| The Rising Volt Tacklers vs. The Explorers!
|
ライジングボルテッカーズVSエクスプローラーズ！
The Rising Volteccers VS The Explorers!
|
|
First broadcast
| Japan
|
February 28, 2025
|
| United States
|
September 26, 2025
|
|
English themes
|
Japanese themes
|
Credits
| Animation
|
Team Kumemura
|
| Screenplay
|
松澤くれは Kureha Matsuzawa
|
| Storyboard
|
中田誠 Makoto Nakata
|
| Assistant director
|
中田誠 Makoto Nakata
|
| Animation directors
|
柳原好貴 Yoshitaka Yanagihara
|
| 松本めぐみ Megumi Matsumoto
|
| 大西雅也 Masaya Ōnishi
|
| 中矢利子 Toshiko Nakaya
|
| 服部奈津美 Natsumi Hattori
|
| 阿部俊成 Toshinari Abe
|
| 酒井裕未 Hiromi Sakai
|
| 海老沢咲希 Saki Ebisawa
|
| Additional credits
|
|
|
|
The Rising Volt Tacklers vs. The Explorers! (Japanese: ライジングボルテッカーズVSエクスプローラーズ！ The Rising Volteccers VS The Explorers!) is the 86th episode of Pokémon Horizons: The Series, and the 1,318th episode of the Pokémon animated series. It first aired in Japan on February 28, 2025, and in the United Kingdom on July 17, 2025 and is scheduled to air in the United States on September 26, 2025.
Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.
Plot
Resuming the events of the previous episode, the Explorers have confronted the Rising Volt Tacklers while Gibeon heads to the Laquium, eager for his wish to finally to be fulfilled. The younger members wonder why the Explorers are also at Laqua and the admins explain they were watching Laqua from the start, leading Liko to realize the building she saw before belonged to the Explorers. They aren't able to bring down the barrier without Pagogo, and therefore waited for the Rising Volt Tacklers to help Pagogo regain its powers to remove the barrier for them which horrifies Roy and Dot. Friede is not fazed by the Explorers' plan and instead is sure the kids would defend their adventure. True enough, Liko declares everything they have done as Rising Volt Tacklers was purely for their own adventure, not for the Explorers' sake, encouraging Roy and Dot. Seeing no point in further discussion, everyone begins to prepare for a battle, with Friede and Spinel's battle being a Double Battle.
Friede starts by having Captain Pikachu use Thunder Punch on Spinel's Umbreon but it counters with Foul Play. Charizard tries to use Air Slash but Spinel has Beheeyem use Psychic to send the attack to Cap, who dodges it with Double Team. Cap and Charizard double-team Umbreon with Thunder Punch and Dragon Claw, respectively. However, it uses Reflect and Beheeyem attacks Charizard with Thunderbolt. Cap protects Charizard by drawing in the attack with his Hidden Ability, Lightning Rod. While Spinel muses over his mistake of triggering Cap's ability, he gets Umbreon to use Snarl. Although Cap attacks with Volt Tackle after getting through Umbreon's Snarl, Spinel reveals his true aim – to have his Beheeyem use Skill Swap with Cap so that it would power up when Volt Tackle landed instead. Friede realizes Spinel's intention too late and finds himself cornered as Umbreon and Beheeyem attack Charizard simultaneously. Charizard dodges both attacks from Spinel's Pokémon just as Spinel notices Umbreon being separated. Despite Cap's best attempt at a sneak attack, Beheeyem protects Umbreon from Cap's Thunder Punch.
On the other side, Coral brings out Screamypuff, surprising the kids at the realization they were followed in Area Zero. Sidian and Chalce bring out Garganacl and Medicham and Coral starts the offensive by getting Screamypuff to attack with Boomburst. Garganacl uses Wide Guard and Crocalor attempts to push it back with Disarming Voice. Floragato uses Magical Leaf to get past Garganacl's shield but while it did bring down the shield, it protects itself with Stone Edge. This time a controlled Magical Leaf is used, but Garganacl is able to use Stone Edge to block the attack. Medicham uses Calm Mind as Dot orders Quaxwell to attack with Liquidation, followed by Low Kick. However, Medicham managed to dodge the attacks and retaliates with Stored Power. Screamypuff and Crocalor continue to trade blows at each other, forcing Sidian to have Garganacl use Wide Guard. Floragato charges with Quick Attack, then uses Sucker Punch when the shield is down. Unfortunately, Garganacl grabs Floragato's bud and sends her to the ground, having anticipated the attack. Floragato returns to Liko's side as she dodges Garganacl's Salt Cure. Dot grows concerned for Liko and Roy but Chalce tells her not to get distracted. Dot gets Quaxwell to use Aqua Cutter to create puddles in the hopes of getting Medicham to slip, a plan that Chalce criticizes. After evading all of Quaxwell's Aqua Cutters, Medicham attacks an exhausted Quaxwell with Zen Headbutt. Since Medicham is able to predict their moves, Dot desperately tries to come up with something unpredictable and has an idea while watching Screamypuff and Crocalor. Quaxwell launches a series of Air Cutters towards the sound-based moves used by Screamypuff and Crocalor, causing Air Cutters to fly in random directions towards Medicham. Despite Chalce telling Medicham not to panic, the Meditate Pokémon slips on a water puddle, surprising Chalce. The Practicing Pokémon seizes the opportunity and lands a hit with Aqua Cutter.
