Who's That Pokémon?

Who's That Pokémon? (Japanese: だれだ？ Who is it?) is a question-and-answer segment that is featured in numerous episodes of the Pokémon anime. It has also been posted on The Pokémon Company International's official Facebook and Twitter accounts, on Niantic's Pokémon GO twitter account, and appeared in Pokémon X and Y as the puzzle for the Lumiose Gym.

The first English "Who's That Pokémon?"

It's Pikachu!

The first Pokémon: Black & White "Who's That Pokémon?"

It's Pidove!

For a complete segment listing, see List of Who's That Pokémon? segments.

History

English dub

In the English dub, Who's That Pokémon? was originally used from the episodes Pokémon - I Choose You! to Watt's with Wattson?; the segment later returned in In the Shadow of Zekrom!, after an almost seven-year absence. It occurs before and after the main commercial break during the episode. The silhouette of a Pokémon is shown, with someone usually asking the audience to guess the Pokémon that belongs to the given outline. After the commercial break, the name of the Pokémon is revealed, usually with the current main characters shouting the name of the Pokémon, as well as the cry of the Pokémon shown. The segment was retired at the end of the sixth season of the anime and was replaced with Pokémon Trainer's Choice, which was dropped from the dub after two seasons. At the beginning of Pokémon the Series: Black & White, it did not initially feature the Pokémon's cry after being revealed, although this returned in Triple Leaders, Team Threats!. For unknown reasons, Who's That Pokémon? was removed from the CITV airings of the first two episodes of Pokémon the Series: Black & White, and all following episodes use a slight international variation, showing the silhouette of the Pokémon at the mid-way point of the episode (as would be expected), and then revealing the Pokémon just before the end credits.

Early in its run, Who's That Pokémon? would feature a Pokémon who played a major role in that episode. In late Kanto it switched to featuring a Pokémon that played a major role in the following episode, although this wasn't always the case. When Johto League Champions began, Who's That Pokémon? became random, with the featured Pokémon playing a prominent role in that episode being a very rare occasion. Usually, the Pokémon featured would not appear in the episode at all, nor would it ever indicate a Pokémon being featured in a following episode. Also beginning with that season, the dub added a short hint onscreen to aid in the identification of the Pokémon until the end of the sixth season. When the feature returned in Pokémon the Series: Black & White, it originally featured a Pokémon that played a prominent role in the following episode before later switching to a Pokémon with a prominent role in that episode, beginning with A Sandile Gusher of Change!.

In line with the original Japanese version, the segment was slightly altered in Journeys, where instead of seeing the silhouette of a Pokémon, the viewer is shown a magnified part of their body. Ash Ketchum reads out the segment, but does not exclaim the answer.

Original Japanese version

Pocket Monster TV version one

Pocket Monster TV version two

In the original Japanese version, Who's That Pokémon? was used from EP001 to EP274 and then returned in BW061. In this version, it almost always featured a Pokémon that played a major role in that episode.

Starting in EP192, the segment was renamed Pocket Monster TV (written in English from EP211). There was no functional difference; however, the kids' voices were replaced with a computerized voice, the background was changed, and it showed the featured Pokémon's National Pokédex number. From EP211, the segment was revamped again, with the following segments being in widescreen. EP192 through EP210 were later altered to the updated version of Pocket Monster TV when released on VHS.

The segment was retired at the end of the original series, and was replaced in Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire with a generic eyecatch showing the main characters. This continued into Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl and long into Pokémon the Series: Black & White. Who's That Pokémon? returned to Japanese television in BW061. In this version, all of the types that the Pokémon is weak against are listed along with its name. Pikachu will use Thunderbolt to light up parts of the silhouetted Pokémon as a hint, as with Pocket Monster TV.

In Pokémon the Series: XY, the segment is slightly modified. Now called Pokémon Quiz, the segment presents the viewer with four flashcards bearing different silhouettes and asks them to identify the correct Pokémon. Usually, one card is Team Rocket as a decoy choice. The segment once again returned to the typical Who's That Pokémon? in Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon and lasting until the end of Pokémon Journeys: The Series.

