Card of the Day: Base Set Charizard

Charizard #4 (Base Set)

HP:  120   Retreat Cost:  3   Weakness:  Water   Resistance:  Fighting

It has the highest HP and a resistance, so it’s understandable that it has a high retreat cost.  However, if you have the power to fuel a retreat cost, you can destroy whatever is forcing you to retreat.   But if you don’t have the energy, your Charizard will unfortunately be caught in the line of fire and you’ll lose your powerful weapon.

Pokémon Power:  Energy Burn

Without this power, Charizard would still be pretty fierce, but with the ability to turn any Energy Card into Fire Energy makes Charizard amazing.  You could hypothetically put Charizard in any type deck and it could still fight, since Charmeleon and Charmander each have an attack that doesn’t require Fire Energy.

Fire Spin (4F):  100

Fire Pokémon in Base Set are known for their powerful attacks that require you to discard Energy Cards.  Giving up two for 100 Damage is a fair price, and thanks to Energy Burn, you can discard whatever you want.  Double Colorless Energy Cards help provide quick ammunition for this attack.

Strategies Against Charizard

Water Pokémon are your best bet against Charizard.  If you manage to build your Blastoise first, Charizard will present no threat.  If you don’t have Water on your side, your best bet is to use Energy Removal to eliminate Charizard’s power.  Chansey is the only other Pokémon that can withstand a Fire Spin, so if you manage to get a little bit of damage in before Chansey comes out, Double-Edge will come in handy.  Whatever you do, pray you don’t have mostly Grass or Fighting Pokémon in your deck.

Charmeleon Overview

HP: 80   Weakness: Water   Resistance: None   Retreat Cost: 1

Once Charmander has evolved, it is only a matter of time until Charizard is coming thanks to Charmeleon’s high HP. It can stick around for a long time on its own, dealing adequate damage with Slash or heavy damage with Flamethrower. However, the discarding of Fire Energy will slow Charmeleon down a bit. Still, you could easily get by with only using Charmeleon to support your Fire deck, as long as you have plenty of Energy Retrievals. C+

Charmander Overview

HP: 50   Weakness: Water   Resistance: None   Retreat Cost: 1

Charmander has high HP for a Basic Pokémon that evolves twice, which makes it ideal for early combat. Scratch is pitiful, dealing only 10 Damage, so if there is no Fire Energy in your deck, you are severely hindered. Ember is much better, but again, it’s not fun to discard Energy so early in the game. Taking hits is the best job for an early game Charmander. On its own, it won’t support a Fire deck very well; only use it if you plan to evolve it. D

Sample Charizard Deck

Charizard's best friend is Venusaur.  By combining Venusaur’s Energy Trans with Charizard’s Energy Burn, Charizard can have an endless supply of ammo. All of the Grass Energy that gets transported to Charizard will become Fire Energy. If Blastoise’s Rain Dance didn’t only apply to Water Pokémon, the starter trio would be a force to be reckoned with.

2 – Charizard
3 – Charmeleon
4 – Charmander
2 – Venusaur
3 – Ivysaur
4 – Bulbasaur
3 – Magmar
3 – Doduo
2 – Pokemon Trader
2 – Bill
4 – Energy Retrieval
4 – Double Colorless Energy
10 – Fire Energy
14 – Grass Energy

Final Grade: A+

Charizard is famously powerful and unstoppable. It takes a while to set up, but once it is prepared, it can decimate entire decks. It is the focus of whatever deck it is in.  Everyone loved it when it came out for good reason.

Pewter City

Bulbapedia Article for Pewter City

Bulbapedia Article for Pewter Museum of Science

While Viridian City was like the starter city, Pewter is the official start to the Pokémon League.  However, today, we'll be focusing on the sights the city has to offer before we get into the Gym.

The first item of note is the Pokémon Center which houses a Jigglypuff that will sing its iconic song to you (and your Pikachu in Yellow).  It's interesting because the few notes it sings are the exact same melody it uses in future works (like the anime and Super Smash Bros.).  There is no other point to this moment other than the chance to hear a brief bit of unique music.  Other Pokémon are capable of singing, but Jigglypuff gets the showcase at this moment.

Jigglypuff's Song

Outside the Center, you'll find a person spraying his garden with Repel to keep wild Pokémon away.  Repels will come in handy for dungeons such as Mt. Moon.

