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'''Hocus Pokémon''' (Japanese: '''ポケモンまほうでだいへんしん！？''' ''A Huge Transformation with Pokémon Magic!?'') is the 241st episode of the [[Pokémon anime]]. It was first broadcast in Japan on March 21, 2002 and in the United States on April 5, 2003.  
'''Hocus Pokémon''' (Japanese: '''ポケモンまほうでだいへんしん！？''' ''A Huge Transformation with Pokémon Magic!?'') is the 241st episode of the [[Pokémon anime]]. It was first broadcast in Japan on March 21, 2002, and in the United States on April 5, 2003.  


{{spoilers}}
{{spoilers}}


==Synopsis==
==Blurb==
{{Ash}} and {{ashfr}} are wandering around in a forest on their way to [[Blackthorn City]]. Just then a {{p|Murkrow}} approaches them and starts jabbering. Then a girl comes running out from the clearing exclaiming she finally found a Pikachu.
<!--https://www.pokemon.com/us/animation/seasons/5/episode-32-hocus-pokemon/-->
<i>Brock rarely meets a girl whom he doesn't find bewitching, but on encountering a particular young woman, even Ash and Misty can't deny that there is something magical about her. This is all explained when the young trainer explains that she is a practitioner of Pokémon magic. Excited to see the completion of a spell that promises to allow humans to understand the feelings and thoughts of Pokémon, Ash and friends embark on a quest to gather the hodgepodge of Pokémon-related ingredients required for the spell. Can anyone spare any Gloom nectar? What about iron shavings sorted by a Magnemite?</i>


The girl introduces herself to Ash and his friends as {{jo|Lily}}, a Pokémon magician. She searches far and wide for bizarre things from different Pokémon such as a {{m|Thunderbolt}} from Pikachu. Of course, {{an|Misty}} asks Lily to perform magic for her because ever since she was little she'd always dreamed about being a Pokémon magician. Lily asks Misty if she'd like a smoother complexion. She says that she would. So Lily puts everything together and says a magic chant and a lot of smoke rises from the pot. When this happens a bunch of {{p|Spinarak}} appear and use {{m|String Shot}}, covering Misty with it. The main reason Misty doesn't like this is that she is afraid of bugs.
==Plot==
{{Ash}} and {{ashfr}} continue through the mountains when a {{p|Murkrow}} approaches them and starts squawking. Then, a girl comes running out from a clearing, exclaiming that she finally found a {{p|Pikachu}}. The girl introduces herself as {{OBP|Lily|EP241}}, a Pokémon magician. Lily explains that she has been searching far and wide for bizarre things from different Pokémon such as a {{m|Thunderbolt}} from Pikachu. {{an|Misty}} asks Lily to perform magic for her because she once dreamed about being a Pokémon magician when she was little. Lily flicks through her spellbook and asks Misty if she'd like a smoother complexion, and Misty says yes. So, Lily mixes everything together and says a magic chant which causes a lot of smoke to rise from the pot. To Misty's surprise, the spell summons a bunch of {{p|Spinarak}} which use {{m|String Shot}} to give her smoother skin.


Later, Lily announces that she needs {{m|Stun Spore}} from a {{p|Parasect}}. Ash volunteers gracefully to get it for her. He finds one and challenges it to a battle. At first it tries spraying Ash with {{m|Sleep Powder}} but luckily Murkrow blows it away. Then Parasect finally uses Stun Spore and Lily obtains it with a vacuum.
Ash is particularly intrigued about a Pokémon mind-reading spell. Lily admits that the final ingredient is always missing - {{m|Stun Spore}} from a {{p|Parasect}}. Murkrow returns to everyone and brings them over to a wild Parasect. Ash volunteers to retrieve the Stun Spore, so he challenges Parasect to a battle. At first, it tries spraying Ash with {{m|Sleep Powder}}, but luckily, Murkrow blows it away. Parasect finally uses Stun Spore and Lily obtains it with a vacuum. Just then, {{TRT}} appears and uses a long mechanical arm to kidnap {{AP|Pikachu}}. Lily notices {{MTR}} and wants to get the dirt from its claws, so she sends Murkrow to get it. Instead, Murkrow makes a hole in their balloon, sending them blasting off again. Pikachu falls from their clutches and into Ash's arms. Team Rocket is later seen slumped precariously over a rock ledge on top of a tall cliff. {{TP|Jessie|Wobbuffet}} pops out of his {{i|Poké Ball}} and adds more weight, and the ledge starts to crack. Lily, Ash, and his friends catch up to Team Rocket. Lily rushes to collect the dirt from Meowth's claws. As soon as she steps off the ledge, it breaks, and Team Rocket goes crashing into the bushes below.


