July 14, 2025 • 30 mins
Pokémon Anime Review – EP017: “Island of the Giant Pokémon” | Poké-Rollercoaster
In this episode of the Pika Pals Podcast, I revisit Pokémon: Island of the Giant Pokémon. After washing ashore on a mysterious island, Ash and the gang discover their Pokémon have gone missing — but that’s not the only surprise. This surreal detour takes a wild turn when we hear the Pokémon talk (yes, really), and Team Rocket finds themselves in a runaway minecart chase straight out of a fever dream. Meanwhile, Pikachu and the others try to make sense of giant robotic Pokémon stalking the island. Is it a theme park? A simulation? Or just the weirdest vacation spot in Kanto? Either way, it’s one unforgettable episode — packed with action, oddities, and a rare glimpse into the Pokémon’s point of view.
⚡ Whether you’re a 90s kid reliving Indigo League memories or a new fan exploring the Kanto region for the first time, this nostalgic anime rewatch is full of fun, fan theories, and friendship. 🎧 New episodes weekly! Follow and be part of the Pika Pals family!
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🚨 Disclaimer:
Pika Pals Podcast is a fan project and not affiliated with Nintendo, Game Freak, or The Pokémon Company. All rights to characters, names, and images belong to their respective owners.
Episode details and Pokémon facts referenced from Bulbapedia, with appreciation for their amazing fan community.
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Keywords: Pokémon anime podcast, Indigo League rewatch, Ash Ketchum, Pikachu, Misty, Brock, Kanto region, Team Rocket, 90s anime, Pokémon nostalgia, Pokémon episode review, anime podcast, Pokémon fandom, retro anime, classic Pokémon, fan theories, Pokémon rewatch, mental health & fandom, Pika Pals Podcast
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:19):
And now, join Pokémon Trainer Jed for a non-stop,
action-packed, laugh filled perilous journey.
Turn your hat around, grab your pokeballs, and get ready for the
fantastic Pika Pals podcast, where the excitement never ends.
Hey, what's going on, Pika Pals?And thank you for coming to hang
out. Welcome to the Pika Pals
(00:40):
podcast. I am your host Pokémon trainer
Jed and I Thank you for tuning in.
Today we're diving into episode 17 of the original Pokémon
anime. This one is called Island of the
Giant Pokémon, where our heroes get stranded, separated, and
stalked by super size imposters.It's a great episode.
(01:03):
We get to see a lot of Pokémon interaction here, including
subtitles on what the Pokémon are actually saying.
I really enjoyed going back and watching this episode, and I
hope you enjoy my podcast recapping it.
So let's get to it. Originally aired on September
(01:30):
the 24th, 1998, this episode is titled Island of the Giant
Pokémon, and it's one of the fewepisodes that has the same name
in the Japanese anime Island of the Giant Pokémon.
Today I'm looking at what made it memorable, wild, and maybe
even a little bit weird. And let's get into it with some
cool trivia. So this is the only episode
(01:52):
where they used subtitles to translate what the Pokémon were
saying. In some non-english dubs, the
Pokémon would use human languageor voice overs.
But it was really cool to see the Pokémon interacting so much
in this episode and also see thesubtitles for the Pokémon
talking in their own little poker language.
We don't get to see that very often at all.
(02:15):
So that was very cool about thisepisode.
Now in the Japanese version of this episode, they even revealed
the genders of some of the Pokémon through the subtitles.
Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Eckins were all implied to
be male because they used a first person pronoun almost
exclusively used by males. Now in this episode, Bulbasaur
(02:38):
and Meowth seem to get a bit toocarried away at the Tiki Stand
and they were acting like they were drunk, which is fun to see
in a children's anime. There's even a scene where
someone talks to a Baroqueep in the original Japanese anime that
backs this up. The fact that these guys were
lost on this island, grouped together, and just went off for
(02:59):
a drink at the nearest bar. There just happened to be a tiki
bar in the middle of the forest.And guess what?
The music that plays during the Pokémon Land Tour seen towards
the end of this episode is the same music that plays when the
SSN leaves the pool in the Pokémon games.
Now ain't that cool? Here's something interesting as
(03:19):
well. The robotic Moltres that chased
Team Rocket and the robotic Rideon were the only giant Pokémon
that weren't seen to be destroyed, but Giovanni's phone
call hinted that they might havebeen destroyed anyway.
At the end of the episode, we see all of these giant
mechanical Pokémon. I just did a heap on the floor.
(03:41):
Maybe two of them got away, but I think by the antics that Team
Rocket and Ash and the gang got up to, they probably all got
destroyed. Also, even though the Ash never
found Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirrels poker balls, he
doesn't seem to have lost them, he just isn't shown with them.
At the end of the episode he's reunited with his Pokémon but
not his poker balls. So maybe there's a missing scene
(04:04):
where we just have to imagine that Ash went off on camera and
found the poker balls separately.
We'll just say that happened forcontinuity sake.
Now, seen at the start and end of this episode is Slowpoke and
Slow Bro. At the end of this episode,
however, Slowpoke says Slowpoke.But guess what?
(04:26):
He realizes he's evolved. Now this might mean that even
Pokémon who aren't trained couldsay things that aren't their own
name, as he's able to say his own name as well as the name of
his previous form. But it's probably just slow Poke
and slow bro being a bit slow witted maybe.
This episode is also part of Pokémon All Star series, and it
(04:49):
was featured on Volume 4 Squirrel.
It's also been adapted into a book called Island of the Giant
Pokémon. And get this, this episode has
the most Pokémon poker rap images out of any other episode.
Now here's something interestingas well.
When this episode aired on the CN network in India, the Pokémon
(05:10):
got voice overs even though the subtitles were still there.
