"Pokémon" (1998) TV series 1998-????

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | unknown

Release Date:

8 September 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Comedy | Family

Tagline:

Gotta catch 'em all!

Plot:

Ten-year-old Ash aspires to be the greatest Pokemon (pocket monster) trainer in the world. To do this...

Plot Keywords:

Team | Pikachu | Trainer | Pocket Monsters | Grass

Awards:

1 nomination

US TV Schedule:

Wed. Nov. 11	7:30 AM	TOON	Our Cup Runneth Over	#11.21
Thur. Nov. 12	7:30 AM	TOON	A Full Course Tag Battle	#11.22

Cast

Ikue Ootani	...	Pikachu / ... (492 episodes, 1997-2009)
Rachael Lillis	...	Misty / ... (339 episodes, 1998-2008)
Veronica Taylor	...	Ash Ketchum / ... (336 episodes, 1998-2006)
Eric Stuart	...	James / ... (330 episodes, 1998-2006)
Ken Gates	...	Narrator / ... (328 episodes, 1998-2009)
Madeleine Blaustein	...	Meowth / ... (303 episodes, 1998-2006)
Satomi Koorogi	...	Togepi / ... (227 episodes, 1999-2006)

(more)

Series Directed by
Masamitsu Hidaka		(4 episodes, 1997-1999)

Series Writing credits
Crispin Freeman		(3 episodes, 1998-1999)
Norman J. Grossfeld		(3 episodes, 1998-1999)
Michael Haigney		(3 episodes, 1998-1999)
Thomas D. Sullivan		(3 episodes, 1998-1999)
Satoshi Tajiri		(3 episodes, 1998-1999)
John Touhey		(3 episodes, 1998-1999)

Series Produced by
Tim Werenko	....	producer (24 episodes, 2008-2009)
Norman J. Grossfeld	....	executive producer / producer (4 episodes, 1998-2004)
Alfred Kahn	....	executive producer (4 episodes, 1998-2004)
Tom Kenney	....	executive producer (4 episodes, 1998-2004)
Michael Haigney	....	voice producer (3 episodes, 1998-1999)
Tsunekazu Ishihara	....	executive producer (3 episodes, 1998-1999)
Keisuke Iwata	....	producer (3 episodes, 1998-1999)
Shukachi Kanda	....	animation producer (3 episodes, 1998-1999)
Takemoto Mori	....	producer (3 episodes, 1998-1999)
Takayuki Yanagisawa	....	producer (3 episodes, 1998-1999)
Choji Yoshikawa	....	associate producer (3 episodes, 1998-1999)

Series Original Music by
John Loeffler		(230 episodes, 1997-2008)
Manny Corallo		(unknown episodes)
John Lissauer		(unknown episodes)
Hirokazu Tanaka		(unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
Motoaki Ikegami		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Toshio Henmi		(unknown episodes)
Yutaka Ita		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
Katsuyoshi Kanemura		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Lorraine Campo	....	graphics (unknown episodes)
Miguel Oldenburg	....	graphics (unknown episodes)
Angela Rivera	....	graphics supervisor (unknown episodes)
Alexis Rothberg	....	graphics supervisor (unknown episodes)
Tom Wiener	....	graphics (unknown episodes)
Norimichi Yoshino	....	color coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Paul Levin	....	sound editor (52 episodes, 1998-2000)
Rich Macar	....	final mixer (37 episodes, 1998)
Carmen Borgia	....	sound supervisor (24 episodes, 2008-2009)
Kevin Wilson	....	sound mixer (24 episodes, 2008-2009)
Joe Barbaria	....	sound recording engineer (unknown episodes)
Frank Gencorelli	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Ron London	....	adr engineer (unknown episodes)
Masafumi Mima	....	sound director (unknown episodes)
Paul Special	....	sound recording engineer (unknown episodes)
Keith Weaver	....	sound manager (unknown episodes)

Series Animation Department
Sayuri Ichiishi	....	character designer (unknown episodes)
Yôichi Kotabe	....	animation supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Michael McGourin	....	editor: US version / on-line editor: English version (14 episodes, 2007)
Dan Hubp	....	editor: PokéRap (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Julian Schwartz	....	music producer (78 episodes, 2000-2004)
Joel Douek	....	music editor (2 episodes, 1999)
Andre Betts	....	rapper: "Viridian City" (unknown episodes)
Michael Brady	....	assistant music producer (unknown episodes)
Elaine Caswell	....	background singer: "Everything Changes" and "Viridian City" (unknown episodes)
Manny Corallo	....	music editor (unknown episodes)
Neil Jason	....	background singer: "Viridian City" (unknown episodes)
Liz Lysinger	....	music editor (unknown episodes)
John McCurry	....	musician: electric guitar, "Viridian City" (unknown episodes)
David Kos Rolfe	....	musician: guitars, "Pokémon Theme" (unknown episodes)
John Sands	....	music producer (unknown episodes)
Susan Shufro	....	music editor (unknown episodes)
Takahi Yoshida	....	music producer (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Charlie Sweitzer	....	production assistant (39 episodes, 1998-2006)
John Hershberger	....	support staff (32 episodes, 2006-2007)
Matthew J. Clark Sr.	....	language adaptor: English (unknown episodes)
Tisha Ford	....	production associate (unknown episodes)
Crispin Freeman	....	adaptations (unknown episodes)
Joseph P. Garrity	....	representative: 4Kids Entertainment (unknown episodes)
Norman J. Grossfeld	....	adaptations (unknown episodes)
Michael Haigney	....	adaptations (unknown episodes)
Sheldon Hirsch	....	representative: Summit Media Group (unknown episodes)
Larry Juris	....	voice producer (unknown episodes)
Takashi Kawaguchi	....	planner (unknown episodes)
Masakazu Kubo	....	planner (unknown episodes)
Jim Malone	....	voice director (unknown episodes)
Anthony Salerno	....	voice director (unknown episodes)
Takeshi Shudo	....	series supervisor (unknown episodes)
Thomas D. Sullivan	....	adaptations (unknown episodes)
Paul Taylor	....	translator (unknown episodes)
John Touhey	....	adaptations (unknown episodes)
Eric Tyler	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Sam Weisberg	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Kunihiko Yuyama	....	executive director (unknown episodes)

