Weaponry in the Pokémon world

This article is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this article to add missing information and complete it.

---

A revolver in EP035. This episode was banned due to weapon use.

Weaponry, mainly firearms, have appeared in the anime numerous times. While there is generally no concern with this as weapon use is rather mild, an extreme case caused one episode to be banned. Weapons in the anime were a common occurrence in the Indigo League story arc, but in the Orange Islands story arc, no weaponry other than cannons and a few other non-lethal weapons were present. When the Johto League story arc premiered, all kinds of real-life weapons were practically absent from the show, aside from weapons associated with Team Rocket mechas.

This absence of weaponry has continued on through the Hoenn and Sinnoh League story arcs.

Challenge of the Samurai

The boy dressed as a samurai pulled out a sword on several occasions during the episode, but never used it. The sword was actually just a plastic replica which was harmless and just for show.

Samurai bends his plastic sword.

Bulbasaur and the Hidden Village

Brock used a hunting knife to cut down a net trap which caught Ash, Misty and Pikachu.

Here Comes the Squirtle Squad!

Team Rocket used a bazooka (albeit with sakura petals as ammunition) and a sub-machine gun to carry out an armed robbery of the Poké Mart for bomb ingredients. Shortly thereafter, the store owners, mistaking Ash for a member of Team Rocket trying to rob the store again, pointed several handguns, shotguns and assault rifles at Ash's head. Later in the episode, Team Rocket used the bombs that they had stolen earlier in an attempt to destroy the Squirtle Squad.

Mystery at the Lighthouse

Jessie and James tried to ward off the Dragonite approaching Bill's lighthouse by using bazookas with live missiles.

Beauty and the Beach

Team Rocket tried to destroy Porta Vista by firing a missile at the city.

Tentacool and Tentacruel

Nastina's machine guns

Nastina and her army used tanks, assault rifles and rocket launchers to try and kill the Tentacool. She also has her own tank, from which several rounds were fired, even once at Team Rocket. Team Rocket, Nastina and her army also attempted to use biological weapons to destroy the Tentacool.

Bye Bye Butterfree

When Ash and friends infiltrate Team Rocket's hideout where they have stashed all the stolen Butterfree, they attack Ash and Misty's Pokémon with sledgehammers and a clamp. Jessie even manages to successfully land a blow with a sledgehammer to Misty's Starmie.

Haunter vs. Kadabra

Haunter pulls out a spherical bomb from its mouth and the bomb explodes in its and Sabrina's face.

Pokémon Scent-sation!

Team Rocket uses a small but powerful bomb, which causes an explosion, blowing a hole through the roof of the Celadon City Gym, and the explosion sets the gym on fire.

Dig Those Diglett

The bridge project leader uses a hammer to attack the Diglett, although the Diglett retreat into the ground before the hammer can hit them. This may be a reference to the game, Whac-A-Mole.

The Ninja-Poké-Showdown

While wandering in the labyrinth that is the Fuchsia Gym, Aya uses throwing stars to pin Ash to a wooden trap door. Meowth also uses Koga's Voltorb as exploding bowling balls to attack Ash and co.

The Flame Pokémon-athon!

Team Rocket use a slingshot for many occasions: to break Lara Laramie's arm, make Lara's herd of Tauros go crazy and hit a Tauros in the face with a rock, causing it to run into a Nidorina, causing them both to crash out and eventually start fighting with each other.

The Kangaskhan Kid

James's tranquilizer gun

Officer Jenny's rifle

This violent episode had much weaponry use throughout. In the first few minutes of the show, Ash tries to capture what he thinks is a Chansey but it turns out to be Safari Ranger Jenny wearing a Chansey hat. She then levels an M1 Garand at the group and orders him to drop the Poké Ball. Also, James uses a tranquilizer gun to knock out the Kangaskhan. Tomo also uses a boomerang as a weapon, and he hits Ash in the face with it, and also uses it to knock the fuel cap off Team Rocket's mecha, leaking fuel everywhere; combined with Ash's Charmander's Flamethrower attack set the mecha ablaze. Then, Tomo's parents crash into the mecha with a helicopter to save Tomo, Ash and his friends. There is also a lot of battering in this episode; as hammers, logs and fists were used to hit people throughout the episode.

EP035

This episode was banned due to the Safari Zone Warden pointing a revolver at Ash and even firing at Team Rocket. Team Rocket even held Kaiser hostage and pointed guns at him. Due to this, it left a major plot hole in the anime. Dubs were made, but never aired. Team Rocket also uses a bomb to hurt the Pokémon in the Dragon Valley in order to fish out a Dratini living there.

EP038

While Ash, Misty, Brock, Pikachu and Team Rocket are inside the computer system, a virus clean-up software represented as a floating ambulance fires missiles at Porygon while Ash, his friends and Team Rocket are riding on it.

Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon

Team Rocket used a large amount of dynamite to blow up Grandpa Canyon.

Princess vs. Princess

Before the final match of the Princess contest between Misty and Jessie, James and Meowth are dressed up in Mafia-style clothing and Meowth is holding a Thompson submachine gun. Meowth then asks Jessie "You want us to take care of her?"