So maybe that is the language where the Pokémon have human
voices. They're Indian.
But then when this episode was shown again later, the Pokémon
didn't get voice overs and even the subtitles were gone.
So that would have made it supertricky to try and understand
what the Pokémon was saying, especially as the subtitles are
(05:31):
kind of a key part of the story arc of this episode.
So without them, you're just going to have to kind of make up
the story in your own head. Here's another fun fact.
In this episode, Atkins says there's not such a thing as an
evil Pokémon. But later down the line in the
Pokémon universe, that idea is proven wrong.
Now, can you tell me which Pokémon in the series XY proves
(05:55):
to be evil? Leave a comment on the episode.
Oh yeah, and this episode also mentions one of the few times in
Pokémon where humans are eaten by Pokémon.
In previous episodes, I've pondered whether real animals
exist in the Pokémon universe, because do human characters eat
(06:15):
fish? Or do human characters eat beef?
Do they eat Pokémon? I should hope not, but this
episode implies that Pokémon might eat humans because it's
Squirtle who says that Ash, Misty, and Brock might have been
eaten by wild Pokémon, and Pikachu and Charmander do not
find it funny at all. They tell them to stop talking
that way. Now, at the beginning of this
(06:36):
episode, we see Ash and his friends washed up on the beach,
and that is a reference to the classic film Mysterious Island,
where people get stranded on an island with creatures that have
been genetically enhanced to be giants.
And guess what else? Jesse's comment about the sand
near the beginning of this episode is also a reference to
(06:58):
famous Japanese poet named Takabuko Ishikawa, as he wrote a
poem called A Handful of Sand. There's also that other famous
poem about sand by Anakin Skywalker.
It's rough and it's coarse and it gets everywhere.
Now here's something interestingif you're listening in Brazil,
this episode got skipped in the 2008 rotation on the Brazilian
(07:23):
animated series of Redeed TV. Sorry Brazil, but they skipped
over this one for you. And this episode is the third
episode so far to show an evolution in a totally different
way than the usual glow effect. Usually we see the screen
outline the Pokémon and they glow bright white, and then they
(07:44):
evolve into their next form. But in this one, Slowpoke just
stands up with the shell on the end of it's tail and it's
changed form. And did you know that Jesse and
James in this episode mention that they got their Pokémon as
Chugen gifts, which is a gift for her last birthday in the
(08:05):
English dub, and Orcibo Gifts which is referenced as a
Christmas gift in the English dub.
However, years later in the Pokémon series, it was revealed
that Giovanni was the one that gave Coughing to James.
So it seems like Pokémon can be given as gifts after all.
And maybe Giovanni gave James the gift for Christmas.
(08:28):
I mean, he can still receive it for Christmas and be given it by
Giovanni. Doesn't mean that the continuity
had to change. And here's some more sound
effects reused in the Super Smash Bros game.
Now in the Japanese version, Coughing's line where he refuses
to obey mouth is actually heard in the Japanese version of Super
Smash Bros when they summon their coughing via a poker ball.
(08:53):
Now poker perfectionists beware as I've picked out some
animation slip UPS again. And if you go back and watch it,
let me know if you can spot these errors too.
We see a few colouring errors again.
Ash's hat constantly changing colour, Atkins is missing a
stripe at one point, and even Jesse's eyes change color.
(09:13):
But you'd have to be kind of real nitpicky to find those
things. And of course, let's talk about
the dub edits, the changes from the Japanese version to the
English version. Now, in the original Japanese
airing, Pocket Monsters for thisepisode, the scene at the
beginning where Krabby crawls along the sand and pinches Team
Rocket. And when we also see Slowpoke,
(09:35):
they also had subtitles of what they were saying and thinking in
the original Japanese version. Meowth's reaction also had two
interpretations in the Japanese version.
Now, one implies that he has a master, but one implies that he
doesn't. And if you go back and listen to
my Team Rocket Takeover episode where I bring you a whole bunch
(09:56):
of Team Rocket facts, we find out that Meowth is actually a
stray Pokémon who chooses to stick around with Team Rocket
just because he wants to. Now one of my favorite scenes is
the Pokémon gathering together in the middle of this jungle at
this bar, this little tiki standhaving a talk over some drinks.
And in the Japanese version theyactually have a full
conversation that wasn't translated into the English dub
(10:20):
with the exception of Bulbasaur and squirrels small exchange.
There was actually more said. So here we go.
This was the translation of whatthe Pokémon was saying to each
other at the poke bar. Hey welcome to the poker bar.
What can I get you? I have a large Scotch.
Those darn humans. Those darn humans.
(10:44):
Peekaboo. Those darn humans.
Not all people are bad, Cha. Not now, Squirtle Squirt.
Is anyone going to eat these chicken wings if I order them?
Hey, cheer up. We understand coffee.
(11:07):
We're going to go out to the smoking head.
I understand your tooths. That's just how the world is.
Hey, Barkley. Oh my.
Oh, my. Stop.
Get me another drink. OK, so maybe it didn't go
exactly like that, but that was the actual dialogue from the
(11:29):
Japanese version translated intoEnglish.
So that's what the Pokémon were discussing at the bar.
I added the bit about coughing going to the smoking area.
So that part wasn't in it, but the rest was the same.
It was just my performance of itthat probably wasn't that good.
Anyway, let's do some more facts.
