See pictures from this episode - click here!

This episode is essential viewing because: Pikachu is ill as Ash reaches Hoenn. May is introduced. Professor Birch is introduced. May gets a Torchic. May and Ash team up.

As Pocket Monsters Ruby and Sapphire were launched in Japan, TV Tokyo decided to do quite a revamp of the anime to tie in. Now known as 'Pocket Monsters, Advanced Generation' they went a bit berzerk with the budget. New costumes, new characters, less Misty. The visuals are better, as is the audio. New intros and outtros abound. They also 'aged' it up a little, ditching the child-like eyecatches and even adding kanjis to the episode titles. Presumably, they cottoned on that after 6 years of the anime their viewers are growing up a little.

Anyway, here's an in depth review of the first episode, with more to come whenever I get the chance.

"My name is Haruka..." with those words and the pedalling of a bicycle we first see the new heroine character for Pokemon, Haruka. Her father has arranged it with Professor Birch to go and collect her first Pokemon and equipment to become a Pokemon trainer. However, her uncertainty about Pokemon could be a problem - and it is straight away, as a stray Yomawaru appears and frightens her, causing the bike to veer off course. Haruka's face has a close-up meeting with a tree. Looks fairly painful, I wonder if that scene might be softened up a bit for the dub. Continuing on, she reaches the peak of the hill, providing a beautiful view of Littleroot's harbour, along with an incoming ferry...

TITLE CALL!!

"A New Land! A New Adventure!"

The title call itself has now changed to a view of Houen, with a cute lil' Ash face centralised on whichever town they are at (or route they're headed on). New music also. It's all change in Advanced Generation, baby!

Back to our story... Ash is on board the ferry, just now arrivin in Houen. Pikachu is still with him, but right now is very weak and feverish, following the events of the last episode (Team Rocket really did a number on him). Ash promises to get Pikachu to a Pokemon Center as soon as possible. Team Rocket are also on board, however Jessie seems to be losing sight of their goal. Evidently failure is catching up to her, particularly that they never manage to capture Pikachu, and now in fact it looks like the power the little mouse once possessed may be gone.

Ash is shocked to find out there is no Pokemon Center in Littleroot, and makes a call to Professor Birch's lab. His attendant answers the call - Birch is out on field business, but will be informed as soon as possible. A short time later, whilst Ash waits and watches the sea horizon, a jeep pulls up and Birch calls Ash to his ride, and they're off. Birch identifies the symptoms as a large build up of electricity within Pikachu, which seems to be causing the spark emissions. A result of Team Rocket's device from last time. There's more technical jargon to this, but I am still waiting to get a version with better sound, and I'm not a qualified translator either. Anyway, Pikachu's condition deteriorates and it starts to hallucinate. Birch drives off the road and through the forested area, taking a shorter route to his lab, albeit more dangerous. Despite the ride, they make it one piece. Pikachu is connected to a machine to drain away the excess electricity welled up inside it. Unfortunately the machine isn't enough to cope with the incredible surge within Pikachu's body, and explodes. Mad with fever, Pikachu breaks out of the lab and runs away into the wilderness. Ash and Birch pursue, the professor taking the three Pokeballs reserved for Haruka's 'choosing process' - he tells his attendant to have her wait for his return.

Whilst Ash and Birch split up to search for Pikachu (and Team Rocket watch from hiding nearby), Haruka arrives at the lab. Not wanting to wait around, she cycles off. Good thing, too. Whilst Birch searches, he accidentally falls off a high mound, dropping his bag in the process, and landing on a rather annoyed Poochena. Alone it's not much of a threat, but when it calls in it's two friends, Birch is suddenly outnumbered and defenseless. It's lucky for him Haruka shows up and can reach the bag... until it turns out she doesn't know how to actually use Pokemon. Choosing a ball at random, she gets a Mudkip. Birch tells her about Pokemon attacks, and she orders it to use Water Gun. Which it does. In her face. Birch takes over the reins and has Mudkip see off the Poochena trio with a powerful Water Gun.

Pikachu, in it's delusion, sees Ash as a demonic figure and lets off a devastating blast, knocking both down. Filled with rage, Pikachu runs for it's life and dives off a cliff! Determined to save his best friend, Ash dives off the cliff and catches Pikachu, grabbing onto a branch (convenient) and saving them both. Birch and Haruka arrive and throw down a rope. Pikachu does it's best to try and escape, trying to shock Ash and even biting into his arm. However, Ash refuses to give up, and Pikachu comes to it's senses, finally realising who it is dealing with. Trying to 'kiss' the bite wound better, Ash mentions the old 'this and that' phrase (which can easily be dubbed into 'it's no trouble' for dub purposes)... of course, whenever you say the words 'nanda kanda...'

