EP024 : Haunter versus Kadabra
Original series
EP026 : Pokémon Scent-sation!
Primeape Goes Bananas
EP025.png
  EP025  
おこらないでねオコリザル!
Don't Get Angry, Okorizaru!
First broadcast
Japan September 16, 1997
United States October 9, 1998
English themes
Opening Pokémon Theme
Ending
Japanese themes
Opening めざせポケモンマスター
Ending ひゃくごじゅういち
Credits
Animation Team Ota
Screenplay 冨岡淳広 Atsuhiro Tomioka
Storyboard 横田和 Kazu Yokota
Assistant director 大町繁 Shigeru Ōmachi
Animation director 武田優作 Yūsaku Takeda
Additional credits

Primeape Goes Bananas (Japanese: おこらないでねオコリザル! Don't Get Angry, Okorizaru!) is the 25th episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on September 16, 1997, and in the United States on October 9, 1998.

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Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.
201

Blurb

On their way to Celadon City, our heroes encounter Mankey, a wild Pokémon that if rubbed the wrong way can go into uncontrollable fits. Not realizing its unpredictability, the party accidentally upsets Mankey. To make matters worse, Team Rocket arrives and an all out war is waged by Mankey, who evolves into a ferocious Primeape, against anyone in its path. Will Ash be able to add Mankey/Primeape to his ever growing collection of Pokémon without having to withstand Primeape's unrelenting wrath?

Plot

While traveling through Route 7, Ash makes a call to Professor Oak from a public phone and shows off his four Badges, but Oak mentions that Gary and the other two Trainers from Pallet Town all have five Badges and have already passed through Celadon City. Ash is infuriated, and Oak advises that he should catch more Pokémon in order to become a better Trainer. He ends the call, leaving Ash despondent.

Misty and Pikachu are eating rice balls as Misty notices Ash's mood. Ash laments how far behind he is when Brock points down the path to Celadon City. Misty reassures that Ash needs to get there his own way as Brock mentions that it's about quality over quantity, but Ash seems to miss the point. At that moment, Pikachu notices a Mankey peeking from behind a rock nearby as Ash checks his Pokédex. Mankey hops over Brock, wanting the rice ball. It takes it and climbs atop a rock to eat it. Ash decides to catch it by merely throwing a Poké Ball at it, to Misty's surprise. Mankey throws the rice ball, which the Poké Ball catches, and becomes visibly infuriated. The Pokédex mentions that once it goes into Thrash, it is impossible to stop. Mankey charges and everyone runs away. Brock tries to stop it by throwing another rice ball, but it destroys it with its fist. Misty trips and it appears Mankey will attack her, but it jumps off her head to lands on Ash's face, pounding him. Mankey leaves Ash beaten and without his hat as it climbs atop a tree, now wearing the hat. Nearby, Team Rocket watches, seeing an opportunity to catch Pikachu and get a promotion. Meowth makes a smart remark as Jessie rolls a yarn ball at Meowth, easily pacifying the Scratch Cat Pokémon.

Ash gets up and notices his hat is missing. Ash confronts Mankey as the Pokémon mocks Ash, imitating his tendency to twist his hat back before throwing a Poké Ball. Ash climbs the tree to reclaim the hat. Misty doesn't understand what's so special about the hat, but Ash stresses that the hat was won at the Pokémon League Expo and cannot be easily replaced. A commercial flashback plays out demonstrating how rare and valuable the hat is. Misty suddenly remembers that she did send in a postcard to win a hat, but Ash explains that he had to send in a multitude of postcards to get it. Ash manages to climb high enough, though Mankey beats him up and jumps off, sending Ash hurdling back down. Team Rocket steps out to confront Ash and his friends and attempt to steal Pikachu. Suddenly, Mankey hops in and checks out Team Rocket. James, annoyed, kicks Mankey away, to Brock and Misty's horror. After Team Rocket finish their motto, Brock warns them that if they don't leave, Mankey will soon return to beat them up as it did Ash. Team Rocket turns, noticing Mankey evolve into Primeape.

Ash checks the Pokédex entry about Primeape as Team Rocket decides to ignore the newly evolved Pokémon, sending out Ekans and Koffing towards Ash and his friends. However, Primeape springs on Jessie, sending her flying face-first into a rock. She gets angry and orders Ekans and Koffing to attack Primeape instead. Team Rocket all jump into the melee as Brock and Misty take this opportunity to drag Ash away to safety. Ash notices his hat on the ground and Pikachu runs for it. However, Primeape jumps between Pikachu and Ash's hat. Pikachu tries not to look at Primeape in the eye, but he eventually does, nervously backing away as Primeape reclaims the hat. Pikachu attacks with Thunder Shock, but it only makes Primeape angrier. Brock theorizes that Primeape may just be afraid and lonely, and decides to approach it with kindness, but it pounds on Brock and sends him flying. Primeape continues to Thrash and runs after Ash and Misty. They run away as Team Rocket pursues them as well. Ash and Misty split up, Primeape following Ash. Brock catches up with Misty as they decide to catch up to Ash.

