PK001: Pikachu's Vacation

Pikachu's Vacation (Japanese: ピカチュウのなつやすみ, Pikachū no Natsuyasumi) is a 21-minute short movie that is shown before Mewtwo Strikes Back in both the theatrical and the VHS and DVD version of the main movie. It is the first of the "Pikachu shorts" in what would be a traditional process of hosting a 20+ minute mini-movie before the main Pokémon feature that would last up until the 6th movie. Pikachu's Vacation, like the five Pikachu shorts that would follow, focuses primarily on an action-packed affair involving solely the Pokémon seen from the anime as they take part in a scenario that eventually illustrates a moral.
In Pokémon fan communities, Pikachu's Vacation was noted for introducing the never-before-seen Pokémon character Snubbull (albeit spelled Snubble), as well as the first primary anime appearance of the already popular Marill. This became a tradition for all Pikachu shorts, as they were used to introduce new Pokémon from the upcoming "generations" of Pokémon games, cards, and anime material.
==Plot==
When Ash Ketchum and his friends stumble upon a Pokémon vacation resort, they decide to let their Pokémon have a day of fun and relaxation and let all their Pokémon out as the trainers go relax on their own. Pikachu and the Pokémon (Bulbasaur, Charizard, Squirtle, Pidgeotto, Geodude, Onix, Vulpix, Zubat, Staryu, Goldeen, Psyduck, and Togepi) go off into the resort and react contend with an unhappy Togepi, which they succeed in doing. Soon, a group of border-ruffian Pokémon Raichu, Cubone, Snubbull, and Marill come along and cause trouble for Pikachu's group. The ensuing standoff soon becomes a series of competitions such as a swimming race. Their increasingly passionate rivalry soon comes to a standstill when Pikachu's companion Charizard crashes and finds its head stuck in a tight pipe. Quickly in a scrabble, Pikachu and Raichu's groups join to release Charizard, and they soon find themselves as friends for the rest of the day. Meanwhile Team Rocket's Meowth alongside James' Weezing and Jessie's Arbok try to find a place to nap at the resort, however Meowth is constantly awakened by the rivalry between Pikachu and Raichu and eventually Charizard's roaring while it was stuck in the pipe. Eventually Meowth finally has enough with the interruptions and plans to use a bomb to stop the noise but is soon crushed by Charizard who got freed from the pipe. The bomb explodes next to him causing him to pass out. At the end of the day, Pikachu and his fellow Pokémon leave the resort with fond memories and new friends and rejoin their trainers.
==Appearances==
===Debuts===
*Snubbull
*Marill
===Pokémon===
*Pikachu (Ash's)
*Togepi (Misty's)
*Meowth (Team Rocket's Meowth)
*Psyduck (Misty's Psyduck)
*Vulpix (Suzy's Vulpix)
*Geodude (Brock's Geodude)
*Onix (Brock's Steelix)
*Zubat (Brock's Crobat)
*Squirtle (Ash's Squirtle)
*Bulbasaur (Ash's Bulbasaur)
*Charizard (Ash's Charizard)
*Goldeen (Misty's Goldeen)
*Staryu (Misty's Staryu)
*Pidgeotto (Ash's)
*Eevee
*Koffing
*Seaking
*Lickitung
*Mr. Mime
*Growlithe
*Hitmonlee
*Hitmonchan
*Weezing (James' Weezing)
*Arbok (Jessie's Arbok)
*Raichu
*Cubone
*Seel
*Starmie (Misty's Starmie)
*Slowbro
*Horsea (Misty's Horsea)
*Electrode
*Snorlax
*Chansey
*Jigglypuff
*Bellsprout
*Magikarp
*Exeggutor
*Oddish
==Other==
===Trivia===
*This was the first time Charizard was seen crying.
*Instead of the regular narrator, Dexter, the voice of Ash's Pokédex, does much of the narration for the short.
*The cheek-to-cheek footrace between Pikachu and Raichu would eventually be re-created between Serena's Pancham and Clemont's Chespin in Pikachu and the Pokémon Music Squad.
