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| Season | Pokémon: Indigo League (Season 1) · The St. Anne & Porta Vista arc (EP15–EP19) |
| Episode | Season 1, episode 17 · English episode 17 · Japanese episode 17 · Bulbapedia code EP017 |
| English title | Island of the Giant Pokémon |
| Japanese title | きょだいポケモンのしま!? Kyodai Pokemon no Shima!? — “Island of the Gigantic Pokémon!?” |
| First aired (Japan) | 22 July 1997 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 30 September 1998 · first-run syndication |
| Screenplay | Takeshi Shudō |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | Mezase Pokémon Master (Aim to Be a Pokémon Master) – Rica Matsumoto · Hyakugojūichi (One Hundred Fifty-One) – Professor Oak & the Pokémon Kids |
| English opening | Pokémon Theme – Jason Paige |
| Who’s That Pokémon? | Slowbro (US) · Slowpoke (Japan) |
| Previous episode | Pokémon Shipwreck (EP016) |
| Next episode | Beauty and the Beach (EP018) |
Filler / stand-alone episodeFillerPokémon Land
Island of the Giant Pokémon is the 17th episode of Pokémon: Indigo League, the first season of the Pokémon anime, and the 17th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 17, Bulbapedia code EP017). It first aired in Japan on 22 July 1997 and in the United States on 30 September 1998. It falls within the season’s The St. Anne & Porta Vista stretch (EP15–EP19).
Synopsis
Following the Dragon Rage attack they were hit by at the end of last episode Ash, Misty and Brock find themselves regaining consciousness on a beach, with Ash alarmed to find no sign of Pikachu and that he only has two of his Pokemon with him, meanwhile elsewhere on the same Island Jessie & James are gently woken by a vicious attack from a Krabby. It turns out that Team Rockets Pokemon, Meowth and Ash’s missing Pokemon are also all together elsewhere on the Island. But thats not where the trouble ends, the Island is inhabited by Giant Pokemon!
After losing the trust of all the other Pokemon (including fellow TR Pokemon Ekans & Koffing) Meowth is tied up while the rest of them eat, when a giant Rhydon starts to approach. All the Pokemon start running and leave Meowth tied up, Pikachu reluctantly goes back and frees him. The lost Pokemon stick together but begin to get upset at the thought of their masters not returning. The next day the sun is shining and all groups leave cover to find each other, once more encountering numerous giant Pokémon and being pursued around the Island, eventually by chance all finding each other and eventually reuniting on a runaway rollercoaster cart!
After inadvertantly destroying all of the giant Pokemon, the gang realise that the Pokemon are mechanical, and it turns out to have been a Giant Pokemon Theme Park, owned by Giovanni and Team Rocket. Our heroes escape the theme park and arrive at the beautiful beaches of Porta Vista.
Note: Subtitles are used in the episode for the scenes when the Pokemon are talking to each other about how to find their trainers. This episode is to this day unique in that sense.
Major Events
- Ekans and Koffing revealed to be gifts. Debuts: Slowpoke, Slowbro. First episode whose US/JP “Who’s That Pokémon?” differ. All-Stars Vol. 4.
Pokémon making their anime debut
Slowpoke#0079 · EP017
Slowbro#0080 · EP017
Trivia
- The screenplay is by Takeshi Shudō.
- This is a stand-alone episode: it can be skipped without losing the thread of the Kanto story.
- The Who’s That Pokémon? segment features Slowpoke in Japan, where it almost always matched the episode, but Slowbro in the US, where 4Kids picked the Pokémon at random.
Changes in the English Dub
- Oden stand, Team Rocket’s sign and “Pocke Mon Land” boat repainted
- A time-of-day subtitle added
- Ellipsis subtitles removed
- +2 s TBC
- Ekans and Koffing’s chūgen/oseibo gift origin becomes birthday and Christmas presents
- Dub ending: the Kanto Pokérap (Tuesday segment)
- The S.S. Anne departure cue is taken from the games
Part of our Pokémon: Indigo League guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.