Japanese Title: Pursuit in the Bamboo Forest! Yancham and Goronda!!
Original Airdate: December 19, 2013
US Airdate: March 29, 2014
What really makes this Ship Tease is the tone of Fennekin's voice before Froakie's blush.
Team Rocket get thwarted in a catch of the twerps' Pokémon, causing Pikachu, Froakie, Fennekin, Chespin, and Meowth to get lost in a forest that is the territory of Pancham and Pangoro.
This episode contains examples of the following tropes:
- Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: An Invoked Trope: James made the traps, Meowth plotted the capture, and Jesse gave the signal, the last of which she feels is just as important as the contributions of the other two.
- Asshole Victim: Pangoro blasts off Team Rocket repeatedly. In return they select him and his Bratty Half-Pint Pancham for a Not So Harmless capture.
- Blush Sticker: Froakie after cleaning an overjoyed Fennekin's tail.
- Help, I'm Stuck!: Chespin ended up stuck in the ground headfirst, and his feet are flailing comedically in an attempt to escape. Pikachu and Froakie find him like this and promptly rescue him.
- Hoist by Their Own Petard: Team Rocket almost get away with the twerps' Pokémon — until Meowth picks up the Conflict Ball and gets the threesome arguing about who deserves credit for the capture. This leads Inkay and Wobbuffet to get into a fight, and they end up blowing up the Meowth Balloon, blasting off Jessie and James without Meowth or their prey.
- Honor Before Reason: Meowth begs the heroes' Pokemon to let him tag along. Froakie advises against it, but Chespin wants to help out. Pikachu is skeptical, but gives in to his conscience and agrees.
- Naïve Newcomer: Chespin. The only reason Pikachu and Froakie agree to help Meowth is because of Chespin's insistence.
- Properly Paranoid: When Meowth first asks for help from his initial predicament, Pikachu's response is incredibly jaded, as if he knows a backstab is inevitable. It's like he's saying, "Meowth, Meowth, Meowth. Do you remember what happened the last time we helped you? I do."
- Security Blanket: The Pangoro loses all its aggressiveness and becomes a meek sort when it loses its leaf.
- Wins by Doing Absolutely Nothing: The way Jessie catches Pumpkaboo. All she does is non-chalantly toss a Poké Ball at her. She puts up no resistance. It was easier, and with even less reason, than Inkay.