But the biggest attraction is the Pewter Museum of Science, which only seems to hint at later developments in the game (and the Pokémon World in general).

We see Pokémon fossils on the first floor, featuring skeletons of the prehistoric Kabutops and Aerodactyl (but not Omastar, for some reason), and it's suggested that we may see these Pokémon in the flesh later.  On the top floor, we learn about Clefairy and its extraterrestrial connection in the space exhibit.  There is a Moon Stone and an actual space shuttle.  One patron references the original moon landing, suggesting that this game is set on our own Earth.  Also, we have a girl who wants your Pikachu in Yellow.  But usually she just wants a Clefairy.

Not a whole lot of action in the Museum, but when you return to the city, you will be greeted with a bonus gift.  For now, there is no point in escaping the city, because a trainer will force you to challenge the Gym Leader, Brock.

Follow Me Theme

Pocket Monsters: PM009 and PM010

PM009 - Pikachu Was Kidnapped!!

PM009 - Pikachu Was Kidnapped!!

Synopsis: Red and his group make their way into the heart of Celadon City which is home to a large casino, the Game Corner.  While testing their luck at the slots, Pikachu begins winning big, drawing the attention of the casino boss, Giovanni.  As Red and his crew get richer and richer, Giovanni decides to intervene and put a stop to his luck.  He orders his henchman, Hitmonlee to kidnap Pikachu.  Clefairy, in an effort to rescue Pikachu, challenges Hitmonlee to a boxing match. They fight and fight and fight.  It's all very exciting.  Clefairy is greatly overwhelmed during the battle, but eventually tricks Hitmonlee into a defeat.  Pikachu is rescued, but the monetary winnings are returned to the casino (or at least it's never mentioned again).

New Character and Pokémon Breakdown

Giovanni (Number 1)

Okay, so Pocket Monsters is strange in that there are two Giovannis.  And it's not like the case with Mewtwo where the Viridian Forest Mewtwo is retconned and an official Mewtwo takes its place.  There are actually two Giovannis.  They are twin brothers.  I'm not sure if the author just made a mistake and forgot how he depicted Giovanni in his first appearance.  Or maybe he got confused and thought that the multiple encounters with Boss Giovanni were like multiple Bug Catchers or Lasses.  Or maybe he just wanted two Giovannis?  Any way, this first one is a big tough casino owner who is very different from the Giovanni of the games.  The second will be original flavor Giovanni.

Giovanni's Hitmonlee

Maybe the reason for two Giovannis is so one can have a Hitmonlee and the other a Hitmonchan.  I really like the design and character of Hitmonlee.  Even though Hitmonlees don't have mouths, this one does.  Also, this one boxes, which is Hitmonchan's shtick.  He also wears clothes and, like Red's Machamp, can pass for a regular human character.  He's just a thuggish henchman, but he becomes another recurring character allowing us to get to know him and enjoy him as a villain.  I think Anakubo just enjoyed drawing this character, because I found myself surprised at how often I saw him and Hitmonchan.

Setting

Celadon Game Corner

Celadon City appears to be based on Las Vegas in this chapter.  Red and the gang start out in a desert and must travel far to get to the remote, casino based town.  Unlike the games, it doesn't seem to be a Rocket run enterprise (yes, Giovanni is there, but it just seems like a standard casino, with monetary prizes instead of Pokémon captives).  The whole city's economy is centered on the Game Corner and it feels as if our characters are in the real world for a vacation.

Overall Review: A-

The stories are getting more focused.  There are still gags, but each are directly related to the situation at hand.  Only one Pokémon (other than Clefairy and Pikachu) makes an appearance, and the later half of the story focuses on the boxing match.  Since I like this incarnation of Hitmonlee, I don't mind the thin plot.  But, because of the lack of English, I'm not exactly sure why everything happens the way it does.  But, it's simple and exciting.

PM010 - Big Struggle with the Powerful Opponent Venusaur!!

PM010 - Big Struggle with the Powerful Opponent Fushigibana!!

Synopsis: Traveling down a river in a lush jungle, Red encounters Green who causes him to capsize his boat, trapping him among the trees.  Pikachu sets to work on building a temporary habitat and a ship to escape from the jungle (a spaceship).  Meanwhile, threatening Grass Pokémon observe our heroes from the shadows, blending into the surroundings.  Clefairy discovers a potted plant and brings it inside the cabin.  That night, it begins to sprout and grow. The gang awakes to find an angry Venusaur that grew from the plant.  The Venusaur is revealed to belong to the Celadon Gym Leader Erika.  She fights Red with her Pokémon and after a tense battle, Clefairy is the victor.  He then blasts off in the spaceship that Pikachu built because this story is weird and random.