Did you know that the English dub has a subtitle that tells
(11:51):
the time? It's like having a building
watch while you watch the show. I remember in the UK we had a
morning programme called GMTV, which Pokémon would sometimes
follow, and they had a morning clock in the in the corner of
the screen. Usually you'd look at that and
you'd know which time you'd haveto get ready to leave the house
to get to school. So maybe that's why it was
(12:13):
there. In the Latin American dub, when
Meowth says the mechanical Blastoise is an evolved form of
Squirtle, he actually pronouncesit Ball Toise, which reading
that I thought was quite funny. So that's a, that's a ball
Toise. Also in the Japanese original
airing, when Jesse apologizes tothe giant Kabutos Mecca when the
(12:37):
cart cable kind of tripped it over, she says Kabutos.
Sorry about that. When Jesse and James were making
the collect call to Giovanni. Oh, not another collect call.
We've had one of these before inPokémon 0800 reverse.
I told you my thoughts on them. I'm pretty sure Giovanni would
have been furious, but when Jesse and James make the collect
(12:59):
call to Giovanni, they asked to be saved and then recited their
motto. But then they remembered that
they had an advanced payment, sothey changed the dub to simply
want to do the introduction first, with Giovanni expressing
his annoyance at the nonsense. I imagine it would probably take
quite a long time to have a conversation with Jesse and
(13:20):
James over the phone if every time they called they insisted
on doing the full Team Rocket motto.
In the original Japanese version, the giant robotic
Pikachu lets out a deep menacingpico roar as Ash and his friends
come across it. But in the dub, the robotic
Pikachu plays a recording of an actual Pikachu cry sound.
(13:44):
And also, the digital effect on Giovanni's voice was only used
in the dub. In these early episodes,
Giovanni, the boss of Team Rocket, is still shown to be
quite mysterious, so we're kind of only seeing glimpses of him
and and hearing his voice distorted at this stage.
Lastly, in the Polish dub of this episode on Netflix, the
(14:09):
Pokémon speech is translated with subtitles, but in the
original Polish dub that aired on TV, they had the narrator
read the speech instead. That would be really interesting
to me. I'd love to see the episode
where the narrator voiced over the Pokémon.
(14:30):
Team Rocket flashed off at the speed of light.
Surrender now or prepare to fight.
Peeka Peeka. I guess the Team Rocket motto is
starting to lose its impact. Never mind.
OK guys, go get them. Hey, I said don't get him.
(15:01):
Ekins, Ekins, Ekins, Ekins. Coughing coughing what?
You just heard a clip there fromthe episode where Meowth was
trying to be Team Rocket all by himself but Ekins and Coughing
said that he was not their master.
One of my favorite parts of the episode that.
But what actually went down in this episode?
(15:21):
Well, after their raft took a nosedive, Ash, Misty, Brock, and
Team Rocket found themselves washed ashore on an eerily
deserted island. They're not alone, because
there's giant versions of Pokémon on the island too, and
these giant robotic Pokémon decided to attack both groups.
(15:41):
But in the end, it turned out that the whole thing was just a
giant theme park invested in by Giovanni.
Although he's going to be very disappointed that most of his
main attractions have now been destroyed.
Now all separated, their Pokémonactually had to put their
differences aside and try and work together to survive.
Fun to go back and watch this episode.
(16:04):
After the intense St. Anne arc, this is kind of a bit
of a breather and a bit of welcome respite.
But don't let it fool you, it's also packed with that classic
Pokémon mystery and a delightfuldose of group dynamics that we
love to see in the early Pokémonepisodes.
The episode's tension is light and playful.
(16:24):
In this one, it's mainly focusedon the Pokémon, which I enjoyed.
We got to see Pikachu being a real leader among the Pokémon.
Even though Mouth was trying to be the leader, the rest of the
Pokémon decided that he could beat the bottom of the rank.
And it's not a serious battle episode.
It's sort of previous training episode, but it's still full of
atmosphere that'll keep you on the edge of your seat.
(16:46):
A very Pokémon centric episode. Feel like the Pokémon were on
their own little mini adventure.Reminded me of the Pokémon
shorts that used to get shown before the Pokémon movie like
Pikachu's Vacation. So watch this episode if you
want to see Pokémon subtitles for one of the only times in
Pokémon history. A nice little episode about
friendship, teamwork, the true meanings of evil, and why you
(17:10):
should you should never snap thebrake on a runaway roller
coaster. Hand over Pikachu, but not that
big one Ash Look. Back there, Pikachu, Squirtle,
(17:31):
Charmander, Bulbasaur. Be trampled if you don't do
something. Stop the car right now.
We can't do that. We can't stop the brakes broken.
Give me a break. Now stick around on the Peek A
Pounds podcast because I'm goingto be right back with more
Pokémon action. But first, I've got to take a
(17:53):
pause for the course. Keep the lights on in the Peek a
Pounds studio with a quick message from our sponsors.
This episode of the Peak of Palspodcast is sponsored by Ride ONS
Ride on Lawn Mowers. When your lawns out of control,
(18:14):
your weeds are shoulder high, and you've started referring to
your back garden as Route 119, it might be time to bring in the
big guns. Ride ONS Ride on lawn mowers are
not your average grass trimmers.These beasts are built using
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(18:39):
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Mow the lawn, no ride on it. Cut through thick grass, dense
underbush, loose gravel and in some cases reinforced fencing.
(18:59):
Ideal for gardens, battlefields,all that one neighbour's hedge
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(19:21):
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Ride ONS Ride on lawn mowers because in Canto, the lawn
doesn't stand a chance. Side effects may include uneven
(19:44):
dirt, spontaneous evolution, angry tickets, and minor seismic
events. Always read the manual and never
turn your back on the mower. Welcome back, Pika Pals.
(20:20):
I hope you're having fun here onthe Pika Pals podcast.
Let's whip out the Pokedex for Who's That Pokémon?
