MHB001: A New Beginning

**A New Beginning** (Japanese: **マホハートが誕生！ 秘密の影？** *The Maho Hearts are Born! Secret Shadows?*) is the first episode of the first season of Magical Heart Beginnings.

## Summary

*18-year old Nina Aarden and her 14-year old best friends Cheren Harkabune and Bianca Tulip live in the Unova region. Professor Juniper, one of the top researchers in Unova, can't wait to give them their first Pokemon, but she has to deal with more Trainers from the Alola region as well.*

*Suddenly, a Star Portal appears, and a Dream Pixie falling from the sky hits Nina on the head with massive speed! Professor Juniper does a quick examination, but she doesn't know something strange is happening. Later on, however, before she could teach the new Trainers how to catch a Pokémon, a monster captures her! And a sweet, kind girl that couldn't find her way to Professor Juniper's lab was actually anything but!*

*With our heroes shocked by the turn of events, we learn that the pixie, Rose, has come from the magical Yumesora to save it from the Nightmares and bring the Dreams back. Just as the Trainers realize what Rose meant, she too gets captured! As the Trainers try to use Pokémon attacks, they realize that only a special kind of magic will do the trick. So when they gather up the courage to fight it, their determination pays off...*

## Plot

In the Unova region, Nina Aarden and her friends Cheren Harkabune and Bianca Tulip are excited to get their first Pokémon today. They quickly get dressed and call Professor Juniper to let her know they're on their way to the lab. While walking there, however, a green-haired girl bumps into Bianca with a blue-haired girl and a light-blonde girl watching in amusement. The girls introduce themselves as Mallow Floris, Lana Davis and Lillie Aether, and an excited Nina allows them to come to the lab with them. Meanwhile, however, trouble is brewing in Yumesora as an evil pink-skinned girl levitates around town, trying to decide which Èlèmen Spirit to posess this time. She disguises herself as an ordinary blue-haired girl who "coincidentally" is also named Nina. Angered, a young pink-colored Dream Pixie goes to pack her things and creates a Star Portal. However, she trips into the portal just as it closes, and she starts falling.

On the way to the lab, the group ends up bumping into "Nina," who says she is going to get her first Pokémon as well but doesn't know where the lab is. She asks them to show her to where the lab is, which they gladly agree to do. Nina asks for her name, to which she replies it is Nina as well. The real Nina remarks it must be a coincidence and doesn't think anything of it, since there are plenty of other Ninas in the world. Cheren gives both Ninas a 'I'm-not-buying-your-Taruoscrap' glare, but stops when the other girls make him decide to cut it out. Suddenly, something pink falls on the real Nina's head, which "Nina" convincingly pretends she thinks is adorable and so does Bianca. However, the real Nina got knocked out.

At Professor Juniper's lab, a lab assistant enters a room, announcing the arrival of new Trainers who is due to receive their starter Pokémon. Professor Juniper greets the group, but sees Nina unconscious. Upon learning that, she becomes shocked and Nina's condition gets quickly monitored. Juniper admits the numerical data doesn't show any discrepancies, but further tests will are required. As a conversion between the new Trainers (three more kids named Elio Sunne, Selene Moonne and Pollen Yellow included) and the Professor occur, Nina ends up waking and checks on her friends. As Bianca gushes over the Alolan Pokémon, Professor Juniper stops her and sends out the starters of Unova, to which one more of each species bumps into her. Nina chooses Oshawott, Bianca chooses Tepig and Cheren is left with Snivy. Professor Juniper then gives the Trainers the Poké Balls (along with the second Tepig's for Nina, the second Oshawott's for Cheren, and the second Snivy's for Bianca) and all the Pokémon are recalled. Professor Juniper then says while her assistant will work on converting the Trainers' smartphones into Rotom Phones, she herself will teach the others how to catch a Pokémon. Everyone, even the scared Lillie, goes outside to a forest near the lab.