New Character and Pokémon Breakdown

Erika

I don't quite understand where this story is taking place.  Either Erika's gym is as large as a jungle, or she actually lives in a jungle.  She is a lot more anger-prone than her character from the games, who is a soft-spoken, laid back gardener who is at peace among the flowers.  She eventually becomes an ally to Red, but her battle style is still very fierce.

Erika's Bulbasaur/Venusaur

Here is one of those times where rapid evolution and devolution benefits the story.  When Venusaur closes its bulb, it is a Bulbasaur and when it opens it, its a Venusaur.  This is a clever usage of the two creatures and is unique to only this canon.  It spends most of attack mode in the Venusaur state.

Erika's Grass Pokémon: Oddish, Exeggutor, Tangela, Gloom, Bellsprout

I'm unclear as to whether these are actually owned by Erika, but she does watch over them in the jungle.  They are always upset with people invading their territory.  And Exeggutor is a dinky little Pokémon, despite being a fully-evolved tree.

Setting

Celadon Gym(?)

Clearly, this is a huge sprawling jungle.  It may even be the Pokémon Jungle from the TCG.  But Erika is fought here, which makes me feel as if this is her entire Gym.  I wouldn't put it past this manga to place an entire jungle into a building.

The House That Pikachu Built

Apparently, Pikachu is a skilled carpenter and welder.  Out of the trees, he builds a cabin and a rocket ship.  I don't know where this ability comes from or if this is supposed to reference anything.  It's just a bit of character development.

Overall Review: A-

Once again, we get another straightforward story.  My biggest issue with it is the existence of the rocket ship.  It seems utterly disconnected from everything else in the tale.  I do enjoy the Little Shop of Horrors-esque tale involving Venusaur and the humor is in service of the story once more.  The reason I'm rating these stories so highly is because I know they'll get weirder and disjointed soon, so I'm enjoying myself while the stories bear some semblance to the games.

Out of the Ash, Chapter 5: Into the Woods

"Gotcha!"

Nidoran was caught!

"Do you want to give a nickname to Nidoran?" Misty asked Ash.

"Hmm." He looked at the little purple creature, who gazed at him through the Poké Ball.  "He looks like an Arthur."

Ash and Misty had been training for over a week now, and Ash felt it was finally time to face his first gym.  However, finding the Viridian City Gym closed indefinitely, the duo decided their next destination would be Pewter City.  By traveling north on Route 2, they would be able to make it there in about a day.

Ash tucked Arthur the Nidoran's ball onto his belt, nestled beside a stronger Poliwag and Fearow.  Pikachu dusted himself off after the battle that had just transpired.

"We'd better get moving, Ash.  The road splits just up ahead.  We'll need to take the right fork in order to make it by sundown."

"What happens if we take the left road?"

"That way goes through Viridian Forest.  It's filled with..." Misty looked away.  "Nothing.  It's filled with nothing."

Ash was shocked.  "You were going to say Pokémon!  If there are more Pokémon in there, we should go left.  The better to take on a Gym with!"

"No, trust me, you don't want to go in there."

Ash didn't trust her, but he followed her down the right road anyway.  Maybe she was right.  Maybe there will be something too dangerous in there for him to handle.  But that just made him want to go into the forest even more.  He was so wrapped up in the possibilities of the forest that he bumped into Misty who had stopped in her tracks.

A giant tree was growing right in the middle of the path, and high walls on each side of the road suggested that there was no way around it.

"But, that's impossible!" Misty shouted.  "I was just here a month ago.  There is no way a tree could have grown so fast in that time!"

"I guess that means we'll have to take the forest!" Ash excitedly said.  He grabbed her hand and began to drag her back to the other road.

"Stop!  We can't go in there.  There are dangerous Pokémon in there!"

"And I'm a dangerous Pokémon trainer.  What's the worst that could happen?"

*          *          *

Almost immediately, the sunlight decreased as Ash and Misty made their way through the trees.  Signs of autumn were just starting to show, peppering the green leaves with read and orange flakes.  Misty stayed close to Ash while Pikachu ran around excitedly, sniffing each tree as they passed.

