"The Big Bugball Game" is the first segment of the eighteenth episode of Amphibia. It premiered on July 16, 2019.
Synopsis
Anne must learn the value of teamwork to win the town's annual Bugball game.
Plot
The town of Wartwood is celebrating Harvest Day, complete with their version of a turkey. Anne is excited to be celebrating with the Plantars until she notices the locals putting up signs for "Farmers" and "Townies". Hop Pop explains that every year, they hold the annual Big Bugball Game and that it is the Farmers against the Townies. The Townies usually win and the losers, which is usually the Farmers, have to wear a ridiculous turkey costume for the day. Leading the Townies is Mayor Toadstool who boasts an impressive line up of tough and athletic frogs. Meanwhile, the Farmers are surprised to see that, due to her long limbs, Anne is fully capable and athletic. Wanting to support her family, Anne agrees to join the team so that they can finally put the Townies in their place.
Anne gets together with the Farmers to practice, but Anne is over confidant as she feels that she already has a grasp on the game. Toadstool and the Townies show up to practice, even though the Farmers have the field for the time, and they challenge each other to a practice game. To Anne's surprise, she seems incapable of landing a direct goal, despite earlier attempts, and the Farmers lose. Hop Pop explains that that is why they need to practice because they need to work together as a team. Anne decides to train seriously with the group until she finally accepts that aid of her teammates.
The day of the game arrives as the Farmers proceed to put up an impressive match against the Townies. Toadstool decides to resort to drastic measures and has Toadie blind Anne with powder. She insists they continue and with the help of her team, specifically Sprig, they manage to score the winning slam dunk, allowing the Farmers to win for the first time. Toadstool is forced to wear the turkey suit, as well as gets chased by the actual bug turkey, as the Farmers celebrate by dumping bug juice onto Anne. She is grossed out by the still living bugs, so her team lick them off which she declares as being worse.
Cast
- Brenda Song as Anne Boonchuy
- Justin Felbinger as Sprig Plantar
- Bill Farmer as Hop Pop Plantar, additional voices
- Amanda Leighton as Polly Plantar
- Diedrich Bader as Frog Jordan
- Laila Berzins as Sadie Croaker
- James Patrick Stuart as One-Eyed Wally
- Stephen Root as Mayor Toadstool
- Eden Riegel as Lydia, additional voices
- Matt Braly as Chuck
- Jack McBrayer as Toadie
Trivia
- As pointed out by Anne in the episode, Harvest Day is the Amphibian equivalent to Thanksgiving, meaning that this episode was most likely intended to air around that time.
- Bugball is modeled after basketball. This is clearly a reference to how sports dominate Thanksgiving time, however in real life it is American football that is the preferred Thanksgiving sport.
- This episode is similar to the Apple & Onion episode "4 on 1".
- Sprig recreates Michael Jordan's famous slam dunk with his tongue hanging out.
- Frog Jordan is a reference to Michael Jordan.
- The team groups are as follows:
- Farmers: Anne, Sprig, Hop Pop, Sadie Croaker, Chuck
- Townies: Mayor Toadstool, Toadie, Lydia, Olaf, Frog Jordan
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