Ash keeps running as Primeape destroys everything in its path. Meanwhile, Team Rocket sets up a pit trap. They see dust in the distance as Ash and Pikachu plunge in, colliding into Team Rocket. Ash commands Pikachu to use Thunder Shock on Team Rocket, but with Pikachu on his head, Ash gets shocked as well. Ash sees Primeape as it jumps in. Ash scrambles out but Primeape jumps in front of him, staring him in the eye. Ash remembers what Oak said and decides to get serious and catch Primeape. Misty and Brock insist that Ash forget it, but Ash wants to face it to get stronger. He sends Squirtle to fire Water Gun, but it makes Primeape angrier, so Ash sends Bulbasaur to use Razor Leaf, but Primeape's punches destroy the leaves. Ash sends Charmander out, using Flamethrower, but Primeape dodges before pounding Charmander with several punches. Primeape is relentless, though Charmander's flame suddenly grows; the Pokédex points out that it is the move Rage, making Charmander's attacks more powerful with each hit it takes, to Ash's amazement. Charmander takes more punches before biting Primeape's fist, but it is tossed aside. Charmander fires another Flamethrower and Pikachu jumps and rescues the hat, escaping unscathed before the attack roasts Primeape. Primeape slumps as Ash tosses the Poké Ball. Primeape goes inside as the Ball rattles. It stops, the catch an apparent success. However, the Ball starts to rattle again, but it stops a second time, this time inert as Ash claims the Ball holding his newly captured Primeape.

Pikachu gives Ash his hat back as Team Rocket climbs out of the hole. They wonder where Primeape is as Ash throws the ball in. Primeape jumps out and pounds Team Rocket, sending them flying. Ash commends Primeape, but it gives Ash a black eye. Ash recalls his Charmander and Primeape. Pikachu points over the cliff as they see Celadon City. Misty notes that Primeape's chase sped up the trip. Ash puts his hat on, as he is excited to get his next Badge. Meanwhile, Team Rocket lands in a canyon full of angry Primeape who pummel the trio.

Major events

 
Ash after catching Primeape
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?: Primeape

Trivia

Errors

 
The Poké Ball with "POCKEMON LEAG" inscribed on it
  • In Mystery at the Lighthouse, Professor Oak tells Ash that Gary has caught 45 Pokémon. However, in this episode, Oak tells Ash that Gary has caught 30 Pokémon. It should be noted that this was also present in the Japanese version.
  • The writing on the Poké Ball in the advertisement is spelled "POCKEMON LEAG". This was not corrected in the dub, possibly as it is hard to read anyway. This misspelling of "Pokémon" as "Pockemon" is likely due to the fact that at the time of this episode's production (1997) there were no concrete plans for Pokémon's appearance to be international, and thus no standard romanization. Compare: ポケモン/ポケットモンスター (Pokémon/Pocketto Monsutā).
  • When Ash reaches for his hat after climbing the tree, the hat is facing backward on Mankey's head. However, in the next shot where Ash is knocked to the ground, the hat is facing forward.
    • In the same shot, Ash's shoes are completely black.
  • When James kicks Mankey, he kicks Mankey away from him. In the next shot, however, Mankey is behind Team Rocket.
    • In the same scene, the inside of Ash's jacket is colored green instead of blue.
    • Mankey is also seen without Ash's hat on his head when he begins to evolve. However, after evolving into Primeape, Ash's hat is suddenly on its head again.
  • The half-focused eyes on Misty's face appear twice when she comments on Ash's "Donut Pokémon": both before and after her lips start moving.
  • When Ash and his friends duck as Jessie is sent flying, the orange stripe on Ash's bag is missing.
    • Shortly after, the edge of Meowth's ears are colored cream instead of black.
  • When Team Rocket jumps into a fight with Primeape, all of the bands on Ekans are yellow instead of only the one on its "neck", resembling its prototype design for Pokémon Red and Blue.
  • When Misty and Brock pick up Ash while Team Rocket is fighting Primeape, Brock's left arm passes through him.
  • When Ash throws his Poké Ball to catch Primeape, it lands and wobbles upside down. The next shot after that, it is right side up. Ash's Poké Ball continues to wobble in this position until Primeape is caught.
  • When Ash catches Primeape, Pikachu's tail has its colors reversed.
  • When Ash gets beat up by Primeape after catching it, he commands Charmander and Primeape to return to their respective Poké Balls. At that moment, Pikachu disappears as well, but reappears just a few seconds later in the next scene overlooking Celadon City.
  • In the English dub, the Primeape shown during the Who's That Pokémon? segment is missing its nostrils.

Dub edits

 
Brock and his "donuts"
  • Kanto Pokérap: Day 5 (Version 2)
  • Brock's rice balls are referred to as jelly doughnuts.
    • A pun is removed: because it is called a doughnut, the Monster Ball/rice ball parallel is lost.
  • Brock telling how much he loved jelly doughnuts was originally him stating that the round ones were filled with pickled plums and the tri ones containing freshly picked kelp.
  • When the narrator asks if Ash can catch up with his rivals in the dub, the original had him remembering Professor Oak's words about catching Pokémon.
  • Also, Ash's exaggeration about sending in a million postcards was originally one thousand postcards.
    • Brock's response to the above was "Poor Ash... losing an official hat is like losing your best friend". Originally, Brock said that boys really do care about silly things like their hats.
  • While Mankey is beating up Ash, in the dub, he says he is not okay, while in the original version, he orders Pikachu to help him, which explains why Pikachu is hesitant to interfere.
  • At the end of the episode when Team Rocket gets surrounded by angry Primeape, they originally say their blast-off catchphrase, which is replaced with a doughnut reference in the dub.

In other languages



EP024 : Haunter versus Kadabra
Original series
EP026 : Pokémon Scent-sation!
  This episode article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of the Pokémon anime.