Anime move errors
In the Pokémon anime, there will often come up a Pokémon that knows a move it cannot learn legitimately in any of the games.
It is unknown whether these instances 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. In Bulbasaur... the Ambassador!, Professor Oak states that in times of need, Pokémon can call upon power that had never been known to them previously, such as Ash's Bulbasaur learning Dig.
List of anime Pokémon with moves that they cannot learn in the games
Japanese version only
| Artwork | Name | Move | First use | Notes | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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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 he evolved into Staravia, he began using Gust in the dub as well. | 
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Ash's Tranquill | Wing Attack | An Amazing Aerial Battle! | In the dub, Ash merely commanded Tranquill to "attack now", without specifying a move. | 
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Celosia's Manectric | Scratch | Meeting at Terminus Cave! | In the dub, Celosia tells Manectric to "Go after it!" | 
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Mentioned only
| Artwork | Name | Move | First use | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Sawyer's Treecko | Razor Leaf | Battling with Elegance and a Big Smile! | Sawyer commanded his Treecko to use Razor Leaf but Clemont's Luxray defeated Treecko before it could execute the move. However, in the dub, it was Mega Drain instead. |
Dub only
| Artwork | Name | Move | First use | Notes | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ash's Bulbasaur | Whirlwind | The Ninja Poké-Showdown | This was a dubbing error, as Whirlwind's Japanese name is ふきとばし Blow Away. Ash was telling Bulbasaur to simply "blow it away" in the Japanese version rather than commanding the actual move. | 
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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 | No command given in the Japanese version, most likely a dubbing error. | 
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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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Hun's Steelix | Bite | The Legend of Thunder! | Crunch in the Japanese version, a move that Steelix 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. | 
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Former errors
| Artwork | Name | Move | First use | Notes | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
A.J.'s Sandshrew | Defense Curl | The Path to the Pokémon League | A.J.'s Sandshrew used Defense Curl. However, Sandshrew was unable to learn Defense Curl until Generation II. | 
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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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Gary's Arcanine | Fire Spin | The Battle of the Badge | Gary's Arcanine uses Fire Spin in this episode. However, Arcanine was unable to learn Fire Spin until Generation II. | 
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Ritchie's or Assunta's Tentacool | Bubble | Friends to the End | A Tentacool belonging to either Ritchie or Assunta uses Bubble in this episode. However, Tentacool was unable to learn Bubble until Generation V. | 
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Ponyta | Flamethrower | Pikachu Re-Volts | A Ponyta used Flamethrower in the episode. However, Ponyta was unable to learn Flamethrower until Pokémon Crystal. | 
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Teddiursa | Charm | UnBEARable | A Teddiursa used Charm in the episode. However, Teddiursa was unable to learn Charm until Generation IV. | 
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Ursaring | Charm | UnBEARable | An Ursaring used Charm in the episode. However, Ursaring was unable to learn Charm until Generation IV. | 
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Shiftry | Whirlwind | Jump for Joy! | A Shiftry used Whirlwind in the episode. However, Shiftry was unable to learn Whirlwind until Generation IV. | 
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Similar examples that are not anime move errors
Pokémon which can know the move in a previous game
Japanese version only
| Artwork | Name | Move | First use | Notes | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mr. Moore's Typhlosion | Headbutt | Poetry Commotion! | Mr. Moore's Typhlosion uses Headbutt, which, though impossible to have in Generation III, was available to teach to Typhlosion by TM02 in Generation II and via Move Tutor in HeartGold and SoulSilver.
In the dub, the move was referred to as Tackle instead, a move Typhlosion could learn in Generation III. |
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See also
| Move errors in various Pokémon canons |
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| Anime • Manga • Game • TCG |
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This article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of the Pokémon anime. |