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Holiday Hi-Jynx: Difference between revisions

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(→‎Scheduling conflict: Adding that it was also meant to air before Princess vs. Princess, as James and Meowth both reference this episode in the Japanese version of the latter.)
 
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'''Holiday Hi-Jynx''' (Japanese: '''ルージュラのクリスマス''' ''{{tt|Rougela|Jynx}}'s Christmas'') is a special episode of the [[Pokémon anime]]. It was first broadcast in Japan on October 5, 1998, along with ''[[Snow Way Out!]]'', and in the United States on December 11, 1999. It was initially intended to be the 39th episode of the Pokémon anime, airing in Japan on December 23, 1997, but was rescheduled following the [[EP038]] incident.
'''Holiday Hi-Jynx''' (Japanese: '''ルージュラのクリスマス''' ''{{tt|Rougela|Jynx}}'s Christmas'') is a special episode of the [[Pokémon anime]]. It was first broadcast in Japan on October 5, 1998, along with ''[[Snow Way Out!]]'', and in the United States on December 11, 1999. It was initially intended to be the 39th episode of the Pokémon anime, airing in Japan on December 23, 1997, but was rescheduled following the [[EP038]] incident.


On December 23, 2012, the 15th anniversary of the episode's originally-planned broadcast date, it aired on [[Pokémon Smash!]] and was edited to make all of the {{p|Jynx}}'s skin purple instead of black. This version has not been dubbed, so it is still banned in the United States. The Japanese versions of [[Amazon]] and [[Netflix]] have the edited version while [[Hulu]] has the original version.
On December 23, 2012, the 15th anniversary of the episode's originally-planned broadcast date, it aired on ''[[Pokémon Smash!]]'' and was edited to make all of the {{p|Jynx}}'s skin purple instead of black. This version has not been dubbed, so it is still [[Banned episodes|banned]] in the United States. The Japanese versions of [[Prime Video]] and [[Netflix]] have the edited version while [[Hulu]] has the original version.


{{spoilers}}
{{spoilers}}


==Blurb==
==Blurb==
<!--http://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-episodes/02_10-holiday-hi-jynx/-->
<!--https://www.pokemon.com/us/animation/seasons/2/episode-10-holiday-hi-jynx/-->
<i>Ash and his friends run into a scared and lonely Jynx who has a boot belonging to Santa Claus but can't find its way to the North Pole. Team Rocket is convinced that Jynx really is Santa Claus and Jessie wants revenge from something that happened in her childhood. Can Ash beat the odds and return Jynx to its Master before Team Rocket gets a hold of it?</i>
<i>Ash and his friends run into a scared and lonely Jynx who has a boot belonging to Santa Claus but can't find its way to the North Pole. Team Rocket is convinced that Jynx really is Santa Claus and Jessie wants revenge from something that happened in her childhood. Can Ash beat the odds and return Jynx to its Master before Team Rocket gets a hold of it?</i>


==Plot==
==Plot==
The episode opens on a cold, snowy night, with a castle on a cliff in the distance. It is [[Christmas]], and kids everywhere are waiting for their presents from [[Santa]]. All, including the resident of this castle, which is none other than... [[Jessie]]?! She pretends to be asleep, and the door to her room slowly opens. Santa has arrived! Before he can begin to lay down presents, however, he is trapped in a net, and unable to move. Jessie and {{MTR}} are enthusiastic about their capture, and cannot wait for the ''real'' Santa to come to be trapped, this test decoy having been [[James]] in a Santa suit.
It is [[Christmas]], and kids everywhere are waiting for their presents from [[Santa]], including the resident of a distant castle, [[Jessie]]. She pretends to be asleep, as the door to her room is slowly opened by Santa. He becomes trapped in a net, and unable to move. Jessie and {{MTR}} are enthusiastic about their capture, and cannot wait for the ''real'' Santa to come to be trapped, as this person had been [[James]] in a Santa suit.


This plot is the realization of Jessie's revenge against Santa for having stolen her favorite doll ten years earlier. She flashes back to the night she stopped believing in Santa, when she waited awake for him. But instead of a jolly old elf down the chimney, a {{p|Jynx}} appears and does nothing but take her doll, broken moments earlier by Jessie in her waiting enthusiasm. James and Meowth doubt Jessie's story, but Jessie is insistent that this occurred, and that Santa is a Jynx.
Jessie recalls the night 10 years ago when she stopped believing in Santa. When waiting awake for him, a {{p|Jynx}} appeared from the chimney and does nothing but take her doll, broken and thrown to the fireplace moments earlier by Jessie in her waiting enthusiasm. James and Meowth doubt Jessie's story, but Jessie is insistent that this occurred, and that Santa is a Jynx.


