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JN001

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← SM146 : Thank You, Alola! The Journey Continues!
Pokémon Journeys: The Series
JN002 : Legend? Go! Friends? Go! →
Enter Pikachu!
JN001.png
JN001   EP1086
ピカチュウ誕生！
Pikachu is Born!
First broadcast
Japan November 17, 2019
United States June 12, 2020
English themes
Opening The Journey Starts Today
Ending
Japanese themes
Opening None
Ending １・２・３
Credits
Animation Team Kato
Screenplay 吉田玲子 Reiko Yoshida
Storyboard 浅田裕二 Yūji Asada
Assistant director 牧野吉高 Yoshitaka Makino
Animation directors 一石小百合 Sayuri Ichiishi
太田都 Miyako Ōta
吉野真一 Shin'ichi Yoshino
Additional credits

Enter Pikachu! (Japanese: ピカチュウ誕生！ Pikachu is Born!) is the first episode of Pokémon Journeys: The Series, and the 1,086th episode of the Pokémon animated series. It premiered in Japan at a special screening on November 15, 2019. It first aired in Japan two days later on November 17, 2019, as a one-hour special, in Canada on May 9, 2020, in the United Kingdom on May 25, 2020, as a sneak peek, and in the United States on June 12, 2020.

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

In Pallet Town, a young Ash Ketchum is beside himself with anticipation—he’s going to Professor Oak’s Pokémon Camp! But when the day arrives, he oversleeps, and Professor Oak and the other campers leave without him. Two of the young campers, Goh and Chloe, become separated from the group and encounter the Mythical Pokémon Mew—and Goh vows to catch it someday!

Meanwhile, a once-lonely Pichu is spending its days with a group of friendly Kangaskhan, but when the time comes for it to set off on its own, it suddenly evolves into Pikachu! After some time, Pikachu ends up at Professor Oak’s lab…and the rest is history!

Plot

Four years prior to when he began his Pokémon journey, a six-year-old Ash rushes downstairs to show his mother a poster advertising Professor Oak's Pokémon camp. Seeing her son's enthusiasm, Delia agrees to sign him up, but she admits he will have to get himself up since she will be busy that morning. However, Ash is too excited to listen. Meanwhile, in the forested outskirts of Pallet Town, a young Pichu observes his surroundings before being attacked by an Ekans, though Pichu uses Thunder Shock to defend himself. Ekans slithers away, while the electrical discharge leaves Pichu exhausted.

Pichu quickly recovers and notices, unlike all the other wild Pokémon, that he is alone. Just then, a group of Koffing floats by and unleashes an odor, leaving Pichu so disoriented that he falls over a cliff. However, he is caught by a Kangaskhan. Pichu is initially frightened by the large Kangaskhan mother, but he quickly takes a liking to her and her child. As the Kangaskhan herd prepares to leave, the mother places Pichu in her pouch. The herd later stops by some Oran Berry trees to eat, with both the Kangaskhan baby and Pichu each getting a Berry to enjoy. Having finally found a place where he belongs, Pichu continues to live with the Kangaskhan.

Several weeks later, Professor Oak's camp begins. While many of the attendees, including Chloe and her friend Goh, have arrived on time, Ash is still sleeping as he broke his alarm clock in his excitement. Since Goh and Chloe are eager to begin their field trip, Professor Oak decides to set off without Ash. Ash eventually wakes up, and in a panic, he rushes out of the house while still in his pajamas, desperate to make it to the lab before everyone leaves. During the trip, the kids and Oak observe a young Trainer catching herself a Caterpie. Throughout the day, Goh continues to show off his Pokémon knowledge, identifying every Pokémon in sight and reciting facts about them. While the other kids are impressed, Chloe orders Goh to allow Professor Oak to do the talking instead. However, Goh continues to provide his input, even correcting Oak on his statement that all Pokémon evolve.

While Oak leads the group over a bridge, Goh and Chloe lag behind. Chloe tells Goh that he should focus on making friends instead, but Goh insists that he wants to find a rare and never-before-seen Pokémon. Chloe dismisses Goh's ambition as a dream, but Goh asserts that it is the future. The cry of a Nidoking attracts their attention, and Goh hones in on Nidoking's opponent, a Mew. Nidoking uses Earth Power, but Mew simply Teleports to evade. Mew replies with the same move, which easily hits the Nidoking. As Nidoking attempts a Sludge Wave, Mew Teleports away again before retaliating with the same move once again. Nidoking becomes frustrated and launches a Fire Blast at his shifty opponent, though Mew again evades and proceeds to defeat Nidoking with its own Fire Blast. Chloe and Goh are impressed by the mysterious Pokémon, and they give chase as it flies away. In their search, the pair come across a Magmar, though Mew quickly Transforms to its regular form to reveal itself. Mew leaves yet again with Goh and Chloe in pursuit, transforming into a Tauros to run across the land before changing into a Lapras to travel downstream.

