Episode Stats:

Japanese Episode AG 026: "Konohana Zoku no Shuugeki!"

("The Assault of the Konohana Tribe")

American Episode 298: "Turning Over a Nuzleaf"
Ookido-Hakase Pokemon Lecture:  Pokemon Senryuu Contest information
Pokemon Dare Da?  None (Japanese), Treecko (American)
Japanese Air Date: May 22nd, 2003
American Air Date:  March 27th, 2004 

Satoshi’s training for his rematch against Touki leads him through an unknown cave.  There, a Dogomb is encountered, and in the confusion of its rampage Satoshi and his friends are separated from their pokemon.  Pikachu and the others end up outside the cave, where they wander around for a while before coming across a mischievous Konohana.  Satoshi’s Kimori attacks the grass-type pokemon, and in the battle that follows, the leaf on Konohana’s head is inadvertently cut.  An angry Konohana calls on its friends, who all work together to catch the gang's pokemon, one by one.  The pokemon plan to burn all of the gang's pokemon at the stake for damaging the Konohana’s leaf!  The Rocket-Dan, noting the Konohana’s ability to round up their enemies, decides to capture the whole group.  The trio launches an attack, but Satoshi and his friends are able to catch up before the Rocket-Dan is able to make its escape.  After a struggle, during which Heigani and Kimori start to trust each other, the Rocket-Dan is sent packing.  The Konohana apologize for their mischief and wave happily as Satoshi and the gang depart for another day's worth of training. 

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Thoughts
This episode was alright.  It wasn't anything special, but at the same time it didn't entirely suck either.  I guess it served its purpose well enough (to introduce Konohana), but at the same time I really wish there weren't so many episodes between the initial fight with Touki and the rematch.

Dub-wise, there's nothing really to report.  It seems like some standards are loosening up a bit, but other than that it's the same old same old.

Cut--1 second
A second is cut from the opening shot of the episode.

Cut--about 1 second
There's about a second trimmed from the first shot after the title screen (the one of Dogomb blasting everyone with its voice).

Side Note
4Kids kept the original tune of Konohana's little leaf flute thing.  That's great and all, but it's kind of hard to hear it when 4Kids drowns it out with other music in the English version.  Originally, all you heard was the melody of the flute, while the dub cycles through about two or three musical cues before the song is over.  It's a bit annoying when you realize that they didn't overlay any music over the PokéFlute song way back in the Kabigon episode, yet they've chosen to do it now.  I guess standards have changed over time. 

Side Note
I was surprised that they kept in Konohana’s threat to burn Satoshi’s pokemon at the stake (a literal translation of hiaburi) in the dub.  It's certainly a step up from when the Squirtle Squad was threatening to dye Misty’s hair purple, that's for sure.

Side Note
Does anyone else find it weird that Team Rocket would perform their motto to a group of pokemon, who, as they note in this episode, don't really understand what they're saying anyway? 

Cut--3 seconds altogether
A second is cut from the shot that occurs after Kids’ WB!’s last commercial break.

Also, two seconds are trimmed from the TO BE CONTINUED... screen.

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