EP272

Johto Photo Finish (Japanese: フルバトルのはてに！それぞれのみち！！ To the End of the Full Battle! Each One's Way!!) is the 272nd episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on October 31, 2002 and in the United States on October 11, 2003.

Blurb
''Our hero is at the end of a tough battle with Harrison at the Johto League Silver Conference. The winner of this battle will go on to the semi-finals. Each trainer has battled hard and is down to their last Pokémon. Ash is using Charizard. Harrison is also using a high level fire type called Blaziken. Charizard flies up with Blaziken and is in position for a powerful Seismic Toss. After the impact, however, both Pokémon are standing! As Charizard tossed Blaziken down, Blaziken had directed a Flame Thrower attack towards the ground to propel it back up, softening the blow of the impact! Both Pokémon battle well, and it seems like neither will give in, but, in the end, Charizard faints. Harrison continues on into the semi-finals, but is defeated in the next round. After his battle, he tells Ash all about Hoenn and the amazing Pokémon there. As the Silver Conference comes to a close and the gang prepares to leave for Vermillion City, Gary makes a surprising announcement—he's giving up battling. He's decided to become a Pokémon Researcher.''

Plot
and are left with only one Pokémon each. Both and  start off with a powerful  attack, which collide to form a giant smoke cloud. As the smoke clears, neither Pokémon is fazed by the explosion. Ash then commands Charizard to use Flamethrower again, which Blaziken easily dodges by jumping high into the air. was surprised to see Blaziken jumping so high. Taking advantage of the fact that Blaziken can't move freely in the air, Charizard uses, which, to Ash's surprise, Blaziken dodges, then counters using. Charizard flies up to dodge, but Blaziken attacks with Flamethrower. Charizard dodges and counters with another Flamethrower that collides with Blaziken's next attack. Then Blaziken uses Quick Attack again and Charizard is hit by a, but, unfazed, counters with a Flamethrower that hits Blaziken dead on.

Blaziken is ordered once again to use Quick Attack. As Charizard and Blaziken brawl it out, Ash commands Charizard to use. Brock and Misty cheer as Charizard circles around in the air. As the smoke clears, Blaziken is seen to be down, but the announcer is interrupted as, to the surprise of everyone, Blaziken gets up. With both Pokémon tired out, Blaziken uses one more Quick Attack, which Charizard counters with Flamethrower. Charizard attacks again with Seismic Toss, but Blaziken dodges and smashes Charizard with a, dealing severe damage to Charizard. Charizard, sustaining the damage, releases a full power Dragon Rage to meet Blaziken's Flamethrower. As the smoke clears, both Pokémon struggle to get up. Eventually both of them get up, but when Charizard is ordered to use Flamethrower, it collapses. Charizard struggles to get back up again, but this time can't and faints completely, meaning Harrison is the winner and Ash is therefore eliminated from the tournament.

Later, Ash and crew say goodbye to and Officer Jenny. Professor Oak and Delia also head back to Pallet Town, and Charizard (after a night's rest in the Pokémon Center to recover) will be returning to Charicific Valley the following day. In the next match, Harrison faces John Dickson; not using Blaziken at all, Harrison loses the match. Brock figures that Blaziken was too injured from fighting Charizard yesterday, so Harrison did not want to risk its health any further, causing Ash to blame himself for Harrison's loss.

That night, Harrison is sitting alone in the nearby river, but Ash and joined him. Brock asked about how his Blaziken is, and Harrison answered Blaziken is going to be fine. Harrison also explained about Professor Birch. But when they heard somebody screaming, they hurried to the rescue.

Two girls were screaming as Ash and his friends ran over to them. The girls explained there are the ghosts. Brock reassured the girls, and told Ash to use his. And he does, Noctowl uses, and the ghosts are actually some. Suddenly, comes in, and explains the Misdreavus appear to be looking for something. Misdreavus goes off somewhere, and the gang follows.

They find another Misdreavus, which is stuck under a tree, and with their combined efforts, lift the tree to free the trapped Misdreavus. Gary runs over and inspects the Misdreavus. Thankfully, it was not injured, and all of the Misdreavus happily depart. Gary told the gang that Misdreavus actually live at Silver Mountain. He also explained that a will evolve to a  and when a  would evolve into an, they change form completely. Gary reveals that he wants to be a Pokémon Researcher. After Ash and Gary again exchange their best wishes to each other.

The next morning, the Silver Conference comes to an end with Jon Dickson becoming the winner of the Johto League Silver Conference.

