Pokémon Trainer's Choice
Pokémon Trainer's Choice is a feature from the English dub of the Pokémon anime. Starting from What You Seed is What You Get, Trainer's Choice was the lead-in to the mid-show advertisement break. It replaced the original series's Who's That Pokémon?. It was not used in the original Japanese version of the anime; instead, a simple eyecatch was shown. The final Trainer's Choice aired with Pasta La Vista!. It was not replaced with a similar feature, nor has it ever been reintroduced.
Trainer's Choice follows a simple concept. Rather than recognizing the silhouette of a Pokémon, viewers are asked a question about a Pokémon and instructed to choose the best of three possible answers, usually over a commercial break when watched on TV. Generally, the viewer is asked to determine which Pokémon has a type advantage over another; though other kinds of questions have been asked. The feature is narrated by Ash Ketchum.
When Pokémon USA and TAJ Productions began dubbing the series, Trainer's Choice production ceased.
As the successor to the long-running "Who's That Pokémon?", Trainer's Choice was initially met with criticism from some of the fandom, especially considering the change was in the middle of a newly-started saga. 4Kids Entertainment very frequently made Pokémon type match-up errors, resulting in incorrect answers given to at least nine questions, questions with multiple correct answers, questions with no possible correct answer and questions with no right or wrong answer at all. The company also occasionally misspelled the names of Pokémon or gave them the wrong name altogether. These constant mistakes were seen by many as an indication that 4Kids actually knew very little about the franchise. The most infamous example is their erroneous claim that Seviper evolves from Arbok, featured in the Trainer's Choice of A Fan with a Plan; this Trainer's Choice in particular is a source of ridicule by many fans.
In Pokémon: Advanced Battle, the creation of questions for Trainer's Choice was credited to Lawrence Neves and the accuracy rate greatly improved. During this season, the variety in the types of questions being asked expanded beyond simply type match-ups and evolutionary lines, as well as featuring more difficult questions.
List of questions
Answers deemed correct are in bold, while misnomers and misspelled names have sic to the right of them.
Advanced Challenge
Episode | Question | Choices | Image | Notes | |||||
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AG041 | Trainers, which Pokémon is the best choice to battle Poliwrath? | Combusken |
Mudkip |
Taillow |
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AG042 | Trainers, which Pokémon would be most effective against Mudkip? | Roselia |
Plusle |
Torchic |
Roselia would be a better choice since it has an advantage over Water and resists it. | ||||
AG043 | Trainers, which of these evolves into Grovyle? | Nincada |
Lotad |
Treecko |
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AG044 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Carvanha? | Diglett |
Slugma |
Minun |
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AG045 | Trainers, which Pokémon evolves into Marshtomp? | Mudkip |
Surskit |
Marill |
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AG046 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Camerupt? | Beedrill |
Nuzleaf |
Magcargo |
While each choice is at a disadvantage, Camerupt resists both of Beedrill's types and Magcargo has a double weakness to Ground. Nuzleaf has a normal weakness and can still deal neutral damage with its Grass and Dark attacks. | ||||
AG047 | Trainers, which Pokémon would be the best choice to battle against Silcoon? | Sableye |
Marill |
Weezing |
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AG048 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle against Ninjask? | Torkoal |
Dewgong |
Nosepass |
Whilst Dewgong does have an advantage against the Bug/Flying Ninjask, Torkoal and Nosepass would also be good choices. Though Nosepass is the best choice since it resists Flying and is effective against both Bug and Flying. | ||||
AG049 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon evolves into Lombre? | Lotad |
Electrike |
Oddish |
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AG050 | Trainers, which of these is the best to battle Magneton? | Crobat |
Lanturn |
Geodude |
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AG051 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon evolves into Shelgon? | Bagon |
Aron |
Zangoose |
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AG052 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Shiftry? | Swampert |
Taillow |
Torkoal |
Taillow would also have an advantage over Grass. | ||||
AG053 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Kirlia? | Togetic |
Combusken |
Graveler |
This is incorrect because Combusken is weak to Psychic. Both Togetic and Graveler would be equal type match-ups against Kirlia. | ||||
AG054 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon evolves into Medicham? | Magnemite |
Machop |
Meditite |
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AG055 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Tyrogue? | Dustox |
Togetic |
Suicune |
Although Togetic has always had the offensive advantage over Tyrogue, Dustox was the only one of the three choices which was resistant to Tyrogue at the time — doubly resistant, to be exact — making it debatably an equally good, if not better, choice. However, when Togetic's typing was changed in Generation VI, it gained not only a double resistance to Tyrogue but a second Super-Effective type as well; therefore, beginning in that generation, it is indisputably the better choice. | ||||