So I have my official Pokémon handbook with me.
I'm going to read out a short paragraph on a Pokémon and then
give you very quick amount of time to try and guess it.
(20:43):
This Pokémon is slow mentally and physically, but it's cute
and lovable eating out. Good luck and its instincts are
good. Overall a good pet, although
teaching it new techniques may be frustrating.
So that just leaves me with one question, Pokémon.
(21:16):
That's right, it's Slowbro. The Japanese name of Slowbro was
Yadorin. National pokedex #80 is a water
and psychic type. It evolves from Slow Poke
starting at level 37. It is one of Slowpoke's final
forms, the other being Slow King.
(21:39):
Slowbro can Mega evolve into Mega Slowbro using Slow Brunite.
Slowbro's physical appearance may be loosely based on
hippopotamuses, giant otters, and giant salamanders.
It's shell and lifestyle are also reminiscent of Hermit Craps
(22:01):
additionally that share similarities with the mythical
Sazioni, a magical sea demon of the Japanese folklore
characterized by its spinny, turbid snail shell.
Mega slow Bros upright and balanced stance may draw
inspiration from an early biogma, a Japanese spinning top
(22:21):
originally made from a seashell,notably the Japanese ivory
seashell stuffed with sand or clay.
Gallerian slow Bros, Poison type.
I might draw inspiration from cone snails, which have cone
shaped shells and are highly venomous.
The Shell's position on Slobro'sarm and the use for ranged
(22:44):
attacks resemble depictions of arm cannons in fiction.
Slobro's name may be a combination of the words slow
and bro for brother. Yeah, Doran may involve the
Japanese word for hermit crab. Yeah, Dokary, the Japanese word
for parasitic hosts yadunoshi and the Japanese word for dull
(23:09):
Don, according to Yugoslavian singer-songwriter Jadankrin
Stakovic. Not sure if that was pronounced
correctly. Yaderin was named after her
first name, Yaderanka, when she was working for Konami during
her time in Japan. A former colleague of hers who
later joined Game Freak brought her name to mind while naming
(23:31):
Yaddara. I wonder if it was also named
after her personality type. Maybe she was incredibly slow.
Here's some slow Bro trivia. Mega Slow Bro was first
accidentally revealed on the official Korean Pokémon website
on August the 12th, 2014. This was two days prior to its
(23:53):
official release. Mega Slobro is tied with
Cloister for the highest base defense stat of all Water type
Pokémon. Slowbro's Tail has an attached
Shelder, the pre evolved form ofCloister which grows to engulf
it during Mega Revolution, whichmay have been an intended
(24:14):
parallel. Mega Slobro also has the highest
base Defense stat of all Psychictype Pokémon.
Slowbro's Pokedex entries state that if Shelder is removed, it
will revert to Slowpoke, and this is a rare example of DE
evolution being mentioned in thePokémon games.
(24:35):
Slowbro is the only Pokémon to have a Mega Evolution and a
regional form in Pokémon Go, which features both the
Gallerian Slowbro and the Mega Evolve.
So whether it's hanging out witha clam on its butt or getting
swallowed whole by its own tailside roommate, Slow Bro
(24:56):
remains one of the most bizarre and beloved oddballs in the
Pokedex. Slow and steady win to the race
sometimes. Do you want to hear some Pokémon
jokes? No, well, I'm going to tell them
anyway. It's time for everyone's
favorite segment. It's time for Joe Kimon.
(25:18):
OK, let's see what we've got with the Pokémon jokes this
week. This is the part of the podcast
where I tell Pokémon jokes. The first one, Ivy Soul's
favorite dance move, the Vine Whip.
And Nae Nae can tell we're off to a good start.
Sparrow was cast in Hitchcock's The Birds, but was cut off for
(25:39):
being too aggressive. Deep cut.
There's one about Nedo King. Nedo King joined a punk band.
Every song starts with rah and ends with a tail slam.
OK, here's a Knock Knock joke. This one might be good.
Knock Knock. Who's there?
Delia. Delia who?
(26:00):
Delia. Dinner's been ready for five
seed and Delia. I think I've messed up the
punchline. Anyway, that one's about Delia
Ketchum. Enjoy, folks.
That was joking on. Now it's time for Dragonite's
(26:28):
Mailbag, where I read your questions, comments and
theories. This week's poker question comes
from trainer Sparky Chew. Who asks why did the Pokémon
only talk in the episode Island of the Giant Pokémon and never
again? This is a great question and
(26:48):
fits perfectly for this podcast episode.
Well I guess this episode was kind of a one off and the riders
wanted to show the story from the Pokémon's point of view,
which I personally really enjoyed.
And so we got to see the Pokémonand their trainers actually
split up. And I guess giving the Pokémon
voices just made the whole experience more surreal and
(27:11):
funny. It's not really something that
they ever repeated in the main anime, probably to keep the
mystery of Pokémon communicationintact and emphasize more that
Meowth is the only Pokémon who can communicate with both humans
and Pokémon. But it worked really well, I
thought, in this episode, and it's still something that fans
kind of talk about and debate till this day.
(27:32):
So it's a true stand out moment.Thank you very much for your
question, Trainer Sparky. True.
And don't forget to send in yourPokémon.
And I might pick your question to be featured on the show.
But that brings us to the end ofthis week's show, and you know
what that means. Somehow, someway, we have to say
(28:11):
good bye. Bye bye Peeka pals.
That's all for today's episode. Thanks for hanging out Peeka
Pals. If you enjoyed the Peeka Pals
podcast, please leave a review and a rating because that really
will help me out and it will also help other Pokémon fans
(28:33):
discover the show. Don't forget to share this
episode with a fellow Pokémon trainer, a sibling, a friend or
even your very own Pikachu. Coming up next time on the Pika
Pals podcast, I will be looking at the infamous episode Beauty
and the Beach, The Band, the Bold and the Bathing Suits.
