So I'm Rewatching Pokemon Season 1

Well, in bits and pieces. I unearthed a bunch of old VHS video's from my Dad's office. They're not all in order, and I've lost a few of them, but the bulk of the series is in tact.

Talk about super nostalgia blast! I forgot how much I loved the first season of Pokemon, despite it's mediocre animation and subpar dubbing. Oddly enough, though, despite the culture barriers (jell doughnuts!), I realize now that some of the jokes 4Kids spliced in were actually funny.

Like, I'm laughing at some of the humour. I was surprised -- something about anime from the nineties still tickles my funny bone even now (think: Medabots, that was a really good show).

There're also a number of things I didn't notice the first time I watched this stuff as a child. For example, in the "Tentacool and Tentacruel" episode, the ugly woman trying to build the hotel on the Tentacool's home has... a harem of boy slaves in Speedos? What!? How did that of all things slip through the 4Kids dubbing process?

Also, I loved how Gastle in "The Ghost of Maiden's Peak" could pull off all these impossible transformations that no Pokemon ever could in the game ("Venustoise?"). Seriously, if that was a real Pokemon with those capabilities, it's be like Arceus-tier!

Oh, and even at my age, I still can't make it through "Bye Bye Butterfree" without crying. Did you know in the original Japanese version, Butterfree didn't just go away forever after mating season, but actually died. I guess 4Kids decided that was a little to morbid for American viewers and watered it down to what it is now. AT least that explains why Ash was so darn sad when Butterfree left, though -- I mean, his reaction was notably extreme, especially in comparison to how he acted when his other Pokemon left.

Even so, though, it still really pulls at my heartstrings.

ITT: Post Pokemon nostalgia, opinions of the anime, comparisons to the new seasons, etc. Whatever you want, really. I just wanted to wallow in some good, ol' Pokemon nostalgia, so feel free to hop in and enjoy the experience.

This post has been edited by Mrs. Aforcer on Jul 11 2009, 04:14 AM

One time I caught a Charmander and it leveled up

then I had a Charizard

It was special because Charmander was my first Pokemon, and the fact that I found Pokemon Red in a couch inside of our summer home about 5 years ago.

FREE GAMES

you do realize those were illusions right



pic related

pokemon season 1 is amazing

i like how much james and jesse's voices change

I'm watching the sub at the moment, I used to watch the dub all the time when I was little though.