AG056 | Trainers, which Pokémon is the best choice to battle Foretresssic? | Minun |
Swellow |
Seviper |
This is incorrect because Forretress is immune to Poison. Both Minun and Swellow would be equal type match-ups against Forretress. Also, Forretress was misspelled as Foretress. | ||||
AG057 | Trainers, which Pokémon is the best choice to battle Seedot? | Surskit |
Delibird |
Seel |
Delibird is the best choice since it has two advantages and a resistance to Grass. | ||||
AG058 | Trainers, which Pokémon evolves into Camerupt? | Torkoal |
Slugma |
Numel |
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AG059 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Manectric? | Swampert |
Larvitar |
Torkoal |
Swampert and Larvitar are actually equally correct due to both of them being both immune to and Super Effective on Manectric's Electric type. | ||||
AG060 | Trainers, which of these evolves into Wobbuffet? | Wynaut |
Horsea |
Wailmer |
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AG061 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Crawdaunt? | Volbeat |
Chinchou |
Houndour |
Although both Volbeat and Chinchou each have one type that is Super Effective on Crawdaunt, Chinchou is still the better choice due to its resistance to one of Crawdaunt's types. | ||||
AG062 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Wooper? | Spheal |
Delcatty |
Zubat |
Since all three choices have types that are neutral on Wooper (except for one that is not very effective), Zubat would actually be the better choice due to its immunity to Wooper's Ground type, as opposed to Spheal's single resistance to Water. | ||||
AG063 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Roselia? | Electabuzz |
Grovyle |
Camerupt |
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AG064 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon evolves into Delcatty? | Spinda |
Poochyena |
Skitty |
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AG065 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Larvitar? | Treecko |
Shedinja |
Carvanha |
Although Carvanha's Water type is doubly Super Effective on Larvitar just as Treecko's Grass type is, Treecko is still the better choice due to its resistance to one of Larvitar's types. | ||||
AG066 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Numel? | Heracross |
Pichu |
Medicham |
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AG067 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon evolves into Altaria? | Roselia |
Swablu |
Surskit |
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AG068 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Corphish? | Minun |
Marowak |
Nincada |
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AG069 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Combusken? | Nuzleaf |
Togetic |
Flareon |
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AG070 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon evolves into Magcargo? | Torkoal |
Corphish |
Slugma |
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AG071 | Trainers, which of one these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Slowking? | Nidoqueen |
Jolteon |
Makuhita |
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AG072 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Ariados? | Raichu |
Onyxsic |
Blaziken |
Blaziken is equally as effective against Ariados as is Onix, which was also misspelled as Onyx. | ||||
AG073 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon evolves into Manectric? | Electrike |
Mantine |
Electrode |
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AG074 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Meditite? | Nuzleafsic |
Combusken |
Heracross |
This is incorrect because Combusken is weak to Psychic. Beautifly would be the best choice since it has an advantage over Fighting and a double resistance to it. Also, Nuzleaf's name appears under Beautifly's image, but even if Nuzleaf was meant to be one of the choices, it would be the best because all choices would then be weak to one of Meditite's types, but only Nuzleaf would be immune to the one it isn't weak to. | ||||
AG075 | Trainers, which of these Pokémon evolve into Vigoroth? | Machop |
Slakoth |
Zangoose |
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AG076 | Trainers, which of these is the best to beat Illumise? | Crobat |
Lotad |
Togetic |
Crobat and Togetic both have an advantage over Illumise due to being Flying-types, but Crobat was still the better choice due to its double resistance to Bug, until Togetic's type was changed in Generation VI, making it doubly resistant as well. | ||||
AG077 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon evolves into Seviper? | Sableye |
Arbok |
Suicune |
This is incorrect. Seviper is not known to evolve into or from any other Pokémon. | ||||
AG078 | Trainers, which of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Ludicolo? | Mightyena |
Camerupt |
Duskull |
This is incorrect due to Camerupt's double weakness to Water. Both Mightyena and Duskull would be equal type match-ups against Ludicolo. | ||||
AG079 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Electabuzz? | Steelix |
Cacnea |
Shiftry |
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AG080 | Trainers, which of these Pokémon evolves into Swampert? | Spheal |
Marshtomp |
