From Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokémon encyclopedia.
In the Pokémon anime, there will often come up a Pokémon that knows a move it cannot learn legitimately in any of the games.
It is unknown whether these instances are actual mistakes, a writing policy of not having to stick to the games too closely, or merely the Pokémon using an attribute that shares the name of a move in the games. In Bulbasaur... the Ambassador!, Professor Oak states that in times of need, Pokémon can call upon power that had never been known to them previously, such as Ash's Bulbasaur learning Dig.
List of anime Pokémon with moves that they cannot learn in the games
Artwork
|
Name
|
Move
|
First use
|
Picture
|
|
Samurai's Pinsir
|
Tackle
|
Challenge of the Samurai
|
|
|
Gentleman's Raticate
|
Jump Kick
|
Battle Aboard the St. Anne
|
|
|
Jeanette's Beedrill
|
Tackle
|
The Fourth Round Rumble
|
|
|
Ritchie's Zippo
|
Tackle
|
Friend and Foe Alike
|
|
|
James's Victreebel
|
Tackle
|
Pikachu Re-Volts
|
|
|
Jessie's Lickitung
|
Tackle
|
Pikachu Re-Volts
|
|
|
Marina's Starmie
|
Bubble
|
Bye Bye Psyduck
|
|
|
Jessie's Arbok
|
Tackle
|
A Shipful of Shivers
|
|
|
Ralph's Tony
|
Fury Swipes
|
Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon?
|
|
|
Ash's Charizard
|
Tackle
|
Pokémon Double Trouble
|
|
|
Ash's Pikachu
|
Tackle
|
The Double Trouble Header
|
|
|
Olesia's Wooper
|
Tackle
|
No Big Woop!
|
|
|
Ash's Pikachu
|
Leer
|
Hour of the Houndour
|
|
|
Ash's Cyndaquil
|
Agility
|
Hot Matches!
|
|
|
Trixie's Pidgey
|
Peck
|
Love, Totodile Style
|
|
|
Malachi's Ken
|
Peck
|
Carrying On!
|
|
|
Denjirō's Pidgey
|
Peck
|
Carrying On!
|
|
|
Jessie's Wobbuffet
|
Bide
|
A Hot Water Battle
|
|
|
Duplica's Mini-Dit
|
Tackle*
|
Imitation Confrontation
|
|
|
Duplica's Ditto
|
Tackle*
|
Imitation Confrontation
|
|
|
Aya's Venonat
|
Poison Sting
|
Ariados, Amigos
|
|
|
Misty's Poliwhirl
|
Tackle
|
Wings 'N' Things
|
|
|
Tamao's Umbreon
|
Agility
|
Trouble's Brewing
|
|
|
Janina's Onix
|
Wrap
|
Fight for the Light!
|
|
|
Ash's Bulbasaur
|
Dig
|
Bulbasaur... the Ambassador!
|
|
|
Ninetales
|
Psychic
|
Just Waiting On a Friend
|
|
|
Kiyo's Tyrogue
|
Jump Kick
|
A Tyrogue Full of Trouble
|
|
|
Lance's Dragonite
|
Whirlwind
|
Talkin' 'Bout an Evolution
|
|
|
Clair's Dragonair
|
Flash
|
Fangs for Nothin'
|
|
|
Clair's Dragonite
|
Whirlwind
|
Great Bowls of Fire!
|
|
|
Brock's Crobat
|
SonicBoom
|
Lapras of Luxury
|
|
|
Larvitar
|
Harden
|
Hatch Me If You Can
|
|
|
Ritchie's Rose
|
Gust
|
Oaknapped!
|
|
|
Loudred
|
Dig
|
Turning Over a Nuzleaf
|
|
|
Sableye
|
Lick
|
Ready, Willing, and Sableye
|
|
|
Skitty
|
Fury Swipes
|
Big Meowth, Little Dreams (Part 2)
|
|
|
Jirachi
|
Teleport
|
Jirachi: Wish Maker
|
|
|
Aerodactyl
|
Gust
|
Putting the Air Back in Aerodactyl!
|
|
|
Harley's Ariados
|
Shadow Ball
|
New Plot, Odd Lot!
