Imitation Confrontation (Japanese: めざせメタモンマスター！イミテふたたび！！Aim to Be a Metamon Master! Imite, Once Again!!) is the 174th episode of the Pokémon animated series. It was first broadcast in Japan on November 23, 2000, and in the United States on October 27, 2001.
Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.
Blurb
Stopping off at a Pokécenter, the gang looks around for Nurse Joy. Suddenly she appears with Chansey, but makes the confusing statement Nurse Joy is seeing a patient. Brock nears the Joy-look-alike and reveals it isn't Nurse Joy and Chansey at all, but Duplica and her Ditto! Our heroes find out the real Nurse Joy is checking on Duplica's newest Pokémon, Mini-dit. Though there's nothing wrong with Mini-dit, it retains it's[sic] pint size, even when Transforming into large Pokémon. Be sure to watch for a teeny Arbok, an undersized Ursaring and a wee Wobbuffet. Although it may be small, this puny Pokémon can sure pack a wallop!
Plot
Ash and his friends arrive at a Pokémon Center, only to find nobody there. Just then, a Chansey and an unusual-looking Nurse Joy appear. She tells them that she was doing a Pokémon examination. Brock, however, is suspicious and calls Nurse Joy an impostor. She congratulates him on seeing through the disguise, and reveals themselves to be Duplica and her Ditto. Duplica explains that she is participating in a Pokémon acting competition, and will enter with her new Ditto, Mini-Dit. Meanwhile, Team Rocket, spying on the Trainers from afar, recognize Duplica. They begin formulating their plan to snatch her Ditto and are thrilled to see Mini-Dit's unusual defect where it can only Transform into small versions of large Pokémon like Brock's Onix.
Misty accidentally insults Duplica and her unusual assortment of Ditto with problems, but Ash challenges her to a battle to boost her confidence. Ash sends Totodile up against Mini-Dit. It successfully Transforms into the Water type and uses Scary Face. However, it ends up entertaining Totodile, who starts laughing at the move. It then uses Water Gun and hits Mini-Dit. Unfazed, Duplica commands Mini-Dit to use Hydro Pump. Unfortunately, Totodile doesn't know that move, so nothing eventuates. She knocks Totodile to the ground with a Tackle before telling Ash that he needs to teach his Pokémon more attacks. Out of nowhere, an explosion occurs in the Pokémon Center. Looking up, they see Jessie and James in the guise of Duplica and Ash on the Center's roof. While explaining their goal of stealing all the Center's Pokémon, Meowth sneaks up and grabs Mini-Dit. The trio takes off into the Center when suddenly Duplica realizes that Mini-Dit is gone. After inspecting the Pokémon Center, they discover that Team Rocket's only goal was to steal Mini-Dit, as all the other Pokémon are safe.
After their escape, Team Rocket celebrates their successful capture. But before long, they're formulating their next scheme; Meowth decides to have Mini-Dit transform into a mini Arbok. He believes they'll trick somebody into trading them a rare Pokémon like Dragonite. They also decide to steal Mini-Dit back and repeat the scheme over and over again. While they plot, Ash and the others are having no luck in finding Mini-Dit or Team Rocket. Even Noctowl and Ditto transformed into Noctowl perform an aerial search, but their efforts are in vain. Just then, Nurse Joy appears and tells them a Trainer told her about some suspicious-looking characters trying to sell a Mini-Arbok. When Ash and the others check it out, they find the trio trying to auction off Mini-Dit. Thanks to Meowth's appearance, the gang realizes the auctioneers are the Rocket trio. Ash has Pikachu use Thunderbolt on Team Rocket, and Mini-Dit is returned to Duplica.
