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Following a Maiden's Voyage! (Japanese: 旅立ち！フタバタウンからマサゴタウンへ!! Setting Off! From Futaba Town to Masago Town!!) is the first episode of Diamond & Pearl, and the 469th episode of the overall meta-series. It aired in Japan September 28, 2006, the same day as the Japanese release of the Nintendo DS games, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. It aired in the US on April 20, 2007, two days before the American release of Diamond and Pearl.

This episode begins the journey of Dawn, a ten-year-old girl living in the Sinnoh region. On this day, she travels to Professor Rowan's laboratory and obtains her first Pokémon, a Piplup.

Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.

Synopsis

The episode begins early in the morning, with the sun shining brightly into the bedroom of a young girl who is just waking up on the dawn of one of the most important days of her life: the start of her adventures with Pokémon. She stays still, then gets up and pushes the window open. Today she will get her first Pokémon.

Sometime later, the girl, named Dawn, is already half-way dressed when her mother appears. Dawn lets her in along with a Glameow. The two greet each other while Glameow rests on the bed Downstairs, mother and daughter discuss Dawn's plans and Dawn pulls out a postcard that she received from Professor Rowan inviting her to his laboratary to pick up her first Pokémon. The postcard also contains a map to his lab, and pictures of the three Pokémon that she will be able to choose from. Dawn's mother wonders what Pokémon her daughter will choose and Dawn looks over at the pictures of the three Pokémon: Turtwig the Grass type, Chimchar the Fire type and Piplup the Water type. Dawn then comments that regardless, all three Pokémon would make a great partner in her bid to become a top Coordinator just like her mother. Dawn fantasizes about performing in Contests with the three different Pokémon.

Later Dawn prepares to leave for her journey, lugging a suitcase behind her. Her mother tells her to pack more sensibly and fits everything Dawn needs in a small backpack. Dawn then sets out towards Sandgem Town from her home in Twinleaf Town along Route 201. She arrives in a town, and runs into a building she believes to be the Professor's lab, only to find that it is a restaurant. She then proceeds to follow every possible direction, getting herself lost. While reading her map, she bumps into a man who reveals himself to be Professor Rowan, who guides her to his laboratory.

Meanwhile, at the lab, Professor Rowan's assistants are chatting while examining and feeding the the three starter Pokémon. However, a fight quickly brews when Chimchar steals the last of Piplup's food. Piplup begins attacking Chimchar with bubbles while Chimchar runs around the lab. While trying to keep Piplup under control, one of the assistants points it towards a Starly and Staraptor, who begin flying around and wrecking books and papers. The two then fly through an open window, followed by Chimchar (with Piplup in hot pursuit). The scientists plan to clean up, but as they begin, Professor Rowan arrives with Dawn.

With only the Turtwig remaining, Dawn asks and is allowed to go and search for the four missing Pokémon. After receiving some tips from Rowan, Dawn runs off towards the forest where the Pokémon were headed. Before she reaches the forest, however, she runs into Chimchar and Piplup, Chimchar still swinging away from Piplup's bubbles. Dawn attempts to calm them down, but they ignore her, Piplup changing its target to her briefly before both disappear into the forest. Dawn runs into the forest after them, only to find Piplup as well as several other Pokémon trapped in a web created by an Ariados. Dawn quickly hatches a plan, causing the Ariados to destroy its own web, landing Piplup safely in her arms. However, after sliding down a hill, Piplup seems very indignant, using Peck on Dawn several times. Dawn begins to berate it, but then realizes that it is simply hungry. However, although Dawn offers it Pokémon food, it seems disdainful and won't eat it. This scene it interrupted when Ariados returns, attacking Dawn and Piplup with several of its friends.

Trapped in a cage created by String Shot, Dawn distracts the Ariados with food while Piplup destroys the cage with Bubblebeam. Unfortunately, before Dawn can escape with Piplup, an Ariados trips her with String Shot. However, Piplup uses Bide to absorb the attacks of the Ariados, then destroys them and the cage with a massive energy wave. Shortly after, the Piplup faints, exhausted from having taken all the attacks.