"See, Pikachu likes it in here.  What's there to worry about?" Ash said.

"Th-that!" Misty pointed across the path at a tiny green figure crawling along the ground.

"Um, that's a Caterpie, Misty.  They can't hurt you.  Is that what all of this is about?"

"Look, I just don't like bugs, okay?  Let's just keep walking and maybe it won't see us."

"No way, I'm going to catch it!"  And so he did, with minimal effort.  It only took one Poké Ball and the Caterpie was caught.  He held his victory up to Misty.  "Aww, isn't it cute?"

"Yeecchh!" Misty batted the ball out of his hand and it rolled down the path a little bit.

"What are you doing?  You'll make me lose it!"  Ash picked up the Caterpie.  "Aww look, now it's all dizzy.  I'll let it out so it has a chance to recover."  And so he did.  He placed the dazed Caterpie on his shoulder and continued to taunt Misty some more.  "This forest will be a cake walk!"

Behind a nearby tree, a shadowed figure watched and waited.

"Put it away, Ash!  I don't want to see it!"

"Quit shouting!  You're giving me a headache!"

"I'll give you more than that if you don't put that worm away!"

Ash quickly turned to respond (probably to say something like, how could she hurt him if she wouldn't even come near him), but he caught notice of the figure in the trees.  It quickly disappeared.

"Hey, somebody's following us." Ash moved toward the spot where it had been.  "Hey, come out here!  If you're a Pokémon, I won't hurt you, but if you're a trainer, I challenge you to a battle!"

"A challenge, you say?" A small boy appeared from amongst the trees.  He carried a large net and despite being dressed in normal attire, was also wearing a plastic samurai outfit.  "You dare challenge the great Midori?!"

"Oh, it's just a kid.  Go home, little boy.  I thought you were a Pokémon trainer."

Midori stomped his foot.  "I am SO a trainer!  Look, I even have a Pokémon!  Weedle, go!"  He sent out a yellow worm with a pink nose and a stinger on its head.

"Pssh, that's your great Pokémon?  Okay.  Watch this Misty, I'll show you how scary bugs can be.  Caterpie, go!"  Caterpie hopped off Ash's shoulder.

"Careful, Ash.  Weedles are a lot worse than Caterpies!"

"How bad can it be?"

The little samurai ordered an attack.  "Weedle, Poison Sting!"  The bug lunged forward and pricked the Caterpie.  Caterpie recoiled and ran back toward Ash.

"No, don't run away!  Fight back!  Use Tackle!"  Caterpie turned around but it suddenly slowed to a crawl and barely had enough energy to make it back to Weedle.

"What's happening?" asked Ash.

"Haha, that's my Weedle's poison!  It's slowly killing your Caterpie.  Never underestimate the power of a samurai!"

Ash sighed.  "Fine, Caterpie, come back!"  He placed the Caterpie on its shoulder.  "Go, Fearow!"

Fearow burst forth, screeching!

"H-hey!  That's not fair!" shouted Midori.  "I only have one Pokémon!"

Before Ash could apologize, Fearow pecked at the Weedle until it fainted.  "Sorry, sorry!  I forgot.  Fearow, come back!"

But Fearow didn't listen, and instead sought a new prize, the weakened Caterpie on Ash's shoulder.  It flew up high, swooped down and grabbed the Caterpie, flying off into the distance.

"Ack! Come back!" Ash ran off after his Pokémon as Midori yelled after him.  "This isn't over, Ash!  You will face the wrath of Midori the Bug Catcher!"

Ash ran quickly through the forest, off the path, as he tried to catch up to Fearow.  All the while, Misty and Pikachu ran alongside him.  At last, they found that the Fearow had met up with another bird, and the two were fighting over the Caterpie.

"Hey, shoo, stop that!  Fearow, return!" While Fearow was distracted, Ash managed to recall it back into its ball.  Unfortunately, that allowed the new bird to escape.

"Pikachu, ThunderShock that bird!" Pikachu jumped into action and managed to hit the airborne creature before it got too far.  Ash sent out an empty Poké Ball to capture it and as it disappeared into the capsule, Caterpie began to fall from a great height.

"Misty, catch it!"  And she did.  Involuntarily.  On her head.