Just then a long mechanical arm swoops Pikachu into the sky. It's {{TRT}}, as usual. Lily notices {{MTR}} and wants to get the dirt from its claws, so she sends Murkrow to get it. Instead, it makes a hole in their balloon, sending them blasting off again. Pikachu falls from their clutches and into Ash's arms.
Later, {{an|Brock}} asks Lily what else she needs and she tells the crew that she needs the tears of an {{p|Aipom}}. Ash is keen to see Lily’s magic, so he begins calling out for an Aipom. Misty and Brock doubt Ash’s approach will ever work, but to their surprise, an Aipom emerges from a nearby shrub. Lily is thrilled, but her enthusiasm sends Aipom fleeing. Meanwhile, the Rocket trio pop out of the nearby bushes. They heard about the spell, so they set out to capture the Aipom, Lily's bag and book so they can make a lot of money. When Aipom lets its guard down, Lily and the others charge at it. A net grabs Aipom, causing everyone to collide instead. Team Rocket strikes again in their balloon and Meowth uses the long arm to snatch Lily's bag and then recite their {{motto}}. Lily orders Murkrow to get her bag back, but Meowth uses the arm to punch Murkrow out of the sky. Jessie and James make their getaway which causes Lily to crumble into tears, but Ash reassures her that they will retrieve her bag.


Team Rocket is seen slumped precariously over a rock ledge on top of a tall cliff. {{TP|Jessie|Wobbuffet}} pops out of its [[Poké Ball]] and adds more weight, and the ledge starts to crack. Lily, Ash, and his friends catch up to Team Rocket and Lily goes and gets the dirt from Meowth's claws, and as soon as she gets off the ledge, it breaks, and Team Rocket goes crashing into the bushes below.
Team Rocket lands their balloon. Meowth scours through Lily's bag and grumbles that it's nothing but junk. [[Jessie]] and [[James]] inspect the spellbook, but the ancient language leaves Jessie confused. But James understands part of it. Jessie gets fed up, and so, to get Aipom to cry, she gets ready to punch it, but James stops her. She asks him what his problem is. He tells her to look at the ancient book. Jessie retorts that she could read tea leaves more easily than reading the book. James goes on to inform her that tears achieved through violence won't work. As a result, Team Rocket tries to figure out what they can do to make Aipom cry. James starts off by telling a bunch of corny jokes, but instead it makes Aipom yawn. Meowth performs a puppet show about a boy and his mother reuniting. It makes Meowth and James cry, but Aipom is still bored out of its mind. Jessie tells them they'll never jerk any tears from Aipom using clichéd storylines and overblown dramatics. She performs a princess as she waits for her beloved prince, though Jessie’s acting causes Aipom to drift off to sleep. Jessie gets angry and picks up Aipom to try and punch it, but once again James stops her.


