DP029

The Champ Twins! (Japanese: サトシとヒカリ！タッグバトルで大丈夫！？  and ! Any Need to Worry in a Tag Battle!?) is the 29th episode of the, and the 495th episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on April 12, 2007 as part of a one-hour special with DP028, and in the United States on September 22, 2007.

Blurb
Ash and his friends have come across a newsworthy diversion: two notorious Pokémon Trainers who've won 16 battles in a row, attracting the attention of Rhonda the reporter and her Sinnoh Now news team. Ash wants to battle these Champ Twins, Bryan and Ryan, but they only have tag battles. So while the cameras are rolling, Ash and Dawn team up to battle Bryan's Croconaw and Ryan's Quilava with Turtwig and Piplup.

Ash and Dawn are eager to show their stuff, but their teamwork could use much more work! The two of them don't coordinate moves so soon Piplup and Turtwig are getting in each other's way, and once Ash and Dawn are arguing too, the battle's as good as lost. Bryan and Ryan win the battle, which only starts another argument between Ash and Dawn—and Turtwig and Piplup too! Once they come to their senses, they apologize and resolve to take on the Champ Twins again, this time as a real tag team.

One small problem with this plan: Team Rocket has lured the Champ Twins into a pit trap and stolen their Pokémon! When Ash and Dawn discover the theft, they show off their new teamwork and defeat Team Rocket to get Croconaw and Quilava back. Now Ash and Dawn can battle the Champ Twins again, and this time their improved coordination wins the day!

Plot
On their way to Eterna City, and  encounter a reporter who introduces herself as  from Sinnoh Now. explains to Ash that Sinnoh Now is the most popular television show in the whole Sinnoh region. Rhonda says that she is doing a news story on a Pokémon Training Camp ahead and also tells them that her main focus is two Trainers that truly test the strength of all their challengers. Suddenly, however, she is interrupted by her boom operator, Jack, who drops the microphone on her head. Rhonda then scolds the man, after which Jessie appears in front of the camera with a blatant cowgirl disguise, with James and in similar disguises nearby. After showing off in front of the camera for a while, Jessie is dragged off by one of the Sinnoh Now staff.

The group then arrive at the camp, and come across two Trainers who are talking about their recent loss to the two Trainers that Rhonda had mentioned before. Whilst searching for them, the group see a few Pokémon who had just lost against two twin boys with a and a. They introduce themselves as the "Champ Twins", Ryan and Bryan. When requested to battle, they tell Ash that they only participate in Tag Battles. Brock explains to Dawn about Tag Battles, and Dawn agrees to join up with Ash. Ash and Dawn send out and, respectively, and are ready to battle when the Sinnoh Now staff appear again to introduce the twins to the camera. Jack drops the microphone on Rhonda's head again, who angrily warns him not to do it again. The Trainers agree to let Rhonda film the battle.

Ryan's Quilava begins the battle by using, which Ash's Turtwig dodges. Quilava attacks again, but this time when Turtwig dodges, it accidentally runs into Dawn's Piplup. Ash and Dawn start arguing for some unknown reason, and in their haste to recover, Piplup trips and collides with Turtwig again. The two Trainers argue even more, with their Pokémon exchanging attacks. Even when Bryan's Croconaw attacks them both with, they still continue to attack each other. Croconaw and Quilava attack again, until both Turtwig and Piplup are knocked out, and the twins are declared the winners.

Afterwards, Ash and Dawn continue to argue, and as do their Pokémon. ,who is having none of it, uses its to break up the brawl, then Turtwig and Piplup make up. After some encouragement from and their Pokémon, Ash and Dawn make up as well. The two agree to battle the twins again, and try to work out a strategy.

Meanwhile, are sitting in the forest, and set Ryan and Bryan's Croconaw and Quilava as their next targets.

Ryan and Bryan walk through the forest, and see lots of fruit and berries arranged on a table. They run towards it, when suddenly they fall into a pit trap. Team Rocket arrive in their balloon, reciting their motto, then they grab the twins' Pokémon. The twins pursue Team Rocket, and when they encounter Ash and his friends, they tell them that their Pokémon had just been stolen. Ash sends out his, who punctures the balloon with its. When the group catch up with Team Rocket, Jessie and James send out and  to battle. Seviper and Carnivine attack, but Turtwig and Piplup dodge and strike back and send Team Rocket flying.

Ash and Dawn begin their second battle with the twins, but this time combining their moves and dodging most of the twins' attacks, with Rhonda reporting all the while. Eventually, after a long battle, Ash and Dawn emerge as the victors. Rhonda tells the group that she is only going the air the second battle, to which Ash and Dawn are pleased. The episode ends with Ash and his friends continuing their journey to Eterna City.

Major events

 * and have their first Tag Battle together.

Humans

 * Sinnoh Now staff

Humans

 * Jessie
 * James
 * Ryan and Bryan
 * Sinnoh Now staff
 * s
 * Ryan and Bryan
 * Sinnoh Now staff
 * s
 * s
 * s
 * s
 * s

Pokémon

 * (Ryan's)
 * (Bryan's)
 * (Ryan's)
 * (Bryan's)
 * (Ryan's)
 * (Bryan's)
 * (Ryan's)
 * (Bryan's)
 * (Bryan's)

Trivia

 * Professor Oak's Big Pokémon Encyclopedia: Pokémon food
 * Pokémon senryū: かくしあじ　あいじょうたっぷり　ポケモンフーズ Kakushi aji, aijō tappuri, Pokémon fūzu.
 * This episode returns to the preview cold open format used in earlier episodes in the.
 * Music from the instrumental version of By Your Side ~Hikari's Theme~, Pokémon Symphonic Medley, and the TV version of Ready Go!, as well as music from Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, are used as background music.
 * The English dub title of "The Champ Twins" is a pun on another animated television show, .
 * This episode is similar to The Bicker the Better in a lot of ways; except Ash and Dawn weren't considered in a romantic relationship, and Dawn and Ash forgave each other quickly.
 * Jessie's Wobbuffet doesn't appear in this episode.

In other languages
Die Champion-Zwillinge EP498 DP029 DP029 DP編第29話 精灵宝可梦 钻石＆珍珠 第29集