IT'S TEAM ROCKET! Back into action with their new snazzy music, and a new giant mecha (which doesn't look like any kind of Pokemon, this time, just a giant battery with arms and legs... makes sense later). Jessie however is still having her doubts. Team Rocket's mecha is a giant energy draining device, possibly a means by which they want to drain back Pikachu's misbegotten energy overload, or perhaps just to weaken it and then steal it. Unfortunately for them, the energy drain is just what's needed to 'cure' Pikachu, and the happy little mouse is glad to repay them by completely frying them, despite the mecha's shielding. During this lightshow however, Haruka's bike gets fried. OH WOW, WHAT A NEW PLOT TWIST! Seriously, did the writers set up the Ash/Haruka pairing the same way they did the Ash/Misty pairing for nostalgia? I know that the show feels like it's the same thing all the time, but NEVER THIS 'THE-SAME!' Anyway, this electric wakeup call is just what is needed to remind Jessie of how great and special Pikachu is, and what a great present it will be for The Boss... even as they're all blasted off into the distance again (it may be a new series, but some things never change... thank god.). Weakaned from the fight, Pikachu collapses...

At Birch's lab, Pikachu is found to be clean off the excess energy, merely needing rest to recover. Ash is very happy. Snooping in on things, Haruka nearly drops a vase and gives her hiding away. Birch then remembers it's time for her to choose a Pokemon. Ash is intrigued.

ADVERTS!!

(The new eyecatches have done away with the 'who's that Pokemon?' gimmick, possibly to try and appeal to a slightly oldier audience all-round. The new eyecatch start is a generic action shot of Ash, Pikachu and Haruka (more characters are added in future episodes) and the return eyecatch is a side on profile shot of them (again, more characters added in later eps))

Birch shows the kids the three Pokemon available. Treecko (for some reason Ash wonders if it is a water type... I fail to see why), Mudkip and Torchic. Haruka finds the first two unacceptable for some reason, but the cute and friendly Torchic wins her over. Birch gives her some Pokeballs and a Pokedex (this is a new looking model similar to the new one Ash is using - they have a feminine voice in the Japanese show, perhaps the dub will follow suit - DEXTERINA!!!). Both Birch and Ash wish her luck on her journey, but she doesn't seem too thrilled about things...

Outside, Haruka works on... being angry. She wants to confront Ash about her destroyed bike. However, when she enters the lab and sees the love Ash has for his injured Pikachu, she just can't do it. Preparing to leave with her new Torchic, Ash comes out of the lab with a revitalised Pikachu. The professor and his assistant tell the duo that they must enrol for the Houen League at the nearest Pokemon Center, in Kotoki Town. Haruka manages to guilt trip Ash into accompanying her on her journey to Kotoki Town and beyond (maybe that was why they used the 'destroyed bike' gimmick). Thus, the two Pokemon trainers begin their grand journey in Houen...

JIKAI! (Next Time!): Ancient Pokemon and the Mystery Militia!

Professor Oak's Pokemon Zukan: It's still going! Yay! However due to R/S ditching the number system in the Pokedex (well, changing it anyway) Oak's machine now brings up a random silhouette. This time it's Entei. They only have about 3 seconds of footage of Entei from the anime, since it was barely seen and they can't use movie footage for some reason. Anyway Oak tells everyone how rare Entei is and not to miss the chance to catch it if ever you see it... and then, as convenience would have it, it appears in his lab. Oak thinks this is his chance, but just gets flamed instead. Surprise.

Your silly haiku...

Dai funka,
Honoo ni ukabu,
Entei yo!

A big eruption!
When the lava comes rolling
You must dig a ditch!

Sigh. Grammar notwithstanding (it's always a bit rough in these) the gag is that Entei in Japanese is also a kind of trench or ditch... so you dig one to stop the lava flow... right...

Comments: Good starting episode. Decent introduction of Haruka, who will later come to be known as the worst trainer ever. It's a few more episodes before the whole regular cast are in place, but this build up is good. And thanks the stars Team Rocket are still around. The imrpvoed art and totally redone music (this episode uses _no_ old music at all, though later ones will) really adds to the effect. I doubt the plan to try and 'age' up the anime a little will succeed, but early ratings show that in Japan at least this episode did good numbers. Will the interest remain? Who knows. The next ep is a bit of a stinker but then it's good stuff for a while, so...

This episode guide has been written by Jedah.

Characters appearing in this episode

Ash

Brock

Max

May

Jessie

James

Meowth

Ash's Pikachu

Pokémon appearing in this episode

• Pikachu belonging to Ash
• Meowth

There are currently 0 comments on this story... you could be first!