BW001

This article is about an episode of the Pokémon animated series that has not been dubbed into English. As such, its coverage may contain romanized Japanese names, rather than dub names.

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Best Wishes series

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BW001

BW001   EP658 イッシュ地方へ！ゼクロムの影！！ To the Isshu Region! Zekrom's Shadow!!

First broadcast Japan September 23, 2010 United States

English themes Opening Ending

Japanese themes Opening ベストウイッシュ！ Ending

Credits Animation Team Kato Screenplay 冨岡淳広 Atsuhiro Tomioka Storyboard 須藤典彦 Norihiko Sudō 湯山邦彦 Kunihiko Yuyama Assistant directors 小山賢 Masaru Koyama 矢嶋哲生 Tetsuo Yajima Animation directors 志村泉 Izumi Shimura 田島瑞穂 Mizuho Tajima Additional credits

Screenshots on Filb.de

(Japanese: イッシュ地方へ！ゼクロムの影！！ To the Isshu Region! Zekrom's Shadow!!) is the first episode of the Best Wishes series, and the 658th episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan, as part of a one-hour special along with BW002, on September 23, 2010.

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

Synopsis

Template:Incomplete synopsis The episode begins with Zekrom and Reshiram flying across the screen. Then, the narrator starts to explain about the world of Pokémon.

A new journey begins, Ash and Pikachu start the episode in Pallet Town back in the Kanto region, he is reintroduced to the audience, and expresses his excitement for the upcoming journey. Ash's mom then walks into his room, straitens Ash's hat, and tells him of Professor Oak's presence. Professor Oak is wearing a Hawaiian-like shirt, which is questioned by Ash. The three of them aboard a plane heading to the Isshu region.

We then see Giovanni talking to Jessie, James, and Meowth about Team Rocket's plans to take over the world. We find out that Isshu will be the base of operations for their attempts at world domination. The trio board a plane heading to the Isshu region, which happens to be the same plane in which Ash is on.

Ash, Professor Oak, Jessie, James, Meowth, and Delia Ketchum are all aboard on the plane with Ash excited about all of the new Pokémon that he will see, but only the Team Rocket members are aware of the other group's presence. Once they arrive, they step off the plane and head towards Professor Araragi's lab, but when when Pikachu sees something above, Ash and Pikachu stops. Pikachu looks to the sky and spots some black clouds. Ash, however, doesn't see the clouds because he was distracted by a Mamanbou that was jumping in and out of the water. Upon inspection of the Mamanbou, Ash also notices the black clouds. A new girl and her Kibago pop out of a tree from afar and notice the clouds, and they head towards it. Jessie, James, and Meowth then use this opportunity to spring a trap to catch Pikachu. Ash tries to save Pikachu, but fails. The black clouds then send a massive blue thunderbolt that hits Team Rocket's trap, causing Pikachu to escape. The lightning also causes Jessie, James, and Meowth to fall backwards, leaving the scene, and every electronic in the area starts to malfunction. Pikachu, unhurt, then decides to use Thunderbolt and aims it directly into the center of the clouds. The clouds disperse slightly and we see Zekrom's outline with glowing eyes and tip. Zekrom's shadow appears over Pikachu, seemingly to cause no effect.

Professor Araragi then appears apologizing for being late. She takes the crew to her lab in the car as Ash watched every new Pokémon on the way there. The Pokémon they saw was a group of Shikijika, a flock of Mamepato, a group of Minezumi, and a school of Swanna. Professor Araragi also explains that there aren't any Pokémon from other regions in Isshu, which explains why Pikachu is a rare Pokémon in this region. They soon arrive at Kanoko Town where Professor Araragi's lab is. There they run some tests on Pikachu after noticing some sparks coming from his cheeks after the encounter with Zekrom. The tests show that Pikachu has absorbed too much electricity and will be fine after the electricity is removed.

An assistant comes into the room saying that it's time to give the new trainer his Starter Pokémon. This is when Ash is introduced to Shooti, who passes a few bad words about Ash's home town. Professor Araragi then shows Shooti the three starter Pokémon: Pokabu, Mijumaru, and Tsutarja. Ash is fascinated about the Pokémon and comments on all of them, especially on Mijumaru, saying that it's very cute. Shooti takes several pictures of them. Then, he chooses Tsutarja, which saddens Pokabu and ultimately shocks Mijumaru. Shooti is then given a Pokédex, Tsutarja's Poké Ball and an additional 5 Poké Balls.

