EP164

Carrying On! (Japanese: ポッポやのでんしょポッポ！ The Carrier of the Poppo Store!) is the 164th episode of the Pokémon animated series. It was first broadcast in Japan on September 14, 2000, and in the United States on September 22, 2001. 
==Blurb==
Just outside of Ecruteak City, our heroes see a flying Pidgey being attacked by a huge Fearow and decide to intervene. With Brock carrying the wounded Pidgey, the gang enters Ecruteak City in hopes of finding its trainer. Not only do our heroes find this Pidgey's home, they discover it is a member of the Carrier-Pidgey Express! Join Ash, Misty and Brock as they learn about caring for carrier-Pidgey and witness the dedication of a young boy and his grandfather to these very special Pokémon.
==Plot==
 and are making their way to Ecruteak City when they encounter a that is being attacked by a massive and decide to intervene. Ash sends out to battle Fearow, and it hits it with . Now convinced that Noctowl is a , Fearow flees the battle. However, Pidgey has become too exhausted to stay in midair and starts falling. As it had flown even further away from them during the battle, the group can only watch as it tumbles through the air and out of sight beyond the treetops.
With Noctowl flying ahead of them, the three friends break into a sprint that takes them through the trees and to edge of a steep drop-off where they discover that the tiny bird's free-fall has come to an abrupt end. Pidgey has crash-landed on a rocky outcrop protruding from the sheer face of a small cliff! Ash orders Noctowl to retrieve it, but Pidgey is understandably terrified when Noctowl lands beside it and begins to struggle feebly. Noctowl once again uses its Hypnosis, this time making itself appear as a fellow Pidgey.
Having retrieved the tiny Pidgey, carefully ties a bandage to Pidgey's broken wings. notices the backpack on Pidgey, while Ash suggests taking the tiny bird in order to find its Trainer. They quickly arrive in town, and while walking along the pavement, they notice a flock of Pidgey flying around town with the same backpack as the Pidgey they found. Then, a young boy named Malachi runs towards them, recognizing the Pidgey, whose name is revealed to be Ken. Seeing the bandage on Ken's wings, Malachi accuses them of hurting his Pidgey, but Brock quickly calms him saying they only helped it after its encounter with the Fearow, followed by Malachi's apology.
Next, Ash congratulates him for its Pidgey, but Malachi explains the little Pidgey is one of his grandfather's carrier Pidgey which delivers letters and newspapers to the islands nearby. From a close sewer, a camera is seen spying on them. As the camera turns to the inside of the sewer, is seen making a plot in order to steal every carrier Pidgey. The scene reverts to the others who have arrived at the Pidgey Express building. Malachi takes them to a coop full of Pidgey where his grandfather gives instructions to four of them, which are preparing to make a delivery.
After becoming acquainted with Ash and his friends, he invites them inside for some refreshments in order to express his gratitude for saving his Pidgey. After explaining his methods of training, his grandson Malachi goes back to the coop in order to spend time with the Pidgey. After he left, Ash notices his strong love for the Express. Malachi's grandfather agrees, informing them after his retirement the business will be closed, explaining his reasons which include the inability of competing with airplanes and e-mail, and the fact that it takes a whole life to dedicate.
Later, Malachi's grandfather answers a call from Nurse Joy who informs him about the absence of the Pidgey which was supposed to deliver some medicine. He rushes with his to scout the sky in hopes of seeing the wayward Pidgey. The others notice him and found out about the missing Pidgey, to which Malachi reacts by saying he is going to find the Pidgey using the blimp which his grandfather uses to train them. Ash and the rest offered to go, and they all lift-off in search of the Pidgey. 
Ash sends out his Noctowl to scout the area and the scene turns to Team Rocket's balloon having attached underneath it a retriever system with a bag full of Pidgey. After stealing another Pidgey, Jessie notices the blimp searching for the Pidgey. In order to avoid being seen by them, activates a button that engulfs the entire balloon into white smoke making it appear as a cloud. But their scheme is quickly discovered by Noctowl which uses to blow away the smoke.
After the two sides encounter, Jessie sends her . Realizing it's floating in the air, it almost falls when it is quickly grabbed by Team Rocket by its tail. While hanging, it uses to attack Ken and Noctowl. Noctowl dodges and uses Hypnosis to trick Arbok into thinking he attacks the others, while actually missing. Then, Noctowl and Ken tear the bag, releasing the Pidgey. When Team Rocket finally snaps out of Hypnosis, the Pidgey are all released while soaring the sky.
When they realize they are surrounded, Team Rocket proceeds to flee but are quickly shocked by 's . Then, the flock of Pidgey peck their balloon, blowing it up and sending them blasting off. Next, Ash along with the others, successfully deliver the medicine to Nurse Joy and return to the Pidgey Express. Back to the rooftop, Malachi is waiting for the arrival of Ken, which successfully made his delivery.
Malachi's grandfather reveals that he changed his mind about closing the Express by informing Malachi the family business will be run by him after his retirement if he proves to be a professional. Ash congratulates Malachi and the scene cuts to the group bidding farewell.
==Major events==
* Ash's Noctowl is revealed to know .
===Debuts===
====Pokémon debuts====
==Characters==
===Humans===
* 
* 
* 
* Jessie
* James
* Nurse Joy
* Malachi
* Denjirō
===Pokémon===
Who's That Pokémon?: (US and international); (Ken) (Japan)
* ()
* ()
* ()
* ()
* (; )
* ()
* (Denjirō's; multiple)
* (Malachi's; Ken)
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* (illusion)
==Trivia==
* This episode may be loosely based on an event in and their remakes, , in which just outside of Goldenrod City gives the a carrying mail to deliver to a friend.
** Additionally, Spearow's nickname, Kenya, is similar to that of the main in this episode, Ken.
* In the Who's That Pokémon? segment, says, "Prepare to battle."
* The Pidgey in this episode are based on real-world s.
* This is the last episode in which 's mouth is colored yellow instead of green.
* Each of the Pokémon species in the Pokémon Center has been owned by a main character at some point, with the exception of (although its evolutions, and have been owned by one).
* This episode has a few references to the film actor, .
** He starred in a film called , which in Japanese is "Poppoya", which is close to Pidgey's Japanese name. 
** The film stars actor , who resembles the character of Denjirō.
** One of the Pidgey's names is Ken, which comes from Ken Takakura.
** After and are impressed by the fact that Denjirō flies all over the city, telling the Pidgey where to go, he says "It's because, I'm a clumsy man." This is a reference to Ken Takakura, who once said in a commercial for , "It's because I'm clumsy".
===Errors===
* The Pokémon.com blurb for this episode misidentifies the unnamed town that Ash and friends arrive at as Ecruteak City.
* When the Pidgey glare at , they have a dark-brown color.
* The Pidgey in this episode all use , a move they cannot legally learn in the games.
* In the , Jessie incorrectly says Pidgeys as the plural of Pidgey.
===Dub edits===
==In other languages==
164
Category:Episodes written by Junki Takegami
Category:Episodes storyboarded and directed by Osamu Inoue
Category:Episodes storyboarded by Osamu Inoue
Category:Episodes directed by Osamu Inoue
Category:Episodes animated by Masafumi Satō
Category:Episodes in which an alternately colored Pokémon appears
de:Der Taubsi-Express-Service!
es:EP166
fr:EP164
it:OA048
ja:無印編第164話
zh:宝可梦 第165集