Trivia

EP009 is the first episode to have a segment about a Pokémon that has yet to appear in the anime at the time of the segment, with Cubone only appearing six minutes later.
In the Japanese version, there are several occasions where the segment intentionally tricks the audience.
- In EP018, the silhouette is actually Brutella instead of a Pokémon.
- In EP056 and SM056, the Pokémon is actually Jigglypuff from above rather than a perfectly spherical Pokémon like Voltorb or Electrode, a reference to the exam question within the former episode.
- In EP082, the silhouette is actually a Daruma doll instead of a Pokémon.
- In EP111 and SM046, the silhouette appears to be Pikachu, but is actually just a transformed Ditto.
- In EP161, the Pokémon is actually Jessie dressed as a Venomoth. When the "Pokémon" is revealed, the narrator says "Venomoth", but the children shout, "Incorrect!"
Mewtwo has made two distinct "Who's That Pokémon?" appearances. Its first treats it as a regular Pokémon by having it say its own name while in the second, it telepathically says "Prepare to battle", akin to its depiction in the anime.
Right On, Rhydon! is the only episode, before Pokémon the Series: Black & White, to feature a Who's That Pokémon? in the Italian dub.
Some regions outside of North America using the American dub of Pokémon: Black & White, show the second part of Who's That Pokémon? at the end of the episode instead of straight after the commercial break. This is likely done because several TV channels don't broadcast the commercials in the same break as the U.S. version.
- This was reverted to the old way in some areas at the beginning of Adventures in Unova.
The Japanese version of New Places...Familiar Faces! marks the first time a Pokémon has ever left the screen during the segment.
Starting with A Shockingly Cheeky Friendship!, the Who's That Pokémon? segment has not been leading into or coming back from the commercial break in the United States. This may be due to Cartoon Network airing Mixels shorts during Pokémon.
This segment is skipped by Netflix and Pokémon TV on their prints of Indigo-era and Orange Islands-era episodes. It's also skipped on the digital home video release of the Indigo League.
- This segment was also skipped by Hungama TV in India for about half of season 1. It was started after that, but was still occasionally skipped until Shell Shock, from which point it permanently resumed.
In the original Japanese versions, the text reading "Pocket Monsters" would open up with lightning flashing around it. The lightning that opened the text was later removed following the EP038 incident.
Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl is the only series to not feature the segment or have a game in between.
The segment is mostly narrated by Ash and his friends in both dubs, while Ash narrates for the finale episodes of Pokémon the Series: Black & White and Pokémon the Series: XY, as well as the opening episode of the first mentioned series. As of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon, other characters also narrate the segment.
Porygon's appearance in the Who's That Pokémon? segment of A Way Off Day Off marks the only time Porygon's English voice has been heard in the anime.
In the Alternative Play Handbook, one of the Booster Fun games is named after Who's That Pokémon. It involves guessing species of Pokémon based on the Pokédex entry of Pokémon cards.
Pikachu is both the first Pokémon featured and the latest Pokémon featured in the segment.

