EP031: Difference between revisions

Dig Those Diglett!

EP031   ディグダがいっぱい！ Full of Digda!

First broadcast Japan October 28, 1997 United States October 19, 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 首藤剛志 Takeshi Shudō Storyboard 横田和 Kazu Yokota Assistant director 大町繁 Shigeru Ōmachi Animation director 武田優作 Yūsaku Takeda Additional credits

Dig Those Diglett! (Japanese: ディグダがいっぱい！ Full of Digda!) is the 31st episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on October 28, 1997 and in the United States on October 19, 1998.

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

Synopsis

While journeying through a mountainous region, Ash, Misty and Brock and Team Rocket hear what sounds like an explosion in the distance. Upon arriving at the scene, they instead find several trucks in a pile-up. A local construction worker reveals that a group of Diglett inhabiting the area are responsible in an attempt to halt the building of a "Great Dam" within the region. The worker says that rewards will be offered for those who succeed in halting the Diglett's interference; conveniently, Gary Oak chooses this moment to make one of his appearances. Nevertheless, the attempts of the invited trainers fall flat, as their Pokémon possess no desire to do battle with the Diglett.

Meanwhile, Jessie and James plot to take possession of the hordes of new Pokémon nearby, but quickly realize their efforts would be in vain with simply Ekans and Koffing at their disposal. Shortly thereafter, seemingly out of a love for their owners, the two Pokémon evolve into Arbok and Weezing, respectively. They then show off their newly evolved Pokémon in an ambush on Ash and his friends. However, despite the evolutions, Team Rocket are soundly defeated by the Diglett and Dugtrio as Arbok uses Dig to go underground, with Weezing following along. The episode concludes with the scene of the construction worker vowing to bring the dam project to a halt, after learning that Diglett and Dugtrio inhabited the area peacefully prior to his intrusion.

Major events

• Jessie's Ekans evolves into Arbok.
• James's Koffing evolves into Weezing.
• James's Weezing is revealed to know Tackle.

For a list of all major events in the anime, please see the history page.

Debuts

Pokémon debuts

• Arbok (Jessie's)
• Weezing (James's)
• Diglett
• Dugtrio

Characters

Humans

• Ash
• Misty
• Brock
• Jessie
• James
• Gary
• Gary's cheerleaders
• Construction director

Pokémon

Who’s That Pokémon?: Diglett

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Bulbasaur (Ash's)
• Charmander (Ash's)
• Squirtle (Ash's)
• Ekans (Jessie's; evolves)
• Arbok (Jessie's; newly evolved, debut)
• Koffing (James's; evolves)
• Weezing (James's; newly evolved, debut)
• Pidgey
• Rattata
• Diglett (debut; multiple)
• Dugtrio (debut; multiple)

Trivia

• This is Nathan Price's last episode as Meowth.
• Apparently, a Pokémon can choose whether or not to come out of their Poké Ball, as demonstrated by Psyduck, and later, Wobbuffet, Skitty, and Croagunk. However, this is the only instance where the Pokémon refuses to exit its Poké Ball, as opposed to sending itself out whenever it feels like it.
• This is the second episode where a character is trying to build something that would destroy the area around them, and the Pokémon that interfere with it to save their area are targeted by the character to be exterminated. Unlike Nastina, however, the construction worker realizes why the Diglett are interfering with him, and cancels the dam.
• It is likely that, for the same reason Ash attempted to send out Squirtle, one of the Pokémon Gary was trying to send out was his Blastoise (or Squirtle or Wartortle, as it was never revealed exactly how long it took Gary's Squirtle to evolve).
• Team Rocket break the fourth wall once again, when they first reveal their evolved Pokémon to Ash and friends. They mentioned that their Arbok and Weezing are being shown "for the first time on TV".
• This is the first time when two of main characters' Pokémon evolve simultaneously. This wouldn't happen again until A Corphish Out of Water.
  • Coincidentally, in both instances, one of the Pokémon involved belonged to Jessie.
• Jessie and James mention experience points in this episode.
• In the dub, when all of the Trainers are attempting to send out their Pokémon, one of the Trainers can be heard trying to send out a Porygon.
• In the dub, the Dam is refered to as the "Gaiva Dam", likely a play on the phrase "Give a damn.".

Errors

• In the dub, Brock points out that Diglett plow the ground and that Dugtrio plant the trees, but the clips actually show Dugtrio plowing the ground and the Diglett planting trees.
• When James's Weezing's second head opened its mouth for the first time, it temporarily had the two upper square teeth the main head has. This was removed in subsequent appearances.
• After the hot spring, where Ash, Misty and Brock were bathing in, was emptied out by the Diglett, they are heard saying their Japanese name.
• The construction worker says "Digletts," when "Diglett" is both singular and plural.

Dub edits

• When Jessie and James set up their picnic in the dub, Jessie says she is having Chinese food when she is really having Japanese curry, and James says he'll have tea and crumpets, pouring the tea into a bowl containing his supposed crumpets, when he's actually having ochazuke.
• In the Japanese version, when witnessing the explosions, James speculates that the trucks and explosions related to treasure hunter TV shows or Ultra Squadrons, which is changed to an alien invasion in the English version.
• The kanji for the hot spring advertisement was removed.
• Also, the sign that translated to "The Pokémon Trainer Party" also had the text removed.
• In the scene where Gary decides to make his grand slam, he originally stated that "it isn't like baseball, where being fourth batter is the best." Also, Misty and Brock's reaction in the original was of agreement, while as the dub had them calling Gary detestable. This was presumably done because Beauty and the Beach (the first meeting between Gary and Misty and Brock) was still banned by the time this episode aired.
• The impact star was replaced when Brock hits Ash for wondering if Gary's cheerleaders are Pokémon.
• Gary's cheerleaders referred to Brock as an "old man" in the Japanese version instead of "Sir".
• Most lines relating to numbers or the number 4 were rewritten.
• Brock originally wonders if it is alright to be wearing swimsuits in a hot spring.
• When they figured out that the Pokémon did not want to fight the Diglett, thus explaining why they won't obey their Trainers in leaving the balls, Misty referred to them as masters in the dub.

In other languages

Language		Title
Mandarin Chinese		好多地鼠
Czech		Pryč s Digletty!
Dutch		Daar Heb Je de Diglett!
Finnish		Kuka diggaa Diglettejä?
European French		Barrage contre Pokémon
German		Das Digda-Problem
Hebrew		דיגלט והסכר Diglett vehasecher
Hungarian		Áskálódás Diglett módra
Italian		La diga
Portuguese	Brazil	Em Busca dos Digglets!
	Portugal	Escavem Esse Diglett
Russian		Все на борьбу с Диглеттами!
Spanish	Latin America	¡Saquen a esos Diglett!
	Spain	Aplasta a esos Diglett
Swedish		Digga Diglett

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