Anime move errors

From Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokémon encyclopedia.

In the Pokémon anime, there will often come up a Pokémon that knows a move it cannot learn legally in any of the games. It is unknown whether these are actual mistakes, a writing policy of not having to stick to the games too closely, or merely the Pokémon using an attribute that shares the name of a move in the games.

Occasionally, in-game event Pokémon that can be transferred onto the main series games have a move that is not normally included in that Pokémon's moveset (a prime example being Pokémon Box Ruby & Sapphire, which gave away four separate Pokémon with moves that were not normally available to that specific Pokémon).

List of anime Pokémon with moves they cannot learn in the games

Name	Move	First use
Samurai's Pinsir	Tackle	1004Challenge of the Samurai
Ash's Raticate	Jump Kick	1015Battle Aboard the St. Anne
Ash's Bulbasaur	Whirlwind	1032The Ninja Poké-Showdown
Jessie's Lickitung	Tackle	1052Princess vs. Princess
Jeanette's Beedrill	Tackle	1077The Fourth Round Rumble
Ritchie's Zippo	Tackle	1079Friend and Foe Alike
James's Victreebel	Tackle	1086Pikachu Re-Volts
Jessie's Arbok	Tackle	1095A Shipful of Shivers
Ralph's Tony	Fury Swipes	1100Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon?
Ash's Charizard	Tackle	1108Pokémon Double Trouble
Ash's Pikachu	Leer	1150Hour of the Houndour
Ash's Cyndaquil	Agility	1152Hot Matches!
Jessie's Wobbuffet	Bide	1167A Hot Water Battle
Duplica's Mini-Dit	Tackle*	1174Imitation Confrontation
Tamao's Umbreon	Agility	1171Trouble's Brewing
Misty's Poliwhirl	Tackle	1183Trouble's Brewing
Ash's Pikachu	Tackle	1183Trouble's Brewing
Janina's Onix	Wrap	1208Fight for the Light!
Ash's Bulbasaur	Dig	1225Bulbasaur... the Ambassador!
Parasect	Sleep Powder	1227For Ho-Oh the Bells Toll!
Lance's Dragonite	Whirlwind	1235Talkin' 'Bout an Evolution
Parasect	Sleep Powder	1241Hocus Pokémon
Dragonite	Whirlwind	1253Great Bowls of Fire!
Brock's Crobat	SonicBoom	1257Lapras of Luxury
Ash's Larvitar	Harden	1258Hatch Me If You Can
Ritchie's Rose	Gust	2019.5Oaknapped
Sableye	Lick	2029Ready, Willing, and Sableye
Skitty	Fury Swipes	2029.5Big Meowth, Little Dreams (Part 2)
Jirachi	Teleport	2034.5Jirachi: Wish Maker
Rayquaza	Seismic Toss	2085.5Destiny Deoxys
Jessie's Dustox	Stun Spore	3008Gymbaliar
Gengar of Team Meanies	Confusion	3023.5Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Team Go-Getters Out of the Gate
Ash's Staravia	Gust	3026Getting the Pre-Contest Titters!
Cheryl's Mothim	Supersonic	3032An Angry Combeenation!
Spearow	Gust	3064Riding the Winds of Change!
Kylie's Munchlax	Giga Impact	3076A Full Course Tag Battle!
Roman's Girafarig	Bite	3076A Full Course Tag Battle!
Nidoran♂	Bite	3109Leading a Stray!
Froslass	Slash	3116The Drifting Snorunt!
Dusknoir	Rapid Spin	3122.5Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky - Beyond Time & Darkness
Regigigas	Hammer Arm	3129Pillars of Friendship!
Bellsprout	Absorb	3134Promoting Healthy Tangrowth!
Damos's Baltoy	Shock Wave	3135.5Arceus and the Jewel of Life
Damos's Claydol	Shock Wave	3135.5Arceus and the Jewel of Life
Uxie	Teleport	3151The Needs of the Three!
Mesprit	Teleport	3151The Needs of the Three!
Chingling	Sing	3161Yes in Dee Dee, It's Dawn!
Chimecho	Sing	3161Yes in Dee Dee, It's Dawn!
Nando's Kricketot	Sing	3174Last Call — First Round!
Kricketune	Bullet Seed	3183.5Zoroark: Master of Illusions
Normajean's Teddiursa	Pound	3190The Brockster Is In!

Japanese version only

Name	Move	First use	Notes
Roxanne's Nosepass	Hyper Beam	2016Winner By a Nosepass!	Roxanne commands her Nosepass to use Hyper Beam, which it cannot learn. These errors were picked up on in the dub, and the references to Hyper Beam were replaced with Thunder Wave and Zap Cannon. However, there is evidence that there was an error in the original script, and it was meant to be an Electric attack. This is seen in Pikachu being able to absorb "Hyper Beam" as if it were an Electric attack, and it had physical similarities to Electric attacks.
Ash's Starly	Gust	3002Two Degrees of Separation!	Changed to Whirlwind in the dub, a move that Starly can learn. However, after it evolved into Staravia, it began using Gust in the dub as well.
Brock's Bonsly	Take Down	3014Leave It To Brocko!	Changed to Double-Edge in the dub, a move that Bonsly can learn.

