EP081

← EP080 : Friends to the End

Original series

EP082 : A Scare in the Air →

Pallet Party Panic

EP081   マサラタウン！あらたなるたびだち！ Masara Town! Setting off on a New Journey!

First broadcast Japan January 28, 1999 United States December 4, 1999

English themes Opening Pokémon Theme Ending

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

Credits Animation Team Ota Screenplay 園田英樹 Hideki Sonoda Storyboard 浅田裕二 Yūji Asada Assistant director 浅田裕二 Yūji Asada Animation director 岩根雅明 Masaaki Iwane Additional credits

Screenshots on Filb.de

Pallet Party Panic (Japanese: マサラタウン！あらたなるたびだち！ Masara Town! Setting off on a New Journey!) is the 81st episode of the Pokémon anime and the first episode of the Orange Islands story arc. It was first broadcast in Japan on January 28, 1999 and in the United States on December 4, 1999.

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

Synopsis

With Ash’s Top 16 achievement in the Indigo Plateau Conference, Pallet Town holds a party celebrating his accomplishment at Professor Oak's Laboratory, hosted by the Professor. A toast is held as everyone digs into the food. Misty suggests letting their Pokémon out to share. Brock brings out Geodude, Onix, Zubat and Vulpix, while Misty brings out Goldeen, Staryu and Psyduck. Ash brings out Pidgeotto, Bulbasaur and Squirtle, but his friends prevent him from bringing out Charizard, knowing how unruly the Pokémon can be.

The Pokémon run off, with Ash going first. Team Rocket in disguise man a venue cooking food for the party. When Ash places an order, they decide to sabotage it with extremely hot sauces. Ash takes the food back as Brock and Ash’s Pokémon take the first bite. The piquance immediately takes a toll as Brock and Ash’s Pokémon fumble about, Ash’s Squirtle unable to use its Water Gun. Misty has Staryu cool them down. Ash laughs at their sensitivity to the spice, but he takes it back when he experiences the spicy meatball.

During the confusion, Team Rocket takes Pikachu and runs back to their stand. As they recite their motto, the stand turns into a modified hot air balloon. Ash and his friends toss the food back at them before Team Rocket attempts to escape, with Pikachu hanging from the bottom. Ash has Squirtle attack, but the balloon is too high up. Jessie and Meowth shell the area with bombs, causing panic. Ash sends Pidgeotto after them, with a Quick Attack bursting the balloon. As they descend, Meowth triggers a secondary balloon to stop their fall. Jessie sends out Arbok to shoot down Pidgeotto with Poison Sting. Ash catches his Pokémon before it hits the ground.

Furious, Ash decides to send out Charizard to get Pikachu. It appears to disobey him, instead taking notice of the food table nearby. Before Charizard can get anything, Team Rocket continues to bomb the area, destroying the table. Angry, Charizard races after them, deflecting another salvo of bombs back at the balloon, destroying it and sending Team Rocket blasting off. Charizard catches Pikachu from its free fall and flies back before torching Ash and showing off its power to the guests. Meanwhile, Team Rocket lands in a tree. Something pecks at Jessie as Meowth points out a whole flock of Pidgey and Pidgeotto around them. Jessie tries to look beyond some trees, but a whole flock of Spearow led by a Fearow attack her.

Back at Professor Oak’s Lab, the Professor finishes treating Pidgeotto’s wounds. Though Ash feels responsible for putting Pidgeotto at risk, his Pokémon doesn’t hold it against him and nudges him. Misty points out how Charizard is the opposite of Pidgeotto, but Ash believes he will be able to control Charizard eventually.

Professor Oak then asks Ash and his friends to head to Valencia Island in the Orange Archipelago to visit his colleague, Professor Ivy, to pick up a mysterious Poké Ball for him. It can’t be transported and his grandson Gary is currently occupied. Misty and Brock are inspired to put in some beach time, but Ash is more intrigued about the Poké Ball. Nonetheless, they all agree to head off, departing from Ash’s home.

As Ash and his friends head off into the forest, they become aware of the lack of activity in the forest. Pikachu looks up and alerts the group to a flock of Spearow, ducking to avoid them as well as the Fearow. Ash scans with his Pokédex and wonders why they are attacking, remembering the Spearow he hit with a rock when he first started.

The Fearow swoops around and grabs Ash and Pikachu, flying into the air. Ash orders Pikachu to use ThunderShock, causing the Fearow to drop them into the forest. They land in the same tree that Team Rocket is unable to leave from. Jessie fills him in on the situation as he notices the Pidgey and Pidgeotto. Misty and Brock catch up to Ash as he plans to help the Pidgey family. Ash decides to get Team Rocket to safety first by jumping on the branches, getting the trio onto the ground. The Spearow chase Team Rocket away.

