Primeape Goes Bananas (Japanese: おこらないでねオコリザル！Don't Get Angry, Okorizaru!) is the 25th episode of the Pokémon animated series. It was first broadcast in Japan on September 16, 1997, and in the United States on October 9, 1998.
Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.
Blurb
On their way to Celadon City, our heroes encounter Mankey, a wild Pokémon that if rubbed the wrong way can go into uncontrollable fits. Not realizing its unpredictability, the party accidentally upsets Mankey. To make matters worse, Team Rocket arrives and an all out war is waged by Mankey, who evolves into a ferocious Primeape, against anyone in its path. Will Ash be able to add Mankey/Primeape to his ever growing collection of Pokémon without having to withstand Primeape's unrelenting wrath?
Plot
While traveling through Route 7, Ash makes a call to Professor Oak from a public phone and shows off his four Badges, but Oak mentions that Gary and the other two Trainers from Pallet Town all have five Badges and have already passed through Celadon City. Ash is infuriated, and Oak advises that he should catch more Pokémon in order to become a better Trainer. He ends the call, leaving Ash despondent.
Mankey with Ash's hat
Misty and Pikachu are eating rice balls as Misty notices Ash's mood. Ash laments how far behind he is when Brock points down the path to Celadon City. Misty reassures that Ash needs to get there his own way as Brock mentions that it's about quality over quantity, but Ash seems to miss the point. At that moment, Pikachu notices a Mankey peeking from behind a rock nearby as Ash checks his Pokédex. Mankey hops over Brock, wanting the rice ball. It takes it and climbs atop a rock to eat it. Ash decides to catch it by merely throwing a Poké Ball at it, to Misty's surprise. Mankey throws the rice ball, which the Poké Ball catches, and becomes visibly infuriated. The Pokédex mentions that once it goes into Thrash, it is impossible to stop. Mankey charges and everyone runs away. Brock tries to stop it by throwing another rice ball, but it destroys it with its fist. Misty trips and it appears Mankey will attack her, but it jumps off her head to lands on Ash's face, pounding him. Mankey leaves Ash beaten and without his hat as it climbs atop a tree, now wearing the hat. Nearby, Team Rocket watches, seeing an opportunity to catch Pikachu and get a promotion. Meowth makes a smart remark as Jessie rolls a yarn ball at Meowth, easily pacifying the Scratch Cat Pokémon.
Ash gets up and notices his hat is missing. Ash confronts Mankey as the Pokémon mocks Ash, imitating his tendency to twist his hat back before throwing a Poké Ball. Ash climbs the tree to reclaim the hat. Misty doesn't understand what's so special about the hat, but Ash stresses that the hat was won at the Pokémon League Expo and cannot be easily replaced. A commercial flashback plays out demonstrating how rare and valuable the hat is. Misty suddenly remembers that she did send in a postcard to win a hat, but Ash explains that he had to send in a multitude of postcards to get it. Ash manages to climb high enough, though Mankey beats him up and jumps off, sending Ash hurdling back down. Team Rocket steps out to confront Ash and his friends and attempt to steal Pikachu. Suddenly, Mankey hops in and checks out Team Rocket. James, annoyed, kicks Mankey away, to Brock and Misty's horror. After Team Rocket finish their motto, Brock warns them that if they don't leave, Mankey will soon return to beat them up as it did Ash. Team Rocket turns, noticing Mankey evolve into Primeape.
Ash checks the Pokédex entry about Primeape as Team Rocket decides to ignore the newly evolved Pokémon, sending out Ekans and Koffing towards Ash and his friends. However, Primeape springs on Jessie, sending her flying face-first into a rock. She gets angry and orders Ekans and Koffing to attack Primeape instead. Team Rocket all jump into the melee as Brock and Misty take this opportunity to drag Ash away to safety. Ash notices his hat on the ground and Pikachu runs for it. However, Primeape jumps between Pikachu and Ash's hat. Pikachu tries not to look at Primeape in the eye, but he eventually does, nervously backing away as Primeape reclaims the hat. Pikachu attacks with Thunder Shock, but it only makes Primeape angrier. Brock theorizes that Primeape may just be afraid and lonely, and decides to approach it with kindness, but it pounds on Brock and sends him flying. Primeape continues to Thrash and runs after Ash and Misty. They run away as Team Rocket pursues them as well. Ash and Misty split up, Primeape following Ash. Brock catches up with Misty as they decide to catch up to Ash.
