337(AG61): Enter the Phantom Masked Coordinator! Summary.

[Zak]

In a deep deserted alley in Verdanturf Town, our old friend Shuu is having a battle against a mysterious phantom masked Dusclops trainer. Roselia is pretty weak already, as Dusclops goes for a Shadow Punch. Roselia tries to jump and avoid it, but the punch is too fast. Then, Dusclops uses Will-O’-Wisp (a blue fireball), which knocks Roselia out this time! The phantom trainer then laughs and sarcastically wishes Shuu good luck in the Contest Battle, and runs away in a gust of wind and black shards from his cape. Shuu then realizes that he is also a Coordinator…
Ash and co having reached Verdanturf Town decide to make a pit stop at the Pokemon Center before the Contest day. There they see Shuu and his Roselia being examined by Joy, and it looks like it’s in a terrible condition. They say their hellos, and Brock asks if he’s psyched about the Contest… and to their surprise, in a very disgruntled tone, he says he will not be participating in the Contest this time! May then asks what happened to Roselia, and he just sighs and says that Roselia was totaled in a battle, and it’ll take a few days to recover. He then walks out, and warns them to watch out for a Coordinator wearing a mask and dressed like a phantom, if they plan to participate.
May and co then stop at the park, and think a bit about what Shuu said, but while May is concerned, Ash is eager to have a trainer battle with this guy. J&J are also nearby, and Jessie’s interesting in giving this Contest a shot once again with Dustox. James is a little hesitant on her doing that, since she lost, but she doesn’t give in. Then they notice the twerps at the park nearby, and start to spy…
May sends out Skitty, and it does the routine of chasing its tail. After May gets it to stop, she has her try the Blizzard attack, which works pretty well! Unfortunately it’s hurting them, and May has to yell at her to stop. Next, May and Skitty practice the juggling talent, as May reminds her of Ayane helping her. May throws two balls at Skitty, and she juggles them both! After a little bit, May throws a third one, and Skitty keeps juggling… but a few seconds later, she messes up and drops them. Meanwhile, J&J get the idea that she’ll be using Skitty this time instead of Beautifly, and after seeing that mess-up, it’ll hopefully be easy… also, from the other side of the park, a young concerned boy is watching May and co as well…
May tries again, and this time she does better, as Skitty manages to juggle three balls for a while. After a bit, May throws two more, and Skitty keeps the five balls going! But then, it attempts a trick, and unfortunately messes up. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a strong wind of black ashes starts up again, and an oddly dressed trainer with a black cape and a mask appears! He introduces himself as “The Phantom Masked Coordinator” and they immediately suspect that this is the guy Shuu was talking about. Ash then introduces himself, and challenges the guy to a battle!
Ash uses Pikachu, while the phantom uses Dusclops. Pikachu starts with a Quick Attack, which hits Dusclops right on… but does nothing! Max then yells to him that Dusclops is a Ghost, which is resistant to such Normal attacks. Dusclops then uses Shadow Punch, easily getting Pikachu! Pikachu tries running and moving from it, but Dusclops keeps repeating muliple Shadow Punches, and they always hit. Suddenly, a big black limousine approaches, and for some reason as soon as the phantom notices it, it immediately returns Dusclops, and runs away, leaving a gust of wind of black ashes from his cape.
Ash and co watch as out of the car gets a chubby lady, who starts chasing the Phantom, and yelling to wait! As he runs, he suddenly trips over a tree branch and tears a rip in one of his white gloves, and scrapes his hand. Just then, the lady trips over a rock, and the Phantom gets away quickly. Ash and co slowly investigate the situation as she gets up, and feels a small object. She then realizes it’s a Pokeball-pencil, and seems to recognize it! Ash then asks her what’s going on, but before he can introduce himself, she immediately suspects them for scaring him off. She starts shaking Ash madly and asking what happened with him, saying that she has immediate suspicions that the guy is her son Kimimaro, and Ash knows something about him. Brock then stops her and tells her that they’re just trainers in Verdanturf on a journey. She then apologizes, introduces herself (Kimiyo) and gives them the basic gist of what the problem is.
Basically, Kimimaro is her son, who’s been acting shady lately. There has also been news of a “Phantom Masked Coordinator” who has been terrorizing Verdanturf Town. And now, she’s disappointed, because she has enough evidence that it’s her loved son, Kimimaro. She never dreamed of it being he of all people, and now she’s concerned about her own reputation in the town.
As J&J watch from behind the bush, Jessie cries as she listens to the story, almost envying Kimimaro. She also wants to be famous and as successful at terrorizing her town, or at least being under a secret identity. She thinks about being known as the most beautiful Coordinator, but James and Meowth sigh, knowing she doesn’t stand a chance.
