AG140

← AG139 : On Cloud Arcanine

Advanced Generation series

AG141 : Hail to the Chef! →

Sitting Psyduck

AG140   EP414 コダックの憂鬱！ Koduck's Depression!

First broadcast Japan August 25, 2005 United States May 27, 2006

English themes Opening Unbeatable Ending

Japanese themes Opening バトルフロンティア Ending ポケモンかぞえうた

Credits Animation Team Ota Screenplay 大橋志吉 Yukiyoshi Ōhashi Storyboard 秦義人 Yoshito Hata Assistant director 井硲清高 Kiyotaka Itani Animation directors 志村泉 Izumi Shimura 山下恵 Megumi Yamashita No additional credits are available at this time.

Screenshots on Filb.de

Sitting Psyduck (Japanese: コダックの憂鬱！ Koduck's Depression!) is the 140th episode of the Advanced Generation series, and the 414th episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on August 25, 2005 and in the United States on May 27, 2006.

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

Blurb

A Psyduck is frantically running from a Machop, Machoke, and Machamp when it hurls headlong into Ash and friends, on their way to the Pokémon Contest in Saffron City. Ash sends out Phanpy, who drives off the three Superpower Pokémon. Brock feeds the Psyduck, who makes fast friends with Phanpy and Pikachu.

Meanwhile, the Superpower Pokémon trio returns to their Trainer, a rich girl named Emily who orders them not to return unless they have Psyduck in tow. They dutifully head out again.

The kids and Psyduck walk along until they reach a hill where a disguised Team Rocket coerces them into trying out "grass-sledding." But as they're coasting down the grassy hill, Jessie activates a trap that sends the kids barreling around like pinballs and then Meowth catches Psyduck and Phanpy in a net. Team Rocket begins to escape with the two Pokémon using their balloon, but Machop, Machoke, and Machamp show up just in time to pull them back down. Team Rocket is sent blasting off, and Emily arrives to take her Psyduck home.

Back at Emily's mansion, everyone notices that despite the posh surroundings, Psyduck is not happy there. Ash and May have a practice battle on the grounds, and they find out that Emily never lets Psyduck battle. Brock speculates that it's lonely. Team Rocket shows up again, and this time Psyduck eagerly steps up to the plate to drive them off. Emily doesn't know how to battle, so Max gives her some advice. Psyduck holds its own against Cacnea, Seviper, and Meowth, just before Pikachu sends the thieves off with Thunderbolt.

Emily realizes that she needs to bond with her Pokémon more, and considers going on her own Pokémon journey as the kids resume their own travels.

Plot

The episode starts with a Psyduck being chased by three shadowy figures through a stretch of grass. At the same time, Ash and his friends are taking a break on their journey to Saffron City. Pikachu and Phanpy are seen playing with each other in the background while May is gathering a pail of water. Ash is looking through his backpack when the frightened Psyduck leaps over the cliff above Ash and co. and falls down on top of their campfire. Because the campfire was not entirely put out, Psyduck gets burned and leaps frantically into a nearby stream to cool itself down. The three shadowy figures (now revealed to us by Max to be all three stages of the Superpower Pokémon), Machop, Machoke, and Machamp appear from the cliff above. Psyduck, upon seeing them, begins swimming hastily away from its pursuers, but the three Pokémon follow Psyduck into the water. May wonders why they were chasing the Psyduck and Brock says that they will find out. With the Fighting Pokémon managing to corner Psyduck into a wall, Machoke manages to grab Psyduck's neck before Ash and his friends arrive and intervene. Phanpy attempts to help the distressed Psyduck but is easily swatted away by the Machop's Karate Chop. Phanpy then responds back with a Rollout and easily defeats Machop. Machamp then tries to hit Phanpy but is blocked by Phanpy's Defense Curl and is then defeated by yet another Rollout attack. Brock comments that Ash did well by using Rollout after Defense Curl, as it doubles the damage dealt. Machoke steps up to try to defeat Phanpy and is joined by the recovering Machop and Machamp. As all three of them corner Phanpy, Pikachu interrupts by electrifying all three of the Pokémon with a powerful Thunderbolt and sending them running off into the distance. Ash offers Psyduck to stay with them until they reach a safe place.

Psyduck and Phanpy start playing by the stream as Brock offers the Psyduck some Pokémon food. Psyduck quickly starts devouring the food as May consults the Pokédex. May also notices that Psyduck has a red scarf on it, meaning that it is not a wild Pokémon and belongs to a Trainer. Later, Machop, Machoke, and Machamp are seen kneeling in apology to their Trainer, a wealthy young girl sitting in a carriage pulled by a Rapidash, for not successfully bringing back her "precious" Psyduck. They are then ordered to continue their attempt to bring back Psyduck for their master. The young girl then comments how it is true that rich people can't get decent help from anywhere and sighs.