Meanwhile, in the southern part of the [[Kanto]] region, {{Ash}} and {{ashfr}} are scouting out a Jynx which holds a single boot. Ash attempts to [[Caught Pokémon|capture]] it, however, it does not work, and its {{m|Lovely Kiss}} manages to defeat {{AP|Pikachu}}. {{an|Brock}} deduces that it must have a {{pkmn|Trainer}} and {{an|Misty}}, seeing the inside of the boot, figures out that it belongs to Santa. After Jynx telepathically tells its story to the group, they agree to help it get back to the [[North Pole]] to Santa. Jessie, on the other hand, sees Jynx as Santa attempting to con the twerps just as she had been 10 years ago, and plots to follow them so as to find Santa's lair and exact her revenge.
Meanwhile, in the southern part of the [[Kanto]] [[region]], {{Ash}} and {{ashfr}} are scouting out a Jynx on a sunny beach, who is holding a single black boot. Ash attempts to [[Caught Pokémon|capture]] it, however, it does not work, and the Jynx's {{m|Lovely Kiss}} manages to defeat {{AP|Pikachu}}. {{an|Brock}} deduces that it must have a {{pkmn|Trainer}}. {{an|Misty}} is given the boot by the Jynx, and sees that it belongs to Santa, as an image is sewn to the inside. After Jynx telepathically tells its story to the group, they agree to help it get back to the [[North Pole]] to Santa. Jessie, on the other hand, sees Jynx as Santa attempting to con the [[twerp]]s just as she had been 10 years ago, and plots to follow them to find Santa's lair and exact her revenge.


Ash calls out his {{AP|Squirtle}}, and Misty calls out her {{TP|Misty|Goldeen}}, {{TP|Misty|Staryu}}, {{TP|Misty|Starmie}}, and {{TP|Misty|Psyduck}}. All of the {{OBP|Pokémon|species}} help pull their homemade raft toward the North Pole, except Psyduck, who cowers at the thought of having to swim (Misty instead lets Psyduck ride with them on the raft.) The Pokémon, however, quickly become tired, and so Ash volunteers to pull them the rest of the way. He, as well, becomes tired, and hears a voice. Confused, he asks his friends if they said anything, but they haven't. The voice speaks again, and Ash is caught in a wave, while the others drift away on the raft. Ash is plunged underwater, and finally the source of the voice reveals itself to him: a {{p|Lapras}}! The Lapras brings him above the water and reveals its telepathic powers, as well as the fact that it was sent by Santa to get Jynx back to the North Pole. It offers to bring them the rest of the way there, and they accept. Soon, they arrive, but before they can enter Santa's workshop, {{TRT}} in their [[Team Rocket's mechas|Gyarados submarine]] nab Jynx and trap the twerps and Lapras under a net.
Ash calls out his {{AP|Squirtle}}, and Misty calls out her {{TP|Misty|Goldeen}}, {{TP|Misty|Staryu}}, {{TP|Misty|Starmie}}, and {{TP|Misty|Psyduck}}. All of the {{OBP|Pokémon|species}} help pull their homemade raft toward the North Pole, except Psyduck, who cowers at the thought of having to swim. The Pokémon, however, quickly become tired, and so Ash volunteers to pull them the rest of the way. He, as well, becomes tired and hears a voice. Confused, he asks his friends if they said anything, but they haven't. The voice speaks again, and Ash is caught in a wave, while the others drift away on the raft. Ash is plunged underwater, and finally, the source of the voice reveals itself to him: a {{p|Lapras}}. The Lapras brings him above the water and reveals its [[Talking Pokémon|telepathic powers]], as well as the fact that it was sent by Santa to bring Jynx back to the North Pole. It offers to bring them the rest of the way there as thanks for aiding Jynx, and they accept. On their way to the North Pole, the group passes large icebergs, and huddle together in Jynx's hair for warmth. Soon, they arrive, but before they can enter Santa's workshop, {{TRT}} in their [[Team Rocket's mechas|Gyarados submarine]], who has been secretly following the group, steal Jynx and trap the group under a net.


