#18 "Beauty and The Beach"

• Thanks to censorship, this episode was not included in the English line-up, and is therefore labelled a "lost episode".
• This episode was later dubbed (and heavily censored) and was shown on Kids' WB! exclusively as a special in June 2000.
• This episode summary is taken from the edited English version, not the original uncut version.

    Arriving at the resort island of Porta Vista, Ash, Brock and Pikachu make a beeline for the beach. They take a dive, before Misty comes up to the shore asking why they weren't at their planned meeting spot: the local snack bar. Misty notices the guys gawking at her, and asks what's wrong. Ash says that "it's weird to see you looking like a girl". Misty is less than pleased with that comment, throwing a beach ball at Ash. He gets knocked underwater.

    Meanwhile, Team Rocket are in a strange-looking submarine, their brand-new "Mecha-Gyarados". After reciting their motto, they come up with a plan to head for the beach and steal wallets from all the rich tourists. But Jessie spots the twerps up ahead...

    Ash and friends are in a rather deluxe boat, and loving it. Misty asks Ash who it belongs to, and he says Brock is the one who borrowed it. Brock, however, claims he didn't borrow any boat. Ash claims he was just following Brock. Brock says he was just following Pikachu. I think they're in trouble...
    Before they can contemplate this, however, they crash into Team Rocket's submarine. The submarine starts to flood and sink down, while Ash and friends' stolen boat is out of control on the surface. They crash into a dock, and an old man, Moe, comes running up, demanding to know what they did to his boat, not to mention his dock. Ash apologizes, pushing Misty to the fore of the group. Moe blushes, saying that she reminds him of his granddaughter (yeah, right...).
    Misty says that although the group is broke, they'd be happy to work to pay for any damages. Moe agrees to the plan.

    Team Rocket have washed up on the beach, and are whining about the fact that their plans always get messed up. An old-looking woman, named Brutella, comes up to them, complaining that this beach is for her restaurant patrons only. James offers to be a waiter, and while Jessie doesn't want to tag along, Meowth convinces her that they need the money. Brutella says that working for her won't be easy--she can be brutal. The Rockets agree to work for her anyway.

    Ash and Brock are outside Moe's restaurant, trying to convince customers to eat there, but all the customers that arrive favor the restaurant next door--Brutella's Ocean Chateau. The group see that Jessie and James are working there. After Team Rocket insult the group, Ash calls out Squirtle, Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Pidgeotto, and sends them to work helping out at Moe's restaurant. Pikachu and Squirtle pass out flyers; Pidgeotto uses its Gust to keep the charcoal hot; Charmander helps with the flame grilling; and Bulbasaur helps Misty wait on customers. Their restaurant is soon very popular.

    Of course, Meowth has an excellent idea--old-fashioned sabotage! He uses a fan to make the flyers... well... fly; he pumps oil and gas into the grill, making it get a little too hot; and throws a banana peel into the restaurant, where Bulbasaur and Misty easily slip on it. Soon, all the customers are gone, flocking to Brutella's Ocean Chateau instead.
    Ash and friends, along with Moe, are looking very depressed inside. Ash apologizes, but Moe assures him it wasn't his fault. Misty can tell something is up, however, and says that there is no way everything that happened was just an accident.
    Brutella and Team Rocket enter Moe's place, and Brutella taunts that if this awful business situation keeps up, Moe might have to go out of business. Brutella couldn't care less if that happened, but she says Moe is in debt to her, and she wants the money tomorrow. If she doesn't get it, she'll just take his boat. Moe begs her to let him keep the boat, but Brutella just leaves, taunting Moe as she goes. Team Rocket follow.
    Moe says it's near impossible to earn that kind of money in a day, and he'll probably just have to hand over his boat. Ash says that the boat must be real important to him, and Moe agrees, saying he dreams of sailing it around the world. Ash assures him he can't give up on that dream, and goes into a speech about his dreams to be a Pokémon Master and how he'll never give up. He convinces Moe that the group can work together to pull the money in time, but they soon discover they have no clue how they'll do it.
    An old man comes up to the door, offering a suggestion. The old man is Professor Oak! Mrs Ketchum comes in too, and Ash wonders what they're doing here. Professor Oak says he'll explain later, and hands Ash a brochure for the annual Porta Vista Beach Beauty and Pokémon Costume Contest. It's happening today. Professor Oak explains that the people at the contest will all be looking for a place to eat, so Ash and friends could advertise Moe's restaurant. They'll clean up, and have the money they need by tomorrow. Misty says she'd like to enter the beauty contest, and Professor Oak agrees with the idea, saying that cash prizes are on offer. The group think their money worries are over!

