Pokémon Trainer's Choice

The feature's logo

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' "Who's That Pokémon?" segment. 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.

Criticisms

Seviper evolves from Arbok?

As the successor to the long-running "Who's That Pokémon?" segment, 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. The segment 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 where some questions factor in more than just type matchups and evolution trivia. The newer questions also include Abilities such as Levitate, with one question being trivia related to Ash Ketchum.

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
AG041	Trainers, which Pokémon is the best choice to battle Poliwrath?	Combusken		Mudkip		Taillow
AG042	Trainers, which Pokémon would be most effective against Mudkip?	Roselia		Plusle		Torchic			Roselia would also be effective since it has an advantage over Water and resists it.
AG043	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon evolves into Grovyle?	Nincada		Lotad		Treecko
AG044	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Carvanha?	Diglett		Slugma		Minun
AG045	Trainers, which Pokémon evolves into Marshtomp?	Mudkip		Surskit		Marill
AG046	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Camerupt?	Beedrill		Nuzleaf		Magcargo			Although all three choices have a type disadvantage, Nuzleaf inflicts neutral damage with its Grass and Dark type and resist Camerupt's Ground moves. Beedrill's Bug and Poison are resisted by Camerupt while Magcargo inflicts neutral damage with its Rock attacks but has a quadruple weakness to Ground and its Fire attacks are resisted.
AG047	Trainers, which Pokémon would be the best choice to battle against Silcoon?	Sableye		Marill		Weezing			At the time, this was correct. However, starting in Generation VI, Marill and Weezing are equally good choices, due to Marill also resisting Bug.
AG048	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle against Ninjask?	Torkoal		Dewgong		Nosepass			While Dewgong has an advantage against the Bug/Flying Ninjask, Torkoal and Nosepass would be better choices because Torkoal resists Bug and Nosepass resists Flying. Nosepass is the best choice since it has quadruple effectiveness against Ninjask's Bug and Flying.
AG049	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon evolves into Lombre?	Lotad		Electrike		Oddish
AG050	Trainers, which of these is the best to battle Magneton?	Crobat		Lanturn		Geodude
AG051	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon evolves into Shelgon?	Bagon		Aron		Zangoose
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 matchups against Kirlia.
AG054	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon evolves into Medicham?	Magnemite		Machop		Meditite
AG055	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Tyrogue?	Dustox		Togetic		Suicune
AG056	Trainers, which Pokémon is the best choice to battle Foretress[sic]?	Minun		Swellow		Seviper			This is incorrect because Forretress is immune to Poison. Both Minun and Swellow would be equal type matchups 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
AG059	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Manectric?	Swampert		Larvitar		Torkoal			Swampert is also immune to Electric.
AG060	Trainers, which of these evolves into Wobbuffet?	Wynaut		Horsea		Wailmer
AG061	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Crawdaunt?	Volbeat		Chinchou		Houndour			Volbeat also has an advantage over Crawdaunt.
AG062	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Wooper?	Spheal		Delcatty		Zubat			Spheal does resist Wooper's Water attacks, but Zubat is immune to its Ground ones.
AG063	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Roselia?	Electabuzz		Grovyle		Camerupt
AG064	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon evolves into Delcatty?	Spinda		Poochyena		Skitty
AG065	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Larvitar?	Treecko		Shedinja		Carvanha			Treecko is the best choice because it has a resistance and double effectiveness against Larvitar, although Carvanha has a double effectiveness as well.
AG066	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Numel?	Heracross		Pichu		Medicham
AG067	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon evolves into Altaria?	Roselia		Swablu		Surskit
AG068	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Corphish?	Minun		Marowak		Nincada
AG069	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Combusken?	Nuzleaf		Togetic		Flareon
AG070	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon evolves into Magcargo?	Torkoal		Corphish		Slugma
AG071	Trainers, which of one these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Slowking?	Nidoqueen		Jolteon		Makuhita
AG072	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Ariados?	Raichu		Onyx[sic]		Blaziken			Onix was misspelled Onyx. Blaziken also has an advantage over Ariados.
AG073	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon evolves into Manectric?	Electrike		Mantine		Electrode
AG074	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Meditite?	Nuzleaf[sic]		Combusken		Heracross			This is incorrect because Combusken is weak to Psychic. Beautifly would be the best choice since it has an advantage and a double resistance to Fighting. Also, Nuzleaf's name appears under Beautifly's image.
AG075	Trainers, which of these Pokémon evolve into Vigoroth?	Machop		Slakoth		Zangoose
AG076	Trainers, which of these is the best to beat Illumise?	Crobat		Lotad		Togetic			While Crobat would be the best choice at the time, Togetic would also be a good choice due to it being part Flying. From Generation VI onwards, both Crobat and Togetic would be equally good choices as Togetic's Fairy-typing would also give it a double resistance to Bug-type attacks.
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 matchups against Ludicolo.
AG079	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Electabuzz?	Steelix		Cacnea		Shiftry
AG080	Trainers, which of these Pokémon evolves into Swampert?	Spheal		Marshtomp		Golduck
AG081	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Tyrogue?	Nuzleaf[sic]		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
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
AG087	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Illumise?	Parasect		Gulpin		Lanturn
AG088	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Whiscash?	Cacnea		Charizard		Delibird
AG089	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon evolves into Raichu?	Pichu		Pikachu		Torchic
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.
AG091	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle Flaafy[sic]?	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
AG094	Trainers, which Pokémon does Remoraid evolve into?	Octillery		Carvanha		Mantine
AG095	Trainers, which Pokémon would be most effective against Mudkip?	Treecko		Torchic		Mudkip
AG096	Trainers, which Pokémon comes first?	Poliwhirl		Poliwag		Poliwrath
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
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
AG101	Trainers, which Pokémon is Pikachu most effective against?	Wingull		Magcargo		Manectric
AG102	Trainers, which Pokémon was my original choice as a starter?	Squirtle		Bulbasaur		Charmander
AG103	Trainers, which Pokémon is Larvitar's final evolution?	Armaldo		Tyranitar		Dragonite
AG104	Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is not a Normal type?	Flaafy[sic]		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
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
AG108	Trainers, which Pokémon is the pre-evolved form of Pikachu?	Plusle		Pichu		Raichu
AG109	Trainers, which Pokémon is not a dual-type Pokémon?	Medicham		Linoone		Lunatone
AG110	Trainers, which Pokémon is the final evolution of Caterpie?	Venomoth		Butterfree		Beautifly
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?	Flaafy[sic]		Mareep		Ampharos			Flaaffy was misspelled as Flaafy for the third time.
AG113	Trainers, which Pokémon is the final evolution of Bellsprout?	Gardevoir		Victreebel		Sunflora
AG114	Trainers, which Pokémon would not be affected by Earthquake?	Sandshrew		Lunatone		Whiscash
AG115	Trainers, which Pokémon comes first?	Jumpluff		Skiploom		Hoppip
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
AG118	Trainers, which Pokémon goes from land to sky in one evolution?	Noctowl		Trapinch		Loudred
AG119	Trainers, which Pokémon is your best choice to battle Flygon?	Walrein		Espeon		Blaziken
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
AG122	Trainers, which of these Pokémon is a Flying type?	Combusken		Flygon		Tropius
AG123	Trainers, what is the final evolution of Geodude?	Dugtrio		Regirock		Golem
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
AG126	Trainers, which Pokémon does Tentacool evolve into?	Tentacruel		Octillery		Remoraid
AG127	Trainers, which of these Pokémon would be considered legendary?	Salamence		Entei		Milotic
AG128	Trainers, which of these Pokémon has at least two evolutions?	Gulpin		Spheal		Wailmer
AG129	Trainers, which of these Pokémon is not a Ground type?	Nosepass		Phanpy		Groudon
AG130	Trainers, which of these Pokémon would you catch by fishing?	Lickitung		Feebas		Wobbuffet
AG131	Trainers, which of these Pokémon does not evolve?	Baltoy		Aron		Mawile
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
AG134	Trainers, which of these Pokémon does not evolve?	Feebas		Luvdisc		Barboach
AG135	Trainers, which Pokémon is most effective against Machoke?	Sudowoodo		Gardevoir		Poochyena
AG136	Trainers, which of these Pokémon has only one evolution?	Spoink		Whismur		Beldum
AG137	Trainers, which Pokémon would be most affected by Earthquake?	Whiscash		Altaria		Flygon
AG138	Trainers, which of these Pokémon does not evolve?	Ralts		Machop		Ursaring			This was correct at the time, for Ursaluna was not introduced until Generation VIII.
AG139	Trainers, which Pokémon would not be affected by Psychic?	Shuppet		Mightyena		Dusclops
AG140	Trainers, which species is the "Time Travel Pokémon"?	Mewtwo		Celebi		Deoxys
AG141	Trainers, which Pokémon is not a Flying type?	Dustox		Swellow		Masquerain
AG142	Trainers, which of these Pokémon does not evolve?	Skitty		Sableye		Nincada
AG143	Trainers, which of these Pokémon is the tallest?	Registeel		Regice		Regirock
AG144	Trainers, which of these Pokémon is the heaviest?	Snorlax		Wailord		Groudon
AG145	Trainers, which of these Pokémon does not evolve?	Wynaut		Absol		Snorunt