Team Rocket enter Santa's workshop, then proceed to steal all of the presents, holding Santa, as well as Ash and co., who have confronted them, hostage. Jessie gives her reason for doing this to Santa, and the Jynx which "stole" Jessie's toy is revealed to have it, having taken it to Santa so he could repair it, and not being able to give it back because Jessie had stopped believing. Despite this, Jessie still plans to steal all of the presents, and Team Rocket makes their getaway. Lapras freezes the submarine with its {{m|Ice Beam}}, but Ash, using {{AP|Charmander}}, accidentally unfreezes it by using {{m|Fire Spin}}. Team Rocket seems to have won, but Santa has all of his Jynx use {{m|Psywave}} to bring back the submarine, shake the presents out of it, blow up the submarine and send Team Rocket "blasting off again".
Team Rocket proceeds to bring the captured Jynx, tied in a rope, and enter Santa's workshop. Ash and friends confront them, but Team Rocket, holding Santa as a hostage, uses him as leverage. As Team Rocket is loading up all the presents, Santa and Ash's group ask Jessie to stop. Angrily, Jessie exclaims that she never received any gifts as a child, and how she saw a Jynx stole her favorite doll 10 years ago. A Jynx, after retrieving Jessie's memory of the event telepathically, returns to the workshop and brings back Jessie's lost doll. Santa explains that Jynx brought the broken doll to him to fix it, but they were unable to give it back because Jessie had stopped believing in Santa. Despite this realization, Jessie still plans to steal all of the presents, and Team Rocket makes their getaway. Lapras freezes the submarine with its {{m|Ice Beam}}, but Ash, using {{AP|Charmander}}, accidentally unfreezes it by using {{m|Fire Spin}}. Team Rocket seems to have won, but Santa has all of his Jynx use {{m|Psywave}} to bring back the submarine, shake the presents out of it, blow up the submarine and send Team Rocket blasting off again.


That evening, Santa begins his yearly journey around the world, using a {{p|Ponyta}} as his steed, and flies away. Ash regrets not having told Santa what he wanted, but Lapras tells him that he already knows. Santa's Jynx then presents Ash, Misty, Brock, and Pikachu with gifts, as it begins to snow.
That evening, Santa begins his yearly journey around the {{pkmn|world}}, using a {{p|Ponyta}} as his steed, and flies away. Ash regrets not having told Santa what he wanted, but Lapras assures him that Santa already knows. Santa's Jynx then present Ash and his friends with gifts as it begins to snow.


Team Rocket lie in a bed together, having been defeated once more, but Jessie has hung a stocking in the hopes that she might get some presents. The other two believe it to be futile, but just then, a Jynx appears in their window. They stare in shock at it, and it uses Lovely Kiss to put them all to sleep. Santa wishes a Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.
Meanwhile, Team Rocket lie in a bed together, having been defeated once more, but Jessie has hung a stocking in the hopes that she might receive presents. The other two believe it to be futile, but just then, a Jynx appears in their window. They stare in shock at it, and it uses Lovely Kiss to put them all to sleep. Santa wishes a Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.


==Major events==
==Major events==
* {{Ash}} attempts to capture a {{p|Jynx}}, but fails since she belongs to another Trainer.
* {{Ash}} attempts to {{pkmn2|caught|catch}} a {{p|Jynx}}, but fails since she belongs to another {{pkmn|Trainer}}.
{{animeevents}}
{{animeevents}}


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==Scheduling conflict==
==Scheduling conflict==
After the hiatus caused by [[EP038]], the show moved from Tuesday to Thursday. The original schedule was as follows:
After the hiatus caused by [[EP038]], the show moved from Tuesday to Thursday. The original schedule was as follows:
{{Rescheduled episodes‎}}
{{Rescheduled episodes}}


When episodes of the dub are aired in order, this episode and ''[[Snow Way Out!]]'' are placed between ''[[EP064|It's Mr. Mime Time]]'' and ''[[EP065|Showdown at the Po-ké Corral]]'', as this is the point at which the episodes aired raw. This causes confusion from viewers due to Ash using Charmander instead of Charizard and Misty still having her Starmie and Horsea (and not having her Togepi). Chronologically, these episodes go either directly before or directly after ''[[EP039|Pikachu's Goodbye]]''. Due to not airing when initially intended and being advertised as such by {{DL|Pokémon in the United States|Kids' WB!}}, it is considered by Bulbapedia to be a [[List of anime specials|special episode]].
When episodes of the [[dub]] are aired in order, this episode and ''[[Snow Way Out!]]'' are placed between ''[[EP064|It's Mr. Mime Time]]'' and ''[[EP065|Showdown at the Po-ké Corral]]'', as this is the point at which the episodes aired in Japan. This confuses viewers due to Ash using Charmander instead of Charizard and Misty still having her Starmie and Horsea (and not yet having her Togepi). Chronologically, these episodes go either directly before or directly after ''[[EP039|Pikachu's Goodbye]]''. It also was meant to air before ''[[EP052|Princess vs. Princess]]'', as the latter episode has James and Meowth directly reference Jessie's hatred of Christmas from this episode. Due to not airing when initially intended and being advertised as such by {{DL|Pokémon in the United States|Kids' WB!}}, it is considered by Bulbapedia to be a [[List of anime specials|special episode]].