Later, {{an|Brock}} asks Lily what else she needs and she tells the crew that she needs the tears of an {{p|Aipom}}. Ash then asks if once she has the tears she'll be able to perform her magic and read the minds of Pokémon. She says yes. Ash calls out and tells an Aipom to come out, which actually happens! However, it runs off so the group splits up to catch it. [[Jessie]] and [[James]] happen to pop out of the bushes behind them after they leave. They heard about the spell, so they set out to capture the Aipom and Lily's bag and book so they can make a lot of money. When Aipom lets its guard down, Ash, Misty, Brock and Lily charge at it. A net grabs Aipom and they smack heads instead. Team Rocket strikes again in their balloon and Meowth uses the long arm to get Lily's bag. Then they recite their motto. She orders Murkrow to get her bag back but Meowth uses the arm and it punches Murkrow knocking it out. Jessie and James then make their getaway.
Just then Ash and his friends catch up to Team Rocket and demand that the stolen stuff be returned. Jessie orders her {{TP|Jessie|Arbok}} into battle, but it is sent flying into the balloon's basket by Murkrow's {{m|Icy Wind}}. Now, it is Ash's Pikachu against [[James's Weezing]]. Weezing uses {{m|Sludge}}, but the attack eventually runs out while trying to counter Pikachu's Thunderbolt. Meanwhile, Brock manages to untie Aipom who promptly runs off. Lily has Murkrow use {{m|Swift}}, which causes Weezing to ram Team Rocket into the basket. Pikachu performs {{m|Thunder}} on the balloon which makes it blow up and sends Team Rocket blasting off. Aipom finds this funny, laughing so hard that it produces tears of mirth. Ash quickly grabs a jar and tries to catch a tear, but he trips and takes a nosedive. Pikachu quickly grabs the jar and catches the tear instead. Both Lily and Ash thank Pikachu.


Team Rocket lands their balloon and Meowth is rooting through Lily's bag and grumbling that it's nothing but junk. Jessie and James are looking at the book which Jessie doesn't understand because it's written in an ancient language. But James understands part of it. Jessie gets fed up, and so, to get Aipom to cry, gets ready to punch it, but James stops her. She asks him what his problem is. He tells her to look at the ancient book and she tells him that she could read tea leaves more easily than reading the book. James goes on to tell her that tears achieved through violence won't work.
Lily mixes in all the ingredients for the spell and then she asks who will volunteer. Ash begs to be picked, so Lily selects him. Following orders, Ash finishes the spell with Pikachu's Thunderbolt. A lot of yellow smoke surrounds Ash and he comments that he felt a little like he's getting into Pikachu's mind. Moments later, Ash notices that his friends seem to have gotten really big all of a sudden. Misty pulls out a mirror and shows Ash his reflection to reveal that he has been turned into [[Ashachu|a Pikachu]]. As Ash panics, Lily comments that the effect was unexpected. She glances through her book and finds that the spell continues on the next page, but said page is too smudged for her to read. Misty asks Lily if Ash will be a Pikachu permanently, but Lily assures that he'll be back to normal as soon as the spell wears off. With this reassurance, Ash calms down and decides to make the best of the weird situation. Misty and Brock watch Ash play around with Pikachu, Murkrow, and {{TP|Misty|Togepi}}, commenting that Ash really is in the mind of a Pikachu, meaning that the spell did work, in a way.
 
So Team Rocket tries to figure out what they can do to make Aipom cry. James starts off by telling a bunch of corny jokes but instead it makes Aipom yawn. Then Meowth tells a story about a boy and his mother reuniting. It makes Meowth and James cry, but Aipom is still bored out of its mind. Jessie tells them they'll never jerk any tears from Aipom using clichéd storylines and overblown dramatics.
 
During this time Ash and his friends are looking for Team Rocket but turn up nothing but then Murkrow spots something.
 
Now it was Jessie's turn to tell a story. She tells a story about a prince and princess and if she couldn't be his princess that her end was near. Anyway after her performance Aipom is fast asleep so Jessie gets angry and picks up Aipom to try and punch it again but once again James stops her.
 
Just then Ash and his friends catch up to Team Rocket and demand that the stolen stuff to be given back. As usual, this is where they start a Pokémon battle. Lily uses {{m|Icy Wind}} against Jessie's Arbok's {{m|Poison Sting}} which sends Arbok flying into the balloon basket. Then it's Ash's Pikachu against [[James's Weezing]]. Weezing uses {{m|Sludge}} attack and Pikachu uses Thunderbolt until Weezing runs out of sludge. During this, Brock frees Aipom. Then Lily has Murkrow use {{m|Swift}} against Weezing. Weezing rams Team Rocket into the basket. Pikachu then uses {{m|Thunder}} on Team Rocket and the balloon which makes it blow up and sends them blasting off again.
[[File:Ashachu.png|thumb|200px|right|Ash as a Pikachu]]
Of course, Aipom finds this funny, laughing so hard that it produces tears of mirth. Ash quickly grabs a jar and tries to catch a tear but he trips and takes a nose dive on the ground so Pikachu quickly grabs the jar and catches the tear. Both Lily and Ash thank Pikachu.
 