See also

Bonus segments of the Pokémon animated series Original series Japanese version: Professor Oak's Pokémon Lecture • Pokémon de English English dub: Kanto Pokérap • Pikachu's Jukebox • Pokémon Karaokémon Both: Who's That Pokémon? Ruby and Sapphire Japanese version: Professor Oak's Pokémon Lecture • Pokémon Trivia Quiz English dub: Who's That Pokémon? • Pokémon Trainer's Choice Diamond and Pearl Japanese version: Professor Oak's Big Pokémon Encyclopedia • Pikachu the Movie Memorial Professor Oak's Big Pokémon Examination Black & White Japanese version: Professor Oak's Pokémon Live Caster • Team Rocket Live Caster Both: Who's That Pokémon? XY Japanese version: Professor Oak's Pokémon Holo Caster • Poké TV • Pokémon Quiz English dub: Who's That Pokémon? Both: Mega Evolution Pokédex Sun & Moon Japanese version: Poké Problem Both: Who's That Pokémon? • Where Are You Going, Eevee? Journeys Japanese version: Get Inspired! Let's Solve a Poké Riddle!! • Team Rocket Expedition which stands by the evils of love and truth Both: Who's That Pokémon? Horizons Japanese version: Professor Friede's Pokémon Seminar • The Brilliant Terapagos Expedition

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