Amazon.com
In these three Pokémon television episodes, Ash is hard at work training for the upcoming Pokémon League Competition in the Indigo Plateau. In "The Ancient Puzzle of Pokémopolis," a training battle uncovers an ancient temple honoring Pokémon. With the help of a child-prodigy archaeologist named Eve and a song by an enormous Jigglypuff, the group discovers "the secret that soothes destruction" and sends the shadow Pokémon back into the shadow world. "Bad to the Bone" finds Ash betting all his badges against a fellow trainer en route to the Indigo Plateau. Upon discovering that Team Rocket has stolen the trainer's hard-earned badges, Ash vows to get them back--even if it makes him late for the league competition. With the help of Pokémon Pidgeot and Marowak, Ash reclaims the badges from Team Rocket and proves himself a "winner at life." The big day has finally arrived in "All Fired Up"--the Pokémon League Competition is about to begin. Ash feels honored and courageous, especially when he is chosen by the president of the league competition committee (Charles Goodshow) to carry the undying flame, which is rumored to originate from the Pokémon Moltres. When Team Rocket steals the flame and lets it die, Ash is despondent. Luckily Goodshow has an extra flame and some encouraging words for Ash. Only time will tell if Ash can win the competition or if he is, as many fear, out of his league. (Ages 5 to 10)
--Tami Horiuchi