*          *          *

Having wandered so far off the path, Ash and Misty were forced to set up camp for the night.  Around the campfire, Ash administered an Antidote to the Caterpie while Misty checked his Pokédex.  It appeared he had caught a Pidgeotto earlier, a rare sight in the Viridian Forest.  After placing Caterpie back into its ball, Ash made sure to spread the distance between his Pokémon, as he couldn't trust Fearow or Pidgeotto to be near each other or Caterpie.

"I'm sorry, Caterpie.  I didn't mean to put you in such danger." Caterpie let out a low whistle from its ball.

"Not to harp on a sore situation, but what are we going to do in the morning?  How will we get out of here?" Misty asked.

Ash climbed into his sleeping bag without answering.  He didn't have one.  As Misty put out the remaining embers of the fire, Ash thought he saw the shadow of Midori again, standing in the distance. And that just made his head hurt.

*          *          *

"I think that Midori kid is following us."

"What are you talking about?"

It was the next morning, and Ash and Misty still hadn't found their way to the main path.

"I saw him last night, at our campsite."

"Um, you were probably dreaming.  I'm sure that kid went home."

"I'm not as sure as you are..." Ash held out his hand to stop Misty and pointed across the clearing, where Midori stood, mask lowered, weapon drawn.

"Let us complete our challenge.  Since you fought with two, so shall I bring out my second.  Go Caterpie!" And Midori sent out a Caterpie.

Ash was amused.  "Seriously?  You expect to beat me with that?"

"Of course.  You have already chosen your battlers.  You cannot handle your Fearow and your own Caterpie is too weak.  Make your choice."

He had Ash right where he wanted him.  Fortunately, the Antidote had done wonders for his own Caterpie, so Ash sent out his green caterpillar.  However, it was clear that Midori's Caterpie was much faster at getting its Tackles to connect.  So Ash relied on a String Shot to slow down the opponent.  The numerous String Shots encased Midori's Caterpie so tightly that it began to tremble.

"What's happening?" Ash asked.

"Ah, the silk of a Caterpie is used to help it transform into its pupa stage.  You've just helped my Caterpie evolve into a Metapod." And Midori was right.  No longer did there stand a small worm, but a large, rigid pod had taken its place.

"Haha, now you can't move!"

"Nope, but Metapod can Harden!" Midori's Metapod let out a bright sheen as it stiffened.  Ash ordered his Caterpie to Tackle, but it just glanced off the Metapod's hard shell.

Sensing a disadvantage, Red switched to his Pidgeotto (since Fearow was unreliable) and ordered it to Gust.  The wind blew Metapod away, with Midori chasing after it, yelling at Ash for cheating again with an extra Pokémon.

"Great," said Misty.  "Now we can't ask him how to get out of this forest."

*          *          *

A couple more days had passed.  Ash and Misty hadn't seen any other sign of an exit to a forest or Midori.  Occasionally, Ash thought he would see the shadow, but when he called out, nothing responded.  Misty couldn't stand another day in the forest.  The number of bug Pokemon had increased, and the duo had to move carefully through a nest of sleeping Beedrills.  Although they had stopped talking to one another, Ash could sense Misty's resentment.

It's not my fault we're trapped here, though Ash.  If that kid can find his way through the forest, any one can.  We're just unlucky at the moment, that's all.

The sun was setting yet again, and Misty stood closer to Ash for warmth.  It was getting colder at night and neither had adequately packed for the change in weather.  As they brushed arms, Misty quickly made eye contact with Ash, then looked away and grabbed her elbow.  She looked as if she was about to say something, but she was pre-interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Prepare for trouble!"

"And make it double!"

The Team Rocket members from Viridian City had suddenly appeared on large stump, striking flamboyant poses.  Ash did not want to deal with this, on top of everything else he had been through.

"Shh!" he whispered. "There are Beedrill nearby."

They ignored him. "To protect the world from devastation." The Beedrill began to stir. "To unite all people within our nation." The Beedrill woke up.  "To denounce the evils of truth and love."  The Beedrill flapped their wings.  "To extend our reach to the stars above."  The Beedrill took off.  "Jessie!" "James!" And now the Beedrill were in full attack mode.

Team Rocket couldn't finish their introduction.  Ash and Misty had to hightail it as fast as they could.  They had lost the criminals, and didn't have time to figure out what exactly their intention had been.  Fortunately, they came across a small cabin and barricaded themselves inside.

