Christmas Special Recap: Holiday Hi-Jynx

Hello again, and Merry Christmas. Since I was put off a bit after my recap of A Double

Dilemma, I am going to switch up my original plans for following it. I am writing the recap

for Christmas first, then I'm going to do the recap for detoxing from A Double Dilemma before

2012 is out.

So, what have I decided to do for my Christmas special? Well, it just so happens there's

a Pokémon Christmas special. In fact, there's more than one. There are several shorts under

the name “Pikachu's Christmas Vacation” and “Pikachu's Winter Vacation”, but those are a

matter for another day. The one I have chosen for Christmas this year is the first of such

a special, “Holiday Hi-Jynx.” So, let's open it up.

Once again, our theme song is the Pokémon theme. It remains my favorite Pokémon song to this day, and it is among my favorite anime theme songs. I may do a list of those later on down the line.

We open on a house on a hill. Well, it looks like the old Addams Family place has been

well-maintained over the years.

You are mean ones, Team Rocket...

It seems that Team Rocket is planning to capture Santa Claus. I don't know, the last

guy that tried to do that ended up dissolving into a bunch of bugs.

We then get our title card. The original Pokémon title cards were simple, yet effective.

James remarks that he feels like a guinea pig in a gunny sack. Probably because we

haven't come up with any guinea pig Pokémon yet.

From that point, we get a flashback that explains why they want to capture Santa Claus.

It depicts Jessie as a little girl. Little Jessie looks cute, almost human.

Anyway, she is anxiously awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus, She gets so impatient

that she throws her doll at the mantle and it breaks.

This is what happens when you get your kid knockoff Pokémon toys.

Someone comes down the chimney, but it's not Santa Claus, it's Jynx. Ho boy, I'm not

going to avoid talking about her, am I? Well, the reason this special doesn't air very often in

America is because of Jynx. Why? Well, even though Jynx was meant as a parody of the

“ganguro” fashion trend (which was also skewered by Jessie and James in “Battle Aboard the

St. Anne”.); some parties deemed her a stereotype of black people. Jynx would later be recolored to purple because of this.

Three and a half minutes in, and cue Ash, Misty, Brock and Pikachu. They notice

something on the beach and decide to go check it out.  

The Wii U being in short supply forced the gang to take extreme measures.

Ash attempts to capture the Jynx, and sends Pikachu after it. Even so, Jynx manages

to get the upper hand. She uses Lovely Kiss, which puts the opponent into a deep sleep. You

could probably have them watch A Double Dilemma and it would have the same effect.

Sy Snootles is angry about Disney's plans for the next Star Wars Special Edition.

Misty notices that Jynx is holding a boot, and she suggests that the boot must belong

to the Jynx's trainer. Of course! People are always misplacing their boots! For example, Silver

lost his boot after he had a run-in with a man in a mask. The boot has a picture of Santa Claus in it. So Santa Claus put a picture of himself in his boot.  In the Japanese version, he wrote his name in katakana in the lining.

Jynx then tries to kiss Brock, much to Brock's dismay.

When I said I wanted a girlfriend, this was NOT what I had in mind!

Jynx then decided to mind-meld with them. She shares the experience she had when

she was cleaning the boot and an ice floe broke off and sent her to the sea.

Looks like another one needs Yukon Cornelius' help.

The gang agrees to help Jynx get back to the North Pole. Just don't take the Polar Express. Those CGI conductors are really creepy.  

OK! I'll sign your merchandise and take a picture with you!
Just quit doing this and quit emailing me risqué fan art!

So, they decide to travel to the North Pole by raft. Well, I've seen stranger ways to get

there. They use paddle for a bit, and get tuckered out. It's like how I was this morning (I stayed

up till 4AM trying to beat Marlon in my Pokémon White 2). They decide to use their Pokémon

to pull the raft, and they get tuckered out as well. That's why I give mine lots of Protein, Iron,

and Carbos.  

Still not deterred, Ash strips down to his boxers to pull the boat. Well, ladies, there's

your fan-service for this evening.

Lo and behold, the scene that launched a thousand fan art pieces.