Dub only

Name	Move	First use	Notes
Brock's Vulpix	Agility	1072The Ancient Puzzle of Pokémopolis	Quick Attack in the Japanese version, a move that Vulpix can learn.
Morty's Gastly	Confusion	1182From Ghost to Ghost
Ash's Totodile	Skull Bash	1216Dueling Heroes	Headbutt in the Japanese version, a move that Totodile can learn.
Ash's Heracross	Fury Swipes	1269The Ties That Bind!	Fury Attack in the Japanese version, a move that Heracross can learn.
Harrison's Steelix	Wrap	1271Playing with Fire!	Bind in the Japanese version, a move that Steelix can learn.

Former errors

Name	Move	First use	Notes
James's Koffing	Poison Gas	1020The Ghost of Maiden's Peak	James ordered his Koffing to use Poison Gas. However, Koffing was unable to learn Poison Gas until Generation II.
James's Weezing	Poison Gas	1045The Song of Jigglypuff	James ordered his Weezing to use Poison Gas. However, Weezing was unable to learn Poison Gas until Generation II.
Jessie's Lickitung	Lick	1052Princess vs. Princess	Jessie's Lickitung uses Lick multiple times in the original series. However, Lickitung was unable to learn Lick until Generation II.

Similar examples that are not anime move errors

Pokémon which can learn a move in a previous generation

Name	Move	First use	Notes
Andi's Nidoqueen and Oscar's Nidoking	Submission	2072The Bicker the Better	Andi's Nidoqueen and Oscar's Nidoking use Submission, which, though impossible to have in Generation III onwards, was available to teach to Nidoqueen and Nidoking by TM17 in Generation I.
Ash's Charizard	DragonBreath	2136The Symbol Life	Ash's Charizard uses DragonBreath, which, though impossible to have in Generation III onwards, was available to teach to Charizard by TM24 in Generation II.
Anabel's Espeon	Zap Cannon	2170Second Time's the Charm	Anabel's Espeon uses Zap Cannon, which, though impossible to have in Generation III onwards, was available to teach to Espeon by TM07 in Generation II.

Pokémon performing an action which resembles a move

Name	Resembled move	First use	Notes
Tentacool		1019Tentacool & Tentacruel	Multiple Tentacool are seen using an unidentified red beam attack. Tentacool's Pokédex entries state that it absorbs sunlight and converts it into beam energy, similar to SolarBeam. However, not only does this attack bear no resemblance to SolarBeam, Tentacool has never been able to learn this move. In fact, the only Beam moves Tentacool can learn are BubbleBeam, Ice Beam and Aurora Beam*, none of which resemble this attack.
Haunter	Leer	1023The Tower of Terror	When Ash has his Charmander use Leer against a Haunter, it appears to use the same move back at Charmander. However, Haunter has not been able to learn Leer in any Generation. It is possible that Haunter was simply countering Charmander's Leer.
Ash's Bulbasaur	Lick and Tickle	1050Who Gets to Keep Togepi?	Ash has Bulbasaur "lick" Psyduck's head and use its "tickle attack" with its vines. This is not to be confused with the actual moves Lick and Tickle, the latter of which was introduced in Generation III. Bulbasaur cannot learn either move.
Ralph's Tony	Bite	1100Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon?	Tony bites down on Jessie's Arbok, who is constricting it. However, Ralph does not order an attack, he simply uses its sharp teeth to free himself and Maria from Arbok's grip. This move resembles Bite but Nidoran♂ cannot learn this move.
Meowth of Team Rocket	Tickle	1104Bound for Trouble	Pikachu and Meowth fight against a giant Rhydon. When Meowth jumps on Rhydon's back, he states that he should try a Tickle attack. However, Meowth cannot learn Tickle in any generation yet, and Tickle was not introduced until Generation III.
Lugia		1104.5The Power of One	Lugia uses an unidentified Psychic-type attack to break free of ice. The only Psychic-type attacks Lugia could learn when it eventually appeared in Gold and Silver are Dream Eater and Future Sight, which this move is unlikely to be, and Psychic, though the anime version of Psychic usually involves controlling an opponent. It is possible that Lugia is using Recover, a move Lugia can learn, and instead smashing the ice physically.
Entei	Hypnosis	1155.5Spell of the Unown	Entei hypnotises Delia in Spell of the Unown. However, Entei is unable to learn Hypnosis. This could be due to the fact that this Entei was merely an illusion, not a real Pokémon.
Ninetales	Psychic	1232Just Waiting On a Friend	After living for 150 years, Ninetales found that it was able to use mysterious powers. One of these was the ability to lift objects with its mind, similar to Psychic
Politoed	Lick	1249I Politoed Ya So!	Bean uses its tongue to attack. However, it did not use Lick.
Nuzleaf	GrassWhistle	2026Turning Over a Nuzleaf	A wild Nuzleaf blew on a leaf to make Ash and his friends' Pokémon drowsy, though Nuzleaf cannot learn GrassWhistle. However, some of Nuzleaf's Pokédex entries do state that it uses the leaf on its head as a flute.
Lunatone	Moonlight	2087Crazy as a Lunatone!	A Lunatone is seen using the moonlight to restore itself, though it cannot learn Moonlight. However, Lunatone's Pokédex entries do state that it gains its power from the moon.
Drifloon	Fly	3028Drifloon on the Wind!	Some Drifloon were used to fly around the area. The Pokédex states that a Drifloon cannot carry the weight of children. However, three are used at any given time. Similarly, it is also possible for Drifloon to carry players across short distances in Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia.
Metagross	Lock-On	3117Noodles! Roamin' Off!	Metagross calculated where Team Rocket were, likely using its supercomputer-like abilities rather than Lock-On.