On the other side, are still waiting for the customers but because of the Silver Conference coming to a close, no customers can be seen. Suddenly, a huge group of people were heading straight towards the building. But they weren't customers; they were none other than their old customers, who have now cottoned on to their scam. Team Rocket go inside the building and the angry customers are surprised to see a building moving. They flee, and Jessie explained she had included a movable building feature.

Gary decides to travel through Mt. Silver then go back to Pallet Town while Harrison plans to keep on with his journey by participating in the Indigo Plateau Conference in Kanto. The gang decides to go to Viridian City then head back to Pallet Town. Suddenly, they see the moving building. Team Rocket are happy to see the twerps since this is their perfect opportunity to catch Pikachu and they start to recite their motto. The heroes knew it is Team Rocket, and James fires a coin missile that hits everyone, but sends Ash and flying. As Team Rocket raises an electric-proof net to capture Pikachu, Gary calls out his and orders, which cuts the net in half. Harrison's Blaziken comes out next, and uses Flamethrower, setting the robot building on fire. Now, finally, Pikachu uses and Team Rocket, together with the robot building, blast off.

Major events

 * loses his quarterfinals Full Battle with.
 * Ash sends and  back to the Squirtle Squad and the Charicific Valley, respectively.
 * Harrison loses his semifinals Full Battle with Jon Dickson.
 * Jon Dickson wins the Silver Conference.
 * The Silver Conference ends.
 * Harrison tells Ash that he should go to Hoenn.
 * decides to become a.
 * Ash, Harrison, and Gary head their separate ways.
 * Harrison heads to Kanto to collect the region's Badges and compete in its.
 * Gary heads back to Pallet Town.
 * Ash,, and head back to Pallet Town via Viridian City.

Humans

 * Professor Birch

Humans

 * (flashback)
 * Jessie
 * James
 * Officer Jenny
 * Jackson
 * Macy
 * Professor Birch (flashback)
 * Jon Dickson
 * Trainer
 * Crowd
 * Officer Jenny
 * Jackson
 * Macy
 * Professor Birch (flashback)
 * Jon Dickson
 * Trainer
 * Crowd

Pokémon
Who's That Pokémon?: (US and international),  (Japan)
 * ('s; Mimey)
 * (Jon Dickson's)
 * (Jon Dickson's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (×4)
 * (evolves; fantasy)
 * (newly evolved; fantasy)
 * (evolves; fantasy)
 * (newly evolved; fantasy)
 * (evolves; fantasy)
 * (newly evolved; fantasy)
 * (newly evolved; fantasy)
 * (newly evolved; fantasy)
 * (evolves; fantasy)
 * (newly evolved; fantasy)
 * (newly evolved; fantasy)
 * (newly evolved; fantasy)
 * (newly evolved; fantasy)
 * (newly evolved; fantasy)
 * (×2; fantasy)
 * (×2; fantasy; debut)
 * (×4; fantasy; debut)
 * (×4; fantasy; debut)
 * (fantasy; debut)
 * (fantasy; debut)
 * (newly evolved; fantasy)
 * (evolves; fantasy)
 * (newly evolved; fantasy)
 * (newly evolved; fantasy)
 * (newly evolved; fantasy)
 * (evolves; fantasy)
 * (newly evolved; fantasy)
 * (newly evolved; fantasy)
 * (newly evolved; fantasy)
 * (newly evolved; fantasy)
 * (newly evolved; fantasy)
 * (×2; fantasy)
 * (×2; fantasy; debut)
 * (×4; fantasy; debut)
 * (×4; fantasy; debut)
 * (fantasy; debut)
 * (fantasy; debut)

Trivia

 * This episode concludes the seven-part Silver Conference arc.
 * This episode can be found on the second Game Boy Advance Video Pokémon cartridge.
 * This episode's title is a reference to the phrase "".
 * This episode's title is also similar to a future episode.
 * Music from The Power of One can be heard in this episode.
 * meets and  and recites their  for the first time since Love, Pokémon Style.

Errors

 * After the explosion caused by the collision between 's and 's, when Blaziken is attempting to compose itself, its hands are red instead of gray, and next, its tail is white instead of red. After that, the yellow spot on its chest is white.
 * The referee repeats the claim that is from Silver Town instead of Littleroot Town as seen in Pop Goes The Sneasel, similar to the mistake in Can't Beat the Heat!.
 * Throughout the, Jackson is seen in the stands, but he has long hair instead of short hair.
 * mispronounces 's name.

In other languages
Zeit des Abschieds EP274 EP272 EP272 無印編第272話 精灵宝可梦 第273集