Episode Stats:

Japanese Episode AG 015: "Benkyou Shimasu!  Pokemon Toreenaazu Sukuuru!"

("Study!  Pokemon Trainers' School!")

American Episode 287: "Gonna Rule The School!"
Orchid-Hakase Pokemon Lecture:  Hassamu
Pokemon Dare Da?  None (Japanese), Croconaw (American)
Japanese Air Date: March 6th, 2003
American Air Date:  January 10th, 2004
Important Characters:  Tsutsuji (Roxanne), Kouta (Kenny), Takuto (Tommy), Azami (Anita)
Important Places:  Kanazumi City (Rustboro City)

The gang has finally arrived in Kanazumi City, and Satoshi is ready to battle in his first real Houen Gym Leader battle.  While touring one of the city's tall buildings, they come across Tsutsuji, a teacher at the nearby Pokemon Trainers' School.  She informs Satoshi that the school is right next door to the Kanazumi City Gym, so Satoshi accepts an invitation to visit the campus.  After going around for a while and seeing a number of different classes (including a class on Pokemon Contests, which piques Haruka's interests), Satoshi discovers that Tsutsuji is the Kanazumi City Gym Leader!  Later, the class is taken outside to practice battling.  Masato decides to participate, so he uses the school's Nyoromo to battle against a student's Bubii.  The battle is interrupted by the Rocket-Dan, who arrive in a giant Kemusso mecha to swipe all the school's pokemon.  The school's students decide to put aside their various differences and work together to defeat the trio, much to the delight of Tsutsuji.  After the Rocket-Dan is blasted off, the kids celebrate as Tsutsuji promises to battle Satoshi in the morning.  The time of Satoshi's first Houen Gym battle is at hand!!

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Thoughts
Well, it's time for another Gym Battle and, in typical Jouto fashion, we have a set-up episode before the actual Gym Battle.  The anime producers did a pretty good job of setting up the Pokemon Trainers' School, though I still have to wonder why Tsutsuji would choose to train only one type of pokemon when she has a room filled with all these different types of pokemon. 

As far as the dub goes, it's pretty standard.  The new kids all sounded pretty different from the usual little kid voices we're used to hearing in this show, and Roxanne sounded alright as well, even if she did underact some of her lines.  However, the school's principal was the highlight of the show, as his voice was so hilariously out there that I couldn't not laugh at him.  It seriously reminded me of Mr. Mackey from South Park when I first heard him, and I half expected him to tell the kids not to do drugs. 

Video Edit
I don't even know why I'm telling you that the episode was zoomed-in on again, and I really don't feel like wasting quality wit on reporting it.  So I'll go on to the next edits:

Cut--5 seconds altogether
A second is cut from the very first shot of the episode.

Also, right after the Iron Tail scene, there's a second trimmed from the various shots of the school / classroom / Masato studying. 

The scene that shows the Rocket-Dan blasting off (right before the final commercial break) is shortened by a second in the dub.

And finally, two seconds are cut from the very last shot of the episode.

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