While walking through the forest, Dawn stumbles upon Lake Verity. While there, she spots Staraptor carrying Chimchar back to the lab, with Starly close behind. Before they can return to the lab, however, the lake ripples, and a mysterious figure appears for a moment before vanishing. When Dawn asks Professor Rowan about it, he notes that it could be the legendary Pokémon of the lake. Shortly after, Dawn is presented with several Pokéballs and a Pokédex. When asked which Pokémon she wants for a starter, Dawn immediately chooses Piplup, noting that she and it are already a team. Dawn then sets out for her Pokémon journey in earnest, riding away from the lab.

At the same time, Ash, Pikachu, and Aipom are on a ship bound for Sinnoh. Ash boasts about becoming the Sinnoh Champion while Jessie, James, and Meowth watch from below decks. Later, Ash discusses Aipom accompanying Ash to Sinnoh with Professor Oak, who notes that he will send Aipom's Pokéball to Professor Rowan. Before they continue, though, Team Rocket quickly snatches Pikachu from their balloon. However, before they can leave, Meowth begins to argue with Jessie, attacking Wobbuffet with Fury Swipes. Wobbuffet then uses Counter, destroying the balloon and sending Pikachu falling into the forest. The episode ends with Ash and Aipom running after Team Rocket, while Dawn cycles away from the lab.

Major events

• Dawn receives Piplup from Professor Rowan.
• Ash Ketchum reaches Sinnoh, only to have Pikachu taken away and lost by Team Rocket, who followed him to the region.

Debuts

• Dawn
• Johanna
• Professor Rowan
• Yūzō
• Dawn's Piplup
• Johanna's Glameow

Pokémon debuts

• Turtwig
• Chimchar
• Piplup
• Starly
• Staravia
• Staraptor
• Bidoof
• Bibarel
• Budew
• Buneary
• Glameow
• Mesprit (projected soul)

Characters

Humans

• Ash Ketchum
• Dawn
• Tracey
• Jessie
• James
• Professor Oak
• Professor Rowan
• Johanna
• Marian (fantasy)
• Nurse Joy (fantasy)
• Contesta (fantasy)
• Sukizo (fantasy)
• Yūzō (Seiyū: 小西克幸 Katsuyuki Konishi)
• Professor Rowan's assistant (Seiyū: 逢坂力 Chikara Ōsaka)
• Ramen shop operator (Seiyū: 仁科洋平 Yōhei Nishina)
• Audience (fantasy)

Pokémon

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Wobbuffet (Jessie's)
• Aipom (Ash's)
• Piplup (Dawn's, new; debut)
• Glameow (Johanna's)
• Weedle
• Pidgey
• Rattata
• Magikarp
• Ariados (Seiyū: 川上貴史 Takafumi Kawakami)
• Dunsparce
• Mantine
• Zigzagoon
• Ninjask
• Turtwig (Seiyū: うえだゆうじ Yūji Ueda*)
• Chimchar (Seiyū: 津村まこと Makoto Tsumura*)
• Starly
• Staravia
• Staraptor
• Bidoof
• Bibarel
• Budew
• Buneary
• Chatot (flock)
• Mantyke
• Mesprit

* No official credit was given for this character.

Trivia

• This originally aired as a two-hour special on September 28, 2006, together with DP002 and DP003.
• The part where Dawn thinks about having all the Sinnoh starters echoes Ash's dream in the first episode.
• An instrumental version of By Your Side ~Hikari's Theme~ is played as background music.
• Piplup's behavior when Dawn offered it food is exactly as described in the Pokédex: Piplup have high pride and hate to receive food from people.
• Dawn seeing Mesprit is mentioned in DP004 where Ash links it to his seeing Ho-oh as a starting trainer, though the scene is more similar to his seeing Suicune on the way to New Bark Town.
• The eyecatches are of Dawn alone.
• Professor Oak's lecture: Sinnoh starter Pokémon.
  • All of the scenes in this segment come from this episode.
• Pokémon senryū: シンオウで　たびがはじまる　ポケモンと Shin'ō de tabi ga hajimaru Pokémon to. "In Sinnoh, a journey begins with Pokémon."

Errors

Dub edits

In other languages

• Italian: Un inizio burrascoso & La scelta di Lucinda

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This episode article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of the Pokémon anime.