Anime move errors
In the Pokémon anime, there will often come up a Pokémon that knows a move it cannot learn legally in any of the games. It is unknown whether these are actual mistakes, a writing policy of not having to stick to the games too closely, or merely the Pokémon using an attribute that shares the name of a move in the games.
Occasionally, in-game event Pokémon that can be transferred onto the main series games have a move that is not normally included in that Pokémon's moveset (a prime example being Pokémon Box Ruby & Sapphire, which gave away four separate Pokémon with moves that were not normally available to that specific Pokémon).
List of anime Pokémon with moves they cannot learn in the games
Japanese version only
| Sprite | Name | Move | First use | Notes | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Roxanne's Nosepass | Hyper Beam | Winner By a Nosepass! | Roxanne commands her Nosepass to use Hyper Beam, which it cannot learn. These errors were picked up on in the dub, and the references to Hyper Beam were replaced with Thunder Wave and Zap Cannon. However, there is evidence that there was an error in the original script, and it was meant to be an Electric attack. This is seen in Pikachu being able to absorb "Hyper Beam" as if it were an Electric attack, and it had physical similarities to Electric attacks. | File:Roxanne Nosepass Hyper Beam.png |
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Ash's Starly | Gust | Two Degrees of Separation! | Changed to Whirlwind in the dub, a move that Starly can learn. However, after it evolved into Staravia, it began using Gust in the dub as well. | 
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Brock's Bonsly | Take Down | Leave It To Brocko! | Changed to Double-Edge in the dub, a move that Bonsly can learn. | 
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Dub only
| Sprite | Name | Move | First use | Notes | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Brock's Vulpix | Agility | The Ancient Puzzle of Pokémopolis | Quick Attack in the Japanese version, a move that Vulpix can learn. | 
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Morty's Gastly | Confusion | From Ghost to Ghost | 
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Ash's Totodile | Skull Bash | Dueling Heroes | Headbutt in the Japanese version, a move that Totodile can learn. | 
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Ash's Heracross | Fury Swipes | The Ties That Bind! | Fury Attack in the Japanese version, a move that Heracross can learn. | 
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Harrison's Steelix | Wrap | Playing with Fire! | Bind in the Japanese version, a move that Steelix can learn. | File:Harrison Steelix Wrap.png |
Former errors
| Sprite | Name | Move | First use | Notes | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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James's Koffing | Poison Gas | The Ghost of Maiden's Peak | James ordered his Koffing to use Poison Gas. However, Koffing was unable to learn Poison Gas until Generation II. | 
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James's Weezing | Poison Gas | The Song of Jigglypuff | James ordered his Weezing to use Poison Gas. However, Weezing was unable to learn Poison Gas until Generation II. | 
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Jessie's Lickitung | Lick | Princess vs. Princess | Jessie's Lickitung uses Lick multiple times in the original series. However, Lickitung was unable to learn Lick until Generation II. | 
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Similar examples that are not anime move errors
Pokémon which can learn a move in a previous generation
| Sprite | Name | Move | First use | Notes | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 
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Andi's Nidoqueen and Oscar's Nidoking | Submission | The Bicker the Better | Andi's Nidoqueen and Oscar's Nidoking use Submission, which, though impossible to have in Generation III onwards, was available to teach to Nidoqueen and Nidoking by TM17 in Generation I. | File:Nidoking Nidoqueen Submission.png |
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Ash's Charizard | DragonBreath | The Symbol Life | Ash's Charizard uses DragonBreath, which, though impossible to have in Generation III onwards, was available to teach to Charizard by TM24 in Generation II. | 
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Anabel's Espeon | Zap Cannon | Second Time's the Charm | Anabel's Espeon uses Zap Cannon, which, though impossible to have in Generation III onwards, was available to teach to Espeon by TM07 in Generation II. | 
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Pokémon performing an action which resembles a move
| Sprite | Name | Resembled move | First use | Notes | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Tentacool | Tentacool & Tentacruel | Multiple Tentacool are seen using an unidentified red beam attack. Tentacool's Pokédex entries state that it absorbs sunlight and converts it into beam energy, similar to SolarBeam. However, not only does this attack bear no resemblance to SolarBeam, Tentacool has never been able to learn this move. In fact, the only Beam moves Tentacool can learn are BubbleBeam, Ice Beam and Aurora Beam*, none of which resemble this attack. | File:Tentacool beam attacks.png | |
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Haunter | Leer | The Tower of Terror | When Ash has his Charmander use Leer against a Haunter, it appears to use the same move back at Charmander. However, Haunter has not been able to learn Leer in any Generation. It is possible that Haunter was simply countering Charmander's Leer. | 
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Ash's Bulbasaur | Lick and Tickle | Who Gets to Keep Togepi? | Ash has Bulbasaur "lick" Psyduck's head and use its "tickle attack" with its vines. This is not to be confused with the actual moves Lick and Tickle, the latter of which was introduced in Generation III. Bulbasaur cannot learn either move. | File:Ash Bulbasaur licking.png |
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Ralph's Tony | Bite | Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon? | Tony bites down on Jessie's Arbok, who is constricting it. However, Ralph does not order an attack, he simply uses its sharp teeth to free himself and Maria from Arbok's grip. This move resembles Bite but Nidoran♂ cannot learn this move. | File:Tony Maria biting.png |
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Meowth of Team Rocket | Tickle | Bound for Trouble | Pikachu and TRMeowth ([[{{{2}}} (move)|{{{2}}}]]) fight against a giant Rhydon. When Meowth jumps on Rhydon's back, he states that he should try a Tickle attack. However, Meowth cannot learn Tickle in any generation yet, and Tickle was not introduced until Generation III. | File:Meowth tickling.png |
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Entei | Hypnosis | Spell of the Unown | Entei hypnotises Delia in Spell of the Unown. However, Entei is unable to learn Hypnosis. This could be due to the fact that this Entei was merely an illusion, not a real Pokémon. | File:Entei hypnotizing.png |
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Ninetales | Confusion/Psychic | Just Waiting On a Friend | After living for 150 years, Ninetales found that it was able to use mysterious powers. One of these was the ability to lift objects with its mind, similar to Confusion or Psychic. Ninetales is unable to learn either move. | File:Ninetales EP232 Psychic.png |
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Politoed | Lick | I Politoed Ya So! | Bean uses its tongue to attack. However, it did not use Lick. | 
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Nuzleaf | GrassWhistle | Turning Over a Nuzleaf | A wild Nuzleaf blew on a leaf to make Ash and his friends' Pokémon drowsy, though Nuzleaf cannot learn GrassWhistle. However, some of Nuzleaf's Pokédex entries do state that it uses the leaf on its head as a flute. | File:Nuzleaf playing leaf.png |
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Lunatone | Moonlight | Crazy as a Lunatone! | A Lunatone is seen using the moonlight to restore itself, though it cannot learn Moonlight. However, Lunatone's Pokédex entries do state that it gains its power from the moon. | File:Lunatone absorb moonlight.png |
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Drifloon | Fly | Drifloon on the Wind! | Some Drifloon were used to fly around the area. The Pokédex states that a Drifloon cannot carry the weight of children. However, three are used at any given time. Similarly, it is also possible for Drifloon to carry players across short distances in Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia. | File:Nurse Joy Drifloon flying.png |
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Metagross | Lock-On | Noodles! Roamin' Off! | Metagross calculated where Team Rocket were, likely using its supercomputer-like abilities rather than Lock-On. | File:Metagross calculation.png |
See also
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This article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of the Pokémon anime. |