(28:55):
You do not want to miss it. And also, just a reminder, I'm
raising money for the mental health charity Mind in Somerset.
There are more details about my Pika pals with the Unite
fundraiser in the episode description.
Help spread friendship and positivity beyond the screen.
You can catch me across all yoursocials at Yeet a Mania.
(29:18):
That's yeet a mania like Hulk mania, but yeetamania Yeet a
mania is running wild, brother. Or you can e-mail me at
yeetamania@gmail.com. But I've been Jed, this has been
the Pika Pals podcast, and you've been a real Pika Pal.
(29:39):
Take us away, Pokémon narrator. The show may be over, but the
journey continues.
And now, join Pokémon Trainer Jed for a non-stop,
action-packed, laugh filled perilous journey.
Turn your hat around, grab your pokeballs, and get ready for the
fantastic Pika Pals podcast, where the excitement never ends.
Hey, what's going on, Pika Pals?And thank you for coming to hang
out. Welcome to the Pika Pals
(00:40):
podcast. I am your host Pokémon trainer
Jed and I Thank you for tuning in.
Today we're diving into episode 17 of the original Pokémon
anime. This one is called Island of the
Giant Pokémon, where our heroes get stranded, separated, and
stalked by super size imposters.It's a great episode.
(01:03):
We get to see a lot of Pokémon interaction here, including
subtitles on what the Pokémon are actually saying.
I really enjoyed going back and watching this episode, and I
hope you enjoy my podcast recapping it.
So let's get to it. Originally aired on September
(01:30):
the 24th, 1998, this episode is titled Island of the Giant
Pokémon, and it's one of the fewepisodes that has the same name
in the Japanese anime Island of the Giant Pokémon.
Today I'm looking at what made it memorable, wild, and maybe
even a little bit weird. And let's get into it with some
cool trivia. So this is the only episode
(01:52):
where they used subtitles to translate what the Pokémon were
saying. In some non-english dubs, the
Pokémon would use human languageor voice overs.
But it was really cool to see the Pokémon interacting so much
in this episode and also see thesubtitles for the Pokémon
talking in their own little poker language.
We don't get to see that very often at all.
(02:15):
So that was very cool about thisepisode.
Now in the Japanese version of this episode, they even revealed
the genders of some of the Pokémon through the subtitles.
Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Eckins were all implied to
be male because they used a first person pronoun almost
exclusively used by males. Now in this episode, Bulbasaur
(02:38):
and Meowth seem to get a bit toocarried away at the Tiki Stand
and they were acting like they were drunk, which is fun to see
in a children's anime. There's even a scene where
someone talks to a Baroqueep in the original Japanese anime that
backs this up. The fact that these guys were
lost on this island, grouped together, and just went off for
(02:59):
a drink at the nearest bar. There just happened to be a tiki
bar in the middle of the forest.And guess what?
The music that plays during the Pokémon Land Tour seen towards
the end of this episode is the same music that plays when the
SSN leaves the pool in the Pokémon games.
Now ain't that cool? Here's something interesting as
(03:19):
well. The robotic Moltres that chased
Team Rocket and the robotic Rideon were the only giant Pokémon
that weren't seen to be destroyed, but Giovanni's phone
call hinted that they might havebeen destroyed anyway.
At the end of the episode, we see all of these giant
mechanical Pokémon. I just did a heap on the floor.
(03:41):
Maybe two of them got away, but I think by the antics that Team
Rocket and Ash and the gang got up to, they probably all got
destroyed. Also, even though the Ash never
found Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirrels poker balls, he
doesn't seem to have lost them, he just isn't shown with them.
At the end of the episode he's reunited with his Pokémon but
not his poker balls. So maybe there's a missing scene
(04:04):
where we just have to imagine that Ash went off on camera and
found the poker balls separately.
We'll just say that happened forcontinuity sake.
Now, seen at the start and end of this episode is Slowpoke and
Slow Bro. At the end of this episode,
however, Slowpoke says Slowpoke.But guess what?
(04:26):
He realizes he's evolved. Now this might mean that even
Pokémon who aren't trained couldsay things that aren't their own
name, as he's able to say his own name as well as the name of
his previous form. But it's probably just slow Poke
and slow bro being a bit slow witted maybe.
This episode is also part of Pokémon All Star series, and it
(04:49):
was featured on Volume 4 Squirrel.
It's also been adapted into a book called Island of the Giant
Pokémon. And get this, this episode has
the most Pokémon poker rap images out of any other episode.
Now here's something interestingas well.
When this episode aired on the CN network in India, the Pokémon
(05:10):
got voice overs even though the subtitles were still there.
So maybe that is the language where the Pokémon have human
voices. They're Indian.
But then when this episode was shown again later, the Pokémon
didn't get voice overs and even the subtitles were gone.
So that would have made it supertricky to try and understand
what the Pokémon was saying, especially as the subtitles are
(05:31):
kind of a key part of the story arc of this episode.
So without them, you're just going to have to kind of make up
the story in your own head. Here's another fun fact.
In this episode, Atkins says there's not such a thing as an
evil Pokémon. But later down the line in the
Pokémon universe, that idea is proven wrong.
Now, can you tell me which Pokémon in the series XY proves
(05:55):
to be evil? Leave a comment on the episode.
Oh yeah, and this episode also mentions one of the few times in
Pokémon where humans are eaten by Pokémon.