*The English dub songs "Vacation" and "Catch Me If You Can" are featured on the Pokémon: The First Movie soundtrack album.
===Errors===
*Despite being shown as running past (and stepping on in the process) Pikachu, Psyduck is seen moments later with Bulbasaur and Squirtle, trying to cheer up Togepi.
*At one point when Pikachu and Togepi are rolling away on the log bridge, grass can be seen beneath them instead of water.
*Misty's Goldeen and Staryu are not seen helping to rescue Charizard from his predicament.
*The English dub mistakenly credits Takeshi Shudo as the writer for this short. Hideki Sonoda is the true writer.
==Gallery==
PK01 shot (1).png|Pikachu the Movie logo
PK01 logo jp.png|Japanese logo
PK01 logo en.png|English logo
PK01 shot (7).png
PK01 shot (8).png|Stampede
PK01 shot (10).png
PK01 shot (13).png|Togepi crying loudly
PK01 shot (14).png
PK01 shot (17).png
PK01 shot (18).png|The apple meant for Togepi
PK01 shot (19).png|gets eaten by Psyduck instead.
PK01 shot (20).png|Bulba-by
PK01 shot (26).png|Here come the bullies.
PK01 shot (27).png|The rivalry starts.
PK01 shot (28).png|Pikachu doesn't participate in the rivalry and instead looks after Togepi.
PK01 shot (30).png|Togepi has better balance.
PK01 shot (31).png|Into the river Pikachu goes.
PK01 shot (37).png
PK01 shot (38).png|Challenge between Squirtle and Marill.
PK01 shot (39).png|Marill wins.
PK01 shot (42).png|Sparks get too close to Togepi.
PK01 shot (43).png|Pikachu comforts Togepi, only to get zapped in the back.
PK01 shot (44).png|Pikachu has had enough.
PK01 shot (46).png|Electric race.
PK01 shot (51).png
PK01 shot (52).png|Tail trampled, sudden awakening.
PK01 shot (55).png|Charizard joins the race
PK01 shot (57).png|Victory for Charizard!
PK01 shot (59).png|Pikachu and Raichu tie for last place.
PK01 shot (60).png
PK01 shot (61).png|Charizard gloats.
PK01 shot (63).png|Charizard is too late to change course.
PK01 shot (64).png|Charizard hits several objects
PK01 shot (67).png|Charizard gets stuck
PK01 shot (70).png|Charizard begins struggling to escape.
PK01 shot (71).png|Meowth wants his naptime to go undisturbed.
PK01 shot (72).png|Flamethrower to the face.
PK01 shot (78).png
PK01 shot (79).png|Pikachu and the others try to pull Charizard out.
PK01 shot (80).png|Charizard is stuck too tight.
PK01 shot (82).png|Charizard takes one errant step forward,
PK01 shot (83).png|pulling everyone forward and tripping them.
PK01 shot (85).png|Poor Charizard succumbs to complete despair and cries.
PK01 shot (86).png|Pikachu seeks help from the bullies, who are the only other Pokémon around available to help.
PK01 shot (90).png|They decide to help
PK01 shot (91).png|Cubone refuses to help Charizard.
PK01 shot (93).png|But he eventually changes his mind.
PK01 shot (94).png|Charizard is finally freed.
PK01 shot (95).png|Meowth has had enough interruptions.
PK01 shot (98).png|Charizard crushes Meowth without knowing it and is unfazed by the bomb's explosion.
PK01 shot (99).png|Meowth settles down for a nap at last.
PK01 shot (101).png|Rebuilding the park.
PK01 shot (108).png|Playing together.
PK01 shot (109).png|Sunset. It's time to leave the park.
PK01 shot (110).png
PK01 shot (112).png|Overall, it was a great vacation!
Pokémon The First Movie VHS Tape.png|the VHS tape of Pokémon: The First Movie
Category:Shorts
Category:Movies
Category:Episodes written by Hideki Sonoda
Category:Episodes storyboarded and directed by Yūji Asada
Category:Episodes animated by Akihiro Tamagawa
Category:Pikachu Shorts episodes