Ash immediately crashed onto the ground and clutched his head.  Another splitting headache had hit him and his ears started ringing.  He thought he could hear a voice.  "You're not ready.  You're not worthy."  Ash pulled at his hair and let out an enraged grunt.  "Stop! Stop following us Midori!"

"Um, Ash, that's not Midori!" In the dim light cast by her flashlight, Misty uncovered a tall, slender figure.  It gave off a small purple glow and had disproportionate limbs and facial features, almost feline in its nature.  It wasn't moving its lips, but Ash could still hear it.

"You're not ready.  We're not ready," it said.  "You must leave."

The creature prepared a large energy beam and directed it towards Ash.  Ash instinctively threw out a ball and it connected with the beam.  A minor explosion shook the cabin and as the flash cleared, Ash saw a Metapod perched in front of him.  His Caterpie had evolved and defended him against the blast!

The creature frowned and quickly dove at Metapod and the trainers.  Misty was frightened.  She dropped to her knees and crawled backwards.  Eventually she put her hand on something hard and smooth.  She turned to see what she had grabbed and met a face full of razor sharp teeth.  A brown creature with two large spiked horns and a sideways-gaping mouth peered down at her.  This was the scariest bug she had ever seen.

"Be gone, foul creature!" shouted Midori, who stood behind the large bug.  Apparently he was talking to the cat-like being.  "Pinsir! Vicegrip!"  The bug ran at full speed towards the mysterious figure, who disappeared in a flash of purple light.  The room fell silent.  Ash's headache went away.

"Something has riled up the Beedrill," Midori said, looking out the window.  "We can finish our battle once they leave, now that I've caught a third bug."

"What was that thing?" Ash asked, ignoring the boy's challenge.  "Where are we?"

"This is my cabin.  And you brought that Pokémon in here with you.  I thought it was yours."

"It wasn't like any Pokémon I'd ever seen," Misty said.  "It felt...evil."  She turned to face away from where the creature had stood and met eyes with Pinsir.  She shrieked.  "Please, I've had enough scary Pokémon for one lifetime.  Just put that thing away!"

Midori complied and recalled Pinsir.  He decided to hold off on the battle until the morning.  But Ash wasn't in the mood for battling anymore.

He had to get out of the woods.  He had to find that creature.  He had to show that he was worthy.

Who's That Pokémon? #011 Metapod

#011 Metapod (a.k.a. Trancell)

Bulbapedia Article

Although the Japaense and English names seem very different, both convey the same meaning.  Metapod is metamorphosis plus pod while Trancell is transform plus cell.  It is the cocoon stage of a bug undergoing metamorphosis.  And it can't do much while in this form.

From the Pokédex: Even though it is encased in a sturdy shell, the body inside is tender. It can't withstand a harsh attack. Hardens its shell to protect itself. However, a large impact may cause it to pop out of its shell.

Metapod can only focus on protecting the transforming Caterpie inside, so it has to strengthen its shell with Harden.  We see in Pokémon Stadium that Harden takes on a metallic appearance and sound, probably to show the effect taking place.

Generation I Moveset and Strategy

To use Metapod "effectively," you'll have to evolve it from a Caterpie so that it can keep its previous moves.  Also, it has to evolve at exactly Level 7 so that it can also learn Harden (which only works in the Yellow version).

Tackle - Normal String Shot - Normal Harden - Normal

Generation I Sprites

  

Metapod had a confusing design for a long time.  Because its eyes are visible on both sides, it was hard to tell which direction it was facing.  It is supposed to curve outwards, but the ridge on its back resembles a nose, making it seem as if its back was its front.  So, while I think the Yellow sprite is the best, it is facing the wrong way.  But the eyes on the Red/Green sprite are weird and the Red/Blue sprite is too bendy for a rigid creature.

Generation I Locations

Like Caterpie, Metapod is found in Viridian Forest in all versions.  Then it is also on Route 25 in Red/Green/Blue and Route 24 in Green/Blue.

We also find Metapod around the River of Pokémon Island.  We see Butterfree elsewhere on the island, but this suggests that unseen Caterpie reside in the River then migrate after evolving.

Notable Generation I Metapod

1. Ash/Red's Metapod (Anime, The Electric Tale of Pikachu, and Pokémon Adventures)

As we examined in the episode earlier this week, Ash has to project a lot of his own emotions onto the behavior of Metapod because it lacks facial expressions and speaks in a monotone.  Apparently it is upset at Ash, then heroic, but it's hard to really tell without Ash describing it.