Series Thanks
Hiro Nakamura	....	special thanks (unknown episodes)
Kenji Okubo	....	special thanks (unknown episodes)
Gail Tilden	....	special thanks (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Pokémon USA (2006-)
• 4 Kids Entertainment (1998-2006)
• Nintendo
• OLM-Animation Studio
• Shogakukan
• Summit Media Group
• TV Tokyo

Distributors

• Cartoon Network (2006-) (USA) (TV)
• Jetix (1999) (France) (theatrical)
• Cartoon Network (Brazil) (TV) (pay TV)
• Fox Kids (1999-2005) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Jetix (2005-) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Kids' WB
• Mediaset (1998) (Italy) (TV)
• Miramax Films (2004) (USA) (all media)
• Network Ten (2000) (Australia) (TV)
• RTL Klub Televízió (2000-) (Hungary) (TV) (original airing)
• RTL2 Fernsehen (1999) (Germany) (TV)
• Rede Record (Brazil) (TV) (broadcast TV)
• Summit Media Group
• TF1 Vidéo (2000-) (France) (DVD)
• TV2 Danmark (1999) (Denmark) (TV)
• TV2 Norge (1999) (Norway) (TV)
• Telecinco (1999) (Spain) (TV)
• Telewizja Polska (TVP) (2000-) (Poland) (TV)
• Télévision Française 1 (TF1) (1999) (France) (TV)
• WB Television Network, The (1999-)
• Warner Bros. Pictures
• YTV

Other Companies

• Betelgeuse Productions LLC  video post-production
• Buttons Sound  audio post-production
• Du Art Film and Video  2008- (post-production)
• East Japan Marketing & Communications Inc.  production assistance
• OLM-Animation Studio  as OLM
• TAJ Productions  voice production

Also Known As:

Pocket Monsters (USA)
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl (USA) (tenth season title)
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl: Battle Dimension (USA) (eleventh season title)
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl: Galactic Battles (USA) (twelfth season title)
Pokémon: Advanced (USA) (sixth season title)
Pokémon: Advanced Battle (USA) (eighth season title)
Pokémon: Advanced Challenge (USA) (seventh season title)
Pokémon: Battle Frontier (USA) (ninth season title)
Pokémon: Master Quest (USA) (fifth season title)
Pokémon: The Johto Journeys (USA) (third season title)
Pokemon: Johto League Champions (USA) (fourth season title)

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:G | UK:U | Netherlands:MG6 | UK:(Banned) (one episode) | Argentina:Atp | Brazil:Livre | USA:TV-Y

Company:

Pokémon USA

Trivia:

Ash's last name, Ketchum, is a play on the words "catch 'em," as in "Gotta catch 'em all!"

Goofs:

Factual errors: In one episode, an Exeggcute evolves into an Exeggutor without a Leaf Stone. This Pokémon requires the Leaf Stone to evolve - it can not evolve through experience points.

Quotes:

Torchic: Torchic? Torchic?
[Torchic starts crying]
Max , Caterpie, Butterfree, Additional Voices: Oh Torchic! There you are.
Meowth: What's wrong?
Max , Caterpie, Butterfree, Additional Voices: Torchic is afraid it will never see May again.
Meowth: Well, crying ain't gonna help, I already tried that.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "The Powerpuff Girls: Collect Her/Supper Villain (#2.2)" (1999)

Soundtrack:

Unbeatable

Interesting Show

I used to be a huge fan of this show when I was like ... eight or something. I stopped watching it a few years ago when it turned Johto and had these crappy Pokemon and boring plots and stuff ... until recently.

Okay, don't listen to those people who hate this show because of their boring experiences in the past. I mean, it isn't as repetitive as it is before.

Consider this a review about Advanced & Advanced Challenge: Ash and Pikachu travels to Hoenn (similar to Johto). Meets May, an aspiring Pokemon trainer and Max, May's little brother (expect him to be short) and Brock rejoins them on the third episode of Advanced. Anyhow, Team Rocket still attacks them (which I also finds overly stupid) and "flies off again" but there is so much character development in this show that I can't believe so many people are not ever going to watch it again.

I watched it again because I was bored ... or a friend told me how the show changed - dramatically. I enjoy this show quite a bit but I hate the old episodes (I'm talking about the originals, Orange, and Johto). Hoenn is just better and the animation isn't as crappy (it's not as handdrawn-looking as before and the characters move more).

Just say I like it for what it is: repetitive guilty pleasure (and I've got a minor crush on Max)