Aim to Be a Pokémon Master
- This article is about the song. For the single, see Aim to Be a Pokémon Master (CD).
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This article is a featured article. This means that it has been identified as one of the best articles produced on Bulbapedia. |
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The subject of this article has no official English name. The name currently in use is a fan translation of the Japanese name. |
| Japanese opening themes |
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| めざせポケモンマスター | ||||||||
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TV OP 1
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Pikachu Records single
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| There are no fewer than six official versions of this song: the original, the 1998 movie remix, the Whiteberry version, the 2001 movie version, the 2002 movie version, and the 20th anniversary version. | ||||||||
Aim to Be a Pokémon Master (Japanese: めざせポケモンマスター Mezase Pokémon Master) is the first opening theme of the original series, with a cover by Whiteberry being the fourth. An arrangement made to commemorate the anime's 20th anniversary replaced Alola!! as the second opening song of the Sun & Moon series.
A verse from this song was featured in the third opening theme of the Advanced Generation series, Pokémon Symphonic Medley, and a synthesized version was used during captures and evolutions in Pokémon Pinball. It is also one of the songs featured in the Japan-only game, Donkey Konga 3.
Versions
Aim to Be a Pokémon Master is the most re-used theme song in the Pokémon anime's history, having no fewer than six versions including the original:
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Opening animation: TV OP 1
Synopsis
The type symbols appear in a circle, and the series logo appears on the screen. The final evolutions of the three starters, Pikachu, Ash and an unnamed Lass are seen. This is followed by three scenes showing random Generation I Pokémon.
Ash is then seen with a Poké Ball. After that, he is riding on the back of a Lapras with Pikachu while a Gyarados and Dragonair are seen jumping out and in the water. Next, Ash and Pikachu are looking at Pallet Town. It cuts to a scene with them walking, and then Ash throws a Poké Ball with a Pidgeot inside. The Pokémon then begins battling with a Fearow.
Ash appears looking at the screen, when Misty and Brock appear on either side of him. This is followed by Jessie and James rising up in front of them. Koffing, Meowth and Ekans jump up next, followed by Gary holding a Poké Ball. Ash and his friends are seen running from the rain. This is followed by a short clip of Nurse Joy, Professor Oak, Officer Jenny and Delia Ketchum.
The next scene shows Ash and his friends in Viridian Forest. Then, Ash and Pikachu are seen running with an Arcanine and a Rapidash. The latter Pokémon jumps up, and the three Legendary birds are seen flying in the sky. A clip of Mewtwo and Mew in space is shown, followed by Ash in a stadium holding a Poké Ball. His friends appear with him.
Characters
Humans
- Ash Ketchum
- Misty
- Brock
- Jessie
- James
- Gary Oak
- Professor Oak
- Delia Ketchum
- Nurse Joy
- Officer Jenny
- Lass
Pokémon
- Pikachu (Ash's, new)
- Meowth (Team Rocket)
- Pidgeot (Ash's, newly evolved)
- Ekans (Jessie's)
- Koffing (James's)
- Venusaur
- Charizard
- Blastoise
- Butterfree
- Beedrill
- Fearow
- Clefairy
- Gloom
- Dugtrio
- Psyduck
- Arcanine
- Poliwag
- Poliwhirl
- Poliwrath
- Alakazam
- Rapidash
- Farfetch'd
- Gastly
- Hitmonchan
- Gyarados
- Lapras
- Porygon
- Snorlax
- Articuno
- Zapdos
- Moltres
- Dragonair
- Mewtwo
- Mew
Trivia
- The battle between Ash's Pidgeot and the Fearow is a parallel of Pallet Party Panic, the first episode in which the following opening was used. Ash's Pidgeotto did not become Pidgeot until that episode.
- The elemental logos shown before and during the title logo animation are the symbols for the seven TCG types at the time.
- The song can be heard in the instrumental version of High Touch!.
- The image of Porygon was interestingly not removed after the EP038 incident.