In previous episodes, I've pondered whether real animals
exist in the Pokémon universe, because do human characters eat
(06:15):
fish? Or do human characters eat beef?
Do they eat Pokémon? I should hope not, but this
episode implies that Pokémon might eat humans because it's
Squirtle who says that Ash, Misty, and Brock might have been
eaten by wild Pokémon, and Pikachu and Charmander do not
find it funny at all. They tell them to stop talking
that way. Now, at the beginning of this
(06:36):
episode, we see Ash and his friends washed up on the beach,
and that is a reference to the classic film Mysterious Island,
where people get stranded on an island with creatures that have
been genetically enhanced to be giants.
And guess what else? Jesse's comment about the sand
near the beginning of this episode is also a reference to
(06:58):
famous Japanese poet named Takabuko Ishikawa, as he wrote a
poem called A Handful of Sand. There's also that other famous
poem about sand by Anakin Skywalker.
It's rough and it's coarse and it gets everywhere.
Now here's something interestingif you're listening in Brazil,
this episode got skipped in the 2008 rotation on the Brazilian
(07:23):
animated series of Redeed TV. Sorry Brazil, but they skipped
over this one for you. And this episode is the third
episode so far to show an evolution in a totally different
way than the usual glow effect. Usually we see the screen
outline the Pokémon and they glow bright white, and then they
(07:44):
evolve into their next form. But in this one, Slowpoke just
stands up with the shell on the end of it's tail and it's
changed form. And did you know that Jesse and
James in this episode mention that they got their Pokémon as
Chugen gifts, which is a gift for her last birthday in the
(08:05):
English dub, and Orcibo Gifts which is referenced as a
Christmas gift in the English dub.
However, years later in the Pokémon series, it was revealed
that Giovanni was the one that gave Coughing to James.
So it seems like Pokémon can be given as gifts after all.
And maybe Giovanni gave James the gift for Christmas.
(08:28):
I mean, he can still receive it for Christmas and be given it by
Giovanni. Doesn't mean that the continuity
had to change. And here's some more sound
effects reused in the Super Smash Bros game.
Now in the Japanese version, Coughing's line where he refuses
to obey mouth is actually heard in the Japanese version of Super
Smash Bros when they summon their coughing via a poker ball.
(08:53):
Now poker perfectionists beware as I've picked out some
animation slip UPS again. And if you go back and watch it,
let me know if you can spot these errors too.
We see a few colouring errors again.
Ash's hat constantly changing colour, Atkins is missing a
stripe at one point, and even Jesse's eyes change color.
(09:13):
But you'd have to be kind of real nitpicky to find those
things. And of course, let's talk about
the dub edits, the changes from the Japanese version to the
English version. Now, in the original Japanese
airing, Pocket Monsters for thisepisode, the scene at the
beginning where Krabby crawls along the sand and pinches Team
Rocket. And when we also see Slowpoke,
(09:35):
they also had subtitles of what they were saying and thinking in
the original Japanese version. Meowth's reaction also had two
interpretations in the Japanese version.
Now, one implies that he has a master, but one implies that he
doesn't. And if you go back and listen to
my Team Rocket Takeover episode where I bring you a whole bunch
(09:56):
of Team Rocket facts, we find out that Meowth is actually a
stray Pokémon who chooses to stick around with Team Rocket
just because he wants to. Now one of my favorite scenes is
the Pokémon gathering together in the middle of this jungle at
this bar, this little tiki standhaving a talk over some drinks.
And in the Japanese version theyactually have a full
conversation that wasn't translated into the English dub
(10:20):
with the exception of Bulbasaur and squirrels small exchange.
There was actually more said. So here we go.
This was the translation of whatthe Pokémon was saying to each
other at the poke bar. Hey welcome to the poker bar.
What can I get you? I have a large Scotch.
Those darn humans. Those darn humans.
(10:44):
Peekaboo. Those darn humans.
Not all people are bad, Cha. Not now, Squirtle Squirt.
Is anyone going to eat these chicken wings if I order them?
Hey, cheer up. We understand coffee.
(11:07):
We're going to go out to the smoking head.
I understand your tooths. That's just how the world is.
Hey, Barkley. Oh my.
Oh, my. Stop.
Get me another drink. OK, so maybe it didn't go
exactly like that, but that was the actual dialogue from the
(11:29):
Japanese version translated intoEnglish.
So that's what the Pokémon were discussing at the bar.
I added the bit about coughing going to the smoking area.
So that part wasn't in it, but the rest was the same.
It was just my performance of itthat probably wasn't that good.
Anyway, let's do some more facts.
Did you know that the English dub has a subtitle that tells
(11:51):
the time? It's like having a building
watch while you watch the show. I remember in the UK we had a
morning programme called GMTV, which Pokémon would sometimes
follow, and they had a morning clock in the in the corner of
the screen. Usually you'd look at that and
you'd know which time you'd haveto get ready to leave the house
to get to school. So maybe that's why it was
(12:13):
there. In the Latin American dub, when
Meowth says the mechanical Blastoise is an evolved form of
Squirtle, he actually pronouncesit Ball Toise, which reading
that I thought was quite funny. So that's a, that's a ball
Toise. Also in the Japanese original
airing, when Jesse apologizes tothe giant Kabutos Mecca when the
(12:37):
cart cable kind of tripped it over, she says Kabutos.
Sorry about that. When Jesse and James were making
the collect call to Giovanni. Oh, not another collect call.
We've had one of these before inPokémon 0800 reverse.
