The BEST episodes of Zatch Bell! season 1
Every episode of Zatch Bell! season 1, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Zatch Bell! season 1!
Kiyo Takamine meets a momoto (demons from another world) boy zatch bell and set out to compete in the momoto games held every 1000 years to become their king.
#1 - The Dark Lord of the Cursed Castle
Season 1 - Episode 19 - Aired 8/17/2003
Zatch manages to catch the thief whose name is Kory. Kiyo seeing a wound on Kory's arm takes him along to Kiyo's father's university where a doctor can look at it. They enter Kiyo's father's office only to find it in shambles. Kiyo notices a flower on the ground and Kory reveals its a flower of the dark lord's. He reveals that a dark lord is residing in a castle and kidnaps people from the village when they do not meet his demands. Folgore soon arrives and accompanies Kiyo to the castle. Kiyo and Zatch manage to overcome the traps in the castle and reach the final room. Steng, the man living inside the caste, reveals his giant armoured Mamodo Baltro. Seemingly invincible, Kiyo realizes that the Mamodo's ability is to manipulate armor by using flowers and reveals the Mamodo is actually inside the giant armor. Steng reveals that he has Folgore and Kanchome hostage and if Kiyo attacks, he will kill them.
#2 - Gash and Tia: A Fierce Combination
Season 1 - Episode 30 - Aired 11/2/2003
Zatch is still paralysed by Purio's poison gas attack. With Tia managing to hold off the attacks, Kiyo gets an idea. Using Purio's slime as glue, Kiyo attaches Zatch to Tia's back allowing Zatch to move and attack. They manage to defeat and burn Zoboron's book. Purio who gains a new spell, uses it to create a smokescreen and escapes. Kiyo, Zatch, Megumi, and Tia spend the rest return to the amusement park. Kiyo asks Tia what Zatch was like in the Mamodo world and Tia replies that she does not know Zatch's family. Later, Megumi takes Kiyo with her to leave Tia and Zatch alone to allow Tia to give Zatch a bentō she made for him. They continue to spend the rest of the day at the park.
#3 - A Freezing Spell
Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 4/13/2003
Kiyo is on the way to school with Zatch when they notice a lake has been frozen. Kiyo notices a man named Hosokawa holding a light blue book with a child named Reycom. On the way home, Kiyo notices Suzy on television in the middle of a bank robbery committed by Hosokawa. Kiyo, hesitant to help her, is persuaded by Zatch to save Suzy. Kiyo bikes there and he and Zatch are launched from a bike into the bank. Kiyo attempts to get Zatch to fire lightning by reading "Zaker" from Zatch's book but nothing occurs. Hosokawa demands Kiyo's book and threatens to shoot Suzy. Kiyo wanting to save Suzy, shouts "Zaker" and Zatch simultaneously fires lightning from his mouth causing Hosokawa and Reycom to fly out of the bank. At home, Kiyo realizes the book responds to the user's emotions. Kiyo realizes Zatch has become stronger and notices another page of Zatch's book has become read-able.
#4 - The Cute Transfer Student
Season 1 - Episode 31 - Aired 11/9/2003
Zatch finds a fragment of a mirror while diving for yellowtail. Kiyo and Zatch befriends a new transfer student, Shion and her cat Nya. Soon they are attacked by a Man and his Mamodo, Cut and Paste, who demands Zatch's mirror piece. "Zaker" proves ineffective against him as it gets redirected by Cut and Paste's scissors and "Rashield" is too weak Cut and Paste's attacks. Cut and Paste use their strongest spell to summon a giant scissor missile. Kiyo and Zatch manage to defeat them by redirecting the scissor towards Cut and Paste with "Jikerdor". In the distance, a mysterious Mamodo pair observe Kiyo and Zatch. Shion with a dark expression asks Zatch if she could have the mirror.
#5 - Shion's Secret
Season 1 - Episode 32 - Aired 11/16/2003
Shion and Nya plan to steal the mirror from Zatch. After many failed attempts, Shion decides she must force Zatch into combat to steal the mirror from him. She takes Zatch to a forest and reveals that Nya is a Mamodo. She then proceeds to attack Zatch for the mirror but is saved by Kiyo's timely arrival. During the battle, Shion reveals that her parents died six months ago and that she wants the mirror in order for Nya to stay with her forever. She reveals a mysterious man told her that if all three pieces of the mirror were gathered, she can be with Nya forever. Zatch decides not to fight Shion and tells her they do not need to fight and that they can trust each other. Zatch then willingly gives her the mirror and Shion accepts.
