EP088

← EP087 : The Crystal Onix

Original series

EP089 : Shell Shock! →

In the Pink

EP088   ピンクのポケモンじま Island of Pink Pokémon

First broadcast Japan March 18, 1999 United States February 12, 2000

English themes Opening Pokémon World Ending

Japanese themes Opening ライバル！ Ending タイプ・ワイルド

Credits Animation Team Ota Screenplay 武上純希 Junki Takegami Storyboard 横田和 Kazu Yokota Assistant director 大町繁 Shigeru Ōmachi Animation director たけだゆうさく Yūsaku Takeda Additional credits

In the Pink (Japanese: ピンクのポケモンじま Island of Pink Pokémon) is the 88th episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on March 18, 1999 and in the United States on February 12, 2000.

Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.

Synopsis

While traveling on Lapras, the trio is caught in a whirlpool. After they regain consciousness, Tracey finds out that they are on Pinkan Island. They climb the cliffs and see a pink Rhyhorn. Tracey sketches it, and Ash, in order to prove to Misty that he knows what he's doing, races up to the Rhyhorn, who promptly knocks him away. Ash runs over to Tracey, and the two boys head for where Misty and Pikachu are. The team are cornered by the edge of the cliffs, and in order to save them, Togepi uses Metronome and Teleports them away. The Rhyhorn goes over the cliff and the team wonders how they escaped. Officer Jenny arrives and together they rescue the Rhyhorn. Jenny explains that the Pinkan Berries turn any Pokémon that eats them a lot, permanently pink.

Team Rocket, having noticed the Rhyhorn, arrive on the island and see Jigglypuff. They think it is special until they realize all Jigglypuff are pink. Before Jigglypuff can sing its song, they run off into the forest, planning to catch the pink Pokémon and open their own theme park. They use their Pokémon to catch the pink ones, and Lickitung chases 2 Pink Nidoran into a cave, and runs straight back out. A Nidoking comes out of the cave and chases Team Rocket away.

Meanwhile, Jenny is explaining how Pinkan Island is a reserve and that she won't press charges. The trio contact Professor Oak, who knew about the island and its pinkness, and he tells them about the research before Muk gives him a hug. An alarm sounds and the team offer to help Jenny. Team Rocket are still being chased and attempt to defeat Nidoking, but Jenny and the others appear. They do their motto and Ash has Pikachu use ThunderShock, thus shocking Nidoking. Nidoking throws the Rocket Pokémon at their owners and they blast off. Nidoking chases the trio and Jenny, and both Psyduck and Marill attempt to battle him, but ultimately run off scared.

Pikachu tries to shock him, but Jenny informs Ash that Nidoking is on a rampage and cannot be stopped. Nidoking uses Hyper Beam, but Togepi uses Metronome again and creates a Barrier. Jenny tells the trio to get out and run. She engages Nidoking and lassos it, and Nidoking drops to the ground dizzy. Jenny drops the team off beyond the whirlpools and Misty contemplates Togepi's actions. Ash and Tracey laugh at her suggestion of Togepi attacking. Ash notices Tracey's sketch of Officer Jenny. Misty attempts to get Togepi to attack, but is unsuccessful.

Major events

• Tracey's Marill is revealed to know Water Gun.*

For a list of all major events in the animated series, please see the history page.

Characters

Humans

• Ash
• Misty
• Tracey
• Jessie
• James
• Professor Oak
• Officer Jenny

Pokémon

Who's That Pokémon?

Who's That Pokémon?: Kabuto (US and international), Pink Rhyhorn (Japan)

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Togepi (Misty's)
• Muk (Ash's; at Oak's Laboratory)
• Lapras (Ash's)
• Psyduck (Misty's)
• Marill (Tracey's)
• Arbok (Jessie's)
• Lickitung (Jessie's)
• Weezing (James's)
• Victreebel (James's)
• Jigglypuff (anime)

Pink Pokémon:

• Caterpie
• Weedle
• Pidgey
• Rattata
• Nidoran♀
• Nidoran♂
• Nidoking
• Vileplume
• Paras
• Venonat
• Diglett
• Mankey
• Primeape
• Bellsprout
• Dodrio
• Exeggutor
• Rhyhorn
• Rhydon
• Gengar (James's costume)
• Tauros (Jessie's costume)

Pink Pokémon in Team Rocket's fantasy:

• Pidgeotto
• Rattata
• Arbok
• Oddish
• Venonat
• Poliwhirl
• Bellsprout
• Geodude
• Weezing
• Scyther
• Electabuzz

Trivia

• Professor Oak's lecture:
  • Pokémon senryū summary: Eevee, has three evolutions; now which shall I choose?
• The Gengar and Tauros costumes that Team Rocket are wearing made another appearance in Manectric Charge.
• It is speculated that this island is where the pink Butterfree from Bye-Bye Butterfree is from, but this has not been officially confirmed.
• Jigglypuff does not sing in this episode.
• When Team Rocket are imagining opening up a theme park with pink Pokémon, their disguises are the same as the ones from Pokémon Fashion Flash.
• This is the second episode Togepi uses Metronome, and the first time Misty suspects that it knows this move.
• This is also the second straight episode in which a Pokémon sends Team Rocket blasting off by hitting them with its tail (and an unusual Pokémon at that).
• The book Secret of the Pink Pokémon is based on this episode.

Errors

• When Ash is climbing the cliff after they first reach Pinkan Island, Pikachu is on his shoulder. When Ash and Misty are shown from the back, Pikachu is missing.
• When Tracey is pulling himself up onto the cliff, his hand is not shaped normally.
• In the dub, in the scene where the group is being chased by the pink Nidoking, Misty calls out for her Starmie when she sends out Psyduck. Starmie was left at the Cerulean Gym more than twenty episodes before.
• When observing the pink Rhyhorn, Tracey mentions that it is 8 meters long. This is impossible, since the Rhyhorn would be just over 24 feet in length, and it is clearly nowhere near this size. Rhyhorn's size according to the Pokédex is only 1 meter.
• James says "That shock was Nidoking's wake-up call!" However, the previous scene doesn't show Nidoking getting shocked.
• Just after Team Rocket blasts off, the tip of Pikachu's ear, part of Ash's arm, a part of his T-shirt and a part of a tree in the background are colored white.

In other languages

Language		Title
Mandarin Chinese		粉紅神奇寶貝之島
Czech		Všechno je růžové
Dutch		De Roze Pokémon
European French		La vie en rose
German		Pinkan Island
Hebrew		בורודbevarod
Hungarian		Álom rózsaszín kivitelben
Italian		L'isola dei Pokémon rosa
Portuguese	Brazil	Tudo Rosa
	Portugal	Na Ilha Rosa
Russian		Розовый мир
Spanish	Latin America	¡Pokémon en rosa!
	Spain	De color rosa

← EP087 : The Crystal Onix

Original series

EP089 : Shell Shock! →

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