EP021

Bye Bye Butterfree File:ByeByeButterfree.gif.png

EP021   バイバイバタフリー Bye-Bye Butterfree

First broadcast Japan August 19, 1997 United States October 5, 1998

English themes Opening Pokémon Theme Ending

Japanese themes Opening めざせポケモンマスター Ending ひゃくごじゅういち

Credits Animation Team Ota Screenplay 大橋志吉 Yukiyoshi Ōhashi Storyboard 浅田裕二 Yūji Asada Assistant director 浅田裕二 Yūji Asada Animation director 玉川明洋 Akihiro Tamagawa Additional credits

Bye Bye Butterfree (Japanese: バイバイバタフリー Bye-Bye Butterfree) is the 21st episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on August 19, 1997 and in the United States on October 5, 1998.

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

Synopsis

On the way to Saffron City, Ash, Misty and Brock see a large group of Butterfree celebrating their season of love. The group find a hot-air baloon and are soon in the air following the Butterfree. Ash sends his to find a mate but Ash's Butterfree struggles to find "it's type". Soon Butterfree falls in love with a Pink Butterfree, however it wants nothing to do with Ash's Butterfree and slaps it across the face with her wing. Ash's teary-eyed butterfree then flies away into a forest. Eventually after finding Butterfree, Ash, Misty, Ash's Pikachu and Brock return to the air with Butterfree. After failing to impress the pink butterfree with whirlwind and Tackle, Team Rocket attack and manage to steal all the Butterfree except Ash's. After Team Rocket escape with all the Butterfree, Ash's leads the group to where Team Rocket are hiding. After Ash, Brock and Misty mock Team Rocket's motto, Misty's Starmie chases Team Rocket, giving Butterfree chance to save all the others. Jessie hits a hammer into Starmie, however Misty revives it by spraying water on it, meanwhile, all the Butterfree flee the warehouse resulting in Team Rocket attempting to capture them all again. As the pink butterfree watches, Ash's Butterfree flies towards Team Rocket's helicopter with pikachu on his back. Pikachu manages to destroy the helicopter, resulting in Team Rocket falling down into the darkness. Having seen Ash's butterfree's determination, the pink butterfree falls in love with it.

After an emotional goodbye, the two butterfree's fly away into the sun-set. Ash remembers first capturing Caterpie, then it evolving into a Metapod and finally a Butterfree. He remembers times with Butterfree such as battling Misty's Staryu for the Cascade Badge. As Misty tells Ash Butterfree is nearly out of sight, he wishes Butterfree good luck. Everyone watches the sun set as another adventure ends.

Major events

• Ash releases his Butterfree to breed with a pink one.

Characters

Humans

• Ash
• Misty
• Brock
• Jessie
• James

Pokémon

Who's That Pokémon?: Butterfree

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Caterpie (Ash's; flashback)
• Metapod (Ash's; flashback)
• Butterfree (Ash's; leaves)
• Staryu (Misty's; flashback)
• Starmie (Misty's)
• Zubat (Brock's; flashback)
• Butterfree (multiple trainers'/released Pokémon, including one pink Butterfree)

Trivia

• In this episode the Team Rocket's motto is ripped off for the first time.
• This is the first episode in which a main character releases a Pokémon.
• Ash reads the title card in a depressed voice.

Dub edits

At the end of the episode, the song that plays during the scene of Ash and friends saying goodbye to Butterfree is different in both versions: the Japanese version uses Aim to Be a Pokémon Master, while the English version uses Pokémon Theme.

In other languages

• Brazilian Portuguese: Adeus, Butterfree!
• European Portuguese: O Adeus de Butterfree
• Finnish: Hyvästi Butterfree
• French: Un Pokémon amoureux
• Dutch: Tot ziens Butterfree
• Italian: Una nuova vita
• Latin American Spanish: Adiós Butterfree.
• Russian: Прощай, Баттерфри
• Spanish: Adiós Butterfree

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