| EP# | English title Japanese title | Air Date | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J# | E# | Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| United States | United Kingdom | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 561 | 556 | "Playing The Leveling Field!" (The Dancing Gym Leader! Melissa Appears!!) "Odoru Zimu Rīdā! Merissa Tōjō!!" (踊るジムリーダー！メリッサ登場!!) | September 11, 2008 | February 7, 2009 | March 26, 2009 |
| After waiting for a long time, Ash and the gang at last meet Fantina: The Hearthome City Gym Leader. The gang meets her in Celestic Town, where Dawn plans to enter a contest. She is in the middle of a battle with Zoey when they arrive. They watch Fantina and her Mismagius defeat Zoey and her Glameow easily with a powerful strategy. When Ash and Dawn both ask for a battle against Fantina she says her pokemon are to tired to have two more battles so she can only battle one. Using Dawns coin toss application they decide that Ash will have an unofficial battle with Fantina. Ash decides to use Buizel, Chimchar and Pikachu against Fantinas Drifloon. Fantina's Drifloon defeats Ash's Buizel and puts Chimchar to sleep. Next Ash uses Pikachu but during the battle Drifloon evolves into Drifblim and puts Pikachu to sleep. Ash forfeits as Pikachu and Chimchar are both a sleep and can't battle. They agree to battle again another day when Ash is strong enough. Later that day Zoey tells Dawn that she has recently won her third ribbon using her Shellos. | |||||