I told you my thoughts on them. I'm pretty sure Giovanni would
have been furious, but when Jesse and James make the collect
(12:59):
call to Giovanni, they asked to be saved and then recited their
motto. But then they remembered that
they had an advanced payment, sothey changed the dub to simply
want to do the introduction first, with Giovanni expressing
his annoyance at the nonsense. I imagine it would probably take
quite a long time to have a conversation with Jesse and
(13:20):
James over the phone if every time they called they insisted
on doing the full Team Rocket motto.
In the original Japanese version, the giant robotic
Pikachu lets out a deep menacingpico roar as Ash and his friends
come across it. But in the dub, the robotic
Pikachu plays a recording of an actual Pikachu cry sound.
(13:44):
And also, the digital effect on Giovanni's voice was only used
in the dub. In these early episodes,
Giovanni, the boss of Team Rocket, is still shown to be
quite mysterious, so we're kind of only seeing glimpses of him
and and hearing his voice distorted at this stage.
Lastly, in the Polish dub of this episode on Netflix, the
(14:09):
Pokémon speech is translated with subtitles, but in the
original Polish dub that aired on TV, they had the narrator
read the speech instead. That would be really interesting
to me. I'd love to see the episode
where the narrator voiced over the Pokémon.
(14:30):
Team Rocket flashed off at the speed of light.
Surrender now or prepare to fight.
Peeka Peeka. I guess the Team Rocket motto is
starting to lose its impact. Never mind.
OK guys, go get them. Hey, I said don't get him.
(15:01):
Ekins, Ekins, Ekins, Ekins. Coughing coughing what?
You just heard a clip there fromthe episode where Meowth was
trying to be Team Rocket all by himself but Ekins and Coughing
said that he was not their master.
One of my favorite parts of the episode that.
But what actually went down in this episode?
(15:21):
Well, after their raft took a nosedive, Ash, Misty, Brock, and
Team Rocket found themselves washed ashore on an eerily
deserted island. They're not alone, because
there's giant versions of Pokémon on the island too, and
these giant robotic Pokémon decided to attack both groups.
(15:41):
But in the end, it turned out that the whole thing was just a
giant theme park invested in by Giovanni.
Although he's going to be very disappointed that most of his
main attractions have now been destroyed.
Now all separated, their Pokémonactually had to put their
differences aside and try and work together to survive.
Fun to go back and watch this episode.
(16:04):
After the intense St. Anne arc, this is kind of a bit
of a breather and a bit of welcome respite.
But don't let it fool you, it's also packed with that classic
Pokémon mystery and a delightfuldose of group dynamics that we
love to see in the early Pokémonepisodes.
The episode's tension is light and playful.
(16:24):
In this one, it's mainly focusedon the Pokémon, which I enjoyed.
We got to see Pikachu being a real leader among the Pokémon.
Even though Mouth was trying to be the leader, the rest of the
Pokémon decided that he could beat the bottom of the rank.
And it's not a serious battle episode.
It's sort of previous training episode, but it's still full of
atmosphere that'll keep you on the edge of your seat.
(16:46):
A very Pokémon centric episode. Feel like the Pokémon were on
their own little mini adventure.Reminded me of the Pokémon
shorts that used to get shown before the Pokémon movie like
Pikachu's Vacation. So watch this episode if you
want to see Pokémon subtitles for one of the only times in
Pokémon history. A nice little episode about
friendship, teamwork, the true meanings of evil, and why you
(17:10):
should you should never snap thebrake on a runaway roller
coaster. Hand over Pikachu, but not that
big one Ash Look. Back there, Pikachu, Squirtle,
(17:31):
Charmander, Bulbasaur. Be trampled if you don't do
something. Stop the car right now.
We can't do that. We can't stop the brakes broken.
Give me a break. Now stick around on the Peek A
Pounds podcast because I'm goingto be right back with more
Pokémon action. But first, I've got to take a
(17:53):
pause for the course. Keep the lights on in the Peek a
Pounds studio with a quick message from our sponsors.
This episode of the Peak of Palspodcast is sponsored by Ride ONS
Ride on Lawn Mowers. When your lawns out of control,
(18:14):
your weeds are shoulder high, and you've started referring to
your back garden as Route 119, it might be time to bring in the
big guns. Ride ONS Ride on lawn mowers are
not your average grass trimmers.These beasts are built using
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underbush, loose gravel and in some cases reinforced fencing.
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Ideal for gardens, battlefields,all that one neighbour's hedge
that mysteriously keeps growing back overnight.
Each mower comes with rock blastsuspension, earthquake resistant
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(19:21):
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Ride ONS Ride on lawn mowers because in Canto, the lawn
doesn't stand a chance. Side effects may include uneven
(19:44):
dirt, spontaneous evolution, angry tickets, and minor seismic
events. Always read the manual and never
turn your back on the mower. Welcome back, Pika Pals.
(20:20):
I hope you're having fun here onthe Pika Pals podcast.
Let's whip out the Pokedex for Who's That Pokémon?
So I have my official Pokémon handbook with me.
I'm going to read out a short paragraph on a Pokémon and then
give you very quick amount of time to try and guess it.
(20:43):
This Pokémon is slow mentally and physically, but it's cute
and lovable eating out. Good luck and its instincts are
good. Overall a good pet, although
teaching it new techniques may be frustrating.
So that just leaves me with one question, Pokémon.
(21:16):
That's right, it's Slowbro. The Japanese name of Slowbro was
Yadorin. National pokedex #80 is a water
and psychic type. It evolves from Slow Poke
starting at level 37. It is one of Slowpoke's final
forms, the other being Slow King.
(21:39):
Slowbro can Mega evolve into Mega Slowbro using Slow Brunite.
Slowbro's physical appearance may be loosely based on
hippopotamuses, giant otters, and giant salamanders.