#6 - The Joining of the Three
Season 1 - Episode 33 - Aired 11/23/2003
Kiyo and Zatch accompany Shion to meet a mamodo named Grisor. Grisor reveals that the demonic mirror has the ability to free a person from the Mamodo battles. He explains that the mirrors must be gathered in a mystical ruin nearby. Grisor meanwhile is revealed to be in contact with his book owner Dr. Hakase. Dr. Hakase reminisces about the first time he met Grisor; Hakase was recently kicked out of an institute and Grisor offers to give him power to get revenge on the institute. Grisor leads Kiyo, Zatch, and Shion to the ruins where the three pieces are then combined into one. At that moment, Grisor makes his escape with the mirror.
#7 - The Final Mirror Battle
Season 1 - Episode 35 - Aired 12/7/2003
Kiyo and Zatch continue their battle with Grisor. During the battle, Hakase explains the true origins of the mirror; the mirror was stolen by Grisor for the Mamodo battles but during his travel to the human world, it broke into three pieces and scattered across the world. An attack from Grisor knocks Zatch unconscious. As he prepares to knock Kiyo and Zatch into the magma, Shion knocks the mirror out of Hakase's hands cracking it. Zatch regains consciousness and uses "Bao Zakeruga" to defeat Grisor and the mirror is destroyed in the process. The next day, Shion decides to move in order to become a stronger person without being completely dependent on a person for help.
#8 - Battle in Hong Kong
Season 1 - Episode 37 - Aired 12/21/2003
Li-en asks her father to return Wonrei to her but he refuses and sends her to Japan. On the way to the movies, Zatch and Kiyo's book is stolen by Li-en. She then returns their book and tells Kiyo that her father is a mafia boss and that he captured her Mamodo Wonrei. She asks Kiyo to help her free Wonrei. They travel to Hong Kong to an island where Li-en's father's mafia keep their treasure and weapons. After defeating some men on the way, they take an elevator to the top of the island where Wonrei is imprisoned. At the top of the island however is the Mamodo Zabas and his partner Galliont are awaiting for the elevator's arrival.
#9 - Battle in Hong Kong Part 2
Season 1 - Episode 38 - Aired 12/28/2003
After exiting the elevator, they meet Zabas who reveals his intention to kill Wonrei while he is in his cell. Kiyo and Zatch decide to distract Zabas while Li-en tries to free Wonrei. Wonrei reveals no intention of escaping fearing that Li-en would be hurt in the Mamodo battle. When Zabas is about to attack Li-en, Wonrei escapes from his cell and defeats Zabas. Zatch asks Wonrei what kind of king he would be and he replies a king which protects all. Li-en and Wonrei leave but Zabas stands up ready to battle. Kiyo and Zatch defeat Zabas with the fifth spell, "Zakeruga", a more powerful and concentrated version of "Zaker". Li-en and Wonrei run into her father. He allows their relationship once seeing Wonrei's determination to protect Li-en and gives them a boat to leave the island.
#10 - Big Brother Kanchome
Season 1 - Episode 40 - Aired 1/18/2004
Kanchome while waiting for Folgore to sign autographs, sees some candy in the back of a truck and climbs into it. The truck's door closes and Kanchome is driven away. Kanchome ends up at a circus and while wandering around, finds a girl named Rushka. Kanchome then volunteers to be her big brother. He follows her back to her farm where Kanchome learns from her guardian that Rushka's parents died and the closest thing she has to a family are sheep. Soon after, a Mamodo named Bago and his partner Fredo steals all the sheep on the farm. Kanchome follows the Mamodo in an attempt and return the sheep for Rushka. Folgore finds Kanchome on the way and decides to help Kanchome with his battle. Folgore and Kanchome end up at the cave where Bago and Fredo await.