==Removal from rotation==
==Removal from rotation==
This episode was pulled from rotation shortly after it was aired due to the fact {{p|Jynx}} was accused of being a {{wp|racial stereotype}} of African-Americans by {{wp|Carole Boston Weatherford}}. It can still be obtained on VHS and in the Indigo League Volume 3 DVD Pack Set, and has been made available on {{DL|Pokémon in the United States|Cartoon Network Video}}. However, the episode has not re-aired in syndication, likely due to Jynx's appearance. Moreover, despite appearing on Cartoon Network Video, this episode was skipped on [[Pokémon.com]]'s "[[Pokémon TV]]" video service, (and as of April 2013, removed from Pokémon.com entirely) nor has it been made available on Netflix. When the Indigo League Volume 3 DVD was reissued, the episode was removed. It is also not included on the Indigo League Complete Collection.
This episode was pulled from rotation shortly after it was aired due to accusations of {{p|Jynx}} being a {{wp|racial stereotype}} of African-Americans by {{wp|Carole Boston Weatherford}}. It can still be obtained on VHS and in the Indigo League Volume 3 DVD Pack Set and has been made available on {{DL|Pokémon in the United States|Cartoon Network Video}}. However, the episode has not re-aired in syndication, likely due to Jynx's appearance. Moreover, despite appearing on Cartoon Network Video, this episode was skipped on [[Pokémon.com]]'s "[[Pokémon TV]]" video service, (and as of May 2014, removed from Pokémon.com entirely) nor has it been made available on Netflix. When the Indigo League Volume 3 DVD was reissued, the episode was removed. It is also not included in the Indigo League Complete Collection.


The English dub became available on Cartoon Network On Demand wherever available on cable providers in late March 2012, and has been added into the rotation on Boomerang as of 2011. No restrictions were placed on this episode in other countries airing the English dub or a dub based on the English dub, but the episode isn't mentioned on any local versions of Pokémon.com. However, this episode is banned in {{pmin|South Korea}}. The Japanese [[Netflix]] lists an English blurb for the episode despite it being banned, which says, "As children all over the world eagerly await Christmas, so does Team Rocket. It turns out they plan to catch Santa Claus and grab all of his presents!"
The English dub became available on Cartoon Network On Demand wherever available on cable providers in late March 2012, and has been added into the rotation on Boomerang as of 2011. No restrictions were placed on this episode in other countries airing the English dub or a dub based on the English dub, but the episode isn't mentioned on any local versions of Pokémon.com. However, this episode is banned in {{pmin|South Korea}}. The Japanese [[Netflix]] lists an English blurb for the episode despite it being banned, which says, "As children all over the world eagerly await Christmas, so does Team Rocket. It turns out they plan to catch Santa Claus and grab all of his presents!" Although this episode once aired on Hungama TV in {{pmin|South Asia|India}}, it never aired on Disney XD India and was replaced by ''[[EP103|Misty Meets Her Match]]''.


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
[[File:Holiday Hi-JynxEdit.png|thumb|250px|A screenshot from the original episode]]
[[File:Holiday Hi-JynxEdit.png|thumb|250px|A screenshot from the original episode]]
* This is the only main series episode where the title card is read by Jessie in the dub. Jessie also reads the title card for ''[[SS012|Training Daze]]'', a side series episode. Ash read this episode's title card in the Japanese version.
* The end of the episode was followed by a music video of [[Together With the Wind]], the Japanese ending theme to ''[[M01|Mewtwo Strikes Back]]'', rather than a [[Professor Oak's Pokémon Lecture]] segment. This was likely due to the fact that the episode was originally scheduled to air when the segment did not exist yet.
* When an episode's preview is shown in the Japanese version, it usually ends with the words, ''"Everybody, get Pokémon!"'' In this episode's preview, however, Ash said, ''"Everybody, get a present!"'' This is likely due to the Christmas theme of this episode.
* While Japanese episode previews usually end with "Everybody, get Pokémon!", this episode's preview ends with "Everybody, get a present!", in celebration of the Christmas season.
* Jessie's doll is called "Acha Ningyou" in the Japanese version, and is a parody of {{wp|Bruce Lee}}.
* [[Jessie]]'s doll is called "Acha Ningyou" in the Japanese version and is a parody of the actor {{wp|Bruce Lee}}, who {{p|Hitmonlee}} is named after in English.
* This marks the first time a Pokémon is depicted with the ability to {{pkmn2|Talking|speak}} telepathically in the anime.
* The {{p|Caterpie}} doll in this episode has its mouth colored green. Until ''[[EP177|Wings 'N' Things]]'', Caterpie's mouth is generally colored yellow in the anime.


