S01: Difference between revisions

Pokémon: Indigo League Season 1
Logo for the season
Opening	Pokémon Theme
Episodes	52
Region	Kanto
Series	Original
Preceded by	None
Followed by	Pokémon: Adventures in the Orange Islands

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Pokémon: Indigo League (known at the time it was first aired simply as Pokémon) is the first dubbed season of the Pokémon anime. The season follows rookie Pokémon Trainer Ash Ketchum, his Pikachu, and his friends Misty and Brock as they travel across the Kanto region. The subtitle "Indigo League" is not used within the episodes, but was later added by the DVD boxed sets to distinguish it from the later seasons.

In Canada, the series was picked up by YTV. In the United States, the first forty episodes (excluding three) aired in syndication in 1998, with the rest of the thirty-nine episodes were ran and picked up by Kids' WB! starting with The Problem with Paras in 1999. The season began with Pokémon, I Choose You!, which originally aired on September 8, 1998, and ended with Friends to the End, which originally aired on November 27, 1999.

This season was then followed by the Orange Islands arc, which was created to allow time for the development of Pokémon Gold and Silver, and when dubbed, served the same purpose for the translation of the aforementioned games.

See the list of Pokémon: Indigo League episodes for a list of episodes aired as part of this season.

Important events

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

• Ash begins his journey as a Pokémon Trainer with the goal of being a Pokémon Master. His starter is Pikachu. (EP001)
• Gary also begins his journey, with Squirtle as his starter. (EP001)
• Misty follows Ash after the latter "borrows" and destroys her bike, demanding repayment. (EP002)
• Jessie, James, and Meowth follow Ash after his Pikachu demonstrates considerably advanced power for a Pokémon of its species. (EP002)
• Brock joins the group after his father returns to become the Pewter City Gym Leader. (EP005)
• Ash defeats each of the Kanto Gym Leaders, gaining eight Badges to qualify for his first Pokémon League Conference. (See Gym battles section)
• Ash journeys to Indigo Plateau to compete in his first Pokémon League Conference.
• Ash comes in the top 16 in the Indigo League, one bracket above his rival, Gary. (EP079)

Party changes

Additions

The following Pokémon are obtained:

• Ash's Pikachu (EP001)
• Ash's Caterpie (EP003)
• Ash's Pidgeotto (EP003)
• Brock's Zubat (EP006)
• Ash's Bulbasaur (EP010)
• Ash's Charmander (EP011)
• Ash's Squirtle (EP012)
• Ash's Krabby (EP013)
• James's Magikarp (EP015)
• Ash's Raticate (EP015)
• Misty's Horsea (EP019)
• Ash's Primeape (EP025)
• Misty's Psyduck (EP027)
• Brock's Vulpix (EP028)
• Ash's Muk (EP030)
• Ash's Tauros (EP035*)
• Jessie's Porygon (EP038*)
• Misty's Togepi (EP050)
• Jessie's Lickitung (EP052)
• James's Weepinbell (before EP057)
• Jessie's Shellder (EP066)

Evolutions

The following Pokémon evolve:

• Ash's Caterpie → Metapod → Butterfree
• James's Magikarp → Gyarados
• Jessie's Ekans → Arbok
• James's Koffing → Weezing
• Ash's Charmander → Charmeleon → Charizard
• James's Weepinbell → Victreebel
• Ash's Krabby → Kingler

Releases

The following Pokémon are released:

• Ash's Raticate (traded, EP015)
• James's Gyarados (EP016)
• Ash's Butterfree (EP021)
• Ash's Primeape (training with Anthony) (EP029)
• Jessie's Porygon (EP038*)
• Jessie's Shellder (EP066)

Other

• James's Growlithe (obtained prior to EP001)
• Jessie's Ekans (obtained prior to EP002)
• James's Koffing (obtained prior to EP002)
• Misty's Goldeen (obtained prior to EP002)
• Brock's Onix (obtained prior to EP005)
• Brock's Geodude (obtained prior to EP005)
• Misty's Staryu (obtained prior to EP006)
• Misty's Starmie (obtained prior to EP007)
• Misty's Horsea (left at Cerulean Gym, EP061)
• Misty's Starmie (left at Cerulean Gym, EP061)

Gym battles

Ash defeats the following Gym Leaders:

• Brock, after one failed attempt (EP005)
• Misty, though officially earned after Ash saved the Gym from Team Rocket (EP007)
• Lt. Surge, after one failed attempt (EP014)
• Sabrina, after two failed attempts (EP024)
• Erika, though officially earned after Ash saved her Gloom from the burning Gym (EP026)
• Koga (EP032)
• Blaine, after one failed attempt (EP059)
• Team Rocket (substituting for Giovanni) (EP063)

Home video releases

North American home video releases

Main article: List of English language Indigo League home video releases (Region 1)

Australian home video releases

Main article: List of English language Indigo League home video releases (Region 4)

Trivia

• With 79 episodes, this is the longest season of the dub yet.
  • If Japanese episodes are taken into account, this season would be 82 episodes long. EP035 and EP038 were banned outside of Japan. Also, Beauty and the Beach was initially banned but re-aired after heavy editing as a "lost episode" during Pokémon: Adventures in the Orange Islands. It was never aired again nor was it included in DVD releases.
  • Princess vs. Princess, The Purr-fect Hero, Holiday Hi-Jynx and Snow Way Out! are considered episodes of the season but are considered special episodes in Japan.

In other languages

Language		Title
Czech		Pokémon: Indigová liga
European French		Pokémon: Ligue indigo
German		Pokémon: La Ligue Indigo
Hindi		Pokemon*
Brazilian Portuguese		Pokémon - Liga Índigo
Russian		Покемон — Лига Индиго
Slovak		Pokémon: Indigová liga
Spanish	Latin America	Atrápalos ya
	Spain	Pokémon: Liga Añil

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