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EP034

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← EP033 : The Flame Pokémon-athon!
Original series
EP035 →
The Kangaskhan Kid
EP034.png
  EP034  
ガルーラのこもりうた
Garura's Lullaby
First broadcast
Japan November 18, 1997
United States October 22, 1998
English themes
Opening Pokémon Theme
Ending
Japanese themes
Opening めざせポケモンマスター
Ending ニャースのうた
Credits
Animation Team Ota
Screenplay 武上純希 Junki Takegami
Storyboard 井上修 Osamu Inoue
Assistant director 井上修 Osamu Inoue
Animation director 平岡正幸 Masayuki Hiraoka
Additional credits

The Kangaskhan Kid (Japanese: ガルーラのこもりうた Garura's Lullaby) is the 34th episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on November 18, 1997 and in the United States on October 22, 1998.

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Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.
201

Blurb

On their way to a safari zone teeming with Pokémon, our heroes walk right into the middle of a jungle. Without knowing they are in a region in which Pokémon are protected, Ash tries to capture a Chansey and is arrested by Jenny, the safari ranger. After talking with the ranger, Ash is released, but not before he learns that there are Pokémon poachers in the area. Our heroes accompany the ranger into the forest, pursuing the poachers. Within the jungle, a young man leads a pack of Kangaskhan. His name is Tommy and no one knows the secret of his childhood.

Plot

The episode begins with Ash, Misty and Brock thinking that they are in the Safari Zone, and Ash spots a Chansey in a bush. He gets ready to throw a Poké Ball; however, the Chansey turns out to be Ranger Jenny in a Chansey hat. She points a rifle at Ash then arrests him for Pokémon poaching. She takes the group back to the station and explains that they are in a Pokémon Preservation Area where it's illegal to catch Pokémon.

Ash tells Officer Jenny he didn't know, so Jenny lets them off with a warning. Almost immediately, she sees a red dot on her radar, signaling that there are more poachers; Ash offers for him and the group to help. Jenny accepts, and the whole group travels to the location by the jeep that she drove them to the station in. They drive up to find Team Rocket trying to capture a group of Kangaskhan. Ash looks at his Pokédex, which says the Kangaskhan charge when in danger until they feel their young are safe. Team Rocket fires a rocket and scares all the Kangaskhan, making them charge towards the jeep. The group manages to escape, but Team Rocket traps all the Kangaskhan in a net.

Jessie throws a Poké Ball, but it is hit by a boomerang and sent flying back at her. Suddenly, a kid begins to yell, cutting the net and setting the Kangaskhan free. The Kangaskhan attack Team Rocket, blasting them off.

The kid jumps into the pouch of the biggest Kangaskhan. A helicopter soon lands and two adults come out, saying they heard a report of their missing child in the area. They all go back to the station and they hear that Tommy, or Tomo, is living in the area. Ash, Brock, Misty, and Pikachu leave the jeep and go look around for the infant Kangaskhan that should be in the pouch Tommy was riding in. They manage to find it, and give it a Super Potion since it is injured.

The kid sees the infant in pain when the Potion stings its wound slightly, thinks they are hurting the infant Kangaskhan, and he jumps down. He then asks Misty, "You people or Pokémon?" Misty punches him and says that they are people. The two adults who earlier claimed to be Tommy's parents run over and talk to Tommy thinking he will remember them. He doesn't at first and claims the Kangaskhan are his family. His father smacks Tommy with a piece of wood to start from scratch. He remembers his mom, but not his father. His father opens his shirt and Misty smacks the father with a piece of wood, saying, "One memory at a time!" Jenny rushes back because her radar shows more poachers, and Tommy runs to the Kangaskhan to help.

They find a giant robot Kangaskhan made by Team Rocket. It pretends to be injured to persuade the other Kangaskhan to go help it, but their leader tries to stop them because she senses something amiss. However, they ignore their leader and go to help the "injured" robot anyway so, the trap works, and they are all hit by tranquilizers and fall asleep. The leader goes to take revenge on Team Rocket but is hit as well.

Ash then brings out his Pokémon: Bulbasaur and it uses Vine Whip and Squirtle tries Skull Bash, but neither of them work. Team Rocket powers up for an attack, but the Kangaskhan break free. Pikachu and Charmander use ThunderShock and Flamethrower. When Tommy throws his boomerang, it hits the fuel tank cover knocking the gasoline out, and Charmander's fire sets it ablaze. Though the robot is on fire, it doesn't slow it down.

Suddenly, the helicopter comes in and crashes into the mechanical Kangaskhan. It explodes, and Team Rocket "blasts off again". Tommy thinks his parents are dead and begins to cry, but they get up. They are revealed to be wearing similar things as Tommy and they say they will join Tommy, much to Tommy's delight.

The episode ends with Tommy, his parents, and the infant Kangaskhan in the leader's pouch waving goodbye as Ash and his friends are leaving.

Major events

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

Debuts

Pokémon debuts

Move debuts

Characters

Humans

Dare da?

Pokémon

Who's That Pokémon?

Who's That Pokémon?: Kangaskhan

Trivia

  • The character of Tommy may be based on that of Tarzan or Mowgli.
  • The events of this episode are later referenced in the beginning of Pikachu's Goodbye.
  • Officer Jenny aims a rifle directly at Ash in this episode and James shoots tranquilizers into Pokémon with a tranquilizer gun, yet a similar occurrence with firearms in the next episode resulted in it being banned outside of Japan.
  • This episode marks the second time Jessie is hit in the face with a Poké Ball, the first being in The Tower of Terror.
  • During a scene where Tomo flashes back on his early childhood and recalls an evening scene with the Kangaskhan herd, the original Japanese audio was left in. The lullaby sung by the Kangaskhan through their Japanese name, Garura, can be heard.

Errors

  • During the scene where the Tangela walks by Ash, Misty, and Brock, Ash's Japanese voice can be heard.

Dub edits

  • PokéRap: Day 4
  • When Ash, Misty and Brock first encounter Tommy, the gag of Misty telling Tommy to apologize was changed for the dubbed English version. In the original Japanese version, Tommy becomes focused on Misty's breasts, which the camera zooms in on. When she notices him staring and asks "What?", Tommy asks if he can nurse on her breasts. Misty gets very angry and hits him, saying, "How did that end up being you answer?!" For the dubbed English version, the shot of Misty's breasts was cut, and he asks "You people or Pokémon?" She gets very angry, hits him and says "I'm a person, you creep!" (However, the 'zooming' sound effect can still be heard.)
  • Similarly, a scene with Tommy's father was also edited: Shortly after Tommy regains his memories, he says "Hey Tommy, remember Papa?" while opening his shirt, only for Misty to whack him on the head, feeling that Tommy has enough issues as it is. In the Japanese version, Tommy's father was actually asking whether Tommy remembers being breastfed, which explains why he was opening up his shirt, and Misty, still feeling sore about the breast references, knocks him out.
  • While operating the robot Kangaskhan, James pulls a rope with a sign "Power Up!!" on it. Later he pulls another rope but the sign on it is blank when it should say "Super Punch".

In other languages



← EP033 : The Flame Pokémon-athon!
Original series
EP035 →
Project Anime logo.png This episode article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation.
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