50 Fun Facts About Pokemon Anime

On which Japanese network did the Pokemon anime premiere in April 1997?

It first aired on Thursday evenings and has run almost continuously ever since.

How many seasons did Ash Ketchum lead before Horizons introduced a new cast?

Ash fronted the first 25 international seasons; Liko and Roy took over from season 26.

Ash's hometown is which small Kanto settlement?

His mother Delia and Professor Oak's lab are both there.

Why does Ash end up with Pikachu instead of a normal starter in the first episode?

The rebellious Pikachu refuses to obey him until it saves him from a flock of angry Spearow.

Which flock of Pokemon attacks Ash and Pikachu, sealing their friendship in episode one?

Pikachu's thunderbolt in the rainstorm ends the attack, and Ash also glimpses a mysterious rainbow bird afterwards.

Ash's English surname is a pun on which franchise slogan?

His first name came from one of the default player names in Pokemon Red and Blue.

Ash's Japanese name honors which real person?

His rival Shigeru (Gary) is named after Tajiri's mentor Shigeru Miyamoto.

Ash's rival Gary Oak has a Japanese name honoring which Nintendo figure, Tajiri's idol and mentor?

Tajiri considered Miyamoto his idol and mentor, and said Satoshi would never surpass Shigeru.

Who voiced Ash in the English dub for the first eight seasons?

She said the character was temporarily called Casey at her audition, and recording took six to eight hours per episode.

Which actress has voiced Ash in Japanese since the very first episode?

Ikue Ōtani, by contrast, voices Pikachu in every language the show is dubbed into.

Ash's first League title came in which region?

He won it in Sun & Moon – Ultra Legends after decades of falling short.

Whom did Ash defeat to become 'Monarch' of the World Coronation Series?

The Masters Eight final in Ultimate Journeys crowned him the strongest trainer in the world.

Misty is a Gym Leader from where?

She shares the gym with her three older sisters Daisy, Violet and Lily before eventually running it alone.

Game Freak said Misty's English name came from adding a feminine ending to which word?

Her Japanese name Kasumi literally means mist or haze.

Brock's original dream in the anime was to become what?

In later series he switches his ambition to becoming a Pokemon Doctor.

Which Pokemon repeatedly Poison Jabs Brock when he flirts with a girl?

Before Croagunk, it was Misty or Max dragging him off by the ear.

Brock was temporarily written out early on because producers worried about what?

Tracey Sketchit was brought in as a 'tall, Anglo-Saxon looking person'; when nobody complained, Brock returned.

Tracey Sketchit, Ash's Orange Islands companion, describes himself as a Pokemon what?

He later achieves his dream of becoming Professor Oak's assistant.

May, Ash's Hoenn companion, is the daughter of which Gym Leader?

Her younger brother Max tags along too, despite being too young for a Pokemon of his own.

Dawn, from Twinleaf Town, chooses which starter Pokemon?

She follows her mother into Pokemon Contests, aiming to be Top Coordinator.

Iris, from the Black and White series, travels with which Dragon-type that later evolves into Haxorus?

She later turns up as Unova Regional Champion in Master Journeys.

Cilan shares Unova Gym Leader duties with which two brothers?

The Pokemon Connoisseur leaves his post to travel with Ash and Iris, and has a thing for subway trains.

Serena, Ash's Kalos companion, first met him where?

Ash helped her after she hurt her leg; years later she saw him on TV and set off to join him.

What title do Pokemon Performers like Serena compete for in Showcases?

Serena's Showcases are the Kalos equivalent of the Contests May and Dawn entered.

Bonnie nicknames one of Zygarde's cores what?

Her Dedenne, caught for her by big brother Clemont, is her official partner Pokemon.

Lillie's fear of touching Pokemon stems from a childhood incident involving which Ultra Beast?

She overcomes the fear by the end of Sun & Moon and sets off to find her missing father Mohn.