===Errors===
===Errors===
* Multiple times throughout the episode, the inside of Jynx's mouth was mistakenly colored white, instead of the usual red-pink.
* The inside of {{p|Jynx}}'s mouth is mistakenly (and repeatedly) colored white instead of the usual red-pink.
* During the group's battle with Team Rocket later in the episode, Ash's hat continuously changes between forwards and backwards.
* During the group's battle with {{TRT}}, [[Ash's hat]] continuously changes between forwards and backward.
* In the remastered version that aired on Pokémon Smash!, Jynx's forearm appears white instead of red when it stands next to the tied up Ash, Misty, Brock, and Santa Claus.
* In the remastered version that aired on [[Pokémon Smash!]], Jynx's forearm appears white instead of red when it stands next to the tied up Ash, {{an|Misty}}, {{an|Brock}}, and [[Santa Claus]].
* This episode being dubbed out of continuity creates a continuity error concerning Ash's Pokédex. In the dub, Ash's Pokédex is voiced by Eric Stuart as it has always been since [[EP050|''Who Gets to Keep Togepi?'']] In the dub, the Pokédex's different voice was explained in-continuity to be part of the Pokédex upgrade Ash received in said episode. However this episode takes place chronologically before the above episode, meaning Ash wouldn't have received the update yet.
* In the English dub:
* When the closed captions mention Jessie in the episode, her name is misspelled as Jessy.
** When the closed captions mention Jessie, her name is misspelled as "Jessy".
* Jessie throws Weezing's Poké Ball and tells it to use Sludge. However, Weezing is James' Pokémon.
** Due to being dubbed out of order, Ash's Pokédex is voiced by [[Eric Stuart]] in this episode, despite it taking place before ''[[EP050|Who Gets to Keep Togepi?]]'', where Ash's Pokédex is upgraded, meaning the Pokédex should still have the voice of [[List of English voice actors|Nicholas James Tate]] at this point.


===Dub edits===
===Dub edits===
* [[Pikachu's Jukebox]]: [[Together Forever]]
* [[Pikachu's Jukebox]]: [[Together Forever]]
* Jessie reads the title card instead of {{Ash}}.
* In the Japanese version, Santa wrote his name in katakana on the inside of his boot. The English dub replaces this with a photo of Santa surrounded by a snowflake border.
* In the Japanese version, Santa wrote his name in katakana on the inside of his boot. The English dub replaces this with a photo of Santa surrounded by a snowflake border.
* Santa calls Jessie and Ash by name in the dub, but in the original, Santa refers to everyone as "children" instead.
* Santa calls Jessie and Ash by name, but in the original version, Santa refers to everyone as "children" instead.
* Santa's reason for not giving Jessie her doll back is different in both versions: in the English version, Santa tells Jessie that he couldn't return the doll because she stopped believing in Santa, which made him powerless to visit her. In the Japanese version, Santa says that he tried to return it, but Jessie had already moved away.
* Santa's reason for not giving Jessie her doll back is different in both versions: in the English dub, Santa tells Jessie that he couldn't return the doll because she stopped believing in Santa, which made him powerless to visit her. In the Japanese version, Santa says that he tried to return it, but Jessie had already moved away.
* In the dub, when the Jynx all use {{m|Psywave}}, they only chant their names over and over. In the original, they continuously say "''Psycho''" (the move's Japanese name is ''Psychowave''). This may highlight how Jynx speaks a language similar to human speech.
* When the Jynx all use {{m|Psywave}}, they only chant their names over and over. In the original version, they continuously say "''Psycho''" (the move's Japanese name is ''Psychowave''). This may highlight how Jynx speaks a language similar to human speech.