Ash and group are walking down a path as Phanpy, Pikachu, and Psyduck begin playing, wrestling in the grass. Off in the distance in a treetop, Jessie, James, and Meowth are spying on the gang again from their hideout contemplating if the new and improved Team Rocket is really all that good. Meowth suggests that they steal Psyduck for their boss, Giovanni, instead of Pikachu, just to get their spirits up. Meowth begins fantasizing about how Psyduck's blank expression would ease the Boss's mind should he ever hit his finger with a hammer or stub his toe. James is not convinced until Meowth says that it would help ease the Boss's pain from an ice cream headache, and he would reward the ones who brought Psyduck to him with a big promotion and a corner office.

While continuing on their journey, Brock comments how Psyduck has made such great friends with Pikachu and Phanpy. James and Jessie are then seen in the distance trying to attract Ash and the gang to their scam to capture Psyduck. This time, they are pretending to host a grand opening of a new sport called "grass sledding." Jessie is holding a sled as she suggests to them to slide down a nearby hill, but May is concerned that they may get hurt. Jessie volunteers James to go first, sliding at a fast pace down the side of the hill. The group is still in doubt, but upon seeing Psyduck on the sled, they agree that they have done more dangerous stuff before and get all fired up to slide down the hill. They all slide down sharing four sleds: Ash and Pikachu in one, May in another, Brock and Max on another and finally Phanpy and Psyduck on the last one. While the group is having fun, James returns to the top of the hill feeling a bit dazed with Jessie as she then activates giant pillars which rise out of the ground and appear to be a part of a pinball game, each having different point values. Ash, May, Brock, Pikachu, and Max all bounce off one after another and were all directed towards a huge goal as Meowth appears from the ground and captures both Psyduck and Phanpy. Jessie and James reveal their identities and say their motto.

Team Rocket starts to float off into the sky in their Meowth balloon, but just as it seems that they are going to get away, Machoke and Machamp come running from the distance and grab onto their balloon just before they can escape. Ash and everyone else race towards the fleeing hot air balloon. Machamp and Machoke successfully ground Team Rocket as Jessie and James call upon Seviper and Cacnea respectively. Ash, May, Max, and Brock arrive at the scene as Machop begins to rescue Psyduck and Phanpy from the balloon. Machoke and Machamp dash towards Jessie and James and use Cross Chop to send them flying into their balloon, causing the engine to explode and blast Team Rocket off into the sky. Phanpy and Psyduck are freed from the net.

The mysterious young lady, who is master of the three Fighting Pokémon, arrives in her carriage in front of the group. She then exits her vehicle and shouts happily at successfully finding her Psyduck. In the carriage, she introduces herself as Emily and explains that the Psyduck is her Pokémon. She has been looking for it and this is the third time it has run away. When Ash asks her why, she admits that she does not know. They successfully arrive at her mansion as Psyduck seems to be a little dirty from all the chasing and battling it has experienced. Three maids rush away with Psyduck to rid it of its filth explaining along the way that she always takes a bath with it and also it likes to smell really nice with perfume, all of which is contradicted by Psyduck's miserable face and struggling throughout the ordeal. After that, everyone is seated to an exquisite banquet. Emily notices Psyduck's sadness and states that Psyduck's appetite has not been very good lately. Ash says that Psyduck was happy when it was eating the Pokémon food earlier and playing with Pikachu and Phanpy. All of them seem very puzzled as to Psyduck's behavior except Brock, who seems to know what is going on.

Ash and May are training outside with Phanpy and Squirtle as Psyduck watches longingly at the two Pokémon battle it out and seems to want to participate. Emily asks what Phanpy and Squirtle are doing and Max explains that they are battling. Emily looks horrified and says that she will never let Psyduck do anything of the sort but Brock explains to her that Pokémon battling is not the same as normal fighting. He says that it is a way for Pokémon to communicate and also to have unity with their Trainers. Emily retaliates by saying that she and Psyduck do have a sense of unity and that she gives it every luxury it could ever want. However, Brock says that it seems to still be missing something from its life and may be a little bit empty and lonely. Outside, Phanpy's Rollout is successful as Phanpy evades Squirtle's Water Gun and heads toward it for an attack. Just before contact, Psyduck appears and redirects Phanpy's Rollout attack towards Ash, knocking him into the nearby pond. Psyduck and Ash start splashing water at each other and Psyduck seems genuinely happy. Squirtle then squirts a stream of water toward Ash as Pikachu jumps into the water to join the fun.