- At one point of The Road to Humilau!, Ash and Cameron hum this theme in the Japanese version. However, it was not kept in the English dub.
- An instrumental version of the original version of this song appears in both the Japanese and English versions of Pokémon Pinball when the player is attempting to catch or evolve a Pokémon.
- A scene in which Ash stands in a stadium was used as part of an bumper with Brock's voice saying "We'll Be Back After These Messages!" when the 4Kids dub was first aired in syndication in 1998 in America.
Errors
- When Meowth, Ekans, and Koffing jump onscreen, Meowth's right fang disappears for a split second.
- When Ash and his friends are running from the rain, Poliwrath's eyelid is white instead of blue.
Meowth's missing fang
Poliwrath's white eyelid
Variants
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This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. Reason: Episodes in which the fourth variant ended (EP039 - ???) and the fifth started (??? - EP080). Please note that the seizure-safe, fourth variant is used for the EP001-037 reruns (the ones where electric attacks and flashy scenes are slowed down) |
- EP001 - EP002: The original animation. During the Pokémon images scene, there's a picture of a Kadabra, but it reads "Foodin" on it.
- EP003: The Kadabra error is corrected, and an actual Alakazam picture is put in its place.
- EP004 - EP038: The TCG types symbol background keeps rotating after the "Pocket Monsters" logo appears in the title screen, and after the executive production credits appear on the final shot.
- EP039 - ???: After the "Pokémon Shock" incident of EP038, the opening was changed to be broken up into four images per screen. This change also applies to reruns of the first 37 episodes.
- ??? - ???: A shot where Ash throws a Poké Ball is slowed down, removing part of the scene where the spinning Poké Ball covers the entire screen, and Ash holding another one was edited to remove one frame where it glows over the entire screen. Two frames were also removed from the battle between Ash's Pidgeot and Fearow. Several frames were removed from the scene staring Zapdos (This change carried over to the western opening).
- ??? - EP080: The title screen is CGI animated.
EP001 - EP038
EP039 - EP080
The hand drawn logo
The CGI logo
Opening animation: TV OP 4
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Japanese opening themes |
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| めざせポケモンマスター | ||||||||
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TV OP 4
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Pikachu Records single
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| Version aired from EP192 to EP238. | ||||||||
Opening text
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Synopsis
Ash is holding a Poké Ball towards the screen. The logo appears, followed by Pikachu fighting against a Tyranitar by using Thunderbolt. Ash and his friends are then seen jumping into the water. There, a Mantine, Lanturn, Lapras and Lugia appear swimming alongside them. Ash turned his hat and faced the left.
This is followed by Ash and Pikachu running with Ho-Oh flying in the background. The Trainer looks at a stadium and clips of his Pokémon appear on the screen. A scene then follows, showing Ash and the others looking at a city in which the Legendary beasts, Celebi, Mewtwo and Mew are seen.
Ash and the others are then shown walking into a cave where Misdreavus and Crobat appear. Ash and the others stood at a bridge. Then, the Pichu Brothers are under it. After that, Ash tried to chase after his Pokémon. Then, Team Rocket chased after Ash and his friends. Finally, Ash and his friends chased after Team Rocket with Togepi in front of them.
Four Pokémon and five people are on top and Larvitar stood in front of them. Ash and Pikachu ran up a flight of stairs together with the Legendary birds and reached the Plateau. Ash and Pikachu stood in front of many Pokémon. Ash, Misty, Brock and Ash's Pokémon stood together.