#11 - Invincible Kanchome
Season 1 - Episode 41 - Aired 1/25/2004
After being severely injured by Bago, Folgore and Kanchome retreat. Rushka arrives to try Kanchome and her sheep but is kicked by Fredo. Kanchome seeing Rushka regains the will to fight. At that moment, the book glows and Folgore is able to read the third spell, "Dika Poruk". The third spell causes Kanchome to seemingly become an invincible giant but in reality, a hologram of Kanchome is actually being projected. While Bago and Fredo are distracted, Folgore runs through fire to reach Fredo. Folgore is able to grab and burn Fredo's book. After Kanchome says goodbye to Rushka and everyone at the circus, he and Folgore end up at a harbor. Kanchome seeing candy aboard a boat, boards it. At that moment, the boat heads towards the South Pole with Kanchome on it.
#12 - Coldhearted Foes
Season 1 - Episode 42 - Aired 2/1/2004
Zatch has a fever but decides to accompany Kiyo to school anyways. Kiyo and Zatch get into an argument and Zatch collapses from the fever. After placing Zatch in the care of the school nurse, Kiyo finds Apollo at school. Apollo tells Kiyo that after Rops' book was burned, he became the president of his father's company. He then reveals that the Mamodo who burnt his was someone that resembles Zatch. He reveals that in Holland, the Zatch look-alike ad his partner Dufort mercilessly defeated them in battle. Apollo reveals that the Zatch look-alike's name is Zeno. Kiyo promises that he will defeat them for what they done to Rops. Zatch wakes up from a nightmare about Zeno and visits Kiyo who tells Zatch to become a kind king.
#13 - Praying Mantis Joe: The Hero of Justice
Season 1 - Episode 43 - Aired 2/8/2004
Zatch asks Kiyo to take him to a Praying Mantis Joe show at the mall. Kiyo refuses and Zatch leaves to go watch it with Umagon. Zatch meets Suzy and the teacher's wife, referred to as Wife, who are both also heading to the mall. Once there, Suzy and Wife realize the merchandise they wanted that was on sale was fake. After watching the Praying Mantis Joe show, Zatch notices that Suzy, Wife, Ponygon, and many kids were upset about the false merchandise being sold. He decides to ask Praying Mantis Joe to help with the merchandise problems. The actor of Praying Mantis Joe tells the kids he is unable to do anything and Zatch with the kids leave determined to face the store manager. The store manager calls his bodyguard to deal with the kids. At that moment, Praying Mantis Joe arrives and is severely beaten by the bodyguard. Wife then throws an unconscious Joe onto the bodyguard knocking him unconscious. The store manager is then forced to give the real merchandise to the costumers.
#14 - Gash vs. Bari
Season 1 - Episode 45 - Aired 2/22/2004
Kiyo and Zatch are overpowered by Bari's spells. Kiyo and Zatch resort to their strongest spell "Bao Zakeruga" but Bari is able to block it. Kiyo is unable to move or use spells after using "Bao Zakeruga" thus forcing Zatch to fight Bari hand to hand. Bari hesitates when he sees Zatch's eyes causing Bari to be knocked down. Zatch moves Kiyo to a safe place and continues his battle. Kiyo attempts to help Zatch by running a Loader into the factory to collapse the ceiling onto them. Bari goes after Kiyo to burn Zatch's book. As he looks into Zatch's eyes again, he stops and asks why. Gustav asks Zatch what kind of king he wants to be to which he replies a kind king. Bari finds the idea ridiculous and challenges Zatch whether a kind king or a powerful king will be fit for the throne. He leaves sparing Zatch's book.
#15 - Umagon's Close Call
Season 1 - Episode 46 - Aired 2/29/2004
Ponygon after seeing Zatch depressed about his lost goes and searches for his book owner. Ponygon finds a man named Doronma who resembles Ponygon and assumes he is his bookowner. Zatch following Ponygon's scent is invited alongside Ponygon to visit Doronma's house. Doronma asks Zatch and Ponygon to help him in his plan to steal from the rich and give to the poor. Zatch and Ponygon agree to help him and after robbing multiple jewellery stores, Doronma proposes to steal a diamond from a mansion. Zatch and Ponygon assist him in the robbery but end up tripping every alarm. Doronma is later arrested by the police. When Ponygon shows him the book, Doronma replies that he saw a fly in the book and that he was unable to read it.