Ash keeps running as Primeape destroys everything in its path. Meanwhile, Team Rocket sets up a pit trap. They see dust in the distance as Ash and Pikachu plunge in, colliding into Team Rocket. Ash commands Pikachu to use Thunder Shock on Team Rocket, but with Pikachu on his head, Ash gets shocked as well. Ash sees Primeape as it jumps in. Ash scrambles out but Primeape jumps in front of him, staring him in the eye. Ash remembers what Oak said and decides to get serious and catch Primeape. Misty and Brock insist that Ash forget it, but Ash wants to face it to get stronger. He sends Squirtle to fire Water Gun, but it makes Primeape angrier, so Ash sends Bulbasaur to use Razor Leaf, but Primeape's punches destroy the leaves. Ash sends Charmander out, using Flamethrower, but Primeape dodges before pounding Charmander with several punches. Primeape is relentless, though Charmander's flame suddenly grows; the Pokédex points out that it is the move Rage, making Charmander's attacks more powerful with each hit it takes, to Ash's amazement. Charmander takes more punches before biting Primeape's fist, but it is tossed aside. Charmander fires another Flamethrower and Pikachu jumps and rescues the hat, escaping unscathed before the attack roasts Primeape. Primeape slumps as Ash tosses the Poké Ball. Primeape goes inside as the Ball rattles. It stops, the catch an apparent success. However, the Ball starts to rattle again, but it stops a second time, this time inert as Ash claims the Ball holding his newly captured Primeape.
Pikachu gives Ash his hat back as Team Rocket climbs out of the hole. They wonder where Primeape is as Ash throws the ball in. Primeape jumps out and pounds Team Rocket, sending them flying. Ash commends Primeape, but it gives Ash a black eye. Ash recalls his Charmander and Primeape. Pikachu points over the cliff as they see Celadon City. Misty notes that Primeape's chase sped up the trip. Ash puts his hat on, as he is excited to get his next Badge. Meanwhile, Team Rocket lands in a canyon full of angry Primeape who pummel the trio.
In Mystery at the Lighthouse, Professor Oak tells Ash that Gary has caught 45 Pokémon. However, in this episode, he tells him that Gary has caught 30 Pokémon.
The writing on the Poké Ball in the advertisement is spelled "POCKEMON LEAG". This misspelling of "Pokémon" as "Pockemon" is likely due to the fact that, at the time of this episode's production (1997), there were no concrete plans for Pokémon's appearance to be international, and thus no standard romanization. Compare: ポケモン/ポケットモンスター (Pokémon/Pocketto Monsutā).
When Ash reaches for his hat after climbing the tree, the hat faces backward on Mankey's head, but in the next shot, it faces forward.
In the same shot, Ash's shoes are completely black.
When James kicks Mankey, he kicks Mankey away from him, but in the next shot, it is behind Team Rocket.
In the same scene, the inside of Ash's jacket is colored green instead of blue.
Mankey is also seen without Ash's hat on its head when it begins to evolve. However, after evolving into Primeape, Ash's hat is suddenly on its head again.
The half-focused eyes on Misty's face appear twice when she comments on Ash's "Donut Pokémon": both before and after her lips start moving.
When Ash and his friends duck as Jessie is sent flying, the orange stripe on Ash's bag is missing.
Shortly after, the edge of Meowth's ears are colored cream instead of black.
When Team Rocket jumps into a fight with Primeape, all of the bands on Ekans are yellow instead of only the one on its "neck", resembling its prototype design for Pokémon Red and Blue.
When Misty and Brock pick up Ash while Team Rocket is fighting Primeape, Brock's left arm passes through him.
When Ash throws a Poké Ball to catch Primeape, it lands upside-down, but in the next shot, it is upright.
When Ash catches Primeape, Pikachu's tail has its colors reversed.
When Ash gets beat up by Primeape after catching it, he commands Charmander and Primeape to return to their respective Poké Balls. At that moment, Pikachu disappears as well, but reappears just a few seconds later in the next scene overlooking Celadon City.
In the English dub, the Primeape shown during the Who's That Pokémon? segment is missing its nostrils.
The Poké Ball with "POCKEMON LEAG" inscribed on it
In the Japanese version, while Professor Oak is drinking from a cup at the beginning of the episode, he says that he lives for this one drink. In the dub, he mentions that the drink is tea.
In the original Japanese version, when Ash falls over, Professor Oak asks if he's still alive instead of if he's still there.