Back at the other battle, Friede gets Charizard to fly with Cap and dodge the incoming attacks. Cap jumps from Charizard while using Double Team, which Spinel dismisses until the smoke clears, revealing Cap holding Umbreon in place. At that moment, Friede Terastallizes Charizard into a Dark type and has Cap use Thunder Punch on Umbreon. The Electric attack lures Beheeyem to protect Umbreon, allowing Charizard to land a Tera Blast on the group. The Cerebral Pokémon faints as a result but Umbreon is still hanging on. Spinel is stunned to see Friede willing to sacrifice Cap to land the hit, but Cap comes out unscathed thanks to the Ability he received from Beheeyem, Telepathy. When Spinel demands to know how Friede knew Beheeyem's Ability, he becomes infuriated when Friede admits he only had a hunch and no proof. Spinel angrily has Umbreon attack with Snarl, but Cap gets through and attacks Umbreon with Volt Tackle, defeating the Moonlight Pokémon.
With the younger members, Liko is motivated by Dot's success and orders Floragato to use Acrobatics but Garganacl recovers using Recover. Just then, Sidian Terastallizes Garganacl into a Rock type and has it use Stone Edge to prevent Floragato from hiding further. As it approaches with Salt Cure, Floragato uses Sucker Punch, changing the direction of her bud at the last minute. With Garganacl down, Floragato finishes it off with a supereffective Magical Leaf. Roy becomes motivated and has Crocalor use Flame Charge against Screamypuff's Play Rough. However Crocalor slips and runs elsewhere, which Coral laughs at. Instead of stopping, Crocalor keeps on running up the tree to fly above the battlefield, using Flamethrower on a tired Screamypuff. Coral becomes fed up and Terastallizes Screamypuff into a pure Fairy type. The two Pokémon exchange attacks before Screamypuff is defeated by Crocalor. Chalce speculates the Paradox Pokémon did not have enough experience in battle, with Sidian also speculating the kids inspire each other. As Spinel humbly accepts his defeat and disappears while Friede checks on Cap and Charizard, Coral brings out Glalie to continue battling. At that moment, everyone feels the ground shaking, with a pillar of pink smoke shooting out to the sky. Pagogo comes out hostile, making Liko wary it's the Laquium at work.
Major events
- For a list of all major events in Pokémon Horizons: The Series, please see the timeline page.
Debuts
Pokémon debuts
Characters
Humans
Pokémon
Trivia
- Professor Friede's Pokémon Seminar: What is the black fur-like substance covering Sandy Shocks's body?
- Choices: Rubber, iron sand, wigs
- Answer: Iron sand
- For the initial airing of this episode, Professor Friede's Pokémon Seminar was replaced by a special trailer announcing the climax of the Pocket Monsters: Rayquaza Rising chapter, which was later uploaded to the official Japanese YouTube channel.
- The first eyecatch features Spinel and his Umbreon, and the second features Coral and Screamypuff.
- The English dub was released on iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play in the United Kingdom on July 5, 2025, 12 days before the episode was made available on BBC iPlayer. The same occurred for all episodes in Volume 4 of Pokémon Horizons: Season 2—The Search for Laqua.
- The English dub was released on Stan in Australia on July 12, 2025, before the episode aired on 9Go!.
- Despite having existed since Generation III, this is the first time the moves Calm Mind and Skill Swap have been used in the animated series.
- Roy, Liko, Dot, and Pagogo narrate the preview for the next episode.
Errors
Dub edits
In other languages
|
This episode article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation.
|
