, alerts Ash to a White Apricorn tree growing in the backyard. Professor Oak explains that Poké Balls made out of Apricorns have unique qualities that set them apart from regular s. His mind set, Ash runs off to find Kurt and get himself an Apricorn Poké Ball of his own, leaving the Professor still on the phone.
Ash calls out to Kurt, but Maizie tells him to be quiet as it is hard work making Poké Balls. Maizie, Ash, and his friends watch Kurt perform more work on an Apricorn Ball before placing it back into the kiln. Ash then repeats his request, but Misty tells him to not be so rude. Kurt, though, happily gives the trio a Fast Ball each as a thank you for their earlier assistance at the Slowpoke Well. Maizie adds that the Fast Balls are from White Apricorns and are used to Pokémon that run away. She also explains that there are seven different Apricorn types, each making a different Poké Ball. Ash is eager to get an Apricorn Ball of each color and Kurt agrees, provided Ash retrieves the Apricorns himself. Maizie offers to take Ash up into the mountains to locate the other varieties, and he happily agrees. also happens to overhear the conversation and sets their sights on stealing the Apricorns to make money selling them.
Maizie first shows Ash and his friends a Pink Apricorn tree, explaining that they are used to make Love Balls, which are helpful when catching Pokémon of a different gender. asks if he could use the Love Ball to catch Officer Jenny or Nurse Joy, but Misty tugs on his ear and pulls him into line. Ash spots some Apricorns that are growing on a tree and runs for them, but Maizie tells him they are not ready to be picked yet. The next tree they find grows Yellow Apricorns, which are used to make Moon Balls, Poké Balls that work well on Pokémon that evolve with a Moon Stone. Ash tries to pick one, but once again, Maizie stops her. A mysterious group of Pokémon appear from the tree, and Ash's Pokédex confirms that they are . Brock declares that he is wanting to catch one, seeing it as a challenge for any aspiring . He rushes over, but trips over a rock and headbutts the tree, which causes the Pineco to . Next, the group finds some Green Apricorns, which can be turned into Friend Balls, but run away when attacked by some . They manage to avoid their stingers after falling off a ledge.
The next tree the group finds is full of Red Apricorns, which are used to make Level Balls. However, when they approach the tree, they fall into a hole dug by Team Rocket. The evil trio stares down at the twerps and performs their . then lassos with a rope and Jessie puts him into an electric-proof jar. They then announce that they will steal all the Apricorns with a vacuum. Ash has pull them out of the hole with its . Just as Team Rocket tries to vacuum up the Apricorns, they fall into a hole by some . Pikachu is thrown into the air, but Ash manages to catch him and releases Pikachu from the jar.
After the distraction has been dealt with, Ash and his friends approach a tree full of Blue Apricorns, the raw material of Lure Balls, which are the perfect tools for catching Pokémon. Misty feels excited by this description, so she and Ash both pick one. Maizie directs everyone's attention to a nearby Black Apricorn tree, telling them that they're used to make Heavy Balls, which are useful catching Pokémon that weigh a lot. As Ash gets close, he stops after coming face to face with another horde of Pineco. Brock again prepares to catch himself a Pineco, but Team Rocket brings out a bicycle-powered fan in an attempt to blow all the Apricorns out of the tree. Instead, all the Pineco are blown out of the tree, while Brock tries to keep them from getting hurt. Ash has Pikachu use on the machine, but the attack instead helps the fan to become more powerful.
Suddenly, one Pineco tries bouncing up the hill towards Team Rocket and it tackles the trio off their bicycle. Team Rocket is left red-faced and decide to teach the Pineco a lesson. Jessie sends out her to give chase. James, in turn, orders his to attack, but it instead latches onto his head, as usual. Pineco craftily dodges Arbok and rushes towards Team Rocket again. At Maizie's suggestion, Brock throws the Fast Ball that Kurt gave to him earlier and catches the to get it out of harm's way. Victreebel and Arbok go on the attack again, but Pikachu evades them both. The next uses and hits Team Rocket’s Pokemon with a , knocking them into Team Rocket. Pikachu follows up with a , which causes Team Rocket’s fan to explode and send the trio blasting off again.
