Line #35 Recap/PokemonS1E39PikachusGoodbye


1	->"''We'd like to thank all of our fans for their loyalty and support. This victory is for them.''"
2	-->--'''James'''
3
4	!!Japanese Title: ''Forest of Pikachu''
5	!!!Original Airdate: April 16, 1998
6	!!!US Airdate: November 20, 1998
7	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pokemon_pikachus_goodbye.png]]
8	[[caption-width-right:300:Did you really think we were going to be rid of him that easily?]]
9
10	[[JustForFun/TheOneWith The one where...]] Ash has to make a choice.
11
12	The twerps stop when they find a forest full of Pikachu. After some mini-adventures and a run-in with Team Rocket, Ash begins to question whether it is right for him to keep Pikachu from his own kind.
13	----
14	!!This episode contains examples of the following tropes:
15
16	* AmbiguousGender: The little Pikachu that Pikachu befriends isn't gendered. Is it small because it's a young Pikachu or is small as a {{Tertiary Sexual Characteristic\|s}}? This makes Pikachu's interest in it ambiguous--familial or romantic? The loose manga adaptation ''Manga/TheElectricTaleOfPikachu'' went with the latter adaptation and made it a female LoveInterest.
17	* AwardBaitSong: “The Time Has Come”, which plays over various clips of Ash and Pikachu's interactions from previous episodes. In the Japanese version, "Goodnight, My Pikachu" (one of the B-sides to the first opening and ending single) is played instead.
18	* BigShutUp: In the Japanese version, Ash shouts at Brock and Misty to be quiet when they confront him about his big decision.
19	* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: This family of wild Pikachu is consisted of Pikachu only, with the young members being smaller sized Pikachu. This was before Pichu was introduced in ''[[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver Gold and Silver]]''. Additionally, this is before Pokémon sexual dimorphism was established in ''[[VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl Diamond and Pearl]]'', hence none of the Pikachu have the heart-shaped tailtips of the females.
20	* EyeCatch: This episode, the ''Who's That Pokémon'' is Pikachu, even going as far to show Ash's Pikachu and a smaller sized Pikachu in the original.
21	* EyelidPullTaunt: Team Rocket do this to the twerps.
22	* HiddenEyes: Ash's eyes are hidden from the moment he decides to leave Pikachu, until Pikachu returns to him.
23	* InnocentlyInsensitive: An example where the person never finds out that they were being this; During the dinner scene, Brock makes a comment how he believes that it’s the best thing in the world for Pikachu to be with its own kind, causing Ash to feel like Pikachu would be better off without him. But when Ash tries to release Pikachu, Brock is very quick to tell him that he’s wrong to do so, showing that he never believed that Pikachu would be better off separating from Ash for good.
24	* InsaneTrollLogic: Team Rocket's reason for kidnapping all of the wild Pikachu.
25	-->'''James:''' All of this land is public property!\
26	'''Jessie:''' And ''we're'' part of the public!\
27	'''Meowth:''' So that means these Pikachu are technically ours!.
28	* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: James thanking all the fans for their support can be seen as the producers thanking Pokémon fans for their support after the Porygon incident. In the Japanese, he apologizes to their fans for keeping them waiting.
29	* NeverTrustATitle: Thankfully this isn't actually goodbye for Pikachu after all.
30	* ShooTheDog: Ash tries to do this with Pikachu. Fortunately, it doesn't take.
31	* StockAudioClip: Ash's Kangaskhan cry during his jungle boy routine is reused from "The Kangaskhan Kid".
32	* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: The reaction the family of Pikachu gives regarding to Ash, Misty, and Brock at first. Particularly when Ash foolishly runs right up to them loudly asking to be a part of their group. Their response to flee and hide played out as 'bout as you'd expect from any wild creature that lacked human contact.
33	* TryingNotToCry: Ash definitely struggles to hold himself together as he bids farewell to Pikachu.
34	* UndyingLoyalty: The only reason Pikachu doesn't want to leave Ash.
35	* VerySpecialEpisode: During the episode, Ash struggles with the idea of releasing Pikachu.
36	** Beyond that this episode wasn't originally part of the series plan and was specially made during the hiatus as an emotional action free "safe" story with extensive focus on the series mascot in order to try to placate everyone after the Porygon incident that the show wasn't dangerous.
37	* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: What ultimately gets Ash to start considering releasing Pikachu in the first place was a comment that Brock made, saying that ‘it was the best thing in the world for Pikachu to be here with its own kind.’ This comment sets off Ash’s doubts that Pikachu would be truly happy with him and after spending the episode dwelling on it, he decides that Pikachu would be better off staying in the forest rather then travelling with him. And while Pikachu does return to Ash, Brock is still technically responsible for him nearly being released since he was the one who made Ash feel like Pikachu would be better off without him.
38	* VineSwing: At the beginning, Ash does this, complete with a Tarzan-like yell and WatchOutForThatTree
39	* WatchOutForThatTree: When Ash does his jungle boy routine, he falls into this trope.
40	* WithAFootOnTheBus: Ash is ready to leave Pikachu with the other Pikachu, [[IJustWantMyBelovedToBeHappy so he could be happy with his own kind]]. Pikachu chose to stay with Ash instead, leading to a tearful reunion.

Context Recap / PokemonS1E39PikachusGoodbye