Kimiyo drives them to their house, which happens to be a huge mansion! They go in, and she starts calling Kimimaro… meanwhile, up in his room, Kimimaro quickly puts a bandage on his hand, and starts reading his Coordinator manual for some data on Shuu… but then, he hears his mother’s voice, and quickly runs down. Ash and his friends introduce themselves, as does Kimimaro who appears to be a little shy. But then, Kimimaro says he’s rather busy, and starts heading up to his room. However, Kimiyo stops him, shows him his pencil she found that the Phantom left, and starts interrogating and scolding him of being the Phantom. He nervously tells her it’s just a coincidence, and says he was just writing with that same pencil upstairs. But then, she notices the bandage on his hand and asks what’s with that. He then quickly thinks up an excuse that he hurt himself, it happens to everyone, and then runs back upstairs…
So then, they sit at the table and ponder about if it really could be him. Kimiyo looks very disappointed, so Ash asks if her son Kimimaro has ever been a Pokemon Trainer or Coordinator. Kimiyo then looks at him like he’s crazy, and starts shaking him again saying that that’s an awkward possibility, since she hates Pokemon and wouldn’t want her own son involved in such things. Brock then takes offense to that comment and says that Pokemon can be really friendly and fun to be around, but Kimiyo just gets more angry and even suspects Brock of being the phantom! Then she just storms out of the room in anger.
Ash and co are getting ready to leave, but then a man comes in the room. He seems all depressed, and introduces himself as Kimimaro’s father, Tamuramaro. Then they get worried that he’s like Kimiyo, but he seems to have an idea of what they think, and says he’s nothing like that. In fact, he actually loves Pokemon and was once a Pokemon Coordinator himself. Then, he opens a nearby shelf, and to their surprise, takes out the same Phantom suit and mask! Slowly, he starts telling the story behind it…
Tamuramaro, having been a Pokemon Coordinator, also did indeed used to be the Phantom. When he was young, he was deep in love with Kimiyo, but she never knew he was a Coordinator. One day when they were at the park, she even shuddered and started clinging to him at the sight of a Torchic! From then on, he had decided not to tell her about his Pokemon Coordinator-ship. After they started living together, late at night after she was asleep he used to put on his Phantom suit and mask, and go out and train with his Dusclops. Many years later, they had Kimimaro, who was born to have deep interest in Pokemon as well, especially Coordinators. One night he was walking home. He then heard a soft moan, and decided to go check it out… and he saw an abandoned little Duskull! Feeling bad and wanting to help it, he took it home… but his mother gave him an angry greeting and told him not to let that thing in the house, and to get rid of it as soon as possible. So then, he sadly walked off with it, crying and wondering what to do. Hours later his father found him in the alley with Duskull, and apologized for what happened. Then Kimimaro noticed he was carrying a mask, collar, cape, and gloves. He asked what they are for, and his father said he understands how he feels, given that he was in the same situation. Then he offered him the suit, and told him that way he could do it in secret, without Kimiyo finding out, and he may keep that Duskull. He has been doing that ever since.
Ash and the rest of them then understand the whole thing, and that Tamuramaro is concerned that Kimiyo found the Phantom’s true identity. Especially now of all times, when there’s a local Pokemon Contest coming up! Then, they go up to visit Kimimaro in his room, and as he heard the knock he started to rush and hide the stuff, but stopped when he realized it’s his father. Within some time, they think of a plan…
Meanwhile, while Kimiyo is driving home in her limousine, she notices a cute girl and her mother giving her a cute Poochyena, as she’s about to start her journey as a Coordinator. She then starts to feel a little sorrow… and when she gets home, she finds May and Max in her yard with Skitty, practicing juggling. Before she can say anything, the wind starts blowing black shards again, and once again the Phantom Masked Coordinator enters! However, this time he has a deeper voice, as it’s Brock in the disguise. He’s up on the balcony of their house! She’s still thinking it’s Kimimaro, but then Kimimaro and his father come running out the door! She then gets the idea that it’s not him, and apologizes… but just then, Brock feels his hat being pulled off, and notices a rope… attached to J&J’s balloon! He struggles his best to keep it on, but they send out Cacnea and Seviper to help. Seviper Wraps around Brock, but he uses all his muscles to keep that hat and mask on. Ash is about to have Pikachu Thunderbolt them, but he’s worried that that’ll cause the suit to fall off. James then sends Cacnea to attack Phantom-Brock, but then May has Skitty use Blizzard, knocking them all down. Just then she’s worried about Brock’s disguise, but Brock managed to keep it on, and as Kimiyo gets closer he puts it all back. As he gets up, Pikachu blasts TR off with Thunderbolt. Phantom-Brock then cackles, and runs off.
While Tamuramaro is worried about Brock handling the suit, Kimimaro is happy that this is resolved for now, and Kimiyo is relieved to the idea that it’s not him, so she runs back inside. Brock then pops up behind them, and Kimimaro thanks him for the help. May then tells him that she’s a Coordinator too, and she’s gonna be in the Contest, and asks if he’s participating. He is indeed participating, so they both look forward to facing off against each other tomorrow!