Now the magic begins. Lily mixes in all the ingredients for the spell and then she asks who will volunteer. Ash begs to be picked, so Lily picks him. He finishes the spell with Pikachu's Thunderbolt. A lot of yellow smoke surrounds Ash and he comments that he felt a little like he's getting into Pikachu's mind. Then Lily, Misty and Brock gasp.
 
Ash asks what happened. He looks up to his friends and asked them how they got so big. Then the camera cuts to Ash and zooms out to reveal that he was turned into [[Ashachu|a Pikachu]]! He wants to know why they were looking at him so funny so Misty gets out her mirror and shows him. Ash sees what has happened, and freaks! Lily explains this wasn't supposed to happen but when she looks in her book, the next page is covered in slop that makes reading the page impossible. Misty asks Lily if Ash will be a Pikachu permanently but she says of course not, just until the spell wears off. Ash calms down and says, "In that case this is awesome! I'm a Pikachu!" He goes off to play with Pikachu, Murkrow, and {{TP|Misty|Togepi|Togetic}}. Misty and Brock exclaimed that the spell probably worked; after all, Ash was inside the mind of Pikachu. Brock adds that Ash is certainly ''thinking'' like one. The episode closes with Ash, Murkrow, Pikachu, and Togepi playing together.


==Major events==
==Major events==
[[File:Ashachu.png|thumb|200px|Ash as a Pikachu]]
* {{Ash}} is transformed into a {{p|Pikachu}}.
* {{Ash}} is transformed into a {{p|Pikachu}}.
{{animeevents}}
{{animeevents}}


===Debuts===
===Debuts===
====Pokémon debuts====
* [[Ashachu]]
* [[Ashachu]]
{{-}}


==Characters==
==Characters==
===Humans===
===Humans===
[[File:PMTV EP241.png|thumb|200px|right|{{tt|Pocket Monster TV|Who's That Pokémon}}]]
* {{Ash}} (transforms)
* {{Ash}} (transforms)
* {{an|Misty}}
* {{an|Misty}}
Line 75: Line 67:
* [[Jessie]]
* [[Jessie]]
* [[James]]
* [[James]]
* {{jo|Lily}}
* {{OBP|Lily|EP241}}


===Pokémon===
===Pokémon===
Line 82: Line 74:


* {{p|Pikachu}} ({{OP|Ash|Pikachu}})
* {{p|Pikachu}} ({{OP|Ash|Pikachu}})
* {{p|Pikachu}} ([[Ashachu|Ash Ketchum]]; newly transformed)
* {{p|Pikachu}} ([[Ashachu]]; newly transformed)
* {{p|Meowth}} ({{TRM}})
* {{p|Meowth}} ({{TRM}})
* {{p|Togepi}} ({{OP|Misty|Togepi}})
* {{p|Togepi}} ({{OP|Misty|Togepi}})
Line 88: Line 80:
* {{p|Arbok}} ({{OP|Jessie|Arbok}})
* {{p|Arbok}} ({{OP|Jessie|Arbok}})
* {{p|Weezing}} ({{OP|James|Weezing}})
* {{p|Weezing}} ({{OP|James|Weezing}})
* {{p|Murkrow}} ({{jo|Lily}}'s)
* {{p|Murkrow}} ({{OBP|Lily|EP241}}'s)
* {{p|Wartortle}} (fantasy)
* {{p|Parasect}}
* {{p|Parasect}}
* {{p|Tangela}} (fantasy)
* {{p|Aipom}}
* {{p|Mr. Mime}} (fantasy)
* {{p|Spinarak}} (×3)
* {{p|Spinarak}} (×3)
* {{p|Aipom}}
* {{p|Wartortle}} (image)
* {{p|Bulbasaur}}
* {{p|Tangela}} (image)
* {{p|Dugtrio}}
* {{p|Mr. Mime}} (image)
* {{p|Stantler}}
* {{p|Bulbasaur}} (picture)
* {{p|Shuckle}}
* {{p|Dugtrio}} (picture)
* {{p|Miltank}}
* {{p|Stantler}} (picture)
* {{p|Jynx}} (Japanese version only)
* {{p|Shuckle}} (picture)
* {{p|Miltank}} (picture)
* {{p|Jynx}} (picture; Japanese version only)