|
|
|
Jessie's Dustox
|
Stun Spore
|
Gymbaliar
|
|
|
Gengar of Team Meanies
|
Confusion
|
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Team Go-Getters Out of the Gate
|
|
|
Ash's Staravia
|
Gust
|
Getting the Pre-Contest Titters!
|
|
|
Cheryl's Mothim
|
Supersonic
|
An Angry Combeenation!
|
|
|
Spearow
|
Gust
|
Riding the Winds of Change!
|
|
|
Kylie's Munchlax
|
Giga Impact
|
A Full Course Tag Battle!
|
|
|
Roman's Girafarig
|
Bite
|
A Full Course Tag Battle!
|
|
|
Nidoran♂
|
Bite
|
Leading a Stray!
|
|
|
Froslass
|
Slash
|
The Drifting Snorunt!
|
|
|
Dusknoir
|
Rapid Spin
|
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky - Beyond Time & Darkness
|
|
|
Regigigas
|
Hammer Arm
|
Pillars of Friendship!
|
|
|
Bellsprout
|
Absorb
|
Promoting Healthy Tangrowth!
|
|
|
Damos's Baltoy
|
Shock Wave
|
Arceus and the Jewel of Life
|
|
|
Damos's Claydol
|
Shock Wave
|
Arceus and the Jewel of Life
|
|
|
Politoed
|
Jump Kick
|
A Faux Oak Finish!
|
|
|
Jupiter's Skuntank
|
X-Scissor
|
Unlocking the Red Chain of Events!
|
|
|
Uxie
|
Teleport
|
The Needs of the Three!
|
|
|
Mesprit
|
Teleport
|
The Needs of the Three!
|
|
|
Chingling
|
Sing
|
Yes in Dee Dee, It's Dawn!
|
|
|
Chimecho
|
Sing
|
Yes in Dee Dee, It's Dawn!
|
|
|
Nando's Kricketot
|
Sing
|
Last Call — First Round!
|
|
|
Kricketune
|
Bullet Seed
|
Zoroark: Master of Illusions
|
|
|
Unown
|
Psychic
|
PK21
|
|
|
Normajean's Teddiursa
|
Pound
|
The Brockster Is In!
|
|
|
Officer Jenny's Swanna
|
Blizzard
|
Crisis at Ferroseed Research!
|
|
|
Piplup
|
Water Gun
|
Meloetta's Moonlight Serenade
|
|
|
Chester's Fletchling
|
Feather Dance
|
Breaking Titles at the Chateau!
|
|
|
Corsola
|
Water Gun
|
Going for the Gold!
|
|
|
Wikstrom's Mega Scizor
|
Shadow Claw
|
Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction
|
File:Wikstrom Mega Scizor Shadow Claw.png
|
|
Rhyhorn
|
Tackle
|
A Race for Home!
|
|
|
Helioptile
|
Discharge
|
The Future Is Now, Thanks to Determination!
|
|
|
Gulpin
|
Water Gun
|
Defending the Homeland!
|
|
|
Fletchling
|
Gust
|
Flying in the Air
|
|
|
Skarmory
|
Gust
|
Flying in the Air
|
|
|
Swablu
|
Gust
|
Flying in the Air
|
|
|
Starly
|
Gust
|
Flying in the Air
|
|
|
Staravia
|
Gust
|
Flying in the Air
|
|
|
Swellow
|
Gust
|
Flying in the Air
|
|
|
Sawyer's Slurpuff
|
Electro Ball
|
Rivals: Today and Tomorrow!
|
|
|
Lotad
|
Psybeam
|
A Diamond in the Rough!
|
|
|
Wooper
|
Hydro Pump
|
A Diamond in the Rough!
|
|
|
Quagsire
|
Hydro Pump
|
A Diamond in the Rough!
|
|
|
Lotad
|
Hydro Pump
|
A Diamond in the Rough!
|
|
|
Ash's Litten
|
Slash
|
They Might Not Be Giants!
|
|
|
Nebby
|
Supersonic
|
A Masked Warning!
|
|
Japanese version only
Mentioned only
Dub only
Former errors
Artwork
|
Name
|
Move
|
First use
|
Notes
|
Picture
|
|
A.J.'s Sandshrew
|
Defense Curl
|
The Path to the Pokémon League
|
A.J.'s Sandshrew used Defense Curl. However, Sandshrew was unable to learn Defense Curl until Generation II.