==In other languages==
==In other languages==
{{Epilang|color=AAFFAA|bordercolor=FFAAAA
{{Epilang|color=AAFFAA|bordercolor=FFAAAA
|ar={{tt|الدمية المسروقة|The stolen toy}}
|zh_cmn={{tt|迷唇姐的聖誕節|Jynx's Christmas}}
|zh_cmn={{tt|迷唇姐的聖誕節|Jynx's Christmas}}
|cs={{tt|Svátky s Jynx|Holidays with Jynx}}
|cs={{tt|Svátky s Jynx|Holidays with Jynx}}
|da={{tt|Glædelig Jynx|Merry Jynx}}
|nl={{tt|De Kerstman is een Jynx|The Santa Claus is a Jynx}}
|nl={{tt|De Kerstman is een Jynx|The Santa Claus is a Jynx}}
|fi={{tt|Joulun Jynx|The Jynx of Christmas}}
|fi={{tt|Joulun Jynx|The Jynx of Christmas}}
|fr_eu={{tt|Des joujoux par milliers|A thousand toys}}
|fr_eu={{tt|Des joujoux par milliers|A thousand toys}}
|de={{tt|Rossanas Oddyssee|Jynx's odd-yssey}}
|de={{tt|Rossanas Odyssee|Jynx's odd-yssey}}
|he=חטיפה חגיגית {{tt|chatifa chagigit|Holiday kidnap}}
|he=חטיפה חגיגית {{tt|chatifa chagigit|Holiday kidnap}}
|hu={{tt|Karácsonyi ajándékok|Christmas Presents}}
|hu={{tt|Karácsonyi ajándékok|Christmas Presents}}
Line 163: Line 169:
[[Category:Episodes written by Hideki Sonoda]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Hideki Sonoda]]
[[Category:Episodes storyboarded and directed by Yūji Asada]]
[[Category:Episodes storyboarded and directed by Yūji Asada]]
[[Category:Episodes animated by Hiroshi Sakai]]
[[Category:Episodes animated by Keishi Sakai]]
[[Category:Episodes focusing on Jessie]]
[[Category:Episodes focusing on Jessie]]
[[Category:Christmas episodes]]


[[de:Rossanas Odyssee]]
[[de:Rossanas Odyssee]]
[[es:EP065]]
[[fr:Des joujoux par milliers]]
[[fr:Des joujoux par milliers]]
[[it:Incontro con Babbo Natale]]
[[it:Incontro con Babbo Natale]]
[[ja:ルージュラのクリスマス]]
[[ja:ルージュラのクリスマス]]
[[zh:EP064]]
[[zh:宝可梦 第64集]]

Latest revision as of 14:23, 16 April 2024

← EP038
Original series
Snow Way Out! →
Holiday Hi-Jynx
Holiday Hi-Jynx.png
ルージュラのクリスマス
Rougela's Christmas
First broadcast
Japan October 5, 1998
United States December 11, 1999
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 園田英樹 Hideki Sonoda
Storyboard 浅田裕二 Yūji Asada
Assistant director 浅田裕二 Yūji Asada
Animation director 酒井啓史 Keishi Sakai
Additional credits

Holiday Hi-Jynx (Japanese: ルージュラのクリスマス Rougela's Christmas) is a special episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on October 5, 1998, along with Snow Way Out!, and in the United States on December 11, 1999. It was initially intended to be the 39th episode of the Pokémon anime, airing in Japan on December 23, 1997, but was rescheduled following the EP038 incident.

On December 23, 2012, the 15th anniversary of the episode's originally-planned broadcast date, it aired on Pokémon Smash! and was edited to make all of the Jynx's skin purple instead of black. This version has not been dubbed, so it is still banned in the United States. The Japanese versions of Prime Video and Netflix have the edited version while Hulu has the original version.

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

Blurb

Ash and his friends run into a scared and lonely Jynx who has a boot belonging to Santa Claus but can't find its way to the North Pole. Team Rocket is convinced that Jynx really is Santa Claus and Jessie wants revenge from something that happened in her childhood. Can Ash beat the odds and return Jynx to its Master before Team Rocket gets a hold of it?

Plot

It is Christmas, and kids everywhere are waiting for their presents from Santa, including the resident of a distant castle, Jessie. She pretends to be asleep, as the door to her room is slowly opened by Santa. He becomes trapped in a net, and unable to move. Jessie and Meowth are enthusiastic about their capture, and cannot wait for the real Santa to come to be trapped, as this person had been James in a Santa suit.

Jessie recalls the night 10 years ago when she stopped believing in Santa. When waiting awake for him, a Jynx appeared from the chimney and does nothing but take her doll, broken and thrown to the fireplace moments earlier by Jessie in her waiting enthusiasm. James and Meowth doubt Jessie's story, but Jessie is insistent that this occurred, and that Santa is a Jynx.