Emily notices Psyduck's happiness and how it is enjoying itself. Suddenly, Seviper's Haze rolls in as Team Rocket appears in a Chimecho balloon to once again to attempt to capture Psyduck. Meowth uses a claw device to catch Psyduck and bring it to the balloon. Ash releases Grovyle to use Leaf Blade to cut the wire attached to Psyduck, whereupon it begins falling to the ground. Emily runs over and saves it from the fall. Grovyle uses Bullet Seed to riddle Team Rocket's balloon with holes, sending it crashing to the ground. Jessie and James emerge from the wreckage just as Phanpy goes into Rollout and knocks Seviper backward. Meanwhile, Emily asks Psyduck if it is okay. Psyduck responds by smiling and laughing, making Emily happy as well. Cacnea beckons menacingly to Psyduck and Max suggests that Psyduck wants to battle, the thought of which appalls Emily. Cacnea sends a strong Sandstorm toward Psyduck as Max tells her to direct Psyduck to attack. Emily eventually orders Psyduck to use Focus Punch, sending Cacnea flying through the air. Seviper then appears, but Psyduck's Fury Swipes keeps it away. Meowth steps up and challenges Psyduck with its own Fury Swipes attack. As Psyduck and Meowth are trading hits, Emily asks Max what to do. This time, Max tells her that it is okay to come up with something on her own. Emily tells Psyduck to use Hydro Pump at Meowth, knocking it back toward Jessie and James. Seviper attacks repeatedly with Poison Tail, but Psyduck dodges until Emily tells it to retaliate with Confusion, which sends Team Rocket flying toward their balloon. Pikachu uses Thunderbolt to send them blasting off. Emily realizes what Psyduck has wanted all along and looks forward to the good times yet to come.

After a well-deserved meal, everyone is standing outside the mansion gates. Psyduck appears to be happy again as it wants to participate in Pokémon battles and strengthen itself and Emily reveals that she would like to go on a journey of her own one day. Psyduck and Emily, along with Machop, Machoke, and Machamp, say goodbye to Ash and his friends as they head off toward their next destination, Saffron City.

Major events

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

Characters

Humans

• Ash
• May
• Brock
• Max
• Jessie
• James
• Emily
• Giovanni (fantasy)
• Emily's maids
• Emily's chef

Pokémon

Pokémon Trainer's Choice

Pokémon Trainer's Choice: Celebi

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Wobbuffet (Jessie's)
• Chimecho (James's)
• Grovyle (Ash's)
• Phanpy (Ash's)
• Squirtle (May's)
• Seviper (Jessie's)
• Cacnea (James's)
• Psyduck (Emily's)
• Machop (Emily's)
• Machoke (Emily's)
• Machamp (Emily's)
• Rapidash (Emily's; ×2)

Trivia

• The English dub title is derived from the idiom "sitting duck," meaning an easy target.
• Emily's Psyduck's disinterest in a life of luxury is similar to that of Madame Muchmoney's Snubbull.
• This is the last episode in which Ash's Phanpy is voiced by Lindsey Warner and Ash's Grovyle by Darren Dunstan.

Errors

Team Rocket's miscolored Chimecho balloon

• In a shot of when Team Rocket appears in their Chimecho balloon, a part of the balloon is colored like their usual Meowth balloon.
• In the scene in which the gang lands in the net, Brock and Max disappear for a few shots when May is chasing after them.
• In one scene, the girdle on Emily's Machoke is the same color as its skin.
• As Team Rocket imagine Giovanni stubbing his toe on the corner of his desk, he has six toes.

Dub edits

Pokémon Trainer's Choice

• Question: Trainers, which species is the "Time Travel Pokémon"?
• Choices: Mewtwo, Celebi, Deoxys
• Answer: OK, Trainers! If you chose Celebi, you were right!

In other languages

Language		Title
Mandarin Chinese		可達鴨的憂鬱！
Dutch		Een Psyduck leventje
Finnish		Yrmeä Psyduck
European French		Un Psykokwak fugueur
German		Enton klein - Im Netzchen fein!
Italian		Lo Psyduck triste
Norwegian		Psyduck savnet
Brazilian Portuguese		O Indefeso Psyduck
Spanish	Latin America	Cuidando a Psyduck
	Spain	Un Psyduck de lujo
Swedish		Fast förankrad

← AG139 : On Cloud Arcanine

Advanced Generation series

AG141 : Hail to the Chef! →

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