|
|
|
James's Koffing
|
Poison Gas
|
The Ghost of Maiden's Peak
|
James ordered his Koffing to use Poison Gas. However, Koffing was unable to learn Poison Gas until Generation II.
|
|
|
James's Weezing
|
Poison Gas
|
The Song of Jigglypuff
|
James ordered his Weezing to use Poison Gas. However, Weezing was unable to learn Poison Gas until Generation II.
|
|
|
Gary's Arcanine
|
Fire Spin
|
The Battle of the Badge
|
Gary's Arcanine uses Fire Spin in this episode. However, Arcanine was unable to learn Fire Spin until Generation II.
|
|
|
Mew
|
Barrier
|
Mewtwo Strikes Back
|
Mew uses Barrier in this movie. However, Mew was unable to learn Barrier until Generation IV.
|
|
|
Ritchie's or Assunta's Tentacool
|
Bubble
|
Friends to the End
|
A Tentacool belonging to either Ritchie or Assunta uses Bubble in this episode. However, Tentacool was unable to learn Bubble until Generation V.
|
|
|
Ponyta
|
Flamethrower
|
Pikachu Re-Volts
|
A Ponyta used Flamethrower in the episode. However, Ponyta was unable to learn Flamethrower until Pokémon Crystal.
|
|
|
Teddiursa
|
Charm
|
UnBEARable
|
A Teddiursa used Charm in the episode. However, Teddiursa was unable to learn Charm until Generation IV.
|
|
|
Ursaring
|
Charm
|
UnBEARable
|
An Ursaring used Charm in the episode. However, Ursaring was unable to learn Charm until Generation IV.
|
|
|
Parasect
|
Sleep Powder
|
For Ho-Oh the Bells Toll!
|
A Parasect used Sleep Powder in the episode. However, Parasect was unable to learn Sleep Powder until Pokémon Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!.
|
|
|
Parasect
|
Sleep Powder
|
Hocus Pokémon
|
A Parasect used Sleep Powder in the episode. However, Parasect was unable to learn Sleep Powder until Pokémon Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!.
|
|
|
Shiftry
|
Whirlwind
|
Jump for Joy!
|
A Shiftry used Whirlwind in the episode. However, Shiftry was unable to learn Whirlwind until Generation IV.
|
|
|
Mewtwo
|
Psywave
|
Genesect and the Legend Awakened
|
Mewtwo uses Psywave, which, though impossible to have in Generation V, was available to teach to Mewtwo by TM46 in Generation I. Mewtwo can learn the move by level up starting in Generation VII.
|
|
Mentioned only
Similar examples that are not anime move errors
Pokémon which can know the move in a previous game
Artwork
|
Name
|
Move
|
First use
|
Notes
|
Picture
|
|
Andi's Nidoqueen and Oscar's Nidoking
|
Submission
|
The Bicker the Better
|
Andi's Nidoqueen and Oscar's Nidoking use Submission, which, though impossible to have in Generation III, was available to teach to Nidoqueen and Nidoking by TM17 in Generation I.
|
|
|
Skarmory
|
Whirlwind
|
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Team Go-Getters Out of the Gate!
|
Skarmory uses Whirlwind, which though impossible for Skarmory to have in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team, is available as an Egg Move for Skarmory in the core series games.
|
|
|
Ash's Charizard
|
DragonBreath
|
The Symbol Life
|
Ash's Charizard uses Dragon Breath, which, though impossible to have in Generation III, was available to teach to Charizard by TM24 in Generation II.
|
|
|
Anabel's Espeon
|
Zap Cannon
|
Second Time's the Charm
|
Anabel's Espeon uses Zap Cannon, which, though impossible to have in Generation III, was available to teach to Espeon by TM07 in Generation II.
|
|
|
Virgil's Vaporeon
|
Bubble Beam
|
Team Eevee and the Pokémon Rescue Squad!
|
Virgil's Vaporeon uses Bubble Beam, which, though impossible to have in Generation V, was available to teach to Vaporeon by TM11 in Generation I.
|
|
Japanese version only
See also