Episode Stats:

Weekly Pokemon Broadcasting Station #046: "Masara Town, The Setting off of a Pokemon Trainer"
Pokémon Chronicles Episode 14:  "Journey to the Starting Line!"
Japanese Air Date:  October 14th, 2003
American Air Date:  August 26th, 2006
Important Characters:  Hajime (Gilbert), Masae (???), Osaku-san (Mr Garrison), Tango-san (Mr. Tango), Ohan-san (Ms. Owen)

In Masara Town, Orchid-Hakase and Kenji prepare the three Kanto starter pokemon for a new trainer, Hajime.  As the professor checks each pokemon's health, Satoshi's Kentauros stampede through the lab, scaring the pokemon and causing them to run off.  At that moment, Hajime arrives at the lab.  Our heroes don't have time to deal with Hajime's rotten attitude toward pokemon raising, so they make him tag along as they search for the missing pokemon.  They decide to split up to cover more ground, so Kenji and Satoshi's mom form one party while Orchid-Hakase, Hajime, and Satoshi's Fushigidane form another.  Kenji comes across Hitokage playing dangerously close to a river, so he rushes over and saves it before the flame on its tail goes out.  Orchid-Hakase and Hajime find Zenigame hanging from a tree branch, so Satoshi's Fushigidane uses its Vine Whip to rescue it.  After seeing Fushigidane play with Zenigame for a while, Hajime begins to understand that pokemon aren't all about being "cool" or winning battle after battle.  Everyone gathers again to search for Fushigidane, and their search eventually leads them to a pack of Okorizaru.  The monkey pokemon become enraged when the grass-type pokemon falls on them, so they begin to chase our heroes through the forest.  Hajime and Satoshi's Fushigidane become separated from the main group, so the young boy is forced to face his foes head-on.  Satoshi's Fushigidane steps up and uses Solar Beam to send the fighting-type pokemon away, impressing Hajime with its power.  At the end of the day, Hajime realizes that pokemon aren't just tools to be used in battle and chooses Fushigidane as his starter pokemon.  As Hajime starts on his pokemon journey, Orchid-Hakase and the others enjoy the peace that has returned to Masara Town.

---

Thoughts
Eh...this episode was alright, I guess.  I mean, it's nice to see more of Masara Town, and Hajime not being so bratty is a nice change of pace from the usual bright-eyed pokemon-loving trainers we see in every other episode makes this one stand out.  I also liked how there's no real villains here, since I think yet another appearance by Yamato and Kosaburou would have been a bit much.  Yet for some reason this episode just isn't that exciting to me.  I think it's because the whole thing seems pretty pointless to me; I mean, yeah, it's great that the character got over his brattiness and has started his journey, but none of that matters when you realize that we'll never see this character again ever. 

One thing that I find interesting is how much the Hajime in this episode looks almost exactly like the Hajime in  "Sleeper and Pokemon Hypnotism!?"  Coincidence, lazy character designing, intentionally using a minor character, or some combination of the three?


The dubbed version retains that good old Chronicles quality.  Gilbert had a voice that was very "off," in my opinion.  I can understand why 4Kids gave him that Gary-ish "I'm better than you" voice, but this kid sounds waaaay too old to be a ten year old. 

For your reference, this episode was released between episodes AG 046, "The Kachinuki Family!  Four vs. Four!!" ("Candid Camerupt") and AG 047, "Eneko and Aroma Therapy" ("I Feel Skitty!").  In the Japanese version, Hyaku Gojuu-Ichi is used as the episode's ending theme.

Music Edit
Once again, the Japanese music is completely done away with in this one.  SURPRISE OF THE CENTURY!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cut--17 seconds
The very first shot of the episode, which is basically just a shot of the sun over Orchid-Hakase's laboratory, is completely removed from the dub.  In addition, the first shot of the English version of the episode is shortened by three seconds, so Heracross' only appearance in the episode is removed as well.


Dialogue Edit
The narrator is a lot more talkative during the introduction in the dub than he is in the Japanese version.  Yeah yeah, small events trigger chain reactions.  We friggin' get it already.

Video Edit
This is probably a given for the rest of the series, but we get the good old title screen edit again.


Dialogue Edit
In the dub, Professor Oak explains that the reason he didn't eat breakfast is because he was running some Jirachi reports.  Originally, Orchid-Hakase just said he was thinking about how exciting pokemon journeys are.

Also, the dub version states - several times, actually - that Gilbert is the mayor's son.  This isn't in the Japanese version at all.  Originally, Hajime is just another regular kid trying to get his start as a pokemon trainer.

Paint Edit
The clipboard with Hajime's information is altered in the dub.


Click on each image to view a larger version.

Added Footage--1 second
The shot of Gilbert right before we see Masae's store is made a second longer in the dub.

Paint Edit
The word Post is erased from Masae's mailbox. The word Pokémon is also erased from her book since, y'know, that's the last word you want showing up in a show called Pokémon.

Dialogue Edit
In the Japanese version, Masae holds up the magazine Orchid-Hakase's in and tells the professor that she loved his article about mirage pokemon.  In the dub, she acts like Professor Oak had nothing to do with any of the articles in the magazine and makes something up about  Lugia sightings.

First Jirachi, and now Lugia...how many legendaries is the dub going to try to add to this episode?

Paint Edit
A little piece of non-text is erased from the brown box in Masae's broadcast room.


Click on each image to view a larger version.

Music Edit
In the Japanese version, the first Japanese ending theme, Hyaku Gojuu-Ichi, is played during Masae's radio broadcast.  In the dub, it's replaced with a percussion heavy song.

Dialogue Edit
Hey, Chronicles writers, why do you like to change most of Orchid-Hakase's lines?


First of all, Orchid-Hakase would never tell a young trainer whom he's only know for a day to "call it quits and go home" since that would be an incredibly harsh and inappropriate thing for someone in his position to say.  Originally, Orchid-Hakase tells Hajime that when he's on the road, he'll come across situations much more dangerous than the one he's in now.

Also, Hajime hesitates a bit more in the Japanese version before trying to climb down off the mountain.  In the dub, Gilbert practically jumps at the chance.

Cut--1 second
The second shot of Zenigame hanging from the tree branch after the commercial break is shortened by a second in the dub.

Paint Edit
Various signs in Masae's shop have their scribbles erased.  I guess dub Masae isn't allowed to post the prices of the stuff she's selling.


Cut--36 seconds
In the dub, the episode ends with an iris out on Gilbert as he walks away with his new Bulbasaur.  In the Japanese version, however, the episode continues for another 36 seconds.  After the initial iris out, we see Hajime continuing to walk while Hanako, Orchid-Hakase, and Kenji talk (via voice-over) about the best way to end the episode.  Hanako suggests a pokemon senryuu, so Orchid-Hakase tries his hand at one.  He can't come up with a good one, so Hanako makes one up:

ト レーナー たまにママに 電話しなさい

Trainers, Call your mothers Every now and then

After that, everyone laughs and congratulates Hanako on a job well done.  At that point, we see the screen shrink and the words TO BE CONTINUED appear at the bottom.

It's kind of a dumb way to end the episode, so I don't blame 4Kids for cutting it. 

Previous Episode

Next Episode