Suddenly, a wave rocks the boat and Ash gets separated from the others. Then, before

him and his underwear, a Lapras appears. It's not the same Lapras that he had in the Orange

Islands, but it's still pretty good.

Lapras takes Ash back to the others, and agrees to help them get to the North Pole.

I grudgingly admit that I'm jealous that Ash has a nicer chest than me. Most anime characters

do.

Team Rocket is in hot pursuit of everyone. It always amused me that Team Rocket

had a pedal submarine. If I had the money, I would fund that for an amusement park

attraction.

Ash, Misty, Brock and Pikachu reach the North Pole. I also note that this is long before

the newer games started having players dress for the cold. It's anime, so hypothermia won't

happen even in their late-90s street attire.

I should point out how the North Pole looks a lot like the Fortress of Solitude. After

you're done with Santa, tell Superman I'm really excited for his new movie; even if the director

he has struck out with Legend of the Guardians and Sucker Punch.

Team Rocket arrives, but fail to complete their motto due to the cold. By the way,

the thing that Meowth is under is a “Kotatsu”, a type of heated table that people gather around

in Japan during the winter.

Anyway, Jessie is under the impression that Santa Claus is a Jynx because of what

was revealed in the flashback at the beginning of the episode. Ash, Brock, and Misty all laugh

at them. Good one, Team Rocket! Next I suppose you'll tell me that this franchise is just a fad!

We soon see Santa's workshop, which is depicted as a Christmas tree made of ice.

I guess lower overhead helped fund it.

Inside, all the workers are Jynx, making toys for the big night. I guess the elves

got a TV deal with ABC and Disney.

Santa remarks that his boot is still missing, and his toes will freeze if he attempts to

deliver the toys without it. I know. He has to deliver a 3DS to Billy in Los Angeles, some

Bakugan to Wendy in Walla Walla, a Monsuno set to Josh in Rancho Cucamonga, a My Little

Pony to Ariana in Keokuk, some Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to Tyler in New York, and a pair

of iPad Minis to Gabe and Tara in Chicago. Yes, it's just another typical Christmas.

Team Rocket returns the boot, but they also tie up Santa, Ash, Brock and Misty and

steal the presents. This reminds me of some Tim Allen movie. Not the one with Martin Short,

I don't care for that one.

Now comes the part that's different depending on which version of the special you watch, and I don't mean in the sense of “picture in the boot instead of katakana.”

Jynx mind-melds with Jessie, and Santa tells that Jynx brought the doll to his workshop so he

could fix it. In the dubbed version, Jessie no longer believed in Santa Claus, so he was powerless to visit her again. In the Japanese version, she had moved out of the house she

used to live in. (It's implied that her birth mother was in Team Rocket and went missing,

presumed dead, which resulted in Jessie being shuttled around in foster care until she

enlisted herself.)

Even after Jessie gets her beloved childhood doll back, she still decides to ruin Christmas for everyone else by stealing the presents. Why those Scrooges! This will not

stand! This aggression will not stand!

Ash has his Charmander burn the ropes. About why Charmander is here instead of

Charizard: this episode was produced before the “Electric Soldier Porygon” incident that

caused seizures in nearly 700 people. At this point, Ash still had Charmander, and the episode

did not air in Japan until later.  

The Jynx gather together and use their psychic powers to grab the Gyarados sub and

shake the presents out of it. I think this calls for some dramatic caroling.  

With Team Rocket vanquished, Santa begins his run. His sleigh is driven by a flying

Rapidash.  

With Christmas snow and their gifts in hand, Ash, Brock and Misty have a happy end.

Team Rocket on the other hand, can expect nothing but coal this year. Then, a familiar

Jynx comes in the window. To all a good night!

“Holiday Hi-Jynx” is one of the traditions I took up in recent years. I watch the special

every Christmas and enjoy it heartily. It's one of my favorite Christmas specials. The story

is heartwarming, the winter imagery is nice, and it was a good way to get over “A Double

Dilemma.” My new year's recap will be out soon; and I will begin working on it after

Christmas. Season's Greetings!