#16 - Rumble in the Snow
Season 1 - Episode 47 - Aired 3/7/2004
Sherry and Brago are searching for a Mamodo in the snowy mountains. They come across an injured old man and his grandson, Jeff, who are being attacked by a bear. Sherry and Brago use their spell to scare the bear away and Brago then carries the man back to his house. The man explains that the bear killed the Jeff's parents and they intended to get revenge with it. Brago leaves to wander around the mountain. Sherry's butler comments that Brago has changed into a strict and kind person, a perfect king. Brago returns with the bear's body and tells Jeff he must become a stronger person. The next day, a group of men threaten to bulldoze Jeff's and his grandpa's home. Brago defeats them and in vengeance, they detonate the explosives hidden in the mountain. An avalanche occurs but is stopped by Brago and his new spell "Dioga Gravidon".
#17 - The Mystery of the Stone Tablets
Season 1 - Episode 48 - Aired 3/14/2004
Kiyo while shopping with Suzy finds a stone tablet similar to the one from before. Kiyo buys the stone and brings it home. He decides to use open minded tests on the stone while leaving the scientific methods to his father. Meanwhile, Zatch, Tia, and Ponygon decide to train for the tougher Mamodo battles ahead. Elsewhere, a strange man and his Mamodo Kido are on a plane heading to Japan to meet with Zatch and Tia. At night time, a mysterious Mamodo steals the stone tablet from Kiyo's room and at the same time in England, the stone piece Kiyo's father is studying is also stolen. Elsewhere, a masked Mamodo stares at his collection of stone tablets.
#18 - The Sixth Spell
Season 1 - Episode 50 - Aired 3/28/2004
"Rauzaruk" surrounds Zatch in a rainbow coloured aura but its effect is unknown. While trying to figure out the effects of "Rauzaruk" the rainbow aura disappears and the effects of the spell wear off. Kiyo and Zatch become overwhelmed by Kido's army of clones. Kiyo realizes that the power Zatch wished for must be the spell's effect. Casting "Rauzaruk" again, Zatch is able to defeat all of Kido's clones. Zatch reveals that he wanted power to protect Kiyo. Kiyo realizes that "Rauzaruk" increases Zatch's strength, speed, and defense greatly and with that power, they defeat Dr. Riddles and Kido. Dr. Riddles reveals that the latent powers inside Mamodos awaken when they mature spiritually or when the book owner's feelings reach them. Dr. Riddles then tells Kiyo that the evil one is gathering up minions and that Kiyo's help will be needed when the time comes.
#19 - Danny Boy
Season 1 - Episode 27 - Aired 10/12/2003
A Shemira sculpture is coming to the museum and to describe art to Zatch, Kiyo tells him to imagine a delicious yellow-tail. Meanwhile, A Mamodo named Danny and his book owner Mr. Goldo are delivering the sculpture. Danny meets Zatch while buying fish and fights him thinking Zatch is after his book. Danny stops when Zatch tells him he is at the museum to see the Shemira sculpture. Danny decides show Zatch the sculpture and returns to Mr. Goldo only to find out the sculpture has been stolen by a gang. Zatch follows them through their scent and leads them to a ship. Zatch then gives Ponygon a memo to give to Kiyo. Zatch, Danny, and Mr. Goldo infiltrate the ship. Mr. Goldo is held hostage by the gang but Kiyo arrives and saves him with Zatch's "Zaker". Once the gang has been apprehended the gang leader attempts to use a truck to escape. He crashes and the cargo falls into the car containing Danny's book and the Shemira sculpture. Danny manages to hold up the cargo and asks Zatch to destroy it. Zatch does so and the sculpture is saved but Danny's book is burnt. Before disappearing, Mr. Goldo heals Danny with the spell book and congratulates Danny on a job well done.
#20 - The Second Spell!
Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 4/20/2003
At school, the bank incident causes Kiyo to become popular with the students. On the way home, Kiyo and Zatch are attacked by Hosokawa and Reycom. Hosokawa reveals that he wants to use Zatch's powers for his own gain. In the midst of the battle, Kiyo is frozen to the ground. Hosokawa takes Kiyo's book but is unable to read it. Hosokawa grabs Zatch and attempts to fire a "Zaker" at Kiyo but nothing occurs. Kiyo realizes that only the people chosen to read the book are able to cast the spells. Zatch manages to retrieve the book and return it to Kiyo. Kiyo reads the second spell "Rashield" which summons an electric shield from the ground. The shield catches Reycom's icicles and reflects it back with the addition of lightning on the icicles towards him. One of the reflected ice shards comes in contact with Reycom's book causing it to burn. When the book is burned into ashes, Reycom disappears along with it.