Meanwhile, in the southern part of the Kanto region, Ash and his friends are scouting out a Jynx on a sunny beach, who is holding a single black boot. Ash attempts to capture it, however, it does not work, and the Jynx's Lovely Kiss manages to defeat Pikachu. Brock deduces that it must have a Trainer. Misty is given the boot by the Jynx, and sees that it belongs to Santa, as an image is sewn to the inside. After Jynx telepathically tells its story to the group, they agree to help it get back to the North Pole to Santa. Jessie, on the other hand, sees Jynx as Santa attempting to con the twerps just as she had been 10 years ago, and plots to follow them to find Santa's lair and exact her revenge.

Ash calls out his Squirtle, and Misty calls out her Goldeen, Staryu, Starmie, and Psyduck. All of the Pokémon help pull their homemade raft toward the North Pole, except Psyduck, who cowers at the thought of having to swim. The Pokémon, however, quickly become tired, and so Ash volunteers to pull them the rest of the way. He, as well, becomes tired and hears a voice. Confused, he asks his friends if they said anything, but they haven't. The voice speaks again, and Ash is caught in a wave, while the others drift away on the raft. Ash is plunged underwater, and finally, the source of the voice reveals itself to him: a Lapras. The Lapras brings him above the water and reveals its telepathic powers, as well as the fact that it was sent by Santa to bring Jynx back to the North Pole. It offers to bring them the rest of the way there as thanks for aiding Jynx, and they accept. On their way to the North Pole, the group passes large icebergs, and huddle together in Jynx's hair for warmth. Soon, they arrive, but before they can enter Santa's workshop, Team Rocket in their Gyarados submarine, who has been secretly following the group, steal Jynx and trap the group under a net.

Team Rocket proceeds to bring the captured Jynx, tied in a rope, and enter Santa's workshop. Ash and friends confront them, but Team Rocket, holding Santa as a hostage, uses him as leverage. As Team Rocket is loading up all the presents, Santa and Ash's group ask Jessie to stop. Angrily, Jessie exclaims that she never received any gifts as a child, and how she saw a Jynx stole her favorite doll 10 years ago. A Jynx, after retrieving Jessie's memory of the event telepathically, returns to the workshop and brings back Jessie's lost doll. Santa explains that Jynx brought the broken doll to him to fix it, but they were unable to give it back because Jessie had stopped believing in Santa. Despite this realization, Jessie still plans to steal all of the presents, and Team Rocket makes their getaway. Lapras freezes the submarine with its Ice Beam, but Ash, using Charmander, accidentally unfreezes it by using Fire Spin. Team Rocket seems to have won, but Santa has all of his Jynx use Psywave to bring back the submarine, shake the presents out of it, blow up the submarine and send Team Rocket blasting off again.

That evening, Santa begins his yearly journey around the world, using a Ponyta as his steed, and flies away. Ash regrets not having told Santa what he wanted, but Lapras assures him that Santa already knows. Santa's Jynx then present Ash and his friends with gifts as it begins to snow.

Meanwhile, Team Rocket lie in a bed together, having been defeated once more, but Jessie has hung a stocking in the hopes that she might receive presents. The other two believe it to be futile, but just then, a Jynx appears in their window. They stare in shock at it, and it uses Lovely Kiss to put them all to sleep. Santa wishes a Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

Major events

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

Debuts

Humans

Pokémon debuts

Characters

Humans

Dare da?

Pokémon

Who's That Pokémon?

Who's That Pokémon?: Pidgeotto (US and international), Jynx (Japan)

Scheduling conflict

After the hiatus caused by EP038, the show moved from Tuesday to Thursday. The original schedule was as follows:

Code English title Japanese title Planned broadcast Actual broadcast
* Holiday Hi-Jynx ルージュラのクリスマス December 23, 1997 October 5, 1998
* Snow Way Out! イワークでビバーク — October 5, 1998
EP040 The Battling Eevee Brothers イーブイ４きょうだい January 6, 1998 April 16, 1998
EP041 Wake Up, Snorlax! おきろ！カビゴン！ January 13, 1998 April 23, 1998
EP042 Showdown at Dark City たいけつ！ポケモンジム！ January 20, 1998 April 30, 1998
EP043 March of the Exeggutor Squad ナッシーぐんだんだいこうしん！ January 27, 1998 May 7, 1998
EP044 The Problem with Paras パラスとパラセクト February 3, 1998 May 14, 1998
EP052 Princess vs. Princess げきとう！ポケモンひなまつり March 3, 1998 July 9, 1998
EP053 The Purr-fect Hero こどものひだよ！ぜんいんしゅうごう！ May 5, 1998 July 9, 1998

