Pokémon: Advanced Episode 174

No Scout Verdict Yet

Be the first Scout to rate this episode and share your thoughts.

Animation & Style

Character Writing & Lore

Pacing

World Building & Setting

👀 SPOILER-FREE SUMMARY

The stakes are real here. May faces her last shot at earning a fifth ribbon before the Kanto Grand Festival, and the episode leans hard into that pressure. Expect competitive intensity layered with strategic mind games as Harley, one of the most entertaining and devious rival Coordinators in the series, resurfaces to complicate things. His scheming presence shifts the tone from straightforward contest fare into something more psychologically charged. Team Rocket's involvement adds another unpredictable variable to the mix. The pacing splits between preparation and the contest itself, giving breathing room before the tension ratchets up. Themes of rivalry, resilience, and the mental side of competition take center stage. For fans of May's Coordinator arc, this is essential viewing — a high-stakes setup episode that earns its weight.

🔥 KEY MOMENTS

⚠️ Spoiler Alert!

Last Chance Ribbon

May learns that the Mulberry City Contest is her final shot at earning a fifth Ribbon to qualify for the Kanto Grand Festival, instantly raising the stakes to a do-or-die level.

Harley's Underhanded Alliance

Already secure with his five Ribbons, Harley reveals he's teamed up with Team Rocket specifically to knock May out of contention. He hands over his Cacturne and Banette to Jessie, arming her with serious firepower.

Jessibella Takes the Stage

Jessie enters the Contest under her alias 'Jessibella' and delivers a genuinely impressive Appeal Round using Harley's Cacturne, winning over the crowd and the judges in a performance that feels eerily legitimate.

Sabotaged Appeal

May's Appeal Round goes sideways as unseen interference causes her performance to stumble at critical moments. The sabotage is subtle enough to avoid detection but devastating enough to nearly tank her scores.

Both Rivals Advance

Despite the disruption, May scrapes through to the Battle Stage alongside Jessie, setting up a direct confrontation where Harley's borrowed Pokémon stand between May and her Grand Festival dream.

📍 ARC CONTEXT

Sitting at episode 174 of 192, this lands deep in Advanced Generation's final stretch, squarely within May's push toward the Kanto Grand Festival. It follows the lighter standalone 'All That Glitters is Not Golden!' and directly sets up 'Going for Choke!', forming a critical two-part contest sequence that will determine whether May qualifies for the Grand Festival at all.

⚡ ALL REVIEWS

AnimeOshi.com refers to anime titles, character names, logos, and other trademarked or copyrighted materials to identify and describe the works being reviewed, discussed, ranked or otherwise referenced on this site. This usage is believed to be nominative fair use or non-infringing and is not intended to imply any affiliation with the respective rights holders.

All trademarks and copyrights remain the property of their owners. If you are a rights holder and have concerns about any content on this site, please contact us at legal@animeoshi.com