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
* This is the first time a human is transformed into a Pokémon. The concept would later be explored further in the [[Pokémon Mystery Dungeon]] game series and its adaptations.
* This is the first time a [[human]] is transformed into a Pokémon in the {{pkmn|anime}}. The concept would later be explored further in the [[Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series|Pokémon Mystery Dungeon game series]] and its adaptations.
* The English title for this episode is a reference to the magic words "{{wp|Hocus pocus}}".
* The English title for this episode is a reference to the magic words "{{wp|Hocus pocus}}".
* After the second time Jessie tried to punch tears out of the Aipom, Meowth warned, "No tears for fears!", referencing the band ''{{wp|Tears for Fears}}''. The band would later be referenced in the [[DP053|episode of the same name]].  
* After the second time [[Jessie]] tried to punch tears out of {{p|Aipom}}, {{MTR}} warned "No tears for fears!", referencing the band {{wp|Tears for Fears}}. The band would later be referenced in the [[DP053|episode of the same name]].
* Meowth's puppet theater act appears to be a reference to {{wp|Isao Takahata}}'s {{wp|3000 Leagues in Search of Mother}}.
* Meowth's puppet theater act appears to be a reference to {{wp|Isao Takahata}}'s {{wp|3000 Leagues in Search of Mother}}.
* Two nonexistent moves are used in this episode, Pikachu's "Thunderspark" and Murkrow's "Wind" attack.
* A nonexistent move is used in this episode in the form of {{AP|Pikachu}}'s "Thunderspark".
* At one point, Meowth says, "A little jab will do ya." This is a reference to the {{wp|Brylcreem}} slogan "A little dab will do ya."
* Music from ''[[PK01|Pikachu's Vacation]]'' and ''[[M02|The Power of One]]'' can be heard in this episode.
* An instrumental version of [[Face Forward Team Rocket!]] is used when [[James]] and Meowth try to make the Aipom cry.


===Errors===
===Errors===
* In the scene where Ashachu tells Pikachu, Togepi, and Murkrow to play, when the scene goes back to Misty and Brock, Togepi is seen in Misty's hands.
* {{p|Parasect}} uses {{m|Sleep Powder}}, a move that it [[Anime move errors|could not legally learn]] at the time. However, Parasect can learn a similar move, {{m|Spore}}.
** Also, Murkrow is seen to come out of nowhere when {{Ash}} calls all the Pokémon.
* In the scene where [[Ashachu]] tells Pikachu, {{TP|Misty|Togepi}}, and {{p|Murkrow}} to play, when the scene goes back to Misty and Brock, Togepi is seen in {{an|Misty}}'s hands.
* In the scene where Team Rocket blasts off, Weezing disappears despite being in the balloon in the scene before.
** Also, Murkrow is seen to come out of nowhere when {{Ash}} calls all of the Pokémon.
* {{an|Brock}} says "ass is having a fun time" instead of {{ash}}
* In the scene where {{TRT}} blasts off, {{TP|James|Weezing}} disappears despite being in the balloon in the scene before.
* When Ash turns into Ashachu, his bag disappears. It is shown that Ash's bag also got transformed into his Ashachu form.
* {{an|Brock}} claims that he, Ash, and Misty had never met a Pokémon magician before. However, they met [[Melvin]] in ''[[EP043|The March of the Exeggutor Squad]]''.
* In the {{pmin|Poland|Polish}} dub, {{p|Wartortle}} is called {{p|Blastoise}}.


