Episode Stats:

Weekly Pokemon Broadcasting Station #065: "The Pokemon Researcher Shigeru and the Revival of Ptera"
Pokémon Chronicles Episode 15:  "Putting the Air Back in Aerodactyl!"
Japanese Air Date:  March 16th, 2004
American Air Date:  September 2nd, 2006
Important Characters:  Takumi (Jared), Kobara-Hakase (Dara), Misawo (Crystal)
Important Places:  Saida Island (Sayda Island)

Orchid-Hakase and Kenji are heading to Saida Island!  The professor and his assistant are traveling to the remote island to visit Shigeru, who's doing some exciting, top-secret research.  When the two residents of Masara Town arrive, they are shocked to see the extinct pokemon Ptera flying around!  They soon discover that Orchid-Hakase's grandson is doing research on extinct pokemon, even going as far as resurrecting a pokemon from a fossil he found on his journey!  However, the Ptera he resurrected has flown away, so now he has to hurry up and catch it before it flies to the mainland and wreaks havoc!  WIth the help of Misawo, the younger sister of one of Shigeru's co-workers, our heroes track the pokemon to its nest.  There, Yamato and Kosaburou of the Rocket-Dan appear and attempt to kidnap the pokemon, but our heroes are successful in warding them off.  Ptera flies away after the battle, prompting our heroes to wonder how they can get the pokemon to overcome its fear of humans.  Shigeru discovers that the pokemon likes a particular type of fruit, so he goes to a place where the fruit grows and waits.  Sure enough, the pterodactyl pokemon shows up, but the Rocket-Dan appear again to kidnap the pokemon.  Shigeru and the others use their pokemon to send them blasting off again, finally earning Ptera's respect.  Now that the pokemon realizes who its friends are, Shigeru is able to study the prehistoric pokemon in earnest.  Orchid-Hakase and Kenji leave the island to let the professor-in-training continue his research, confident that he will make many exciting discoveries in the world of pokemon.

---

Thoughts
So it took us friggin' forever to get one of these, but here we are:  Shigeru's Housoukyoku special.  And...it's not all that exciting.  I mean, it feels more like an Orchid-Hakase / Kenji special with Shigeru just sort of being there, never really doing anything to make a difference.  I mean, when filler girl of the day (Misawo) upstages you in your only Housoukyoku special, you know something's not right.

This episode also disproves that rumor about Shigeru leaving the show because his voice actor (Kobayashi Yuko) quit since she reprises the role for this episode.  People still believe the old rumor, though, and I guess it's destined to be one of those things that everyone will continue to spread across the Internet regardless of how many times it's proven to be incorrect.

The English version of this episode is surprisingly decent.  In fact, I may even dare to say that it's one of the best dubbed Chronicles episodes yet, especially compared to the last few episodes we've had to sit through. 

For your reference, this episode was released between episodes AG 067, "It's a Dance Battle!  Runpappa!!" ("Go Go Ludicolo") and AG 068, "Papa is an Idol!?  The Fake Gym Leader!!" ("A Double Dilemma").  In the Japanese version, Pokkettaari Monsutaari is used as the episode's ending theme.

Lapras keeps its Japanese voice.

Music Edit
Why do I continue making these "Music Edit" headings when it's obvious by now that the only piece of Japanese music from the original episode is during the seven second title screen?

Dialogue Edit
Professor Oak having a Seaking is only a figment of 4Kids' imagination:


Originally, the whole scene was narrated by Kenji, who was thinking to himself how Orchid-Hakase's grandson, Shigeru, had traveled around to different places before settling down at Saida Island to do his research.  He goes on to say that Orchid-Hakase and he got a letter asking them to come check out his newest findings.

Now I know that some of you are saying that it's "wrong" to get mad at 4Kids for randomly giving Orchid-Hakase a pokemon since there's no proof that he doesn't have an Azumaou, just like there's no proof that Mizuho doesn't have a Nyoromo or that Hiroshi doesn't have an Eevee.  The problem is that fans start to believe these dub lines and then wonder why we've never seen these pokemon being referred to in these specials, not realizing that they never had them in the first place.  I mean, if the creators of the show had wanted these characters to have the pokemon 4Kids is giving them, they would have given them to these trainers. 

I also think that 4Kids thought that by having Kenji take on the role of the narrator, it would seem like the special is focused on him more than it really is, so they changed it.  This theory will be supported by a similar edit at the end of the episode.

Video Edit
Just like the Music Edit one, I wonder why I still take the time to point this out.  Oh well...I guess it would feel too awkward to stop now when I've been doing it for so long.


Cut--2 seconds
After the shot of the smashed window Ptera escaped from, the bird's eye view shot of Shigeru, Orchid-Hakase, Kenji, and Kobara-Hakase is shortened by two seconds.

Paint Edit
The green sign above the door Misawo's standing under during her entrance has its text painted away.  I think it said EXIT, but it's really hard to tell since it's so blurry.


Click on each image to view a larger version.

Dialogue Edit
In the dub, Butch and Cassidy come across Aerodactyl and make some lame jokes about how they thought it was supposed to be really tiny:


I mean...that's just insulting.  Yamato and Kosaburou may have been a little bumbling lately, but they're not THAT dumb.

In the Japanese version, Yamato expresses her surprise that a Ptera had really been resurrected.  I mean, she knew that they'd be running into one because of Nanba-Hakase's information, but she was still surprised to see the thing really existed.  Kosaburou then talks about how accurate Nanba-Hakase's information was before Yamato proclaims that they'll catch it for their boss.

Cut--1 second
The shot of Aerodactyl flying after Tracey's "Oh no!  It's headed for the ocean!" is a second longer in the Japanese version.

Dialogue Edit
When our heroes are wondering what's wrong with Aerodactyl:


Since when is Pikachu one of "the big ones?"

Orchid-Hakase pretty much says the same thing in the Japanese version, but the difference is that he doesn't mention any specific pokemon.  Instead, he just mentions that there are a lot of pokemon who are scared of things they don't understand because they don't know their own strength.

Paint Edit
All the "text" on Shigeru's computer screens is erased. 


Added Footage--3 seconds
4Kids shows the footage of Aerodactyl being caught in Butch and Cassidy's robot arm thing twice.  In the original version, it's only shown once.

Dialogue Edit
The narration that ends the episode is completely different depending on what version you're watching:

Japanese	English
Kenji:  "Shigeru skillfully revived the prehistoric pokemon, Ptera, from its fossil.  What's more, he will continue to research remarkable things.  I wish Shigeru all the best, and we will take these memories back with us to Masara Town."	Narrator:  "Professor Oak was proud of his grandson.  By reviving and taming the Aerodactyl, Gary proved that he had all the makings of a great Oak scientist.  And Professor Oak couldn't wait to see what he would come up with next."

It kind of has a completely different feel to it, doesn't it?  The ending goes from "Kenji cheering Shigeru on" to "Professor Oak is proud of his grandson."  I mean, I kind of see why 4Kids would want to make this special as much about Gary as they can, but it's still a disappointing change since they scrap Tracey's respect for Gary growing in the process.  

Cut--8 seconds
The TO BE CONTINUED screen, which also includes the shot of Saida Island turning into a sketch, is removed from the dub.

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