Goh, Ash's Journeys partner, ultimately wants to catch which Mythical Pokemon?

He joins Project Mew, a research group devoted to finding it, then parts ways with Ash to travel Kanto alone.

In Pokemon Horizons, Liko and Roy join which group of adventurers?

Liko's pendant turns out to be the Legendary Terapagos in a dormant state.

Roy, the Horizons co-lead, joins the crew after encountering which unusual Legendary?

His ancient Poke Ball and Liko's pendant are both linked to the adventurer Lucius.

Which recurring Pokemon pops out of Jessie's Poke Ball at the worst possible moments?

Jessie and James originally carried an Ekans and a Koffing as their signature Pokemon.

Why can Team Rocket's talking cat speak human language?

After failing to win her over, he ended up working for Team Rocket and became its de facto translator.

Team Rocket's signature hot-air balloon is shaped like which member of the trio?

In early seasons they also travelled in a Gyarados-shaped submarine.

James's Team Rocket backstory says he ran away from what?

His would-be fiancee Jessebelle is one of the few things that genuinely scares him.

Team Rocket's Jessie is voiced in Japanese by which legendary voice actress?

Hayashibara is also the voice of Rei Ayanami in Evangelion and Faye Valentine in Cowboy Bebop.

Matthew Sussman based his voice for Team Rocket's talking cat on a movie gangster crossed with which comedian?

Matthew Sussman played him for 31 episodes before Maddie Blaustein and then James Carter Cathcart took over.

Which two families of identical sisters appear in almost every town Ash visits?

Brock claims he can tell every Joy and Jenny apart.

Which Pokemon was considered alongside Pikachu as the franchise's merchandising lead?

Producers ruled out the three starters so no child would feel their pick had been snubbed.

Ikue Ōtani's Pikachu performance is unusual because it is used in how many of the show's dubs?

Junichi Masuda said the voice was kept consistent so Pikachu's name would be universal worldwide.

According to Detective Pikachu's creators, what was the original plan for Pokemon in the anime?

OLM could not come up with a concept Game Freak would accept, so only Meowth learned to speak.

By what nickname is 'Dennō Senshi Porygon', the 1997 episode that hospitalised children, known in Japan?

The offending explosion flashed red and blue at 12 Hz for four seconds; the show went on a four-month hiatus afterwards.

Which Pokemon's attack actually caused the seizure-inducing flashes in the Porygon episode?

Porygon has never appeared in the anime again despite being innocent, while Pikachu carried on as mascot.

Who sang the original English 'Pokemon Theme' ('I wanna be the very best')?

He recorded it in four hours for a three-figure flat fee and got no royalties.

Which slogan was runner-up to 'Gotta ... 'em all!' and appeared in an early version of the theme?

4Kids president Norman Grossfeld said the tagline was created for marketing and then written into the song.

In Pokemon: The First Movie, Mewtwo is cloned from what part of Mew?

Dr. Fuji really wanted the research to bring back his dead daughter Amber, a subplot cut from the English dub.

What revives Ash after he is turned to stone in the first movie?

Pikachu tries shocking him back to life first and fails, which is the moment every 90s kid cried.

Which studio released the English version of Pokemon: The First Movie in November 1999?

It topped the US box office on opening weekend and grossed more than $172 million worldwide.

Why did Ken Sugimori say Pikachu's body shape changed after Red and Blue?

The original chubby look, nicknamed 'Fat Pikachu', returned as its Gigantamax form in Sword and Shield.

The Pokémon dub premiered in US syndication on September 8, 1998, how long before Red and Blue arrived?

Pioneer and Viz sold 25 million VHS and DVD units of the show in 2000 alone.

Which animation studio has produced the Pokemon anime since 1997?

The show switched from cels to digital animation partway through season five in 2002.

In roughly how many countries does the Pokemon anime air concurrently?

With over 1,300 episodes, it is regarded as the most successful video game adaptation of all time.