Friend or Foe Alike! (081)

[Freedom]

i agree with wobbanaut about the dramatic tension in this episode. i also liked that misty showed she really cared about Ash when she went to confront Richie when she thought he had made the call. the scenario was alos hilarious. I liked that ash lost, it was so unpredictable. One of my fav eps.

[Hooray4Homestar]

I really thought that Ash was going to become the champion. Y'know, like how most main characters always win. Now, I just don't expect Ash to ever win the Pokemon League.

[pokemon fan 132]

Ah,yes the episode full of dramatic tension.Until the end i didnt know if Ash is going to come in time for his match against Richie,and after he lost i fealt really sorry for him.Ash didnt deserve to loose this battle at all,after everything he went through to arrive in time,and like it wasnt enough that team rocket exhausted him and his pokemon,his charizard also had to refuse to listen him.Anyway if all of this didnt happen im sure that Ash would have won this match.However,despite all this was a very interesting episode.

[(s.i.e)]

it was a good episode, they just need a bit more succes but for the rest it's good. 9/10.

[Igottapoo]

This was a nice and suspenseful episode. Rather comical how team rocket just wouldn't give up. I felt bad for Pidgeotto though. After seeing it fall like that.

[Littlemyuu]

It was a nice episode, i really tought Ash would win..
why Charizard..why?

[Icefiyre]

It was another of those Team Rocket humor episode ever. As a distraction, they would prevent Ash from entering the Pokemon League so he can automatically lose. They would perform those usual pranks to fool one or another. That's not important as I was so stunned that Ash lost the Pokemon League. After all of his hard work he showed throughout the season, his Charizard was the cause for not being obedient. Shocking...

[dman_dustin]

I watched this episode again and while it may have been okay the layout of the episode was just terrible. Not to mention Ash didn't command any of his Pokemon to attack (against Ritchie).

The battle was just terrible, and before the match and Team Rocket Ash got six Pokemon from Nurse Joy, surely Muk or even Kingler would've been a better choice than Charizard.

Oh well I guess this was the only way Ash could've lost since I doubt Ash would've lost if the match was fair on his side.

And I blame Team Rocket for not letting Ash use Pidgeotto and for tiring it out before the match, as well as everything else.

Edit: Although I have to wonder, what would happen if Ash played along.

Ash: That's right Charizard don't battle, pretend to not care, yes, my strategy is working.

I wonder what Charizard would've done then.

[dagon22]

The suspense in the episode was great. Poor pidgeotto, I really wish that it had been able to battle. The thing I hated was that Ash used charizard. He had others, why not use them?

[d36]

I Don't Like This Episode At All, But I've Seen Ash Lose 6-2 To Paul Yesterday & That Was Worse Than Losing To Ritche.

[Tadashi]

Ah yes, Ash had to battle Ritchie sometime. Team Rocket ambushing Ash before his match was fiendishly clever, I must say. I don't remember what their motives were, for making him miss his battle, but I loved his escape. He went through hell and high water (literally) to make it to battle with Ritchie.

He probably would've won if he weren't so worn out by all that journeying he did. Poor Pikachu and Pidgeotto worked so hard! And Charizard goes and blows the whole thing. I was so disappointed! But hey, you learn and grow, and being in the Top 16 is certainly an achievement for one's first time in a League. Bravo, Ash!

[Ash-kid]

Too bad that Ash lost. it was only because of Charizard, he was the guilty!

And Pikachu was brave. and loyal.

7/10

[DarthVader]

I really question Ash's wisdom in keeping Charizard with him when he could have had Muk or Kingler on his team. He knew that those ones would actually obey him..

But otherwise, this was a good episode. Ash losing so "unfairly" and embarrasingly (because Team Rocket exhausted him and his Charizard refused to obey), reinforces the point of the next episode. Which is "losing isn't so bad" and that there's more to life than just winning the competition.

[Ciccone]

Darn it!! I really hated Team Rocket in this episode. I mean, because of them, Ash's Pokemon were exhausted, not to mention he was almost disqualified

When he finally arrived I was like "Yes! This will be a two-part episode for sure!". Then he starts losing because Charizard doesn't want to bother battling.

So disappointing. I think the writers made a bad move. Ash lost horribly. I also blame Charizard. 9/10 though, since it was dramatic.

[JohnLee]

Darn it!! I really hated Team Rocket in this episode. I mean, because of them, Ash's Pokemon were exhausted, not to mention he was almost disqualified

When he finally arrived I was like "Yes! This will be a two-part episode for sure!". Then he starts losing because Charizard doesn't want to bother battling.

So disappointing. I think the writers made a bad move. Ash lost horribly. I also blame Charizard. 9/10 though, since it was dramatic.

Yes! One of the worst things that Team Rocket has done so far in my opinion. Too bad charizard didn't start listening til the orange islands or he would've won for sure!

[KGB13]

This episode was good but kinda disappointing. I thought when Misty confronted Richie was really funny, he was so innocent lol. The battle between Ash and Richie was the disappointing part. I wanted it to be more epic, but it wasn't, and then Ash sends out Charizard and the match was pretty much over.

[Antiyonder]

Again, I'm aware that some of the posts here have been made several years back. I'm just responding to give my opinion.

Does anyone else feel Ash would have won the match if he had time to put his team together? In other words i believe Ash was the better trainer.

i agree he should of won and he needed more time to select his team better.

His line up wasn't really the problem, just that his Pokemon were worn out from earlier. Aside from not having a Ground Type, he had the right types on hand.

The battle was just terrible, and before the match and Team Rocket Ash got six Pokemon from Nurse Joy, surely Muk or even Kingler would've been a better choice than Charizard.

Muk would be the better choice as Richie's last Pokemon was his Pikachu. Plus as we see, Muk can be quite the powerhouse.

[zodiacsage]

I will have to say it drove me crazy to see Team Rocket in the Indigo Plateau after the events in the previous episode. They robbed several trainers of their Pokemon not the day before and no one is there to prevent them from coming back. It would have been better if during the episode Team Rocket tries to get back into the area but a team of security guards with insanely powerful Pokemon just demolish them. The League Conference is a pretty big deal in the Kanto region and I would expect that someone would be there to at least prevent those bumbling fools Jesse and James back after wreaking havoc. This episode would have been way better if it solely focused on the battle between Ash and Ritchie. And don't even get me started on Ash's Charizard. I understand the Anime bends the rules from the game a little, so just because Ash doe's have 8 badges it does not necessarily mean Charizard would obey Ash no matter what. I just think that overall since Ash met it as a Charmander he had been more than good in his treatment of it so for such an important battle in Ash's life he should have at least fought on his behalf, not completely flake out on him.

[saar]

Ash's battle VS Ritchie wasn't that good, but I have to say I've enjoyed to watch it again. Ash's mistake in the battle was Squirtle. He shouldn't have to choose Squirtle in the first battle, when he knew Pikachu has a type advantage. Think about it, then Squitle would have managed to beat Ritchie's Charmander, and to win the battle. Learn from mistakes. Maybe next time.

[Advanced trainer Kai]

Too much build up with this episode, as for the battle,very disapointingly rushed. Should have been made into a two parter

Charizard was still a **** at this point, Team Rocket -sighs- really my least favorite episode when it came to them, I mean thats a bit much for Pikachu after failing miserably every episode prior and suceeding this one.