Maizie is glad the Apricorn is safe and thanks Ash for his efforts. Meanwhile, Brock calls out his newly caught Pineco. He apologizes for catching it under strange circumstances, but declares that they will be the best of friends. Pineco appears happy before exploding in Brock's arms, leaving its new covered in soot. The blast also causes a Black Apricorn to land on Ash's head, and he happily picks it up. Later, Maizie and the others return to Kurt's home to hand the craftsman their Apricorns, two Blue ones and a Black one, to be turned into Poké Balls. Brock asks if Kurt has learned anything new about the GS Ball, but Kurt remains clueless about the mysterious item. Kurt adds that the GS Ball is sealed by a powerful lock and asks if he can inspect it a little while longer, to which Ash and the others agree. Kurt then informs Ash that the Azalea Gym would be open, so Ash eagerly sets off to earn his second Johto League Badge.
==Major events==
* , , and each receive a Fast Ball from Kurt.
* Brock uses his Fast Ball to a .
* Ash and obtain two Blue Apricorns and a Black Apricorn and give them to Kurt to be turned into special Poké Balls.
* Ash leaves the GS Ball with Kurt.
===Debuts===
====Pokémon debuts====
* ()
==Characters==
===Humans===
* 
* 
* 
* 
* Jessie
* James
* 
* Kurt
* Maizie
===Pokémon===
Who's That Pokémon?: (US and international), (Japan)
* ()
* ()
* ()
* ()
* (; at 's )
* ()
* (; new; debut)
* ()
* ()
* (multiple)
* 
* 
* (multiple)
* (multiple; debut)
==Trivia==
* This episode marks the final physical appearance of the GS Ball, which is left with Kurt. The storyline is dropped at this point, and besides a flashback in No Big Woop!, the GS Ball is never seen again due to a planned arc featuring being scrapped by the producers.
** The Celebi arc was subsequently used as part of the fourth movie's plot, although the GS Ball itself wasn't referenced or even took part in the 's events.
* Like in the , Kurt has a White Apricorn tree near his house.
** Also like the games, Kurt gives a Fast Ball each to , , and for saving the Slowpoke Well, though this is only like , as in Generation II, he gives a Lure Ball instead.
*** Though Brock uses his Fast Ball in this episode, Ash and Misty's Fast Balls do not make any further appearances, nor are they ever mentioned again, excluding Ash's Fast Ball's cameo appearance in the fifth Japanese opening theme, Ready Go!, and the dub opening theme for Pokémon: Master Quest, Believe in Me.
* This episode marks the animated series debut of the Fast, Level, Lure, Heavy, Love, Friend, and Moon Balls.
** This is also the only episode in the animated series to date to feature Level or Friend Balls in any capacity, briefly appearing in Maizie's fantasy.
* The episode's English dub title is based on the phrase "going ape".
** The title can sometimes be seen written in the form "Goin' Apricorn!".
* This episode was partially adapted into the book Secrets of the GS Ball.
* Yet again, Misty doesn't seem to care about the type . This is because, as revealed in a later episode, Misty wasn't even aware that Pineco was a Bug type.
===Errors===
* When Ash is first shown holding his Fast Ball, the yellow part of the ball is missing the black lines through the middle that represent the hinges.
* When Ash, , and Maizie fall off the cliff while being pursued by , Ash falls off last, but ends up on the bottom of all of them on the ground.
* Near the end of the battle with Team Rocket, Ash tells Pikachu to use , even though Pikachu cannot legitimately learn Tackle in the games.
* In the dub, after dodges and , Ash tells Pikachu to use instead of .
===Dub edits===
* Pokémon Karaokémon: Pikachu (I Choose You)
==In other languages==
143
Category:Episodes written by Shōji Yonemura
Category:Episodes storyboarded by Yoshitaka Fujimoto
Category:Episodes directed by Toshiaki Suzuki
Category:Episodes animated by Izumi Shimura
Category:Episodes focusing on Brock
Category:Episodes in which a main character obtains a new Pokémon
de:Aprikoko Fieber
es:EP145
fr:EP143
it:OA027
ja:無印編第143話
zh:宝可梦 第144集