    Later on, the contest is about to start, and Pidgeotto is flying overhead, dropping flyers for Moe's place. Brock is taking the part of the announcer for the contest, announcing over the microphone that it's soon to begin. There's $1000 on offer as a prize in each category. Ash exclaims that the place is packed, and Moe is happy that he'll be able to pay Brutella back. Brutella isn't very pleased at all.
    Everyone takes their seats, and Mrs Ketchum explains to Ash that her and Professor Oak are here with their tour group, the Pallet Town Volunteer Patrol. Professor Oak says that she's been worried about him, much to Ash's embarrassment. She asks if he's been getting in trouble, and he says no, before remembering the boat incident earlier and hesitating. Moe comes to his rescue, saying Ash has been a huge help.
    A fanfare strikes up, indicating the contest is about to begin. Brock announces that the first contestant is about to come on stage, and that first contestant just happens to be Misty. She comes out in her two-piece, with Starmie and Squirtle dressed up as a UFO, and gets an enthusiastic cheer from the crowd, before a gong sounds and Brock announces the next contestants: Koffing and Ekans, also known as the "Rocket Boosters". They come out, dressed up as the legendary Omastar. They're kicked off stage by a boy, who turns out to be Gary! He is surrounded by six cute girls--his fan club--much to Brock's enjoyment. Gary, up on stage, is humiliating Ash by showing off his fan club, and they sing a chant:

"Gary, Gary, he's our man!
He'll trash Ash, we know he can!"

    Brock won't shut up about the fan club, though, and Misty whines that with a build-up like that, none of the judges will even give her a second look.

    Meanwhile, back at Brutella's beach, she claims that she knew all along that Jessie, James and Meowth were from Team Rocket. She says that she repaired their Gyarados sub, but they have to crash the beauty contest and destroy Moe's restaurant. Team Rocket comply, jumping in their Mecha-Gyarados and setting off.

    On stage, Ash confronts Gary, and challenges him to a battle, but Gary declines, saying he didn't bring any Pokémon. Ash gets really ticked off, and Gary taunts that Ash will never be able to control his Pokémon if he can't even control himself.

    Team Rocket, in the meantime, have spotted the contest through their periscope, and crash the party. Chaos ensues (the crowd think it's a real Gyarados), but Ash can tell it's the Rockets, and makes an announcement for everyone to calm down, saying that it's just a fake. Team Rocket launch a heat-seeking missile towards the contest area, but Ash has an idea, and sends out Pidgeotto and Charmander. Pidgeotto flies Charmander over towards the missile, where Ash asks Charmander to use a Flamethrower. It obeys, and the missile is turned around, heading back towards the submarine. Team Rocket pedal furiously towards Brutella's restaurant, and they crash into it. The missile continues to follow them, exploding as it hits Brutella's restaurant. Team Rocket--along with Brutella--are blasting off again.

    Later that day, Moe's boat and dock are repaired, and he sets out on that trip around the world. The group say their farewells, and while Moe heads off on his journey, Ash and friends walk off, continuing theirs. Mrs Ketchum says that she is proud of Ash, and looks once more at the trophy she is holding. It reads:

"FIRST PLACE IN OUR HEARTS
Ash Ketchum"

- Blue Hiker