I've been wanting to do this all year, and now that time is upon me. Let's open up "Pokémon, I Choose You" in honor of the 15th anniversary of its first airing in the US.
Of course, I've talked about the Pokémon Theme before, but it bears mentioning again. It's such a powerful ear worm and a well-known song that even people who have never seen an episode in their life have trouble getting it out of their heads. I've even had it as the ringtone on my cell phone before. To this day, while there have been other notable theme songs in Pokémon, none have ever truly matched this one. What the heck, I'm posting a link of it. I really need to forget about the Endless 8; and this next string of recaps is the perfect way to do it.
We open on a recreation of the opening to Pokémon Red, with a Gengar squaring off against a Nidorino. It's in black and white, indicative of playing the game on an original Game Boy. Even though the Game Boy was an aging system when these games first came out in Japan in 1996; they helped restart sales of the system.
Then, the fight transitions to full color as the fight continues. It's some pretty good animation for the time; and I'm eager to see how each subsequent season interprets the games released when they air. I can only imagine what Pokémon Origins will be like. One of the reasons I started this blog was to see how different time periods reflect what's seen in the anime released then; as well as how different adaptations of existing series take the material given to them and make something of their own of it. When I was visiting my father, we talked about this when we watched episodes of the original Star Trek (including the pilot, The Cage) after watching Star Trek Into Darkness and a TV airing of the 2009 film.
Nidorino is taken down, and the trainer sends out Onix. Then, the camera pulls out to reveal it was a TV broadcast of a Pokémon match. This is the bedroom of Ash Ketchum; our hero. I'm just coming right out: I like him. I'm going to type this again, just so you get the message: I like him. This is in response to all the flak he has taken as a character. I personally find him to be a nice boy, but a considerable amount of people talk about him like he's a horrible waste of human life! Folks, I refer you to my recaps of Mega Man NT Warrior; and pay close attention to how I found genuine flaws in Lan. For good measure, here's my first impressions of Future Diary; in which I was so turned off by every single character being a despicable cad that I vowed to never watch the series again willingly.
Glad I got that off my chest. Anyway, his room is filled with assorted Pokémon merchandise; much like the room of most fans, young or old. I don't know about this Poliwag pencil sharpener in this screencap, but I'm after copies of Pokémon X and Y on launch day (maybe the red Xerneas and Yveltal 3DS XL if Gamestop has any in stock), some more DVDs of the show, and the Pokémon D-Arts (Mewtwo and the Kanto Stage 2 Starters).
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| This image is ingrained in my mind, and has adorned my desktop many times. |
Anyway, Ash's mother Delia tells him to go to bed. Also, both Ash and Delia are voiced by Veronica Taylor. I also just got this image in my head of her in a recording booth having to switch between those voices at will.
She changes the channel to a report of Professor Oak telling of the starter Pokémon a beginning trainer can choose from: Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle. By the way, I'm glad you can pick one of the Kanto starters in X and Y to compliment the new ones and get Mega Evolutions of them. I'm planning to pick the opposite type of my Kalos starter (Squirtle in X, and Charmander in Y).
We then get our title card, which is a bit different in design than the other title cards of the original series.
That night, Ash is dreaming of his potential starter Pokémon. First is Bulbasaur. I like him very much, but for one reason or another, I don't end up using him as much as I do the other two starters.
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| I look at you all, see the love there that's sleeping... |
Morning has come, and Ash is still asleep. Lastly, he dreams of Charmander; my second favorite Kanto starter. About his uselessness in the metagame: save it. I have no use for the metagame. My interest in the franchise is one for recreation, for fun. The anime writers have taken notice of this; and people that hold similar ideals for the metagame are at best, snooty elitists like Burgundy and at worst, abusive sociopaths like Paul. I'm considering recapping episodes with them as the focal point next year; but I also have other ideas for that time as well.
Then, it turns out he's broken his clock! With this, he rushes out in his pajamas. I think this would also be a reaction if his home was about to be demolished to make way for a freeway. Also, I think this image would be great for one of those "I don't do mornings" shirts.
Now, we get our entrance of Gary Oak. Starting out, he's a standard condescending shonen rival. To put it bluntly, he's an asshole. Unlike Haruhi Suzumiya, he's an asshole that's portrayed as so transparently dickish that he provides some of the biggest entertainment value in the series.
Of course, Gary takes every opportunity to belittle Ash that he got a Pokémon first. This is quite similar to his counterpart in the games, Blue (Green in Japan and Fire Red/Leaf Green). In the game, he behaves this way initially, but later softens after burying his Raticate in Lavender Town. In the anime, this doesn't happen until he loses in the Pokémon League; much sooner than Ash I might add. That's another thing: I also don't have a problem with his losing in the league time after time. There are scads of adults, myself included, that have had to face the Elite Four over and over again before we can beat them.
Ash asks Gary what kind of Pokémon he got. Gary won't tell him, only saying he has the best one and that it's good to have a grandfather in the Pokémon business.
Then, Gary speeds off in an old roadster with his fans behind him. Now you know why I chose that song to introduce him. He's a suave playboy in the vein of Ferris Bueller.
Ash asserts that he is ready. We then enter Oak Labs, with machinery humming and lights flashing.
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| It's poetry in motion, she turned her tender eyes to me... |
Yet, there is one more that Professor Oak isn't sure about, but Ash insists that he wants it.
Behold, Pikachu! The mascot of the franchise, an icon if there ever was one. He is effectively the Japanese Mickey Mouse, second only to Mario as one of the most recognized and beloved Nintendo characters.