When episodes of the dub are aired in order, this episode and Snow Way Out! are placed between It's Mr. Mime Time and Showdown at the Po-ké Corral, as this is the point at which the episodes aired in Japan. This confuses viewers due to Ash using Charmander instead of Charizard and Misty still having her Starmie and Horsea (and not yet having her Togepi). Chronologically, these episodes go either directly before or directly after Pikachu's Goodbye. It also was meant to air before Princess vs. Princess, as the latter episode has James and Meowth directly reference Jessie's hatred of Christmas from this episode. Due to not airing when initially intended and being advertised as such by Kids' WB!, it is considered by Bulbapedia to be a special episode.

Removal from rotation

This episode was pulled from rotation shortly after it was aired due to accusations of Jynx being a racial stereotype of African-Americans by Carole Boston Weatherford. It can still be obtained on VHS and in the Indigo League Volume 3 DVD Pack Set and has been made available on Cartoon Network Video. However, the episode has not re-aired in syndication, likely due to Jynx's appearance. Moreover, despite appearing on Cartoon Network Video, this episode was skipped on Pokémon.com's "Pokémon TV" video service, (and as of May 2014, removed from Pokémon.com entirely) nor has it been made available on Netflix. When the Indigo League Volume 3 DVD was reissued, the episode was removed. It is also not included in the Indigo League Complete Collection.

The English dub became available on Cartoon Network On Demand wherever available on cable providers in late March 2012, and has been added into the rotation on Boomerang as of 2011. No restrictions were placed on this episode in other countries airing the English dub or a dub based on the English dub, but the episode isn't mentioned on any local versions of Pokémon.com. However, this episode is banned in South Korea. The Japanese Netflix lists an English blurb for the episode despite it being banned, which says, "As children all over the world eagerly await Christmas, so does Team Rocket. It turns out they plan to catch Santa Claus and grab all of his presents!" Although this episode once aired on Hungama TV in India, it never aired on Disney XD India and was replaced by Misty Meets Her Match.

Trivia

A screenshot from the original episode
  • The end of the episode was followed by a music video of Together With the Wind, the Japanese ending theme to Mewtwo Strikes Back, rather than a Professor Oak's Pokémon Lecture segment. This was likely due to the fact that the episode was originally scheduled to air when the segment did not exist yet.
  • While Japanese episode previews usually end with "Everybody, get Pokémon!", this episode's preview ends with "Everybody, get a present!", in celebration of the Christmas season.
  • Jessie's doll is called "Acha Ningyou" in the Japanese version and is a parody of the actor Bruce Lee, who Hitmonlee is named after in English.
  • This marks the first time a Pokémon is depicted with the ability to speak telepathically in the anime.
  • The Caterpie doll in this episode has its mouth colored green. Until Wings 'N' Things, Caterpie's mouth is generally colored yellow in the anime.

Errors

  • The inside of Jynx's mouth is mistakenly (and repeatedly) colored white instead of the usual red-pink.
  • During the group's battle with Team Rocket, Ash's hat continuously changes between forwards and backward.
  • In the remastered version that aired on Pokémon Smash!, Jynx's forearm appears white instead of red when it stands next to the tied up Ash, Misty, Brock, and Santa Claus.
  • In the English dub:
    • When the closed captions mention Jessie, her name is misspelled as "Jessy".
    • Due to being dubbed out of order, Ash's Pokédex is voiced by Eric Stuart in this episode, despite it taking place before Who Gets to Keep Togepi?, where Ash's Pokédex is upgraded, meaning the Pokédex should still have the voice of Nicholas James Tate at this point.

Dub edits

  • Pikachu's Jukebox: Together Forever
  • Jessie reads the title card instead of Ash.
  • In the Japanese version, Santa wrote his name in katakana on the inside of his boot. The English dub replaces this with a photo of Santa surrounded by a snowflake border.
  • Santa calls Jessie and Ash by name, but in the original version, Santa refers to everyone as "children" instead.
  • Santa's reason for not giving Jessie her doll back is different in both versions: in the English dub, Santa tells Jessie that he couldn't return the doll because she stopped believing in Santa, which made him powerless to visit her. In the Japanese version, Santa says that he tried to return it, but Jessie had already moved away.
  • When the Jynx all use Psywave, they only chant their names over and over. In the original version, they continuously say "Psycho" (the move's Japanese name is Psychowave). This may highlight how Jynx speaks a language similar to human speech.

In other languages



← EP038
Original series
Snow Way Out! →
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