#21 - The Mystery of the Missing Red Book
Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 5/11/2003
Kiyo is hospitalized because of his wounds following the previous battle. A patient next to Kiyo in the hospital room is revealed to be a kid named Yuuta. Yuuta has been hospitalized longer than usual for a broken leg. When Kiyo tells Yuuta he will not heal if he does not eat, Yuuta steals Kiyo's book and threatens to burn it. Kiyo, Zatch, and Suzy search for Yuuta. When Zatch finds Yuuta, Yuuta pretends he lost the book and Zatch offers to look for it with him as they are friends now. Yuuta touched by Zatch's words leads Zatch to the book on the roof. Yuuta falls on his way down the roof but is saved by a "Zaker" which destroys the floor under Yuuta and causes him to full into a room full of pillows.
#22 - Botanical Madness
Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 5/25/2003
Zatch becomes friend with a strange-looking horse but the relationship is short-lived when the horse is launched into the sky by Zatch's bully. Kiyo takes Zatch and Suzy to a botanic garden when a Mamodo attacks everyone in the garden by strangling them with plant roots. Kiyo and Zatch manage to free everyone captured by the tree roots with "Zaker". As Kiyo and Zatch prepare to defeat the Mamodo and his book owner, they are unable to cast the spell "Zaker". The opponent reveals that the book uses energy from the human partner in order to use spells. Kiyo, using his desire to protect everyone, manages to unleash a "Rashield". "Rashield" reflects the Mamodo's attack back at towards the user and in the process the Mamodo's book is burned.
#23 - The Third Spell
Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 6/1/2003
The next day, Kiyo finds out a new page has become readable, revealing the third spell. Kiyo and Zatch head to a deserted area to practise the third spell "Jikerdor". When cast, nothing occurs and after multiple tries, they decide to give up. On their way home, they are attacked by a Mamodo named Fein and his partner Sebe. Kiyo manages to lead them to an abandoned building to prevent anymore bystanders from becoming injured. The pair manage to overwhelm Kiyo and Zatch with their super-speed spells. Kiyo places his hope on the third spell and uses "Jikerdor" which causes the Mamodo Fein to become magnetized. With Fein's movements becoming restrained, Kiyo and Zatch are able to burn Fein's book. Kiyo wondering if all Mamodos are that powerful, tells Zatch he must become stronger.
#24 - The Elite Mamodo
Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 6/8/2003
Zatch is helped by a kind man named Shin. Kiyo, noticing that his partner Eshros is holding a mamodo book realizes that Shin is a Mamodo. After secretly following them, they realize that Eshros is actually the Mamodo and that the pair intend to destroy a school tomorrow. Zatch follows the pair believing Shin to be a good person and learns that Eshro is manipulating Shin by making him believe he is fulfilling his mother's dying wish of becoming a strong-willed person. The next day, Kiyo and Zatch are able to convince Shin that Eshro is manipulating him. Shin realizing his mother wanted him to be like Kiyo, uses his strongest spell to defeat Kiyo and Zatch. Shin then gives Kiyo his book to burn knowing that Eshro is a bad person that does not deserve to be king.
#25 - The Invincible Folgore
Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 6/15/2003
A Mamodo impersonates Kiyo after nailing him to the ceiling and attempts to get information out of Zatch for his book. After fooling Zatch and Suzy into believing he is Kiyo, Kiyo crashes down from the ceiling and the Mamodo reveals his true form. He reveals his name is Kanchome and his partner Parco Folgore came from Italy to defeat Zatch. Two hours later Folgore returns to combat Kiyo and Zatch. Using Poruk, Kanchome transforms into a cannon but it is revealed that his appearance changes but he is still incredibly weak. Kanchome unwilling to lose to Zatch manages to gain a new spell, "Koporuk" which causes him to shrink. Kiyo annoyed, sets up a trap with a frying pan and chocolate and using "Jikerdor" traps Kanchome to the pan. Kiyo decides to let Folgore and Kanchome leave with their book intact.