Not wanting to lose Mini-Dit, Jessie sends out Arbok in an attempt to regain it. However, Wobbuffet appears as well. Jessie prepares to recall Wobbuffet, but Meowth reminds her that Wobbuffet’s Counter might be useful. Jessie goes up against Duplica and her two Ditto in a Double Battle. Ditto becomes Arbok, while Mini-Dit becomes a miniature Wobbuffet. Ditto attacks, but Jessie's Wobbuffet uses Counter. Likewise, Jessie's Arbok's Poison Sting is countered by Mini-Dit. While the battle rages, Meowth and James decide to steal Pikachu. James sends out Weezing, but Duplica notices and has Ditto use Wrap. Ash has Pikachu use Thunderbolt, which is countered by Wobbuffet. Having an idea, Duplica mocks Team Rocket for not attacking her stronger Mini-Dit. Jessie commands Arbok to Tackle it, but it is countered by Mini-Dit. James has Weezing use Sludge, but Mini-Dit counters with Mirror Coat. Duplica explains to the trio that Mirror Coat is a move that counters special attacks. Now angrier than ever, Jessie commands Meowth to use Fury Swipes, but it is once again countered by Mini-Dit. Then both Ditto transforms into Pikachu and joins Ash's Pikachu for a triple dose of Thunder. As the attack approaches, Jessie scrambles to think which attack to use, but the Thunder attack hits and Team Rocket is sent blasting off again.
Back at the Pokémon Center, Duplica puts on a show, where she has Mini-Dit transform into a miniature Ursaring. The gang tells Duplica that even though Mini-Dit doesn't grow bigger, it's still the same Pokémon only a bit special. Duplica tells Ash and the others that she plans to become the greatest performer, and names herself and her Pokémon Team Ditto. After Ash comments that Duplica can become a Ditto master, she reminds him that they never finished their battle. They both head outside to continue their match. Elsewhere, Team Rocket is stuck in a tree. Jessie criticizes Wobbuffet for being dense and losing to Mini-Dit.
The Gentleman that appears in Meowth's fantasy looks very similar to the one who traded with Ash in Battle Aboard the St. Anne, with the only differences being that this Gentleman wears a monocle and has a slightly longer mustache.
Errors
In the original Japanese version, Jessie erroneously calls Wobbuffet "Sohnano" (which would become Wynaut's Japanese name; at the time the episode originally aired in Japan, there was no word on Generation III) at the end of the episode.
At the beginning of the battle between Ash and Duplica, Ash's sleeves are colored blue instead of white.
When Mini-Dit transforms into Totodile, it uses Tackle, a move Totodile cannot learn in the games. The same occurs with Duplica's other Ditto and Arbok.
When Ash tells Totodile to use Bite, his gloves turn completely dark-green.
At the beginning of Team Rocket's motto and shortly after, James appears to be floating in midair.
At one point during Team Rocket's motto and when James says that they came to steal Pokémon, one of the gloves on James's disguise is missing.
In one scene, Ash's Noctowl and Duplica's Ditto as a Noctowl are at an abnormally large size.
After Meowth jumps on both Jessie and James's heads, the former's glasses disappear for a short while.
When James's Weezing uses Sludge, Mini-Dit uses Mirror Coat and is able to reflect it despite Sludge being a physical move prior to Generation IV.
Inversely, when Pikachu uses Thunderbolt, Counter prevents it from doing damage despite Thunderbolt always being a special move.
In addition, when Duplica is explaining the difference between Counter and Mirror Coat, she cites Bite as a physical move. Altough it was, indeed, a physical move in Generation I, when it was a Normal-type move, by the time of the episode it had become a Dark-type move (and therefore, was a special move). Bite would only become a physical move again starting in Generation IV.
When Pikachu joins the fight against Team Rocket, he passes through Mini-Dit.
Brock's animation freezes after Duplica says that she wants to be a Ditto master.
In the English dub, when Jessie and James are attempting to trade Mini-Dit (transformed into a miniature Arbok), Jessie refers to it as "Arbok the Rock Pokémon, now in pebble size." This is incorrect, as Arbok is actually a Poison-type Pokémon.
In the Brazilian dub, James orders Weezing to use Poison Gas instead of Sludge.
Misty's missing ponytail
Ash's miscolored glove
Jessie's missing glasses
Dub edits
The original airing of this episode on Hungama TV in India started it directly from the title card, skipping the part of the episode that comes before it.
Misty's missing ponytail
Ash's miscolored glove
Jessie's missing glasses