2. Kitty (Pokémon Adventures)

Yellow's Kitty returns, this time doing its marvelous transformation to protect its trainer from a Hyper Beam attack.  It evolves again soon after this moment, but it's funny to see one of the weakest Pokémon go up against the strongest attack.  As before, this is basically the same character as Ash's Metapod.

3. Bug Catcher/Samurai's Metapod (Red/Green/Blue/Yellow, anime, etc.)

Despite most of them only knowing Harden, Bug Catchers love to use Metapod.  For some reason, they don't let them evolve.  Are they expecting to defeat opponents by only using Struggle?

Final Thoughts

As with Caterpie, there isn't much left to be said.  But, Metapods are crucial if you want a Butterfree, so you'll probably find yourself with one at some point.

Metapod's Verdict - Don't Gotta Catch 'Em (Unless You're Planning an Evolution)

My Favorite Generation I Pokémon: Fire Edition

The Fire Type

Any game based on the standard elements are going to have a Fire type.  And while the Pokémon of this nature are often fan favorites, you'll rarely see them in a competitive scene in Generation I, due to the lack of Grass, Bug, and Ice types for them to defeat (and an abundance of Ground, Rock, or Water types).  Wile your team could usually survive without a Fire element, I always liked to have one for appearances.

5. Flareon

Yes, it is the weakest of the Eeveelutions, but it is an Eeveelution nonetheless.  While infamous for its lack of good moves, I still like the design.  Besides, an Eevee has to evolve into a Fire-type.  And no other Eeveelution looks as cuddly as Flareon, even if it can get searing hot.

4. Moltres

While not may favorite of the Legendary Birds, I do like how it has a more significant impact in the series' mythology.  In the anime, Moltres's eternal flame lights the Pokémon League torch.  But even cooler is its association with Blaine, acting as the Gym Leader's savior, which suggests he began worshiping the creature by training Fire types.  It's an interesting moment when hints at the world's religion shines through, and how these legends are more than just the random boss at the end of a dungeon.

3. Arcanine

Speaking of legends, Arcanine is that famous non-legendary Legendary Pokémon.  Due to its origin based on the mythological Shisa and similar creatures, Arcanine gets a special status, above all other Pokémon.  It has the highest base stats of a non-Legendary Fire type, and is ranked 9th overall.  It will be your best choice competitively.

2. Ninetales

Foxes are never not cool.  Like Arcanine, Ninetales has its origins in Asian mythology, this time playing the part of the ghost fox Kitsune and deadly old grudges.  I enjoy using Ninetales' various powers on my team (Fire Spin and Confuse Ray create a wonderfully annoying combination).  I wish it had actually been a part Ghost type, because it would have given it a competitive edge.  But still, everyone agrees that it is one of the best designed Pokémon with one of the coolest backstories.

1. Rapidash

Ninetales was close to being my #1 here, but this is a unicorn that's on fire.  Where else can you find that?  Even in future generations, it seems like the designers understood they couldn't top this, so they didn't even bother with another horse Pokémon until the end of Generation V.  Horses are such majestic creatures in real life that all they had to do was add some flames and voila!  Instant perfection!

Honorable Mentions:  Magmar, for it's wacky design with a mysterious origin, Vulpix, for being the cute baby Ninetales (and was one of my favorites at the time Brock caught one), and Charmeleon, for being underappreciated but still cool.  What about Charizard?  Well, wait until we get to our Flying types.

EP004 - Challenge of the Samurai

EP004 - Challenge of the Samurai

Challenge of the Samurai Boy!

Original Airdates: April 22, 1997 (JP), September 11, 1998 (EN)

Written by: Hideki Sonoda

Synopsis:

Still travelling through the Viridian Forest, Satoshi attempts to catch a Weedle, but it escapes when a strange trainer who calls himself “Samurai” challenges him to a battle.  In the middle of a Metapod vs. Metapod standstill, a swarm of Beedrill attacks, interrupting the fight.  Satoshi’s Metapod gets kidnapped by a Beedrill and ends up in their nest.

