DP072

'''Pokémon Ranger and the Kidnapped Riolu! (Part 2) (Japanese: ポケモンレンジャー！波導のリオル！！(後編)' Pokémon Ranger! The Riolu!! (Part 2)'') is the 72nd episode of the, and the 538th episode of the Pokémon anime. It aired in Japan in a one-hour special on March 20, 2008, the day that Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia was released. It and DP071 were released on DVD in Japan on June 20, 2008. It aired in the United States on November 8, 2008.

Blurb
Pokémon Hunter J has trapped Ash and a kidnapped Riolu in the heart of a blazing forest fire so she can capture Riolu for her client—and Ash is unable to stop her from seizing Riolu and flying away! In another part of the forest, Top Ranger Kellyn recruits some Blastoise to quench the flames, but Ash must rely on Chimchar's Dig to keep him safe. As soon as the coast is clear, Ash sneaks onboard Hunter J's ship and confronts her in person, only to discover that she already knew he was there. Hunter J then ejects Ash from the ship in mid-air, but a timely rescue by Kellyn and Staraptor keeps the show from coming to a premature end.

As Ash and his friends consider their next move, Ash realizes he can use his Aura connection with Riolu to sense its location. Everyone saddles up on some Dodrio and sets off in pursuit, hoping to intercept Hunter J before she can hand off Riolu to her client. They reach Hunter J's rendezvous point, but they're too late: the client has already gotten Riolu, and he leaps on a Fearow and takes off with his prize! While Dawn, Brock, Officer Jenny, and Solana hold off the client's troops, Kellyn and Ash spur on their Dodrio in pursuit.

Kellyn's Dodrio leaps onto Fearow to bring it down, yet it still doesn't convince the client to give up Riolu. He flees into a cave and blocks the path behind him, not realizing that Kellyn can recruit a Donphan to clear the way and Ash can use Aura to find Riolu. The client is finally cornered and knocked out by Pikachu's Volt Tackle, his men are subdued and put in custody. As for Pokémon Hunter J, she escapes to hunt another day, but Riolu is safely headed home to the Paradise Kingdom. So for now, Ash and his friends are happy with a job well done as they continue down the road to Pastoria City!

Plot
J|Hunter J continues to burn down the forest, and succeeds in capturing in the process. and help all the Pokémon escape the forest, and Kellyn enlists three Blastoise to use  to put out the fire. Meanwhile, in the forest, escapes with the help of Buizel's  and Chimchar's. Ash sneaks aboard J's ship, but J knew about Ash sneaking on board and ejects him herself by first having Drapion grab him,then when Pikachu and Ash kicked Drapion, and landed, the ground parted, causing Ash to fall out of the ship. Freefalling, Kellyn uses a to catch Ash in midair. Kellyn learns from Solana that J's client also escaped.

With J's ship hidden and with no other leads it is left to Ash's unique sense of Aura and Kellyn's abilities as a to help them find it. Ash and friends ride to get to the rendezvous point, where the client picks up Riolu. After delivering Riolu, J and her troupes leave the client to battle Ash and company on his own. Ash uses Staravia to cut the tires on the van so the client can't escape; instead, he summons his and flies away on its back. Solana and Officer Jenny arrive, offering to take care of J's client; Brock and Dawn stay with them. The client runs into a cave and blocks the entrance with. He then finds the cave littered with tunnels. Outside, Kellyn and Ash follow the client inside the cave, yet the find the main entrance blocked by Aggron's Rock Smash attack. Ranger Kellyn sees a Donphan and captures it. Using Donphan's Rollout, they knock down the barrier, only to find the tunnels all covered up with rocks. Ash uses Riolu's Aura connection to find which tunnel the client went through, then uses Donphan's Rollout to knock down the tunnel on the farthest left leading to the client and Riolu.

The client, surprised that Ash and Kellyn found him and asks how they found him. Ash briefly states that Riolu told him. The client then send out Aggron to battle. Using Pikachu's, Ash is able to knock Aggron out and knock Riolu out of the client's arms. Ash then picks Riolu up and lets it out of the case. Later, Officer Jenny arrested J's client. Riolu's owner finally reunites with Riolu and thanks Ash, Solana, Dawn, and Brock for returning Riolu. Ash then remembers that he still has the little doll Riolu owns. He gives it back to Riolu and steps back only to get caught in its Aura communication, as Riolu thanks him for returning the doll to it.

Major events

 * J steals the special.
 * saves Riolu from J and J is working for.

Humans

 * Jessie
 * James
 * Kellyn
 * Solana
 * Officer Jenny
 * J
 * J's henchmen
 * J's client's henchmen
 * Riolu's Trainer
 * J's henchmen
 * J's client's henchmen
 * Riolu's Trainer
 * Riolu's Trainer

Pokémon

 * (J's)
 * (Client's henchmen's)
 * (Client's henchmen's)
 * (Client's henchmen's)
 * (Client's henchmen's)
 * (Client's henchmen's)
 * (Client's)
 * (Client's)
 * (Aura Sphere Riolu)
 * (×4)
 * (×3)
 * (×6)
 * (×2)
 * (×2)
 * (×2)
 * (×5)
 * (×2)
 * (×14)
 * (×2)
 * (×4)
 * (×4)
 * (×2)
 * (×2)
 * (×6)
 * (×6)
 * (×2)
 * (×2)
 * (×2)
 * (×5)
 * (×2)
 * (×14)
 * (×2)
 * (×4)
 * (×4)
 * (×2)
 * (×2)
 * (×6)
 * (×4)
 * (×2)
 * (×2)
 * (×6)
 * (×2)
 * (×6)

Trivia

 * Professor Oak's Big Pokémon Encyclopedia: Capture Styler
 * Due to Ash's sensitivity to Aura, which was first introduced in Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, he is able to sense Riolu from far distances, making the at least partially canon.
 * Solana has a different uniform than the one she had in her past appearances. The one she wears in this episode is based on Kate:0:0's from.
 * For an unknown reason, is not seen with Solana.
 * This is the second dubbed TV episode to not only retain all of its Japanese background music, but also use no American-made music (unless one counts The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon as a dubbed TV episode).
 * Dawn's Pachirisu used, despite the four Pokémon it was up against (, , and ) being part , and therefore immune to Electric attacks. This is an example of anime physics.
 * Jessie makes the comment that Team Rocket should "Climb every mountain. Ford every stream." This phrase is from .
 * Music from Destiny Deoxys, Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea and Lucario and the Mystery of Mew is used as background music.
 * This episode marks one of the extremely rare instances that Ash ever intentionally hurts a Pokémon, as he kicks J's in the face in order to escape from its claws.

Errors

 * Part of Ash's hair disappears in the closing scenes. This can be seen when Ash is talking to Riolu's Trainer.
 * In one scene, a Doduo has only one head.
 * J's pockets are miscolored in some scenes.

In other languages
de:Pokémon Ranger: Die Entführung von Riolu – Teil 2 EP541 DP072 DP072 DP編第72話 精灵宝可梦 钻石＆珍珠 第71集