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 arrive at a high cliff. Brock informs the others that the ridge of the cliff should lead right to Saffron City. Then Ash notices a large group of Butterfree in the horizon. Brock states that the Butterfree are celebrating their season of love to find a mate.

The group rent a hot-air balloon and are soon in the air following the Butterfree. Ash sends his to find a mate but Ash's Butterfree struggles to get any interest from the other Butterfree. Brock states that any of the Butterfree may not be "it's type", meaning the small differences among all Butterfree. They then note the other trainers who have also brought their Butterfree, especially a girl Brock falls in love with. Ash's Butterfree flies back at Ash and friends, and after they cheer up the Butterfree it resumes its seek of a lifetime mate. Very soon Butterfree falls in love with a Pink Butterfree. The pink Butterfree, however, rejects Ash's Butterfree's proposal. Ash's Butterfree keeps on trying, but the pink one eventually slaps it across the face with her wing. Being shot down, Ash's teary-eyed Butterfree then flies away into a forest.

Eventually Ash, Misty, Ash's Pikachu and Brock find Butterfree in the forest. Totally surprised, they discuss about how they could help Butterfree. Ash decides to check if the PokéDex could help, but Misty notes that "Dexter's never been in love", so they instead decide to go with a show-off strategy. So, Ash tells his Butterfree to show its strength to win the love of the pink Butterfree. In order to make Butterfree also look better, Brock puts a scarf around its neck.

Then they return to the air with Butterfree. After failing to impress the pink Butterfree with Whirlwind and Tackle, Team Rocket arrive with a helicopter. They sing their motto as usual and then go after the Butterfree using a net to gather them. Ash and friends try to make Team Rocket to change their mind, not surprisingly with no results. Soon all the Butterfree except Ash's are captured by Team Rocket. Butterfree then tries to break into the helicopter by using its Tackle attack on the glass, but no results. It also tries to stop them with Stun Spore, but it fails as well. Ash is about to retreat Butterfree and use Pidgeotto instead, but Misty prevents this and tells that by doing that Ash could hurt Butterfree's feelings. Team Rocket leave the scene and Ash's Butterfree rushes after them. Ash and friends follow it to a warehouse in the middle of a bare canyon.

Ash and friends break in through a window while Team Rocket's reviewing their catch. Then they improvise a mock-up version of Team Rocket's motto. Team Rocket tries to prevent them from winning, but Ash's Butterfree dashes through them. Misty calls her Starmie out of its Poké Ball and commands it to chase Team Rocket with a Tackle attack. Meanwhile, Butterfree begins to use its Tackle against the net bag which the other Butterfree are in. After trying again and again, Butterfree manages to break up the bag. Jessie hits Starmie with a hammer, but Misty revives it by spraying water on it. Brock opens the doors and the Butterfree fly out of the warehouse. Team Rocket tries desperately to catch the fleeing Butterfree with small nets, though failing at it. Ash's Butterfree, being still exhausted from its furious Tackles, is still inside, and the pink Butterfree approaches it in impression. James tries to catch it, but Ash's Butterfree knocks James away, also making the pink Butterfree to blush.

Team Rocket attempt to steal the Butterfree again, so they get back in the air with their helicopter. Ash and friends follow them with their rented balloon and they soon find them. As the pink butterfree watches, Ash's Butterfree flies towards Team Rocket's helicopter with Pikachu on his back. Pikachu jumps on the helicopter and destroys the helicopter with an electric attack, resulting in Team Rocket falling down into the darkness. Having seen Ash's Butterfree's determination, the pink Butterfree shows its new love by making its own proposal dance. Naturally, Ash's Butterfree joins the dance.

Back at the cliff, Ash, filled with emotions, farewells the Butterfree couple. As they fly into the sunset, a flashback of Ash's memories is shown. Ash remembers first capturing Caterpie, then it evolving into a Metapod and finally into 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.