In the Japanese version, Professor Oak says that he was thinking about reading a senryū together with Krabby that suits their tastes. In the dub, he says that both he and Krabby enjoy tea time, writing poetry together, and that some of it is not that bad.
In the original version, the kanji寿 for kotobuki is shown in the background of Professor Oak's senryū. This is edited out in the dub.
In the original version, after Professor Oak recites the senryū, Ash says that he doesn't understand art. Professor Oak then says that in both art or Pokémon, it's the basics that are important, and the basis of Pokémon is to catch them, asking Ash to send him some. In the dub, Ash says that he doesn't understand poetry. Professor Oak responds by saying that writing poetry is a lot like Pokémon training, saying that poems require rhymes and Ash can't become a better Trainer without catching more Pokémon.
Brock's rice balls are referred to as jelly doughnuts in the dub.
A pun is removed: because it is called a doughnut, the Monster Ball/rice ball parallel is lost.
In the Italian dub, they are called "polpette di riso."
Brock telling how much he loved jelly doughnuts was originally him stating that the round ones were filled with pickled plums and the triangular ones containing freshly picked kelp.
When the narrator asks if Ash can catch up with his rivals in the dub, the original had him remembering Professor Oak's words about catching Pokémon.
Misty originally says that Ash has said he likes doing things his own way. In the dub, Misty makes no mention of Ash saying such, instead saying the line about doing things his own way herself.
In the original version, Brock mentions Haunter while saying that Ash should catch Pokémon of many different types, prompting Ash to strike his usual post-capture pose. Misty says that Ash didn't catch anything and he says he's just rehearsing. In the dub, Brock doesn't reference Haunter, instead emphasizing the importance of quality over quantity, especially if Ash has lots of different Pokémon. Ash declares his intention to catch lots of Pokémon, causing Misty to pessimistically state that he never learns.
In the dub, Brock says that the rice balls don't have any artificial ingrediants and that they are his own special recipe, while originally, he just says they are great and that he rolled them himself.
After catching a rice ball, in the dub, Misty makes a joke that Ash caught a doughnut Pokémon. In the original version, she just asks what he is doing.
The group's argument while running away from Mankey is changed in the dub, adding Ash mentioning his mother and changing Brock's comment about grudges over food being scary to regretting making his doughnuts so good.
Ash's exaggeration about sending in a million postcards was originally one thousand postcards.
Brock's response to the above was "Poor Ash... losing an official hat is like losing your best friend". Originally, Brock said that boys really do care about silly things like their hats.
While Mankey is beating up Ash, in the dub, he says he is not okay, while in the original version, he orders Pikachu to help him, which explains why Pikachu is hesitant to interfere.
Team Rocket's discussion about their plan is changed from mentioning "bangs" and "booms" in the Japanese version into them devolving into talking about dreaming in the dub. In addition, Meowth being referred to as a cat when handed a ball of yarn is changed to him being easy to satisfy.
In the dub, after being punched into a rock, Jessie swears vengeance on Primeape for causing her "perfection" to be ruined. In the Japanese version, she says that destroying this beautiful face is a sin that outweighs a Snorlax.
Brock's comment about Primeape supposedly being scared of them was originally him suspecting that it just wanted to be cared for.
After being stepped on in the original version, Team Rocket says "We woke up" individually, followed by them declaring their hatred of Primeape. In the dub, they each say a part of "There they go", before reciting their blast-off catchphrase.
The comment about looking Primeape in the eye while the group is being chased is changed from Misty affirming it to really be bad to Brock hoping Ash won't do so in the dub, replacing Brock's original comment about them having to be the ones to chase Primeape instead to end the chase.
In the dub, while digging a hole and seeing Ash run towards them, Jessie says that it's now the moment of truth. In the original version, she says that this is what they call luck born out of misfortune.
When Team Rocket is sent blasting off by Primeape, Misty originally mentions it's using Thrash again and Ash makes a reference to Primeape's Japanese name (Okorizaru, literally "angry monkey"), saying it wouldn't be named that if it wasn't angry. In the dub, Misty's reference to Primeape using Thrash is more indirect and Ash's untranslatable reference to Primeape's name is removed.
At the end of the episode, when Team Rocket gets surrounded by angry Primeape, they originally say their blast-off catchphrase, which is replaced with a doughnut reference in the dub.
The Poké Ball with "POCKEMON LEAG" inscribed on it
Meowth's miscolored ears
Ekans's miscolored bands
The senryū (original)
The senryū (dub)
