Pokémon, I Choose You! facts for kids
Quick facts for kids "Pokémon, I Choose You!" |
|
|---|---|
| Pokémon episode | |
|
|
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 1 |
| Directed by | Masamitsu Hidaka |
| Written by | Takeshi Shudo |
| Original air date | April 1, 1997 |
"Pokémon, I Choose You!" (Japanese: ポケモン！きみにきめた！ Pokemon! Kimi ni Kimeta!) is the very first episode of the exciting Pokémon anime series. It first aired in Japan on April 1, 1997, on TV Tokyo. This special episode was directed by Masamitsu Hidaka and written by Takeshi Shudo.
In this episode, a young boy named Ash Ketchum begins his big Pokémon journey. He receives his first Pokémon, a lively but sometimes stubborn Pikachu. Their adventure starts with some challenges, including a chase from an angry flock of Spearow. Pikachu shows its amazing power to protect Ash, forming a strong bond between them.
This episode has been very popular since it first aired. It was later adapted into a children's book in July 1999. You could even watch it on Game Boy Advance Video in 2004! In 2017, a movie called Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You! was released, telling a new version of Ash and Pikachu's first adventure. The story of how Ash and Pikachu met was also explored again in the 2019 episode "Enter Pikachu!" from Pokémon Journeys: the Series.
Contents
Ash's Big Adventure Begins
In the amazing world of Pokémon, kids who turn 10 years old can become official Pokémon Trainers. Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town is super excited to get his very first Pokémon from Professor Samuel Oak.
Meeting Pikachu
On the big day, Ash accidentally breaks his alarm clock and oversleeps! He rushes to Professor Oak's lab, where his rival, Gary Oak, teases him for being late. Gary has already picked his Pokémon. Professor Oak tells Ash that all the usual starter Pokémon are gone. Ash really wants a Pokémon, so Professor Oak gives him the only one left: an Electric-type Pikachu. Ash thinks Pikachu is cute, but gets a shock when he tries to hug it! Professor Oak gives Ash a Pokédex and six Poké Balls. Ash then sets off to become the best Pokémon Master ever.
First Challenges and a Fierce Flock
Ash quickly learns that Pikachu doesn't like staying in its Poké Ball. It prefers to be free and doesn't trust Ash at first. Ash tries to catch a wild Pidgey by just throwing a Poké Ball, but it doesn't work. His Pokédex explains that Trainers must battle and weaken a Pokémon first. Since Pikachu isn't cooperating, Ash tries to fight the Pidgey himself, but gets easily defeated, which makes Pikachu laugh.
The Pidgey escapes, and Ash finds a wild Rattata looking through his bag. He scares it away. Then, he sees what he thinks are more Pidgey and throws a rock. But it's actually an angry Spearow! The Spearow attacks Ash and Pikachu. Pikachu uses an electric shock, which accidentally calls a whole flock of angry Spearow. The flock chases them! Ash grabs Pikachu and jumps into a waterfall to escape. A kind girl named Misty pulls them out of the river. She tells Ash to take the injured Pikachu to the Pokémon Center in Viridian City.
A Special Bond and a Mysterious Pokémon
As the Spearow flock gets closer, Ash takes Misty's bike and rides away with Pikachu. He crashes down a hill. Seeing how badly hurt Pikachu is, Ash begs it to go into its Poké Ball so he can protect it. Pikachu sees how much Ash cares. It then unleashes a super powerful Thunder attack, scaring away all the Spearow! The attack also breaks Misty's bike.
As Ash recovers, he sees a mysterious golden bird, Ho-Oh, flying over a rainbow. His Pokédex can't identify it, saying there are still many unknown Pokémon. With their bond now strong, Ash carries Pikachu safely into Viridian City.
Bringing Pokémon to the World
Creating the First Episode
"Pokémon, I Choose You!" was the very first episode of the Pokémon anime series made and shown in Japan. Takeshi Shudo wrote the episode, and Masamitsu Hidaka directed it. When the creators started making the anime, they wanted a special character to be the main focus. They chose Pikachu because it was already popular and they believed both boys and girls would love it. The animation was done by Oriental Light and Magic, and the show was made for elementary school students.
Adapting for English-Speaking Audiences
Before the Pokémon anime came to the United States, the company 4Kids Entertainment worked on making an English version. An earlier episode in Japan, "Dennō Senshi Porygon", had some fast flashing lights that made a few viewers feel unwell. Because of this, the creators decided to make sure the English version was extra safe for children. They carefully reviewed and adjusted some scenes to ensure everyone could enjoy the show without any problems.
Nintendo also asked for some changes to make the show fit well for American audiences. This included adjusting some action scenes and making sure the content was appropriate for all ages. Character names were also changed to be more familiar in English. For example, Satoshi became Ash, and Shigeru became Gary. Pokémon names were also given descriptive English names, like Hitokage becoming Charmander, Fushigidane becoming Bulbasaur, and Zenigame becoming Squirtle.
The Voices Behind the Characters
Veronica Taylor was the voice of Ash in this episode and for the first eight seasons. She really enjoyed playing Ash. She said it was "really great" to voice a 10-year-old boy with so much energy and excitement. She also liked his low, husky voice.
Veronica Taylor explained how recording an episode works. First, the script is translated from Japanese to English. Then, it's changed to match the mouth movements of the characters. She often records her lines alone in the booth. She might be the first one to record, so she has to imagine how other characters' lines would sound. She mentioned that a great director helps her with understanding the lines and making sure the voice is consistent.
Beyond the TV Screen
Books and Other Releases
A children's book based on "Pokémon, I Choose You!" was released in July 1999. It was published by Scholastic Corporation and written by Tracey West. The episode was also released on VHS and DVD in late 1998 as part of the first volume of Indigo League. This release included the next two episodes as well.
In 2004, Nintendo released two Game Boy Advance Video cartridges. These cartridges featured "classic" episodes from the early days of the Pokémon series. "Pokémon, I Choose You!" was one of the four episodes available on these special cartridges. As mentioned earlier, a movie based on this first episode, Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!, was released in 2017.