As Professor Juniper explains the procedure, "Nina" tags along and listens to the lecture, but remembers her plan and suddenly dispels her human disguise to reveal her true nature as a villain, and she explains that they fell for her trap. She possesses the Terre Èlèmen Spirit and creates a monster that grabs and strangles Juniper, leaving the heroes speechless at her sudden betrayal. Nina lets her anger get the best of her and Cheren calms her down, but not before she suddenly creates a huge dragon that quickly disappears. The Dream Pixie introduces herself as Rose and explains why she came to the Pokémon world - for this exact reason. She explains that Yumesora has been invaded by these same kinds of monsters, leaving the Dream Pixies and the queen weakened, and that this particular villain is far too powerful to confront directly. However, Rose gets strangled after saying that, and all the Trainers send out their Pokémon. They use their attacks, but nothing happens and they just bounce off with no effect. Nina complains that Dragonet hasn't been written in yet and that she would be so useful right now, only for Cheren to slap her in annoyance.

Rose tells them that Pokémon attacks don't work except for the character Nina just mentioned and says that they may gain powers of their own if they show enough courage. Bianca starts making fake, exaggerated kung-fu gestures in an attempt to gain superpowers, but Rose says it has to be genuine. Nina slightly slaps her friend's face and she apologizes. Lana warns everyone what would happen if they're being silly, and Nina upsettingly snaps at her. The refusal to lose Professor Juniper triggers a magical surprise, and the newly-made PokéPilot allows the Trainers to transform.

The heroes are shocked to see themselves in new style and Bianca quickly kicks the monster, damaging it. Surprised, Ivy, Tep and Kazmar decide to try their attacks again, and it works! Rose, now freed, reminds the three Pokémon that they're PokéPets, much to the surprise of their Trainers. Meanwhile, a girl and her Axew pop out from a tree and notice the battle at a distance. Curious, she leaps from the tree and grabs a vine, swinging her way towards the disturbance. However, she gets spotted by the monster and flees with the Tusk Pokémon before it could get her. Event Horizon is absolutely horrified and her unseen master's voice reminds her to take their transformation items so they can't transform. After a while of fighting it, Nina singlehandly purifies the monster by using Bright Light and the heroes detransform offscreen as Event Horizon flees. She smirks to herself, however, and vows to defeat them next time.

Back in the lab, a weak Professor Juniper thanks the Trainers for saving her, for she never knew there was going to be a trap. She tells them to be suspicious of any random person who suddenly comes up to them like that due to her cloaking spell, and then agrees with the Magic Hearts that she'll keep the existence of the Dream Pixies a secret. She sees them off on their new journey as the episode ends.

## Major Events

* This marks the premiere of Magical Heart Beginnings.
* Some of the main heroes and Iris are introduced.
* Rose goes to the Pokémon world and finds Nina and her friends.
* The Trainers from Alola meet Professor Juniper and the native heroes introduce them to her.
* The Trainers obtain their starter Pokémon, but it is revealed that most of them have already gotten their first Pokémon.
* Event Horizon makes her debut, but her name isn't revealed to the heroes yet.
* The heroes transform for the first time. Nina also performs Bright Light for the first time.
* Professor Juniper decides to help keep the Dream Pixies' existence a secret after making an agreement with the Trainers and Rose.
	+ As a result, the Magic Hearts are formed.

## Debuts

### Humans

* Nina Aarden
* Cheren Harkabune
* Bianca Tulip
* Elio Sunne
* Selene Moonne
* Mallow Floris
* Lana Davis
* Lillie Aether
* Pollen Yellow
* Iris Scalehart
* Professor Juniper

### Pokémon debuts

* Starter Pokémon of Unova:
	+ Snivy
	+ Tepig
	+ Oshawott
* Starter Pokémon of Alola:
	+ Rowlet
	+ Litten
	+ Popplio
* Reshiram
* Zekrom
* Alomomola
* Axew (Iris's; Axi)
* Deerling (Spring form)
* Pidove
* Patrat
* Swanna
* Minccino

