EP038: Difference between revisions

epcode=EP038 |

colorscheme=Kanto|

title_ja=でんのうせんしポリゴン |

title_ja_trans=Computer Warrior Porygon|

screen=hd |

broadcast_jp=December 16, 1997 |

broadcast_us=Unaired |

en_series=Indigo League |

ja_op=[[Aim to Be a Pokémon Master|めざせポケモンマスター]] |

ja_ed=[[Fantasy in My Pocket|ポケットにファンタジー]] |

footnotes=* {{filb-eppics|pm|038}}

* ''Electric Soldier Porygon'' is the most commonly used translation: no known official English title exists for this episode.}}

The frames which caused the seizures are a four-second section in which {{AP|Pikachu}} uses an {{t|Electric}} attack on a group of vaccine missiles. The explosion—which occupies a significant portion of the frame—flashes brightly and alternates rapidly between red and blue. The seizures caused by this episode resulted in [[OLM Incorporated|OLM]] dropping strobe effects from Pikachu's electric attacks. For years following the incident, a disclaimer was broadcast at the beginning of all Japanese television shows, cautioning viewers not to sit too close to the television screen and to watch only in a brightly-lit room. (「テレビアニメを見るときには、部屋をあかるくして近づきすぎないようにしてみてくださいね。」)

Team Rocket are celebrating their so-far successful raid of Pokémon, confident since they are where no human has ever gone before. Just as Team Rocket claims that no one can catch them, Porygon floats into view, infuriating {{MTR}}. [[Jessie]] and [[James]] send out {{TP|Jessie|Arbok}} and {{TP|James|Weezing}} into a {{pkmn|battle}}. Weezing uses {{m|Poison Gas}} on them, making Ash and friends cough. Then Porygon regains composure and uses {{m|Conversion}}. Porygon's skin color becomes purple, like Weezing's. Porygon charges, with the group still riding it, right into Weezing and Arbok, effectively [[fainting|knocking them out]].

Ash and friends weren't out of the woods yet. Akihabara, represented by a floating TV screen, tells them that trouble is afoot again. Nurse Joy has hired another technician to put the anti-virus vaccine program into the computer, and it indiscriminately targets Team Rocket ''and'' Ash and his friends. Trying to fix the problem himself, the doctor did not tell Nurse Joy that the problem was caused by real people and not a virus. As the Vaccine targets the heroes, Porygon gathers Ash and his friends and attempts to escape. From the ground, Team Rocket call Ash out for running away, but are corrected by Ash when he tells them to run from the Vaccine. The Vaccine launches a few rockets that destroy the remainder of the Poké Ball barrier in sparkly, flashing red and blue explosions. Meowth and the prototype Porygon rescue a panicking Jessie and James from the moving sea of Poké Balls and join Akihabara's Porygon in an attempt to escape.

==Major events==

{{animeevents}}

===Debuts===

====Pokémon debuts====

* {{p|Psyduck}} ({{OP|Misty|Psyduck}})

* {{p|Arbok}} ({{OP|Jessie|Arbok}})

* {{p|Weezing}} ({{OP|James|Weezing}})

* {{p|Porygon}} ([[Dr. Akihabara]]'s; Japanese debut)

* {{p|Ninetales}} (flashback; Japanese debut)

{{Rescheduled episodes‎}}

==Legacy==

The incident caused by the episode was coined by the Japanese press as the [[Pokémon Shock]]. Before the series restarted, a special report was aired on April 11, 1998 titled ''[[Anime: Pocket Monsters Problem Inspection Report]]''. In addition, an explanation aimed for children {{DL|EP039|Explanation of EP038 incident|was shown on the first episode after the incident.}}

The seizures caused from this episode have infamously made the Pokémon anime a frequent reference when discussing Japanese anime and its quick action and flashy effects. Numerous television shows and movies have made parodies with [[List of references to Pokémon in popular culture|notable references]] by ''{{wp|The Simpsons}}'' in the episode "{{wp|Thirty Minutes over Tokyo}}" and ''{{wp|South Park}}'' in the episode "{{wp|Chinpokomon}}".

==Trivia==

<!--Please do not put down that this episode aired in Brazil. Your edit will be undone unless you provide solid evidence.-->

* ''[[Fantasy in My Pocket]]'' replaced ''[[Meowth's Song]]'' as the ending.

* Akihabara, the name of the professor, is also the name of a {{wp|Akihabara|famous electronics district}} in {{wp|Tokyo}}.

* This episode was skipped in the anime comic adaptations [[Pocket Monsters Film Comic]] and the companion book [[TV Anime Pocket Monsters Big Bite Book]]. However, the missing episode is acknowledged by the numbering of the other summaries (it skips from [[EP037|37]] to [[EP039|39]]).

** This episode is also not included on the ''Pocket Monsters'' episode guide on the Japanese Pokémon.com website.<ref>http://www.pokemon.co.jp/anime/tv/pokemon.html</ref>

===Errors===

* When everyone first arrives back in the real world, Porygon is seemingly floating in mid-air above Misty's head; however, one cut later, it is between Misty and Brock.

* It shows the same scene before and after the last cut. The reason is unknown.

==In other languages==

{{Epilang|color=AAFFAA|bordercolor=FFAAAA

|zh_cmn={{tt|電腦戰士3D龍 / 电脑战士3D龙|Computer Warrior Porygon}}{{tt|*|Revealed only in the trailer}}

nexttitle=Pikachu's Goodbye |

series=Original series |

[[Category:Original series episodes|038]]

[[Category:Episodes written by Junki Takegami|038]]

[[Category:Episodes storyboarded and directed by Kiyotaka Itani|038]]

[[Category:Episodes animated by Takayuki Shimura|038]]

[[Category:Milestone episodes|038]]

[[fr:EP038]]

[[it:EP038]]