Ash tries to get the Pidgey and Pidgeotto to fly away, but they are still hesitant. Ash brings out his own Pidgeotto and has it lead them away. The Flying Pokémon start to soar away, when Fearow returns. Ash’s Pidgeotto challenges the Fearow, but gets hit by Fearow’s Tackle, sending it to the ground. Ash catches up to his hurt Pokémon as the Fearow begins to harass the other Pidgey. Pidgeotto struggles to get up, letting out a cry as it begins to evolve, completing its evolution to Pidgeot! Ash scans with his Pokedex as Pidgeot spreads its wings, wanting Ash to get on. Pikachu joins him as they soar after Fearow. Fearow turns around as Pidgeot fires multiple Gust attacks, hammering the Fearow. A Quick Attack follow-up easily strikes the Fearow. Pikachu then jumps onto the Fearow and launches a Thunderbolt. Pikachu gets back on with Ash as Ash attempts to catch it, but Fearow swats the ball away and prepares to attack again, but the Pidgey and Pidgeotto team up with Pidgeot to assault Fearow with multiple attacks. Outnumbered, Fearow turns tail and flies away.

Back on the ground, as the sun sets, Ash decides to leave Pidgeot with the group to keep the Pidgey and Pidgeotto safe. Pidgeot flies away with the other bird Pokémon, leading them away. Ash and his friends then continue their journey to Valencia Island. Meanwhile Team Rocket is still running away from the Spearow!

Major events

• Ash is given an errand by Professor Oak to travel to the Orange Archipelago and retrieve a mysterious Poké Ball from Professor Ivy.
• The Spearow from the first episode returns as a Fearow, which Ash unsuccessfully attempts to capture.
• Ash's Pidgeotto evolves into a Pidgeot.
• Ash releases his Pidgeot to protect other Pidgey and Pidgeotto from the Spearow and Fearow flock.

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

Debuts

Pokémon debuts

TV episode debuts

• Ash's Pidgeot

Characters

Humans

• Ash
• Misty
• Brock
• Jessie
• James
• Professor Oak
• Delia
• Various unnamed people (Possibly Ash's supporters)

Pokémon

Dare da?

Who's That Pokémon?

Who's That Pokémon?: Pidgeot (U.S. and international), Pidgey (Japan)

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Togepi (Misty's)
• Pidgeotto (Ash's; evolves)
• Pidgeot (Ash's; newly evolved; leaves)
• Bulbasaur (Ash's)
• Charizard (Ash's)
• Squirtle (Ash's)
• Goldeen (Misty's)
• Staryu (Misty's)
• Psyduck (Misty's)
• Onix (Brock's)
• Geodude (Brock's)
• Zubat (Brock's)
• Vulpix (Brock's)
• Arbok (Jessie's)
• Fearow (anime)
• Pidgey (multiple)
• Pidgeotto (multiple)
• Spearow (multiple)

Other Pokémon seen at the party:

• Butterfree
• Oddish
• Diglett
• Mankey
• Poliwag
• Bellsprout
• Voltorb

Trivia

• Professor Oak's lecture:
  • Pokémon senryū summary: In Exeggutor's shade, a leisurely nap.
• The Rivals replaces Aim to Be a Pokémon Master as the opening.
• The fact that the Spearow from Pokémon - I Choose You! evolved into a Fearow might be a reference to the anime's manga counterpart, where it actually was caught by Ash.
• This is the last English episode of the 1990s.
• Despite belonging to the Indigo League arc, this episode has only appeared on the Orange Islands DVDs.

Errors

• The first time Professor Oak talks about Professor Ivy, he refers to her as a man.
  • The subtitles for the scene above have Oak saying "she" in regards to Professor Ivy.
• Jessie's gloves disappear when she falls out of the tree.
• When Brock and Misty release their Pokémon, stock footage from Volcanic Panic is used. As a result, Brock is seen throwing two Poké Balls and Misty is seen throwing one, when they should have been throwing four and three, respectively.
• After Ash, Misty and Brock release their Pokémon, Pidgeotto's feet became the same color as Onix.
• When Ash, Misty and Brock leave, Oak is once again seen with grey eyebrows.

Dub edits

• During the original broadcast and subsequent television airings, Pokémon Theme is the theme song. However, on the DVD, Pokémon World is the theme song.

In other languages

Language		Title
Mandarin Chinese		真新鎮，新的開始
Czech		Panika v Oblázkovém městě
Danish		Fest Panik i Pallet Town
Dutch		Een Pittig Feestje
European French		Alerte au Bourg Palette
German		Panik-Party
Hebrew		פאניקה במסיבת העיר פאלטpanica bemesibat ha'eer Pallet
Hungarian		Palletvárosi parti pánik
Italian		Una festa movimentata
Portuguese	Brazil	Uma Festa de Arromba
	Portugal	Pânico na Festa de Pallet
Russian		Паника в Алабастии
Spanish	Latin America	¡Fiesta de pánico en el pueblo Paleta!
	Spain	Pánico en la fiesta de Paleta
Swedish		Hjältens återkomst

← EP080 : Friends to the End

Original series

EP082 : A Scare in the Air →

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