Elsewhere, Pichu continues to enjoy his time with the Kangaskhan family. He plays a game of hide-and-seek but is quickly spotted by the Kangaskhan baby, ending the round. While searching for Pichu again, the young Kangaskhan spots a Lapras as it cruises down the river. Lapras reveals itself to be Mew, who quickly takes interest in the Kangaskhan baby. Mew overhears Goh and Chloe’s voices and flies away, though the Kangaskhan baby scales some ledges to follow its mysterious encounter. Meanwhile, the Kangaskhan mothers call their babies out for a Chansey egg meal. Pichu and the Kangaskhan mother soon notice the infant's absence and begin to search for it. The search party makes their way over to the stream, where they overhear the young Kangaskhan's cries. While chasing after Mew, the ledge underfoot gives way, sending the young Kangaskhan hurtling towards the water below. Chloe and Goh stop as they hear the young one's screams. Mew turns back and promptly uses Psychic to save the Kangaskhan baby from harm, and returning her to her mother’s arms. With the family united, Mew soars away. Afterward, Professor Oak rushes towards the two kids, relieved to have finally found them. While returning to the rest of the group, Oak speculates they encountered a Mew, a Mythical Pokémon believed to contain the genes of all Pokémon. Hearing this, Goh sets his sights on catching Mew one day. Ash, meanwhile, sits on his bed at home, miserable at having missed the camp entirely.

Some time passes, and both Pichu and the Kangaskhan baby have grown. The Kangaskhan herd seeks refuge from a rainstorm in a cave, but Pichu notices his adoptive mother is having trouble carrying both of them at once now. He tries to jump out to lighten her load, but the mother Kangaskhan picks him back up. As night falls, Pichu knows it is time to move on. While the Kangaskhan are fast asleep, Pichu leaves his adoptive mother's pouch, takes a moment to observe his family as they sleep, and tearfully ventures outside. Grateful for their kindness and company, Pichu suddenly evolves into a Pikachu. Looking in a nearby puddle, Pikachu is initially startled by his reflection before twirling around in excitement. Pikachu waves goodbye to his adoptive family and departs.

Four years later, Professor Oak gives this very Pikachu to Ash, who is now an aspiring young Trainer. Pikachu, however, isn't happy with Ash's enthusiasm and shocks him with Thunder Shock. However, as time passes, Ash and Pikachu become close friends. In the present day Vermilion City, Goh is pumped up to realize his dream.

Major events

For a list of all major events in the animated series, please see the history page.

Debuts

Humans

Pokémon debuts

Characters

Humans

Dare da?

Pokémon

Who's That Pokémon?

Who's That Pokémon?: Pichu

Trivia

An illustration of Pikachu as a Pichu by Atsuko Nishida[1]

Errors

  • In one shot when Ash is running to the camp, the pocket on his pajama shirt is colored yellow instead green.
  • When Pichu notices the baby Kangaskhan on a cliff, his tail is colored yellow instead of black.
  • Ash's miscolored pocket

    Ash's miscolored pocket

  • Pichu's miscolored tail

    Pichu's miscolored tail

Dub edits

  • The opening theme is played and the title card is shown after Pichu meets Kangaskhan rather than at the end of the episode. The opening credits are therefore no longer shown over the beginning of the episode.
  • The post-credits scenes featuring Chloe and Goh are moved before the ending credits.
  • Beginning with this episode, the "To Be Continued" text at the end is removed. The version of the episode on Pokémon TV and the official Pokémon YouTube channel for the United States retain the text, however.
  • The original title card music is replaced with dub music; the version of the episode on Pokémon TV and the official Pokémon YouTube channel for the United States retain the original title card music, however.
  • Beginning with this episode, the English dub title card design is based on the title card originally used during the previews for the next episodes. On Netflix, the original title card design is used to label the show as a Netflix Original Series at the start of the episode.
  • In the Brazilian Portuguese dub, the narrator says "So let's go! As the journey continues!" at the end of the episode. In the English dub, he just says "As the journey continues!".
  • Original title card

    Original title card

  • "A Netflix Original Series" card

    "A Netflix Original Series" card

  • Original preview title card

    Original preview title card

  • Dub title card

    Dub title card

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Tweet by @anipoke_PR on November 6, 2019

In other languages



← SM146 : Thank You, Alola! The Journey Continues!
Pokémon Journeys: The Series
JN002 : Legend? Go! Friends? Go! →
Project Anime logo.png This episode article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation.
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