Friend or Foe Alike! (081)

[AdrenalinDragon]

Ah! I remember seeing this episode the first time when it was new. I think its quite shocking that Ash actually loses, but then again, I felt it was unfair that Team Rocket screwed him over as usual (Can't they give this guy a break for once?). I did find the part with Charizard disobeying Ash rather funny in this one, but seriously, Ash should have beaten Richie in this battle. If only he didn't use Squirtle so early, but nevertheless a superb episode and I'll give it a 9.5 out of 10. I loved the part where Misty came up into the stadium and almost got into a fight with Richie. XD

[G50]

I really didn't like this episode. Ash was at such a serious disadvantage after TR screwed him over! Charizard just had to make things worse for the battle and Ash ended up losing to his new friend. It's not often I don't like an important battle episode.

0.5/100

[Aquarelle]

I think this was one of the only times where I was mad that Ash lost a battle. O__o
I wanted him to win this one, seeing as I didn't care for Ritchie that much.

Charizard really screwed Ash over by deciding to go to sleep on the battle field. I was hoping that Charizard would realize that this was a very important match and decide to obey Ash for once. I was really disappointed when it didn't. ;___;

If Team Rocket hadn't kidnapped Ash like that, then Pidgeotto would have been able to battle and then maybe he would have won. >__>
But I must say, that Ritchie puppet doll Team Rocket used to trick Ash was funny.

[Caseydia]

Man, Misty is a real jerk sometimes and the Charizard thing couldn't have come up in the worst of times. It would have been better if Team Rocket made him miss the match then to see him lose like that. Damn! The writers were so not on Ash's side in Kanto.

[Vern]

Worst episode in the anime. Bar none. Even today as an adult I still wonder why they let Ash lose a battle like this. This episode is probably the reason as to why I dislike Ritchie so much. He seems like a perfect version of Ash. I'd would rather have seen a Tobias-esque beat down to this thing.

[AquaMilotic]

I don't like Ash, but I still think he didn't deserve to lose. He was unable to use Pidgeotto (who was tired because of flying Ash to the stadium), Pikachu and Squirtle were tired from battling Team Rocket and Charizard didn't listen. Also, the rule of counting Charizard as defeated when it refused to battle was stupid. I'm sure Charizard would have gotten angry and roasted that Sparky with Flamethrower if Sparky would have attacked Charizard.

The Ritchie puppet / voice was awesome and hilarious!

It was great of Ritchie to ask the referee to wait for Ash, and that he wanted a battle, not an automatic win because Ash didn't show up.

[Calamity™]

It's Aerodactyl!
I love how Jessie imitated Richie so well, and it was surprising to see how Ash used his brain in trying to get out of that van. It was funny to see how persistent Team Rocket were in this episode, they just wouldn't let Ash go. lol
It was nice to see Richie being a good sport and asking for them to wait for Ash. Although Ash's Pokémon were tired from the previous events, I think Richie was still more deserving to win, so I'm glad he did. It's about time Ash didn't win everything! Besides if Ash was at this level and his Charizard still wouldn't obey him, he didn't deserve to win at all. If I was Ash I would have just released Charizard after that. I quite liked this episode. (:

[Angel~]

Misty getting pissed at Ritchie for falling for the fake Ritchie voice that Jessie set up was funny. Ash suffered a lot in this episode because of TR. Pidgeotto was a hero for flying Ash to the stadium. I really wanted to see a good battle between him & Ritchie, he didn't deserve to lose. It's all TR's fault! Too bad they never fought again.

[Caseydia]

I wonder what have happened if Richie hadn't told the referree to hold on the damn match. It's amazing on how much faith he had that he would show up even though they just met a few episodes ago. And Team Rocket are nothing but fools.

[AquaMilotic]

I wonder what have happened if Richie hadn't told the referree to hold on the damn match.

Then Ritchie would have won automatically, without battling.

[G50]

I think Pidgeotto would've helped Ash greatly against Charmander and Butterfree, and then Pikachu could've tied with Sparky if Ash didn't have to deal with TR, oh well.

TR's Ritchie puppet and fake voice was very amusing to see.

[7threst]

I bet that if Ash had taken more time to train all of his Pokémon, Ritchie wouldn't stand a chance against Ash. But perhaps this is a good thing - considering the fact Ash learns a lot from this defeat and drastically changes from his ego-form to something a little more matured.

[pacman000]

I've always thought Ash loosing was one of the few artistic things the writers did in the first season. We knew he was going to win; he always won. Then he lost. Re-watching the show, I realized the writers did a bit of for shadowing in the episodes before Ash went to the league. Every episode mentioned that Ash's should be training, but he wasn't.

[AhTreyYou]

Ash could of used Kingler, Muk, Tauros, Bulbasaur, Squirtle and Pidgeotto and he chose the disobedient Charizard tsk tsk

[Demon Kitsune Yoko Kurama]

Good gosh darn it. Team Rocket, why would you do this? Well, Ash should learn from this, having too much confidence will only get you no where.

[iraqmaster]

Ash could of used Kingler, Muk, Tauros, Bulbasaur, Squirtle and Pidgeotto and he chose the disobedient Charizard tsk tsk

i never understood why he never chose Tauros, Muk or Kingler to battle instead of Charizard...

[Demon Kitsune Yoko Kurama]

i never understood why he never chose Tauros, Muk or Kingler to battle instead of Charizard...

Because Charizard was on him.

[marioluigifan05]

I agree with everyone who said Richie didn't deserve to win, Ash could have beat him if it weren't for TR, maybe even win the Kanto elague.