Errors

In the Japanese version of Team Plasma's Pokémon Manipulation!, Liepard's mouth is missing, its legs are miscolored, and its eye has a black spot in the upper-right corner.
In the English dub:
- In Primeape Goes Bananas, Primeape's nostrils are missing.
- In The Little Big Horn, Totodile's nostrils are missing.
- In Wired for Battle!, one of Cyndaquil's arms is missing.
- In The Art of Pokémon, Beedrill is stated to be the evolved form of Weedle, when it is actually the final evolution of Weedle.
- In As Cold as Pryce, the word Magnemite uses the incorrect plural form of Magnemites.
- In Some Like it Hot, Mantine is stated to be the heaviest Generation II Pokémon when it is actually the second heaviest after Steelix. The same mistake occurs in The Official Pokémon Handbook 3.
- In Get the Show on the Road!, part of Lanturn's tailfin is cut off.
- In Tree's a Crowd, tail is misspelled as tale.
- In On a Wingull and a Prayer!, Sentret's face is barely visible.
- In Sharpedo Attack!, balloonlike is misspelled as baloonlike.
  - In the Brazilian Portuguese dub of the episode, Igglybuff is referred to as Jigglypuff.
- In A Hole Lotta Trouble, Vigoroth has its footprint included in the space between its left arm and its left leg.
- In Seeing is Believing!, Wurmple has a white square covering part of its body.
- In The Spheal of Approval, Nuzleaf has a white square covering part of its left wrist and the hint has an extra in.
- In Minccino—Neat and Tidy!, Minccino is misspelled as Mincinno. This was fixed in the American DVD release.
- In the Netflix version of A Night in the Nacrene City Museum!, Lillipup is displayed instead of Yamask. The inverse happens in the following episode.
- In Rematch at the Nacrene Gym!, the Pokémon logo is missing during the first half of the segment.
- In the digital version of Ash and Trip's Third Battle!, Vanillite's name is misspelled as Vanilite.
- In Beheeyem, Duosion, and the Dream Thief!, when the segment asks "Who's that Pokémon?", there is no logo for Pokémon Black and White underneath the silhouette of Beheeyem.
- In Guiding an Awakening!, the answer is incorrectly stated as "Sableye (Alolan Form)" in the closed captions.
- In Legend? Go! Friends? Go!, the logo and answer stay onscreen a frame too long as the episode's events resume.
- In Working My Way Back to Mew!, the Pokémon logo is missing.
- On Pokémon TV:
  - In Ariados, Amigos, Ditto is displayed instead of Jigglypuff.
  - In Battling with Elegance and a Big Smile!, the background music is missing during the second half of the segment.
In the Dutch dub of The Aura Storm!, the answer is mentioned as Lucario instead of Wigglytuff.
In the Polish dub of Searching for a Wish!, Dunsparce is displayed instead of Jirachi.
In the Swedish dub:
- In Battles in the Sky!, the answer is mentioned as Hawlucha instead of Talonflame.
- In Young Kiawe Had a Farm!, the answer is mentioned as Mudbray instead of Pelipper.
- In Rocking Clawmarkn Hill!, the answer is mentioned as Midnight Form Lycanroc instead of Midday Form Lycanroc.
- In Mallow and the Forest Teacher!, the answer is mentioned as Steenee instead of Oranguru. This error is also present in the Finnish dub.

In other languages


Language		Title
Arabic		احزروا من هذا البوكيمون!
Bengali		এটা কোন পোকেমন Eta kon Pokémon?
Bulgarian		Кой е този Покемон?
Mandarin Chinese		我是誰？
Croatian		Tko je taj Pokémon?
Danish		Hva' er det for en Pokémon!?* Hvem er den Pokémon!?
Dutch		Wie is deze Pokémon!?
Finnish		Tunnista Pokémon!* Tunnetko tämän Pokémonin?*
French	Canada	Quel est ce Pokémon?
French	Europe	Quel est ce Pokémon?
German		Welches Pokémon ist das?
Greek		Ποιό είναι αυτό το Πόκεμον;
Hindi		ये कौनसा पोकेमॉन है? Ye kaun sa Pokémon hai? * बताओ ये कौनसा पोकेमॉन है? Batao ye kaun sa Pokémon hai * ये कौनसा पोकेमॉन है? Yeh kaun sa Pokémon hai? * वो कौनसा पोकेमॉन है? Woh kaun sa Pokémon hai? *
Italian		Chi è quel Pokémon?
Norwegian		Hvilken Pokémon er dette?
Polish		Co to za Pokémon?
Portuguese	Brazil	Qual é esse Pokémon?* Quem é esse Pokémon? * Quem são esses Pokémon?*
Portuguese	Portugal	Quem é este Pokémon?
Russian		Что это за Покемон?* Это что за Покемон? Кто поймает всех?*
Serbian		Koji je ovo Pokémon?
Spanish	Latin America	¿Quién es ese Pokémon? ¿Quiénes son esos Pokémon?*
Spanish	Spain	¿Cuál es este Pokémon?
Swedish		Vad är det för en Pokémon?* Vad är det här för Pokémon?* Vem är Pokémon?*
Tamil		எட்டி என்ன பொகெமொன்? Eddi enna Pokémon? *
Telugu		ఎవరా పోకీమాన్? Aevaraa Pokémon? *
Turkish		Kim bu Pokémon?