===Dub edits===
===Dub edits===
[[File:EP241 Deleted Scene.png|thumb|right|200px|Deleted scene]]
[[File:EP241 Deleted Scene.png|thumb|200px|Deleted scene]]
* In the Japanese version, there was a picture of Jynx in Lily's book. The dub replaced it with a flower kissed by a Jynx.
* In the Japanese version, there is a picture of {{p|Jynx}} in {{OBP|Lily|EP241}}'s book. The dub replaces it with the image of a flower with a kiss mark.
* After Misty was attacked by the Spinarak, there was a short scene cut in the English dub. In this scene, everybody feels sorry for her because she has arachnophobia. The frequently used "clock" transition and part of the first shot of the next scene, a pan down to the main characters are both cut from the dub.
* After Misty is attacked by the {{p|Spinarak}}, there was a short scene cut in the English dub. In this scene, everybody feels sorry for her because she has {{wp|arachnophobia}}. The frequently used "clock" transition and part of the first shot of the next scene, a pan down to the main characters, are both cut from the dub.
 
<gallery>
<gallery>
File:EP241 Original Shot.png‎|Original Japanese Version
File:EP241 Original Shot.png|Lily's book in the original Japanese version
File:EP241 Dub Shot.png|Dubbed English Version
File:EP241 Dub Shot.png|Lily's book in the English dub
</gallery>
</gallery>


==In other languages==
==In other languages==
{{Epilang|color=DDDDDD|bordercolor=FFCB49
{{Epilang|color=DDDDDD|bordercolor=FFCB49
|bg={{tt|Фокусникът Покемон|Hocus Pokémon}}
|zh_cmn={{tt|神奇寶貝魔法大變身|Pokémon Magic Metamorphosis}}
|zh_cmn={{tt|神奇寶貝魔法大變身|Pokémon Magic Metamorphosis}}
|de={{tt|Hokus Pokémon|Hocus Pokémon}}
|de={{tt|Hokus Pokémon|Hocus Pokémon}}
Line 137: Line 137:
|es_la=¡Hocus Pokémon!
|es_la=¡Hocus Pokémon!
|es_eu={{tt|La maga Pokémon|The Pokémon witch}}
|es_eu={{tt|La maga Pokémon|The Pokémon witch}}
|bg={{tt|Мамещ Покемон|Hocus Pokémon}}
|pl={{tt|Hokus-pokus Pokémon|Hocus-pocus Pokémon}}
|pl={{tt|Hokus-pokus pokémon|Hocus-pocus pokémon}}
|hi=पोकेमोन और जादू {{tt|''Pokemon aur Jadoo''|Pokémon and Magic}} {{tt|*|Hungama dub}}
}}
}}


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prevtitle=Some Like it Hot |
prevtitle=Some Like it Hot |
nextcode=EP242 |
nextcode=EP242 |
nexttitle=As Clear As Crystal |
nexttitle=As Clear as Crystal |
series=Original series |
series=Original series |
colorscheme=Johto | }}
colorscheme=Johto }}
{{Project Anime notice}}
{{Project Anime notice}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:0241}}
[[Category:Original series episodes|241]]
[[Category:Original series episodes|241]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Shinzō Fujita|241]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Shinzō Fujita]]
[[Category:Episodes storyboarded by Yoshitaka Fujimoto|241]]
[[Category:Episodes storyboarded by Yoshitaka Fujimoto]]
[[Category:Episodes directed by Shigeru Ōmachi|241]]
[[Category:Episodes directed by Shigeru Ōmachi]]
[[Category:Episodes animated by Kazuhisa Kosuge|241]]
[[Category:Episodes animated by Kazuhisa Kosuge]]
[[Category:Episodes focusing on Ash|241]]
[[Category:Episodes focusing on Ash]]
 
[[pl:EP241]]
[[pt:EP241]]


[[de:Hokus Pokémon (Episode)]]
[[de:Hokus Pokémon]]
[[fr:Épisode 241]]
[[es:EP243]]
[[fr:EP241]]
[[it:EP241]]
[[ja:無印編第241話]]
[[ja:無印編第241話]]
[[zh:宝可梦 第242集]]