Golduck |
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AG081 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Tyrogue? | Nuzleafsic |
Exploud |
Dustox |
This is incorrect because Exploud is weak to Fighting. Dustox would be the best choice for its double resistance to Fighting. Also, Nuzleaf's name appears under Sealeo's image. | ||||
AG082 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Sunflora? | Venomoth |
Wailmer |
Gastly |
While Venomoth is the better choice because it has two advantages and a double resistance to Sunflora, Gastly also has an advantage and a resistance over Sunflora. | ||||
AG083 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon evolves into Weezing? | Cascoon |
Koffing |
Muk |
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AG084 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Magby? | Solrock |
Lombre |
Ponyta |
Solrock is a better choice since it has an advantage over Fire and resists it. | ||||
AG085 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Baltoy? | Lapras |
Meganium |
Ledian |
Although each choice has an advantage over the Ground/Psychic-type Baltoy, this is incorrect because Ledian is immune to Ground, whereas Meganium only resists it and Lapras takes neutral damage. | ||||
AG086 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon evolves into Sandslash? | Kadabra |
Sandshrew |
Kecleon |
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AG087 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Illumise? | Parasect |
Gulpin |
Lanturn |
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AG088 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Whiscash? | Cacnea |
Charizard |
Delibird |
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AG089 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon evolves into Raichu? | Pichu |
Pikachu |
Torchic |
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AG090 | Trainers, which of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Spoink? | Makuhita |
Swampert |
Qwilfish |
This is incorrect because Makuhita is weak to Psychic, as is Qwilfish. Therefore, Swampert is the best choice. | ||||
AG091 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Flaafysic? | Swinub |
Shroomish |
Misdreavus |
Flaaffy was misspelled as Flaafy. | ||||
AG092 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon evolves into Nuzleaf? | Surskit |
Seedot |
Doduo |
Advanced Battle
Episode | Question | Choices | Image | Notes | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AG093 | Trainers, which Pokémon would be most affected by Ember? | Seedot |
Lapras |
Ludicolo |
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AG094 | Trainers, which Pokémon does Remoraid evolve into? | Octillery |
Carvanha |
Mantine |
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AG095 | Trainers, which Pokémon would be most effective against Mudkip? | Treecko |
Torchic |
Mudkip |
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AG096 | Trainers, which Pokémon comes first? | Poliwhirl |
Poliwag |
Poliwrath |
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AG097 | Trainers, which Pokémon would be most effective against Plusle and Minun? | Mudkip |
Torchic |
Treecko |
Mudkip is actually the only choice that is weak to Electric, though it does evolve into Marshtomp, which is immune to Electric. Treecko is the best choice because it resists Electric. | ||||
AG098 | Trainers, which is the final evolution of Totodile? | Scyther |
Feraligatr |
Gyarados |
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AG099 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon does not evolve? | Lileep |
Tangela |
Houndour |
This was correct at the time, for Tangrowth was not introduced until Generation IV. | ||||
AG100 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon isn't a pure Fighting-type? | Makuhita |
Blaziken |
Machamp |
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AG101 | Trainers, which Pokémon is Pikachu most effective against? | Wingull |
Magcargo |
Manectric |
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AG102 | Trainers, which Pokémon was my original choice as a starter? | Squirtle |
Bulbasaur |
Charmander |
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AG103 | Trainers, which Pokémon is Larvitar's final evolution? | Armaldo |
Tyranitar |
Dragonite |
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AG104 | Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is not a Normal-type? | Flaafysic |
Togepi |
Cleffa |
Flaaffy was the only correct choice at the time, as Cleffa and Togepi were Normal types until Generation VI. Flaaffy was misspelled as Flaafy again. | ||||
AG105 | Trainers, what humble Pokémon is the first evolution of Flygon? | Altaria |
Trapinch |
Cacnea |
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AG106 | Trainers, which Pokémon would last the longest against a Psychic attack? | Misdreavus |
Teddiursa |
Poochyena |
This is incorrect because Poochyena is immune to Psychic. | ||||
AG107 | Trainers, which of these Pokémon does not evolve? | Remoraid |
Relicanth |
Goldeen |
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AG108 | Trainers, which Pokémon is the pre-evolved form of Pikachu? | Plusle |
Pichu |
Raichu |
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AG109 | Trainers, which Pokémon is not a dual-type Pokémon? | Medicham |
Linoone |
Lunatone |
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AG110 | Trainers, which Pokémon is the final evolution of Caterpie? | Venomoth |
Butterfree |
Beautifly |