The Purr-fect Hero

Brock's katana

At the beginning of the episode, Ash and Brock tell Misty that Kids' Day should be a boy's holiday only, because of the Princess festival that recently occurred in that timeframe. The next slide showed Brock dressed up in ancient Japanese samurai clothing holding a katana, which is a common type of samurai sword.

The Case of the K-9 Caper!

Early in the episode, Ash and his friends come across a policeman acting as a burglar fleeing. Ash tries to order Pikachu to stop him, but the policeman is holding a pistol, which scares Pikachu. Also, Team Rocket uses two gaseous biological weapons to dull the Pokémon's sniffing ability and to cause the character's voices to become high pitched (the former may be Gloom pollen, as it is labeled with a Gloom and is the same color and accompanied by the same sound effect as Gloom's pollen; the latter is implied to be helium).

Pokémon Paparazzi

At the start of the episode, Ash panics and tries to get everyone down to the ground when he sees a glint of light from Todd's camera, which he assumes to be the scope of a sniper rifle. When Team Rocket captures Pikachu, James throws two bombs at Todd and Ash. James's third bomb blows up in his face after he is distracted by Ash's photo.

It's Mr. Mime Time

Team Rocket use a tank with live rockets to viciously attack Ash, Misty, Brock, Stella and her Pokémon.

Make Room for Gloom

When Ash, Pikachu, Misty and Brock arrive at the Xanadu nursery, they start peeking through the glass dome that is the nursery. They then encounter a man named Potter who is holding something that they mistake as a flamethrower. It is then revealed to be a garden spray.

To Master The Onixpected!

Team Rocket used a rocket launcher on an Onix, and both rockets hit and exploded on Onix. But it emerged unscathed, and chased after Team Rocket.

Pallet Party Panic

Team Rocket attacks Pallet Town by throwing bombs at the townspeople.

Shell Shock!

James throws a bomb at Umberto and many people hit it away until Ash holds onto it, then he throws it away and then it explodes.

Stage Fight!

Team Rocket fires two live torpedoes at the Pokémon Showboat.

Bound for Trouble

Team Rocket use a beam cannon of sorts and attempt to fire it at Ash, Misty, Tracey and Psyduck.

Charizard Chills

Team Rocket use buzzsaws to attack Ash, Pikachu and Charizard.

Viva Las Lapras

The two antagonists in this episode, Captain Crook and Scuz, fire cannons with live cannonballs at Ash, his Pikachu, and Lapras.

The Whistle Stop

James fires a Bazooka loaded with a net to pin down Ash, Brock, Misty, and Arielle.

The Poké Spokesman

Team Rocket uses a rocket launcher with live missiles to attack the criminals' hideout in order to rescue Simon. This scene was removed for the dub.

The Big Balloon Blow-up

During the balloon race, Jessie and James use a rocket launcher to shoot down Ash and Skyler's balloons.

A Poached Ego!

Rico uses an FN P90.

A Togepi Mirage!

The royal army of the Mirage Kingdom use spears as weapons.

Crazy as a Lunatone!

This was one of the few occurences in which live missiles reappeared in the Pokémon anime in this arc. Minor villians use live missiles to destroy the meteor in which contains Lunatone.

Saving the World From Ruins!

Mars threatens to destroy Iron Island with a Remote Controlled Demolition System but when she triggers the Explosives, the attempt is foiled by Riley and Lucario.

Stealing the Conversation!

Team Rocket attacks Ash and co. with a Bowling Pin Mecha that's armed with Bowling Pin Missiles. Also, it is shown that Officer Jenny (from the Whirl Islands) uses a set of three Bowling Balls to incapacitate and arrest criminals despite its potential to cause serious blunt trauma injuries (in real life) at the high speeds with which she throws them at.

Noodles! Roamin' Off!

Meowth fires a Bazooka to save Jessie and James from being blasted by a Shiny Metagross' Hyper Beam.

Trials and Adulations!

Team Rocket tries to attack Aggron, and then Mamoswine, inside a Golem Mecha armed with Rock-shaped Missiles.

Frozen on Their Tracks!

Meowth fires a Bazooka loaded with a capture bag at Pikachu's group.

Gateway to Ruin!

Agent Looker fights off several Galactic Grunts who are all armed with Bōs (A Japanese Quarterstaff).

An Egg Scramble!

Meowth uses a bazooka with a retractable grappling hand attachment to steal Dawn's Cyndaquil Egg.

The Treasure Is All Mine!

The Treasure chest that contains a love letter from James' childhood fired live missiles which caused damage to Growlie and even had a laser gun that sent Team Rocket blasting off.

A Night in the Nacrene City Museum!

Ash and co. are attacked by a Yamask-controlled, sword-wielding Suit of Medieval Armor.

Pikachu's Vacation

Meowth pulls out a bomb in attempt to stop all the noise that Pikachu and all the other Pokémon have been making trying to rescue Charizard.

Arceus and the Jewel of Life

The Soldiers of Michina (in the Past) are armed with Sasumatas (A Japanese Man Catcher).

This article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation.