EP004

Challenge of the Samurai File:ChallengeoftheSamurai.gif.png

EP004   サムライしょうねんのちょうせん！ Challenge of the Samurai Boy

First broadcast Japan April 22, 1997 United States September 11, 1998

English themes Opening Pokémon Theme Ending

Japanese themes Opening めざせポケモンマスター Ending ひゃくごじゅういち

Credits Animation Team Ota Screenplay 園田英樹 Hideki Sonoda Storyboard 鈴木敏明 Toshiaki Suzuki Assistant director 大原実 Minoru Ōhara Animation director 平岡正幸 Masayuki Hiraoka No additional credits are available at this time.

Screenshots on Bulbagarden Archives

Challenge of the Samurai (Japanese: サムライしょうねんのちょうせん！ Challenge of the Samurai Boy), was the fourth episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on April 22, 1997 and in USA on September 11, 1998.

In this episode, Ash is challenged to his first Pokémon battle against another trainer in the Viridian Forest; but wild Pokémon disrupt the battle and kidnap Ash's Metapod! Can he rescue it?

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

Synopsis

Ash and Misty are traveling through Viridian Forest, when the young Trainer from Pallet Town spots a Weedle and decides to capture it. Pikachu sleeps rather than battling, but Ash defeats it with Pidgeotto. Misty is asked by a Samurai if she is from Pallet Town, to which she answers no. He then finds Ash and challenges him to a duel as he's about to catch the Weedle. The Weedle is lost and the Samurai scolds Ash.

They battle and the Samurai's Pinsir defeats Ash's Pidgeotto, but breaks its pincers on Metapod's cocoon. Then a swarm of Beedrill appears and takes Metapod. Ash, Misty and the Samurai run for cover. Then, the Samurai belittles Ash for not aiding Metapod when he needed it.

The next day Ash goes to the Kakuna hive to take Metapod but Team Rocket wake up the Beedrill. Ash dives for cover and finds Metapod. Then he vows never to leave any of his friends or Pokémon behind. The Beedrill attack again but Metapod throws itself in the way of the stinger breaking his cocoon, and evolves into a Butterfree. Ash commands Butterfree to use Sleep Powder and the Beedrill are put to sleep. The Samurai and Ash part as friends and promise to battle again.

Major events

• Ash's Metapod evolves into Butterfree.
• Ash and Misty reach Pewter City.

Debuts

• Pinsir

Characters

Humans

• Ash Ketchum
• Misty
• Samurai

Pokémon

Who's That Pokémon?: Metapod

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Caterpie (Ash's; flashback)
• Metapod (Ash's; evolves)
• Butterfree (Ash's; newly evolved)
• Pidgeotto (Ash's)
• Ekans (Jessie's)
• Koffing (James's)
• Pinsir (Samurai's; debut)
• Metapod (Samurai's)
• Bulbasaur (unnamed trainer's; flashback, debut)
• Charmander (unnamed trainer's; flashback, debut)
• Squirtle (Gary's; flashback, debut)
• Chansey (Pokémon Center's; flashback)
• Weedle (debut)
• Kakuna (debut)
• Beedrill
• Spearow

Trivia

• This is the first episode in which Ash participates in a battle.
• This is the first time Team Rocket begin their motto with "Prepare for trouble and make it double."
• Samurai is the first supporting character in the anime.

Errors

• Samuri's Pinsir defeated Ash's Pidgeotto with Tackle. In the games, Pinsir cannot learn the move in any of the generations released so far.
• When Ash sets out the next morning to look for Metapod, Meowth kicks Ash in the head and scratches him. After he starts crying Jessie and James are shown on top of the cliff above him. Ash runs off after they recited their motto, during this time Meowth was still next to him. When the camera cuts to Jessie and James jumping off the cliff and running after them, Meowth is shown jumping off with them.

Dub edits

• Ash getting in a cow costume and suggesting that a bug is a "cowterpie" makes more sense in the Japanese pun: Misty says "Mushi! Mushi! Mushi! ...Mushi!" which means "Bug! Bug! Bug! ...Bug!". Ash then says "Ushi?", meaning "Cow?".
• When Ash, Misty and Samurai are sleeping down for the night and Ash is wide awake worrying about Metapod, his Japanese name, Satoshi, is written on his sleeping bag and not painted over.

In other languages

• French: Le défi du Samouraï
• Italian: La sfida del Samurai
• Latin American Spanish: ¡El desafio del Samurai!
• Portuguese (Brazil): O Desafio do Samurai
• Spanish: El reto del Samurai

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