Characters
Humans
- Ash Ketchum
- Misty
- Brock
- Tracey Sketchit
- Jessie
- James
- Professor Oak
- Delia Ketchum
- Officer Jenny
- Nurse Joy
Pokémon
- Pikachu (Ash's)
- Meowth (Team Rocket)
- Togepi (Misty's)
- Wobbuffet (Jessie's)
- Bulbasaur (Ash's)
- Bayleef (Ash's)
- Cyndaquil (Ash's)
- Totodile (Ash's)
- Noctowl (Ash's)
- Pichu (Pichu Brothers)
- Venusaur
- Blastoise
- Beedrill
- Fearow
- Sandslash
- Nidoqueen
- Nidoking
- Venomoth
- Arcanine
- Poliwrath
- Alakazam
- Machoke
- Machamp
- Magnemite
- Cloyster
- Hypno
- Exeggutor
- Hitmonlee
- Hitmonchan
- Rhydon
- Pinsir
- Gyarados
- Lapras
- Aerodactyl
- Articuno
- Zapdos
- Moltres
- Dragonite
- Mewtwo
- Mew
- Feraligatr
- Crobat
- Lanturn
- Cleffa
- Igglybuff
- Hoppip
- Umbreon
- Misdreavus
- Girafarig
- Granbull
- Scizor
- Heracross
- Ursaring
- Remoraid
- Mantine
- Skarmory
- Houndoom
- Donphan
- Smoochum
- Magby
- Raikou
- Entei
- Suicune
- Larvitar
- Tyranitar
- Lugia
- Ho-Oh
- Celebi
Trivia
- The fact that this, the fourth Japanese opening, is a cover of the first one is mimicked in the English dub, where Born to Be a Winner, the fourth opening, borrows heavily from the first one.
- This is the first opening theme to not be performed by Rica Matsumoto.
Opening animation: SM OP 2
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Japanese opening themes |
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| めざせポケモンマスター -20th Anniversary- | ||||||||
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SM OP 2
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Sony Records single
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| Version aired from SM030 to SM043. | ||||||||
Synopsis
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This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. |
Characters
Humans
Pokémon
- Pikachu (Ash's)
- Rotom (Rotom Pokédex)
- Rowlet (Ash's)
- Rockruff (Ash's)
- Lycanroc (Ash's; Dusk Form; SM038-present)
- Litten (Ash's)
- Popplio (Lana's)
- Charizard (Kiawe's; Ride Pokémon)
- Turtonator (Kiawe's)
- Marowak (Kiawe's; Alola Form)
- Vulpix (Lillie's; Alola Form; Snowy; hatches)
- Togedemaru (Sophocles's)
- Charjabug (Sophocles's)
- Steenee (Mallow's)
- Mimikyu (Jessie's)
- Mr. Mime (Delia's; Mimey; flashback)
- Lycanroc (Gladion's; Midnight Form)
- Lycanroc (Olivia's; Midday Form)
- Vulpix (Samson Oak's)
- Oricorio (Hobbes's; Pom-Pom Style)
- Golem (Trainer's; flashback)
- Butterfree (Trainer's; flashback)
- Golduck (Trainer's; flashback)
- Nidoran♀ (Trainer's; flashback)
- Nidoran♂ (Trainer's; flashback)
- Sandslash (Trainer's; flashback)
- Ho-Oh (anime)
- Tapu Koko (anime)
- Bewear (anime)
- Tapu Lele (anime)
- Wishiwashi (School Form; Totem)
- Lurantis (Totem)
- Marshadow (M20)
- Sharpedo (Ride Pokémon)
- Pelipper (Ride Pokémon)
- Tauros (Ride Pokémon; ×2)
- Pikipek (multiple)
- Pyukumuku
- Luvdisc (multiple)
- Comfey
- Cutiefly (multiple)
- Magmar
- Yungoos
- Rattata (Alola Form)
- Salandit
- Solgaleo
- Lunala
- Shiinotic (multiple)
Variants
- SM030 - SM037: The original animation.
- SM038 - SM043: The clip of Olivia is cut short to show Ash using Continental Crush with Lycanroc.
Trivia
- This is the first Japanese opening to be made up almost entirely of episode clips.
- This is the first Japanese opening featuring humans in which Team Rocket does not appear.
- In SM042 and SM043, Misty, Brock, and Professor Oak can be heard citing ad-libs from the original version of the opening.
Lyrics
TV Size
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Full version
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Japanese opening themes |
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Japanese opening themes |
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| Japanese opening themes |
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This article is part of Project Music, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon song, CD and musician. |