Pokémon, I Choose You!

"Pokémon - I Choose You!"
Pokémon episode
Ash with his newly received Pokémon; Pikachu. Professor Oak is seen in the background.
Episode no.	Season 1 Episode 1
Directed by	Masamitsu Hidaka
Written by	Original: Shoji Yonemura Translation: Paul Taylor
Original air date	Japan: April 1, 1997 United States: September 8, 1998
Episode chronology
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List of Pokémon episodes

"Pokémon - I Choose You!"(ポケモン！きみにきめた！, Pokémon! Kimi ni Kimeta!^?) is the pilot episode of the Pokémon anime series. It was first broadcast in Japan on April 1, 1997 and was first broadcast in the United States on September 8, 1998.

In the episode, Ash Ketchum gets his Pokémon journey off to a rough start when he receives his first Pokémon, a reluctant Pikachu. After many failed attempts at capturing some Pokémon, Ash throws a rock at a Spearow, which gets angry and starts attacking him and Pikachu. Soon, an entire flock of Spearow start chasing them, and Pikachu is the only one able to step in and stop the flock.

Nintendo, which publishes the Pokémon video games, asked for changes to be made to the English adaptation of the episode. Some graphic sequences involving punching were taken out, including one where Misty slaps Ash on the cheek. The script was translated by Paul Taylor. Veronica Taylor, who provided the English voice of Ash in this episode, said she enjoyed the script and recording Ash's lines.

Since airing, the episode has received positive reviews from television critics. Andrew Wood of The Plain Dealer praised the episode for staying true to the games, but thought it focused too much on the character Ash. A children's book adaptation of "Pokémon - I Choose You!" was released in July 1999, and the episode was released on Game Boy Advance Video in 2004. In 2017, a movie based on this episode, entitled Pokémon the Movie 20: I Choose You! will be released.