View source for Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs (animated special)

{{Move|Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs (anime special)}}
{{EpicodePrevNext|
prevcode=SS021 |
prevtitle=Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky - Beyond Time & Darkness |
nextcode=SS023 |
nexttitle=Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs (Part Two) |
series=Pokémon Sunday side stories |
colorscheme=Hoso |
episodelist=List of side story episodes }}
{{EpisodeInfoboxSpecial|
epcode=SS022 |
colorscheme=Hoso|
title_en=Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs (Part One) |
title_ja=ポケモンレンジャー　光の軌跡＜前編＞ |
title_ja_trans=Pokémon Ranger: Traces of Light (Part One) |
screen=hd |
broadcast_jp=February 28, 2010 |
broadcast_us=November 10, 2010 |
en_series=Special |
en_op=N/A |
ja_op=N/A |
ja_ed=N/A |
olmteam= |
scenario=冨岡淳広 |
storyboardn=1 |
storyboard1=小山賢 |
directorn=1 |
director1=小山賢 |
artn=1 |
art1=田島瑞穂 |
footnotes=|}}
'''Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs (Part One)''' (Japanese: '''<span lang="ja">ポケモンレンジャー　光の軌跡＜前編＞</span>''' ''Pokémon Ranger: Traces of Light (Part One)'') is a five-minute-long special episode of the [[Pokémon anime]] which is based on [[Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs|the game with the same name]]. It aired in Japan on February 28, 2010, as part of [[Pokémon Sunday]]. It was also broadcast as streaming video from TV Tokyo's Pokémon Sunday web site from February 28 to March 21, 2010. In the United States it was added to the [[Pokémon.com|official Pokémon website]], along with the second part, on November 10, 2010. Along with the second part, they were added to the Nintendo Channel in the United Kingdom.

{{spoilers}}

==Plot==
High in the skies above the [[Oblivia]] Region, two [[Pokémon Pinchers]] grunts are riding personal hover cars, chasing after a {{p|Latios}}.  Suddenly, {{ra|Ben}} flies down on a {{p|Staraptor}} to intercept their pursuit.

After Ben urges the Latios to escape, the grunts shout at him not to get in their way and shoot lasers at him, but he manages to evade their attacks.  After a moment of wondering who he is, the grunts recognize his clothing - a Pokémon Ranger!  As Ben and his Staraptor swoop down to attack, Ben thinks back to his visit to the [[Ranger Union]] just prior.

Ben had met up with [[Professor Hastings]] to receive his new mission, and heard from the Professor that the Pokémon Pinchers' efforts in poaching and selling Pokémon has become one of their most pressing matters.  Hastings told Ben that the Pokémon Pinchers have been active in the Oblivia Region, and asked the young Ranger to head for the archipelago in order to protect the Pokémon and destroy the Pokémon Pinchers.

Upon accepting the mission, Ben exited the Ranger Union to find a {{p|Staraptor}} flying above.  Using his [[Capture Styler]], Ben captured the {{type|Flying}} and took off on its back towards Oblivia.

Back in present time, Ben and Staraptor are aiming their attack towards the Pokémon Pinchers grunts, who decide to retreat and search for Latios again.  Ben has no intention of letting them escape, however, and chases after them, but he is hit by a laser bolt, sending him and his Staraptor plummeting into the sea.

The grunts stare in amazement for a moment before it's revealed who shot at Ben - their leader, [[Red Eyes]], who appears behind them, and who is not happy about being trailed by a Pokémon Ranger.

Meanwhile, an unconscious Ben has been washed up on [[Dolce Island]].  He eventually wakes up and, after quickly surveying his surroundings, notices a {{p|Pichu}} with a ukulele on its back watching him from a distance.  The tiny {{type|Electric}} tries to hide from view, but Ben approaches it and tries to tell it that he's no one suspicious.  The Pichu attacks him in return, and a computerized voice from his Capture Styler warns Ben to proceed with caution, as the Pichu is suspicious of him.  After taking in the information, Ben decides instead that he will capture the Pichu instead, in order to convince it that he is not an enemy.  As he begins to capture the Pichu, the episode ends.

==Major events==
* {{ra|Ben}} receives a mission to stop the [[Pokémon Pinchers]]' misdeeds.
* Ben meets [[Ukulele Pichu]] and attempts to capture it.

===Debuts===
* {{ra|Ben}}
* [[Professor Hastings]]
* [[Red Eyes]]

==Characters==
===Humans===
* {{ra|Ben}}
* [[Professor Hastings]]
* [[Red Eyes]]
* Male [[Pokémon Pinchers]] grunt
* Female Pokémon Pinchers grunt

===Pokémon===
* {{p|Pichu}} ([[Ukulele Pichu]])
* {{p|Staraptor}}
* {{p|Latios}}
* {{p|Tauros}} (multiple)
* {{p|Girafarig}} (multiple)
* {{p|Rhyhorn}} (multiple)

== Trivia ==

=== Errors ===
* The dubbed video on Pokémon.com incorrectly subtitles [[Dolce Island]] as "Dolche Island." However, the subtitles on {{DL|Pokémon in the United States|Cartoon Network Video}} and the {{DL|Wii|Nintendo Channel}} spell it correctly.

===Dub edits===
* In the dub, the special was aired as one longer episode, instead of in two parts. The cliffhanger ending of this episode is trimmed and instead is shown seamlessly as one episode.

{{-}}
{{EpicodePrevNext|
prevcode=SS021 |
prevtitle=Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky - Beyond Time & Darkness |
nextcode=SS023 |
nexttitle=Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs (Part Two) |
series=Pokémon Sunday side stories |
colorscheme=Hoso |
episodelist=List of side story episodes }}
{{Project Anime notice}}
[[Category:Anime shorts]]
[[Category:Side-story episodes]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Atsuhiro Tomioka]]
[[Category:Episodes storyboarded and directed by Masaru Koyama]]
[[Category:Episodes storyboarded by Masaru Koyama]]
[[Category:Episodes directed by Masaru Koyama]]
[[Category:Episodes animated by Mizuho Tajima]]
[[Category:Episodes in which a Legendary Pokémon appears]]

[[de:Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs (Teil Eins)]]
[[fr:Pokémon Ranger : Sillages de Lumière (court-métrage)]]
[[zh:SS022]]