## Characters

### Heroes

* Nina Aarden
* Cheren Harkabune
* Bianca Tulip
* Elio Sunne
* Selene Moonne
* Mallow Floris
* Lana Davis
* Lillie Aether
* Pollen Yellow

### Pokémon

* Axew (Iris's; Axi; debut)
* Minccino (child's; debut) (Professor Juniper's; Cina; debut)
* Snivy (Cheren's; Leif; new; debut) (Bianca's; Ivy; PokéPet; debut)
* Tepig (Bianca's; Wilbur; new; debut) (Nina's; Tep; PokéPet; debut)
* Oshawott (Nina's; Zach; new; debut) (Cheren's; Kazmar; PokéPet; debut)
* Bounsweet (Mallow's; Aki; debut)
* Rowlet (Selene's; Feathers; debut)
* Litten (Elio's; Whiskers; debut)
* Popplio (Lana's; Poppy; debut)
* Zekrom (introduction only; debut)
* Reshiram (introduction only; debut)
* Alomomola (debut)
* Deerling (Spring form; multiple; debut)
* Pidove (multiple; debut)
* Patrat (multiple; debut) (Professor Juniper's; Pam; new; debut)
* Swanna (multiple; debut)

### Secondary Characters

* Iris Scalehart
* Professor Juniper
* Professor Juniper's assistants
* Citizens

## Quotes

* Nina: **What's tha-OW!**
* Mallow: **So you're Professor Juniper! Some people think-**
* Professor Juniper: **Ugh, I know that. But why not send out your Pokémon out?**
* Bianca: **EEEEE! A BOUNSWEET AND THE STARTERS OF ALOLA!**
* Professor Juniper: **Pardon me, but please calm down. Yes, I know those 4 are from Alola, but you better... Oh! And there's a Pikachu too! Pikachu are impossible to find in the wild!**
* Pollen: **E-excuse me?**
* Cheren: **Uh, Professor... I think you irritated someone!**
* Professor Juniper: **My bad, but I couldn't help it. Besides, I meant that wild Pikachu can't be found in Unova!**

## Scripts

* Japanese
* English
	+ 4Kids
	+ Viz
	+ Nick
* Italian
* German
* French
* Korean
* Chinese
* Spanish

## Trivia

* This episode aired as a one-hour special along with *Enter Iris and Axi!*.
* In the title opening introduced in this episode, there are six Poké Balls that are in the same order as they would be when healing in a Pokémon Center in Pokémon Black and White.
* The first line the Professor says to the first pair of Starter Pokémon indicates that she already gave them nicknames.
* Like all future Nickelodeon-dubbed episodes, transformations similar to the *Winx Club Specials* are used instead of the original transformations, possibly to avoid the glowing nudity.

### Easter Eggs

* Nina breaks the 4th wall when complaining that the Pokémon's attacks don't work on the monster, as she says "Too bad that Dragonet hasn't been written in just yet! Her Return attack would be so useful right now." This causes Cheren to slap her out of annoyance, and Lana warns everyone that something bad might happen if they act way too silly.

### Differences between the anime and manga

* In the manga, the heroes gaining powers as a result of their determination resembles Miki looking terrified as she gets lifted up in the air and enters the transformation space for the first time.

### Differences between the anime and novel

* The transformation sequence as a whole is removed, which will also apply for future chapters. This doesn't affect the plot, however.

## In other languages

* Chinese: 生命之心的命运！ (The Destiny of the Vital Hearts!)
* French: Les débuts des héros (The Beginning of the Heroes)
* German: Unser Abenteuer Beginnt! (Our Adventure Begins!)
* Italian: Compaiono Cuori Magici (Magical Hearts Appear)
* Korean: 바이탈 매직 포켓몬 트레이너! (Vital Magic Pokémon Trainer!)
* Spanish: El Nacimiento de las Guerreras del Corazón! (The Birth of the Warriors of the Heart!)