Discussage.

~Zak

[Pewter City Geodude]

Quite the interesting episode there. I wanna see Brock in a phantom suit! Ah so it turns out the guy's father also has a Dusclops...cool. I was expecting it to end up that his mother has a change of heart and starts to like Pokemon, but that doesn't quite happen. Yay for the unpredictability of AG eps!

[Jamesology101]

There's still room for that to happen in the next episode. She'll probably be so impressed by his coordinating (that just doesn't sound right) that she's won over. Why doesn't she like Pokemon, anyway?

Sounds like a fun episode. I hope Jessie does use Dustox in the next contest like she said!

[Animelee]

She said something about Pokemon being dirty, wild creatures that'll stop Kimimaro from studying, and that it'll wreck the house. My Japanese is baaaad, so I could only pick out a few words.

Also, nice 'n' accurate as always, Zak! Keep up the awesomeness! 8)

[Chris 2.1]

Great guide! I SO want Jesse to enter WOBBUFFET!!! into the contest *Imagines it in glitzy glittery purple suit* hehehehe. The possibilities...

Neway, Nice seeing the PMC. I'm looking forward to this next contest! Skitty seems a pretty touch foe, so I reckon it'll master Assist to help against Dusclops

[Light_Togetic]

Thanks for the summary Zak!

Wow, this episode sounds really fun to watch! I like how Brock was involved, for once; even though TR kinda didn't do much. I like episodes when they involve people that rarely get involved. And Brock keeping the suit on is probably pretty funny! I can't wait to see him trying to keep it together! A decent episode, and we get to see Shuu again.

[Jamesology101]

Originally posted by Brit Chris
Great guide! I SO want Jesse to enter WOBBUFFET!!! into the contest *Imagines it in glitzy glittery purple suit* hehehehe. The possibilities...

I'm surprised the writers haven't hit on the comic potential of that idea, actually. Without a battle opponent to make Mirror Coat or Counter work, Wobbuffet would be completely useless in a contest, unable to do much apart from stand there getting Jessie more and more mad. Heh, maybe sometime in the future...