Ash holds Pikachu, and Pikachu responds by zapping him. Pikachu roughly translates to "Electric Mouse". So, my anime fandom and my later fascination with Japanese culture began with this scene.
Professor Oak then hands Ash his Pokédex and Poké Balls. One is another one of the most commonly-recognized things about the franchise (the Poké Ball is every bit as common a sigil in-universe as a mushroom in Mario); and the other was essentially the iPhone of its generation.
Ash reaches out to grab them, and Pikachu shocks them both!
The whole town has come to meet Ash as he sets off on his journey. Delia in particular has come with his belongings; trying to hold back tears as her only son is setting off.
She then starts handing him everything he will need for his journey. So begins the long-standing running gag; and an even longer-standing anime and video game trope of the magic satchel. This is when a bunch of belongings that are increasingly numerous, large, and implausible fit easily into a bag. This can range anywhere from bicycles and fishing poles in the games to Brock (later Cilan) fitting entire portable kitchens in there.
Ash then takes the bag and proclaims that with Pikachu by his side, nothing will stand in their way. I was saving this for one of the Transformers recaps I have planned for later this year, but I think it fits here too.
Ash then tries to get Pikachu in the Poké Ball, to no avail. This has been one of the most-referenced moments in the franchise; and the most-parodied.
Delia remarks they have become fast friends. Ash then holds Pikachu in his arms in another one of the biggest images of the series.
Delia then describes the situation as weird, and Pikachu then shocks the entire crowd!
Delia's last words of advice to Ash are these: "Don't forget to change your underwear every single day." Oh, 4Kids and your sitcom-caliber lines.
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| And so, a hero's journey begins. |
Just then, a Pidgey comes up as Ash scans it with his Pokédex.
Pidgey is an easy catch, but Pikachu is unwilling to help Ash. This is replicated quite well in Pokémon Yellow; in which Pikachu takes a little bit to warm up to you as a trainer. That's the aspect I work for in the games: the happiness factor.
Ash then readies a Poké Ball and gets ready.
He tosses the Poké Ball, and it pops right back out.
Then, he tries to catch it with his nightshirt. Pidgey then throws him on his behind with Gust and uses a Sand-Attack on him.
After that, a Rattata goes through his bag, and the Pokédex says it often steals food from stupid travelers. Suddenly, I'm reminded of JARVIS from Iron Man. I don't know if that new JARVIS app has the snarky personality and the voice of Paul Bettany, but that's beside the point.
Still no luck with, Pidgey, but then, Ash hurls a rock at a Spearow, which is far more aggressive than Pidgey.
Spearow then attacks Pikachu! Pikachu then shocks the Spearow, and takes it out! Then, Spearow summons its friends!
Ash and Pikachu then run for their lives from the flock!
They continue their attack on Pikachu, and Ash grabs him and is cornered on the side of the cliff! Ash then dives into the water and is carried off by the current!
We cut to Misty fishing on the riverbank, and she has caught something!
She turns out to have fished Ash and Pikachu.
Misty runs over to them, and asks if Pikachu is all right. Misty tells Ash to get Pikachu to the Pokémon Center as soon as he can.
The Spearow have found them, and Ash takes Misty's bike to get Pikachu to the center in time.
Misty is none too pleased at this development. She's going to be fuming after what happens next. Trust me when I say we'll get to that. I generally do recaps like this when I'm feeling bad, detoxing from a really bad anime like the Endless 8, or both.
Ash races through the fields as the rain starts. He ramps the fields, and falls. One thing I've noticed is that throughout this franchise, and in most anime I've seen: there have been plenty of bikes around, but little to no safety gear. I guess when you're contending with superpowered creatures, a few scrapes are small potatoes.
Ash sees Pikachu injured before him, and doesn't want this to happen.
The storm continues to rage as the Spearow close in!
It's here we get one of the most memorable scenes in this episode, and practically the entire series. Ash begs that Pikachu get in the Poké Ball and to trust him.
Then, Ash makes a stand against the Spearow, saying he won't lose to them, or let them hurt his friend. He then dares the Spearow to come get him! Now this is a character I can stand behind. So young, and willing to let a bunch of angry Spearow tear him apart to protect his friend. This act, along with many other selfless acts in the series; are ones that make it so I simply cannot make fun of Ash, nor can I tolerate others treating him like a criminal. In fact, the backlash against Ash is now starting to get its own backlash from people who point out there are far worse characters; even within the franchise.
Pikachu knows it as well, as he rushes to Ash's side and lets out a massive Thunder Shock! It blows all the Spearow away and knocks Ash back!
Then, Ho-Oh flies over the rainbow; with Ash wondering what it is. That is good planning. They've set up an element that's going to be key to the series almost 2 years in advance. That is also an example of good foreshadowing in storytelling. Making clear that what you're seeing and hearing is going to be important later.
So, as Ash carries Pikachu to the Pokémon center, the tale of Pokémon has begun!
That's "Pokémon I Choose You." How does it hold up? Well, I admit it has aged. I have openly admitted the story structure of this anime is very formulaic, and it's every bit about marketing as it is about storytelling; but I can say it understands its audience very well. The characters are easy to latch onto, and the story is clearly-defined. The animation is very good, and there was quite a bit of effort put into it. I can say it holds up by modern standards. Don't go away, because my From Humble Beginnings Marathon will be back!
The memories are flooding back. Wow, now I feel old.
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