Shooti then leaves the lab, wanting to start his adventure. Ash follows Shooti outside and Pikachu comes quickly afterwards since the tests are over. Amazed by the Pikachu, Shooti takes several pictures of him. Then, Ash challenged Shooti to a battle. Shooti takes several pictures during the battle, which annoyed Ash. It is going well for Ash until Pikachu tries to use Thunderbolt, which fails. To Ash's amazement, both Thunderbolt and Volt Tackle aren't working. Due to this complication, Ash loses the battle, with Shooti commenting on his failure and compliments Tsutarja for doing well on a first battle. Mijumaru watched the battle from behind a tree.

Ash takes Pikachu to the lab to get him checked out again. It turns out that the massive thunder strike from before put Pikachu into "overload", rendering all of his Electric moves useless. Suddenly the black cloud reappears over the lab and all electronics are once again disabled. The new girl is seen once again heading towards the clouds. Then some thunder strikes the lab and Pikachu's body is covered in static.

Professor Araragi then spots the black clouds and explains that they might have been formed by Zekrom.

Major events

• Ash and Pikachu travel with Delia and Professor Oak to the Isshu region where Professor Oak is attending a conference.
• Ash learns that all of the Pokémon that live in the Isshu region cannot be found in Kanto, Johto, Hoenn or Sinnoh.
• Ash and company meet Professor Araragi.
• Team Rocket also arrive in the Isshu region, having being assigned there by Giovanni.
• Pikachu becomes temporarily unable to use Electric-type attacks after being hit by lightning caused by Zekrom.
• Ash meets a photographer and beginning Trainer by the name of Shooti.
• Shooti obtains a Tsutarja from Professor Araragi then battles Ash's Pikachu and wins.

Debuts

• Iris
• Professor Araragi
• Shooti

Pokémon debuts

• Reshiram
• Zekrom
• Kibago (Iris's)
• Tsutarja (Shooti's)
• Mamanbou
• Shikijika
• Mamepato
• Minezumi
• Swanna
• Chillarmy
• Pokabu
• Mijumaru

Characters

Humans

• Ash
• Iris
• Jessie
• James
• Professor Araragi
• Shooti
• Professor Oak
• Delia Ketchum
• Giovanni
• Giovanni's secretary
• Professor Araragi's assistants
• Airport employees
• Citizens

Pokémon

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Kibago (Iris's)
• Reshiram (introduction only)
• Zekrom
• Tsutarja (Shooti's)
• Persian (Giovanni's)
• Mamanbou
• Shikijika (multiple)
• Mamepato (multiple)
• Minezumi (multiple)
• Swanna (multiple)
• Chillarmy (child's)
• Pokabu
• Mijumaru

Trivia

Eyecatch 1

Eyecatch 2

• This episode marks the first time that the first episode of a series has focused on Ash since Pokémon - I Choose You!.
• According to the narration at the beginning of the episode, Ash is still ten years old (despite the fact the anime has been airing for over thirteen years at this point).
  • Also, in Pikachu and Pichu, Ash states that he has traveled with Pikachu for a year now, meaning that it was also his birthday.
• For the first time since the series began, Ash receives a physical redesign, with the most significant change being his irises being made larger to match Ken Sugimori's recent character art. Jessie, James and Delia's eyes are also similarly modified.
• Also, for the first time since the series began Jessie, James and Giovanni are given costume changes, and the Team Rocket logo is also modified, now showing as a stylized "R". However, the logo on the uniforms of Jessie and James remain the same.
• Several of the items in Ash's bedroom at the beginning of the episode are those he received during his travels through Sinnoh. These are:
  • The Soothe Bells he received after winning the Hearthome Tag Battle Tournament in Smells Like Team Spirit!.
  • The Focus Band he was given at the end of Bibarel Gnaws Best!.
  • The wooden model of a Teddiursa he was given as a gift from May in A Full Course Tag Battle!.
  • The diploma he received for attending the Pokémon Summer Academy in One Team, Two Team, Red Team, Blue Team!.
  • The certificate he received for winning the Squallville PokéRinger competition in Pursuing a Lofty Goal!.
  • The trophy he was awarded by Palmer for winning the Twinleaf Tournament in Challenging a Towering Figure!.
• This is the second time Ash has arrived in a new region and Pikachu has had problems with its electricity, the first being Hoenn.
• Two new eyecatches were shown.
  • The first one featured Ash wearing his Best Wishes clothes with his Pikachu standing alongside him and Zekrom's head in the background.
  • The other one was also similar to the first one, but featuring Ash with his Pikachu on his shoulder instead and Reshiram's head in the background.

Dub edits

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← DP191

Best Wishes series

BW002 →

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