Episode Number: 009 (JP) , 009 (US)
US Episode Name: The School of Hard Knocks
Jap Episode Name: Pokémon Certain Victory Manual
ポケモンひっしょうマニュアル
Events: None
Credit: --------------------
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The episode starts out with Ash, Misty, and Brock heading to Vermillion City. Ash and Misty are still fighting about “the bike.” Brock becomes annoyed and offers to make crepes for everyone. He asks Ash to get some firewood. Ash starts to look for the firewood when he sees a few kids together. One of the kids is on a treadmill while another kid is giving him facts on Pidgey. Ash feels sorry for the kid on the treadmill and chases the other kids away. Misty and Brock show up and the boy says that his name is Joe. He explains to them that he goes to a school called Poke Tech and that he is in the beginner class. The other kids were helping him study. Ash wants to know the person that’s responsible for the program and Joe pulls out a picture saying that Giselle is. Ash also wants to know where the school is and Joe points into the direction.
Joe explains that trainers who graduate from the Poke Tech school are allowed to enter the Pokémon League without having to collect the badges. He says that there is a beginner level, and intermediate level, and an advance level. Misty thinks that trainers get more experience by collecting the badges. She beats Joe in a Pokémon battle with Starmie. Joe is shocked that he lost because he had a Weepinbell and Weepinbell is supposed to have an advantage against water type Pokémon. Giselle comes in and says that Joe lost because Starmie was at a higher level. However, Misty is tired of Giselle’s attitude and that the other people think that she is awesome. So Misty challenges Giselle to a match. Misty uses Starmie again and Giselle uses Graveler. Graveler wins and knocks Starmie out. She tells Misty that Graveler was at a higher level than Starmie and that was the reason on why she lost. Ash says that Pokémon should be treated with love and Giselle laughs. She tells Ash that he has been a Pokémon trainer for two months and he only has two badges and three Pokémon. She tells Ash that Pikachu is even weak. Ash and Pikachu get angry and challenges Giselle to a battle. Ash uses Pikachu and Giselle uses Cubone. Cubone starts the battle with a few Bone Clubs and Boonemerangs. Ash then commands Pikachu to use a few Scratch attacks. Cubone uses its Boonemerang attack again and hits itself. Cubone starts to cry and is defeated. She then agrees with Ash and admits that there are many ways to train your Pokémon.
This is when Team Rocket comes in. Giselle makes fun of them and reminds them that they got the lowest test scores when they were here. The other kids throw Pokéballs at them and Team Rocket is defeated. Joe tells Giselle that he is going to start collecting the gym badges. Ash, Misty, and Brock then head their way to Vermillion City.