Satoshi and Kasumi spend the night in Samurai’s cabin to stay safe, but Satoshi feels bad for abandoning Metapod.  The next day he rescues Metapod by infiltrating the nest and it evolves into Butterfree.  Butterfree uses Sleep Powder to quell the swarm, allowing our heroes to escape.  Samurai considers the prior battle a victory in Satoshi’s favor and leads them out of the forest.

Who’s That Pokémon?

It's Metapod, because Ash abandons his Metapod (and battles another Metapod).

New Character and Pokémon Breakdown

Ash's Butterfree

Part 2 of the Ash's Butterfree saga focuses on its Metapod stage.  Being an immobile pupa, Metapod cannot battle well or defend itself in trouble.  As a result, Ash is forced to leave it behind, giving the creature severe abandonment issues.  Just because it hasn't reached its full potential, it feels inferior.  Fortunately, it is able to induce an early evolution when he sees its trainer in trouble, much as Pikachu finally came through for Ash against the Spearow.  As a Butterfree, he can finally prove that he's a capable fighter...yet he all but disappears after this episode.

Samurai

We meet our first “Character of the Day,” which is a character that only appears in one episode and never comes back, despite promises to return.  Samurai is a memorable COD because he introduces the concept of legal Pokémon battles (not just random Team Rocket attacks).  He is based on the Bug Catchers of Viridian Forest who are the first Trainers in the games (besides the rival).  Usually the problem with COD’s is that they are only there to showcase the Pokémon of the Day making those episodes seem rather meaningless.  Samurai does introduce a new Pokémon (Pinsir) but his Pokémon are not the focus of the episode.  The main plot revolves around the wild Beedrill and Satoshi’s Metapod.  Samurai is a source of chaos unto himself and he is there to put Satoshi’s skills to the test.

Samurai's Pinsir and Metapod

Somehow, the Samurai managed to get a Pinsir this early in his journey (maybe its his starter).  But despite its vast strength, it is still able to be taken out by a Metapod.  Kind of lame (but cool, at the same time).  The Metapod vs. Metapod Hardening battle, however, is a funny concept, but useless to the point of being a little contrived.  What were the Trainers expecting to happen?  Satoshi’s Metapod at least knew Tackle, so the battle could have gone somewhere.  But there was no point in prolonging the standstill.

Weedle, Kakuna, and Beedrill

Ash nearly catches a Weedle, but Samurai disrupts his concentration and the Weedle manages to escape (and possible alert the nest of Beedrill).  We later see more Weedle at the Beedrill nest, eating Team Rocket's...cardboard vehicle?  The Kakuna and Beedrill, like the Spearow, are just forces of nature, bent on destroying anything that disrupts their rest and privacy.  With all of these dangerous Beedrill around, its a wonder anyone makes it through Viridian Forest alive.

Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squritle

In static flashback shots, we see that starter Pokémon that Oak handed out too the other three trainers from Pallet, each one battling with the Samurai.  At this moment, though, we still don't know which one Gary started with, so don't spoil it please!

Japanese vs. American Versions:

- Most jokes are rewritten to moderate effect, but the oddest one is Ash dressed as a cow saying “Cowterpie?” because in the original “Mushi (bug)” is similar to “Ushi (cow).”

Overall Review: A-

            

The humor from the previous episode continues here, as Satoshi and co. find themselves in sillier situations (like the intense little boy who demands to fight with honor).  Team Rocket is used nicely in that they are purely comic relief and they do not overstay their welcome.  By insisting on completing their motto which results in waking the Beedrill, they present a funny variation on the now recurring motto gag.

Once the drama kicks in, things begin to get a little uneven.  The abandoning Metapod plot comes a little out of nowhere.  Satoshi is so upset with himself, but, he really had no other choice.  He would have gotten himself killed had he tried to save Metapod earlier.  He acts as if he was a horrible person who made many mistakes, but it really was just the one.  And, despite what Samurai would have him believe, Weedle getting away was totally Samurai’s fault.  Satoshi needn't be so hard on himself.  But he grows.

My favorite aspect of this episode is the attention to detail given to the various Pokémon, treating them like actual animals rather than completely fantastical creatures.  The sights of Kakuna and Metapod evolving are quite stunning as they actually break out of their hard shells as opposed to glowing and transforming.  I wish later episodes had kept this dynamic.

This is a very well-balanced episode and it shows a level of quality and attention to detail of both the characters and the world around them.  It's a solid and funny episode that moves along quickly and develops Satoshi’s character in a positive way.