EP087 : The Crystal Onix
Original series
EP089 : Shell Shock!
In The Pink
EP088.png
  EP088  
ピンクのポケモンじま
The Island of Pink Pokémon
First broadcast
Japan March 18, 1999
United States February 12, 2000
English themes
Opening Pokémon World
Ending
Japanese themes
Opening ライバル!
Ending タイプ・ワイルド
Credits
Animation Team Ota
Screenplay 武上純希 Junki Takegami
Storyboard 横田和 Kazu Yokota
Assistant director 大町繁 Shigeru Ōmachi
Animation director たけだゆうさく Yūsaku Takeda
Additional credits

In The Pink (Japanese: ピンクのポケモンじま The Island of Pink Pokémon) is the 88th episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on March 18, 1999, and in the United States on February 12, 2000.

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Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.
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Blurb

Ash and friends are caught in a whirlpool and swept to an unexplored island where all the Pokémon are pink. It's Pinkan Island, a Pokémon refuge where the Pokémon's diet of Pinkan Berries causes their unique coloration. But the Pokémon aren't all as sweet as they look. Our heroes cross paths with an enraged Nidoking, and end up cornered under a cliff. Nidoking blasts its Hyper Beam at our heroes. Togepi waves its arms, and the attack misses our heroes as if skipping off a shield. Coincidence? Or is Togepi finally learning some attacks? Officer Jenny drives up in her Jeep and lassoes Nidoking to the ground, stopping its attack without hurting it. Our heroes leave Pinkan Island, having promised to keep the island a secret so that poachers won't come and ruin its unique beauty.

Plot

As Ash and his friends travel on Lapras to the next island, Tracey discusses how unusual it is that Togepi doesn't seem to know any attacks. Misty agrees, telling Tracey she's tried to teach Togepi Headbutt but got nowhere. Ash laughs at this, but before an argument can breakout Lapras is caught in a whirlpool sending the gang flying to a nearby island. After they regain consciousness, Tracey identifies the island as Pinkan Island based on the whirlpools and sheer cliffs. They climb the cliffs and see a pink Rhyhorn. Tracey decides to observe and sketch it, and Ash, in order to prove to Misty that he knows what he is doing, races up to the Rhyhorn, who promptly knocks him away. The group is then pursued by the Rhyhorn and cornered by some steep cliffs. However, Togepi uses Metronome and Teleports them away. The Rhyhorn goes over the cliff, landing in a tree, and the group wonders how they escaped. Officer Jenny arrives and rescues the Rhyhorn with her jeep and a set of ropes. Afterwards, the group notices Pikachu's tail and cheeks have turned pink. Much to Ash's relief, Jenny explains that the Pinkan Berries turn any Pokémon that eats them a lot, permanently pink.

Arriving on the island, Team Rocket notices the Rhyhorn. They soon spot Jigglypuff and think it is special as well until they realize all Jigglypuff are pink. Before Jigglypuff can sing, they run off into the forest, planning to catch all of the pink Pokémon and open up their own theme park. They use their Pokémon, and Lickitung chases two pink Nidoran into a cave, only to encounter a Nidoking that chases Team Rocket away.

Meanwhile, at her office, Jenny informs the group that Pinkan Island is a reserve and that she won't press charges. The trio contacts Professor Oak, who knew about the island and its pinkness, and he tells them about the research. Just then, an alarm sounds and the group offers to help Jenny with whatever the situation is. They find Team Rocket being chased by Nidoking, and as the trio performs their motto, Ash has Pikachu use Thunder Shock on Nidoking. It throws Team Rocket's Pokémon at their Trainers and they blast off. Nidoking then chases the trio and Jenny; both Psyduck and Marill attempt to battle him, but ultimately run off scared.

Pikachu tries to shock him, but Jenny informs Ash that Nidoking is on a rampage and cannot be stopped. Nidoking uses Hyper Beam, but Togepi uses Metronome again and creates a Barrier. Jenny tells the trio to get out and run. She engages Nidoking and lassos him, and Nidoking drops to the ground dizzy. Jenny drops the group off beyond the whirlpools and Misty contemplates Togepi's actions. Ash and Tracey laugh at her suggestion of Togepi attacking. Ash then notices Tracey's sketch of Officer Jenny and snickers, though Tracey explains that he cannot just watch Pokémon. Misty attempts to get Togepi wave its arms to attack, but is unsuccessful.

Major events

For a list of all major events in the anime, please see the history page.

Debuts

Pokémon debuts

Characters

Humans

 
Dare da?

Pokémon

 
Who's That Pokémon?

Who's That Pokémon?: Kabuto (US and international), Pink Rhyhorn (Japan)

Trivia

Errors

  • When Ash is climbing the cliff after they first reach Pinkan Island, Pikachu is on his shoulder. When Ash and Misty are shown from the back, Pikachu is missing.
  • Ash's Pokédex identifies Rhyhorn as the "Spiked Pokémon" instead of the "Spikes Pokémon".
  • When Jigglypuff jumps onto Team Rocket's submarine it is seen standing on the red portion of its head. In the next scene the portion of the submarine underneath Jigglypuff's feet is yellow.
  • The Vileplume and Paras seen on the island do not display the alternate coloration patterns as seen on Valencia Island.
  • Officer Jenny claims that Thunderbolt will not work because the Nidoking is on a rampage. This is incorrect as Nidoking is part Ground-type and Electric moves would not work regardless.
  • When observing the pink Rhyhorn, Tracey mentions that it is 8 meters long. This is impossible, since the Rhyhorn would be just over 24 feet in length, and it is clearly nowhere near this size. Rhyhorn's size according to the Pokédex is only 1 meter.
  • James says "That shock was Nidoking's wake-up call!" However, the previous scene doesn't show Nidoking getting shocked.
  • When Officer Jenny engages Nidoking, the "z's" on Ash's cheeks are missing.
  • In the English dub:
    • In the scene where the group is being chased by the pink Nidoking, Misty tries calling out for her Starmie before Psyduck comes out. Starmie was left at the Cerulean Gym more than twenty episodes before.
    • James refers to the plural of "Jigglypuff" as "Jigglypuffs".

Dub edits

In other languages



EP087 : The Crystal Onix
Original series
EP089 : Shell Shock!
  This episode article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of the Pokémon anime.