EP125

← EP124 : Snubbull Snobbery

Original series

EP126 : The Chikorita Rescue →

The Little Big Horn

EP125   オドシシ！まぼろしのもり！？ Odoshishi! Forest of Illusions!?

First broadcast Japan December 9, 1999 United States November 18, 2000

English themes Opening Pokémon Johto Ending

Japanese themes Opening OK! Ending ニャースのパーティ

Credits Animation Team Ota Screenplay 武上純希 Junki Takegami Storyboard 椎名ひさし Hisashi Shiina Assistant director 福本潔 Kiyoshi Fukumoto Animation director はしもとかつみ Katsumi Hashimoto Additional credits

Screenshots on Filb.de

The Little Big Horn (Japanese: オドシシ！まぼろしのもり！？ Odoshishi! Forest of Illusions!?) is the 125th episode of the Pokémon animated series. It was first broadcast in Japan on December 9, 1999, and in the United States on November 18, 2000.

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

Blurb

Brock saves a lost and frightened Stantler fawn and carefully nurses it back to health before releasing it. Little does he know that Team Rocket lies hidden nearby, waiting to capture the defenseless fawn.

Plot

Upon arriving at a city, Ash and his friends see something poking out of a bush and identify it as a baby Stantler. Ash looks it up on his Pokédex while Brock attempts to lure it out by mimicking classic Stantler behaviors, and then by offering it food. However, Stantler remains hesitant and produces a nice scent from its antlers. A herd of Stantler suddenly charges at the trio, forcing them to flee. Once they are gone, the baby Stantler retreats into the bushes. The trio starts searching for the Stantler after Brock noticed its leg was injured. Officer Jenny approaches them and takes them back to her office to file a report. She informs them that the Stantler herd has been terrorizing the town. However, Brock is skeptical and suggests there must be more to them than meets the eye.

Just then, they find Team Rocket being chased. After performing their motto, they explain they were attempting to capture all of the city park's Stantler, but were forced to abandon their plan after being chased by a herd of them. Suddenly, a sweet smell wafts over everyone, and a herd of Stantler runs into town. Team Rocket flees, while Jenny ushers Ash and Misty into the police station for safety. Brock remains outside and witnesses the Stantler seemingly running through light poles and walls. Ash urges Brock to run, but Brock waits for the herd to hit him. However, the herd of Stantler goes right through him, and Ash and Misty are amazed as the illusions begin to fade.

Brock approaches the baby Stantler and says he could heal its wound. He goes inside the police station and bandages Stantler's front leg. Ash, Misty, and Jenny ask how he found this out; Brock replies that he noticed that the Stantler were going right through buildings. Once he is finished, Stantler looks at Brock admiringly and then falls asleep on his lap. Ash asks Brock if he wants to catch Stantler, but Brock thinks it is best if it goes home. Team Rocket listens in through a periscope, and Meowth is frustrated that there is only one Stantler. James, however, comes up with a new plan, and uses the trio's remaining funds to get it. While Jessie and Meowth are initially angered, James convinces them that the money will not be important if they do not have anything to give to Giovanni.

The next day, Brock releases Stantler into the forest. However, Stantler is hesitant, and nudges Brock to show its affection. Brock steps back and yells at Stantler to leave; the Big Horn Pokémon sadly does so. Meanwhile, Team Rocket spots Stantler from their Meowth balloon. As Ash and his friends return to the city, Brock turns back and is shocked to see Team Rocket's balloon in the distance. With the help of James's Anti-Stantler number 7, Team Rocket catches the baby Stantler to give to Giovanni. The trio floats down to grab their catch, but Meowth becomes teary-eyed from Stantler's cries. Brock confronts the trio, but James presses a red button, and the Anti-Stantler 7 shoots out spears that stop Brock from passing through, allowing Team Rocket to escape. However, Brock sends out Onix to destroy the mecha and then chases Team Rocket's balloon. Hearing Stantler's cries, Ash orders Pikachu to use Thunderbolt on Team Rocket, but it misses because the balloon is too high up. Just then, a real adult Stantler leaps from a mountain ledge, cuts through the hot air balloon, and cuts the rope holding the baby Stantler. Ash calls out Bulbasaur to use Vine Whip to catch the net, but Stantler falls out. Brock then rushes in and catches it in time.

Team Rocket crash-lands in the forest, and their balloon becomes entangled in the trees. The trio is then confronted by a herd of Stantler. Thinking it is another illusion, James throws the remote at one, which bounces off its head. The Stantler then crushes the remote with its hoof and the whole herd stampedes Team Rocket, causing them to blast off. Meanwhile, Brock and his friends watch on as Stantler returns to its family, and the reunited herd treks back to their mountain home.

Major events

For a list of all major events in Pokémon the Series: Gold and Silver, please see the timeline page.

Debuts

Pokémon debuts

• Stantler

Characters

Humans

Dare da?

• Ash
• Misty
• Brock
• Jessie
• James
• Officer Jenny

Pokémon

Who's That Pokémon?

Who's That Pokémon?: Totodile (US and international); Stantler (Japan)

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Togepi (Misty's)
• Bulbasaur (Ash's)
• Onix (Brock's)
• Stantler (multiple; debut)

Trivia

• This episode's English dub title is a reference to the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
• This episode was partially adapted into the book Ash Ketchum, Pokémon Detective.
• In the English dub, the scene where Brock releases the baby Stantler is highly similar to a scene from the 1987 fantasy-comedy film Harry and the Hendersons.

Errors

• When Stantler is sitting on Brock's lap, the shading and color on its tail are reversed for a split second.
• In the English dub, during the Who's That Pokémon? segment, Totodile's nostrils are missing.

Dub edits

• Pokémon Karaokémon: All We Wanna Do
• An instrumental version of Together Forever is used as background music.

In other languages

Language		Title
Arabic		الظبي الصغير
Bulgarian		Малкият голям рог
Mandarin Chinese		驚角鹿，幻影森林
Czech		Malé velké paroží
Dutch		De Hoorn Des Overvloeds
Finnish		Sarvissa on taikaa
European French		Le tout petit des grands bois
German		Das kleine Damhirplex
Hebrew		הסטנטלר הקטן haStantler hakatan
Hindi		एक छोटा Stantler Ek chhota Stantler *
Hungarian		A szarvas szelídítők
Italian		Il Pokémon smarrito* Un amico da salvare*
Polish		Mały wielki róg
Portuguese	Brazil	O Pequeno Grande Chifre
	Portugal	O Pequeno Grande Corno
Romanian		Micul Mare Corn
Spanish	Latin America	¡El pequeño gran cuerno!
	Spain	El pequeño gran cuerno
Swedish		Brock och Stantler

← EP124 : Snubbull Snobbery

Original series

EP126 : The Chikorita Rescue →

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