Pocket Monsters (1997 series)

For the Western-dubbed series that was split into two, see Pokémon the Series: The Beginning or Pokémon the Series: Gold and Silver.

Japanese logo of Pocket Monsters

Pocket Monsters (Japanese: ポケットモンスター, Hepburn: Poketto Monsutaa), and Pocket Monsters (Hangul: 포켓몬스터, Revised Romanization: Poket Monseuteo) in South Korea, int. PM, is the first series of Pokémon the Series in Japan, South Korea, China and Taiwan. This series ran from April 1, 1997 to November 14, 2002 in Japan, and July 14, 1999 to November 27, 2002 in South Korea. The series covers a rookie trainer from Pallet Town, Ash Ketchum, who begins his journey as a trainer to become the most powerful Pokémon Master all of the time.

Airing periods

South Korea

In South Korea, the series is split into five airing periods. They are:

• "PM('97)001"–"PM('97)053" (July 14, 1999–January 13, 2000)
• "PM('97)054"–"PM('97)105" (January 15, 2000–August 31, 2000)
• "PM('97)106"–"PM('97)157" (September 7, 2000–March 7, 2001)
• "PM('97)158"–"PM('97)209" (March 8, 2001–November 28, 2001)
• "PM('97)210"–"PM('97)261" (December 5, 2001–November 27, 2002)
• "PM('97)262"–"PM('97)276" (Skipped)

Characters

Main article: Pokémon the Series: The Beginning

Main article: Pokémon the Series: Gold and Silver

Gags

• Brock flirts with beautiful girls, along with Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy. In embarrassment, Misty will drag Brock by his ear.
• Whenever the Team Rocket trio, Jessie, James, and Meowth are defeated, they blast off into the sky that has a twinkle appearing as they fade from view.
• Jigglypuff's song makes everyone sleep, and it draws on their faces in marker out of frustration.
• In this season (and the rest of the seasons) an explanation of Officer Jennys and Nurse Joys is shown by a picture as to why there's so many identical female nurses and female police officers.

Episodes

Main article: Episode Guide

In other languages and countries

Name(s)	Countries	Television Services	Day(s) and Time(s)	Opening(s) and Ending(s)		First and Last Airdate(s)	Reruns
ポケットモンスター Poketto Monsutaa (Pocket Monsters)	Japan	TV Tokyo (Teleto) (TX Network (TXN))	Tuesday - 6:30-7:00PM Thursday - 7-7:30PM	Aim to Be a Pokémon Master (""PM('97)001""–""PM('97)080""), The Rivals (""PM('97)081""–""PM('97)118""), OK! (""PM('97)119""–""PM('97)193""), Aim to Be a Pokémon Master (Whiteberry) (""PM('97)194""–""), Ready Go! (""PM('97)241""–""PM('97)276"")	One Hundred Fifty-One ("PM001"–""PM('97)027""), Meowth's Song (""PM('97)028""–""PM('97)037"", ""PM('97)065""–""PM('97)068""), Fantasy in My Pocket (""PM('97)038""–""PM('97)064""), Pokémon Ondo (""PM('97)054""–""PM('97)064"", ""PM('97)104""), Type: Wild (""PM('97)069""–""PM('97)103""), Riding on Lapras (""PM('97)105""–""PM('97)116""), Meowth's Party (""PM('97)117""–""PM('97)143""), Exciting Pokémon Relay (""PM('97)144""–""PM('97)153"", ""PM('97)165""–""PM('97)174""), Exciting² Pokémon Relay (""PM('97)154""–""PM('97)158""), Takeshi's Paradise ""PM('97)159""), To My Best Friend (""PM('97)175""–"PM193"), Face Forward Team Rocket! ("PM194"–"PM240"), Pocket-ering Monster-ing ("PM241"–"PM276")	April 1, 1997–November 14, 2002	Tuesday - 7–7:28PM/7:30PM
포켓몬스터 Poket Monseuteo (Pocket Monsters)	South Korea	SBS TV Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS)	Wednesday-Thursday	Start of an Adventure ("PM001"–"PM080"), Pokémon Forever ("PM081"–"PM261"), Victory (unaired)	We Are All Friends ("PM001"–"PM068"), Good Friends ("PM069"–"PM261"), Pichumichu (unaired)	July 14, 1999–January 27, 2002	Unknown
Footnotes

Trivia

• This is the only series in Japan based on two different generations of the core series Pokémon games, covering material from both the generation one and two games.
• This series also introduces aspects of the most generations, with the entirety of the first two generations being covered, as well as a handful of Pokémon from Generation III being introduced.
• This is the only series in which Ash doesn't have the same group of regular traveling companions for the entire series, with Tracey Sketchit replacing Brock during the Orange League.
• This is the only series where a recurring Pokémon wasn't caught by a main character.

Gallery

Japanese poster