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AG111 | Trainers, which of these is not a Water-type Pokémon? | Golduck |
Castform |
Milotic |
While this is correct, Castform can turn into a Water type under rainy conditions. | ||||
AG112 | Trainers, which of these Pokémon comes first? | Flaafysic |
Mareep |
Ampharos |
Flaaffy was misspelled as Flaafy for the third time. | ||||
AG113 | Trainers, which Pokémon is the final evolution of Bellsprout? | Gardevoir |
Victreebel |
Sunflora |
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AG114 | Trainers, which Pokémon would not be affected by Earthquake? | Sandshrew |
Lunatone |
Whiscash |
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AG115 | Trainers, which Pokémon comes first? | Jumpluff |
Skiploom |
Hoppip |
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AG116 | Trainers, which Pokémon is super effective against its own type? | Salamence |
Mudkip |
Graveler |
While this is correct, Graveler is weak to Ground attacks. | ||||
AG117 | Trainers, which of these Pokémon is not an evolution of Eevee? | Bagon |
Vaporeon |
Espeon |
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AG118 | Trainers, which Pokémon goes from land to sky in one evolution? | Noctowl |
Trapinch |
Loudred |
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AG119 | Trainers, which Pokémon is your best choice to battle Flygon? | Walrein |
Espeon |
Blaziken |
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AG120 | This episode was not dubbed, so there is no Trainer's Choice for it. | ||||||||
AG121 | Trainers, which of these Pokémon comes first? | Slakoth |
Slaking |
Vigoroth |
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AG122 | Trainers, which of these Pokémon is a Flying-type? | Combusken |
Flygon |
Tropius |
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AG123 | Trainers, what is the final evolution of Geodude? | Dugtrio |
Regirock |
Golem |
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AG124 | Trainers, which Pokémon remains the same type throughout its evolutions? | Torchic |
Ralts |
Horsea |
This was correct at the time, for Gallade was not introduced until Generation IV. | ||||
AG125 | Trainers, what humble Pokémon does Kingdra begin as? | Misdreavus |
Marill |
Horsea |
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AG126 | Trainers, which Pokémon does Tentacool evolve into? | Tentacruel |
Octillery |
Remoraid |
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AG127 | Trainers, which of these Pokémon would be considered legendary? | Salamence |
Entei |
Milotic |
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AG128 | Trainers, which of these Pokémon has at least two evolutions? | Gulpin |
Spheal |
Wailmer |
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AG129 | Trainers, which of these Pokémon is not a Ground-type? | Nosepass |
Phanpy |
Groudon |
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AG130 | Trainers, which of these Pokémon would you catch by fishing? | Lickitung |
Feebas |
Wobbuffet |
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AG131 | Trainers, which of these Pokémon does not evolve? | Baltoy |
Aron |
Mawile |
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AG132 | Trainers, if Arcanine fought Kirlia, who would have the advantage? | Arcanine |
Kirlia |
At the time, neither choice was correct based on type match-ups because neither Fire nor Psychic has an advantage over the other. Starting in Generation VI, however, this is correct because Arcanine resists Kirlia's Fairy typing. Also, this is the only Trainer's Choice with two choices instead of three. | |||||
AG133 | Trainers, which of these Pokémon does not change during battle? | Kecleon |
Castform |
Swalot |
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AG134 | Trainers, which of these Pokémon does not evolve? | Feebas |
Luvdisc |
Barboach |
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AG135 | Trainers, which Pokémon is most effective against Machoke? | Sudowoodo |
Gardevoir |
Poochyena |
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AG136 | Trainers, which of these Pokémon has only one evolution? | Spoink |
Whismur |
Beldum |
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AG137 | Trainers, which Pokémon would be most affected by Earthquake? | Whiscash |
Altaria |
Flygon |
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AG138 | Trainers, which of these Pokémon does not evolve? | Ralts |
Machop |
Ursaring |
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AG139 | Trainers, which Pokémon would not be affected by Psychic? | Shuppet |
Mightyena |
Dusclops |
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AG140 | Trainers, which species is the "Time Travel Pokémon"? | Mewtwo |
Celebi |
Deoxys |
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AG141 | Trainers, which Pokémon is not a Flying-type? | Dustox |
Swellow |
Masquerain |
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AG142 | Trainers, which of these Pokémon does not evolve? | Skitty |
Sableye |
Nincada |
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AG143 | Trainers, which of these Pokémon is the tallest? | Registeel |
Regice |
Regirock |
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AG144 | Trainers, which of these Pokémon is the heaviest? | Snorlax |
Wailord |
Groudon |
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AG145 | Trainers, which of these Pokémon does not evolve? | Wynaut |
Absol |
Snorunt |
This episode article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation. |