Latest revision as of 04:48, 11 March 2024

← EP240 : Some Like it Hot
Original series
EP242 : As Clear as Crystal →
Hocus Pokémon
EP241.png
  EP241  
ポケモンまほうでだいへんしん！？
A Huge Transformation with Pokémon Magic!?
First broadcast
Japan March 21, 2002
United States April 5, 2003
English themes
Opening Believe in Me
Ending
Japanese themes
Opening Ready Go!
Ending ポケッターリ・モンスターリ
Credits
Animation Team Ota
Screenplay 藤田伸三 Shinzō Fujita
Storyboard 藤本義孝 Yoshitaka Fujimoto
Assistant director 大町繁 Shigeru Ōmachi
Animation director 小菅和久 Kazuhisa Kosuge
Additional credits

Hocus Pokémon (Japanese: ポケモンまほうでだいへんしん！？ A Huge Transformation with Pokémon Magic!?) is the 241st episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on March 21, 2002, and in the United States on April 5, 2003.

201
Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.
201

Blurb

Brock rarely meets a girl whom he doesn't find bewitching, but on encountering a particular young woman, even Ash and Misty can't deny that there is something magical about her. This is all explained when the young trainer explains that she is a practitioner of Pokémon magic. Excited to see the completion of a spell that promises to allow humans to understand the feelings and thoughts of Pokémon, Ash and friends embark on a quest to gather the hodgepodge of Pokémon-related ingredients required for the spell. Can anyone spare any Gloom nectar? What about iron shavings sorted by a Magnemite?

Plot

Ash and his friends continue through the mountains when a Murkrow approaches them and starts squawking. Then, a girl comes running out from a clearing, exclaiming that she finally found a Pikachu. The girl introduces herself as Lily, a Pokémon magician. Lily explains that she has been searching far and wide for bizarre things from different Pokémon such as a Thunderbolt from Pikachu. Misty asks Lily to perform magic for her because she once dreamed about being a Pokémon magician when she was little. Lily flicks through her spellbook and asks Misty if she'd like a smoother complexion, and Misty says yes. So, Lily mixes everything together and says a magic chant which causes a lot of smoke to rise from the pot. To Misty's surprise, the spell summons a bunch of Spinarak which use String Shot to give her smoother skin.

Ash is particularly intrigued about a Pokémon mind-reading spell. Lily admits that the final ingredient is always missing - Stun Spore from a Parasect. Murkrow returns to everyone and brings them over to a wild Parasect. Ash volunteers to retrieve the Stun Spore, so he challenges Parasect to a battle. At first, it tries spraying Ash with Sleep Powder, but luckily, Murkrow blows it away. Parasect finally uses Stun Spore and Lily obtains it with a vacuum. Just then, Team Rocket appears and uses a long mechanical arm to kidnap Pikachu. Lily notices Meowth and wants to get the dirt from its claws, so she sends Murkrow to get it. Instead, Murkrow makes a hole in their balloon, sending them blasting off again. Pikachu falls from their clutches and into Ash's arms. Team Rocket is later seen slumped precariously over a rock ledge on top of a tall cliff. Wobbuffet pops out of his Poké Ball and adds more weight, and the ledge starts to crack. Lily, Ash, and his friends catch up to Team Rocket. Lily rushes to collect the dirt from Meowth's claws. As soon as she steps off the ledge, it breaks, and Team Rocket goes crashing into the bushes below.

Later, Brock asks Lily what else she needs and she tells the crew that she needs the tears of an Aipom. Ash is keen to see Lily’s magic, so he begins calling out for an Aipom. Misty and Brock doubt Ash’s approach will ever work, but to their surprise, an Aipom emerges from a nearby shrub. Lily is thrilled, but her enthusiasm sends Aipom fleeing. Meanwhile, the Rocket trio pop out of the nearby bushes. They heard about the spell, so they set out to capture the Aipom, Lily's bag and book so they can make a lot of money. When Aipom lets its guard down, Lily and the others charge at it. A net grabs Aipom, causing everyone to collide instead. Team Rocket strikes again in their balloon and Meowth uses the long arm to snatch Lily's bag and then recite their motto. Lily orders Murkrow to get her bag back, but Meowth uses the arm to punch Murkrow out of the sky. Jessie and James make their getaway which causes Lily to crumble into tears, but Ash reassures her that they will retrieve her bag.