It's shell and lifestyle are also reminiscent of Hermit Craps
(22:01):
additionally that share similarities with the mythical
Sazioni, a magical sea demon of the Japanese folklore
characterized by its spinny, turbid snail shell.
Mega slow Bros upright and balanced stance may draw
inspiration from an early biogma, a Japanese spinning top
(22:21):
originally made from a seashell,notably the Japanese ivory
seashell stuffed with sand or clay.
Gallerian slow Bros, Poison type.
I might draw inspiration from cone snails, which have cone
shaped shells and are highly venomous.
The Shell's position on Slobro'sarm and the use for ranged
(22:44):
attacks resemble depictions of arm cannons in fiction.
Slobro's name may be a combination of the words slow
and bro for brother. Yeah, Doran may involve the
Japanese word for hermit crab. Yeah, Dokary, the Japanese word
for parasitic hosts yadunoshi and the Japanese word for dull
(23:09):
Don, according to Yugoslavian singer-songwriter Jadankrin
Stakovic. Not sure if that was pronounced
correctly. Yaderin was named after her
first name, Yaderanka, when she was working for Konami during
her time in Japan. A former colleague of hers who
later joined Game Freak brought her name to mind while naming
(23:31):
Yaddara. I wonder if it was also named
after her personality type. Maybe she was incredibly slow.
Here's some slow Bro trivia. Mega Slow Bro was first
accidentally revealed on the official Korean Pokémon website
on August the 12th, 2014. This was two days prior to its
(23:53):
official release. Mega Slobro is tied with
Cloister for the highest base defense stat of all Water type
Pokémon. Slowbro's Tail has an attached
Shelder, the pre evolved form ofCloister which grows to engulf
it during Mega Revolution, whichmay have been an intended
(24:14):
parallel. Mega Slobro also has the highest
base Defense stat of all Psychictype Pokémon.
Slowbro's Pokedex entries state that if Shelder is removed, it
will revert to Slowpoke, and this is a rare example of DE
evolution being mentioned in thePokémon games.
(24:35):
Slowbro is the only Pokémon to have a Mega Evolution and a
regional form in Pokémon Go, which features both the
Gallerian Slowbro and the Mega Evolve.
So whether it's hanging out witha clam on its butt or getting
swallowed whole by its own tailside roommate, Slow Bro
(24:56):
remains one of the most bizarre and beloved oddballs in the
Pokedex. Slow and steady win to the race
sometimes. Do you want to hear some Pokémon
jokes? No, well, I'm going to tell them
anyway. It's time for everyone's
favorite segment. It's time for Joe Kimon.
(25:18):
OK, let's see what we've got with the Pokémon jokes this
week. This is the part of the podcast
where I tell Pokémon jokes. The first one, Ivy Soul's
favorite dance move, the Vine Whip.
And Nae Nae can tell we're off to a good start.
Sparrow was cast in Hitchcock's The Birds, but was cut off for
(25:39):
being too aggressive. Deep cut.
There's one about Nedo King. Nedo King joined a punk band.
Every song starts with rah and ends with a tail slam.
OK, here's a Knock Knock joke. This one might be good.
Knock Knock. Who's there?
Delia. Delia who?
(26:00):
Delia. Dinner's been ready for five
seed and Delia. I think I've messed up the
punchline. Anyway, that one's about Delia
Ketchum. Enjoy, folks.
That was joking on. Now it's time for Dragonite's
(26:28):
Mailbag, where I read your questions, comments and
theories. This week's poker question comes
from trainer Sparky Chew. Who asks why did the Pokémon
only talk in the episode Island of the Giant Pokémon and never
again? This is a great question and
(26:48):
fits perfectly for this podcast episode.
Well I guess this episode was kind of a one off and the riders
wanted to show the story from the Pokémon's point of view,
which I personally really enjoyed.
And so we got to see the Pokémonand their trainers actually
split up. And I guess giving the Pokémon
voices just made the whole experience more surreal and
(27:11):
funny. It's not really something that
they ever repeated in the main anime, probably to keep the
mystery of Pokémon communicationintact and emphasize more that
Meowth is the only Pokémon who can communicate with both humans
and Pokémon. But it worked really well, I
thought, in this episode, and it's still something that fans
kind of talk about and debate till this day.
(27:32):
So it's a true stand out moment.Thank you very much for your
question, Trainer Sparky. True.
And don't forget to send in yourPokémon.
And I might pick your question to be featured on the show.
But that brings us to the end ofthis week's show, and you know
what that means. Somehow, someway, we have to say
(28:11):
good bye. Bye bye Peeka pals.
That's all for today's episode. Thanks for hanging out Peeka
Pals. If you enjoyed the Peeka Pals
podcast, please leave a review and a rating because that really
will help me out and it will also help other Pokémon fans
(28:33):
discover the show. Don't forget to share this
episode with a fellow Pokémon trainer, a sibling, a friend or
even your very own Pikachu. Coming up next time on the Pika
Pals podcast, I will be looking at the infamous episode Beauty
and the Beach, The Band, the Bold and the Bathing Suits.
(28:55):
You do not want to miss it. And also, just a reminder, I'm
raising money for the mental health charity Mind in Somerset.
There are more details about my Pika pals with the Unite
fundraiser in the episode description.
Help spread friendship and positivity beyond the screen.
You can catch me across all yoursocials at Yeet a Mania.
(29:18):
That's yeet a mania like Hulk mania, but yeetamania Yeet a
mania is running wild, brother. Or you can e-mail me at
yeetamania@gmail.com. But I've been Jed, this has been
the Pika Pals podcast, and you've been a real Pika Pal.
(29:39):
Take us away, Pokémon narrator. The show may be over, but the
journey continues.
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