Pokémon Emergency! (Japanese: たいけつ！ポケモンセンター！Showdown! Pokémon Center!) is the second episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on April 8, 1997 and in the United States on September 9, 1998.
In this episode, Ash takes his injured Pikachu to the Viridian CityPokémon Center to be healed; but while Pikachu is being treated, mysterious members of the organization known as Team Rocket attack the Pokémon Center with the intent of stealing the Pokémon inside.
Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.
This synopsis is in the wrong tense. Please feel free to edit this synopsis to change it to the present tense.
After he battled with the Spearow, Pikachu was badly injured. Ash was told by Misty about a place where he could took Pikachu to be healed, a Pokémon Center. They went to the Viridian City Pokémon Center to be healed. When he entered the town, Ash was stopped by Officer Jenny, who found him suspicious, due to the fact he was carrying Pikachu in his arms and not a Poké Ball, but Ash confirmed his identity with his Pokédex, Jenny rushed Ash to the Pokémon Center. Misty entered in the Pokémon Center with her destroyed bike, angry because it was Ash's Pikachu that did it. Ash explains that Pikachu was injured badly, and Misty forgot about her bike and instead thought of Pikachu. As Pikachu is treated, Ash feels crestfallen and called home. His mother tried to encourage him, but he still felt downtrodden. He was then called by Professor Oak who was surprised that he reached Viridian so soon. Ash then told him about the golden colored flying Pokémon he saw earlier (in the last episode). Oak feels that he was lying because many trainers have never saw that Pokémon even after they searched for it during their whole life! They then exchanged good wishes and hang up.
Meanwhile, two 'wanted' posters were revealed, showed the pictures of two 'Most Wanted criminals', Jessie and James of Team Rocket. The two trouble makers spot the posters and swear vengeance on Viridian for putting up wanted posters of them. Their ally Meowth was then revealed to be their Pokémon.
While Pikachu was being treated, Team Rocket attacked the Pokémon Center with the intent of stolen the Pokémon inside. The Center's Nurse Joy tried to transfer all Pokémon to the safety of the Pewter City Pokémon Center, because it is an emergency. Team Rocket used their Ekans and Koffing to wreck havoc in the Center. However, just then Pikachu somehow managed to revive itself and along with the other Pikachu from the Center's back-up power generator, ThunderShock Team Rocket away.
Officer Jenny arrived too late as Team Rocket managed to escape in their Meowth shaped balloon. They agree that Pikachu would make a great gift for their boss and decided to steal it when the chance comes.
Ash left Viridian City and headed for the Viridian Forest with a revived relation with Pikachu and Misty in tow. Spotting a Caterpie, he attempted to capture it.
This is the only episode in which any of Ash's male relatives are mentioned. Delia mentions that it took his father four days to reach Viridian City from Pallet Town and that Ash is the 'apple' of his eye. Ash's grandfather is also mentioned by her in the Japanese version.
On the wall at the Pokémon Center, the engravings are of Arcanine, Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres. Ash misidentifies the Ho-Oh he saw in the previous episode as Articuno.
The Pidgey in the clock is green, instead of its normal color. Though some may consider this to be alternate coloration, this is not how the "shiny" Pidgey appears in the games. This could just be a coloring error, considering this, after all, was only the second episode of the series just like how there was a green Poké Ball at the very first episode.
This is the second appearance of a clock with a Pidgey Coo coo. The first was inside a Voltorb clock Ash had in the pervious episode.
Instead of Pidgey it says "Partridge."
The events of this episode are referenced in When Pokémon Worlds Collide! by Team Rocket, who tell Dawn that they have been chasing Pikachu for as long as she'd been alive. Coincidentally, that episode aired in late September in Japan and late April in the US, while this episode aired in early September in the US and early April in Japan.
Just before Team Rocket throws their Poké Balls at the Center from their balloon, Jessie has no lipstick for a split second. Jessie also has no lipstick when their wanted poster is first shown.
The first two times James is shown in the doorway of the Poké Ball room he isn't wearing a left glove.
Arcanine is not a legendary Pokémon; however, it was shown on the wall with the legendary bird trio. This is likely due to Arcanine's species, which classifies it as a "Legendary Pokémon" (like Pikachu is a "Mouse Pokémon").
While the recap uses the same dialog in the Japanese version, for some reason the dub changes Ash's introductory line:
Original: "And I hereby declare to the Pokémon of the world...I will be a Pokémon master...Pokémon Master! That is what I'll..."
Flashback: "That's right. I declare to the Pokémon of the world...I will be the greatest Pokémon trainer...the greatest Pokémon master...of all time."
In the Japanese version, Delia says that Ash's grandfather would be proud of him as well as his father.
Professor Oak abruptly ending his telephone conversation with Ash is different in both versions: in the English version, Oak says that his pizza just arrived, while in the Japanese version, Oak realizes that he is in the middle of cooking ramen.
On that same note, the English version included a doorbell sound-effect that wasn't present in the original version.
Misty introduces herself to Ash, Team Rocket, and the audience during the Pokémon Center battle in the Japanese version, while Nurse Joy reveals Misty's name to the audience at the end of the English version.