Team Rocket lands their balloon. Meowth scours through Lily's bag and grumbles that it's nothing but junk. Jessie and James inspect the spellbook, but the ancient language leaves Jessie confused. But James understands part of it. Jessie gets fed up, and so, to get Aipom to cry, she gets ready to punch it, but James stops her. She asks him what his problem is. He tells her to look at the ancient book. Jessie retorts that she could read tea leaves more easily than reading the book. James goes on to inform her that tears achieved through violence won't work. As a result, Team Rocket tries to figure out what they can do to make Aipom cry. James starts off by telling a bunch of corny jokes, but instead it makes Aipom yawn. Meowth performs a puppet show about a boy and his mother reuniting. It makes Meowth and James cry, but Aipom is still bored out of its mind. Jessie tells them they'll never jerk any tears from Aipom using clichéd storylines and overblown dramatics. She performs a princess as she waits for her beloved prince, though Jessie’s acting causes Aipom to drift off to sleep. Jessie gets angry and picks up Aipom to try and punch it, but once again James stops her.

Just then Ash and his friends catch up to Team Rocket and demand that the stolen stuff be returned. Jessie orders her Arbok into battle, but it is sent flying into the balloon's basket by Murkrow's Icy Wind. Now, it is Ash's Pikachu against James's Weezing. Weezing uses Sludge, but the attack eventually runs out while trying to counter Pikachu's Thunderbolt. Meanwhile, Brock manages to untie Aipom who promptly runs off. Lily has Murkrow use Swift, which causes Weezing to ram Team Rocket into the basket. Pikachu performs Thunder on the balloon which makes it blow up and sends Team Rocket blasting off. Aipom finds this funny, laughing so hard that it produces tears of mirth. Ash quickly grabs a jar and tries to catch a tear, but he trips and takes a nosedive. Pikachu quickly grabs the jar and catches the tear instead. Both Lily and Ash thank Pikachu.

Lily mixes in all the ingredients for the spell and then she asks who will volunteer. Ash begs to be picked, so Lily selects him. Following orders, Ash finishes the spell with Pikachu's Thunderbolt. A lot of yellow smoke surrounds Ash and he comments that he felt a little like he's getting into Pikachu's mind. Moments later, Ash notices that his friends seem to have gotten really big all of a sudden. Misty pulls out a mirror and shows Ash his reflection to reveal that he has been turned into a Pikachu. As Ash panics, Lily comments that the effect was unexpected. She glances through her book and finds that the spell continues on the next page, but said page is too smudged for her to read. Misty asks Lily if Ash will be a Pikachu permanently, but Lily assures that he'll be back to normal as soon as the spell wears off. With this reassurance, Ash calms down and decides to make the best of the weird situation. Misty and Brock watch Ash play around with Pikachu, Murkrow, and Togepi, commenting that Ash really is in the mind of a Pikachu, meaning that the spell did work, in a way.

Major events

Ash as a Pikachu
For a list of all major events in the anime, please see the history page.

Debuts

Pokémon debuts


Characters

Humans

Pocket Monster TV

Pokémon

Who's That Pokémon?

Who's That Pokémon?: Dewgong (US and international), Murkrow (Japan)

Trivia

Errors

Dub edits

Deleted scene
  • In the Japanese version, there is a picture of Jynx in Lily's book. The dub replaces it with the image of a flower with a kiss mark.
  • After Misty is attacked by the Spinarak, there was a short scene cut in the English dub. In this scene, everybody feels sorry for her because she has arachnophobia. The frequently used "clock" transition and part of the first shot of the next scene, a pan down to the main characters, are both cut from the dub.
  • Lily's book in the original Japanese version

    Lily's book in the original Japanese version

  • Lily's book in the English dub

    Lily's book in the English dub

In other languages



← EP240 : Some Like it Hot
Original series
EP242 : As Clear as Crystal →
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