EP238

Nice Pryce, Baby! (Japanese: チョウジジム！こおりのたたかい！  Gym! Ice Battle!) is the 238th episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on February 28, 2002 and in the United States on March 8, 2003.

Blurb
''Having earned Pryce's respect and permission to face the trainer in a gym battle, Ash makes the unlikely choice of sending out Cyndaquil, a Fire Pokémon, to face his opponent on an Ice battlefield. Fortunately, Ash's strategy pans out as he leads the gym leader to lower his defenses, allowing Ash to take the first victory in a two-on-two match. Next the gym leader sends out his trusty Piloswine, which immediately unleashes a Blizzard attack that completely alters the battlefield, allowing it to make quick work of Ash's defending Pokémon. With one victory each, the round enters sudden death with each trainer playing his oldest, most reliable Pokémon. A seasoned duo, Ash and Pikachu may match the teamwork of the gym leader and his Piloswine, but will this be enough in a slippery ice arena that is second nature to Piloswine, but whereon Pikachu struggles even to stand?''

Plot
In the last episode, earned Pryce’s respect and was given permission to face him in a Gym battle. In this episode, Pryce is grooming his Piloswine when Ash and arrive at the Gym. They then prepare to start the Gym battle, which is a two-on-two match. Meanwhile, plans to steal all of the Ice Pokémon.

The Gym battle then begins. Ash sends out, a Pokémon, against Pryce's. Ash is at a disadvantage, however, because the battlefield is made of ice. Fortunately, Ash’s strategy pans out as he leads the Gym Leader to lower his s, which allows Ash to win the first matchup. Next, Pryce sends out his trusty.

Meanwhile, Team Rocket is about to steal the Ice Pokémon with a net, but they are frozen after an is shot their way. The focus switches back to the battle, where Piloswine immediately unleashes a attack and makes quick work of Ash’s Cyndaquil from there.

With one victory each, the round enters a sudden death match in which each Trainer plays his oldest, most reliable Pokémon; Ash and prepare to battle Pryce's Piloswine. Things start out rough as Piloswine releases a barrage of Blizzard attacks on Pikachu, who struggles to stand up straight on the ice. Ash notices that Piloswine's Blizzard attacks form ice pillars on the battlefield, and so, he commands Pikachu to slide on the ice underneath Piloswine. This confuses Piloswine as well as Pryce. Then, Pikachu slides and ricochets off of the pillars, easily dodging the Blizzards. When Pryce tells Piloswine to use Blizzard on the whole battlefield, Pikachu slides under it and unleashes a powerful. Almost out of energy, Piloswine uses. Ash tells Pikachu to use before it heals, but he's too late. With its new found energy, Piloswine uses and.

Pryce tells Ash to give in the towel, but Ash refuses, so the battle then continues on. Ash commands Pikachu to counter Piloswine's Fury Attack with a Quick Attack. Piloswine is hit directly on the nose and slides back. Pikachu unleashes a massive, which does nothing to it. Piloswine uses Take Down, and Pikachu jumps on its face and uses Thunder. This causes some damage and creates a hole in the field, forcing Piloswine into the water as Pikachu's next Thunderbolt causes more damage because Piloswine is wet. Piloswine shakes it off, leaving Ash and co. surprised. It retaliates with Fury Attack, but Pikachu doesn't have enough control to dodge. Ash commands a Thunder, which sends Pikachu flying backwards. Pikachu looks exhausted, but stands up, ready to keep fighting. Pryce then forfeits, which gives Ash the victory under a. Ash isn't pleased at first, saying he didn't actually win, but once he hears how much Pryce admires his strength and that he just didn't want his Piloswine to get hurt, Ash gladly accepts the.

Major events

 * has a Gym battle with Pryce and Pryce forfeits, earning Ash the.
 * Ash and head to Blackthorn City for Ash's final Johto Gym battle.

Humans

 * Jessie
 * James
 * Pryce
 * Sheila
 * James
 * Pryce
 * Sheila

Pokémon
Who's That Pokémon?: (US and international),  (Japan)
 * (flashback)
 * (flashback)
 * (flashback)
 * (Pryce's; multiple)
 * (Pryce's; multiple)
 * (Pryce's; multiple)
 * (Pryce's; multiple)
 * (fantasy)
 * (fantasy)
 * (Pryce's; multiple)
 * (Pryce's; multiple)
 * (Pryce's; multiple)
 * (Pryce's; multiple)
 * (fantasy)
 * (fantasy)

Trivia

 * The dub title is a reference to "", a song by.
 * Music from Pikachu's Rescue Adventure, Mewtwo Strikes Back! and The Power of One is used in this episode.
 * When Jessie finds out about Pryce being the Gym Leader, she says that Pryce wasn't right, a reference to the game show .
 * When Pikachu uses Thunderbolt while Piloswine is in the water, Brock says that because of this, Thunderbolt's power is double. Although this isn't true, this is similar to the concept of the move introduced in Generation V, which turns the target into a Water type by soaking them with water.
 * Team Rocket does not recite the or blast off in this episode.
 * This marks the only time when Ash has won a Gym battle by his opponent forfeiting.

Errors

 * 's affects Pryce's Piloswine, although it should not, as Piloswine is a Ground type. This is an example of anime physics.
 * Despite this, Pikachu's does nothing to Piloswine.

In other languages
Der Eis-Preis EP240 EP238 EP238 無印編第238話 精灵宝可梦 第239集