Pokémon Episode Guide

Get The Show On The Road

Synopsis: Ash meets May who accompanies him.

May is based on the female character of the Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire games. She breathes a freshness and originality to the series as a Pokémon trainer who does not like Pokémon!

May is asked to pick a Pokémon from Professor Birch's bag in order to help him in his run in with some wild Poochyena. A very similar incident occurs near the start of the Ruby/Sapphire game.

Ash leaves all his Pokémon behind apart from his trademark Pikachu. The excuse we're given is that he wants to make a fresh start. The real reason is that the Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire games are incompatible with the earlier versions. If Ash can cope with a fresh start, well so can you!

A Ruin With A View

Synopsis: We meet Team Magma.

In this episode we get a glimpse of Team Magma. They and Team Aqua will play a subplot in this series climaxing in a great battle of legendaries. Again, this is based on their role in the Ruby/Sapphire games.

There's No Place Like Hoenn

Synopsis: May's brother Max joins Ash and May.

Max is a fun character, and, as in the way of siblings, the opposite of his elder sister. He's too young to have a Pokémon of his own. He is nonetheless keen and knowledgeable of the ways of Pokémon.

You Never Can Taillow

Synopsis: Brock rejoins Ash. Ash catches a Taillow.

Obviously Brock's business in Pewter City was not onerous, for he's back with Ash before we know it. Ash catches his first Hoenn Pokémon.

In the Knicker of Time

More of Max's character is revealed. He's very intelligent. Because he has frequently experienced knowing more than his peers, it has made him an annoyingly arrogant kid, a trap that kids like that can fall into. He has no trouble putting his sister down, but when it comes to outsiders criticizing his family, it's a different matter altogether. I think this is pretty natural enough anywhere, but it is especially indicative of Japanese society where one person's relationship with another is heavily dependant on what groups they belong to and how those groups relate to each other.

Nicolai is an eccentric character that provides contrast. Perhaps not sharing in Max's degree of intelligence, he more than makes up for it with maturity and experience.

My favourite quote #1:
May: I didn't know Zigzagoon could evolve into humans.
Max: Are we really related?

My favourite quote #2:
Ash: [about May's Pokémon battle] She can use good strategy to make up for it.
Max: This is May we're talking about.

A Poached Ego!

Synopsis: Jessie and James release their Arbok and Weezing. James gets a Cacnea.

An excellent pun in the title of this episode. A moving plot, with Jessie and James forced to part with their long-time partners in would-be crime in order to save them from an otherwise successful criminal. As a consolation, James's generosity earns him a Cacnea. Strange... he never succeeds when he plots evil, but gets rewarded when he does something good.

My favourite scene: The scene in which Weezing and Arbok part with James and Jessie.

Tree's A Crowd

Synopsis: Ash catches a Treeko.

What a character this Treeko is! Very different to all of Ash's Pokémon to date, a loner with passion and self-confidence. Not a bad guy, but willing to stand up for what it believes in regardless if it brings it into conflict with those around.

A Tail with a Twist

Synopsis: Jessie catches a Seviper.

An entertaining episode in which Treeko's character is further developed. This Pokémon doesn't take defeat lightly, but at least it takes its first steps towards working together with others rather than relying on itself.

Seviper is introduced and is captured by Jessie in a poignantly comic scene. Jessie calls it an "overgrown Weedle". As far as I am aware, this is the first time a Pokémon has been used in a metaphorical comparison with another Pokémon. Seviper gets its first taste of "blasting off again".

Taming of the Shroomish

The title of this episode is based on the title of a play by Shakespeare, Taming of the Shrew.

You Said a Mouthful

A Bite to Remember

Today's lesson: Pokémon evolution.

Rocket Rhyme:
Prepare for trouble as we blind you with science!
And make it double while we show you our defiance with something as simple as a kitchen appliance!
(This has got to be the longest one yet!)

My favourite scene #1: May imagining what an evolved Torchic would be like.

My favourite scene #2: Max showing off what technical details he's memorized about Pokémon.

The Lotad Lowdown

Synopsis: Brock is followed by a Lotad.

Today's lesson: berries.

All Things Bright and Beautifly!

The title of this film is based on a hymn, All Things Bright and Beautiful.

All In a Day's Wurmple

Gonna Rule the School!

Winner by a Nosepass

Synopsis: Ash challenges Rustboro gym leader Roxanne and wins the Stone Badge.

Stairway to Devon!

Synopsis: We meet Team Aqua.

In this heartwarming episode, we encounter the Devon Corporation, we're introduced to Team Aqua, and we get to see a lot more of Max.

Take it from someone who works in a technical research and development company, the scene where the Devon President shows Max Devon's research prototypes is tongue-in-cheek brilliance! The huge claims steadily becoming more and more incredible, the unworking models—I was laughing my head off. The machine that recreates living specimens from their fossils is right out of the Pokémon Red/Blue game, and was in fact the way in which Mewtwo was recreated from a fossil of Mew.

Team Aqua (pronounced "Ahkwah" for some reason, perhaps because that's similar to how it would be pronounced in Japanese) makes a stunning debut in an simple but exciting plot with a great climax which ties the story's threads together. The villain makes his gettaway, but it's not the last we'll see of him or his gang.

Max is portrayed with all the enthusiasm and inexperience of youth. He's a geeky kid with a pleasant manner. It's neat how he's scared of the wrath of his big sister when he fouls up. Tell you what, I wouldn't mind having a kid like that.

On a Wingull and a Prayer!

Sharpedo Attack!

Brave The Wave

Synopsis: Ash challenges Dewford Island gym leader Brawly and loses.

Which Wurmple's Which?

This episode is the original narrator's last performance. I dare say I miss his remarkable voice.

A Hole Lotta Trouble

Gone Corphishin'

A Corphish Out of Water

Synopsis: Misty's and Jessie's two Wurmpull evolve into a Silcoon and Cascoon respectively.

A Mudkip Mission

Synopsis: Brock catches a Mudkip.

Turning Over a Nuzleaf

My favourite scene: Pikachu miming to Corphish what would happen if he ate the toadstool.

A Three Team Scheme!

Seeing is Believing

Synopsis: Misty's Silcoon evolves into a Beautifly and Jesse's Cascoon into a Dustox.

Ready, Willing and Sableye

A Meditite Fight!

Just One Of The Geysers

Synopsis: Ash challenges Brawly again and wins.

Abandon Ship!

Now That's Flower Power!

Having a Wailord of a Time!

My favourite quote:
Ash: [After seeing Brock chase Nurse Joy] Good grief. I hope I'm never like that.

Win, Lose or Drew!

Synopsis: May competes in the Slateport City Pokémon contest and loses.

The Spheal of Approval

Jump For Joy

As far as I know this episode was not shown in Australia.

A Different Kind of Misty

Rocket Rhyme:
Prepare for trouble, as we swoop down from the fog.
Making it double's as easy as falling off a log.

A Poké-BLOCK Party

Watt's With Wattson

Synopsis: Ash challenges Mauville City gym leader Wattson and wins.

As far as I know this episode was not shown in Australia.